Keith Herndon ’81 Followed Curiosity From the Classroom to a Global Career
When Keith Herndon ’81 arrived at The University of Texas at San Antonio in the late 1970s, the young university was still defining its identity. Students were helping select the school colors and mascot, classes were small and computing was only beginning to emerge as a field of study.
“What attracted me was the chance to attend a new school and be part of something that was still developing,” Herndon said. “Once I arrived, I knew I wanted to stay. Friends from high school and people from my neighborhood were there, so a community formed naturally. There was a sense that we were all building something together, and that made it an exciting place to be.”
A mathematics student in the College of Sciences, Herndon discovered computing at a time when students worked with mainframe computers and punch cards. After his first year, he enrolled in a summer computer science course and quickly recognized the field’s potential.
“After that class, I was hooked,” Herndon said. “I enjoyed the logic and problem-solving involved, but I also appreciated the people. The professors were engaging, the students studied together and it felt like we were learning something that would become increasingly important. I could see there was a tremendous opportunity in computing.”
After graduating in 1981, Herndon moved to Houston to begin his career with Shell Oil, working in information technology for the company’s exploration and production research operations. His work eventually took him around the world, including leadership assignments in Oman and the Netherlands.
Those opportunities required Herndon and his family to embrace uncertainty. When he and his wife moved to the Middle East, their son was only three months old.
“Moving from the United States to the Middle East was a significant risk, but it was also a leap of faith,” Herndon said. “We believed it was the right decision for our family, even though we could not know exactly how it would turn out. It became an incredible experience, both personally and professionally, and it opened doors we might never have encountered otherwise.”
Herndon returned to the United States in 2010 and retired from Shell in 2017 as chief information security officer for Shell Oil Company in the U.S. In that role, he established Shell’s first security operations center, helping the company identify cybersecurity threats and protect its digital systems. He later held technology leadership roles with two additional companies before officially retiring in September 2025.
Today, Herndon remains deeply connected to UT San Antonio as an alumnus, volunteer and donor. He served on the Be Bold Campaign Leadership Council and established an endowment in the College of Sciences that provides flexible funding for students, programs and emerging priorities.
“I was a first-generation college student, and I was fortunate to build a successful career,” Herndon said. “At this stage of my life, giving back has become increasingly important to me. I want the university, its students and the College of Sciences to have the resources to pursue opportunities that might not otherwise be possible.”
Herndon has also watched UT San Antonio transform from the small, emerging university he attended into a major research institution. He is especially encouraged by its growing national profile, its integration with UT Health San Antonio and its strengths in cybersecurity, data science and artificial intelligence.
“UT San Antonio is essential to the city and the surrounding community, but I would also like to see its national reputation continue to grow,” Herndon said. “Athletics can help bring visibility, but the university’s academic programs and research are what will ultimately strengthen its reputation and expand its impact.”
