Dr. Kayla Hale
CHICKASHA — Dr. Kayla Hale, who previously attended the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, was picked by the USAO regents to become the school’s 13th president. Her tenure begins on Aug. 1.
She succeeds Dr. John Feaver, who has been the Chickasha institution’s president for more than two decades.
Hale has 35 years of experience in higher education advancement in both the public and private sectors. She spent 25 years at the University of Tulsa, most recently as vice president of university advancement and alumni engagement, where she led a team responsible for securing more than $600 million in gifts and pledges. She also has served at both the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa and Rogers State University in Claremore.
“We have chosen the right leader to launch Science & Arts to new heights as we navigate the quickly changing higher education landscape,” said Chickasha Mayor Chris Mosley, chairman of the USAO Board of Regents. “Dr. Hale was chosen for her years of successful leadership in higher education and demonstrated fundraising success. She has a strategic understanding of Science & Arts’ opportunities.”
Hale was selected after a national search by a committee that included faculty, staff, student, alumni and community representatives.
“As a proud alumna, I can think of no higher honor than to lead this historic institution into its next chapter of achievement,” she said.
Hale has been active in the Tulsa community and currently serves on the board of the Sanford and Irene Burnstein Foundation.
She attended USAO for two years before completing a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, and earned a master’s degree in business management from Friends University, a private nondenominational Christian school in Wichita, Kansas. She received her Ph.D in organizational leadership from the University of Oklahoma in 2008.
“Just as our students know that a liberal arts degree can open numerous doors, including the opportunity to become successful CEOs and entrepreneurs, naming a new president who started her journey as a Drover further demonstrates the value of the Science & Arts education,” said Regent Diane Ming, chair of the presidential search committee.