ON THE COVER: Oklahoma State University welcomed the first Opportunity Orange Scholars this fall. As part of the new postsecondary program for individuals with intellectual disabilities, the scholars will live, learn and work on the Stillwater campus. (Cover photo by Kelly Kerr)
The Opportunity Orange Scholars are Matthew Sitton, Jasmine Loyola, Maggie Suter, Erica McIver and Kaden White.
Dr. McKale Montgomery and Ph.D. student Bryant Keirns in the Department of Nutritional Sciences both won the 2022 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.
Dean, College of Education and Human Sciences Dr. Jon E. Pedersen
College of Education and Human Sciences Marketing and Communications
Christy Lang Alyssa White
Aviation students settled into the new Ray and Linda Booker OSU Flight Center this fall after a grand opening in the spring.
Editor Jordan Bishop Art Director Dave Malec Designer Codee Classen
Contributors Katie Lacey Bailey Sisk Sydney Trainor
Photographers
Chris Barnes Todd Johnson Kelly Kerr Gary Lawson Phil Shockley Bruce Waterfield
Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences 106 Nancy Randolph Davis Stillwater, OK 74078-4033
(405) 744-9805 | contact.ehs@okstate.edu education.okstate.edu
ASPIRE magazine is a publication of the Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences. It provides information on college activities, changes and accomplishments while fostering communication and ties among alumni, family and friends. © Oklahoma State University 2022 When you join the OSU Alumni Association a portion of your membership comes back to the college to fund programs such as homecoming and other alumni events.
2022/#9531.
Your philanthropy helps the College of Education and Human Sciences prepare and develop the next generation of educators, health professionals, pilots and leaders. They will go on to impact countless lives and shape the future of our communities.
Welcome to the 2022 issue of ASPIRE. I love that our annual magazine’s name reflects the work we do each day and our commitment to be the preeminent College of Education and Human Sciences nationally. We continually push forward with innovative research and impactful service. We strive to enhance the experience of our students and to send out the next generation of leaders. In all we do, we aspire to make a lasting difference in the lives of people, families, schools, communities and more. The stories you read in these pages illustrate that drive and purpose.
Our overall enrollment is growing. We welcomed our largest-ever freshman class to the college this fall, including five Opportunity Orange Scholars, featured on the cover (Page 24). OOS is our new inclusive postsecondary program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The response to this program has been phenomenal and we know it will have a positive influence on not only the students, but also the Cowboy family.
In this issue, we also introduce nutritional sciences assistant professor Dr. McKale Montgomery and Ph.D. student Bryant Keirns (Page 12). The training partners won the women’s and men’s divisions of the 2022 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon this past April. We are so proud of them!
Learn more about the research happening in our Center for Immigrant Health and Education (Page 22) and a brand-new collaboration called the OSU Golf Research Institute for Performance, or OSU GRIP, where faculty and student researchers in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation are working with the Cowboy and Cowgirl golf teams to study elite golfers and improve their performance (Page 36).
The aviation program has settled into the new Ray and Linda Booker OSU Flight Center. Take a peek inside this beautiful facility and hear directly from students about its impact on their experience (Page 28). Read up on the great work happening in Family and Consumer Sciences Cooperative Extension, a part of our college that provides resources and programming reaching every corner of the state (Page 32).
Our college is working hard to provide support for PK-12 educators and contribute to the teacher pipeline in Oklahoma. We’re excited to introduce OK-Thrive, a new program supporting early career teachers to keep them in Oklahoma classrooms (Page 10).
You will read about new college leaders, award-winning students, faculty and staff and much more in the pages ahead. It’s a true reflection of our people, our passion and our purpose.
Sincerely, Dr. Jon E. Pedersen Dean, College of Education and Human Sciences
Greetings from the College of Education and Human Sciences!
This summer, the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association welcomed College of Education and Human Sciences alumna Dr. Ann Caine as its 16th president.
Caine earned a doctorate in education and educational administration in 1998 and was inducted into the College of Education and Human Sciences Hall of Fame in 2019.
“I am so thankful and humbled by the trust the Board of Directors has placed in me by giving me this opportunity to serve. Reflecting on my career, I think it’s pretty cool that a special education teacherturned-administrator is the next OSUAA president,” Caine said.
If someone told Caine at the start of her career she would lead the OSU Alumni Association, Caine said her younger self may have laughed at first.
“It was never in the ‘Ann Plan’ to become the OSU Alumni Association president. But then, nothing I’ve done has been in the plan,” she said.
Caine intended to be a career teacher, but that changed when she began to do administrative work and became a principal.
“I’m not afraid of change or trying something new,” Caine said. “Stepping out of my comfort zone into a new role has always provided me with positive growth opportunities, and I know I’ll be able to say that about being the new president.”
Caine’s OSU connection began when she commuted to Stillwater as a doctoral student; making the trip two nights a week for class while also working as a principal at Putnam City Schools and taking care of her two
children. She said having supportive professors who ensured what they were teaching was relevant kept her engaged and motivated.
“My most treasured memories are of my dissertation committee members who still, to this day, continue to impact and mentor me,” Caine said. “My committee chair Dr. Nan Restine, Dr. Adrienne Hyle and Dr. Ed Harris are such compassionate, smart, servant leaders who truly care about their students. I knew they wanted to support me through my doctoral journey, which wasn’t always easy.”
Caine counts Restine as a role model and always admired Restine’s ability to look at a situation, assess it and think of the big picture.
“Restine was also ahead of her time in respecting and embracing diversity: diversity in human beings, diversity of thought and diversity of experiences. She has had a tremendous impact on my life, and I am forever grateful,” Caine said.
“I am confident the current OSU students are experiencing positive role models just like I was lucky to have during my time as a student.”
When she was a student, Caine loved the traditions on campus.
She enjoys the OSU Marching Band performing to pump up tailgaters before football games. She also hopes the tradition of providing free food to students during finals week continues forever because it’s a great way to support the students during a stressful time.
America’s Greatest Homecoming is her favorite tradition of all. It is the Alumni Association’s biggest event and celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.
“The week is filled with so many fun activities, beginning with the Edmon Low Library fountain turning orange,” Caine said. “No one in the country can beat our Walkaround! Finishing the week with a football win, seeing the stadium sold out and listening to returning alumni reminisce about their time on campus — it’s a tradition no other school can match.”
Education alumna Caine takes her place as 16th president of OSU Alumni Association
“I am so thankful and humbled by the trust the Board of Directors has placed in me by giving me this opportunity to serve.”
DR. ANN CAINE, OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
College of Education and Human Sciences programs and people are distinguished by a passion to enhance and improve the human experience. Four individuals began new roles in college leadership this fall. They reflect that passion, working each day with faculty, staff and students to support innovative teaching, research, engagement and inclusion.
After five years as department head for Nutritional Sciences, Clarke stepped into the role of associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies in July. A native Oklahoman, Clarke has been a faculty member at Oklahoma State University since 2007. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. His research fields are biochemistry and cell biology, nutrition and dietetics, and sport and exercise nutrition.
Clarke has served the OSU campus in a variety of roles, including chair of OSU Faculty Council, chair of the Healthcare and Wellness Committee, member of the OSU Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Council and a Faculty Athletics Representative. He is a member of the Board of Human Sciences of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the Association of Nutrition Departments and Programs.
“Dr. Clarke’s background in research and graduate studies positions him so well for taking on his new role,” said Dr. Jon Pedersen, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences. “His passion for faculty and student development will take us to the next level and we are ecstatic that he is leading this office.”
Working in a college that values the diversity of scholarship and encourages and recognizes collaboration within, between or among academic units, is exciting to me. I’m grateful to work with faculty, students, staff and administrators to enhance the research profile and reputation of the College of Education and Human Sciences.
What excites you most about serving as associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies?
The college has outstanding faculty, students and staff who are committed to making this the preeminent College of Education and Human Sciences. Research, scholarship and the creative activities of faculty and students in the college are directed at improving or positively impacting the lives of children, individuals, families and communities. Our work is truly making a difference in the lives of others. There’s nothing more rewarding than highlighting and celebrating the successes of our faculty and graduate students.
Can you talk about the research strengths of the college and how to build upon them?
