SEMO’s Harrison College of Business and Computing introduces new interim leadership

With Dr. Alberto Dávila's passing, the Harrison College of Business and Computing entered an era of new leadership.

This leadership was ushered in by the appointment of Dr. Kevin Dickson as interim dean and Dr. Heather McMillan as interim chair.

Dickson grew up in Los Angeles and received his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. He also has a Master of Organizational Behavior and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University. Having been at SEMO since 2004, Dickson has had a deep appreciation for the university since his first interview.

“SEMO really impressed me with much more than I thought would be here,” Dickson said. “The people were wonderful, the facilities were nice. It was just a wonderful place and we loved it.”

During his time at SEMO, Dickson has served as the director of the Jane Stephens Honors Program, chairperson of the management department and the chair of the faculty senate. Dickson strives to continue serving SEMO in this new role.

“We have a lot of things going on right now,” Dickson said. “I’ve been in the college for over 20 years and I want to help us continue to go forward at a time of loss.”

Dickson worked with the late Dr. Dávila for six and a half years and reflected on the dean’s love for the students of SEMO.

“Dr. Alberto Dávila gave so much to the Harrison College of Business and Computing and to the students here,” Dickson said. “He cared a great deal about our students and worked to increase the number of scholarships that our students were able to receive… I’m glad for the opportunity that I had to spend time with him and to work together.”

Dickson is motivated to continue working for the good of the students and furthering their opportunities.

Interim dean Dr. Heather McMillan poses for his official university photo.Photo submitted by Southeast Missouri State University

After stepping into the role of Interim Dean, Dickson asked Dr. Heather McMillan to serve as the interim chair for the Department of Management at the Harrison College of Business and Computing.

“She has filled important roles in the management department for some time, along with many others,” Dickson said. “I knew that she had the experience and the background and the training, and I am confident in her ability to do what is needed there.”

Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, McMillan grew up in a business-oriented family, cementing her love for management.

“My father was a chef who also owned his own food brokerage so he has always owned his own business. My mother was a registered nurse who went into the business side of healthcare. My uncle was an entrepreneur who owned his own Papa John’s franchises. I grew up doing this,” McMillan said. “I was one of the very weird people who knew my major when I walked into my undergrad on the very first day. I was always going to be in management. HR happened at the end of that first semester, but I never changed.”

McMillan received her Bachelor’s in Human Resources and a Master of Business Administration in Health Care Human Resources from East Tennessee University. McMillan soon discovered that she had a love for teaching, so she went back to school to receive her Ph.D. in Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

McMillan decided to come to SEMO in 2008 after being drawn in by the connection that she would have with her students.

“I don’t want to work in an environment where I’m not with my students all the time. I love them. They are why I do this. Seeing that I could do that here, I could research and it felt like a family from the moment I got here,” McMillan said.

While this is McMillan’s first administrative government position, she is eager to help Dr. Dickson in his new role as Dean.

“When Dr. Dickson asked me to serve, I couldn’t tell him no,” McMillan said. “You do what is asked and you pick up and take care of each other and that’s what I will do.”

Taking care of people is what McMillan deeply cares about and this extends to members of the faculty.

“I want to advocate for my faculty because we have good strong faculty and I view the chair’s role as a faculty advocate,” McMillan said. “My ultimate goal is to advance our programs for the students and the faculty.”

Dr. Dickson’s and Dr. McMillan’s appointment into their interim roles is effective through June 2026, part of a new wave of leadership that is taking over SEMO’s campus.