ORU Leads the Way with a New Residential Doctoral Program

Launches Innovative Residential, Full-Time, On-Campus Doctor of Strategic Leadership Program Admitting International Students

Tulsa, Oklahoma, November 5, 2025—Oral Roberts University (ORU) has launched a residential Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) program that is F1-Visa eligible to admit international students. The 33-month program prepares leaders to strengthen their personal, organizational, and public leadership capacities. This milestone builds on the work of Dr. Kathaleen Reid-Martinez, ORU’s Provost, who pioneered the world’s first DSL as an online program.

“This new residential DSL program represents another major step in ORU’s vision to develop Spirit-empowered leaders who will impact every sphere of society,” said Dr. William M. Wilson, President of ORU. “By opening the doors to international students through this F1-Visa-eligible program, ORU is extending its global reach and empowering professionals from every nation to develop the strategic insight, spiritual depth, and transformational leadership needed in today’s complex world.”

“ORU is thrilled to make this groundbreaking residential Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) program available to exceptional leaders across the United States and around the world,” said Dr. Reid-Martinez. “This extraordinary program empowers today's change agents to elevate their leadership capacities to new heights. We invite aspiring global influencers to immerse themselves in our extraordinary on-campus community, where Spirit-empowered learning, transformative mentorship, and lifelong connections converge to shape whole leaders for the whole world.”

Sixteen experienced professionals began ORU’s new residential DSL this past August, with international students from Brazil, El Salvador, Nigeria, Ghana, and India. Their F1-Visa allows them to study and live in the U.S. while working for domestic employers.

“This is a significant milestone for ORU and for the future of global leadership,” said Dr. Jay Gary, Associate Dean of Online & Lifelong Learning. “ORU’s residential DSL offers features beyond existing online doctoral programs, including bi-weekly meetups, concentrations with industry credentials, plus an on-campus residency to connect domestic and F1-Visa students in person with international students attending virtually.”

The DSL is now ORU’s fastest-growing doctoral program, with online enrollment climbing 49% in just three years. With the annual addition of residential cohorts, ORU will continue to expand, enhancing its on-campus community alongside its other doctoral programs, such as the Doctor of Education, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy in Theology. 

While the DSL program is still in its early stages, the stories of ORU’s residential DSL students already demonstrate its transformative power.

“I pursued my doctoral degree because God began stirring my heart for issues I now feel called to be a part of the solution for. Already, I’ve been challenged to take a deep, inward look at myself and how God is calling me to be a Spirit-empowered leader: whole, for the whole world. This experience has already changed my life. To God be all the glory.” —Shangaleza Benton

“The DSL program allowed me to combine my professional expertise with my spiritual calling, and to live from a place of being rather than doing. This program has also allowed me to identify my giftedness, understand the phases of leadership development, and have the confidence of knowing I’m on the right track, because leaders are developed over a lifetime.” — Paula Simeon

“ORU’s DSL is unlike any other. It has a unique approach that sends the student on a life-transforming personal journey to recognize their relevance in society, discover their purpose, and then build on their relevance in a powerfully relevant academic way. We’re not just students; we’re pioneers shaping the culture of a program that will influence future generations. I believe our shared story will set the tone for what Spirit-empowered leadership looks like in this new era.” — Lisa Travis

“These stories embody the mission of the DSL program,” added Dr. Gary. “They reflect ORU’s DNA of Spirit-empowered leadership, practical innovation, and global reach. The momentum is here, and it will only continue to grow.” 

Nationally Ranked, Globally Recognized

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 17 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. In 2024, the Carnegie Foundation recognized ORU with a “Leadership for Public Purpose” award, a distinction earned by only 25 universities nationwide. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 174 nations in the last 6 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.