Kristi Kirk has been named the first woman president and chief executive officer of Concordia University Texas in Austin.
According to the Department of Education’s most recent data, Concordia University Texas enrolls about 1,600 undergraduate and 300 graduate students. Women represent about 69 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Dr. Kirk’s career in higher education spans more than three decades. Her career began in 1993 as an admissions office manager with Concordia University Texas. After five years, she transitioned to Texas A&M University, where she served as an archival assistant. One year later, she returned to Concordia University Texas and has remained there ever since.
Throughout her long tenure, Dr. Kirk has held several leadership roles, including director of admissions and financial assistance, director of enrollment planning, vice provost, and vice president of student and enrollment services. Since 2015, she has served as the university’s first woman provost and executive vice president. Alongside her administrative roles, she has served as an adjunct professor of history for the past 24 years.
“At Concordia University Texas, we believe anyone deserves the opportunity to attain a higher education, and it has been my mission to fulfill this vision while reinforcing a culture that welcomes and values every student,” said Dr. Kirk. “I am committed to empowering our students to lead lives of critical thought, compassionate action, and courteous leadership.”
Dr. Kirk received her bachelor’s degree in history from Concordia University Texas, a master’s degree in American studies from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. in leadership in higher education from Capella University.