Dr. Alan M. O'Dell

Chair, Division of Education
Coordinator, Department of Teacher Education
Professor of Education

Office: Alexandria Hall, Room 337
Telephone: (318) 487-7303
Mailing Address: L.C. Box 585, Pineville, LA 71359
E-mail: odell@lacollege.edu

Education:

Ph.D., St. Louis University
M.Ed., University of Missouri
B.A., Bob Jones University

Curriculum Vitae

Available here

Biography:

Dr. O’Dell grew up in Illinois receiving his elementary and secondary education in Rock Island County. He majored in social studies education and Bible at Bob Jones University. Student teaching in world history confirmed his calling to be an educator. His 45 year teaching career began as a graduate assistant in the History Department at Bob Jones. After teaching sixth grade in central Illinois he earned his Masters Degree from the University of Missouri. After serving as a teaching principal at Faith Christian School he became an assistant principal and then principal in the Francis Howell School District near St. Louis, Missouri. In 1975 Dr. O’Dell received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from St. Louis University in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Research Methodology. His research focused on year-round education and he led the Francis Howell District in the implementation of the first year-round school plan since the very early 1900’s. After several years as an Assistant Superintendent, God called Dr. O’Dell into higher education.

From 1978 until 1986 Dr. O’Dell chaired the Christian School Education Department at Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit Pennsylvania. In 1986 he became the Dean of the College at Grand Rapids Baptist College, now Cornerstone University. His first contact with Southern Baptist higher education came in 1991 with his appointment as Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS where he served until his retirement in 2005. Almost immediately he accepted a call to direct teacher preparation at Southeastern College at Wake Forest, the undergraduate division of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina.

In 2008, after a brief retirement, Dr. O’Dell accepted an appointment from Louisiana College at Chair of the Division of Education and the Department of Teacher Education.

Alan and Lynn O’Dell have been married for 45 years. Lynn retired in 2004 after teaching elementary age children for 31 years. God has blessed the O’Dells with three children. Steve and his wife Kelli live with their four boys in Grand Rapids, Michigan where Steve is a writer, producer and director for Children’s Bible Hour. Daughter, Kelly is a first grade teacher in Clinton, MS. She and husband Mark have four children. Mark is the public relations director with the Salvation Army in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Youngest daughter Kathy, lives in Birmingham, AL with husband Mike and daughters Isabelle and Cassidy. Kathy is now a stay-at-home Mom after teaching Art and Spanish for five years. Dr. and Mrs. O’Dell now live in Alexandria and Clinton, MS with two Yorkshire Terriers, Milli and Reggie.