President Jackson reaffirms Langston University’s commitment to leadership, service during annual State of the University address
Leadership, service and impact were the main themes of President Ruth Ray Jackson’s State of the University address during Langston University’s Opening Convocation Ceremony on Thursday.
Addressing the gathered students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests, Dr. Jackson charged the LU community to be leaders in the spaces they inhabit, both on and off campus. She remarked on Langston University’s long legacy of transforming lives through education, research, outreach and service, and she reaffirmed the university’s commitment to continuing that work during the 2026-27 school year and beyond.
“As Oklahoma’s HBCU and the state’s second-largest land-grant institution, we occupy a unique and important place in higher education,” Dr. Jackson said. “These distinctions are not simply a source of pride; they are a responsibility. Our mission calls us to expand opportunities, create knowledge, strengthen communities and prepare students for lives of leadership and service.”
Leadership and service are not new charges for the LU community; in many ways, those principles are at the core of life at Dear Langston. But Dr. Jackson renewed the charge as part of a new initiative being introduced this academic year: Lead Boldly.
The Lead Boldly initiative is named after a book by prominent businessman and philanthropist Robert F. Smith, “Lead Boldly: Seven Principles from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” In the book, Smith invites readers to consider how their actions can bring Dr. King’s “Beloved Community” to life through the seven key principles of purpose, courage, vision, innovation, agility, partnership and accountability. Smith visited the LU-Tulsa Campus in October 2025, and many students had the opportunity to hear him speak and even ask him questions. Over the summer, the university received a donation of 1,000 copies of his book.
Through the Lead Boldly initiative, Langston University has begun distributing free copies of the book to students at all three campuses. Throughout the school year, the university will host several Lead Boldly events intended to infuse Dr. King’s teachings directly into student programming.
“(Langston University students) will explore Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community and what it means to lead with purpose, service and responsibility to others,” Dr. Jackson said. “That mission has never been more important than it is today.”
In addition to introducing the Lead Boldly initiative, Dr. Jackson took time to celebrate some of the many accomplishments the LU community has had over the past year.
The School of Physical Therapy’s Class of 2026 achieved a 100% passage rate for the National Physical Therapy Examination with a 100% job placement. The School of Nursing and Health Professions secured an Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Grant of over $100,000, expanding the university’s efforts to address substance misuse, promote prevention and improve health outcomes in communities across the state. The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling and Disabilities Studies earned a Top 10 national ranking for its Master’s of Rehabilitation Counseling program. The Department of Social Sciences launched its inaugural Ambassador for Justice program, which connects students with justice leaders and leadership development experiences to prepare them to be changemakers in their communities. Students and Faculty in the Science Research Institute developed a research payload that is scheduled to launch aboard SpaceX-35 to the International Space Station in October.
“Across every school and department, we are making meaningful contributions that extend far beyond our campuses,” Dr. Jackson said. “These things do not happen by accident. They happen because talented people choose excellence every day.”
During her address, Dr. Jackson also announced Langston University has begun to work on a new long-term strategic plan. The university’s current strategic plan expires in 2027. Developing the new plan will be a collaborative process with opportunities for faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners to help shape the future of the institution.
Part of the plan includes changes to Langston University’s administrative divisions. The university hired three new vice presidents, filling two vacant roles and creating a new one to lead a new division. Diana Lasswell has been hired as the new Vice President for Institutional Advancement, and Dr. R. Mark Rasor has been hired as the new Vice President for Fiscal and Administrative Affairs. Lindsey Hunter has been hired as the inaugural Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management.
Along with these new hires, the university’s administration will undergo realignment to ensure the university is prepared to take on the challenges facing higher education across the country.
“We must ensure that our structure supports our strategy, that responsibilities are clearly assigned, and that our resources are focused where they can have the greatest impact on student success and institutional effectiveness,” Dr. Jackson said.
Dr. Jackson also discussed the university’s upcoming Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation site visit. This standard site visit is part of the normal process of maintaining accreditation for higher education institutions, and many different university stakeholders will participate in the visit.
As many of these activities will be ongoing throughout the school year, Dr. Jackson encouraged Langston University’s community to step up and take advantage of the opportunities to help shape the university’s future. LU has a long history of leadership, service and impact in Oklahoma. It is up to each member of the Lion Pride to ensure that legacy continues.
“May we continue to learn deeply, lead boldly and serve faithfully,” Dr. Jackson said. “May we remain steadfastly committed to our mission and intentional in building the Beloved Community. And may we continue working together to create an even stronger future for Dear Langston.”
