W. Meredith Bacon, longtime professor of political science at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, passed away on February 8. She was 79 years old.
Born in New York City, Dr. Bacon earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Colorado College. She earned a Ph.D. in international relations at the University of Denver, specializing in Romanian diplomatic history, civil-military relations in Romania and Moldova, the political economy of transition in both countries, and political leadership.
Shortly after earning a doctorate, Dr. Bacon joined the political science faculty at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and would teach there for the next 38 years. For a time, she served as chair of the political science department. Alongside teaching and administrative work, Dr. Bacon continued conducting research on Romanian and Moldovan politics. In 1980, Dr. Bacon published criticism of Nicolae Ceaușescu that resulted in the Romanian government declaring the scholar persona non grata until the revolution of 1989.
Dr. Bacon was also a dedicated advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, both locally in Omaha and on the national level. She served as chair of the board of directors for the National Center for Transgender Equality, supported the Nebraska AIDS Project and the River City Gender Alliance, and co-founded the UNO gay-straight alliance. In 2005, she openly transitioned to Meredith, sharing her experience with local and national news outlets as an educational moment for others.
In honor of Dr. Bacon’s legacy, the University of Nebraska-Omaha annually presents the Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award at the Lavender Graduation ceremony, an annual event celebrating LGBTQ+ students and their contributions to the university.