Aspire 2023

ASPIRE The official magazine of the College of Education and Human Sciences

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

OSU ALUMNUS INSPIRES DAUGHTER TO PURSUE FAMILY BUSINESS OF TEACHING

2023

serving pursuing finding

AVIATION & SPACE • DESIGN & MERCHANDISING • EDUCATION HEALTH SCIENCES • HUMAN & COMMUNITY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

ASPIRE College of Education and Human Sciences

education.okstate.edu

Plus …

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Dean’s letter

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NASA officer earns doctorate

On the Cover

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New Nursing Program

Elementary education student BreAnna Peeper follows in the footsteps of her father, Bill, in the teaching profession.

(Cover photo by Kelly Kerr)

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Retirees

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News and Notes

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DEAN, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SCIENCES Dr. Jon. E. Pedersen

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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Christy Lang

A Day in the Life ASPIRE magazine spent a day with an Opportunity Orange Scholar to take a look at OSU’s postsecondary program.

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EDITOR Jordan Bishop

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ART DIRECTOR Dave Malec

Feeding the World

DESIGNER Stephen Matthews

Recently retired CEHS professor had profound effect on students and fellow professors in her time at OSU.

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Digital Design CEHS adds 3D Design certificate series to aid students in a rapidly changing world and industry.

SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST Kirsi McDowell

CONTRIBUTING DESIGN Cody Giles

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CONTRIBUTORS Christy Lang Kirsi McDowell Mak Vandruff Sierra Walter PHOTOGRAPHERS Karen Gardner Diana Haslett John Johnson Todd Johnson Kelly Kerr Gary Lawson Phil Shockley ASPIRE Magazine 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 2023 EDUCATION.OKSTATE.EDU

The office of publication for ASPIRE is 307 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078-1024. © 2023, ASPIRE. All rights reserved.

Oklahoma State University, as an equal opportunity employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. OSU is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate based on race, religion, age, sex, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, or veteran status with regard to employment, educational programs and activities, and/ or admissions. For more information, the director of equal opportunity/Title IX coordinator is located at 401 General Academic Building and can be reached at 405-744-1156 or by visiting EEO.OKSTATE.EDU.

This publication, issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the College of Education and Human Sciences, was printed

by Modern Litho, at a cost of $9,592.69/5.5M/September 2023/No. aspire23.

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 1

READY TO CHANGE LIVES?

ORANGE IS THE ANSWER. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT OSU! 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.

Visit OSUgiving.com

PHOTO KELLY KERR

FROM THE DEAN’S OFFICE

Greetings from the College of Education and Human Sciences!

We are excited to share with you the 2023 issue of ASPIRE. Our college is growing and thriving.

For the second consecutive year, we welcomed a record freshman class, and our total enrollment exceeded 4,300.

This fall, we welcomed the inaugural class of students in our four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing to campus in Stillwater. This new degree program addresses a critical need for Oklahoma and has been met with great excitement and interest.

We continue to prepare excellent educators.

The magazine cover features alumnus Bill Peeper, a Cushing High School history teacher and Oklahoma Teacher of the Year finalist, and his daughter BreAnna, an elementary education major at OSU. Read their story of a family’s teaching legacy (page 26).

In 2024, we will celebrate a major milestone with the centennial of the Cleo L. Craig Child Development Laboratory (page 25). If you’re a former student or employee, the parent of a child who attended or just someone who has long admired and appreciated the CDL, we want you to be part of it!

The Department of Design and Merchandising has launched a series of certificates in 3D Digital

Product Creation, filling a gap in the fashion industry and preparing our students for the workforce (page 36).

In this issue, we honor the careers and legacies of longtime faculty, including Dr. Barbara Stoecker, who retired this summer after 36 years at OSU and the Department of Nutritional Sciences. Stoecker’s impact has been felt not only here in Stillwater but across the world (page 12).

See how we’re inspiring the next generation of Women in Aviation (page 8). Glimpse a day in the life of Opportunity Orange Scholar Kaden White (page 4). Learn about award-winning faculty, staff, alumni and students and so much more.

The magazine provides a snapshot of our people, passion and purpose. We aspire each day to be the nation’s preeminent College of Education and Human Sciences, and there’s no doubt we are making a difference in our students, in our communities, across the state and around the world.

Dr. Jon E. Pedersen Dean, College of Education and Human Sciences

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ORANGE A N

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Editor’s Note: ASPIRE magazine spent a day with a member of Oklahoma State University’s new postsecondary program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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aden White’s day began with a 9:30 a.m. class for the Opportunity Orange Scholars, Topics II, where he sat front and center.

“I can’t believe we’re so far into the semester,” he quipped to the class.

The first half of class was spent discussing how to be professional in communication with professors and others in their networks regarding texting, calling and emailing.

White chuckled when Elizabeth Thomas — OOS project manager and instructor — asked if texting habits with friends and family should be different from texting with his boss or colleagues.

“Oh yeah, very different!” he said.

Discussion shifted to announcements about upcoming assignments. During the next class session, they would be cooking in the University Commons West dormitory kitchen while learning a recipe for microwave tacos.

With this new information, White perked up with excitement and assignments were made for which portions of the recipe each student would be responsible for providing.

“We tried to have a family dinner last week, but our schedules were too busy,” he shared of the OOS

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group while on the topic of meals. “We were going to make chicken sandwiches, so we’ll have to reschedule!”

Class carried on into conversation about preparing dorms for move out — this would be the final exam for the class.

Thomas spoke highly of White’s character in the classroom.

“He not only wants to be successful for himself, but he genuinely wants his peers and the other scholars of OOS to be successful,” she said. “He is always encouraging and motivating others along the way, which aligns perfectly with his career interest of wanting to work as a coach or have a leadership role for a professional sports team.”

After class, White took a route through the Student Union to check out what food options were available.

With his favorite restaurants not yet open, he made his way to the OOS space in the basement of Nancy Randolph Davis West.

During this break between classes, White joined some of the other OOS students and their academic partners to talk through their courses and extracurriculars. Fellow OOS student Matt Sitton recruited White to help him film a short video for his emergency management elective. White, willing and ready, answered Sitton’s questions about the kinds of natural disasters that could occur in Oklahoma, dorm evacuation procedures and tornado preparedness.

Once filming ended, White joined Dr. Emily Tucker — OOS program director — and the other students to go

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON

L I F E O N C A M P U S W I T H K A D E N W H I T E

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 5

Q&A with KADEN What has been the best part of your experience as an OOS student?

What has been the most important thing you have learned?

The best part of OOS was coming to OSU as a freshman and experiencing college life. Learning how to become mature and independent has been important to me.

What made you choose sports marketing as your elective?

I chose sports marketing because I thought it would be a fun class to take and prepare me for my chosen career path.

What about your internship are you most excited for?

I will be working with athletics staff at games, getting to throw T-shirts and set up before football and basketball games and wrestling matches.

I’m excited to have a sports pass to go to the events I’m not working.

What is your favorite part of your job at the Colvin?

