Dale A. Lunsford
Dr. Dale A. Lunsford is the sixth president of LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. He assumed that post on July 1, 2007, succeeding Alvin O. Austin. Lunsford's inauguration was held on November 1, 2007 in the newly opened S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel and Performance Center.
Personal Life
Dale Lunsford grew up in Oklahoma.
Professional Life
Prior to his appointment at LeTourneau University, Lunsford served as vice president for student affairs and external relations at the University of Texas at Tyler. He worked at UT-Tyler for a total of eight years. Before that, he worked for 12 years as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Tulsa.
As president of LeTourneau University, he led strategic planning and rebranding and has strengthened the university’s financial condition through cutting costs and increasing donations, tripling the university’s endowment. Growth in programs include launching a new School of Nursing and expanding graduate programs in business, engineering and psychology and undergraduate programs in healthcare management, criminal justice and others. Under his leadership, more than $54 million in capital improvements have added more than 177,000 square feet to the university facilities, including a new student center, residence hall, faculty offices, dining hall and aviation center. Lunsford has also served on local boards and mayor-appointed task force committees, moderating a citywide election forum, as well as providing leadership on boards promoting higher education and NCAA athletics.
At University of Tulsa, he served as associate dean and director of undergraduate programs for the College of Business Administration. He also was a business professor, receiving four awards for teaching excellence, including the university’s professor of the year award. He published several research studies and served as editor of a marketing education journal. He also co-hosted a popular “Business World” radio program for seven years on a National Public Radio affiliate in Tulsa.
Education
Lunsford earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Tulsa. He earned his doctorate in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University and did post-doctoral work as a visiting scholar at the University of Texas at Austin.
Publications
Lunsford has written op-eds for the following publications:
- “Headlines Highlight Need for Mental Health Services” Longview News-Journal, 2015
- "Good Thoughts for Hard Times From R.G. LeTourneau", Christian Post, Oct. 3, 2013
- “Missing Your College Freshman? Maybe This Helps”, Christian Post, Sept. 11, 2013.
Interviews
Lunsford has provided in-depth interviews for the following:
- Warren Smith of World Media’s “Listening In” Radio Program, March 6, 2015.
- “The Complete Story” with Dick Bott on BOTT Radio Network, March 2015
- “Faith Can Work” Two Ten Magazine, 2Q, 2013
- “Medical Mission from Longview Serves Hundreds in Ethiopia” Longview News-Journal, April 30, 2011
References
- http://www.letu.edu/_Other-Resources/presidents_office/Leadership/
- http://www.letu.edu/_Other-Resources/_Community-and-Media/now-spring-2013.jsp pp. 18–19
- http://www.letu.edu/opencms/export/download/community-and-media/Summer07_NOW.pdf
- "[http://www.letu.edu/_Other-Resources/presidents_office/about.html] LeTourneau University Names New President" (Press release). LeTourneau University. 2007-03-08. Retrieved 2007-08-09. line feed character in
|title=
at position 68 (help); External link in|title=
(help) - "Introducing Dr. Dale A. Lunsford" (PDF). NOW. 62 (2): 4–7. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
- "Dr. Lunsford's Profile". Office of the President. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-08-09.