Mike Stafford (B.S. ’81) is known among The University of Tulsa community for more than just teaching. The associate professor of practice is often described as full of zest, with many stories of humility, humor, witty advice and lifelong lessons.
Raised in Pryor, Oklahoma, Stafford comes from humble beginnings. His grandparents only received a sixth-grade education. His parents finished high school but did not go to college. By attending UTulsa, Stafford became a first-generation college graduate. He said motivation from his family’s educational history made his degree even more valuable. His two siblings went on to earn their degrees, and Stafford had two cousins graduate from UTulsa, including most recently Brandi McGuire (B.S. ’03, M.S. ’07), who was named an academic all-American Athlete, earned a slot on the First Team All-WAC Conference Softball Team and is currently on the executive board for the UTulsa Letterwinner’s Association.
“The Stafford family is proof that the American dream – that anyone can succeed – is alive and well. It’s just great to look back at the family and see the steady progression,” Stafford said. “I came from good people. My parents are pillars of the community where I grew up, and I wanted to honor them.”
While at UTulsa, Stafford transitioned from his small town living to Tulsa, adapting to the city. In the classroom, he mentioned lectures from petroleum engineering pioneers – Jim Brill, Ph.D., NAE; E.T. Guerrero, Ph.D.; Kermit Brown, Ph.D., NAE; and J.J. Azar, Ph.D., NAE – all of whom inspired him to pursue his industry career and later his switch into academia.
“I still recall having Stafford in my natural gas engineering class in about 1981. He always sat in the front row. This was my favorite undergraduate class to teach. I recall Stafford as an excellent student with a marvelous sense of humor,” said Brill, who serves as the Jeffrey J. McDougall Eminent Chair Professor in Petroleum Engineering. “He was always asking questions that were pertinent to the subject and improved my lectures immensely.”
Stafford joined Kappa Sigma. His fraternity taught him a philosophy he still employs today, which is to always be altruistic without expectation of praise or reward.
“One of the things that was taught to us was, ‘If someone asks you for help or to do something, and it’s within your means without causing hardship on you or your family, you do it,” Stafford recalled.
After UTulsa, Stafford started his career at Cities Service Oil and Gas Co., working in reservoir engineering and then drilling engineering extensively during the tail-end of the Oklahoma oil and gas boom. After the oil glut began, he moved into production, later working for several independent oil companies. From this experience, he went on to start his own consulting business, Stafford Engineering PLLC, which has been in operation for over 25 years. He also became a father to Brent and Kimberly, a role he is honored to have.
“Oklahoma is where the oil fields start as you go west. There was and still is so much out there. I loved consulting and being able to help anyone I could,” he said.
In 2011, on the recommendation of Eddie Behm (B.S. ’11), a student who lived across the street, Stafford had a meeting with retired Associate Professor Leslie Thompson, Ph.D. They hit it off, with Stafford later joining as an adjunct instructor to teach a capstone design course. After Petroleum Engineering Chair Mohan Kelkar, Ph.D., returned from sabbatical, Stafford was asked to come back.
“I was asked if I could do an additional course on operations. So, we added a course on oil and gas operations. Another year went by and he asked me if I could also teach a drilling course. By 2015, I had three classes,” Stafford said.
From Stafford’s perspective, he was slowing down after years of consulting. The transition to the classroom was seamless. Engaging with students and becoming a mentor gave him a sense of fulfillment.
“You’re on the move a lot in this industry. But with teaching, you just never get bored. There is always something new. You can go to bed knowing you did something right or made an impact on someone,” he said.
Today, he shares that gracious philosophy with others. He teaches in the classroom, guides in the drilling simulator lab and mentors in the hallways. Stafford’s students feel supported and primed for success, receiving excellent internship opportunities and full-time job offers before they graduate. He also stays in touch with alumni as they rise in their careers.
“Mike is an invaluable member of our faculty, providing his wisdom and his professional experience to our undergraduate students,” said Cem Sarica, Ph.D., Stevenson Distinguished Presidential Chair in Petroleum Engineering. “He genuinely cares about our students’ success after they graduate and prepares them.”
Stafford said he seeks to continuously engage his students, and one of his favorite methods is having students find errors in his presentations, giving them extra credit when they do. This makes his students read his slides multiple times, creating what he calls a “win-win” situation. He also has an open-door policy, wanting students to come by anytime to ask questions and seek advice. Since starting in 2011, he has taught more than 10 different courses in the McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering.
“We’re good friends now, and my temporary office is right next to his. I am amazed at how often he meets with students outside the classroom. Perhaps, it is partly due to the basket on his desk that is always full of candy,” said Brill.
“Professor Stafford is such a personable professor who is always willing to listen to and support us as students, not only throughout our academic journey but also as we begin navigating our professional careers,” said petroleum engineering senior Gloria Lee. “In his classes, he teaches concepts and lessons that are directly applicable to real-world careers, which makes his courses very meaningful.”
In 2025, Stafford was promoted to associate professor of practice, which has been meaningful not out of self-fulfillment, but in his personal goal of honoring his parents. His mother passed away during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving his father. Stafford described his mother as the “brains” of his family, always giving him advice that he often quotes to his students. He wished for his promotion to be a small victory for his father and a testament to his mother’s mentorship.
“When I was promoted, it gave Dad bragging rights at the diner in Pryor that he frequents with my Uncle Charles, Brandi’s granduncle,” he said. “It makes me proud that he’s proud.”
“Professor Stafford is the epitome of a professor. He provides selfless service in professing his knowledge and experiences to the next generation of engineers,” said Andreas A. Polycarpou, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering & Computer Science.
“I love his stories from the field,” said petroleum engineering senior Bryan Gonzalez. “It is truly motivating, and I look up to him.”
Stafford emphasized that life is rooted in service: “One thing that I really tell others to do is to give back to your community. Those communities gave you the tools that brought you to today. This is where you started, so help those who are getting started.”