I get to learn about multiple sports and see how they work.

There are always new experiences. Plus, it’s within walking distance of where I live.

What are your hopes for yourself after completing your program at OSU? I would like to live on my own somewhere in Oklahoma, with my own car and start a job as a basketball coach at a high school.

The ultimate dream? To help bring an NFL team to Oklahoma City.

What advice do you have for the new group of OOS students that will be joining you in the fall?

College goes by fast, and it can be easy if you do your homework, keep up with class work and show up on time. Don’t skip class and keep yourself motivated. There are a lot of opportunities out there so don’t be afraid to ask for help and just be yourself. Choose the right friends to hang out with and don’t sit in your room all day playing video games — join a club or play sports at the Colvin.

A FEW FUN FACTS: Favorite social media platform?

Snapchat Favorite meal in the Student Union?

Chick-Fil-A: 12 count nugget meal with fries and a large Powerade Favorite sports team?

OKC Thunder (After OSU, of course!)

Freshman year highlight?

Meeting the Cowboy basketball team and OSU hype man Les Thomas

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SCAN THE QR CODE TO VIEW “KADEN AND THE COWBOYS”

over enrollment for their next semester of coursework at OSU. Ahead of the game, White had already submitted his enrollment, so he spent his time showing the others how to navigate the process.

Tucker shared that White has been a model student in the program.

“We have absolutely loved having Kaden in the program for our first year of having OOS students on the OSUStillwater campus,” she said. “OOS was designed for students just like Kaden. He is hard-working, motivated, passionate about OSU and ultimately just wants to develop a community he can meaningfully be a part of. It has been so fun to watch him thrive by getting involved in intramural sports on campus and to see him build connections with other students, faculty and staff across the university.”

Chelby Inman, fellow OSU student and White’s academic partner, arrived in the basement to check in with him.

“Working with Kaden has been nothing short of wonderful,” Inman said. “One of my favorite memories I have of him was during his first week of his sports marketing class. He told me that I needed to meet him in University Commons West by 6:45 a.m. to get to his class by 8 a.m. Granted, the walk from his dorm to the Spears School of Business was only about 20 minutes, but he did not want to risk being late.

“I got there right on schedule, and he was already sitting in the lobby waiting for me. As time went on, he got more comfortable with leaving later for class and was even able to tell me that I did not need to join him anymore.”

First on their to-do list — checking emails. White’s sports marketing professor, Clay Billman, helped to coordinate a meeting about an internship opportunity so they discussed developing a response. With the email complete, White told Inman all that was left to do was update his resume with his job at the Colvin Recreation Center.

“Throughout the semester, I saw him grow as a student and become more confident in his abilities,” Inman said.

White then met with Abbey Jeffries, also an OOS academic partner, to go over campus engagement goals and check CampusLink for upcoming events

and activities. Kickball and pizza was the event he decided to attend for the week.

Jeffries shared how working with the OOS has been a source of personal growth as much as it has been a chance to provide support to the students.

“I initially heard about OOS from a parent of a student in my high school that I had peer-mentored for two years as part of our school’s inclusive program,” she said.

“I had reached out to OOS leadership to become a volunteer and decided to apply as a program partner.

This position has been a wonderful opportunity for me to go to school alongside the scholars and be someone for them to lean on academically, but also to build genuine friendships with them. I love seeing the progress the individual scholars make but also the progress of the program, especially in their first year.”

Approaching time for his next class, White made his way back across campus, stopping for lunch along the way.

Once again, he joined the OOS students for another program specific course titled seminar, led by Dr. Brandt Gardner.

Class started with casual chatter about what the group was up to before proceeding into the day’s topics.

“Who was the first person you told you’d been accepted to OSU’s Opportunity Orange Scholars program?” Gardner asked the class.

White coyly answered, “I told my mom before anyone else.”

The next person to learn the news was a favorite former teacher White referred to as Ms. Summers, from his hometown of Hominy, Oklahoma.

Throughout the period, White bantered with OOS classmate Maggie Suter about OSU Unified flag football.

Suter plays on the team while White serves as a referee.

“I was told to throw the flag with purpose!” White laughed in response to her jests.

The students discussed their upcoming project, a meeting with selfselected individuals who would be part of their “Circle of Support.” The goal of the exercise is to identify individuals who the students can lean on in their

areas of struggle and trust to keep them accountable to the goals they have set for themselves.

The assignment for the day was to determine an agenda for their personal meetings, with categories on what they were doing well, what they would like to do better and how their Circle of Support can help.

Much like any other student, the most common areas of improvement shared were in eating healthier, creating better sleep habits and sticking to exercise routines.

In White’s favorite elective, sports marketing, he shines. Sharing his insight on players’ stats and recent sports events is something Billman appreciates about White as a member of his class.

“He was a bit reserved at first, but he quickly became comfortable sharing his thoughts and opinions,” Billman said. “I know I can count on him to fill us in on the latest happenings. He is my NBA expert.”

His hard work and passion for sports landed him an internship with OSU Athletics working with the gameday marketing and promotions team for fall 2023, allowing him hands-on experience alongside other students and athletic department staff.

“I really hope OSU is able to expand the OOS program in the coming years and provide a collegiate experience for many more students like Kaden,” Billman said. “It’s a game-changer, for sure.”

OOS is an inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities, where students are fully immersed in the OSU experience as they live and learn on campus.

OOS is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a comprehensive transition program.

For information on how to apply to the program as a student or become otherwise involved with OOS, visit okla.st/ooscholars.

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 7

A Girls’ Eye View

Sixth-12th grade students explore aviation fields during Girls in Aviation Day

From left: OSU students Molly Bond and Kristen Cunningham volunteer at the event.

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From left: Amelia Danker, Kristen Cunningham, Dana Friend, Sarah Schafer, Molly Bond, Ana-Michelle Ichazo, Molly Amsler, Chloe Behrends and Trace Liles share knowledge about aviation to attendees.

itting behind the controls of a Cirrus Aircraft SR20, a 12-year-old girl peeked above the dashboard and through the windshield.

As she gazed at the lights, buttons, levers and gauges that make up the cockpit, she imagined herself in uniform, ascending into the air, navigating the aircraft through the sky.

More than 150 girls experienced a similar feeling during Girls in Aviation Day — an Oklahoma State University, American Airlines and Tulsa International Airport organized event.

Held at American Airlines Hangar 80 in Tulsa, the event invited sixth through 12th grade students to explore the field of aviation.

The Approach Aviation serves as one of Oklahoma’s largest industries, yet less than 30% of aviators are women and less than 6% are commercial pilots. With women making up the minority, faculty at OSU felt the need to raise awareness to female students.

Dr. Mallory Casebolt — associate professor for the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation — collaborated with Oklahoma aviation entities statewide to make that happen.

With Casebolt as the driving force, Girls in Aviation

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Day — a Women in Aviation International event — was brought to Tulsa in hopes to inspire the next generation of female aviators.

“The entire point of Girls in Aviation Day is to inspire and educate young ladies on the different opportunities in the field,” Casebolt said.

