BARTLESVILLE, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dr. Everett Piper, the president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, will be in his element tonight when he moderates the debate between candidates vying for the U.S. House District 5 seat, formerly held by James Lankford.
No stranger to important political issues, Dr. Piper has rapidly become one of the nation’s most prominent thought leaders when it comes to the conservative movement, building a reputation as what some have described “a thoughtful conservative.”
So when organizers of the debate, which will be held at 7 p.m. at the 1,700 seat auditorium at First Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, began looking for a moderator, the search began and ended with Dr. Piper.
As president of OKWU (http://www.okwu.edu/), Dr. Piper has moderated debates before. He has been praised for his understanding of the issues that matter and his own ability to find the truth about the candidates’ respective positions.
“Having a forum or debate like this is a vital part of the American way,” said Dr. Piper, author of the book Why I'm A Liberal and other Conservative Ideas. “My responsibility, which I take very seriously, is to help the candidates communicate their authentic position on important political issues so that the electorate can make an informed decision.”
The forum, which is sponsored by Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ, will be carried by the Bott Radio Network on KQCV-AM800. Bott Radio is one of the largest Christian Radio Networks in America with more than 90 broadcast signals covering 50 million people in 15 states. The video feed for both events will also be available via live stream.
About Dr. Everett Piper
Everett Piper is the fifth President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Spring Arbor University, an M.A. in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Michigan State University.
Before coming to OKWU, Dr. Piper served in several administrative and teaching roles at Spring Arbor University, including Vice President for Student Development, Operations, and Institutional Development, as well as Executive Assistant to the President. Earlier he had served as Dean of Students at Greenville College and as Director of Development at Bowling Green State University. He has also served as President of the National Association for Christians in Student Development.
He is an adjunct scholar for the Oklahoma Council for Public Affairs and a member of the Council for National Policy. Dr. Piper is a graduate of Chuck Colson’s Centurion’s program and he is the author of the book The Wrong Side of the Door: Why Ideas Matter which was later re-released under the title Why I Am a “Liberal” and Other Conservative Ideas. His writing appears regularly on crosswalk.com and he has a weekly commentary on KFAQ 1170 with talk show host Pat Campbell.