A Heart for Students: Introducing the new director of recruitment and retention
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Media Contact: Christy Lang | Director, Marketing and Communications | 405-744-9740 | christy.lang@okstate.edu
Brimming with eagerness and a lifelong love for Oklahoma State University, Scott King
started this fall as the new director of recruitment and retention for the College of Education and Human Sciences.
King is no stranger to OSU or CEHS. He recently celebrated 20 years at the university, most recently serving as the coordinator of student and career development. In his new role, he will oversee career development, expand programming to help retain and graduate students and assist with student recruitment efforts.
With a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student success, he is excited to continue his team’s efforts in serving prospective and current students. ASPIRE magazine sat down with him to discuss the position.
Q: What excites you about your new role as director of recruitment and retention?
A: I'm excited to lead a group that has done a tremendous job, especially with the growth of our freshman class. Since 2020 or 2021, we've doubled the size of our freshman class, and our retention rate is over 87%. I’m excited to continue this effort and ensure each one of our students finds success.
Q: What do you hope every freshman knows?
A: There are multiple people here who care about them, from faculty and staff to peer mentors. If they express their struggles, someone will be happy to listen and help. College is hard, but they are not alone.
Q: How do you hope to impact current and prospective students in your role and within your team?
A: We want to ensure students are aware of the various career and degree opportunities available to them. Some majors are well-known, but others are less visible. We aim to help students discover these paths and understand what they can do with their degrees.
Q: What is your goal for the college and your office for the next five years?
A: We are focused on growing all areas of the college, with a particular emphasis on our health-focused majors, which now constitute the majority of our student body. Our goal is to guide students into the right majors for their desired careers. This trend, especially with the growth of our nursing program, is likely to continue, and our staff is dedicated to supporting it.
Q: Do you have any hobbies outside of your career?
A: I attend many OSU sporting events, including football, men’s basketball and wrestling. I have season tickets to all of them. I also spend a lot of time with my 8-year-old daughter.
Q: What’s your favorite part about OSU?
A: The people.
Q: What’s your favorite part about CEHS?
A: The people in our college are dedicated to others. Our students, faculty and staff are genuinely committed to serving their peers and the community.
Q: What’s your favorite OSU tradition?
A: Homecoming and Walkaround are my favorites.
Photo By: Ellie Piper
Story By: Sierra Walter | ASPIRE Magazine