Oklahoma City University President Kenneth R. Evans has announced his intention to retire at the end of the academic year, ending a six-year tenure that saw the university grow in prestige and prominence.
Evans began as the university’s 19th president on July 1, 2021, shepherding in an era of growth in key enrollment areas, fundraising success and expanded community partnerships.
Under his guidance, the university has reached record highs in nursing and online program enrollment, set single-year fundraising records, secured the right to serve as a satellite village site for the LA28 Olympic Games, and announced a $25 million renovation of the Kirkpatrick Auditorium and Fine Arts Center.
“It may be some time before we fully realize the profound impact of President Evans’ tenure at Oklahoma City University,” said Jane Jayroe Gamble, chair of the OCU Board of Trustees. “Thanks to his vision and confidence in our university, we have grown and evolved in so many ways. Most importantly, he has allowed us to grow our belief in what our university is capable of.”
While many private universities have struggled to adapt in a turbulent window of higher education, Evans led OCU to modernize and diversify its enrollment approach. Before his arrival, OCU had no fully asynchronous online programs. Now there are hundreds of online students enrolled, comprising a sizable chunk of the school’s total population.
Evans helped introduce several online degrees and various other programs aimed at addressing key hiring and workforce trends.
The brightest example is in the area of nursing and healthcare. Under Evans’ leadership, the university launched its online RN-BSN and in-person accelerated BSN programs. Both have experienced rapid growth and pushed OCU’s nursing enrollment for the fall 2026 semester to near all-time-record levels. OCU’s Kramer School of Nursing has consistently been ranked as one of the top nursing programs in the state and nation during Evans’ tenure.
In recent years, the university also rolled out a suite of online graduate programs in business and arts and sciences. The result: OCU has set successive records for online enrollment during each of Evans’ years as president.
The push for enrollment success has mirrored university accomplishments across a number of areas, said Nick Harroz, vice chair of the OCU Board of Trustees.
“Within our community, our university has always been regarded as a local gem,” Harroz said. “President Evans has allowed us to dream bigger about the role we play and about where we can go. Thanks to his work and leadership, we’re in conversations about even more exciting things, and we are firmly established as a key player.”
There may be no better example than the LA28 Olympic Games. Evans guided a team of OCU staff and administrators to bid for and succeed in winning the right to serve as a satellite village for the Games during the summer of 2028, ensuring the global spotlight will find its way to the OCU campus during the Games.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who is also dean of the OCU School of Law, said that a vibrant and growing city needs a dynamic university as a partner, and Evans has ensured OCU is able to play that role.
“As mayor, I’ve appreciated that President Evans has focused on making sure that what is good for OCU is also good for OKC,” Holt said. “For example, I’ve seen up close the support he gave us at the Law School to focus on American Indian law and public service, two things that resonate in our capital city and in our state that is the home of 39 tribes. Other notable examples include his work to expand the nursing program, meeting a critical community need. And of course the hosting of two sports of the Olympics in 2028 will be perhaps the city’s finest hour, and he has positioned OCU to support that effort directly.”
Evans prioritized community engagement from the beginning of his time in Oklahoma City, evidenced by the university’s partnership with Apple, which he cultivated for OCU in his first year. The university continues to team with the tech giant on initiatives to support the state’s Native American tribes, including tribal language revitalization and STEM access and education in rural Oklahoma.
OCU and the OCU School of Law also partnered with the Oklahoma Supreme Court during Evans’ tenure to present the annual Sovereignty Symposium, eventually taking over the event in 2024. In the succeeding years, the symposium has grown into the nation’s largest gathering for the discussion and study of tribal legal issues.
While growth in the community has been a cornerstone of Evans’ time at OCU, growth on the campus has also been key.
Earlier this year, Evans led the effort to secure a $13 million lead gift from the Kirkpatrick philanthropic partners to kickstart a $25 million renovation of the Kirkpatrick Auditorium and Fine Arts Center. The building has hosted thousands of performances since its opening in 1928, but was last renovated nearly 60 years ago. Plans call for a full modernization of the auditorium, including the latest in lighting, acoustics and backstage upgrades.
“As OCU is a national leader in performing arts education, there may be no greater legacy that President Evans can leave behind,” Jayroe Gamble said. “We are grateful for his leadership and effort for the Kirkpatrick, but also simply for the day-to-day work he’s done to make OCU the best it can be.”
Evans’ final day as president will be June 30, 2027. In the coming weeks, university leaders will commence a national search for the school’s 20th president, engaging stakeholders across all levels of campus and the community.
Evans said he will support the transition process however possible until the time of his retirement. He wished to thank members of the university community for their support during his tenure.
“It has been a great privilege to serve as president of Oklahoma City University,” Evans said. “I am proud to have worked with such talented colleagues across our campus. Mostly, I am gratified to have shared this time with our students, whose passion, creativity and excellence have made this role such a joy.
“I’m also thankful that I will always be able to call myself an OCU Star.”
