Video by Inspired Media 360 for the Historical League
Dr. Arthur DeCabooter completed a Ph.D. in theology at St. Gregory's Seminary and served as a Benedictine monk before transitioning to the field of education that would define his legacy. In the early 1970s, Dr. DeCabooter was Provost/Vice President of Black Hawk College in Kewanee, Illinois. In 1978, he was recruited to be president of Scottsdale Community College (SCC), a position he held for more than 30 years. During his tenure at SCC, enrollment grew to more than 10,000. In 2010, the school honored him by naming its athletic facilities the Arthur W. DeCabooter Athletic Complex. In service to his community, Dr. DeCabooter presided as the first chairman of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission, spearheading the conservation and preservation of more than 30,000 acres. He also chaired numerous healthcare and education committees, Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services (STARS), and Scottsdale Visioning initiatives. He served as board member of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and is vice-chair of the National Catholic Educational Association and lifetime member of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce Board. He was president of the Arizona Community College Presidents' Council, Scottsdale Rotary Club, Scottsdale Healthcare Systems, the Scottsdale/Paradise Valley YMCA, and the Scottsdale Foundation for the Handicapped. He held a Doctor of Education degree from Indiana University, which honored him with a distinguished alumni award from the School of Education. In 2017, Black Hawk College inducted Dr. Arthur W. DeCabooter into its Wall of Fame. The Phi Beta Kappa International Honor Society recognized him with a lifetime achievement award.