The event was first brought to Oklahoma in 2019. Although it was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19, Girls in Aviation Day was brought back as an annual event in 2022 and has only gained momentum since.

Takeoff Booths were set up by various aviation entities throughout the hangar, allowing attendees to explore aviation careers. Girls had the opportunity to walk through static airplanes and build their own aircraft out of fabric while learning about aerodynamics. Attendees also learned about weather principles through creating artwork with cotton balls, markers and their imagination.

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration spoke to girls about regulations and rules while pilots described the feeling of controlling an aircraft through the sky. Additionally, airline mechanics gave demonstrations of their tools and equipment, and

STORY SIERRA WALTER | PHOTOS KAREN GARDNER

Attendees immersed themselves into the field of aviation through engaging in a variety of career-related activities.

attendees heard from other professionals who shared their specialty.

To further immerse girls into the world of aviation, a photo booth was set up for attendees to dress the part and take photos with passports and flight badges.

The action-packed day allowed them to meet other aspiring aviators and visit with female pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft mechanics, engineers, drone pilots and other professionals.

In addition to meeting female professionals, preregistered attendees also went on an all-inclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Tulsa International Airport.

“Showing girls what aviation is by somebody that looks like them helps open their eyes to the possibility of working in aviation,” Casebolt said.

Additionally, faculty and students from collegiate aviation programs spoke with students about education pathways.

Dana Friend — an aerospace administration and operations professional pilot senior who is the OSU chapter of Women in Aviation International president — volunteered at the event. Friend said she is a testament to the impact Girls in Aviation Day makes, as she discovered her true calling when attending the event in 2019.

“I owe it all to Girls in Aviation Day,” Friend said. “I met fighter pilots — all women — and they inspired me to pursue a career in the Air Force.”

By the end of the day, girls gained knowledge from all corners of the aviation field, Friend said.

“Girls can make helicopters out of two pieces of paper and watch it fall from the balcony and learn about aerodynamic principles,” Friend said. “It’s engaging and inspiring.”

The event took 200 volunteers, representation from multiple aviation entities, student organizations, and a year of planning by Casebolt and other faculty to bring the event to fruition.

Thanks to Casebolt’s efforts, they received funding from the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission to continue their work of inspiring female aviators.

Landing As an aviation enthusiast herself, Casebolt feels excited about the work they have done, and looks forward to continuing the legacy of Girls in Aviation Day annually.

“To watch the fascination of little girls when they climb in an airplane and just see their face light up is incredibly rewarding,” Casebolt said.

LEARN MORE about aviation and space opportunities at okla.st/osuspace.

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 9

From left: Dr. Chad Depperschmidt, Dean Jon Pedersen, Dr. James D. Polk, Dr. Jon Loffi and Dr. Kat Gardner-Vandy pose for a picture.

Written in the Stars

NASA officer successfully defends aviation and space education doctoral dissertation at OSU

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r. J.D. Polk has already accomplished more than most do in a lifetime, but he has no plans of slowing down.

As NASA’s chief health and medical officer and a student at Oklahoma State University, he aims to provide the next generation with information critical to the field of spaceflight.

Despite already being triple boardcertified as an osteopathic doctor, an emergency medical doctor and a flight surgeon specializing in aerospace medicine, Polk decided to add another set of credentials to his title. He recently earned a Doctor of Education in Applied Educational Studies, with an option in aviation and space education.

Polk successfully defended his dissertation in October 2022 and graduated in December 2022. His dissertation — “Extreme Case Study Analysis: Lessons for Future Human Spaceflight Mishap Investigators and Technical Authorities” — brings a new level of dedication to space research and unparalleled expertise to OSU’s aviation and space education program.

Dr. Kat Gardner-Vandy, aviation and space assistant professor as well

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as Polk’s academic advisor, said his recommendations will have profound ramifications for the future of spaceflight.

“His dissertation is centered on case study analysis and interviews with past NASA investigators and technical authorities who were working firsthand on past spaceflight disasters that have resulted in loss of life,” Gardner-Vandy said. “The people who worked on the Challenger and Columbia have great knowledge, but it has to be teased out or the lessons learned from those events perish with the people.”

Polk’s role at NASA carries immense responsibility. He wanted to share his findings with future generations of aerospace leadership, whether they go on to join NASA or pursue privatized spaceflight.

“I kept telling myself, ‘I know what to do, I know where the gaps are.’ This was an opportunity to go vector,” Polk said. “I feel I have a moral and ethical responsibility. This is my method of succession planning.”

One of the most critical aspects of Polk’s position is overseeing the occupational health of employees at all

NASA locations. He provides waiver authority for current and former astronauts who remain under his care and surveillance after their spaceflight missions until the time of their death.

In a way, the Apollo mission is still ongoing despite the program officially ending in 1975.

Polk’s team helps prepare for human spaceflight alongside the rocket, spacecraft and aircraft crews, and all share a goal of mitigating errors.

“There’s a great deal of emotional intelligence required in such a role,” Polk said. “There are times when you, unfortunately, must keep moving forward with minimal emotional response.”

NASA’s Orion spacecraft circled the Moon on a flight test with no crew aboard, splashing down safely on Dec. 12, 2022. Future Orion flights to the Moon will include astronauts — something Polk aims to see through.

From an early age, Polk showed interest in a career in medicine or aerospace engineering. He recalls watching the Apollo 13 launch as a child.

“I was home sick with chicken pox and had nothing to do but watch the

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON

“He’s truly the hardest working individual I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with. His dissertation will become a benchmark and a catalyst for future work. Not just for NASA, but the FAA and commercial spaceflight.”

DR. KAT GARDNER-VANDY, AVIATION AND SPACE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

launch on our television — I was glued,” he said.

While serving as the chief of Metro Life Flight in Cleveland, Ohio, Polk was a member of the U.S. Air Force reserves and provided assistance in search and rescue missions as well as support for space shuttle launches. This became his segue to work for NASA, first as a flight surgeon and then climbing the ranks to his leadership role.

“The big question for me has been ‘How do I educate the next generation of leadership in my field?’ and pursuing further education of my own was the answer to that question,” he said. “It creates the opportunity to shift to teaching, whether that’s in affiliation with NASA or elsewhere.”

When looking at Ed.D. programs, Polk initially thought a doctorate of education was the pathway, but after finding OSU’s aerospace and aviation education doctoral program, the decision was a no brainer. Not only would he obtain an Ed.D., as was the aspiration, but it would be done specifically in the field that fit his passion with an ability to tailor the program to his unique goals.

The aviation and space doctoral program is offered entirely online, which was beneficial for his career and life overall, considering that he is based in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

“Not often, or really ever, do you see a current high-level government official becoming a student,” GardnerVandy said. “J.D. carried an immense responsibility for his research. He was privy to information, data and people at NASA that other students are not.”

Initially, Polk attempted to remain incognito to his fellow students but it

didn’t last long. He made a concerted effort to be sure he was just another student in class, contributing as was appropriate.

