From the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame
A Kansas State alumni was inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame in 2015. The Hall of Fame recognizes distinguished journalists who have made significant contributions to print, their communities, the state, or the nation.
Richard L. “Dick” Fleming was born on February 24, 1931, the son of Roy and Lucy Fleming of Ipswich, Massachusetts. The family moved to the Fleming family farm at Paola, Kansas in 1948.
Fleming completed high school in 1949 and enrolled at Kansas State University in agricultural journalism. He was named a summer student trainee in the Press Section, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.c. in 1952. Upon graduating from K-State in 1953, he joined the news and sports staff of the Abilene(KS) Daily Reflector-Chronicle.
He was named assistant extension editor at the University Nebraska-Lincoln in 1956, assistant director of public relations in 1962 and later professor of adult education, professor of journalism, director of University information and assistant to the Chancellor. He holds an M.S. degree in Agricultural Economics and a Ph.D. in Adult and Continuing Education from UNL. Fleming conducted over 100 workshops on basic communications for Extension educators from the U.S. and abroad. During retirement, he further developed the agricultural journalism emphasis which was then approved as a major in the UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in 1973.
The Nebraska Public Service Commission passed a resolution commending Fleming for his contribution to the Nebraska Universal Service Advisory Board. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska Future Farmers of America. A former member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church choir, he is a past president of the Executive Club of Lincoln and the Nebraska Agribusiness Club. He was elected to the Nebraska Hall of Agriculture Achievement.
