Donna May Goldammer ’70
2004 Outstanding Educator

Donna Goldammer is an associate professor and former chair of the Fredrikson School of Education at the University of Sioux Falls. She previously was an elementary principal and teacher in the Sioux Falls School District and an elementary teacher in Mitchell schools.

Goldammer holds an associate’s degree in elementary education from Northern State University and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Dakota Wesleyan. She earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from USF. She has been a member of the faculty at USF since 1992.

Goldammer serves on the advisory board for Midwest Alliance for Professional Learning and Leadership and is a member of the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science. She previously served on the education committee for the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and for the United Way. She was a member of the John Harris Elementary School Building Committee and coordinator for the Sioux Falls middle school planning committee.

She is one of three professionals asked to prepare a preliminary draft to review and rewrite the administrative rules governing teacher preparation for elementary and middle school teachers in South Dakota.

While teaching in Sioux Falls, she was president of the South Dakota PTA and also received the organization’s service award. She is an honorary life member of the PTA.

In addition, she received the service key and the Gerald Howard Read Travel Scholarship from Phi Delta Kappa. Goldammer also received the Outstanding Teacher Award from USF and has twice been named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. She has written articles published in state publications related to education and has presented at several local, state and national conferences. She has also served on various committees in her church.

During Goldammer’s first year at DWU, she taught school and cared for her family, which included a young son, Kyle. Her senior year, she attended classes full time, earned a 4.0 GPA and gave birth to her second son, Kory, during the fall semester. She is married to Gary Goldammer ex’65, and they have one grandson, Jordan.