Dr. Keith F. Snider, Professor of Public Administration and Management in the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Department of Defense Management, was presented with the Department of the Navy’s Superior Civilian Service Award, July 28, as he officially retires from the university following nearly 26 years of service to the institution.
“Dr. Snider’s contributions to the university over his long and notable career are abundant and lasting. His leadership of our defense management programs has positioned NPS as a national leader in education and research in defense-focused operations and logistics management, acquisition management, management and organizations, manpower and economics, and financial management,” said Dr. Scott S. Gartner, NPS Provost and Academic Dean.
Snider was the principal investigator of the NPS Acquisition Research Program for its first 15 years, Gartner notes, which “has become a premier provider of scholarship in the defense acquisition sciences,” he said. “While these achievements represent only a small reflection of his impact, our institution has been fortunate to have this noteworthy scholar on our team.”
Snider came to NPS in 1996 while completing his doctorate at Virginia Tech University following a 20-year career in the U.S. Army, spending the latter part of active duty in the Army Acquisition Corps. It wasn’t his first stint at NPS, he attended the university during his Army career, graduating from the operations research program in 1981.
A respected teacher and mentor, Snider taught more than 100 course offerings to over 2,100 students. And he advised more than 100 students on their theses and capstone projects.
“I've been a part of NPS for almost half my life as a student and as a faculty member, so it's a very special place for me,” Snider said. “What has made [NPS] special are the truly fine people with whom I've been blessed to work – colleagues who have mentored, supported and encouraged me, as well as the many superb students I've had the privilege to teach and to learn from.
“It's humbling to have been a member of a faculty with so many academic superstars who continually make amazing contributions to the national defense and to their disciplines,” he added.
“Professor Snider served with distinction for almost 26 years as a teacher, scholar and administrator at NPS,” reflected Dr. Raymond Jones, Chair of the Department of Defense Management, recalling his active leadership in the accreditation of select defense management curricula, as well as his many awards and accolades.
“Professor Snider’s extraordinary leadership, management, academic rigor, and professional work ethic were instrumental in NPS providing defense-focused graduate education,” reads the certificate accompanying the award. “Dr. Snider’s sustained superior performance of his demanding duties throughout this period reflected great credit upon himself, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Department of the Navy.”
As far as what’s on the horizon, Snider says he plans to remain in the Monterey Peninsula.
“As military retirees, we'll continue to be on campus regularly to use the base facilities,” he says. “I plan to do some volunteer work, both for NPS and in the community, and I hope to remain active in teaching and advising.