“If he faced any challenges in the curriculum, though, you wouldn’t know it,” Gardner-Vandy said. “J.D. was always incredibly respectful, eager to learn, enthusiastic and acted with the utmost humility. He’s truly the hardest working individual I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with.

“His dissertation will become a benchmark and a catalyst for future work. Not just for NASA, but the FAA and commercial spaceflight.”

There has been a huge shift in spaceflight in recent years, and it’s no longer just NASA completing missions.

With a rise in commercial and private spaceflight, there are numerous lessons NASA can teach those entities in regard to forensics, pathology and more. Many of these lessons are already being taught through NASA’s position as an anchor customer to some new ventures.

For these commercial and private vessels, NASA is not an investigator in the event a mishap occurs, but rather it is local first responders, coroners and officials who may be experiencing such an event for the first time.

What’s unique about spaceflight mishaps is that the physics, engineering and ultimately, the causes of death, are all different. Each occurrence is a new study conducted to discover potential errors and to inform future missions.

In many instances, experts look to aviation findings as plans are made for spaceflight. This is in part due to the fact that from a systems engineering perspective, each vehicle’s construct, function and purpose are all specific to

the mission at hand and vary between the numerous companies that now exist in the field of spaceflight.

“The position you never want to be in is one where you’ve identified an error but didn’t alter plans,” Polk said.

“If people can understand the ‘Why?’ It’s easier to accept change. There are nuances in education that allow you to check competencies.”

Polk’s new education credentials will give him the opportunity to spread his research firsthand.

He said his next big career goal is to continue to be valuable to NASA until we next see boots on the moon, which will happen as part of the Artemis missions — and then to add value for the next group of aerospace leaders.

Polk subsequently completed a graduate certificate in forensic investigative sciences at OSU in spring 2023.

“This has been so fortuitous, with J.D. thinking about life after NASA,” Gardner-Vandy said. “This is an opportunity for continued work and is truly just the beginning of his next chapter.”

Aviation and space programs within the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation are focused primarily on aviation, particularly for undergraduate offerings.

LEARN MORE about the

College of Education and Human Sciences’ aviation and space programs

okla.st/osuspace.

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 11

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STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS KELLY KERR, GARY LAWSON AND PHIL SHOCKLEY

Early in Dr. Barbara Stoecker’s career, she witnessed malnourished children living on the streets of Jamaica.

The trip was part of a 4-H International Farm Youth Exchange, and while Stoecker enjoyed immersing herself in the Jamaican culture during her seven months there, the thought of those children was always on her mind.

It was 1965, and Stoecker, who had just earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics education from Kansas State University, had a new area of focus: nutrition.

After Stoecker earned her Ph.D. in nutrition from Iowa State University in 1970, she set herself down a path that would last more than 50 years, culminating in her retirement from Oklahoma State University in May 2023.

Stoecker finished her career as a Regents Professor and Marilyn Thoma Chair for the College of Education and Human Sciences’ Department of Nutritional Sciences after a 36-year tenure with the university.

However, her career started after her graduation from ISU as a postdoctoral teacher and researcher. Stoecker and her husband, Arthur, set off for Thailand for the next four years, where her extensive experience in working on international issues truly began.

She joined the National Nutrition Institute and was based out of the Department of Pediatrics at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok. There, she delved deeper into the issues of childhood malnutrition, joining studies in vitamin A needs of preschool-aged children.

When Stoecker returned to the United States, she took a position at Texas Tech University where she earned her tenure. Eventually, Arthur was contacted about a position at OSU that would mark a significant moment in Stoecker's career.

Unsure of the change, but intrigued

by OSU’s history in international research, Stoecker reached out to friends and colleagues to get insight about the university and the department.

At the time, Dr. Esther Winterfeldt served not only as department head of nutritional sciences at OSU, but also as president of the American Dietetic Association; Stoecker recalls being told “If Dr. Winterfeldt is there, it’s a place you want to be.”

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In 1987, Stoecker officially joined OSU’s Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Her career largely focused on micronutrient research in children’s health and chronic disease and the study of trace minerals as they pertain to human nutrition. She became the department head of nutritional sciences from 1993 to 2001.

There, Stoecker recalls how much the department changed, including living through the renovation of the nutritional sciences laboratory.

“The space was down to bare bones,” Stoecker said. “We spent about 18 months working out of small cubbies.”

Although the transition to the new space presented its challenges, she thanked former dean Dr. Patricia Knaub for cajoling supporters for the funds to make vital improvements to the space.

“The lab space still serves students well today,” Stoecker said. The idea was to promote collaboration through an open lab space while providing each investigator with their own bench.

“It’s created a really nice culture amongst the graduate students to help one another in their research.”

Until her retirement, Stoecker helped to oversee the Cellular and Molecular Nutrition Lab and managed specific pieces of the hightech equipment available for use by researchers across the OSU system.

She specialized in the Scanco Medical mCT 40, a unit designed to scan small bone specimens for the creation of 3D models to assess the bone’s structural and biomechanical properties without damaging the original, as well as the Perkin-Elmer Elan 9000 Inductively Coupled PlasmaMass Spectrometer (ICP-MS).

The ICP-MS is used to determine amounts of trace elements present only in the parts per billion range in the analysis of biological and environmental samples, such as blood, serums, food, water and soil.

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Stoecker eventually returned abroad as part of OSU trips, going to China, Jordan and Iraq, as well as Ethiopia where she has focused much of her research in micronutrients as it pertains to the health of children.

Stoecker was part of a cohort of professors sent to Ethiopia to assist in establishing a master’s program in applied human nutrition. At the time of their arrival to Hawassa University in Awassa, Ethiopia, the only similar offering was a two-year program in modified home economics.

She said the program was developed in a way so that students would take one class at a time, with 15 hours of weekly coursework plus exams, to complete an entire semester’s worth of curriculum in just three to four weeks before moving on to the next.

Because the instructors were coming from all over the world to establish the program — Stoecker noted a Canadian group as well as several German faculty in addition to her OSU colleagues — the goal was to move through the program at a quick enough pace that the students who had completed the new

master’s program would then be able to teach undergraduate coursework in metabolism as well as micro- and macronutrients.

Beyond teaching and curriculum development in Ethiopia, she’s also played an active role in helping native graduate students to secure funding to attend OSU to continue their education.

Current OSU Ph.D. candidate Hailu Reda, who has known Stoecker since 2013 and has been studying under her supervision, is appreciative of her work in his home country of Ethiopia.

“Dr. Stoecker’s support of Hawassa University is unmatched. Without her support, the master’s of science program in applied human nutrition would not have been realized,” Reda said.

“I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to study under her. She’s a very supportive, humble and generous advisor.”

Seeing the growth of that program has been a highlight of Stoecker’s career.

“So many of the folks that we taught in the early years of the master’s program have now gone on to become leaders of nutrition in their country,” Stoecker said.

Unsurprisingly, her career has been marked with a multitude of accolades.

