Dean has had a very diverse career as an athlete, coach, teacher, college professor, artist and writer. He lettered 3 years in football at Stivers, playing quarterback and team punter. He ran track for 4 years as a sprinter (100, 200 and 440 yard dash), shot put and pole vault.
He was a walk-on at Miami University where he played quarterback and punter. Dean suffered 6 concussions and had to stop playing football. He graduated from Miami University and in 1972 earned a Doctorate in Sculpture, Psychology and Art Education at Ball State University – with a dissertation in “Perception and Brainwave Activity”.
Dean was invited to try-out with the Bengals … as punter; he declined the offer (6 concussions). He coached football at Stebbins High School and was the Assistant Wrestling coach there for Coach Bob Brown ‘53, of the Stivers Athletic Hall of Fame.
Howell has designed and implemented innovative programs of Art in major art institutions throughout his career – including Stivers and Kiser High Schools. In 1990, Dean returned to Stivers as Artist in Residence where he wrote, produced and directed a 6 month experimental curriculum based on “creativity at the center”.
Within weeks thousands of people were involved and “Odyssey: The Human Experience” was described by the local press as the most significant educational development in the City’s history.
On May 5th 2011, the Picture Foundation opened a bold international exhibition entitled “On Being Human” in 30 different countries. Dean has an art studio in Santa Fe, NM. His current career consists of Producing Artist, Art Professor and Writer. He is indeed a “Jack of several trades!” His younger sister, Roma Howell Carter, is a 1960 Stivers graduate and was a cheerleader. She is secretary of the Stivers Alumni Association. His older sister, Glenda, lives in Virginia Beach, VA. Dean has six nephews.
