Dr. Jim Dunn is the newly-elected sixth president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Dunn’s election was announced on March 15, at the end of the Spring 2019 OKWU Board of Trustees meeting.
“The Board of Trustees of Oklahoma Wesleyan University is pleased to announce that by unanimous vote we have elected Dr. Jim Dunn to be our next president,” said Roger Metcalf, Board chairperson. “Dr. Dunn has been uniquely gifted and shaped by God for such a time as this. We want to express our thanks and appreciation to Dr. Everett Piper for his tireless work in making Oklahoma Wesleyan into a first-class university. The future of Oklahoma Wesleyan has never been as bright as it is today. We are excited and celebrating with the whole Oklahoma Wesleyan campus community and all of our alumni family and friends at the prospect of how Dr. Dunn, with God’s help, will be shaping that future. We covet your continued prayers.”
A life-long Wesleyan and former OKWU Board member, Dunn served as a local church pastor for 15 years, general director of the Spiritual Formation Department of The Wesleyan Church for eight years and executive director of the Church Multiplication Division of The Wesleyan Church for four years.
Since 2016, Dunn has served as vice president of Church Relations for the Wesleyan Investment Foundation, focusing on encouraging and helping local churches reach their next level of ministry effectiveness. Throughout his career, Dunn has served in leadership on numerous boards, as well as teaching for Oklahoma Wesleyan, Wesley Seminary and Indiana Wesleyan University. He is a graduate of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Asbury Theological Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Dunn and his wife, Wendy, come to Oklahoma from McCordsville, Indiana. The couple has four children; Dunn has a son, a daughter and one grandchild, while Wendy has two daughters.
“I am extremely grateful and humbled by the confidence placed in me to build the next Oklahoma
Wesleyan University with the help of the Lord,” said Dunn. “Wendy and I covet your prayers as we commit to lead the university to engage both the church and culture to impact all for the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We have a great Lord. OKWU is an outstanding Orthodox Christian liberal arts university with a beautiful history of faithful service for the Lord. The future is bright and I’m grateful for this God-led opportunity to serve Him in this capacity.”
At his OKWU Board welcome, Dunn shared verses of Psalm 121, reflecting on the words of encouragement as the University takes this next step:
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.”
President-elect Dunn is expected to take office in June of 2019, following the retirement of Dr. Everett Piper. Piper has served as OKWU’s president since 2002.
