Susan Scott

Raised in Brookings South Dakota, Susan attended Creighton University and earned a BA in English and secondary education.  Returning to Brookings Susan worked as a house mother and received a M.Ed. from SDSU in counseling. Her career included working as public school teacher and administrator and trainer in Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Social Services and Alcoholism treatment prior to starting her own consulting business.  

 Her seventeen year consulting practice, in which she focused on the human side of productivity, was conducted throughout the continental United States, in Hawaii, Canada and Brazil.   Susan provided facilitation and trained employees and supervisors in communication, feedback, customer service and supervisory skills.  Susan provided team building and conducted surveys to provide supervisors feedback from their employees.  

In 1982, Susan founded Women in Sales and Business, a networking and educational group open to women in business which continues to meet monthly.  Susan held leadership positions locally, regionally and nationally with the American Society for Training and Development. 

She has served on the boards of:

• the Indian Center,
• Fresh Start Home,
• Friends of the Women's Commission,
• Centerpointe
• Citizens Against Racism and Discrimination.

Susan was honored to receive the:

• 1989 YWCA Tribute to Women,
• 2001 Women's Commission's Alice Paul Award
• 2004 NAACP community award,
• 2005 Non Profit Executive of the Year from ANPE
• 2006, recognition from the Nebraska State Holocaust Commemoration for her efforts to combat racism and discrimination. 
• 2006 Woman of the Year by the Nova BPW
• 2007 Nebraska BPW Nebraska Woman of the Year.

Susan, who served as Executive Director of the YWCA Lincoln for seven years, has lived in District 29 for over 30 years, owning her home for over 25 years.  She is  an enduring Turtle and runner with over 55 marathons under her feet, including four 50 mile ultra marathons and all 30 Lincoln Marathons, the New York, Honolulu and Pikes Peak marathons.   

Dawn Wilson 03/25/2008:

I first met Susan in the fall of 1971. I was entering my senior year of High School in Summit, S.D. She was my English teacher and High School Guidance Counselor. It was apparent from the start that she was different from any other teacher. She truly cared about teaching what she taught. She pushed us to excel in our studies, believed in the power of education and what one could achieve with an education.
During the end of my senior year, I found that I didn’t have to take any of my finals. She told me that I was very close to an “A” in English and she encouraged me to study for and take the exam. She believed I could “ace” the final to bring my grade for the year up to an “A” which is exactly what I did! As my guidance counselor Susan helped me fill out applications to colleges and for grants and scholarships. One weekend, she took me to visit SDSU to visit the campus and learn about my world outside my world outside Little Summit, South Dakota. She gave me the tools to me as I set out on my journey. Susan was more than my teacher, she was my mentor. She encouraged me to do my best at everything I attempted. What she taught went beyond what you learn in books. She taught by example. I feel she continues to teach me 37 years later.