Ph.D. University of Southern Mississippi
Dr. Hal Higdon is chancellor of the Ozarks Technical Community College System and president of the Ozarks Tech Springfield Campus. In these roles, he oversees the institution’s strategic direction and works to strengthen resources and funding for the six-location system.
Hired by the Board of Trustees in July 2006, Dr. Higdon is the longest serving public college president in Missouri. His time at Ozarks Tech has been characterized by the significant growth and expansion of the college’s programs and campuses. In 2022, under his leadership, the college completed construction of the Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing. At 120,000 square feet and a price tag of $40 million, it is the largest building project in the history of the college.
In 2023, Dr. Higdon became one of the founding board members of the Alliance for Healthcare Education. The Alliance is a partnership between Ozarks Tech, CoxHealth, Missouri State University and Springfield Public Schools to address the need for healthcare professionals.
Before his time at Ozarks Tech, Dr. Higdon served 13 years in administration at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and worked in human resources and workforce training at Alabama’s Faulkner State Community College. He also has several years of experience in the private business sector.
Dr. Higdon is actively involved in community service. He serves as secretary/treasurer of the Burrell Behavioral Health Board and Brightli Board. He is chair of the CoxHealth Systems Board of Directors, board member of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of Directors for Phi Theta Kappa. He is also a member of the Junior League of Springfield’s Community Advisory Council and Springfield’s Downtown Rotary Club.
Dr. Higdon previously 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.