David Harpool
Transitional President
Email: David.Harpool@newberry.edu
Degrees:
Ph.D. | Saint Louis University (1991)
J.D. | University of Missouri-Columbia (1989)
B.A. | Missouri State University (1983)
Bio:
Dr. Harpool is a strategic organizational leader who has served as a department chair, dean, vice president, and university president. His professional experience spans legal, academic, and business contexts. Passionate about organizational change and ethical leadership, he works with students, organizational clients, and community groups to drive entrepreneurialism, resilience, and innovation.
As director of competitive speech & debate, "Coach" Harpool offers a wealth of experience. He participated in speech and debate in high school and college, winning numerous state champion titles and national tournament placements. He coached a high school team to 26 sweepstakes tournaments and qualified students for the national tournament. He was the founding director and coach of Webster University’s national speech & debate team, taking the program from an initial ranking of 269th to 4th in the nation.