Stoecker was named an OSU Regents Professor in 2002, received the university’s eminent faculty award in 2008, and in 2010 was honored to receive the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award presented by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

She received the university’s Regents Distinguished Research Award in 2015, and in 2016 was selected for induction into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.

Stoecker was recently awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Hawassa University for her tremendous contributions in teaching and research.

Despite being highly regarded throughout the field of nutrition on an international scale, praised as a pioneer of discoveries in trace elements, and a highly distinguished scholar with more than 250 authored or co-authored published works as well as 17 funded grants, Stoecker has remained humble.

Her biggest achievement has been training and mentoring the next generation of nutritional scientists abroad and at home.

Stoecker recalls her time spent in Stillwater fondly.

“One of the best parts of our time here was raising our three children

in this community. We have two OSU grads and a graduate of Drake University,” she said.

Family is of high value to Stoecker — and that has extended beyond her own.

“We really have gained special friends and become close to many families,” she said.

She and Arthur opened their home for many years to agricultural economics and nutrition students, as well as other ‘found’ students as she referred to them, for Thanksgiving when the students were unable to travel to their own families.

For this reason, among others beyond her scholarly efforts, Stoecker has been well-liked by her students and is known for being generous with her time.

Stoecker said watching the department’s curriculum evolve over the last few decades has been fun. She remembers when the option for premedicine was added as a program and how amazing it’s been to witness the significant number of those graduates who have gone on to practice medicine. Allied health followed and has produced a multitude of registered dietitians across the nation.

Fellow OSU professor Dr. Edralin Lucas, who Stoecker hired in 2005 initially as a lab manager, said for as long as she’s known Stoecker she’s been calm, soft spoken and good natured.

“She’s one of the hardest working people I know,” Lucas said. “She would spend months abroad focused on her research, and be back to teaching her students at OSU the day following her return without skipping a beat.”

This sentiment was echoed by many others she’s engaged with over the years.

Dr. Yewelsew Abebe, professor and associate vice president for research and development at Hawassa University, came to OSU through an African Women’s Leadership Scholarship and studied for her Ph.D. under Stoecker’s advisement.

“Dr. Stoecker’s professional dedication, devotion and humility has inspired so many of us to contribute what we have to offer to the field of nutrition,” Abebe said. “She is not only an excellent mentor with farsighted leadership, but has become a genuine family friend over the years.”

Other faculty and students from Hawassa University shared resounding words of gratitude for Stoecker’s guidance, with the overarching message.

“She is the mother of us all,” they said.

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Celebrating Alumni

Heal Orange, Teach Orange events highlight educators and health care professionals

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chools and hospitals are critical to community survival, as are the people who work in them.

To recognize them, the Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences celebrated alumni in education and health care during the 2022-23 academic year.

TEACH ORANGE

Oklahoma teachers were honored for their impact in education with on-field recognition at the Nov. 12, 2022, OSU vs.

Iowa State football game.

The college’s Office of Educator Support provided 10 selected individuals with tickets to attend the game, a Teach Orange T-shirt and $500 to support their classroom. The group was also celebrated during a pregame pep rally at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.

Dr. Shelbie Witte — who serves as senior director of teacher education and head of the School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences — shared that her team was inspired by the nearly 200 entries.

“We had a range of entries from firstyear teachers to veteran teachers of more than 20 years, all with a similar message,” Witte said. “Their ‘why’ for teaching goes beyond simply educating students in the classroom. For most, it is a hope that they will shape the lives of children in meaningful ways that will be carried on for a lifetime.”

The passion for teaching across Oklahoma is evident. OSU graduates and those from other universities

shared their love of education, resulting in the 10 honored educators.

“The on-field recognition may have highlighted just 10 of us, but I feel we were acting as representatives of the profession,” said Tammy BrightWiggins, sixth and seventh grade reading specialist for Stillwater Public Schools.

“The diverse group seemed to represent many areas of the state, various subjects taught and years of experience.”

Julissa Soto, second grade teacher for Crooked Oak Public Schools in Oklahoma City, echoed the sentiment.

“I stood on that field for every educator in this country because we do what we do every day because of the care and love we have for the children in our communities,” Soto said. “The recognition by the college was a thoughtful act.”

Nikki Longan, kindergarten teacher for Perkins-Tryon Elementary, said it was meaningful to be appreciated and recognized.

“It is not always easy and not always appreciated, but I would not trade it for anything,” Longan said.

CEHS Dean Jon Pedersen expressed congratulations to the individuals celebrated during the game and his gratitude for teachers across the state.

“We are honored to recognize some of our state’s best teachers in a small way through this ceremony and the Teach Orange initiative,” Dr. Pedersen said. “We are immensely proud of the teachers in our communities and all they do for our children, youth and families in Oklahoma.”

LEARN MORE about how to get involved with the College of Education and Human Sciences alumni programs visit education.okstate.edu/alumni.

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TEACH ORANGE HONOREES Wes Ankrom, eighth grade science, Yukon Middle School, Yukon Public Schools Tammy Bright-Wiggins, sixthseventh grade reading specialist, Stillwater Middle School, Stillwater Public Schools Callie Duncan, ninth-12th grade math, Glencoe High School, Glencoe Public Schools Chase Ferguson, seventh-12th grade agricultural education, Shawnee Public Schools Mickala Gorrell, seventh-11th grade English, CovingtonDouglas Public Schools Rachel Lewelling, kindergarten5th grade physical education, Cedar Ridge Elementary, Union Public Schools Nicole Longan, kindergarten, Perkins-Tryon Elementary, Perkins-Tryon Public Schools Kristina Morris, fifth grade, Pat Henry Elementary, Lawton Public Schools Julissa Soto, second grade, Central Oak Elementary, Crooked Oak Public Schools Elizabeth Ziegler, 10th-12th grade, theater/drama, Stillwater High School, Stillwater Public Schools

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS PROVIDED

Top, from left: Dean Jon Pedersen, Mickala Gorrell, Tammy Bright-Wiggins, Chase Ferguson, Nicole Longan, Julissa Soto, Rachel Lewelling, Elizabeth Ziegler, Kristina Morris, Callie Duncan, Wes Ankrom and Dr. Shelbie Witte.

Bottom, from left: Ashlee Parson, Erica Lingerfelt, Bethany Hamilton, (Johnell) Unique Nacole Pimpton, Dr. Joy Kelley, David Coates, (Todd) Heidi Gilbert and Dean Jon Pedersen.

HEAL ORANGE

Health care alumni were recognized for their important work caring for patients and promoting mental, physical and relational health with on-court recognition at the Feb. 4, 2023, OSU vs.

TCU men’s basketball game.

The seven selected individuals represent degree programs in areas of nutritional sciences and dietetics, nursing, counseling and counseling psychology. As part of their recognition, they received game tickets, a Heal Orange T-shirt and enjoyed a pregame reception.

With a mix of recent graduates and veterans in the workforce, the honorees have a common passion for service.

“I love seeing people heal and thrive when they are cared for by not just me, but others on our awesome health care team,” said Arica Lingerfelt, clinical dietician at OSU Medical Center in Tulsa.

