Although Kevin Barksdale, Ph.D., passed away a little more than three years ago, he is fondly remembered by the faculty, staff, and hundreds of graduates of the Marilyn Davies College of Business for his passion for the MBA program and his tireless efforts on behalf of its students. UHD’s recent addition of a completely online MBA, making the master’s program even more accessible for working professionals, is further evidence of his lasting legacy.
“Kevin Barksdale led the way in creating opportunity for MBA students,” said MDCOB Dean Jonathan Davis. “He made compassionate, careful admissions decisions that prioritized looking at the whole student, their life circumstances, their growth, and, most importantly, their potential. He could have made his work easier by setting rules for entry that were firm and based only on numbers, but he viewed students as his calling and worked overtime to give every applicant their full chance.”
A scholarship was established in his name, and donations continue to be accepted to create a permanent endowment. The Kevin Barksdale Memorial Scholarship is a fitting tribute to a man who gave so much of himself to benefit UHD students.
Dr. Barksdale not only saw the potential in would-be MBA candidates, but also in students enrolled in the program, as he worked diligently with those who struggled with life challenges and found ways to help them continue and complete.
A full professor, Dr. Barksdale served as Associate Dean and later as Faculty MBA Director. He came to UHD after leading the Ken Blanchard College of Business at Grand Canyon University in Arizona and later heading the MS in Human Resource Management at Houston Baptist University. He earned his Ph.D. with a concentration in personnel and employment relations from Georgia State University.
A scholarship was established in his name, and donations continue to be accepted to create a permanent endowment. The Kevin Barksdale Memorial Scholarship is a fitting tribute to a man who gave so much of himself to benefit UHD’s students.
“Through this dedication, he changed hundreds of lives for the better, and I continue to hear the stories about Dr. Barksdale from grateful graduates I run into around the city,” said Davis. “His impact is so visible and real to so many, and we should all aspire to have Kevin Barksdale’s level of impact in our careers.”