Our strength is in the diversity of research, scholarship and creative activities. In Research and Graduate Studies, we’re committed to providing services that are designed to support optimization of faculty research productivity. One of our goals is to further grow external funding which provides resources that can enhance the impact of our scholarship. I want to ensure that we are providing the support and infrastructure so that we can maximize the impact of our research and scholarship.
Prier began serving as the college’s first associate dean for Equity and Inclusion in July 2022. He is also an associate professor in the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation.
Prier earned a Ph.D. from Miami (Ohio) University and came to Stillwater from Duquesne University, where he served as an associate professor, associate dean for teacher education and interim chair in the Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership. At the university level, Prier was a member of the President’s Advisory Council for Diversity and Inclusion.
Nationally, Prier is a steering committee member of Education Deans for Justice and Equity (EDJE). While at Duquesne, he co-founded Project Hope, an interdisciplinary network and learning hub for scholars, teachers, educational leaders and community advocates — addressing youth in homelessness. In addition, he developed the School of Education’s Equity Education Certificate for pre-service teachers, among a host of other equityoriented initiatives.
“Dr. Prier is a leader nationally for equity and inclusion with his work at Duquesne University. His experience and expertise will assist our college in such an important manner,” Pedersen said. “We’re excited to welcome him to the Cowboy family.”
What does that mean to you to be the first associate dean for Equity and Inclusion in the College of Education and Human Sciences?
I’m honored to be selected and appreciate the confidence the dean, leadership team, faculty, staff and students have for me in such an important role. Institutionalizing such a position means the leadership in the college, and the university as a whole, expresses a desire for continued growth and development in equity and inclusion efforts. I take a tremendous amount of responsibility, care and pride in working collaboratively to lay a solid foundation to institute policies, practices, programs and initiatives that will foster an equitable environment for CEHS in the future.
What drew you to OSU and the College of Education and Human Sciences?
Equity and inclusion efforts require an intentional engagement with diverse constituencies in local communities, where theoretical knowledge can be applied to practice in ways that advance the social, economic and life-chance opportunities of underserved communities. This approach closely aligns with OSU’s land-grant mission, and will contribute to the work ahead in our college. The collection of programs in our college offers a landscape of multidisciplinary collaborative opportunities to tackle a host of social, psychological, educational and health related challenges to meet the city, state and nation’s most pressing concerns in this COVID moment. I’m excited about the impact our college can make locally, nationally and globally when our expertise is leveraged through the lens of equity and inclusion.
Associate dean for Extension, Engagement and Continuing Education
Peek serves in a dual role, as both associate dean for Extension, Engagement and Continuing Education in the College of Education and Human Sciences and assistant director for OSU Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences. Peek came to OSU in 2010 as an assistant professor and Extension specialist — housing and consumer. She holds a Ph.D. in housing and consumer economics from the University of Georgia.
Peek is a member of OSU’s Strategy Steering Committee and previously served as OSU Faculty Council Chair (2021-2022) and associate head of the Department of Design and Merchandising.
“Dr. Peek’s passion and purpose is and has always been people,” Pedersen said. “Her commitment to Extension and engagement makes this role a perfect fit for her. We are so eager to see how she impacts our college in the next few years.”
What do you want people to know about Family and Consumer Sciences Extension?
We play a pivotal role in the land-grant mission. We embrace it and we’re supporting it every day. We’re a classroom for the entire state of Oklahoma. We focus on issues that affect our daily lives, offering resources and programs related to health, hunger, finances, family breakdown, resilience and more. I want people to know that Extension is available to them.
What most excites you about your role?
The Extension tagline is Education Everywhere for Everyone. I love that. We take the university to the people, helping Oklahoma families and youth grow in safe, healthy ways. I truly believe we can elevate the entire university through our work. I’m excited to continue building relationships and to grow Family and Consumer Sciences Extension across our college.
Valiente is the new department head for Human Development and Family Science (HDFS). Valiente came to OSU from Arizona State University, where he served as a professor in the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics. He also earned his Ph.D. in family science from ASU.
“We are so excited about Dr. Valiente and what he brings to HDFS and our college. His leadership will be a tremendous asset and we are so happy that he is part of our college family,” Pedersen said.
What drew you to OSU and what excites you most about your new role?
I was inspired by the dedication to produce and share knowledge that enriches the lives of individuals in Oklahoma and beyond. I am really looking forward to supporting the professional development of our staff and faculty, and I am excited to work with them to advance our course offerings and to generate new knowledge that we can efficiently share with our communities.
What are some of the strengths of the department? I’m struck by the friendly atmosphere of scholarship taking place here. The HDFS community works to improve lives and communities in many ways. For example, we provide high-quality pre-school, prepare early elementary school teachers and offer courses on aging. Our faculty also train the next generation of marriage and family therapists, work to improve the well-being of immigrant populations and support the quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
School districts in Oklahoma and across the country are facing a growing shortage of teachers. Oklahoma State University is stepping up to help address the challenge.
The College of Education and Human Sciences is working hard to recruit and support future teachers. Enrollment in OSU education preparation degree programs is rising, and earlier this year, the Educating Forward fundraising initiative surpassed more than $5 million, creating more than 200 new scholarships for students.
Recruiting future teachers to the pipeline is vitally important. Yet, keeping current teachers in the classroom is also a critical piece of the puzzle.
The College of Education and Human Sciences has developed OK-Thrive (The Retention of Innovative Educators), a new mentorship and coaching program to support new teachers and Extension educators at the inception of their careers.
“We have seen over the last decade a rising number of teachers leaving the profession at the earliest stages of their career,” said Dr. Jon Pedersen, OSU College of Education and Human Sciences dean. “We have to address this crisis not only from a recruiting perspective (and incentivizing the teaching profession) but also retaining teachers in the first three critical years of their professional experience.”
Conversations with Oklahoma school district leaders affirmed the need for an induction support program.
“We’ve known for many years that retention of educators needs the attention of our work. As part of our land-grant mission, we’re excited to support our graduates and help them establish their teaching roots in Oklahoma,” said Dr. Shelbie Witte, head of the School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences.
As a result, OK-Thrive is intentionally designed to support educators and the unique challenges they face in the first three years in the profession.
“Our graduates leave OSU well equipped and prepared for the classroom,” OK-Thrive director John Weaver said. “We feel that support should not end at graduation. OK-Thrive will allow us to offer an additional layer of support aimed at helping teachers transition from theory to practice.”
OK-Thrive launched a pilot program this fall, partnering with Stillwater Public Schools and Guthrie Public Schools, to serve and support OSU teacher education graduates who are beginning their first year of teaching.
“We all can learn from someone who is more experienced,” Weaver said. “Novice teachers often have the tools and strategies they need to be successful in the classroom. Coaching helps teachers hone and apply their skills while balancing the demands of a new career.”
Weaver noted schools and districts do a great job onboarding new teachers and have been excellent partners with OK-Thrive, working together to provide comprehensive support for new teachers. OK-Thrive programming
includes workshops that address critical needs of early career teachers, collaborative professional development communities and personalized coaching to meet teachers right where they are and address their individual needs.
“We’re working to build a community and create a space [for early career teachers] to grow and learn from one another,” Weaver said. “We know that as teachers’ self-efficacy increases, they will have a more significant impact in the classroom.”
OK-Thrive is funded in part through appropriations for higher education by the Oklahoma legislature in HB2900 to address the critical shortage of certified teachers in Oklahoma.
In the 2022-23 pilot year, OSU will collect data on the effectiveness of the program and impact on teachers and continue to refine OK-Thrive with the goal of expanding to serve educators in school districts across Oklahoma.
“We believe OK-Thrive will have a dramatic impact on teacher retention, not only in the profession, but also in the district and school in which they were hired,” Pedersen said.
Thanks to legislation passed last spring, the Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship (OFTS), also known as Inspire to Teach, will provide financial support to students pursuing an education degree and incentives after graduation for teaching in Oklahoma schools.
“OFTS and the Employment Incentive program took a meaningful step to recruit, support and retain wellprepared teachers for Oklahoma schools, and we’re grateful for this important investment in Oklahoma education,” said Dr. Shelbie Witte, head of the School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences.
Inspired to Teach offers $1,000 annually for up to three academic years for full-time students who have earned less than 90 credit hours. In the final academic year, full-time students with more than 90 credit hours receive $2,500.
