Dear ’RooNation,

When Cece and I moved to Texas in 2017 as I became the 16th president of Austin College, we expected a great adventure and looked forward to joining an amazing community. We believed that ’RooNation was going to be the perfect fit. It has been! And so, it is with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I announce my plans to retire in the summer of 2026 after nine years as the proud president of this historic college.

Serving and leading Austin College has been the greatest privilege and highest honor of my professional career—a career that has taken me from lawyer, to coach, to adviser, to professor, to dean, to vice president, and, ultimately, to president of, to me, the greatest college in the world. It is a joy to work with all of you. I am blessed to be able to also call so many of you my friends.

We’ve accomplished so much together, whether it’s new majors, new construction, new academic programs, renovations, renewals, or reimaginations. Our endowment and total investment portfolio stand at historic highs. Our curricular and co-curricular offerings are relevant, contemporary, and speak to the needs of today’s student. Our faculty and staff are extraordinarily dedicated to meeting the needs of our students and of this institution.

We persevered through a pandemic with no interruption of students’ progress toward their degrees and no lost jobs, and through a once-in-a-lifetime deep freeze that saw the community become even closer. We have navigated the headwinds of drastic shifts in college-bound demographics, and national and state policy changes. Enrollment has not only endured but is experiencing a growth trajectory, bucking national downward trends.

The list goes on. Through it all, Austin College has only gotten stronger.

It is soon time, however, for me and Cece to retire and start a new phase in our lives, while also, I hope, leaving our beloved college even better than we found it.

I am confident that the moment is right. Austin College is perfectly situated to begin a transition of leadership. The right folks are in place. I have worked to empower an exceptionally talented group of colleagues to embrace their work and do it to the very best of their ability. I truly believe it’s the best team in the country. Everything is pointing in the right direction. It is also time for the College to begin thinking strategically about the next decade. With one eye toward retirement, I realize that I may not be able to dedicate the energy necessary for this next chapter. This will be the perfect time for a new set of eyes to have a look and bring the next bundle of great ideas with them.

You all know how I feel about finishing strong. I want very much to do just that! By the summer of 2026, it will have been 9 years at the helm. In today’s environment that is an exceptionally long college presidency. I would rather finish at the top of my game than risk slowing down before the finish line. It’s not only what will be best for me; it will also be best for Austin College.

In my inauguration speech, I pledged to you that you would have my absolute best. Mission accomplished. For both myself and Cece, our commitment to the college has been joyous and all-encompassing. We are reaching the point, however, that we must return to those things that have taken a back seat these last nine years. It sounds like a cliché, but we are looking forward to spending more time with our family and extended family. They have given so much energy toward supporting me and allowing me to pursue this calling.

There are also other things I’d like to do in my life—things that I can’t do while I am spending every moment tending to the College; things that I can do now that I may not be able to do later in life. I have been blessed with good health so far in my life. I am aware, though, that no good thing can last forever, so I want to seize these opportunities while I still can—whether it’s training for a triathlon, tackling DIY projects on our retirement property, or helping the kids fix up their house. The list is also endless.

It is an opportune moment for both the College and for me and Cece. By announcing my plans now to retire in summer 2026, I hope to allow the Board plenty of time to find the next president and have a seamless transition. Over the next year and a half, you have my assurance that I will absolutely finish strong. We have things to do, goals to achieve, a mission to advance, students to prepare for the future.

There will be plenty of time for farewells and that sort of thing later. For now, I hope you will be happy for Cece and me as we prepare for this next chapter of our lives. This has been the greatest job I could have ever imagined. Austin College will always be part of us and we will always remain a part of ‘RooNation. Until my very last day as President, I reaffirm the dedication and commitment that I promised at my inauguration—You will get the very best I have to offer.

With deepest appreciation,

Steven P. O’Day
President
The Cecil H. and Ida M. Green
Chair of Creative Educational Leadership