2007-2008 Hall of Fame Inductee Dr. Bill Cole

Eastern Oklahoma State College 2007 Homecoming will present a special day for Bill S. Cole who returns for honors during Homecoming activities this year at the Wilburton community college.

After dedicating his life to others, he has been named by the Eastern Alumni Association Board of Directors as the twenty-fourth inductee into the Eastern Alumni Hall of Fame and will take his place during ceremonies at the annual homecoming dinner Friday (November 2) night.

Cole was born in Stuart where he attended grade school. While in junior high, his parents moved to McAlester and he graduated from McAlester High School in 1955. He graduated from Eastern in 1957, East Central State College in 1959 with a BSEd, MNS in Natural Science from the University of Oklahoma in 1965 and a Doctorate in Education from Oklahoma State University in 1973.

He apprenticed as a barber under his father and employed his barbering skills to support himself and his growing family through school. He married his wife Sondra in 1957. The Coles were newlyweds while he was an undergraduate at East Central. He was later to return as chief executive officer of the university.

He began his educational career as a high school biology teacher at Putnam City Schools in Oklahoma City (1959-1964) followed by a science teaching position at Purcell public schools (1965-1967). He took a position at El Reno Junior College as a life sciences instructor and science department chairman (1967-1975), became assistant dean of instruction and 6 months later became president of El Reno Junior College, now known as Redlands Community College, in 1976.

Cole became president of East Central University, Ada, in 1989 where he remained until his retirement in 2006.

As president of East Central University, Cole led the university through the technology revolution, continuous improvements of campus facilities and the development of centers of academic excellence. He oversaw twenty-one construction, renovation or expansion projects, including a new library and university center; sixteen endowments of chairs, professorships and lectureships; over $100 million in grants; the growth of ECU Foundation Inc. from less than $2 million to more than $18 million in assets and ECU’s entry into NCAA Division II athletics.

Cole worked to develop centers of academic excellence, particularly in nursing, history, criminal justice and entrepreneurship. The criminal justice programs are taking on regional and national prominence by providing training for tribal law enforcement organizations. Significant external funding was secured in large part from federal grants.

Inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 1996, he has held numerous leadership positions, including two terms as chair of the Council of Presidents, an advisory council to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and two terms as president of the Presidents’ Council for the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. His career in public education spans more than 46 years. He has served on numerous boards and has chaired the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-County Indians Nation Community Development Corporation and the East Central Oklahoma Building Authority and others. He and his wife have five sons and 11 grandchildren.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE 10-23-07

			Dr Bill Cole speaking with Eastern President, Dr. Stephen E. Smith.
			Dr. Bill Cole receiving award.
Dr. Bill Cole speaking at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.