KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 15, 2026

Dean Catherine (Katie) Kaukinen announced Tom Okie, Ph.D., as the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ chair of the Department of History and Philosophy effective August 1^st.

“I am pleased to announce that Dr. Tom Okie has been named as the incoming chair for the Department of History and Philosophy,” said Dean Kaukinen. “Tom brings to this position an understanding of the practical value and wide-ranging career applications of the programs in the department.  For more than a decade he has worked side by side with faculty and staff in the department and is able to integrate his knowledge of the department’s needs and faculty’s perspectives with KSU’s strategic goals for national prominence and student success,” added Kaukinen.

The Department of History and Philosophy prepares students for fulfilling careers by teaching a core set of transferable knowledge and skills through research, analyzing and assessing evidence, and articulating sound conclusions both orally and in writing. As the world rapidly changes, KSU, Radow College, and each department continue to evolve apace. The Department of History and Philosophy ensures that both faculty and students continue to have the research opportunities that build new knowledge and that students continue to learn about the larger world by studying societies, communities, and economies across a broad chronological and geographical spectrum, which makes them better global citizens, problem solvers, and communicators. All of this is overlayed with advances in technology and ensuring that students and faculty seamlessly integrate the old with the new.

“The machine age of artificial intelligence and comprehensive metrics might seem like a challenge for ancient disciplines like history and philosophy,” said Okie.  “But I think it's also a moment of opportunity to engage students and the broader community with shared human questions like what it means to know something, or why things are the way they are, or how to live a good life.”

“My father was a history educator, so the fields of history and history education have special meaning for me,” said Dean Kaukinen.  “Whether a student pursues a career in law, education, government, media, documentary film making, diplomacy or myriad other career paths, understanding historical context while building the communication, reasoning and problem-solving skills that come from a degree in history or history education invariably sets students up for success. I look forward to seeing the positive impact Tom will have on the department, our faculty, and our students.”

Dr. Okie’s enthusiasm about taking on the new role is evident, and he is looking forward to working with the faculty and staff with whom he has long-established relationships. “The Department of History and Philosophy is full of distinguished scholars, committed teachers, and energetic students. It has been a tremendously hospitable place for me over the last 12 years, and I am excited to work with my colleagues as we pursue these big questions and mentor students,” Okie said.

Currently the Coordinator of the Undergraduate History Education program and a professor of History Education and History, Okie is a historian of agriculture, environment, and the modern United States. Coming up on his 13^th year with Kennesaw State University, his career successes include his book The Georgia Peach: Culture, Agriculture, and Environment in the American South (Cambridge University Press, 2016) and award-winning work that has been recognized by the Society of American Historians, the Southern Historical Association, the Agricultural History Society, and the Georgia Historical Society. His work has also been funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Tom earned his Bachelor of Arts from Covenant College and his Ph.D. in History from the University of Georgia.