The Strategic Plan for Mewbourne College is organized around four strategic pillars, each aligned with the University’s overarching vision for the future. These pillars — Nurture, Elevate, Expand and Champion — define how we support our people, grow our reputation, broaden our impact and foster collaboration across disciplines.
At the University of Oklahoma, our purpose is clear: We change lives. As we enter the next phase of the “Lead On, University” Strategic Plan, the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy stands ready to lead in areas critical to our state and world — from affordable, reliable energy to environmental resilience and scientific discovery.
This strategic plan builds on the legacy of excellence that defines Mewbourne College. It reflects the expertise of our faculty, the aspirations of our students and the urgency of a world rapidly evolving, where energy systems, workforce needs and societal expectations continue to shift.
Crafted by a task force of faculty, staff and external stakeholders, this plan is based on vast input from across the college collected through focus groups and public forums; it reflects our collective aspirations, values and strategies for the future. The plan is responsive to the dynamic and ever-evolving interests of our students, new research opportunities and changing employer priorities, while remaining grounded in our core strengths and values.
The plan is organized around four strategic pillars, each aligned with the University’s overarching vision for the future. These pillars — Nurture, Elevate, Expand and Champion — define how we support our people, grow our reputation, broaden our impact and foster collaboration across disciplines.
This plan is a living document. It will grow stronger through the engagement of our entire community: students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners. Your insights and feedback will help shape what comes next. Together, we will lead with purpose, advance discovery and prepare the next generation to thrive in an ever-changing Earth and energy landscape.
To empower society to thrive now and for future generations through: (i) meaningful dialog that boosts Earth and energy literacy and (ii) collaborative multidisciplinary education and research to address complex energy and environmental challenges and opportunities.
To educate scientists and engineers and create knowledge of Earth’s past and present to navigate a future that meets societal needs for energy and a thriving environment. Students are equipped with broad, foundational knowledge upon which they can grow in their chosen areas of expertise, ranging from Earth’s history, processes and materials to environmentally responsible development of diverse energy resources and systems.
We value people, the mutal respect of others and intergrity.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni are the core of our college. Their efforts, engagement and ideas move our college forward. Uncompromising integrity, ethics and respect for each other creates strong partnerships needed to advance learning and facilitate discovery.
We believe in excellence in education and research through collaboration and adaption.
Broad collaboration from multiple perspectives contributes to the educational and research missions of the college in unique and valuable ways, producing innovative scholarship and solutions. We believe that expanding our educational and research offerings in new and exciting directions will foster innovation and prepare our students for a range of career paths.
We believe that open debate leads to excellence.
Unfettered exchange and civil discussion of competing ideas and perspectives expand understanding, promotes inclusion and leads to excellence.
We value education for the future.
To meet the Earth- and energy-related challenges society faces, we prepare our students through curricula and activities that develop knowledgeable and critical thinkers and problem solvers.
Strategy 1: Recruit and retain students to our innovative academic programs; provide crucial financial support; and foster a culture of success and belonging.
Strategy 2: Ensure active learning experiences outside the classroom are available and attainable for every student.
Strategy 3: Continuously increase and improve student support services, leverage partnerships, and expand community programming and access.
Strategy 4: Invest in faculty and staff success.
Strategy 1: Increase Mewbourne College’s contributions to the American Association of Universities (AAU) metrics to strengthen the university’s position for membership in the AAU.
Strategy 2: Increase support and emphasis on research activity and outcomes.
Strategy 3: Establish Mewbourne College as a national role model for education that aligns with our mission to develop future generations capable of addressing complex energy and environmental challenges and creating solutions that meet societal needs.
Strategy 1: Expand the scope of Mewbourne College to include new programs, certificates and degrees.
Strategy 2: Expand petroleum geoscience and engineering prominence in key subdisciplines.
Strategy 3: Pursue new large multi-disciplinary research opportunities that are either competitively funded (e.g., federal research proposals and projects) or directly funded by corporate, state or private entities which leverage the “Earth & Energy” aspects of Mewbourne College.
Strategy 4: Advance Oklahoma Geological Survey to a premier, nationally recognized organization.
Strategy 1: Provide leadership to coordinate and connect environmental and Earth sciences expertise across campus to pursue new opportunities that benefit from multidisciplinary collaboration.
Strategy 2: Work with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships, Gallogly College, Price College and other internal and external stakeholders to establish a campus-wide strategic plan for OU Energy.
Strategy 3: Lead in enhancing OU’s brand in energy excellence by developing and growing a multidisciplinary Sustainable Energy Systems (SES) program that leverages, integrates and grows OU’s excellence in energy and sustainability.
