University President Dr. Kent Ingle has always made a great impression on people with his affable manner, get-it-done attitude, and natural talent for storytelling. Above all else, his ability to lead turnaround organizations is both his greatest skill and gift to others.
These traits brought him his first great success — a spot on TV as a national sports news broadcaster on the major networks CBS and NBC starting when he was just 18 years old.
He began as an intern but was so capable and engaging that he was quickly placed on air — and the audiences loved him. Over his tenure as a sports broadcaster, he interviewed Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Carl Lewis, and Pete Rose, among many others.
Today, he’s achieved his proudest success yet. He is president of one of the country’s fastest-growing schools, the faith-based Southeastern University (SEU). Using his decades of expertise, he is helping the school gain popularity and recognition nationwide.
He arrived at SEU during a period when the institution was in a decline, having not had a university president in more than two years.
The school certainly made the right hire.
Numbers Don’t Lie
The Chronicle of Higher Education named SEU among the fastest-growing non-profit private universities in the U.S. Using data from 2010-2020, the school also enjoyed a 243% increase in enrollment during that decade.
The current fall semester is also a record breaker, enrollment passing the 10,000 mark and surpassing last year’s student body number of 9,365.
Nearly one-third of that total will attend classes at the school’s Lakeland campus, while the rest will work online, in a hybrid scheme, or through extension courses at one of the university’s 200 partner campuses around the country.
The school is top-ranked for producing undergraduates in religion and theology. Interest is also high enough in continuing education in these subjects that the school introduced two faith-based doctoral degrees this year as well.
Changing the Model
One thing that Ingle is passionate about is transforming what he sees as a broken education model, one that leaves students too mired in debt at graduation to indeed be able to achieve their potential. Instead, he believes in a new model that graduates students with fewer financial obligations.
“At SEU, we are working to create communicational impact and begin new conversations about what higher education can and should be — including affordability and accessibility,” said Ingle.
He also believes in transparency and availability. For this reason, he’s often seen strolling around campus, catching up with students and asking for their feedback.
“Ultimately, that’s what university presidents should do; we are here to help them become what they are destined to become. That’s what drives me,” said Ingle.
“People thought I was crazy when I changed careers. I quickly realized that the two careers have something in common: storytelling in a way that grabs your audience and stays with them. I can tell stories that teach people and help them to see how to be better at being who they are and recognizing their unique gifts and talents,” said Ingle.
It’s comforting to know that passionate educators like Ingle are leading our country’s future faith thought-leaders, and we can’t wait to hear what SEU announces next.
About Dr. Kent Ingle
Dr. Kent Ingle is the President of Southeastern University, public speaker and recognized thought leader. Ingle is passionate about creating lasting change in higher education and setting up organizations for success. He is the author of The Modern Guide to College and host of the popular Framework Leadership podcast. For more information about Dr. Kent Ingle, please visit www.kentingle.com.