The financial support continues following graduation and earning teacher certification. Participants can earn $4,000 for each year they teach in an Oklahoma public school for up to five years.
For more information, contact Dillon Graham in the OSU Office of Educator Support at dillon.graham@okstate.edu.
(Top) Elementary education alumna Anna Perry talks to students in her first grade classroom.
(Middle) Dr. Toby Brown works with a student at Stillwater High School.
(Bottom) Gaye Lynne Chaney teaches family and consumer sciences at Perkins-Tryon Public Schools.
The arrival fallacy asserts that reaching your goal does not bring lasting happiness.
For McKale Montgomery and Bryant Keirns, who won the women’s and men’s divisions of the 2022 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, happiness lies in the journey itself.
On April 24, more than 20,000 participants took part in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon to honor those who were affected by the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
Strong work ethic and teamwork helped drive the two Cowboy standouts to victory in the 26.2-mile race. Both are part of Oklahoma State University’s Department of Nutritional Sciences and have been training together for over two years.
Dr. Montgomery is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Sciences. While she was determined to win the “Run to Remember,” she also had another expectation. Although she won the annual marathon previously, Montgomery pushed herself to not only place first in her division, but to also break the female course record, which she did with a time of 02:41:07.
“I won this marathon in 2013 as well, when I was a graduate student here,” Montgomery said. “That was maybe only my second or third marathon, so I had it in my head that I wanted to win again this year. I also wanted to beat the course record. So, training for that was
just knowing what that course record was and trying to go faster than that during my workouts.”
Each year before the race, a threeminute moment of silence is held to acknowledge the 168 lives that were lost in the Oklahoma City bombing. Montgomery was in the fourth grade when the OKC bombing occurred. She distinctly remembers watching the news and realizing the traumatic weight of what was unfolding on screen.
“It’s neat that they’ve stayed so true to their mission of honoring these victims and their families, and yet have been able to grow it into such a big thing,” Montgomery said.
Winning this special race punctuated the 33rd marathon in Montgomery’s ongoing running career. While her preparation for each race varies, one thing remains the same: she’s always on to the next thing.
“I could just run every single day, and a lot of people do,” Montgomery said. “But having a race in mind gives you something to target. Just like having a publication or a grant to submit. Something else to look at, then it’s on to the next one.”
Montgomery keeps that mindset as she balances the different responsibilities in her life. Dividing her time between training, researching and being a mother of one keeps her moving but allows her to shift gears and rest, though her definition of rest is more like crop rotation than down time.
“You’re never done,” Montgomery said. “I do cancer research and I just got funding for an Alzheimer’s disease study. We’re probably not going to cure cancer, right? So, I’m never going to be done with my job. It’s kind of nice to have that balance between running, research and caring for my daughter because when else would I stop?”
However, it isn’t accomplishing those goals that make the journey worthwhile for her. As she prepares for qualifying for the Olympic trials, she is pushing herself to enjoy the process rather than focusing on the outcome.
“What I’m really working on right now is not just setting goals but remembering to enjoy the process,” Montgomery said. “Because whether I get funded for this grant or qualify for the Olympic trials, it won’t be the end.”
Learning to enjoy the process becomes easier with company. Keirns and Montgomery have been training partners for over two years now. Montgomery was confident in Keirns’ ability to win the OKC Memorial Marathon.
“I knew it could happen,” Montgomery said. “I asked him, ‘Why don’t we both try to win Oklahoma City?’ And I think he just had never even had it in his mind.”
Keirns crossed the finish line at 02:24:51 — more than seven minutes ahead of the next finisher.
Keirns is entering his sixth year as a doctoral student in nutritional sciences after earning his master’s in the same field. He considers the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon to be one of his ‘highlight races’ because it was his first win and his seventh marathon. The training was an adjustment for him as he prepared for the event.
“I’ve been trying to slowly increase my mileage,” Keirns said. “That was really the focus going into Oklahoma City. You’re doing a lot harder workouts and faster paces, but thinking long-term, I knew I needed to put in some more mileage. I ended up getting to about 80 or 85 miles for most weeks.”
Staying consistent with his training is what he believes will take his running career to the next level.
“You’ll overestimate what you can do in the short-term and underestimate in the long term,” Keirns said. “I think the marathon really kind of highlights that
because it takes a long time to get your body strong enough to really take time off. It’s one of those things where every week stacks up and then, after a while, you’re running a lot faster than you really ever thought you would.”
Although it’s Keirns’ offseason, he still runs with Montgomery each day as she prepares for her Olympic qualifiers. The two start their morning off at 5 a.m. with the “tour of Stillwater,” which can get up to 20 miles, depending on how they complete it.
“If I can handle her workouts with whatever mileage I am doing on my own during times like this, I just like to help because she has helped me quite a bit over the years,” Keirns said.
The duo’s dedication doesn’t go unnoticed. Cameron Cardona is a doctoral student studying iron metabolism in OSU’s Department of Nutritional Sciences. She works as Montgomery’s lab assistant.
“Seeing them win the marathon has been awesome,” Cardona said. “It’s great to see people you work with be successful and fulfilled in other parts of their lives. They are both very hardworking and inspiring individuals, so I know the wins are well-deserved.”
While Montgomery and Keirns reached their goals of winning the OKC marathon, they continue to find inspiration in every stride.
“Winning a marathon, that was the goal, I wanted to win,” Montgomery said. “Some people think that that’s the key to happiness. It’s not. It’s over and it’s done, people forget. What you have to be in love with is the process.”
LEARN MORE about McKale and Bryant’s marathon success. Watch an Inside OSU feature at okla.st/okcmarathon
Seeing them win the marathon has been awesome. It’s great to see people you work with be successful and fulfilled in other parts of their lives. They are both very hardworking and inspiring individuals, so I know the wins are well-deserved.
CAMERON CARDONA, DOCTORAL STUDENT
You get dressed quickly as you have been trained to do, go out on the call and you put out the fire. Over and over, throughout your 48-hour shift. No matter what fire, the smoke inhalation takes a toll. The lack of sleep takes a toll. And obviously the stress of such a dangerous job takes a toll.
When you aren’t on a call and can hang around the firehouse, eating a snack or cooking some dinner for the crew, little do you know, your heart is taking a toll from that food, day in and day out.
Heart attacks have become the leading cause of death in firefighters in the line of duty, not only because of all the risks and stress associated with the job, but also the food at most firehouses. The average age firefighters die from a heart attack is 45, 20 years below the national average for the general U.S. male population, according to the American Journal of Cardiology.
Dr. Jill Joyce, an Oklahoma State University nutritional sciences professor, read about this troubling statistic and decided to do something about it.
“When you see heart attack, you think, ‘Well, it could be the job. Because that alarm goes off and their blood pressure goes through the roof, a sudden burst of having to go without any warm up or stretching on an adrenaline rush,” Joyce said. “I mean, it makes sense with the heat, fire, oxygen tanks, smoke. So maybe it is the job. And to an extent, it is.
“But if you look at the leading personal health problems for firefighters, it’s being overweight and obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. So something’s got to be going on with their nutrition.”
She asked the firefighters to help her take pictures of the station kitchens to get an idea of what their food environment was. Joyce worked with several students using a tool called Photovoice to help assess the environment, as well.
“There’s a lot of refined grains, added sugar, sugar sweetened beverages, different kinds of sweets, fried foods, foods high in sodium. It’s your typical snack/dessert type foods,” Joyce said.
The project members started delivering healthier options to the four Stillwater Fire Department stations. The students would then log what foods were consumed and how the firefighters were responding to it.
The group brought different fruits, vegetables and snacks to the fire stations for the study. They included mandarins, apples, bananas, lightly salted roasted almonds, carrots, broccoli, Greek yogurt dip, hummus and Nature Valley bars.
Joyce said she wanted to ensure she didn’t just tell firefighters not to eat the unhealthy options, though. But rather put them in cabinets or somewhere that they weren’t visible so they weren’t as tempted to eat them.
“I didn’t want to take away the unhealthy food because if I tell them they can’t eat something, what are they going to do? The minute I am gone, it’s going to come out of the woodwork,” Joyce said.
