Dr. Kent Ingle serves as the president of Southeastern University, in Lakeland. Ingle is the executive head of the institution and all its departments, directing the university’s operations following its vision, mission and beliefs.
During his tenure, the university has seen significant growth, with a dramatic increase in enrollment from approximately 2,400 students to almost 12,000 students. SEU has received nationwide recognition from The Chronicle of Higher Education as the second fastest-growing private, nonprofit, doctoral institution for several consecutive years. The university has also expanded its athletics program, added dozens of new academic degrees and constructed new facilities.
- College alma mater? Vanguard University, for undergraduate, and The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, for postgraduate studies.
2. Favorite TV show of all time? Everyone loves Raymond.
3. Preferred place for a business meeting? Local coffee shop.
4. Social media time suck of choice? X, for sure.
5. What time do you wake up on workdays? At 5:00 a.m., everyday. Take the dogs outside then head to the gym.
6. What’s a life hack you swear by? Cold Plunge. I go everyday after the gym for 4-5 minutes. It makes me feel alert and mentally sharp, all day.
7. A movie that terrified you as a child? The Halloween series.
8. Favorite local restaurant? The Meat Market, in Hyde park.
9. Last book you read? So Good They Call You a Fake, by Joshua Lisec
10. Biggest business failure? Several years ago we entered into a contract with a company that ended up being disastrous. It was a pretty long-term contract that stifled the growth of one of our main revenue streams, for several years. I learned an important lesson about thoroughly reading contracts before you sign. Luckily that is all over now and we have moved on.
11. Best concert you’ve ever seen, live? The Winter Jam Tour, featuring SEU worship!
12. Something you cook really well? I don’t cook much but I do a lot of no-bake recipes. My favorite are my Chocolate Peanut Butter energy protein balls. They are amazing.
13. Most famous person you’ve ever met? I’ve been fortunate to meet many famous people throughout my careers. During my first career, in TV sports, I had the chance to interview Kareem Abdul Jabar, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Carl Lewis. As president of SEU, I’ve had the opportunity to interview George Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Tim Tebow and more.
14. Coca-Cola or Pepsi? Coca-cola but always diet or Coke Zero.
15. How do you manage the volume of emails you receive? I have an admin and a chief of staff that monitor all of my various accounts, closely. I am also a huge fan of using AI programs, and software, to streamline responses and summarize long emails.
16. Last thing you ordered from Amazon? Vitamins and supplements.
17. Most used emoji? Thumbs up.
18. Charity you support? SEU. We just had our first annual giving day and it was a huge success. I also support my church and several mission organizations.
19. What is something silly you got in trouble for as a child? I don’t know if it’s silly but when I was about six years old I burned a barn down playing with matches. We thought the matches were out and the whole thing went up in flames. Luckily our horse was out in the pasture. It wasn’t silly, at the time, but looking back I guess it’s kind of funny.
20. Best advice ever received?
“Always be other-oriented.” My pastor told me that when I was a child and I have always tried to incorporate it into my leadership philosophy, throughout the years.