Welcome to the Norbert O. Schedler collection!
Introduction:
Easily recognizable by his signature round glasses, bowtie, tweed jacket, and tennis shoes, the late Norbert “Norb” O. Schedler was more than a beloved figure on campus, he was a visionary, a prolific writer, and a deeply inquisitive human being. His legacy at the University of Central Arkansas will live on for generations. A lifelong advocate for critical thinking and the transformative power of education, Norb dedicated himself to creating spaces where intellectual curiosity could truly thrive. From his early experiences in multicultural communities to his pioneering leadership in founding the UCA Honors College, Norb embodied a rare blend of philosophical depth, compassionate mentorship, and playful wisdom. His work both written and lived, challenged others to think deeply, live authentically, and pursue knowledge not just as an academic exercise, but as a way of life.
This exhibit invites visitors to explore the many facets of Norb’s life and mind through a collection of curated pages including a biographical note, an account of the founding of the Honors College, personal essays, public speeches, and selected writings from The Vino (the Honors College’s newsletter). Each piece offers a glimpse into the thoughts, values, and vision of a man who spent his life asking big questions and encouraging others to do the same. His legacy lives on in the generations of students he inspired to transcend disciplinary boundaries in order to have necessary big conversations.
Biographical Note:
Norbert Oscar Schedler was born on March 30, 1933, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to a Lutheran pastor and his wife. He was the third of five children and the first boy in his family to be born. He spent the first nine years of his life in Vancouver, Canada where his father served a multicultural parish. This experience plus the ongoing depression meant that a young Norb often engaged with individuals from all backgrounds which shaped his theological and philosophical beliefs.
In 1942, the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where Norb attended grade school before attending an all boys, all German immigrant high school in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Here he mastered Latin, Greek, German, and Hebrew as well as participating in ROTC. After graduating high school, Norb attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis Missouri where he received a B.A. in Classics in 1955. Then he began pursuing master’s work at Concordia Seminary where he received his Masters of Divinity in Theology in 1958. Shortly after this, Norb was assigned to serve as a vicar at Christ Church, Washington Parish in Washington D.C. as a part of his seminary training. During his time at Christ Church, he met his future wife, Carol Skeels who he would have three children with: Karen, Ruth Anne, and David. In 1959 Norb enrolled in Princeton where he began pursuing a doctorate in Religion and Philosophy.
Once Norb was out of Princeton he went into the parish of the Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Cheltenham, just outside of Philadelphia. After he finished his ministry, he accepted an Associate Professor position. He subsequently began teaching at Purdue University where he chaired the philosophy department. In 1976, Schedler and his family moved to Conway, Arkansas where he accepted a position as the Chair of the philosophy department at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). Schedler sensed he could do more at UCA and proposed a program for the “severely gifted” to the current president, Jeff Farris. Farris granted Schedler’s request and the Honors College was established in 1982 with Norb being named its first director. In 2013, UCA’s Honors College was dedicated to Norb and appropriately renamed the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College. Norb remained at the University of Central Arkansas where he began phased retirement in 2005 and was named professor emeritus by the UCA Board of Trustees in 2011.
