On January 19, 2024, Walter Ray Hicklin, who resided in Warrensburg and was 84 years old, passed away at his residence as he was accompanied by his family. His parents, Lee Aven and Lovica Robin Hicklin, welcomed him into the world on July 19, 1939, in the town of Gilliam, Missouri.
Hicklin was a citizen of Warrensburg who had spent his childhood in East Kansas City, Missouri. He received his degree from Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri, where he was honoured with the title of Mr. Viking a year earlier.
He graduated from CMSU, which is now known as UCM, with both a Master’s and a Specialist’s degree. His 31 years of work at UCM culminated in his retirement in the year 2006. When he arrived to the institution, he had previously worked at Lee’s Summit High School, where he had taught mathematics, served as the athletic director, been an assistant principal, and been the head football coach.
Additionally, he was honoured with the title of Suburban Head Football Coach of the Year three times in Kansas City. In 1976, after having a prosperous career as a high school coach, he was appointed as the head coach of the Mules football team.
In addition, he continued to teach mathematics at the college level in the department that was formerly known as the Department of Academic Enrichment of the university. Because of his exceptional leadership skills, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, and then he was promoted to the position of Interim Vice President for Student Affairs (IGVP).
Although Hicklin was working in Student Affairs, he was honoured with the Noel Levitz National Award for a student retention programme that he had devised and been responsible for implementing. Hundreds of students were supervised by Hicklin through this programme, and the majority of them were able to graduate from the University of Central Missouri.
UCM’s annual J.P. Mees Award for Outstanding Professional Staff was presented to him in 2003, making him the inaugural winner of the award.
