Del Shankel wasn’t always a model student. The Kansas University chancellor emeritus is an award-winning educator, internationally recognized conference organizer, researcher and speaker on the health benefits of green tea.

“I was a good student through grade 10, and then I got distracted by fun. I recovered in college, and I’ve worked hard ever since,” he says.

He graduated with a B.A. in English and premedical from Walla Walla University, Washington, where his father was a chemistry professor. After enjoying a year teaching high school, Shankel attended medical school but soon changed plans.

He was drafted in 1952 and sent to the Army’s Lab Technology Training program, where he became fascinated with bacteriology. His personal qualities, academic ability, mentoring and teaching skills were noticed.

“I was asked to stay and teach there in San Antonio and enjoyed it so much I decided to get a doctorate in bacteriology. After discharge, I attended the University of Texas, where tuition fees were $25 a semester, which helped,” he recalls.

In 1959, he obtained a position in the bacteriology department at KU.

“I loved the beautiful campus, liked the dean, and the people in the department and they made me a good offer. It was easy to accept,” he says.

Since then he’s been interim chairman of the bacteriology (now microbiology) department, interim dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences, interim athletics director, interim president and CEO of the KU Alumni Association, interim chancellor twice, and was the University’s first executive vice-chancellor. He was named 15th chancellor for his leadership in 1994-95. He chose to continue teaching throughout and has received several awards for excellence plus the KU Alumni Association Distinguished Service Citation, which honors “individuals who through their lives and careers have helped benefit humanity.”

In 1980, KU football coach Don Fambrough asked Shankel to speak to the team before the Iowa State game.

“They were a bit downhearted because of a poor season. I told them we were very proud of them and I respected and admired them for all their efforts, and wished them well,” Shankel says.

They won, and the team presented him with an autographed game ball.

Others, aware of his ability to diversify and lead, sought him out. The University of Maryland-College Park offered him the position of chancellor in 1982.

“Carol and I talked about the offer until 3 a.m. and decided we couldn’t leave Kansas,” he says.

Shankel’s influence has been felt beyond Lawrence. In 1981, after completing his first stint as interim chancellor, he took a sabbatical at the Institute of Genetics in Mishima, Japan. He worked closely with Dr. Tsuneo Kada, one of the first researchers to publish papers on green tea’s health benefits.

During a tea break, Kada suggested they organize an international conference. Shankel offered to help.

“The United States is more central for a gathering of world researchers,” Kada told him. “You organize it, and I’ll help you.”

Shankel did, and the inaugural International Conference on Mechanisms of Antimutagenesis and Anticarcinogenesis took place at KU in 1985. These conferences are now held throughout the world. He’s still involved; has contributed to and presented many academic papers on the health benefits of tea, helped Yukiaki Kuroda and Yukihiko Hara with the manuscript of their book, “Health Effects of Tea and Its Catechins,” and wrote its foreword.

Shankel’s own research confirms that tea components have the ability to ameliorate a wide range of age-related diseases, cancer and drug-resistant infections.

“What’s the best way to make green tea for maximum health benefits?” I ask.

“Let the water boil. Now let it stand for a few minutes before pouring it over the tea leaves,” he instructs.

Tea in hand, I ask how he’s been able to lead and serve in a way that paved a path for others.

“I tried to keep my ego out of it,” he responds. “I didn’t have a leadership career plan. I thought if I could become a good teacher, professor and researcher I’d be happy.”

He’s done that and more. He’s shared his leadership gifts at the highest level at KU, served the local and international community, and remained a kind, compassionate, unassuming, down-to-earth human being who took time to share some of his wisdom over a cup of properly brewed green tea.