WILBURTON, Oklahoma – The Eastern Oklahoma State College Board of Regents has named Dr. Randy Harp as the 21st president in the institution’s 117-year history. Harp currently serves as Eastern’s Vice President for Academics and Development and will officially assume the presidency on July 1, 2025.

With more than four decades of experience in higher education and a 16-year history of service to Eastern, Harp is a seasoned leader in academics, development, and student success. He previously served as Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas A&M University-Commerce and held faculty and leadership roles at Tarleton State University.

“I am truly honored to be selected as the next president of Eastern Oklahoma State College,” Harp said. “Eastern has played a significant role in my career and my life. I look forward to working collaboratively with students, faculty, staff, and the community to continue building on Eastern’s strong legacy of providing opportunity and excellence in higher education.”

Leland Walker, chairman of the EOSC Board of Regents, said the board interviewed several candidates, but Harp’s leadership experience, history with, and personal connections to, Eastern stood out.

“We are pleased and excited to welcome Dr. Randy Harp as Eastern's 21st president,” Walker said. “Dr. Harp has a long association with Eastern Oklahoma State College, having served as a faculty member and department head between 1984 and 1999. He brings a wealth of experience from the community college and university levels in the areas of instruction, administration, fundraising, and network development. Dr. Harp returned to Eastern in the fall of 2024, as the vice president of academic affairs and will begin his term as president following the retirement of Dr. Janet Wansick. We extend a warm welcome to Dr. Harp and his wife Dana and wish Dr. Wansick the best as she begins a new chapter.”

Harp began his academic career as an instructor at East Texas State University in 1979 before becoming an instructor and department head at Eastern in 1984, where he helped triple enrollment in the agriculture department and established lasting ties within the Wilburton community. He later led academic programs at Tarleton State and Texas A&M-Commerce, where his leadership resulted in significant enrollment increases, new academic initiatives, and scholarships and teaching support secured for students.

During his current stint at Eastern, Harp has served as executive director of the development foundation and interim dean of agriculture, in addition to his vice president role.

The son of two educators, Harp earned his doctoral degree in agricultural education and higher education administration from Oklahoma State University, a master’s degree in animal science from New Mexico State University, and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from OSU. He will succeed Wansick, who announced her retirement earlier this year after five years of service as Eastern’s first female president.

“It has been an honor to serve as president of this institution and I want to extend my congratulations to Dr. Harp on his appointment as the next president of Eastern Oklahoma State College,” Wansick said. “I hope he will continue the strong trajectory of growth the institution has experienced in recent years and remain dedicated to expanding student access and success across all programs. I look forward to seeing the college’s progress in the years ahead and wish the faculty, staff, and students continued success.”