V. Hale Starr c’58, ’67
2004 Alumna of the Year

V. Hale Starr has given a great deal of herself to Dakota Wesleyan University by serving on the board of trustees and being a member of the Heritage Roll of Honor.

She first attended DWU in the 1950s, earning a teaching certificate in 1958. She returned to the classroom to complete a bachelor’s degree in English and sociology in 1967. While taking classes, she served as executive director of the NYODA Girl Scout Council and as personnel director for Starr Enterprises Inc. of Mitchell; Sioux City, Iowa; and Fargo, N.D.

She added a master’s degree in English and drama from Black Hills State University to her credentials and a Master of Arts degree in communication research from the University of Iowa. She also earned a doctorate in communication research in 1979.

After working as an assistant professor at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, she started her own research and consulting firm to assist lawyers in selecting juries. Today, Starr Litigation Services Inc. of West Des Moines, Iowa, has expanded to include offices in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Washington, D.C.

Starr, of Carefree, Ariz., is a frequent presenter and speaker for various trial lawyer associations and has written for numerous industry publications. In 1994, she was the Opperman Distinguished Alumni Lecturer at Dakota Wesleyan. She served on the DWU Board of Trustees from 1990 until 2002.

Her many honors and awards include an honorary Doctor of Law degree from DWU in 1994, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Iowa in 1999. She is also an honored diplomat for the American Board of Forensic Examiners and the American College of Forensic Examiners.