“It’s awesome when we can do a little thing that means a lot to the patient.

Their smiling faces are priceless!”

For licensed professional counselor Ashlee Parson, her success is found in making a difference in peoples’ lives.

“I enjoy being able to help others on their mental health journey while also supplying people with coping strategies and skills to better enrich their lives,” she said. “It’s the trust and the alliances that are formed that give me great joy in being a supporter of individuals as I get to be their cheerleader and watch them make progress in their healing.”

After seven years working at Stillwater Medical Center, David Coates said it has been an honor to serve as secondary registered nurse for Stillwater Public Schools.

“Simply being there for students, staff and parents – it’s very fulfilling,” Coates said.

Pedersen celebrated with the honorees and shared his praise for their important work in their communities.

“We’re proud to prepare students for careers across many health care sectors,” Pedersen said. “It’s great to connect with alumni and supporters of our programs and be able to personally thank them for the critical roles they play in creating happy, healthy, balanced lives for those they serve.”

HEAL ORANGE HONOREES David Coates, secondary registered nurse, Stillwater Public Schools Heidi Gilbert, registered nurse and emergency department clinical educator, Stillwater Medical Center Bethany Hamilton, clinical dietician, Integris Health Dr. Joy Kelley, psychologist, Liberty Healthcare of Oklahoma Arica Lingerfelt, clinical dietician, OSU Medical Center Ashlee Parson, licensed professional counselor, Integrated Therapy Solutions Unique Nacole Pimpton, registered nurse, Elara Healthcare

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Everyday Leaders Nancy Randolph Davis celebration allows campus to reflect on civil rights pioneer

Oklahoma State University strives to maintain a welcoming environment for all students. Every year, OSU also tributes a trailblazing student who broke barriers in her time on campus.

In March 2023, the College of Education and Human Sciences hosted a celebration in honor of the late Nancy Randolph Davis, the first African American to enroll at then Oklahoma A&M College in 1949.

Dr. Darius Prier was proud to present the program. More than 100 students, faculty and staff attended the event.

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“Davis is a seminal, historical figure that symbolizes and represents the very best of OSU’s ideals toward a welcoming environment. Her life and legacy offer lessons to be learned for our current faculty, staff and students alike,” Prier said.

Prier’s resounding message for the program was about how OSU as a university can foster a feeling of coming together, not in spite of, but because of people’s differences.

Keynote speaker Dr. Michelle Bryan — associate professor of educational

leadership and policies at the University of South Carolina — shared a wealth of knowledge about Davis’ life history, ongoing legacy and the lessons people can apply to their everyday lives.

When Davis was admitted to OSU, it was with the understanding that she was required to sit outside the classroom in the hallway due to Jim Crow laws. After making the second highest score on a test, her white classmates recognized her intellect and insisted to their professor that she join them, resulting in her ability to join the other students in

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS CEHS MARKETING

the classroom. Davis was no longer seen as a threat to the learning environment by her peers but as someone who could enrich their discussions.

Davis’ determination in attending OAMC was simply due to its proximity to Dunjee High School where she taught home economics — and because it was her right.

Although now recognized as a civil rights activist and trailblazer for equality in higher education, Davis did not see herself as a changemaker.

“One does not need to see themselves as a leader or be in a position of authority to become a changemaker,” Bryan said.

“Institutional transformation is situated in how we interact and advocate for all students to become everyday leaders.”

In addition to the keynote presentation, a panel of faculty and graduate students from a variety of backgrounds and academic units engaged in dialogue on the historical implications of Davis’ pioneering efforts for inclusive practices.

Panelist Dr. Olajumoke Beulah Adigun — an assistant professor in the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation — feels the way people can foster a commitment to a welcoming campus is in creating a conducive environment for conversation.

“Everyone wants to be heard. As a society, we often spend more time talking and not enough time listening — not just listening to what is being said but to who is saying it,” Adigun said.

In Davis’ case, people eventually listened to her needs, thus paving the way to a more equitable environment for all degree-seeking individuals.

College of Education and Human Sciences Dean Jon Pedersen shared what an honor it was to celebrate the occasion.

“We feel strongly about what Nancy Randolph Davis means to the college, campus and our greater community,” Dr. Pedersen said. “Her legacy will continue to have a positive impact for years to come.”

Echoing this sentiment, OSU’s provost and senior vice president, Dr. Jeanette Mendez, said everyone can learn from Davis’ acts.

“Woven in the university’s academic mission are the ways by which we can prepare students within the classroom to do good beyond the classroom,” she said.

When considering what it means to be welcoming and inclusive, values such as advocacy, empathy, benevolence and commitment are at the forefront.

Dr. Emily Tucker, assistant professor and program director for OSU’s Opportunity Orange Scholars, added that when spaces are created where an individual is allowed to be whomever they are, that is where they have an opportunity for connection and belongingness amongst individuals from all backgrounds.

Top right: Panelists (from left): Mark Nelson Ph.D. candidate, Julia Pavon Rojas, Dr. Emily Tucker, Dr. Olajumoke Beulah Adigun and Dr. Douglas Knutson. Bottom left: Dr. Darius Prier addresses the room. Bottom right: Keynote speaker Dr. Michelle Bryan, associate professor of educational leadership and policies at the University of South Carolina.

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Critical Care

New on-campus Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will aid state’s health care industry

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much needed and highly sought after degree program is finally coming to Stillwater.

Oklahoma State University’s work to prepare health care professionals and enhance the health of Oklahoma took another step forward with the university welcoming its first class of nursing students to campus this fall. The new Bachelor of Science in Nursing on the flagship campus will help meet Oklahoma’s ongoing and critical shortage of nurses.

According to the Oklahoma Nurses Association, the state is ranked 46th in the U.S. for the number of registered nurses per capita. In 2021, the national average was 1,100 nurses per 100,000 people; in Oklahoma, there were only about 700. In 2021, 35% of the licensed nurses in Oklahoma were at or near retirement age, exacerbating the issue.

“The shortage of qualified health care providers in Oklahoma is only going to intensify without a focused effort to provide pathways of opportunity for aspiring nurses,” said OSU President Kayse Shrum, who started in the medical field as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. “As a physician, I learned firsthand the immense value nurses provide in patient care. You cannot run a hospital or clinic without their expertise. Increasing the

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number of graduates in critical areas is a key tenet of our land-grant mission, and I’m excited about the impact this new program will have, certainly for students, but also for patients and health care entities across the state.”

While OSU-Stillwater has offered an accredited, fully online RN to BSN completion degree since 2017, there has been strong interest from prospective students and health care partners in a four-year, on-campus degree.

“We have traditionally had hundreds of students each year inquire about a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. There’s a real desire to come to OSU, to be part of the nursing profession,” said Dr. Jon Pedersen, College of Education and Human Sciences dean.

Pedersen said he is grateful to Dr. Shrum and Provost Jeanette Mendez for their leadership and support in making the new BSN a reality.

