Marsh Selected as RSU VP for Student Affairs

After a nationwide search, Rogers State University has selected Dr. Brent Marsh as its new Vice President of Student Affairs, starting Sept. 1.

Dr. Marsh has served in the student affairs and student life division at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas for the past decade. During his time with the school, he held increasing levels of responsibility before being named in 2010 as Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students for the Christian liberal arts university, which has an enrollment of about 1,200 students.

At RSU, Dr. Marsh will serve as the chief student affairs officer providing leadership and vision in administering a comprehensive range of programs and services related to campus programming. He will assist in creating a campus culture that promotes the academic achievement and personal development of undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, he will assist with crisis response and institutional initiatives, serve as RSU’s Title IX officer and advocate on behalf of students.

In announcing the hire, RSU President Dr. Larry Rice praised the energy and enthusiasm Dr. Marsh brought to his student life role.

“We’re excited to bring someone with Dr. Marsh’s extensive experience to join the RSU family,” Rice said. “Dr. Marsh has a broad background in student development and has clearly demonstrated an effective approach to student development. He has exhibited leadership in engaging with students today, including utilizing social media and other technology tools to meaningfully communicate with them.”

Rice also praised his commitment and focus on customer service for students, which aligns with the personalized academic attention RSU students receive in the classroom.

At HPU, Dr. Marsh oversees a student life division comprised of 37 full-time and eight part-time staff and manages a $2.7 million budget for 32 department or programs. A member of the university’s administrative council, he coordinated with campus leaders to ensure university compliance with existing and new governmental regulations, including Title IX, Violence Against Women Act and many more. He also worked closely with the university’s athletic director to oversee an NCAA Division III athletic program.

Dr. Marsh led the university’s emergency response plan in a collaborative effort to address campus crises, while also selecting and implementing its internet-based mass notification system to communicate critical information to students, faculty and staff.

“I am honored to be joining the RSU family and look forward to serving in such a wonderful community,” Dr. Marsh said. “My family and I look forward to being involved in the community and exploring everything that Claremore and northeastern Oklahoma has to offer.”

Before joining HPU, Dr. Marsh previously held residential life positions at Kansas State University and McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, and he served as managing director for Century Campus Housing Management overseeing campus housing at Abilene Christian University.

Dr. Marsh earned his doctorate in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree in college student personnel and bachelor’s degree in sociology, both from Kansas State University. He has taught credit courses related to personal finance, career and life planning, and student orientation at Bowling Green State University, McMurry and HPU.

Dr. Marsh and his wife Miranda have been married for 17 years, and they have two children, four-year-old Ava and two-year-old Deacon.

For more information about RSU Student Affairs, visit www.rsu.edu/student-affairs/.