Hall of Fame Member Biographies

Joseph Harroz, Jr.

Serving the University of Oklahoma for over 28 years in various leadership roles, Joseph Harroz, Jr. was named its 15th president in May 2020. His previous experience includes one year as interim president, nine years as dean of the College of Law, 12 years as general counsel and two years as vice president for executive affairs.

Under Harroz’s leadership, over the last four years the university has ambitiously pursued the fulfillment of its “Lead On, University” Strategic Plan, sparking a new era of excellence and elevating OU’s position as a top-tier public research university with life-changing impact.

More students than ever are choosing OU, and this year marks the university’s fourth consecutive record-breaking freshman class. With nearly 5,600 students, the Class of 2028’s size represents a 20% increase over the last two years. The class is breaking other university records, with the highest number of first-generation college students and the most Oklahoma residents of any other incoming class.

OU’s research momentum continues to accelerate, reaching a record $411 million in externally funded research awarded. The OU research enterprise has achieved an average 12% annual growth rate for awards over the last four years, and OU ranks among the top 8% of research universities nationally.

The historic merger in 2021 to create OU Health has brought immense benefits to the state and its people. As Oklahoma’s first comprehensive academic health system, OU Health is delivering world-class care, training tomorrow’s health professionals, and meeting the toughest medical challenges with pioneering research and innovation.

Since the Strategic Plan’s introduction, an abundance of other successes have come to life—the announcement of a historic $2 billion fundraising campaign; a continued focus on balancing excellence with affordability; the launch of the OU Polytechnic Institute in Tulsa; the addition of new freshman housing; entering the SEC and more.