NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – Four faculty members from the University of Oklahoma have been named 2025-26 Fellows of the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program, an initiative aimed at preparing the next generation of academic leaders to meet the evolving challenges of higher education.
“Each of our 2025 SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Fellows has made a lasting impact through their leadership, innovation and commitment to the OU community,” said OU Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright. “We celebrate this tremendous accomplishment and look forward to their continued contributions to our university and beyond.”
This year’s OU fellows are:
John P. Masly, Ph.D., associate director in the School of Biological Sciences, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences
Robin Minthorn (Kiowa), Ph.D., professor and department chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education
Anne E. Pate, Ph.D., associate professor in Public and Community Health Programs, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, and director of Undergraduate Public Health and Population and Community Health, Hudson College of Public Health
Kevin Sauer, Ph.D., professor and chair, College of Allied Health, OU Health Sciences
OU Vice Provost Sarah Ellis, Ph.D., oversees the selection process for OU. “Programs like the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program have elevated academic collaboration and leadership across the conference,” Ellis said. “This initiative truly exemplifies how joining the SEC has benefited OU well beyond the playing field.”
The SEC Academic Leadership Development Program features three components: university-level development initiatives tailored by each member institution; two three-day, SEC-wide workshops hosted by selected campuses; and a competitive fellowship program for former fellows seeking advanced leadership experience.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
The University of Oklahoma has broken its previous fundraising record with over $352 million in gifts during the fiscal year ending June 30. This total exceeds OU’s previous record of $334 million set in 2024, marking another monumental achievement in the fifth year of Lead On: The University of Oklahoma’s Campaign for the Future. In total, over $1.5 billion has been raised toward the Lead On campaign goal of $2 billion.
The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine has honored two outstanding resident physicians with the prestigious 2025 Lloyd Rader Award. This year’s recipients, Dr. Elizabeth Joy Trimble and Dr. Khawaja Hassan Akhtar, were selected for their exemplary achievements in clinical care research and leadership throughout their medical training.
Since its founding in 2014, the Withrow Leadership Scholars program at the University of Oklahoma has empowered students with transformative opportunities. Thanks to a $1 million endowment from Jon and Cathryn Withrow, the program annually supports 20 upperclassmen selected from the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences in year-round leadership training and a study-abroad experience in France.
