A farewell reception for former Southeastern President Dr. Thomas Newsom and his wife Vicky was held Aug. 22 at the Southeastern Oklahoma University Ballroom.
Dr. Newsom became president of Southeastern in April 2020 and he recently was named president of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) appointed Dr. David Whitlock as interim president of Southeastern, effective Aug. 1.
“I am filled with mixed emotions as we say goodbye to a good and dear friend to the university and higher education in general for Oklahoma and a person who has become a dear friend of my own personally,” Whitlock said.
Whitlock named some of the people present for the farewell reception, including chancellor emeritus and former president of Southeastern Glen D. Johnson and wife Melinda, State Sen. David Bullard and State Rep. Cody Maynard.
Regent Connie Reilly also was present. “I’d like to say that I’m so excited to be here,” Reilly said. “I love coming to Durant, but I really hate losing Dr. Newsom. I had a part in hiring him and he didn’t let me down and I know we hate to lose him, but I’m very happy for what’s ahead in your future.”
Whitlock said the Newsoms led well and Southeastern is a better place be- cause of them.
“We’re a better place, we’re in a stronger position,” Whitlock said. “To list the accomplishments would take too long, but just to say that our enrollment is extremely healthy. To say that new programs, including the first doctorate ever at our institution has begun under your leadership.
“Our financial position is stronger than it’s ever been and over the last month or so, I’ve been briefed on every plan and strategy that’s going forward and oh my goodness, the strategic plan that he’s developed and the future for Southeastern is so very, very bright and so much of that bares your thumbprints. Your fingerprints are all over this campus and we thank you. As regent Reilly said, we’re glad to be here, we’re honored to recognize you and what you and Vicky have meant to our campus, but dog gone it, I kind of feel like we got dumped by a girlfriend, and if I have to see another picture of a gorilla (Pittsburg State’s mascot), I’m just going to tear it up, but we wish you the best.”
Newsom said he did not want a reception and he just wanted to fade off into the sunset, however, he thanked those who organized it. He thanked everyone for attending.
“Thanks to the Regional University System of Oklahoma and the regents for giving Vicky and I this opportunity almost six years ago during what was craziness with the pandemic and basically handing the keys to an amazing university to someone from another state who didn’t have a lot or any experience in Oklahoma,” Newsom said.
Newsom said the university was headed in the right direction at that time, but there were worries in higher education about making it through the pandemic.
“So, thank you Regent Reilly and the other regents who put that trust in us and took that chance and I think as David said, we all in this room, whether you’re faculty, staff, student, community member, friend of the university, we have all done some pretty amazing, great things in the last five and half, six years and we couldn’t be more proud of that.”
Newsom spoke of interim President Whitlock and said he could not be more happy that the regents chose him.
“Dr. Whitlock, as he said, he and I have become really, really good close friends,” Newsom said. “We’ll remain friends forever. When you’re sitting in the chair of a president’s position, sometimes, you’re on an island. Sometimes, it’s lonely and really the only other folks that you have an opportunity to share things with is people who have had that common experience.
“People who have had that background, that frame of reference andDr.Whitlock,being a former president himself at another institution, provided a lot of that sounding board, mentorship and just really became an amazing friend and so I can’t be more excited and confident that he is going to lead us and continue all the momentum that we’ve all built here at Southeastern over the last six-plus years because this is the best regional university in Oklahoma. It’s the best regional university in this area in its region and I think it’s just the best university in Oklahoma. So, I’m really proud and happy to call you a friend and let you know that anything you need at all, we’re there to make sure that this is successful for you and for Southeastern.”
The Newsoms were about to celebrate their 31st wedding anniversary and Dr. Newsom invited Mrs. Newsom to the podium.
“She’s a fixture on this campus with our students, faculty and staff as I am and I’m going to ask her to do me a favor and we’re going to end it like I always end it.”
The Newsoms said in unison, “Go Savage Storm!”
