Kaus fills CU-Duncan director role upon Camp's retirement

Jul. 2—With a desire to help students succeed, Cameron University — Duncan's newest director will step in a seamless transition to engage and equip students for higher eduction.

Upon former CU Duncan Director Susan Camp's retirement, Dakota Kaus, a Duncan native, comes to Cameron's Duncan campus from Empire Public Schools, where she served in the assistant principal position for the middle school and high school.

While growing up in Stephens County, Kaus attended Empire Public Schools and graduated in 2012.

A college degree was next on Kaus' list and she received her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha.

Following college, Kaus become employed at Duncan Public Schools as a second grade teacher at Emerson Elementary.

Soon after, the chance to go back "home" occurred when a job opened up at Empire Public Schools where she taught kindergarten, three years of middle school math and science, coached basketball and helped with softball among other activities.

According to Kaus, this past school year is when she was promoted to assistant principal in the middle school and high school at Empire.

Kaus said her college courses really prepared her for these future experiences and she had a goal to obtain a graduate degree to pursue educational leadership, an administrative or similar career.

Ready to learn more, Kaus enrolled at Cameron University where she obtained her graduate degree in educational leadership in May 2018.

After taking a few years off, she went back to school at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany where she received her doctorate in educational leadership in May 2023.

According to Kaus, she wants to continue to be a self-grower.

"I enjoy learning," she said. "I think there's an importance to continuing to learn, I don't think there's ever a time where you've learned all there is to know."

Kaus said her most inspirational moment to move toward the direction of education came during her senior year from an influential English teacher, Rachel Hightower.

"She was my junior and senior English teacher and made such an impact on me," she said. "I want to be able to make that kind of impact on other people."

According to Kaus, there was no better way to make this type of impact than to go into the education field and become a teacher so she, too, could "help people in the time when they're making huge decisions and trying to figure out who they are."

Kaus said when she received the news she would be CU-Duncan's newest director, tears flooded her eyes.

"Tears of happiness and a little bit of sadness, it was bittersweet," she said. "Empire's my home — I love Empire.

She said it was hard to leave those she really felt tied to, but at the same time she was receiving this great new career opportunity.

"In a happy sense, because it was something that I worked for forever," she said. "I wanted to be in leadership and eventually get into higher ed. This was an opportunity I didn't think I would get for a few more years from now."

Kaus said she just felt honored to be selected.

According to Kaus, the transition into this new role has been seamless and she's been blessed to work alongside Camp to make this transition flow smoothly.

"She's walked me through some processes and introduced me to some people," she said. "That's what's made the transition so much easier."

She said there's a few different aspects moving from K-12 to higher education and she's learned new areas during this process.

"Trying to navigate the different paths, rules and policies and procedures," she said. "It's been a really good transition."

According to Kaus, during the interview process, she was able to speak with Camp and it was helpful to her to understand the position.

One of the greatest things about CU-Duncan, Kaus said, is how the campus and staff help students overcome challenges with college.

"We have an onsite financial advisor, and an advisor for classes and enrollment," she said. "We have an onsite admissions person. We have faculty and staff here that are prepared to help them. Our goal is to help them find their passion and what dreams they have and make them become a reality."

According to Kaus, she see's one of the biggest issues facing higher education as student retention and even at the Duncan Campus, they will continue to work on this.

"We want to keep them here until they graduate," she said. "We want to help them in their educational journey."

Kaus said a few of her goals and vision for the CU-Duncan campus would be to continue build on what Camp has done over the years.

"She is going to be a tough act to follow," she said. "A lot of things she's done here has been great and will continue even in her absence."

Next, Kaus said she plans to work on student enrollment to get more students in the building, as well as to set them up for success.

"Education is essential," she said. "It sustains us — there's just nothing better than learning. We are Cameron University Duncan. I want the community to know I am for them and I want them to be successful."

Camp, now retired, said she's been in this directorship position for 29 years and she's loved it.

When she first came to CU-Duncan, Camp said they had no furniture and no funds, but they had a mission.

"Any successes and accomplishments are accredited to this community for their support, the great staff and the faculty," Camp said. "We've extended the reach of Cameron University. We've helped with economic development and health and wellness in this community. It's just so important that a county, like Stephens County, has local access to higher education."

Camp said Kaus will do a "fabulous job" and she hopes the community will support her as well.

Camp said she looks forward to being intentional about time and volunteer work in the future, as well as spending time with her family and loved ones.