AUSTIN (KXAN) — Concordia University Texas named a new president and CEO this week, who will become the first woman to serve as president for the university.
Concordia University Texas announced Monday its Board of Regents named Dr. Kristi Kirk as president and CEO, the 10th executive leader in the university’s nearly 100-year history. Kirk will become the first woman to serve as president of Concordia, according to the university.
Kirk has served as the university’s provost and executive vice president since July 2015. She was appointed to the new role after what the university said was a “comprehensive, nationwide search, reflecting a rigorous and multi-faceted process to select the University’s next leader.”
She replaces outgoing President and CEO Dr. Donald Christian, who is set to retire.
Concordia University noted in the announcement that a formal inauguration and press conference to introduce Kirk in her new role will be announced later.
Kirk has more than three decades of experience in higher education, and according to the university, was also the first woman in Concordia’s history to hold the position of provost and executive vice president.
Kirk began her career as an office admissions manager at Concordia University Texas in 1993 and stayed in that role for five years while progressively taking on more responsible positions, from assistant director of admissions to vice president of student and enrollment services, according to the announcement.
Kirk is an alumna of Concordia Texas, and the university said her journey from student to president “exemplifies her deep connection to the University’s mission and values.”
“Her own transformative experience at Concordia Texas, grounded in Christ-centered education, has shaped her vision for the institution’s future,” the announcement said. “This unique perspective enables her to lead with both professional expertise and a personal understanding of the life-changing impact Concordia Texas has on its students.”
“For more than 30 years, Dr. Kirk has been a stalwart champion of Concordia University Texas, advancing and bolstering higher education opportunities for thousands of students in an environment that welcomes and values Christ our Lord,” Rev. Dr. Stephen Sohns, chairman of the Concordia Texas Board of Regents, said. “Her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment will continue to make Concordia University Texas a higher education leader in the Central Texas region.”
According to the announcement, during her time at Concordia, Kirk has spearheaded “landmark initiatives” that made higher education more attainable for people of all backgrounds.
In October 2023, she helped launch The Right Call Initiative, which implements a “new, simplified tuition pricing structure that provides transparency and breaks down financial barriers to further increase access for undergraduate students,” the announcement said. The Right Call reduced the university’s published tuition price by about 40% beginning with the current academic year (2024-25), according to the university.
Kirk also helped Concordia University Texas secure a $2.71 million Title V grant in May 2023. The university said the funding will enhance the “Concordia Con Corazón” project, which “prioritizes services and support measures to ensure that Hispanic and low-income students — especially Hispanic female students — who seek a post-secondary degree at Concordia University Texas are successful,” according to the university.
“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,” Dr. Kirk said. “I am humbled and honored to be named president and CEO, which would not have been possible without the mentorship of Dr. Christian and the generous support of the Board of Regents and the broader Concordia community. I am committed to empowering our students to lead lives of critical thought, compassionate action, and courteous leadership. Concordia Texas is a place where students of all backgrounds encounter Christ through a Christ-centered education and are welcomed and supported as they pursue their goals.”
Concordia’s announcement said Kirk has been an active and engaged member of the Central Texas community throughout her time here, and she has “played a key role in strengthening partnerships with local churches and schools to support Christian higher education.”
She has also served on the Board of Directors for Concordia High School and Acts of Love, a nonprofit organization, and has been involved in her congregation at Faith Lutheran Church in Georgetown.
Kirk and her husband Daniel are also parents to six children and have been licensed foster parents for five years.