Center for Archival Collections

Introduction/Biographical Sketch | Record Group/Series Description | Inventory

 Introduction/Biographical Sketch

The Louis C. Stamatakos Papers were donated to the National Student Affairs Archives, Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, by Dr. Stamatakos, on April 22, 2005. The collection consists of 5 linear feet of personal papers, publications and presentations, awards, and audio-visual materials, dating from 1956 to 2011.

Dr. Louis Stamatakos, born in 1925 in Indianapolis to Greek immigrant parents, was raised in Dayton, Ohio. In 1943, he volunteered for the Army Air Force. He survived 31 missions over Nazi Germany as a tail gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress. In addition to other medals, he received the Silver Star for gallantry in action (awarded on February 17, 2010) when, after a bombing run, he straddled an open bomb bay door 23,000 feet over Germany, and repeatedly swung a fire axe to dislodge two bombs that had become shackled to the plane. After the war he started his education at the University of Dayton, transferred to Indiana University and earned bachelor’s, master’s, and EdD degrees from IU. He married Bess Makris, a fellow student at IU, in 1952 and raised a family of three sons. He served as Dean of Students and Dean of Men at four universities. In 1967, he accepted a position as Associate Professor in the School of Education at Michigan State University. He became a Professor in 1970, and retired as Professor Emeritus in 1992. He received more than 20 awards for leadership, scholarship and service in higher education, but he is most remembered for his friendship and lifelong guidance as a mentor to his many graduate students. Dr. Stamatakos died in Lansing, Michigan, on January 25, 2011.

Record Group/ Series Description

The Louis C. Stamatakos Papers are arranged into six record groups: Professional and Personal Papers; Publications; Speeches and Presentation Papers; Newsletters and News Articles; Awards; and, Audio-Visuals. The Professional and Personal Papers (1966-2011) include a detailed curriculum vitae, chronology of family events (written by Dr. Stamatakos), his retirement celebration files, obituary, correspondence, and two institutional histories which mention him. The Publications (1958-1999) include his dissertation, several books he wrote and co-authored, and many journal articles. These are arranged by type of publication and by date. The Speeches and Presentation Papers (1959-2003) include professional meeting presentations and speeches given at a variety of meetings and functions. These are arranged by date. The Newsletters and News Articles (1959-1998) include newsletters he wrote while serving as Dean of Men at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, newsletters to doctoral students while serving as a Professor at Michigan State University, and letters to the editor. This record group also includes various news articles about him, and is arranged by type of record and by date. The Awards (1957, 1976-1999) include notebooks providing details on several awards presented to him by both academic institutions and professional associations. Audio-Visuals (1978, 1987, 1993) include video and cassette tapes of interviews of Stamatakos, the NASPA awards ceremony in 1987, and a videotape of Bob Shaffer on the Future of the Student Personnel Profession.

 Inventory

Box 1: Professional and Personal Papers

1. Curriculum Vitae and Vitae Abstract, 1999, 2003
2. Article about WWII experience, obituary, Feb. 9, 2010, Jan. 25, 2011
3. Chronology of Family Events, 1966-January 1993
4. Correspondence (from and to colleagues and students), Oct.-Dec. 2004
5. Retirement Celebration Notebook (Michigan State University), June 1992 with additions made in 2002 and 2004
6. Retirement Notebook (Michigan State University) 1991-1992
7. Grand Valley State College: Its Developmental Years 1964-1968,by James Zumberge (includes information on Dr. Stamatakos), 1969
8. Years of Achievement: A Short History of the College of Education at Michigan State University, by Victor Inzunza (includes information on Dr. Stamatakos), 2002

Box 2: Publications

1. Dissertation: “The Effects of Special Attention Upon the Academic Achievement and Extracurricular Participation of Potentially Superior Freshmen Students”, September 1958
2. “The Student Personnel Semantic Differential” 1969-1972
3. The Student Affairs Profession: A Selected Bibliography co-authored with Beverly A. Belson, 1983
4. The Student Affairs Profession: A Selective Bibliography co-authored with Beverly A. Belson, 1988
5. Reform in Student Affairs: A Critique of Student Development, co-authored with Paul A. Bloland and Russell R. Rogers (includes information about the book, review and Bloland’s obituary), 1994
6. Publications Notebook-includes journal and newsletter articles and book reviews, 1959-1979

Box 3: Publications

1. Publications notebook-includes journal and newsletter articles and book reviews. 1980-1985
2. Publications notebook-includes journal and newsletter articles and book reviews, 1986-1991

Box 4: Publications/Speeches and Presentation Papers

1. Publications notebook-includes journal and newsletter articles and book reviews, 1991-1999
2. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1959-1970

Box 5: Speeches and Presentation Papers

1. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1971-1980
2. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1981-1985

Box 6: Speeches and Presentation Papers

1. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1986-1988
2. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1988-1990

Box 7: Speeches and Presentation Papers

1. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1991-1994
2. Conference papers/presentations and speeches notebook, 1995-2003

Box 8: Newsletters and News Articles

1. “From the Dean’s Den”-letters to fraternities while serving as Dean of Men at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Sept. 1959-Dec. 1967
2. “The Spiked News”-letters to doctoral students at Michigan State University (Golden Spike Award given upon completion of degree), 1980-1993
3. “Letters to the editor”, 1967-1998
4. Writings of Stamatakos and news articles about him (mostly professional associations such as NASPA/ACPA, 1961-1997

Box 9: Awards

1. Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Faculty Member (NASPA)-first recipient of this award, 1987
2. Awards received notebook-from both academic institutions and professional associations, 1957, 1976-1989

Box 10: Awards and Audio-Visuals

1. Awards received notebook-from both academic institutions and professional associations, 1991-1999
2. Certificates-membership, honors and awards, 1956-1995
3. Videotape: Bob Shaffer on the Future of the Student Personnel Profession (ACPA), 1987
4. Videotape: NASPA Awards-Chicago, March 1987
5. Cassette audio tape: Interview-Stamatakos-Cadeaux choice of career field, April 1978
6. Cassette audio tape: Gene, Betty and Lou-ALOC at Salem-Coe, Fall 1993

NSAA Bibliography