OSU Center for Health Sciences President Kayse Shrum Named Woman of the Year
Friday, October 11, 2019
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences President Kayse Shrum, D.O., received the top honor at The Journal Record’s 39th annual Woman of the Year annual gala. Dr. Shrum was named Woman of the Year from a field of 50 outstanding finalists.
This is the second time in recent years a notable OSU woman has garnered the top award, which recognizes Oklahoma women for their leadership in business and service to their communities. OSU’s first lady, Ann Hargis, was named Woman of the Year in 2014.
“We congratulate Dr. Shrum on this well-deserved honor,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “Through her unwavering commitment to medicine and the state of Oklahoma, she has quickly become a respected leader and advocate for rural and Native American health. She is guiding the OSU Center for Health Sciences through major initiatives that will improve the health of Oklahomans and the nation.”
Under Shrum’s leadership, the Center for Health Sciences has evolved into an academic powerhouse and a leading care provider. She was instrumental in establishing rural-based residency training programs, rural physician pipeline programs that target 4-H and FFA students, and the nation’s first tribally affiliated medical school — the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. Shrum also established the National Center for Wellness & Recovery at OSU Medicine to address Oklahoma’s opioid abuse health crisis.
“On behalf of the A&M Board of Regents, we couldn’t be more proud of Dr. Shrum and her accomplishments,” said board chair Tucker Link. “She has catapulted the OSU Center for Health Sciences to national status with her leadership in the treatment and research of addiction and opioids in particular.
“Her passion for primary care and rural medicine has put an army of new physicians to work in the small towns and tribal lands of Oklahoma and has become a template for other states to follow. Her achievements garnered her a place on the governor’s cabinet, amplifying the impact of her ideas and vision across the entire state.”
Shrum said her dedication to improving the overall health of her fellow Oklahomans grew from her commitment and concern for the people of Oklahoma.
“I was born and raised in Oklahoma. I love this state and think it’s the best place in the world to live, work and raise a family,” Shrum said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to help my fellow Oklahomans live healthier, happier and more productive lives.”
In addition to her leadership role at OSU Center for Health Sciences, Shrum serves as Gov. Kevin Stitt’s secretary of science and innovation.
“Dr. Shrum is a dedicated and valuable member of our team who is bringing her expertise and innovative ideas to the table to help move Oklahoma forward each day,” Stitt said. “As our secretary of science and innovation and the president of the OSU Center for Health Sciences, she is using her leadership roles to invest in Oklahomans and work to improve health outcomes across the entire state. Her faithful commitment to her community and the medical field is impressive, and I am thrilled to see her recognized as the Journal Record’s Woman of the Year.”
Shrum is also on the boards of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, the Children’s Hospital Foundation at Saint Francis, the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. She lives in Coweta, Oklahoma, with her husband, Darren. They have six children.
MEDIA CONTACT: Monica Roberts | Director of Media Relations | 405-744-4800 | monica.roberts@okstate.edu