Thomas Mueller, Ph.D., retired associate dean for admissions and student affairs for Des Moines University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, died July, 7, 2023. He was 79.
After earning his Ph.D. at the University of Texas-Austin, Mueller pursued research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and Indiana University Northwest in Gary. He taught at IU Northwest before joining the DMU faculty in 1992 as associate professor of microbiology. He chaired the department from 1995 to 2003 and remained a professor while serving as associate dean. In that role, he met with students during interviews and orientation and produced performance evaluations for osteopathic medical students to support their residency applications. He was ideal for that position.
“His dedication to our students was apparent in many ways,” said Wayne Wilson, Ph.D., assistant dean for assessment and research for the College of Osteopathic Medicine and chair of the biochemistry and nutrition department, who spoke at Mueller’s memorial service. “Just as one example, we enroll over 220 medical students into our [COM] class each year. Within a matter of weeks of the start of the fall semester, Tom was able to greet every new student by name whenever he met them around campus. Not only did he know who each student was, he had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of their hobbies, their families, their pets and their career goals.
“Tom knew our students as individuals, and he personified the student-centered approach that our college has always prided itself on,” Wilson added.
Mueller was known for his tireless support of students and his iconic ties. He wore his smiley-face tie three times during each COM class’s tenure: orientation, Rite of Passage and Commencement. He retired in 2015.
“Tom was a favorite of our students, and he was recognized with multiple teaching awards over the years,” Wilson said. “I feel that he was such a popular figure not only because he was an engaging teacher but because the students could quickly pick up on how deeply Tom cared for their success and, just as importantly, their well-being.”
