C. Pat Taylor, Ed.D., SBU President
C. Pat Taylor, Ed.D., was selected as the 24th president of Southwest Baptist University
by the board of trustees on Aug. 20, 1996, after a seven-month nationwide search.
He assumed his duties as president on Oct. 21, 1996.
Since his arrival in 1996, Dr. Taylor has been instrumental in the success of the Partners in Excellence campaign, which surpassed its $50 million goal. More than $62.5 million was raised during the campaign, which ended in June 2006. Under Dr. Taylor’s leadership the endowment funds have increased from $4.6 million to approximately $29 million, as well as the addition of four master’s degree programs and two doctoral programs.
Prior to becoming president of SBU, Dr. Taylor served as chief academic officer at Oklahoma Baptist University for 10 years. As senior vice president and provost, Dr. Taylor was responsible for OBU’s five colleges and schools as well as student development, admissions, religious life, library services and athletics.
Dr. Taylor previously served as associate vice president for academic affairs at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., from 1979-86. From 1975-79, he was an assistant professor of education at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. While at Belmont, he served as head resident of Pembroke Hall, a men’s dormitory housing 150 men. His experiences also have included community college and high school teaching and coaching.
A native of Salem, Ky., Dr. Taylor received his doctor of education degree with emphasis in history and philosophy of education from Memphis State University. He received a master’s degree in history from Western Kentucky University and a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education from the University of Tennessee-Martin.
Dr. Taylor and his wife, Judy, were married for 47 years before she passed away on March 26, 2016, after courageously battling a neurological disease for several years. They have two daughters..
Marijo is a 1994 OBU graduate and in 2000 received an Executive MBA from the University of Missouri. She lives in St. Louis and is a criminal investigator for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Homeland Security. Marijo is married to Tom Gronewold, who also is a criminal investigator for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Homeland Security.
Charla, also an OBU graduate (1999), completed her master’s degree in physical therapy from SBU in 2001 and her doctorate in physical therapy in 2007. Her husband, Adam Austermann, is a 1999 SBU graduate. He earned his master’s degree in physical therapy from SBU in 2001 and his doctorate in physical therapy in 2006. Adam and Charla are both physical therapists in St. Louis. Dr. Taylor and Judy have two grandsons, Drew Charles Austermann and Luke Taylor Austermann.