Instead, Joyce and her group used a psychological tool called behavioral economics to assist them in their nutrition study. The goal was to make the healthier foods more normal, attractive and convenient to the firefighters.
Kristen McClanahan, a doctoral student who was working on her undergraduate honors thesis at the time, said behavioral economics is a tool a lot of grocery stores and fast food companies use to promote their products. So, OSU’s project was to use it for healthier options.
“Basically, you just use gentle nudges,” McClanahan said. “For example, the size of your plate, the bigger your plate is, the more food you can put on it and the more you eat, the smaller your plate, the less we put on it and the less we eat.”
The study ran throughout the spring and the students said they began to see a change in the firefighters while also learning some crucial real-world experience for the nutritional field.
Ashton Greer, a nutritional sciences major, said she delivered snacks to SFD Station No. 4 twice a week. She then checked to see how much of that was eaten.
An alarm jolts you out of the small twin bed as you are catching the little sleep that can be attained in the constantly alert life of being a firefighter.
“This opportunity helped me as a grad student because it helped me realize how hard it can be for first responders to have a healthy lifestyle,” Greer said. “I think it would be very beneficial if first responders had someone who was responsible for getting them groceries and/or help them eat more meals that are well balanced and that incorporate a variety of different foods.”
Bailey Golden, a biology premed major who is minoring in psychology and microbiology, said she was in charge of analyzing data behind the scenes so they could track the study’s progress.
“This has helped me in my degree program by being able to notice the impacts of nutrition and how the body can be impacted from it firsthand,” Golden said. “It has also allowed me to see that with a little guidance and motivation, actions can change if the person is willing to put in the effort, which is interesting in a psychology aspect.”
For Joyce, it was a successful study because she began to see a change in the
firefighters’ overall well-being when she would chat with them. The fire stations also had members who are in charge of fitness for the different teams.
David Westfall, a 27-year veteran of the Stillwater Fire Department, is one of those fitness coordinators and said the OSU project was well received.
“I would say some of the guys try to eat somewhat healthy but then you have the other guys that have never really been exposed to that,” Westfall said. “So that was a great program for those types of people or just even the ones that do try to eat healthy, it was available to them at all times. It made it very beneficial for that.”
Mealtime at a fire station has always been an important bonding time and many firefighters are known for their cooking skills, so Joyce helped SFD in that aspect, too. She provided them with cookbooks that had healthier recipes and for shifts that the firefighters might have to eat out occasionally, Joyce gave them pamphlets with healthy options at the restaurants around Stillwater.
Westfall said that was a big help, since most of the older recipes that still circulated included unhealthy, carbloaded entrees like tater tot casserole.
“Those recipes stay in stations and it’s tradition that you kind of just continue to make those things, but providing a recipe book with new fresh ideas, innovative new recipes, that helped out a lot, healthier options using ground turkey,” Westfall said. “Just less fats and just basically healthier options of meals for guys to cook because we do try to cook several meals while we’re on shift.”
Although Westfall said he’s always eaten healthy, he said it was convenient to have those options around the fire station that he didn’t have to bring in.
that we live for serving.
“It was very convenient to already have those options in the stations and alleviated us having to go to the store to buy them,” Westfall said.
McClanahan said the most popular item she saw being consumed was the whole grain granola bars since they could just take them on the go.
As the spring semester winded down, the food project ended as well, but Westfall said he thinks a lot of the healthier habits are here to stay.
“There definitely hasn’t been an influx of new junk food really coming into the station,” Westfall said. “So even though that program discontinued, it seemed like it was definitely beneficial because it stuck, that lifestyle is kind of stuck with a lot of the guys.”
Joyce said getting to hear things like that from the firefighters meant her study was viable. Eating healthier can not only stop the risk for heart disease, but also cancer, which has a high rate among firefighters, too.
“It’s crazy how that’s literally all I’m doing is dropping off food. But the air
has just changed,” Joyce said. “They’re health culture has changed. They’re thinking healthy.”
In terms of impact, Westfall said he could see the healthier habits that started at SFD because of the OSU study could also spread to the local communities by word of mouth. Joyce said there is even a possibility these options could work in other high-stress first responder positions in police, health care and the military.
In some ways, this was a passion project for her. Coming from law enforcement, fire and military families and married to a veteran, OSU academic advisor Tom Joyce, she wants to ensure first responders are taking care of themselves.
“It’s kind of the heart of our family, that we live for serving. I wanted to be in the military and I tried a few times to get in,” Joyce said. “So, I think I’m finally getting my chance to serve. We love it, these are our people.”
Dr. Jill Joyce has a long history of family with firefighting and military service. Her grandfather, John Gray (inset, middle of bottom row), was a captain in the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, volunteer fire department and served in the Navy during World War II. Her husband, Tom Joyce (above), is an academic advisor at OSU and was a captain in the Army Military Police Corps.
OSU sophomore keeps mind on birthplace of Ukraine and family stuck in warzone
Dmytro Sholom would sometimes sit in class last semester wondering if a missile was going to hit his relatives’ home.
Over winter break, he went back to his birthplace of Ukraine, a place he said isn’t too different from the United States.
Two months later, the country was a war-torn wreck following a Russian invasion. It was a major escalation of hostilities that began back in 2014.
Sholom, who goes by Dima, said he couldn’t believe all the news he was seeing, with every update since that fateful day of Feb. 24 keeping him awake at night.
“The buildings I saw and walked past in January are now destroyed and turned to rubble and the cars have been replaced with tanks,” Sholom said. “I’ve seen pictures of the streets and remember walking down them accompanied by hundreds of people and now there is no one.”
Sholom was born in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, before moving to Stillwater when he was 6. His father had started a job at Oklahoma State University and since then, life had seemed pretty normal for Sholom.
He played soccer and video games, watched basketball and hung out with his friends. While attending Stillwater High School, Sholom decided he would
attend OSU so he could stay close to home.
“OSU is exactly how I’ve wanted it to be so far,” said Sholom, who is currently a sophomore studying secondary education with the goal of becoming a high school teacher.
Sholom enjoyed his freshman year at OSU. He noted how friendly the people were and that he really loved going to the Student Union because there were so many things to do.
When he went to go visit family back in Ukraine, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to him. However, Kyiv became one of several Ukrainian cities the Russian forces decimated when they invaded.
Sholom said his dad’s side of the family is still in Kyiv and were not able to leave the capital city because they lacked the resources to evacuate.
“I kept in touch as best as I could and my family was stuck waiting to see if there was anywhere for them to go,” Sholom said. “Hearing the sirens was scary at first, but eventually those just became background noise on our phone calls.”
It was a difficult semester for Sholom as he tried to stay up to date on what was happening in his birth country. His phone was bombarded with constant notifications. His grades and social life suffered. He quit doing things he loved
like watching sports; losing interest when his family was thousands of miles away wondering if a missile was going to hit their home.
“I received news updates, texts in my family group chat and pretty much everything you could think of throughout the day when I was still attending classes and taking tests,” Sholom said.
Despite the distractions, Sholom maintained his status as an honors student and was awarded the Ambassador’s Choice Freshman Award from the College of Education
Human Sciences.
Ukraine is still battling Russia, but Sholom said he hopes for a peaceful resolution and wants people to come to his home country to help rebuild and would like to see Ukrainians offer help if this ever happens to another country.
“Foreign nations have seen our patriotism and have helped us because of how proud we are and that is what I want to take from this situation,” Sholom said. “I want people to be supportive of their country in times like this.”
and
“I received news updates, texts in my family group chat and pretty much everything you could think of throughout the day when I was still attending classes and taking tests.”
DMYTRO “DIMA” SHOLOM
Center for Immigrant Health and Education aims to help immigrants transition to new life
While on a mission in Venezuela, Dr. Ron Cox experienced what many immigrants feel when they come to the United States, including both discrimination and rejection.
This experience was a driving force for Cox, a professor in Oklahoma State University’s College of Education and Human Sciences and George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair in Child and Family Resilience, to create the Center for Immigrant Health and Education.
“I had hope for a bright future in my new home [Venezuela], yet I experienced discrimination and rejection from some people, and acceptance and friendship from others,” Cox said.
Upon his return to the United States, Cox found himself feeling the same sensations in reverse and saw a change in the way he viewed the place he called home. It was an abrupt realization that
he was different, but so was the country he moved back to.