“We feel very fortunate to be able to develop this program and to recruit not only from Oklahoma but surrounding areas. We want to make sure we get it right,” he said.

Dr. Alana Cluck, who is an RN, has served as director for the online RN to BSN completion degree, which has been ranked among the nation’s best online degree programs by EduMed.org.

STORY CHRISTY LANG | PHOTO KELLY KERR

Cluck diligently worked to develop the on-campus, four-year degree. Housed in the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology — which is part of the College of Education and Human Sciences — the program is already accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Once the university announced the program in March, preparations shifted into high gear. Faculty and staff worked for the remainder of the spring and early summer to admit the first class of students to the professional program and hire additional faculty.

Visiting assistant professor Dr. Chris Fisher and clinical assistant professors Georgie Stoops and Dr. Tracy Kendall have joined Cluck and clinical faculty member Amy Birchfield. Renovation plans to create a new, fully equipped simulation lab also moved forward.

Cluck said the program is committed to an exceptional learning experience for students.

“We are ready to prepare leaders to meet the health care needs of individuals, families and communities in complex, challenging environments,” Cluck said. “Our students will have an opportunity to focus on underserved

and rural populations as they learn to infuse prevention and total wellness practices in health care systems.”

Students will participate in 600 hours of clinical experience through partnerships with medical facilities such as Stillwater Medical Center, OSU Medical Center in Tulsa and more, gaining hands-on experience with patients in both rural and urban settings. Graduates will be well prepared to meet the dynamic health care needs of individuals, families and communities upon completing the program.

The new bachelor’s degree in nursing adds to a strong collection of health-focused programs in the College of Education and Human Sciences.

“About one-third of students studying in the College of Education and Human Sciences are pursuing degrees related to nutritional, physical, mental or relational health. With this new BSN, we’re strengthening our work to prepare graduates for high-demand jobs in the growing health care sector,” Pedersen said. “I’m excited about new opportunities to collaborate across degree programs and to expand on our existing partnerships with the health care partners.”

INTERESTED IN AN OSU NURSING DEGREE? Prospective students who want to pursue a degree in nursing must complete OSU’s undergraduate admissions application and select nursing as their major. In the semester prior to completing the 59 hours of prerequisite coursework, students in the nursing major will complete a competitive secondary application for admission into the professional nursing program required to complete the Nursing (BSN) degree. Learn more about prerequisites and the secondary application here: okla.st/BSN Already an RN looking to complete a four-year degree?

Learn more about the fully online RN to BSN completion program here: okla/st/RNBSN

From left: Tracy Hernon, Jackalyn Patterson, Ally Bartley, Anna Hester, Kinsley Fitzsimons and Citlally Salgado are some of OSU-Stillwater’s students in the new nursing program.

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Students learn to design environments for older adults and individuals living with physical and cognitive challenges.

Rethinking Aging OSU faculty work to bring new ways to address the needs of an aging population

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e are all aging — from our first breath to our last.

Thanks to new medical advances, people are living longer, resulting in an unprecedented growth in the population of older adults.

While this is a win in many regards, an aging population forces our society to rethink the structure of care for those who need extra support.

Dr. Emily Roberts, an Oklahoma State University Design and Merchandising associate professor, has used research and personal experience to develop improvements for an aging community.

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“We’re all aging, whether we’re 25 or 75,” Roberts said. “There are things that we can be doing throughout our life to help with that process.”

Roberts has dedicated the past decade of her career to researching the aging process and the physical environment that impacts older adults.

While there are many variables, Roberts has worked to find programmatic and design solutions to better serve an aging population.

CHANGING PERSPECTIVE Although Roberts has an architectural background, a personal

experience drew her to research the intersection of design and gerontology.

She was caring for an older family member and encountered challenges that did not sit well with her.

“The journey I went on caring for my family member opened my eyes to many issues within our health care system which can and should be changed,” Roberts said.

Roberts recalls her family member feeling judged by others who didn’t understand her condition. It was difficult to find proper care and housing accommodations, plus there was a lack of resources.

STORY SIERRA WALTER | PHOTOS KELLY KERR AND DIANA HASLETT

“I hope by the end of my classes, students will start thinking about their role in the aging process. It’s not us and them; it is we; we are all aging. We must start thinking about what we can do to make things better for an aging population.”

DR. EMILY ROBERTS, DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

The experience prompted Roberts to combine her interior design skills with new insight to make a change.

She returned to school and completed a Master of Science in gerontology and a Ph.D. in environment and behavior in architectural studies.

In 2015, she accepted a job at OSU as an environmental gerontologist.

“I look at spaces where older adults will be, whether it’s at home, a long-term care facility or a memory care facility,” Roberts said. “It gives me a broad lens to look at the aging process, which keeps me very excited about my job.”

One of her first projects was co-developing Active Aging for L.I.F.E. — a program focused on four core areas: longevity, independence, fitness and engagement. OSU brought this curriculum to older adults, college-aged students and the public to educate all demographics about aging practices that promote long-term health.

Additionally, Roberts infuses this curriculum in courses she teaches, challenging students to look at the aging process differently.

“I hope by the end of my classes, students will start thinking about their role in the aging process,” Roberts said.

“It’s not us and them; it is we; we are all aging. We must start thinking about what we can do to make things better for an aging population.”

Students are asked to tackle this ethical question by designing spaces that offer accommodations intended to meet potential needs of older adults, such as a dementia village.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH When diagnosed with dementia, individuals often require care from

trained professionals and are sent to a memory care setting.

Roberts said that while patients receive the care they need, they often lose a certain level of freedom.

“Here at OSU, we are rethinking the way we care for these vulnerable populations that deserve the same level of autonomy as we do,” Roberts said, “Just because an individual is living with dementia doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have the freedom to make choices in how to spend their days.”

To create a different model that prioritizes autonomy and focuses on the individual, Roberts looked at care facilities outside the U.S. In her search, Roberts discovered a dementia village.

First created in the Netherlands, a dementia village is a four to 10-acre secured site with indoor and outdoor connection. Trained caretakers and nurses assist residents with day-to-day activities, but residents are free to make personal decisions on how they want to spend their days within the village.

They include housing, grocery stores, gardens and other venues residents are free to explore and use.

While European countries found success in this model of care, the U.S. has yet to adopt these practices due to existing paradigms of care. Nonetheless, Roberts remains determined in her pursuit to bring the village alternative to the U.S.

Students discover difficulties a person with disabilities may encounter and learn how to design spaces to accommodate those needs.

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THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Following a visit to the dementia village in the Netherlands, Roberts experienced a “lightbulb” moment while visiting an existing mall.

“The malls in America have similar design aspects to the dementia villages including open walking areas and opportunities for inside and outside transitions,” Roberts said. “Many malls are closing in the U.S. due to online shopping and other factors.

Repurposing the infrastructure of these spaces for the village model makes sense on many levels.”

Students have helped Roberts bring this new idea to life by designing an 800,000-square foot case study of a dementia village within the walls of a closed mall. Roberts traveled to Washington, D.C., to share this idea with lawmakers and has been interviewed by “The New York Times” and National Public Radio on the conceptual model.

