AUSTIN, Texas—Dr. Oscar Mink, professor of graduate study in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Texas at Austin, died Saturday, Sept. 4, in Austin at the age of 74.
Professor Mink joined the College of Education in 1973, and spent the next three decades in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Department of Educational Administration devoted to teaching, research development and the authorship of more than 13 published books as well as more than 100 articles, monographs and book chapters.
Dr. Mink’s distinguished career at the university included the establishment of graduate programs for special education administrators in community colleges as well as a program of graduate study and research in human resource development.
“Oscar Mink was a dynamic individual who was immensely popular with his students and who cared deeply about them,” said Dr. Lawrence Abraham, chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. “He regularly challenged people to look at problems and issues in many different ways, drawing upon his multifaceted interests and experiences to create new understandings of individual and group processes such as organization, development, and learning. We will certainly miss his creative and insightful approach to our field.”
An expert in executive and organization development as well as total quality management, Dr. Mink also held senior executive positions with multinational corporations such as Xerox and served as a valued consultant to top level executives for more than thirty years. While at Xerox, Mink designed and implemented management education programs in leadership, goal-setting, coaching and creativity and helped develop cutting-edge management and executive development programs. He also was involved over the past three decades in research and development in behavioral sciences for Cornell University, West Virginia University and the National Laboratory of Higher Education.
During his professional career Professor Mink was recognized for his outstanding scholarship and innovation with numerous honors, including the Creative Business Concept Award issued by the Financial Executives Institute of Austin, the Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Society for Training and Development and the Outstanding Learned Article Award from the U.S. Education Press Association.
In addition to being certified as a secondary teacher, school counselor, school psychologist and vocational counselor, Dr. Mink held a doctorate in counseling psychology from Cornell University and degrees in mathematics and mining engineering from Brigham Young University and San Bernadino Valley College.
For more information contact: Kay Randall, College of Education, 512-232-3910.
