Austin College Announces Planned Retirement of President O’Day for Summer 2026

SHERMAN, TEXAS—The Austin College Board of Trustees Chairman Mr. Scott Austin has announced the planned retirement of President Steven O’Day for summer 2026. At a campus-wide meeting on Friday, February 14, 2025, Chairman Austin, President O’Day, and the Board shared the news with the campus community.

Austin said, “Austin College continues to excel in a time of varied and significant challenges. With the many accomplishments made during Steven’s tenure, we are well-positioned to transition to new leadership. Given the thoughtful timing of his retirement announcement, we will be able to conduct a prudent, careful, and unhurried search process to find the College’s 17th president without experiencing a gap in leadership.”

O’Day’s leadership tenure has positioned Austin College as one of the strongest liberal arts institutions in the country.O’Day took the helm at Austin College in 2017, and over the last eight years he has improved the College’s financial position, overseeing growth of an endowment and investment portfolio that has more than doubled to $220 million. He has enhanced and expanded academic and co-curricular programs to reflect contemporary needs, most significantly with the launch of the Austin College Master of Medical Science-Physician Assistant Program. He has also made strategic investments in the revitalization and renewal of the nearly 150-year-old campus, with several major additions and renovations that have touched every corner of campus. In contrast to national downward trends in enrollment, in 2024 Austin College welcomed the largest cohort of new students in the College’s history.

President O’Day shared his confidence that given the College’s strong standing, now is an opportune moment for the College to prepare for its next leader.

In his remarks to campus, President O’Day said of the transition, “Serving and leading Austin College has been the greatest privilege and highest honor of my professional career. 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 Austin College is perfectly situated to begin a transition of leadership. Everything is pointing in the right direction. It is also time for the College to begin thinking strategically about the next decade, and with one eye toward retirement, I realize that this will be the perfect time for a new leader to bring the next bundle of great ideas with them.”

President O’Day will remain at the helm until summer 2026. During that time, the College will conduct a national search to identify the seventeenth president. The 16-month period will allow time for the College to conduct a comprehensive national search to fill the role and allow for a seamless transition.

Chairman Austin concluded, “No one wants to see a great chapter come to an end, but, as always, Steven will “finish strong” and will leave Austin College in great shape. I wish Steven and Cece the greatest happiness in a well-deserved retirement. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I share our deep gratitude for the O’Days and their leadership, as well as the incredible work of the Austin College senior leadership team, faculty, and staff, who have made our great accomplishments possible.”

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.