Alumnus looks to impact students as well as educators through superintendent role

From a young age, Dr. Jeremy Schmidt has recognized the impact of education.

"From my high school years — even my middle school years — there were so many people who made an impact on me and created opportunities for me to do well and succeed," he said. "I was a good student, but I wasn't a good student to have in class. I wasn't the best-behaved student. But I really did cling to those teachers who essentially called me out on those types of behaviors and said, 'Why are you doing this?' And it just gave me that much more respect for them and kept me on the right track."

Schmidt enjoyed mentoring children as a teenager during basketball camps in his Wisconsin hometown.

"I enjoyed being around them and teaching and seeing their skills and things like that improve. Really that's where I wanted to be a teacher. I thought, 'This is going to be great. I can make an impact on people. It's positive. It's a fun environment,'" he said. "Really, we're just playing with kids and helping them learn along the way. I really wanted to be a teacher at that point."

A first-generation college student, Schmidt attended St. Cloud State University on a basketball scholarship. He graduated in 2001 with his bachelor's in elementary education.

"St. Cloud State really changed the trajectory of my life. I don't know what would have happened," he said. "I think the discipline, the responsibility, the relationships I built at St. Cloud State have been incredible, and I continue to lean on those."

Schmidt has taught all over the state of Minnesota throughout his career, teaching elementary and middle school. He earned his master's degree in order to obtain his principal license and move into that role. Later on, when the superintendent left his school district, Schmidt stepped into the — at that time — temporary role.

"I wasn't licensed at the time, so I had to get a variance my first year. I wasn't sure I wanted to be a superintendent at that time," he said. "I'm like, 'Well, I'll do it because I love the people and it was a great school and community, and we had done some really good things when I was the principal."

Schmidt ended up staying in that role for about four years, before he and his family relocated to Becker, Minnesota. As of 2026 he is starting his eighth year as superintendent of Becker Public Schools. He earned his doctorate in 2024.

"While I went into teaching, I thought I could impact more people as a principal and more students, more staff and things like that. That was why I took on that challenge, and these opportunities just kept opening doors for me along the way," he said. "With how I became a superintendent, it really wasn't on my radar. I just saw the opening and thought, 'Well, I can do that and help our school district and impact as many people as possible.'"

It's important to Schmidt that he create opportunities for others in his school district.

"What I want to do for others is find opportunities and provide those avenues for them to have something to cling to — whether it's a relationship with a teacher or a staff member, whether it's a sport or an activity they have that brings them to school, helps them continue to build those relationships and helps them continue to want to come to school and want to learn. Whether it's the courses we have in front of you or if it's — in Becker's case, we're fantastic in a lot of different athletics; we have a world-championship robotics team," he said. "We have kids who excel and do really well with that. And then they use those skills to do well in the classroom and wherever they go. Those are the types of things I really try to do, is put those opportunities in front of people so they can excel and they can create a tie to the school district and to others who are here and build those relationships."

Schmidt credits his alma mater with making it possible for him to have that kind of impact on his students.

"St. Cloud State really created a huge opportunity for me to get a college degree that — I don't know if I would have finished college. I think I was going to go to college, but who knows if I would have finished, but St. Cloud State provided that opportunity for me," he said. "I feel like I really have to give that back to others I work with, including our students, our staff and everyone I work with. That's really why I love St. Cloud State so much, is the opportunities it provided. And now I have the opportunity to provide that for others as well."

Education is a powerful thing, and Schmidt knows it can have a ripple effect.

"Education is a fantastic field. You get the ability to make an impact on so many people so quickly, and it can be a tremendous impact. And not only does it impact them, but it impacts others as well. If you have somebody in your class who goes on to fix cars or build homes, or goes on to be a doctor or teacher or something like that — the impact multiplies throughout," he said. "It's really, really rewarding when you stop and reflect and think about that, as you look at how you're impacting students and then impacting the future and impacting the world.