Ph.D. University of Southern Mississippi
Dr. Hal Higdon is chancellor of the Ozarks Technical Community College System and president of the OTC Springfield Campus. In these roles, Dr. Higdon oversees the institution’s strategic direction and works to strengthen its resources and funding.
The OTC Board of Trustees hired Dr. Higdon in July of 2006, which makes him the longest-serving public college president in Missouri. Dr. Higdon’s time at OTC has been marked by the growth and expansion of the college’s programs and campuses. In 2022, under Dr. Higdon’s leadership, OTC completed construction on the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing. At 120,000 square feet and with a price tag of $40 million, the Plaster Manufacturing Center is the largest building project in OTC’s history.
Before his time at OTC, Dr. Higdon served 13 years in administration with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He also worked in human resources and workforce training at Alabama’s Faulkner State Community College and spent several years in private business.
Dr. Higdon has been heavily involved in various community service organizations throughout his career. He serves as chair of the Burrell Behavioral Health Board and is on the board of Brightli. This umbrella organization includes Burrell and Preferred Family Healthcare in Kirksville, Mo. Dr. Higdon is the first vice chair for the CoxHealth Systems Board of Directors. He is the vice-chair for workforce development for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Dr. Higdon is a member of the Springfield Business Development Corporation Board of Directors. He serves on the Board of Directors for Phi Theta Kappa and is a member of the Junior League of Springfield’s Community Advisory Council and Springfield’s Downtown Rotary Club.
Dr. Higdon also served as chair of the Presidents and Chancellors Council of the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA), representing community college interests in the state legislature and professional and governmental agencies.
Born in Decatur, Alabama, Dr. Higdon holds a degree in business from the University of Alabama and a master’s and Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Southern Mississippi.