“I had become a stranger in my own land. What felt comfortable before, now felt odd, not bad necessarily, but odd. People didn’t intentionally make me feel like I didn’t belong, but there were little things that seemed slightly out of place,” Cox said.
This alien feeling pushed Cox toward other immigrants who better understood his feelings. The Center for Immigrant Health and Education was created to assist immigrants from all countries in adjusting to a life in a new place.
“The Center for Immigrant Health and Education brings together top scholars in the field to discover factors leading to an enhanced quality of life for immigrant families, to elaborate effective psychosocial interventions and to prepare the next generation of
scholars dedicated to immigrant health and education,” Cox said.
The Center for Immigrant Health and Education is attempting to preserve and learn about the culture of the immigrant children who are born between two worlds, Cox said. Researchers are also exploring the extent that Shared Language Erosion affects parent-child relationships as well as child health and educational outcomes.
“Shared Language Erosion is a phenomenon discovered by our researchers when second-generation immigrant children enter school and begin to lose the ability to speak and understand their heritage language,” Cox said. “Simultaneously, their parents’ English language skills only increase modestly, creating the erosion.”
The center helps families by providing resources they need to become successful in a new country. Maritza Leon Cartagena, a graduate research assistant in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, immigrated to the United States from Puerto Rico when she was 13. Cartagena has provided resources to the immigrant families in Oklahoma for over five years, both at OSU and at Stillwater Public Schools.
“People immigrate to this country because they have a dream to better their lives and we as a community have the resources and ability to help them with this dream,” Cartagena said.
Cartagena works with immigrants who want to obtain their GED and improve their English skills. She has helped to set up classes at SPS to help children better their Spanish speaking skills. Cartagena said adults often come
to the country with learned skills but don’t know how to apply those skills to the United States job market, often taking jobs they were never trained to do. They need help finding jobs they like and already have the skillset for.
“Whenever I talk to my students or their parents, I always remind them that they shouldn’t feel at a loss or held back because of a language barrier,” Cartagena said. “It is rewarding to see the light in their eyes when the resources keep getting provided.”
Because of the language barrier, parents find themselves feeling disconnected from their children,
feeling as though their children are living in two different worlds and they are only in one of those worlds.
“I hear the words ‘I’m stuck’ almost every time I work with parents,” Cartagena said. “The parents need just as much help as the children.”
There has been little research validating the psychosocial tendencies of immigrants. Cox and Cartagena say immigrant children have an overarching fear of being deported that affects their performance at school.
“The research has found that the children will be more successful in school and have a better outlook on life
if hope is high,” Cartagena said. “The greater the level of fear, the greater the chance the children will get involved in substance abuse and will have a worse relationship with their parents.”
The center is working to formulate goals and assist the parents and children on how to cope with this fear and increase their hope to help immigrant families have the most successful adaptation to the U.S. as possible.
Every August, new students make their way to Stillwater to begin their Oklahoma State University journey. They settle into their residence halls, prepare for classes and find their way around campus.
This fall, five Opportunity Orange Scholars joined the new class of Cowboys and Cowgirls.
Opportunity Orange Scholars (OOS) is Oklahoma’s newest inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities. OOS provides a college path for in-state students who previously have not had the opportunity to attend due to the level of support they require.
“The planning for a postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disability on the OSU campus has been a long time in the making and is key to continuing our mission as a land-grant university,” said Dr. Jennifer Jones, director of the OSU Institute for Developmental Disabilities.
OOS is housed in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in the College of Education and Human Sciences, but key stakeholders from across the university and state have spent the last several years laying the groundwork for OOS to welcome its first cohort this fall.
“I am most excited for the learning experience, supporting these students and also learning from them and alongside them.”
MEAGHAN SITAR, STUDENT AND OOS ENGAGEMENT PARTNER
OOS students are fully immersed in the OSU experience — living, learning, working and playing on campus. Scholars live in residence halls alongside other OSU students and take classes toward earning a two-year non-degree certificate in career and community studies. An additional, twoyear, non-degree advanced certificate in community living and engagement is also available. The education and experience OOS students are gaining prepares them for independent living and competitive employment post-college.
Dr. Emily Tucker, a two-time OSU alumna in human development and family science, serves as program director for Opportunity Orange Scholars. Tucker has received positive feedback from partners across campus who are enthusiastic and ready to engage with OOS.
“It has been so encouraging to see such widespread support for OOS across the university. We have a phenomenal advisory board and have consistently had people across campus who are just excited about the program and want to support our students in any way they can,” Tucker said.
OOS employs several student staff members who support scholars as they navigate living on campus and participating in campus life activities, manage academic coursework and pursue career goals.
Human development and family science undergraduate junior Meaghan Sitar is an OOS Engagement Partner, helping OOS students identify campus clubs and organizations that match their personal interests.
After taking a class on developmental disabilities, Sitar
discovered a new passion and applied to be an engagement partner.
“This position was the perfect fit for me to continue exploring this passion as well as give me the opportunity to spread awareness and knowledge to others,” Sitar said. “I am most excited for the learning experience, supporting these students and also learning from them and alongside them.”
While OOS directly benefits students who are part of the program, OOS is also enriching and expanding the Oklahoma State community. Tucker is excited about the relationships that will develop between students, faculty and staff across campus with the Opportunity Orange Scholars cohort.
“I think it’s really important for everyone to understand that people with intellectual disability can be part of universities in a way that is meaningful and beneficial for all,” Tucker said.
This fall, Oklahoma State University expanded its partnership with Special Olympics Oklahoma to become the first Special Olympics Unified College Program in Oklahoma and began offering unified intramural sports on the Stillwater campus.
Special Olympics college programs connect college students and community members with intellectual disability through shared experiences — building accepting campus communities and friendships that lead to social inclusion. Thanks to a collaboration from the OSU Department of Wellness and the Institute for Developmental Disabilities, Special Olympics athletes can participate in OSU Unified Intramural Sports.
“We are thrilled about this partnership and the opportunities to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion on the Stillwater campus,” said Dr. Jennifer Jones, Institute for Developmental Disabilities director. “This is another natural expansion of our work at the Institute for Developmental Disabilities where we learn from and work alongside individuals with disabilities and their families.”
Unified intramural teams include OSU students serving as Unified Partners alongside Special Olympics athletes. Sports planned this year are: cornhole, esports, bowling and bocce tournaments, a 5v5 flag football league and a 6v6 volleyball league.
“Through this partnership, we are providing an experience for athletes and partners that they might not get anywhere else. We’re bringing people together to play, compete and build relationships with one another through
sport and to embody what it is to be an OSU Cowboy,” said Brandon Bermea, coordinator of competitive sports and summer camps in the OSU Department of Wellness.
John Seals, the Special Olympics Oklahoma vice president of sports and training, said the inception of unified intramural sports at OSU fulfills a longterm goal.
“Unified intramural sports offers athletes opportunities to participate in an inclusive league alongside their peers and to demonstrate their abilities to a very large audience,” Seals said.
Contact the Institute for Developmental Disabilities at 405-744-3991 or developmentaldisabilities@okstate.edu for more information.
Aviation students this fall are already starting to appreciate their sparkling, spacious new home. The College of Education and Human Sciences celebrated the grand opening of the state-of-theart Ray and Linda Booker OSU Flight Center in February, and the building became fully operational during the spring semester.
The 11,600 square-foot building replaced Oklahoma State University Aviation’s outdated
facilities and more than doubled the space available to students and flight instructors. Building highlights include 35 workstations for flight instructors, debriefing rooms where student pilots will receive feedback, a student lounge and locker room, an academic suite and flight simulation rooms. The orange-roofed facility is located southwest of Stillwater Regional Airport along North Airport Road.
“With this new flight center, we now have a home that matches the energy, passion and success of our students and faculty,” said Dr. Jon Pedersen, dean of OSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences. The ASPIRE staff asked current aviation students about the new facility and how it is impacting their education and experience.
