Lyda Murillo Wilbur

Dr. Lyda Murillo Wilbur serves as Chair of the Division of Language and Literature and Associate Professor of Spanish at Oklahoma Baptist University. She holds a BBA in Marketing from Cameron University, M.A. in Spanish from Millersville University, M.S. in Educational Leadership from Oklahoma State University, and an Ed.D. from the University of Oklahoma with a dissertation on fostering self-regulated learning in urban schools.

Her professional journey includes 24 years in public education (pre-K to 12th grade), 11 years as a school principal, and adjunct teaching at Tulsa Community College. She specializes in Spanish language pedagogy, educational leadership, and mission-driven education. Her global engagement includes leading student trips to Spain, Morocco, France, and mission work in Mexico, Thailand, Venezuela, and Peru.

Research interests focus on bilingual education, autonomy support in learning environments, and the intersection of faith and education. She contributed to the Oklahoma Center for Educational Policy as a research assistant and earned certifications including Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt (2015) and Relay National Principals Academy Fellowship (2016-17). Active in professional organizations like ASCD and Phi Delta Kappa, she emphasizes mission outreach through her writing in Nuestra Tarea.

Notable awards include the Relay National Principals Academy Fellowship and certifications in educational leadership methodologies. Her professional networks extend to Leadership Tulsa and Woman’s Missionary Union. Dr. Wilbur resides in Tulsa and Shawnee with her husband, sharing a commitment to transformative teaching and global engagement.