The Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Kyler Sherman-Wilkins as head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG).

Sherman-Wilkins has been serving as interim department head since July 2025. He joined Missouri State as an assistant professor in 2017.

RCASH Dean Shawn Wahl described Sherman-Wilkins as a valued member of the college.

“Kyler brings various forms of leadership experience that align with academic program advocacy,” he said. “I am grateful for his willingness to continue leading the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology.”

Sherman-Wilkins said he felt “honored and humbled” to be appointed to the position.

He recalled his years as an undergraduate at Cornell University and a doctoral student at Penn State. “The thread running through that entire educational journey has been a deep passion for understanding the human condition and how we grow within broader social and structural contexts,” he said.

Becoming head of the sociology, anthropology and gerontology department is a “natural continuation of that journey,” he added. “I don’t take it lightly for a single moment.”

Impressive leadership résumé

Leadership is nothing new to Sherman-Wilkins. He brings extensive experience that, he believes, has deepened his commitment to Missouri State and its public affairs mission.

Most recently, he was elected director for the state of Missouri with the Midwest Sociological Society. In the past, he has also served as a Provost Fellow, founded the Health Equity Research Collective, and was chair of the former College of Humanities and Public Affairs Diversity Committee.

“Each of these experiences has sharpened my vision,” he said. “[They have] prepared me well to lead SAG into its next chapter as Missouri State pursues the goals of our newest strategic plan.”

Multiple honors reflect commitment to teaching

Since arriving at Missouri State, Sherman-Wilkins has received numerous honors. These include promotion to associate professor, the university’s Foundation Award for Teaching as well as its Foundation Award for Service, and the Curtis P. Lawrence Excellence in Academic Advising Award.

“Kyler is a true student and faculty champion,” Wahl said.

The recognitions have “meant the world” to him, Sherman-Wilkins said. “They reflect what I care about most: my students and this community. This institution has given me extraordinary opportunities to teach, serve, mentor and grow.”

Students at heart of departmental vision

Fulfilling Missouri State’s public affairs mission remains a top priority for Sherman-Wilkins. An essential way to do this, he believes, is to support students in their educational and career goals.

“At the heart of everything I want to do as department head is a simple conviction: our students deserve programs that meet them where they are and prepare them for where they want to go,” he said. That vision includes developing graduate programs while strengthening undergraduate curricula.

“I want to continue investing in what has always made the SAG department special,” Sherman-Wilkins said. “Namely, [that is] the department’s unwavering commitment to public affairs, to civic engagement and to the belief that sociology, anthropology and gerontology are not just academic disciplines, but tools for building a better, more just world.”

Explore the SAG department

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