Alumni Spotlight: Landen Schmeichel ‘17

Landen Schmeichel, a Dickinson State University alum and Legacy High School teacher, was recently named the 2025 North Dakota History Teacher of the Year.

Originally from McLaughlin, SD, Landen moved to Bismarck, ND, in 2013. He and his wife, Jessica, attended Bismarck State College before completing their degrees through DSU–Bismarck in 2017. Throughout his time in college, Landen valued the mentorship of Dr. Varney and Dr. Moench, professors who shaped his career and left a lasting impact on his life.

Landen and Jessica are parents to two children, whom he describes as “our best accomplishment.” Together they enjoy traveling, having visited more than 20 countries, reading, and making the most of the outdoors. His other interests include music, running, theology, coffee, and politics.

In August of 2023, Landen earned a Master of Arts in American History and Government. Reflecting on that achievement, he shares: “I am most thankful to have been awarded the 2021 Senior James Madison Fellowship for North Dakota, which paid for the cost of my graduate program.”

Although Landen always had a love for history, he initially pursued a major in math education. That changed after taking Western Civilization with Mr. McCormack at Bismarck State College. “From the moment his class began in August of 2013, I knew I had to take every class that I could from him and that I wanted to try my best to be as impactful in others’ lives as he was in mine. He changed my life, he made me a disciplined historical thinker, and I owe him so much,” Landen reflects.

Alongside the influence of inspiring educators, family also played a role in his path to teaching. “Many of my family members are teachers. Their careers have allowed me to witness the power that public education has to craft and improve our social fabric,” he explains.

When notified of the award, Landen was attending a training on the Holocaust at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. “I was absolutely shocked,” he says. “It was an incredible honor to be nominated by some of the best students and colleagues one could ever find. I’m not certain the full weight of the recognition has landed with me yet, but it has given me even greater energy and urgency to teach civic education with fire.”

He is quick to credit both students and colleagues for shaping his path. “They had a greater role than just the recommendation,” he explains. “It has taken years to refine my pedagogy, and the fact that I have made any progress is due to my students’ creativity, patience, and grace. Additionally, my colleagues at Legacy and in my graduate program have been beyond helpful and resourceful in refining my resources, my craft, and myself as a teacher. Their help was key to me receiving the award.”

That student-centered approach is something Landen tries to carry into every classroom interaction. He explains that while he has worked hard to become a content master, he views his role first and foremost as teaching people rather than just teaching material. Over time, he came to see that education is about far more than facts. “Education is mostly about writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading,” he says. By focusing on those skills, and by modeling respectful civic dialogue, Landen believes students can strengthen both their own learning and the civic fabric of society.

Some of Landen’s favorite teaching moments at Legacy High School reflect that philosophy in action. What stands out most are the times when students connect a primary source to their own lives or to a current event. Those connections, he says, are what inspire him to keep fostering that kind of learning. “After all, if learning doesn’t change our life, we haven’t truly learned.”

Looking ahead, Landen hopes to continue supporting students by growing as a learner himself. “Right now, I have the greatest opportunities of any — supporting public education, supporting civic education, and helping students live the kind of lives that my BSC English professor, Dr. Schreck, insisted on from Wendell Berry — lives that are ‘full, conscious, and responsible.’”

By Alician Parks, DSU HF Student Writer