Summary

• Dr. Bryan Edwards is the new interim dean of the Spears School of Business after 17 years on faculty. He had been serving as head of OSU’s Department of Management.
• With a Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology from Texas A&M University, Edwards understands how to manage and motivate groups.
• Coming to OSU from Auburn University in 2009, Edwards didn’t expect to stay for more than a few years, but he and his family fell in love with the community. He and his wife, Claire, raised their three children in Stillwater.

Dr. Bryan Edwards, interim dean of Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, spent his early 20s pursuing a career in clinical psychology.

After leading a few counseling sessions as a therapist-in-training at the University of South Alabama, Edwards had to be honest with himself and his supervisor.

He didn’t think the job suited him.

Instead of leaving the young graduate student feeling lost, his supervisor pointed out his strengths.

“She said, ‘You’re a good communicator, so you would do well in industrial-organizational psychology, where you’re working in business and industry,’” Edwards recalled.

Everything clicked. After graduating from South Alabama, Edwards grew his new passion with a Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology from Texas A&M University in 2003.

Today, as a distinguished researcher and professor of management, Edwards never forgets how his mentor nudged him toward his professional calling.

In his new leadership position, Edwards embraces the chance to help others find their places at Spears Business. They might be curious students exploring undergraduate majors, passionate alumni looking to reconnect with the college or longtime faculty members taking on fresh challenges.

Edwards is here to support his team.

“What I love most about OSU are the people,” Edwards said. “We have a lot of talented people. We have a lot of alumni that are passionate about Oklahoma State University. I’m energized about the direction of the Spears School of Business and OSU in general.”

This enthusiasm — for OSU, the campus and the community — is why Edwards chooses to stay in Stillwater.

In 2009, when he left Auburn University to join Spears Business as an assistant professor of management, he didn’t expect to stick around longer than three or four years. Edwards knew a typical career in academia involves frequent moves, and he grew up in Alabama with no Stillwater ties.

Seventeen years later, Edwards is right where he wants to be. He and his wife, Claire, have raised their three children in Stillwater: daughter Leah, 20; son Parker, 19; and son Davis, 14.

“This is home for us, and it’s very personal,” Edwards said. “I’m passionate about helping the community, helping the students and mentoring new faculty.”

Edwards, who obtained his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama before earning his advanced degrees, has built a steady career at Spears Business. He progressively attained higher positions — executive director of the Eastin Center, associate professor, full professor and Ph.D. coordinator in the Department of Management — before his promotion to department head in July 2025.

This August, he was elevated to interim dean of Spears Business.

Edwards also holds the Joe Synar Chair and recently finished his term as an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Psychology. With a robust research portfolio, his expertise spans performance management, training, leadership, team effectiveness, and organizational change and development.

His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Material Handling Industry of America, Department of Defense, and other public and private agencies. Edwards recently completed an innovative project on robotics in nursing in conjunction with faculty at the University of Louisville, funded by a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Over years of research collaborations and teaching, Edwards formed meaningful friendships with Spears Business colleagues, many of whom he continues to see in the Business Building each day. The familiarity and trust in his team energize him, he said.

Edwards is motivated to step outside the dean’s office, meet new faces and learn even more about the people who make his longtime workplace special.

“The No. 1 priority is listening,” Edwards said. “So, I’m walking all around the building, talking to the directors, staff, department heads, students and to the alumni. I want to know, ‘What are their concerns? What would they like to see change? What would they like to stay the same? What do they want to see from us in the future?

“Everyone in this building knows what they want to do. I just have to listen to that, align it with OSU’s strategic plan and provide a vision.”

The student experience is central to his vision. Edwards encourages students to connect with mentors and explore Spears Business resources, whether studying abroad through the Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement or visiting the Eastin Center for Career Readiness to prepare for an internship.

“If you take advantage of those programs, try new things and broaden your network, you will find what you want to do,” Edwards said. “Don’t force it. I didn’t know what I wanted to be until I was 25 years old.”

As a graduate student at South Alabama, Edwards couldn’t imagine himself as a confident dean, but everything has come full circle. As a people-focused leader in higher education, he leans on his background in psychology and organizational behavior.

The job suits him.

“Psychology is really about developing communication skills, conflict management, developing relationships, understanding others and understanding yourself,” Edwards said. “That has really shaped the collaborative leadership style that I use. It’s important for me to provide the vision and a mission, and then provide resources, support, remove obstacles and trust the team to carry out that mission.”