Officials at Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) announced today that Dr. Karla Eslinger, a lifelong educator and former Missouri State Senator, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2025 commencement ceremony.

The event will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at the West Plains Civic Center.

More about Eslinger

Eslinger brings more than 30 years of experience in education and public service to this year’s ceremony. Her distinguished career includes roles as an elementary teacher, building principal and superintendent in Ava and West Plains. She also has filled leadership positions at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), provided technical assistance to the U.S. Department of Education, and served as a senior analyst for AEM Corporation in Washington, D.C.

Most recently, Dr. Eslinger represented District 33 in the Missouri Senate from 2021-2024, following a term in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2019-2020. She is currently the commissioner of DESE.

A native of Gainesville, she holds multiple degrees from Missouri institutions, including a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Chancellor Dr. Dennis Lancaster expressed enthusiasm for Eslinger’s participation in this year’s commencement. “Dr. Eslinger’s lifelong commitment to education and public service makes her an outstanding choice to address our graduates. Her journey from the classroom to the state legislature demonstrates the power of education to shape lives and communities. We are honored to have her share her insights and experiences with the Class of 2025.”

Eslinger and her husband, David, reside in Wasola, Missouri, where they have operated a small business for over 35 years. They are the proud parents of two daughters, both public school educators, and grandparents to four grandchildren.

For more information about the 2025 commencement ceremony, contact the MSU-WP office of university communications at (417) 255-7960.