Message from Dr. Karen Petersen
I am pleased to join the Hendrix family and honored to work alongside the faculty and staff as we change lives through excellence and innovation. Hendrix’s rich history as a leader in experiential learning has made it the best higher education institution
in Arkansas and a top liberal arts college in America.
We are privileged to educate the young people upon whose shoulders the responsibility for our future rests, and I am dedicated to strengthening and preserving the residential liberal arts experience because it is the best preparation for life in a free
society.
Our commitment to the liberal arts allows Hendrix to honor the traditions that brought us to this moment while adapting to the challenges of the 21st century, always staying centered on our life-changing mission to inspire students to lead lives of accomplishment,
integrity, service, and joy.
About President
Petersen
Dr. Karen Petersen was inaugurated as the 13th president of Hendrix College in 2023. A political scientist, educator, and higher education leader, she is guiding Hendrix through a period of innovation and growth as the College approaches its 150th anniversary and launches Via Hendrix, a distinctive four-year experience that combines a liberal arts education with professional development, mentoring, and a semester-long co-op for every student.
Before joining Hendrix, Petersen served as dean of the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tulsa. Prior to Tulsa, she spent 16 years at Middle Tennessee State University, where she held a series of academic and administrative leadership positions, culminating in her service as dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
A native of northwest Arkansas, Petersen earned her bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University and her master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from Vanderbilt University.
Petersen and her husband, Joey Keasler, are parents of two children and are active members of the Hendrix and Conway communities.