Shelburne to serve as Dean for NSU College of Liberal Arts

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Northeastern State University has selected Dr. Audell Shelburne as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Shelburne officially began his new role on July 15.

Shelburne previously served as the Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts for seven years, where he directed and coordinated the curriculum process for the departments in COLA, in addition to other duties. Prior to this role, Shelburne served in a number of different roles, including chair of Languages and Literature for six years and in various other capacities as needed, such as director of the ESL Academy, director of the Bachelor of General Studies program and the interim program director of Art.

“I am excited about getting to work with and support faculty in all of the departments across the college to promote their efforts to provide outstanding academic programs and degrees,” Shelburne said. “We have more than thirty undergraduate and graduate programs and degrees and I am eager to share the news about their quality and value to students, employers and the community. Our faculty members are experts at creating meaningful learning opportunities that prepare students to succeed in future educational and career goals. I am excited to work with them as they continue their excellent work.”

Shelburne said his highest priority as the new dean of COLA is to find ways to enhance the connections between the college and the community. He emphasized that keeping a strong relationship between NSU and the community helps create more opportunities for students.

“I want to help build bridges between the departments and businesses, between programs and the city, school districts, tourism, hospitals and the Cherokee Nation,” Shelburne said. “We have done a good job of creating those connections in the past and I want to encourage even stronger ties because they are essential to our efforts in developing successful academic programs, meaningful opportunities for student internships and externships, and employment opportunities for students after graduation. As always, those connections really begin with an investment in faculty because they are the key that makes it all—design and delivery of programs, development of student experiences, relationships with external stakeholders—work.”

Shelburne earned a Ph.D. in English from Texas Tech University. Prior to coming to NSU in 2011, he held faculty and leadership positions at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Tech University.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Shelburne into this new position and look forward to the continuous growth of COLA under his direction,” NSU President Rodney Hanley said. “His leadership will be instrumental in advancing COLA and its diverse programs.”

NSU’s College of Liberal Arts offers a wide range of degree programs across nine different departments. The multitude of programs within COLA gives students the opportunity to follow their interests while developing valuable skills for their career.

For more information about the College of Liberal Arts, visit https://academics.nsuok.edu/liberalarts/.

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