Dr. Coleman Patterson is associate dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies at the University of Oklahoma, where he also serves as associate professor. He teaches courses in the business administration, organizational leadership, and aerospace and defense management majors, and brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education leadership and teaching.
The son of a college professor, Coleman has been immersed in higher education since childhood. Before joining the University of Oklahoma, he served for 27 years as a faculty member and administrator at universities in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas, and also taught for institutions in Lithuania and Austria. A passionate advocate for experiential and experience-based learning, he has led students on travel courses across the United States and Europe, outdoor leadership development programs, and long-distance cycling adventures spanning eight states.
Beyond academia, Coleman was an entrepreneur and small business owner in Abilene, Texas, for more than a decade, with additional background in real estate rentals and investments. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in higher education leadership from the University of Florida, as well as an educational specialist degree in educational research and a doctoral degree in management from the University of Alabama.
Coleman and his wife, Tracy, have been married since 1992 and are proud parents of three grown children. An avid musician and athlete, he plays bass clarinet and saxophone with several community bands and the orchestra at First Baptist Church of Norman. He also enjoys cycling, kayaking, racquetball, fencing, and martial arts.
Email Coleman: ColemanP@ou.edu
