York University and the Department of History are pleased to announce the creation of the Dr. Tim McNeese Endowed Scholarship with awards to be designated for students majoring in history or history education. Dr. McNeese taught history at York from 1992 until his retirement in 2023, serving as chair of the History Department throughout his tenure.

The endowment recognizes the breadth of McNeese’s teaching career that included thousands of hours in the classroom, partnering with his wife, Bev, to develop a domestic study program that took students all across the United States, being a mainstay of York’s annual RoundUp program, co-authoring a pictorial history of York College for the school’s 125th anniversary and being one of the campus promoters behind the development of the Clayton Museum of Ancient History. Beyond the classroom, McNeese authored more than 130 books about a wide range of topics in history and frequently provided commentary for historical documentaries on the History Channel, American Heroes Channel, and Nebraska Public Media.

Mostly though, McNeese is known as an engaging story-teller with the ability to make the people and events of the past real and relevant. His empathetic regard for his students and commitment to excellence in his discipline long provided his listeners a front seat to better understand the history that shaped who we are today and the lessons available if we will make the effort to learn from the experiences of prior generations.

Current chair of the YU History Department, Dr. B. Jared Pack said, “The History Department is incredibly honored to celebrate the legacy of Dr. McNeese in such a way. Throughout his tenure at York University, Dr. McNeese shaped the lives of thousands of students, and we could think of no better way to continue his impact than by creating a scholarship in his name to ensure that students wanting to study and teach history have the resources and education to do so.” 

For those interested in honoring McNeese and his lifelong contributions to Christian education, you may send funds earmarked for the Dr. Tim McNeese Endowed Scholarship to York University, 1125 E 8th St, York, NE 68467.