Langston University

Langston University has hired three new vice presidents to fill out its administrative team, filling two vacant positions and adding one role to lead a newly formed division. The additions of these new roles will serve as a compliment to the existing executive team, which will constitute the President’s Cabinet.

Diana Lasswell is the new Vice President for Institutional Advancement. She is responsible for stewarding donors with the Langston University Foundation as its executive director and leading the Offices of Development and Alumni Affairs. She started in her new role on Aug. 10.

Lindsey Hunter will be the inaugural Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management. In this role, she will be responsible for leading strategic enrollment efforts to include admissions, recruitment and outreach services as well as student financial aid and scholarships. She will begin at Langston University on Sept. 8.

Dr. R. Mark Rasor will be the new Vice President for Fiscal and Administrative Affairs. In this role, VP Rasor will be responsible for oversight of Fiscal and Administrative Affairs to include all financial and budgetary responsibilities, human resources, Title IX/ADA, facilities management and capital projects. Dr. Rasor will begin at Langston University on Sept. 9.

“We are so happy to have VP Hunter, VP Lasswell and VP Rasor join our Langston University family,” said LU President Ruth Ray Jackson. “Each of them brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their respective roles that will be an incredible benefit to our university as we continue to work to provide affordable, high-quality higher education opportunities here in Oklahoma and beyond.” 

Diana Lasswell

Vice President Lasswell is a seasoned planned giving professional with extensive experience designing, rebuilding and scaling gift-planning programs for large public universities, academic medical centers and national nonprofits. She has a proven record of closing complex blended and principal gifts, implementing charitable gift annuities and trusts, and aligning donor passions with institutional priorities. 

An Oklahoma native from Claremore, Vice President Lasswell comes to Langston University after serving as the Executive Director of Planned Giving at the University of Oklahoma since 2024. She has previously held senior roles for planned giving at the Oklahoma State University Foundation, the University of South Florida, the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, and The Salvation Army Oklahoma and Arkansas Division. She has her B.S. in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Tulsa.  

“I am excited to be here,” Vice President Lasswell said. “The opportunity to increase fundraising efforts to help and support the students and programs here is key for me. As a first-generation college graduate at an institution with many first-generation students, this is truly a mission I am proud to be a part of. 

“Langston University is important to the State of Oklahoma, and I hope to share the impact LU has not just with our supporters, but with all of Oklahoma that may not realize the opportunities and impact Langston University provides. I want to do my best to make a difference and provide support for Dear Langston.”  

Lindsey Hunter

Vice President Hunter is a strategic, student-centered higher education executive with more than 20 years of progressive leadership driving enrollment growth, postsecondary access and student success. She has spent her career building scalable enrollment systems and high performing, cross-functional teams that can translate institutional vision into operational execution and measurable results. 

She comes to Langston University after serving as the Director of Enrollment Services at Oakton College since April 2025. Throughout her career, she has served at selective research universities, community colleges, K–12 systems and national nonprofits, including leadership roles at Emory University, Clark Atlanta University and Chicago Public Schools. She is a graduate of Spelman College, where she earned her B.A. in Theater and Drama, and she holds a Master of Science in Education in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies from Hofstra University. 

“I am excited to join the Langston community as the inaugural Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management,” Vice President Hunter said. “The HBCU experience is unmatched. At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, I am certain that attending an HBCU offers a remarkable return on investment. High-quality academics, a distinct and vibrant campus experience, and lifelong alumni connections are the markers of that value. 

“I look forward to leading the team that introduces new generations of students to Langston and supports them not only in their admission, but through their matriculation and all the way to graduation at this wonderful institution.” 

Dr. R. Mark Rasor

Vice President Rasor has worked in higher education accounting and finance since 2007, holding various leadership roles at two Oklahoma higher education institutions. He has extensive experience in budget preparation, financial implementation of strategic plans, direct oversight of multiple offices, and oversight of contracts with key campus partners and vendors. In addition to his experience in the higher education sector, he has 25 years of private sector experience in wholesale and retail sales, accounting and management. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. 

Vice President Rasor currently serves as Vice President for Administration and Finance at Rogers State University, where he oversees the university’s financial operations and strategic resource management. Before coming to Rogers State, he served in various roles at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, including as Vice President for Fiscal Affairs and Interim President. Dr. Rasor holds degrees from Baylor University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he has his doctorate from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.