After three years, Langston University welcomes Dr. Daryl D. Green as the new Dean of the School of Business.
“If you’ve never been marginalized or belittled or felt less than others, you don’t understand when students go through those issues,”said the renowned author, mentor, public speaker, thinker, and, most importantly, educator. Green has published over 25 books aimed towards motivation and driving ambition inside the reader.
Green is originally from Louisiana and was raised in a Baptist household by a mother who was a chauffeur and a father who was a janitor. “Louisiana is a magical place,” Green said.
During his youth, he attended one of the top 100 high schools in America, earning him the award for most likely to succeed.
Academics were not the only thing that green thrived in. He played multiple sports such as football, track, and basketball. Green earned a scholarship to play football at Southern University. However, he was dissatisfied with the way academics were not prioritized during his college visits and opted not to play sports in college.
Green then switched his focus to engineering. This decision led him to meet his wife of 33 years, Estraletta Green. They met in class during their first year of college and began building both their relationship and their careers together.
During Green’s senior year of college, he and his wife interviewed with the Department of Energy.“I got a phone call from the guy in HR saying, ‘ I want to hire you and Estraletta,’” Green continued, “We stayed up all night. We made the decision in 24 hours that we were going to accept that position.”
Before the age of 30, Green managed over 400 projects valued at over $100 million while working for the Department of Energy.
Green later went on to pursue a career in leadership and education. Although he loved engineering, he found it difficult to focus on projects that took a long time to complete. “I wanted more out of life,” said Green.
After obtaining a Masters degree in Organizational Management from Tusculum University, Green decided to become a professor at Knoxville University. During his time at Knoxville University Green faced some adversity. He explained that having a degree from an HBCU had its challenges back in the day.
At his previous job HR and coworkers had told Green that because he had attended an HBCU, he could not be successful. Green became even more committed to his success and did not allow the words of others to deter him.
After spending five years there, he transitioned to a more extensive private school with more resources that allowed him to understand his profession better.
He eventually gained a position at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he initially faced challenges regarding his teaching clarity. He overcame these challenges by building connections between his previous and current students. Through continued dedication to helping students better understand the material they were struggling with Green was able to foster better academic performance in his classes.
This earned him The Seven Who Care Award in 2022, an award that is gifted to faculty and staff members who exhibit hard work and dedication to the university.“I try to understand the value of students,”Green said.
Before leaving OBU, he brought a digital marketing and social media class to the business department. “I’m going to impact
and do as much as I can,” Green said.
In addition to the awards he’s won from the universities he’s worked at, Green has received many awards related to aiding local communities and the education of youth.
He was the recipient of both the Daily Point of Light award, gifted by Former President George W. Bush, and the ACBSP Teaching Excellence Award in 2022 for his presentation about introducing more student-engaging activities for Gen Z students.
According to Green, creating positive change in his students lives has always been his focus and will continue to be as he takes on his new role as Dean of the School of Business.
“Over the next decade, my vision is to welcome 1,000 new students into our program. Innovation, adaptation, and strategic thinking are essential to propel us toward this milestone,” Green said.
Green is excited for what is to come as he steps into his new role as Dean of the School of Business. He began his position on Jan. 1, and can be found on the third floor of Moore Hall in room 325.
Erin Cotton is a junior broadcast journalism major.
Photo Courtesy of Langston University
