Paul King

Alumni ▪ Artist ▪ Educator ▪ Volunteer 

“An artist by trade, an educator by choice” sums up Paul King.

Paul had two career goals since the seventh grade, Major League Baseball or Graphic Design. Although the MLB career didn’t materialize, he did become a Graphic Designer/Illustrator after receiving his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Durant, OK) and his Graphic Design diploma from Oklahoma State University, Institute of Technology (Okmulgee, OK).

A phone call from a former OSU/IT instructor and mentor changed King’s life forever. That call allowed Paul to interview and secure his first teaching position, Graphic Design, at Charles Page High School (Sand Springs, OK).

He remained there for 10 years before securing a position at Tulsa Tech, Lemley Campus. He remained in the classroom for an additional 15 years before another one of his mentors encouraged him to take the Coordinator of Student Activities at the Lemley Campus. He stated that he traded his classroom of 40 to a campus of over 400 students. He met that challenge and enjoyed preparing students with leadership and employability skills involved with four Career and Technical Student Organizations for 8 years. Paul completed his Tulsa Tech “days” as a Career Advisor, training a team of 20 recruiters who made presentations of Tech programs to all high schools in Tulsa County. Those final three years offered fond memories of impacting students prior to their enrollment, before he “retired” in 2012. Paul continues his commitment to education as he serves on the Tulsa Tech Education Foundation or has served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma SkillsUSA Alumni

& Friends Association as a Charter Member, OSU/IT Visual Communications Advisory Board, the Tulsa Market for the March of Dimes, Greater Tulsa Indian Arts Festival, and the Delta Chi Delta Scholarship committee.  

King has been honored to receive the Tulsa Tech’s Teacher of the Year. Through SkillsUSA (VICA), he is a Gold Medalist in Graphic Design at OSU/IT, Region IV SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year, National Advisor of the Year, and SkillsUSA Lifetime Member. At the 2018 Oklahoma Leadership and Skills Conference, King received the Marsha Daves Lifetime Achievement for service to students, advisors, and Oklahoma SkillsUSA at the district, state, and national levels. Paul states that this was his favorite award as his association with his long- time friend Marsha Daves was the true honor. Marsha was a state director who mentored Paul when he was a classroom instructor. He was recognized with the Oklahoma Pioneer of Excellence award as well as the National Pioneer of Excellence for service to SkillsUSA.

King is most proud of his four sons and their families with five granddaughters and two grandsons between them as they live productive lives, taking part within their own communities.