Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Bethany Mayor Amanda Sandoval said her time at Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma
City played a critical role in shaping her academic confidence, professional direction
and leadership approach, particularly as a first-generation college student uncertain
about her future.
In early 2025, Sandoval was elected mayor of Bethany, becoming the first Latina to
be elected mayor in Oklahoma.
In 2019, Sandoval made history as the youngest city councilor and the first person
of color elected to the Bethany City Council. Sandoval credits OSU-OKC with sparking
her interest in community engagement and providing her with opportunities to become
a campus leader.
Sandoval said OSU-OKC also helped prepare her for the interpersonal demands of public
service. She said skills such as active listening, empathy, public speaking and relationship
building continue to guide her work as mayor.
Sandoval, a graduate of OSU-OKC, said she chose the campus in part because of its
proximity to home and its accessibility as she transitioned from high school into
higher education. After graduating from Putnam City West High School, she said she
entered college unsure of expectations and intimidated by the academic environment.
“I didn’t think, first and foremost, college was even a possibility for me,” said
Sandoval, describing herself as introverted and quiet during her earlier years.
She earned an associate degree in enterprise development, a general business-focused
program that allowed her time to explore career options while building foundational
academic skills. At the time, she said, she was uncertain whether she wanted to pursue
medicine or political science. Sandoval said her involvement in student organizations
at OSU-OKC marked a turning point.
She participated in numerous leadership and service programs, including Student Leaders
of Tomorrow, Project SOAR, the Student Leadership Team, the President’s Leadership
Council and Martha Burger Mentors. Through that involvement, she said, she began to
better understand her abilities and gain confidence.
Her experience, she said, was strongly shaped by mentorship. Sandoval credited faculty
and staff members, including professor Steven Collins and writing coach Sherri Henderson,
with encouraging her to push beyond her comfort zone and recognize potential she did
not yet see in herself.
Those mentorships, she said, helped her secure a scholarship to OSU-Stillwater, where
she continued her education. She said those early relationships laid the groundwork
for her professional development and long-term career trajectory.
“Ms. Sandoval is among the most motivated, disciplined, and involved individuals I
have ever met,” Henderson said. “Amanda began working with me in the writing lab in
2012 when she was a freshman in a beginning English class, and I was a brand-new tutor.
She worked so hard! We gradually got to know each other and stayed in touch. In the
ensuing years, I was honored to be invited to a Sandoval quinceañera and Amanda’s
wedding.”
Sandoval worked full-time while earning her degrees, after being the first person
in her family to graduate from high school, Henderson said.
“I remember Amanda as an undergraduate, lighting up with excitement not when speaking
of pop culture stars or college parties, but instead of visiting the Oklahoma Capitol
and meeting her political role models or volunteering for a gubernatorial campaign,”
Henderson said. “She’s a master networker, approaching others with a sincere desire
to connect and help. … I love and support her and am so proud of her.”
Sandoval emphasized the importance of student engagement and encouraged future students
to seek out organizations aligned with their interests, ask questions in class and
develop relationships with faculty and peers.
“If people see that you’re putting yourself out there and trying to better yourself,
you’ll slowly start building your village,” she said.
From OSU-OKC, Sandoval continued to Stillwater, where she graduated in 2018 with a
bachelor’s in political science from OSU.
She was first elected to the Bethany City Council in 2019. In 2021, she received her
master’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
Sandoval said OSU-OKC and OSU-Stillwater remain central to her identity, describing
them as the backbone of her education. She said maintaining relationships with mentors
and peers beyond graduation remains one of the most lasting impacts of her collegiate
experience.
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