Lamar University President since 2021
Interviewed by Shelbie Williams on 03/06/2023

 

‘What got me really excited about Lamar University, was first, the number of first-generation students, because I’m a first-generation student. The second piece was just that my PhD is in Engineering and I was a Physics professor for a long time. So, the history of Lamar University being a very strong Engineering school… Lamar is a very unique institution. If you look at most institutions that are regional, like Lamar, they start off as normal schools. Well, meaning that they start off as teacher preparation. But Lamar did not start off as a normal school, which is very unusual. It literally started off with the city leaders in that wanting to produce people that can be professionals and leaders in the community. And so, if you look at the hundred-year history and I, you know I first got here, I went out with the alumni, and I started looking at the city and the county and the region and, you know, the mayors, they’re all Lamar graduates. We have three of the largest ports in the world. All port managers are Lamar graduates…. It's kind of exciting to be at a university that’s that ingrained into the history of this region, has produced so many leaders, and then of course has the potential to continue to grow this area by producing leaders.’