Professional Pilot student Wichita, Kansas
“The new Ray and Linda Booker Flight Center has totally changed the dynamic within OSU Aviation, and we feel valued within the university in an entirely new way. It provides countless enhancements to the student experience, including the common areas where students can chat and relax. There is plenty of space to sit down and talk with your peers and get to know others in the program. There is a safety benefit with this as well; in aviation we talk a lot about hangar flying, or discussing flying experiences, tips and things you have learned from experience with other pilots while on the ground. Having places to “hangar fly” is a major benefit of our new facility that will contribute to our continued safe training operations. Ultimately it is the people, not the building, that make the program what it is, and the Ray and Linda Booker Flight Center contributes to this. Having a beautiful, large new facility on display helps attract the best and brightest students from across the country to learn to fly at OSU.”
Professional Pilot student Dallas
“It might sound silly, but my favorite part of the new flight center is the roof. It’s America’s brightest orange, and every pilot flying inbound can see it. Whether students have had a long cross-country flight, are returning from a tough lesson, or they are beyond excited because they know they passed their checkride — It’s a symbol of OSU pride and that we’re back home. It’s the end of one step in a student’s journey and the beginning of the next. We are making new traditions and stories here, and I’m looking forward to many more adventures and further continuing my growth as a pilot.”
Professional Pilot student Charlotte, North Carolina
“I have loved using the new building throughout the summer. The common areas such as the kitchen/lounge, and the lobby with couches and TVs, are probably my favorite because they really help to create a sense of community by encouraging students to hang out before and after flights to meet other students. The biggest change is that every instructor now has their own desk cubicle. Before, multiple instructors had to share a desk area which sometimes made it difficult to schedule times for meetings. Now that every instructor has their own area, it creates ample time and space for completing flight planning, ground lessons and post-flight briefings.”
When most think of a college class, they think of equations on a chalkboard or beakers in a lab, but for one department, dealing with the everyday facets life throws at you is their specialty.
Nestled inside the Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Cooperative Extension makes everyday life an exact science.
FCS works to positively impact the lives of all Oklahomans through outreach, engagement and researchbased information. With a new leader in Dr. Gina Peek, FCS looks to increase its footprint across the state by teaching critical life skills.
“People are our passion, we see ourselves as a college that really addresses the whole human, the whole person, and Family and Consumer Sciences is a big part of it,” said Dr. Jon Pedersen, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences. “It is about how we learn and understand the family and what it means to be in the realm of a family unit.”
Peek — who was recently named associate dean for Extension, Engagement and Continuing Education as well as assistant director for Family and Consumer Sciences OSU Extension — sees FCS as a service unit across the college to provide engagement activities for the university and community.
OSU Extension is composed of four program areas — agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, community and economic development, and FCS.
As part of the OSU Extension administration leadership team, Peek leads the development of innovative programming, not only in Stillwater but also for people of all ages in all 77 counties in the state.
OSU Extension provides programs such as State 4-H Roundup, which brings kids to OSU’s campus for 4-H and FCS activities. Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) events allow adult members to develop skills to strengthen their families and use research-based information to solve issues facing their communities.
A continuing education and professional development outreach program through the College of Education and Human Sciences is Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which is designed for individuals 50 and older to travel and participate in social activities to enhance their lives.
Other FCS opportunities and resources range in topics from community nutrition education programs, family and child resilience, finance and job readiness education, health and hunger, Oklahoma Home and Community Education to safety and environment education programs.
“Dr. Peek’s role as program leader for family and consumer sciences helps to decide, with input from stakeholders and from our educators across the state, what the priorities are with respect to programming. For example, the kind of emphasis that goes on nutrition, housing or health programs,” said Damona Doye, associate vice president of OSU Extension. “Our state specialists
have roles in curriculum development and provide professional development opportunities for our educators so their skills are up to date, and they have research-based information to share with stakeholders throughout the state.”
Modeling the land-grant mission — teaching, research and Extension — Peek takes the university to people in ways that are meaningful to them through service learning opportunities.
“My goal for OSU is to be the best Family and Consumer Sciences program in the United States,” Peek said. “That is an achievable goal.”
Extension can address the whole human not just in Stillwater or a particular region of Oklahoma but within the entire state to improve the totality of the human experience, Pedersen said.
DR. JON PEDERSEN, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SCIENCES
“People
we see ourselves as a college that really addresses the whole human, the whole person, and Family and Consumer Sciences is a big part of it.”
“This is the unit to come to if you want to engage in service learning,” Peek said. “If I could diagram it out, faculty would come here, establish a process and then implement whatever it is they want to do.”
The sky’s the limit for creative collaboration between faculty members and Peek’s team to help provide service opportunities.
“It’s up to the faculty member to think critically about what service opportunities they would like to offer as part of a course, for example,” Peek said.
“Then we can sit with them and help them work out any kind of details that need to be thought through.”
A large part of Peek’s role is bridging connections between OSU Extension and others within the university that don’t traditionally have Extension appointments, Doye said.
“One of the programs Dr. Peek helped lead last year was our EXCITE program that was funded nationally and provided support to all the land-grants who were interested across the country,” Doye said.
The Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) is a collaborative initiative to address health disparities among rural and other underserved communities.
“Partnering in those ways, as well as having funding from each of those different sources — local, state and federal — have mandated to a certain degree that there be these partnerships, but we all find value in them,” Doye said.
FCS Extension educators and state and area specialists attempt to provide solutions to the issues humans face daily such as health, hunger, environment, finances, family breakdown, jobs and employment, resilience, risky behaviors and safety.
These local educators are engaged with their community and can help partner with grant proposals to improve things like school crosswalks or nutrition education in at-risk families.
Anyone wanting to make changes on the local level and target specific issues, start with your local educators, Peek said.
“Another one of the relationships she’s helping to develop is with a faculty member in kinesiology, who may have an interest in providing support for a program we’ve been without for a couple of years called AgrAbility,” Doye said. “It’s designed to help people who may have had injuries or accidents that limit their abilities — for instance, farmers and ranchers — if they need adaptive equipment or other kinds of things.”
Doye and Peek are working to build new bridges with the OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa. They aim to collaborate with entities such as the Center for Rural Health to bring some of their combined interest to local communities.
OSU-CHS is bringing telehealth kiosks to local communities on a pilot basis in a couple of places through the Rural Renewal Initiative, Doye said. If locals don’t have access to primary care or other kinds of access to health providers, then the telehealth option may be something that’s available to them. Doye and Peek are looking at ways
they might help support or add to that service.
The establishment of more programs and the building of new relationships continue to better OSU’s FCS program.
Peek approaches her job strategically and holistically. Her vision for FCS is to be the best and the path to the top is paved by asking herself and her team what the long and short-term goals are for the next year.
One day at a time, step by step she is assembling a team and taking stock and articulating what they already do well. Then she plans to address what gaps
need filled and increase programming to help fill those areas.
“I think collaboration has been a big part of FCS, institutionally from the beginning, because it’s a partnership between local, state and federal,” Doye said. “That means we collaborate across county lines in terms of developing program-sharing programs.”
Peek and Pedersen’s goals align — being the preeminent leader within the nation for FCS.
No matter the level, FCS wants to provide opportunities for all humans in a fun way that also makes them successful, Peek said.
“She has a ‘why’ and it’s clear when you talk to her of her ‘why.’ I think that’s the most important thing about Gina,” Pedersen said. “She knows where her passion is, she has a clear vision and sense of direction of her ‘why’ and what she wants to accomplish and how she wants to impact lives.”
At Oklahoma State University, we turn to research for many of those solutions. From how to grow a better grain of wheat to solutions for advanced and emerging technologies, our top researchers solve society’s most pressing needs. Our ideas are as bold and bright as an Oklahoma sunrise. When the world asks the question, Orange is the Answer.
The Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising has changed its name to the Department of Design and Merchandising in an effort to more clearly communicate its academic focus.
“As a department, we strive to prepare our students with the skills, knowledge and real-life experiences that lead to industry success. Our new name more clearly conveys the commercial focus of our degree options in fashion design and production, interior design and fashion merchandising,” said Dr. Lynn Boorady, department head.
Dr. Tonya Hammer — interim head of the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology — was awarded the North Central Association for Counselor Education and Supervision award based on her excellence in teaching in counseling.
Fashion design and production and fashion merchandising programs are now accredited by the Textile and Apparel Programs Accreditation Commission (TAPAC). OSU is just the third university to achieve TAPAC accreditation, which strives to ensure outstanding education that advances excellence in the textile and apparel profession.
