Dr. Karen Petersen named thirteenth president of Hendrix Faculty

On Monday (Jan. 9), Hendrix Faculty named Dr. Karen Ok. Petersen to be the thirteenth President of Hendrix Faculty, starting in June 2023. Petersen will succeed Ellis Arnold, who will grow to be President Emeritus following his retirement in June.

A local of northwest Arkansas, Petersen was chosen following a complete nationwide search course of involving Hendrix alumni, Board of Trustees members, school, workers, and college students. She joins the Hendrix group from the College of Tulsa, the place she is a professor of political science and Dean of the Henry Kendall Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

She is the second lady to guide Hendrix as President, following Dr. Ann H. Die Hasselmo, who served from 1992 to 2001.

“We’re thrilled to have Dr. Karen Petersen be part of our group and lead Hendrix into a brand new period of planning and progress,” mentioned Jo Ann Biggs ’80, chair of the Hendrix Faculty Board of Trustees and chair of the Presidential Search Committee.

As Dean of the Kendall Faculty of Arts and Sciences on the College of Tulsa, Petersen oversees the faculty’s monetary, bodily, and human sources, together with 120 full-time workers in 13 departments. Throughout her tenure, philanthropic giving to the faculty elevated, together with a 47% improve in unrestricted giving.

She additionally helped to safe a big unrestricted pledge for pupil recruiting, advertising, and college help, in addition to annual funding for a partnership with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra to offer instructional alternatives for music college students. Beneath Petersen’s management, TU restored tutorial applications in Philosophy and Faith and the Bachelor of Music diploma.

“Not solely does she deliver profitable expertise in main numerous, advanced tutorial items, rising enrollment, enhancing pupil success, and securing help by way of fundraising and exterior partnerships, her ardour for the transformative position of liberal arts schooling and her advocacy for the residential undergraduate liberal arts expertise is inspiring,” mentioned Biggs. “She finds immense pleasure in participating with undergraduate college students and connecting the work of the campus with the broader group, and he or she cares deeply about range, efficient educating, and shared governance. I’m assured that she will probably be an amazing ambassador and chief for the Hendrix group.”

Previous to becoming a member of the College of Tulsa, Petersen served for almost 16 years at her undergraduate alma mater Center Tennessee State College, a big regional complete college in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Petersen earned her grasp’s diploma and Ph.D. in political science from Vanderbilt College.

“I’m honored and humbled to be chosen as president of Hendrix Faculty and stay up for serving alongside the caring and proficient school, workers, and Board members as we proceed Hendrix’s dedication to the life-changing energy of a liberal arts schooling,” Dr. Petersen mentioned. “We’re privileged to teach the younger folks upon whose shoulders the duty for our future rests, and I’m devoted to strengthening and preserving the residential liberal arts expertise as a result of it’s the finest preparation for all times in a free society.”