Mid-America Christian University (MACU) is pleased to announce that Dr. Kayse Shrum, Chief Health Strategy Officer for the Chickasaw Nation, will serve as the commencement speaker for the University’s 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
Commencement will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 2, 2026, Oklahoma City Convention Center.
“MACU is honored to welcome Dr. Kayse Shrum to celebrate this milestone with our graduates,” said MACU President Dr. Phil Greenwald. “Her leadership, dedication to serving others, and commitment to strengthening communities embody MACU’s mission. We are excited for our graduates and families to hear her story and be inspired by her example.”
Dr. Shrum is a native Oklahoman with a passion for rural health. In her current role with the Chickasaw Nation, she leads efforts to advance health outcomes and strengthen healthcare initiatives across the Nation.
She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and has completed executive leadership and management training at Harvard University and Stanford University. Dr. Shrum began her career in pediatrics before joining Oklahoma State University, where she later became president of OSU Center for Health Sciences. She went on to serve as the 19th president of the OSU A&M System, becoming the first woman to lead the system and the first female president of a research institute in the state of Oklahoma.
Dr. Shrum has been recognized for her leadership and contributions to the state of Oklahoma with numerous awards, including induction into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame (2022), Journal Record Woman of the Year (2019), and the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association’s Distinguished Service Award (2014), among many others. She was also appointed Secretary of Science and Innovation by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt in 2019.
In addition to her professional achievements, Dr. Shrum is deeply committed to her family. She and her husband, Darren, have six children, one son-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and are proud grandparents to one grandson.
More information about MACU’s 2026 Commencement Ceremony can be found at www.macu.edu/graduation.