Answering the Call to Education: DBU Alumnus Dr. Andru Gilbert

"I kept searching for a way to give back and make an impact. I realized those who had done the most for me were my teachers. God has called me to a career in Public Education."

Andru Gilbert was raised in a Christian home in Red Oak, Texas. He is thankful that he grew up in a home where his parents exemplified the importance of living through Christ daily. They regularly attended church throughout his childhood, and Andru went on to fully understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus as a teenager.

When Andru began searching for a college to attend, he was unsure what career to pursue. He started college classes at a larger university but soon realized he desired a smaller environment where professors could make an impact. This realization led him to enroll in the education program at DBU. When Andru toured the DBU campus for the first time, the "DBU is Home" slogan spoke to him. He desired to attend a university where the faculty genuinely cared about him and wanted to mentor and guide him to becoming the best educator he could be.

"I am an educator because of other educators. My life has been changed by the outstanding leaders on DBU's campus, including Professor Oldenburg, Professor Abercrombie, Dr. Carona, Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Dugger, Dr. Lee, and so many more." Andru graduated with a B.A. in English/Language Arts Teacher Education in 2011. Andru continued learning and pursuing higher education by earning his Master of Education in Public Administration from Texas A&M University in 2016 and his Doctor of Education in K-12 Educational Leadership in 2021 from DBU.

Throughout his career, Dr. Gilbert taught high school English and served as a department chair, and he was an Assistant Principal at both the elementary and high school levels. Dr. Gilbert has also taught a few classes at DBU as an adjunct professor.

Dr. Gilbert currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Administration for Denison ISD. He supports campus and district leadership in this role and plans for exciting regional growth. He is proud to have been part of the team that passed a historic $132 million bond with overwhelming support from the community in 2023.

Throughout his career, Dr. Gilbert has been thankful to DBU for developing his skills to prepare him for God's plans. "The friends formed during my undergraduate and doctoral studies at DBU are the ones I have always been able to rely on, even years later."

Dr. Gilbert is married to his wife, Carly, and they have one daughter. Carly is a Texas A&M graduate and serves as the Vice President and Treasurer for the CureRTD Foundation. They both share a passion for serving and giving back to the community. They recently began attending First Baptist Denison and are eagerly searching for ways to serve.

"DBU has the best education program in the nation. This means that the educators produced by the program are ready and equipped to conquer the challenges of the classroom today. The bar is high, but so are the stakes when we are given a classroom of students to lead and grow."