The interior design program earned renewed accreditation from the Council for Interior Design through 2027. Continuously accredited since 1984, OSU was one of the very first programs to earn CIDA accreditation, and graduates meet the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam).
Dr. Jay Dawes — associate professor in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation — was elected to the National Strength and Conditioning Association Board.
Aviation and space professor Dr. Timm Bliss is the principal investigator on a first-of-its-kind grant issued through the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The $450,000 Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers grant will support establishing a sustainable pipeline for addressing the needs and priorities of Oklahoma’s aviation maintenance workforce.
Dr. Jennifer Jones , professor in Human Development and Family Science and director of the Institute for Developmental Disabilities, received the 2022 Education Award from the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Dr. Paula Tripp and Dr. Shiretta Ownbey received the Lela O’Toole Research and Innovation Award from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, recognizing their work to develop “Tuesday Technology Tips” modules for Family and Consumer Sciences teachers across Oklahoma.
Dr. DJ McMaughan , assistant professor in health education and promotion, was elected to serve as governing councilor representing the Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section of the American Public Health Association.
Human development and family science faculty Dr. Ron Cox and Dr. Isaac Washburn and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Darcy deSouza were awarded the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) Olson Grant: Bridging Research, Theory and Practice. The competitive $10,000 annual grant is given to NCFR members working to contribute to the discipline of Family Science by effectively uniting research, theory and practice in their work.
Farm to You, a walk-through, hands-on exhibit that helps young students learn about where their food comes from, nutrition, proper hygiene, the importance of physical activity and more, was recognized by the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences with the 2021 Innovative Youth Development Award.
Oldest woman in space Wally Funk , 82, returned to visit her alma mater in October 2021. Arriving at Stillwater Regional Airport, she was greeted with an orange-carpet treatment, fanfare, media and celebration. A special event was held in Funk’s honor at The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts that evening. Dean Jon Pedersen presented her with a plaque commemorating the Wally Funk annual scholarship for aviators in the professional pilot program. Funk is a former OSU Flying Aggie and secondary education alumna.
Twelve faculty, staff and administrators from the College of Education and Human Sciences received universitywide recognition at the 2021 University Awards Convocation. Awards highlighted excellence in teaching, mentorship, service and more.
Dr. Lynn Boorady
Department of Design and Merchandising head Leave the Ladder Down Award
Dr. Paulette Hebert
Professor in the Department of Design and Merchandising University Service Award
Dr. Daniel Lin
Associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences Regents Distinguished Research Award
Dr. Tonya Hammer
Professor in the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology Regents Distinguished Teaching Award
Dr. Jenn Sanders
Professor in the School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences Global Education Faculty Excellence Award
Dr. Tilanka Chandrasekera
Associate professor in the Department of Design and Merchandising Chris Salmon Endowed Professorship for Interior Design
Dr. Marshan Marick
Teaching assistant professor in the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology Excellence in Academic Program Assessment
Jonette Passmore
Adjunct faculty member from the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct Faculty
Jennifer Eisensmith Student Success Center Advising Excellence Award
Dr. Edralin Lucas Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences Regents Professor
The OSU Alumni Association named five College of Education and Human Sciences students Seniors of Significance for the 2021-2022 academic year. The award recognized students campus wide who have excelled in scholarship, leadership and service to campus and community and have brought distinction to OSU.
Makenna Beesley
Recreational therapy
Conway Springs, Kansas
Elizabeth Burks
Human nutrition
Amarillo, Texas
Payton David Nutritional sciences
Elk City, Oklahoma
Dr. Jay Dawes
Associate professor from the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation
Distinguished Early Career Faculty Award
Rebeca Weber
Associate professor from OSU Libraries, librarian for the Education and Teaching Library Distinguished Early Career Faculty Award
Keona Tidwell
Applied exercise science Lawton, Oklahoma
Caylynn White-Frierson
Design, housing and merchandising Keller, Texas
Human development and family science graduate student Jordan Shuler was one of just 13 students from across the country selected to receive the National Council on Family Relations Honors Graduate Award.
Family and consumer sciences education student Leslie Rodriguez received the National Bettye Brown Scholarship, given by the National Association Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences.
In partnership with the OSU Foundation, the college’s Educating Forward fundraising initiative surpassed the $5 million mark to provide more than 200 new scholarships for future teachers.
Nutritional Sciences doctoral student Bryant Keirns was awarded a predoctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association (AHA). Keirns’ research focuses on studying heart and gut health and their links to heart disease. The prestigious AHA fellowship comes with more than $30,000 in support that will allow Keirns to take his research a step further.
Education graduate programs made a significant gain in the national rankings, moving up 30 spots to No. 76 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings in the last two years. It puts OSU ahead of Big 12 Conference peers the University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech University and Texas Christian University.
The OSU Writing Project received a $50,000 grant from National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Building a More Perfect Union program to continue its work on the project, “A Century of Questions: Student-Driven Inquiry into the Tulsa Race Massacre.”
The College of Education and Human Sciences Academic Programs and Student Services unit was honored with the Award for Excellence in Innovation, presented by OSU Wellness as part of its Certified Healthy Department program for 2022. Other units from the college also achieved Certified Healthy Department status.
Extension, Engagement and Continuing Education
Department of Nutritional Sciences
School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology Department of Human Development and Family Science Department of Design and Merchandising
Keona Tidwell and Caylynn WhiteFrierson from the College of Education and Human Sciences were named the 2021-2022 Outstanding Seniors by the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association. The award recognizes seniors who show excellence through academic achievement; campus and community involvement; academic, athletic or extracurricular honors or awards; scholarships; and work ethic.
Maddie Dunn , an elementary education student from Yukon, Oklahoma, was elected OSU Student Government Association Vice President for 2022.
Caylynn White-Frierson Design, housing and merchandising Keller, Texas
Keona Tidwell Applied exercise science Lawton, Oklahoma
Staff from the College of Education and Human Sciences Academic Programs and Student Services unit celebrate their Award for Excellence in Innovation from OSU Wellness.
The College of Education and Human Sciences recognized faculty and staff excellence in service, mentorship, research, teaching, creativity, innovation and more.
The 2022 recipients are:
Dr. Mwarumba Mwavita
Associate professor in research, evaluation, measurement and statistics Global Education Faculty Excellence Award
Dr. Issac Washburn
Associate professor in human development and family science Graduate Faculty Excellence Award
Dr. Ginger Welch
Clinical associate professor in human development and family science Outreach Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Michael Criss
Associate professor of human development and family science Research Excellence Award
Dr. Sam Emerson Assistant professor in nutritional sciences Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Alex Bishop
Associate professor in human development and family science Undergraduate Research Mentor Award
Allison Campbell
Accountant in the business operations office
Staff Star Award
Erica Still
Administrative assistant for human development and family science Staff Star Award
Brandi Davis
Administrative assistant in the School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Science
Staff Creativity and Innovation Award
Kristi Seuhs
Director of Academic Advising Staff Mentor Award
Assistant director of the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology Morsani Staff Service Award
Fashion design and production students from the Department of Design and Merchandising treated the campus to 2022 Euphoria Fashion Show — a high-energy, studentproduced event highlighting undergraduate work in a dazzling array of fashions. OSU President Kayse Shrum took to the runway to showcase a design by junior Carson Scott
Dr. Kayse Shrum and Carson Scott walk the runway.
Dr. Shelbie Witte and Brandi Davis
Dr. Chad Depperschmidt and Dr. Mwarumba Mwavita
Seven College of Education and Human Sciences students were among OSU’s Top 20 Freshmen for 2021-22.
Grace Bledsoe
Applied Exercise Science Oklahoma City*
Hannah Fiscus Public Health Tulsa*
Kaitlin Koons
Human Nutrition/Premedical Sciences Shawnee, Oklahoma*
Weston Church Secondary Education Fairview, Oklahoma*
Samantha Smith Public Health Medford, Oklahoma
Larin Wade Secondary Education Ringling, Oklahoma
Mackenzie Frech
Secondary Education Lahoma, Oklahoma
*denotes Top 10 selection
The College of Education and Human Sciences recognized Outstanding Seniors and Graduate Students for the 2021-2022 academic year.
