ORU Professors Helping to Integrate AI into Oklahoma Education
Tulsa, Oklahoma, August 18th, 2025—Oral Roberts University’s (ORU) Dr. Andrew Lang, Chair of Computing & Mathematics, and Dr. Mark Hall, Dean of the J.D. McKean Library, participated in an invitation-only Artificial Intelligence (AI) symposium hosted by the State of Oklahoma. The symposium brought together top educators and state leaders to design a roadmap for integrating AI across Oklahoma’s education system. In contributing to this mission, Dr. Lang and Dr. Hall brought a holistic approach to AI adoption rooted in ethics, collaboration, and whole-person education.
“ORU’s involvement,” said Dr. Lang, “in this statewide AI symposium reflects our growing recognition as a leader in the field, especially within Christian higher education. At ORU, we’re preparing students to lead in the age of AI with the wisdom, purpose, and integrity that go beyond technical skills. Our goal is to graduate innovators who understand that technology should serve people and ultimately contribute to human flourishing.”
This vision is already in motion through several active initiatives in ORU’s Computing & Mathematics Department, including technical AI/ML courses at the undergraduate and graduate level and the development of a state-of-the-art AI lab, which was made possible by a $1.45 million gift from the Tandy Foundation. The University Library offers a general education AI-literacy course accessible to all students.
Dr. Hall has also played a pivotal role in shaping ORU’s institutional approach to AI.
“Libraries are reframing information literacy to include AI literacy,” said Dr. Hall, “teaching students prompt design, but more than that: source evaluation, synthesis of AI-generated and human-curated content, and ethical awareness in usage. As a Christian institution, our role is to embrace AI as a tool, but to do so ethically and effectively.”
In ORU’s library, students receive structured AI training through composition courses, targeted workshops, and access to curated resources. The EBSCO databases now include AI-generated synopses of scholarly articles, helping students quickly identify and engage with key ideas.
“With structured training in prompt construction and research evaluation techniques, ORU students are becoming more proficient at navigating complex research processes and saving valuable time—allowing them to focus on creating, analyzing, and refining their work rather than emphasizing time-consuming early-stage foundational tasks,” Hall added.
ORU’s distinctive Spirit-empowered, whole-person approach to education positions it to be a thought leader in ethical AI integration. The University challenges students not only to master cutting-edge tools but also to ask deeper questions about justice, human dignity, and purpose.
“We don’t just prepare students to use technology,” added Lang. “We prepare them to lead in the age of AI—thoughtfully, ethically, and faithfully.”
UNIVERSITY BRIEF
ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 16 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. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 165 nations in the last 5 years to be whole leaders for the whole world.
The Wall Street Journal ranked ORU as the #8 university in the nation for student experience and one of America's Best Colleges (2025). This new category rates the best colleges in the U.S. to have a great experience while attending. This ranking is powered by one of the largest-ever independent surveys of verified college students and recent graduates in the United States. Niche has recognized ORU as one of the top 25 most diverse colleges in America, the # 1 best Christian college in Oklahoma, and the # 1 in Oklahoma for diversity. Princeton Review ranked ORU as the best regional college, and College Raptor ranked ORU as a Hidden Gem in the Southwest. Heritage.org classified ORU as a great option for families prioritizing freedom, opportunity, and civil society.
ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:
- #1 in Undergraduate Teaching
- #2 in Most International Students
- #3 in Best Value
- #6 in Best College for Veterans
- #7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West
For more information, visit www.oru.edu.