Bethany mayor credits OSU-OKC for academic foundation and leadership growth

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Bethany Mayor Amanda Sandoval said her time at Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City played a critical role in shaping her academic confidence, professional direction and leadership approach, particularly as a first-generation college student uncertain about her future.

In early 2025, Sandoval was elected mayor of Bethany, becoming the first Latina to be elected mayor in Oklahoma. 

In 2019, Sandoval made history as the youngest city councilor and the first person of color elected to the Bethany City Council. Sandoval credits OSU-OKC with sparking her interest in community engagement and providing her with opportunities to become a campus leader. 

Sandoval said OSU-OKC also helped prepare her for the interpersonal demands of public service. She said skills such as active listening, empathy, public speaking and relationship building continue to guide her work as mayor.

Sandoval, a graduate of OSU-OKC, said she chose the campus in part because of its proximity to home and its accessibility as she transitioned from high school into higher education. After graduating from Putnam City West High School, she said she entered college unsure of expectations and intimidated by the academic environment.

“I didn’t think, first and foremost, college was even a possibility for me,” said Sandoval, describing herself as introverted and quiet during her earlier years.

She earned an associate degree in enterprise development, a general business-focused program that allowed her time to explore career options while building foundational academic skills. At the time, she said, she was uncertain whether she wanted to pursue medicine or political science. Sandoval said her involvement in student organizations at OSU-OKC marked a turning point. 

She participated in numerous leadership and service programs, including Student Leaders of Tomorrow, Project SOAR, the Student Leadership Team, the President’s Leadership Council and Martha Burger Mentors. Through that involvement, she said, she began to better understand her abilities and gain confidence.

Her experience, she said, was strongly shaped by mentorship. Sandoval credited faculty and staff members, including professor Steven Collins and writing coach Sherri Henderson, with encouraging her to push beyond her comfort zone and recognize potential she did not yet see in herself.

Those mentorships, she said, helped her secure a scholarship to OSU-Stillwater, where she continued her education. She said those early relationships laid the groundwork for her professional development and long-term career trajectory.

“Ms. Sandoval is among the most motivated, disciplined, and involved individuals I have ever met,” Henderson said. “Amanda began working with me in the writing lab in 2012 when she was a freshman in a beginning English class, and I was a brand-new tutor. She worked so hard! We gradually got to know each other and stayed in touch. In the ensuing years, I was honored to be invited to a Sandoval quinceañera and Amanda’s wedding.”

Sandoval worked full-time while earning her degrees, after being the first person in her family to graduate from high school, Henderson said. 

“I remember Amanda as an undergraduate, lighting up with excitement not when speaking of pop culture stars or college parties, but instead of visiting the Oklahoma Capitol and meeting her political role models or volunteering for a gubernatorial campaign,” Henderson said. “She’s a master networker, approaching others with a sincere desire to connect and help. … I love and support her and am so proud of her.”

Sandoval emphasized the importance of student engagement and encouraged future students to seek out organizations aligned with their interests, ask questions in class and develop relationships with faculty and peers.

“If people see that you’re putting yourself out there and trying to better yourself, you’ll slowly start building your village,” she said.

From OSU-OKC, Sandoval continued to Stillwater, where she graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s in political science from OSU.

She was first elected to the Bethany City Council in 2019. In 2021, she received her master’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

Sandoval said OSU-OKC and OSU-Stillwater remain central to her identity, describing them as the backbone of her education. She said maintaining relationships with mentors and peers beyond graduation remains one of the most lasting impacts of her collegiate experience.