One senior was selected by faculty from each school and department for showing exceptional leadership, campus involvement, academic achievement and professional development related to experience and career goals.
Elizabeth Bert
School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology
Elle Dembinski
Department of Design and Merchandising
Tyler Ann Wolgamott
Department of Human Development and Family Science
Makenna Beasley
School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation
Isabelle Posey
Department of Nutritional Sciences
Kade Johnson
School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation
Hannah Miller
School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences
The college also presented awards for Outstanding Teaching and Outstanding Research among graduate students. Students were selected based on teaching, research and professional involvement.
School
Department of Nutritional Sciences , Outstanding Research by a Graduate Student
Top Freshmen, from left: Weston Church, Hannah Fiscus, Kaitlin Koons, CEHS student development and retention coordinator Scott King, Larin Wade, Mackenzie Frech and Grace Bledsoe.
Outstanding Seniors, from left: Hannah Miller, Kade Johnson, Isabella Posey, Tyler Wolgamott, Elle Dembinski and Elizabeth Bert.
Barrett Williams
of Community Health, Counseling and Counseling Psychology, Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student
Bryant Keirns
Thirty-four students, representing all seven schools and departments in the College of Education and Human Sciences, were selected as Seniors of Distinction for 2022.
SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, COUNSELING AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
Elizabeth Bert — Leavenworth, Kansas Health Education and Promotion
Carlee Metcalf — Stratford, Texas Health Education and Promotion
Sidney Patrick — Elk City, Oklahoma Health Education and Promotion
SCHOOL OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS, LEADERSHIP AND AVIATION
Kade Johnson — Flower Mound, Texas Aerospace Administration and Operations
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY SCIENCE
Jordan Anders — Norman, Oklahoma Early Childhood Education
Hannah Belveal — Sapulpa, Oklahoma Early Childhood Education
Kayla Canis — Waxahachie, Texas Child and Family Services
Riley DuBois — Miami, Oklahoma Family and Consumer Sciences Education
MacKenzie Jones — Orlando, Florida Early Childhood Education
Bethany Carlene Potts — Tulsa Child and Family Services
Shelby Sequira — Mannford, Oklahoma Child and Family Services
Abigail Shaw — Norman, Oklahoma Child and Family Services
Garrin Williams — Manhattan, Kansas Child and Family Services
Tyler Ann Wolgamott — Weatherford, Oklahoma Early Childhood Education
School of Community Health, Counseling and Counseling Psychology School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and AviationDepartment
School
SCHOOL OF TEACHING, LEARNING AND EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
Allie Brown — Stillwater Elementary Education
Avery Curtis — Guymon, Oklahoma Secondary Education
Elissa Miller — Plano, Texas Secondary Education
Hannah Miller — Canyon, Texas Elementary Education
DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING
Elle Dembinski — Arlington Heights, Illinois Merchandising
Taylor Miller — Cherokee, Oklahoma Merchandising
Abigail Wilton — Fort Sumner, New Mexico Interior Design
Mackenzie Erdley — Mustang, Oklahoma Interior Design
Caylynn White-Frierson — Fort Worth, Texas Merchandising
Jahnia Wright — Oklahoma City Interior Design
SCHOOL OF KINESIOLOGY, APPLIED HEALTH AND RECREATION
Makenna Beesley — Conway Springs, Kansas
Recreational Therapy
Madison Daniel — Norman, Oklahoma Recreational Therapy
Whitney Thompson — Colleyville, Texas Recreational Therapy
Payton David — Elk City, Oklahoma Human Nutrition/Pre-Medical Sciences
Sadie Freudenberger — Stillwater Human Nutrition/Pre-Medical Sciences
Kenley Hayes — Tulsa Allied Health
Kenzie Lynch — Tulsa Allied Health
Elizabeth Nieman — Stillwater Dietetics
Isabelle Posey — Wagoner, Oklahoma Dietetics
Lilian Zack — Flower Mound, Texas Dietetics
School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences of Design and Merchandising of Kinesiology, Applied Health and RecreationThe highest honor bestowed by the college, the Hall of Fame Award is given in recognition of outstanding professional and personal achievements that have brought honor and distinction to the college and to the university.
Charles Danley of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Oklahoma State University in 1991. For more than 25 years, he served as CEO of the Grand Lake Mental Health Center. His tireless, innovative work has revolutionized and made a lasting
impact on mental health services across Oklahoma. Under Danley’s leadership, Grand Lake Mental Health grew from initially serving 1,500 people annually with 75 staff members in seven counties to serving 16,000 people with 950 staff members in 12 counties when he retired in 2020. The center also received an award from the National Council on Behavioral Health for Innovation in Technology for the use of tablets to serve law enforcement and people in need of crisis services, as well as leading a groundbreaking team to offer health services in ways never tried before.
Lindel Silvertooth of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is a two-time OSU graduate with a 1960 bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a 1974 doctorate in education. Following six years as an elementary teacher, Silvertooth began an exemplary 43-year career as an elementary school principal in Kansas. He served as principal in Wichita Public Schools for 25 years. Among his accomplishments was leading Mueller Elementary School through integration in 1969. From 1993 until his retirement in 2008, he worked as principal at Derby Hills Elementary in Derby, Kansas. He is likely the longestserving principal in Kansas history.
The Outstanding Alumni Award is given to those who demonstrate significant promise toward establishing a distinguished career and making impactful contributions to their profession and beyond.
Holly Barrón of Edmond, Oklahoma, earned a bachelor’s degree in human development and family science, option in child and family services, along with an OSU honors degree in 2005. She is the board president for the Keaton’s Kindness Foundation (The K Club), a nonprofit organization inspired by her son, Keaton, who passed away in May 2018 at the age of 8 following a fiveand-half year battle with leukemia. While in the hospital, Keaton created The K Club with a simple mission that he himself modeled every day: “To be kind to others, be courageous, compassionate and caring.” The K Club serves children battling cancer and their families through monthly Lego parties, funeral cost assistance and birthday parties. It has also raised more than $130,000 for local pediatric cancer research and over $355,000 for projects to renovate hospital and community spaces. The Barrón Family was chosen by Parents Magazine as America’s Kindest Family in 2021.
Dr. Danielle Olivier Jackson of Sugar Land, Texas, earned a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at OSU in 2011. She currently serves as the principal of Kempner High School in Sugar Land. Prior to becoming an administrator, she was an English teacher, department chair, content specialist and instructional coach. Jackson also spent five years as an assistant or associate principal and was named the Region 4 assistant principal of the year and the Texas Assistant Principal of the Year for 2019-2020. Her dissertation focused on Black males in a predominately white suburban high school, exploring their perceptions of the school experience, which continues to inform her work in public education. Kempner High School is the most diverse high school in the state and Jackson is proud to serve there, working each day with students and staff to reach their full potential.
Desarae Witmer of Yukon, Oklahoma, is a 1993 OSU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and middle school science. She is currently assistant superintendent for Yukon Public Schools. Throughout a nearly 30-year career, Witmer has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and district administrator. She spent 14 years as principal of Edmond’s Summit Middle School where she
was recognized as Oklahoma Middle Level Principal of the Year in 2009. From 2015-2017, Witmer worked at the Oklahoma State Department of Education as the executive director of the Office of School Support. In her current role with Yukon Public Schools, Witmer works to ensure students are well prepared for college and posthigh school careers. She has served on the College of Education and Human Sciences Alumni Society board for five years.
Alane Zannotti of Stillwater graduated from OSU in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in family relations and child development. Zannotti is the executive director for Extension Education and Community Development for Meridian Technology Center and has also served on Stillwater City Council since May 2015. She was appointed to vice mayor in April 2021 and again in February 2022. The Stillwater Chamber of Commerce presented Zannotti with its Leading Edge Award in recognition of her efforts to create Merry Main Street, a holiday pop-up retail and entertainment district in Stillwater. She is also a graduate of Leadership Stillwater and Leadership Oklahoma.
LEARN MORE about College of Education and Human Sciences alumni awards at okla.st/ehsHOF.
From left: Lindel Silvertooth, Dr. Jon E. Pedersen and Charles Danley. Silvertooth and Danley were 2022 Hall of Fame inductees for the College of Education and Human Sciences.
