For Steve Murley, education has always been about relationships.
After a decade of teaching and mentoring future educational leaders at the University of Iowa College of Education, the longtime school administrator and clinical instructor is retiring, August 1 — though not stepping away entirely.
“What stands out most for me are the relationships I’ve built with students,” Murley says, who first joined the college as an adjunct instructor in 2015 while serving as superintendent of the Iowa City Community School District. “I consider each interaction the start of a lifelong relationship.”
Murley transitioned into a full-time clinical role in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies in 2022. In that role, he drew on decades of K-12 leadership experience to help prepare graduate students for the complex challenges of school and district administration.
“There are so many technical skills involved in our work – curriculum, instruction, assessment, HR, finance, facilities – but what we do is really about who we are,” he says. “The most important thing we can do is emphasize the importance of soft skills and relationship-building.”
Murley’s classes, though offered online and synchronously, emphasized real-world application. One of his favorite roles was supervising students in their clinical field experiences – visiting their schools, observing leadership in action, and offering one-on-one mentorship.
“I used to joke that Zoom is like the zoo,” he says. “But when I visited them in their buildings, I got to see them in their native habitat. That’s where the real growth happens.”
He also led the department’s Legislative Summit, an immersive, one-credit course that brings students from across educational disciplines to the Iowa State Capitol to learn how to advocate for policy change.
“It’s a fantastic real-life opportunity,” Murley says. “Students work together to develop their advocacy platform, meet with lobbyists, speak with legislators, and practice real civic engagement.”
Although officially retiring, Murley will continue in a part-time adjunct role. He plans to remain involved with the summit, serve on dissertation committees, and provide leadership coaching for school administrators across the state.
“I feel lucky to keep doing the parts of the job I love most,” he says. “There’s been a lot of turnover in school leadership across the state, and I see this as a chance to help the next generation get off to a strong start.”
He’s also taking a well-earned break. For the first time in 33 years, Murley plans to take a fall vacation. This September, he’s heading to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
“Every fall for more than three decades, I’ve had my sleeves rolled up, getting the school year off to a good start,” he says. “This year, I’m looking forward to starting something new.”