McKee, R. Miles

McKee, R. Miles
Professor Emeritus

Area(s) of Specialization

Beef Cattle Management

Education

B.S. , Kansas State University, 1951
M.S. , Kansas State University, 1953
Ph.D. , University of Kentucky, 1968

Bio Brief

Dr. Miles McKee was born October 8, 1929, in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. He earned his B.S. Degree in Agriculture in 1951 and his M.S. Degree in Animal Husbandry in 1963 at Kansas State University. He was awarded his Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky in 1968. Dr. McKee passed away on August 30, 2021, in Manhattan, Kansas.

He gained livestock experience on the family livestock operation, with Titus and Stout Hereford Ranch, Moxley Hall Hereford Ranch, Luckhardt Farms and L&J Crusoe Ranch. He was appointed assistant instructor and beef cattle herdsman at Kansas State in 1959. Except for a 15-month sabbatical to complete his Ph.D. degree he remained on the faculty until his retirement on January 1, 2005.

Dr. McKee has received many awards for outstanding teaching. He was recognized by Gamma Sigma Delta with an "Outstanding Professor Award" in 1968. That same year, he was honored as the "College of Agriculture Distinguished Professor Award." In 1973, he was presented the "Outsanding Faculty Award" by the Ag Student Council. He was nominated by the College of Agriculture for the "University Distinguished Professor" in 1978. The College of Agriculture awarded him "Outstanding Professor of the Semester" in 1977 and 1979.

In 1979, he received the Distinguished Teacher Award from the American Society of Animal Science and in 1981 he was made a NACTA Teacher Fellow. In 1985, the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Delta Tau Alpha awarded him the "Teacher-Advisor Award." Four years later, he was the Kansas State University Nominee to the National Council for the Advancement and Support of Education for "Professor of the Year." Then in 1990, he was awarded by that same committee "Kansas Professor of the Year." The following year, the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture awarded him with the "Distinguished Teacher Award." In 1992, he was awarded by Gamma Sigma Delta the "Outstanding Advising Award." He went on to win multiple advising awards at both the college and university levels.

He served as advisor for the Block & Bridle Club, Alpha Zeta, Ag Student Council, Little American Royal, and FarmHouse Fraternity. In addition, he judged numerous livestock shows and conducted more than 55 livestock judging and showmanship schools at the county level. Also, he has served as judge and/or program participant at a number of national shows and association meetings.

Dr. McKee provided many services to the livestock industry and wrote a number of articles. He has been listed in Who's Who in Kansas, Who's Who in the Midwest and Who's Who in America. He is a Honorary State Farmer and has had several student events dedicated to him.

The Miles McKee Student Enrichment Fund at Kansas State was established to honor Dr. McKee's teaching and advising contribution to youth. In January 2005, Dr. McKee retired from the university. In April 2005, the large lecture hall in Weber was renamed McKee Auditorium.

In 2015, Dr. McKee received the initial “Don L. Good Impact Award” from Kansas State’s Livestock and Meat Industry Council.

Dr. McKee and his wife, Marjorie, had four children and nine grandchildren.