Her hope is to bring attention to the possibilities of thinking outside the box at the federal and local levels.

In addition to her work on new models of care, Roberts recently co-edited a book on the future of long-term care and is working on

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Drs. Emily Roberts and Alex Bishop test out new caregiving technology.

assistive technology and robotics for dementia home care. She and Dr. Alex Bishop, OSU Human Development and Family Science professor, are currently working on testing for remote caregiving technology with a newly purchased TEMI robot in her Human Environmental Factors Lab. Looking ahead, Roberts continues to work on her projects while educating students and the public about aging.

“Aging is part of the human experience,” Roberts said. “We are all on that journey because we are

all aging throughout our lifespan — whether you are college-aged, middleaged or an older adult. As designers and human scientists, it is our ethical role to work toward new paradigms of understanding for an aging population, both now and in the future.”

A Centennial Celebration Cleo L. Craig Child Development Lab prepares to celebrate 100th anniversary

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n 2024, the Cleo L. Craig Child Development Lab will mark its 100th anniversary at Oklahoma State University.

Planning is underway to celebrate the centennial with events and activities throughout 2024.

As the second oldest land-grant universitybased child development lab in the nation, the CDL has served the Stillwater community in various iterations since it first opened as a nursery school in 1924.

Beyond providing excellent child care, the CDL currently affords training opportunities for early childhood education students. It is a

center for interdisciplinary research in areas of child growth and development, curriculum development, assessment and screening, effective instructional practices and literacy development for students and faculty of the College of Education and Human Sciences as well as the OSU campus.

The CDL holds accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is an Oklahoma State Department of Education Accredited Non-Public School. It has been rated as a five-star child care facility by the state of Oklahoma and its Department of Human Services as of December 2022.

LEARN MORE about the CDL or join the waitlist for enrollment by visiting okla.st/cdl.

CONNECT WITH US FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Top left: Child Development Lab students pose on playground equipment at Oklahoma State University. Top right: As part of a cooperative effort with Stillwater Junior High School, Oklahoma A&M College allowed these students to study a group of preschoolers for a class, marking the beginnings of what would become the Child Development Lab. Bottom: CDL’s little Cowboys pose for a spirited picture in their classroom.

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS CEHS AND OSU ARCHIVES

Did you or your child attend the CDL? Did you work at the CDL? No matter your connection, we want you to be part of the celebration!

Please fill out this brief form to share your contact information: okla.st/cdlanniversary.

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STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS KELLY KERR

OSU alumnus’ daughter follows in his footsteps of becoming an educator

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Bill Peeper teaches students during an AP History class at Cushing High School. He has been an educator for almost 30 years.

Editor’s Note: ASPIRE magazine spent an afternoon with an OSU alumnus and his daughter, a current student studying elementary education in the College of Education and Human Sciences.

Walking into a classroom buzzing with energy as students discuss World War II is not something you will find in every high school.

For Cushing High School history teacher Bill Peeper, it is nothing out of the ordinary.

His classroom of 10th through 12th graders is full of laughter, camaraderie and encouragement among the students. More than just asking for the answer to a question, Peeper wants to be persuaded as to why they believe they are correct.

It’s the kind of atmosphere he is always trying to promote.

A FAMILY TRADITION Originally from Enid, Oklahoma, William (Bill) Peeper graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in education.

“I was just a farm kid attending Chisholm High School with other rural folks,” said Peeper, looking back on his youth.

His parents were both teachers, with his dad teaching vocational agriculture before taking over the family farm and

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his mom teaching kindergarten before becoming a librarian.

“We come from a long line of teachers. It’s kind of what we do in my family,” Peeper said. “A lot of my childhood was spent in my mom’s classroom, helping with projects, and doing odd jobs.”

His daughter, BreAnna, a graduate of Stillwater High School, has chosen to join the family profession. She is currently pursuing her own degree in elementary education from OSU as part of one of the largest incoming classes of students the university has seen.

For BreAnna, this background is what helped answer the question of what she wanted to do with her own career.

“I ultimately just wanted to choose a career path that would allow me to help people,” BreAnna said.

“Knowing that my dad and grandparents were all teachers, I initially wanted to do something different — something of my own — but I just kept coming back to teaching.”

BreAnna has enjoyed her OSU experience thus far.

“As a freshman, I only just began to take courses in education and childhood development in my second semester, and I love it,” she said. “I have always enjoyed working with young children and it’s exciting to know I’ll be helping to build the foundation of their education before passing them through to higher levels of learning.”

SHAPING MINDS While BreAnna is hoping to one day make an impact on a student’s life, Bill has been doing it for almost three decades.

For the 2022-23 school year, Bill was a finalist for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, representing Cushing Public Schools for his dedication to students.

“It has been a unique situation to be in, as a finalist for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. It’s a strange moment,” Bill said.

Bill humbly added that he doesn’t teach for any awards, but for the joy in the classroom.

“It is amazing that I have gotten to do this for 27 years. There aren’t many jobs that have such an impact on so many young people,” he said.

“I hope it’s seen through my presence in the classroom, the love I have for what I do.”

His biggest goal in teaching is to help students become inquisitive. He hopes to have them see the big picture and understand cultures from around the world.

Bill views history as a connection to the past and said his love of it began through early conversations with his grandparents.

“I’ve had a passion for history since I was young and there’s really no other content area that I could see myself giving so much energy to. The

BreAnna Peeper takes an elementary education class at Oklahoma State University.

interesting part about history is the ability to ask ourselves, ‘What’s the path forward?’” Bill said.

“To me, history is a connection between what was, what is and how it’s going to be. History isn’t all a feelgood story.”

Currently teaching U.S. History, Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History, AP Human Geography and History through Film, he spends each day living out his passion.

BreAnna said seeing her dad at work has been inspiring.

“I have spent a lot of time in his classroom throughout my life, helping with different projects, and I’ve watched him work with kids for years as a coach, but I hadn’t seen much of his interactions with students until recently. It has been interesting and awesome to get to watch him in action,” BreAnna said.

Bill said a primary part of what teaching is to him is developing the classroom culture.

“I want the students to think beyond the subject matter, to ask questions like ‘How do we interact with, engage, and trust one another? How do we disagree appropriately?’ There are a lot of layers to classroom management,” Bill said.

However, that support for the profession has taken a hit in recent years statewide. Having spent nearly 20 years of his career teaching in Kansas and the last 5 in Oklahoma,

Peeper notes the challenges Oklahoma teachers face.

“There are just not enough people in the state jumping into the profession and I’ve witnessed many classroom teachers struggle to find joy in their profession amongst the daily stressors,” Bill said.

He said that luckily, teaching in Cushing has been a great environment to continue his career in, with great support from administration and the local economy.

He also loves the kids in his Cushing classroom.

“They really rise to the expectation you ask of them. Through teaching, I’ve learned empathy, tolerance and patience that I never would have thought I could grasp,” Bill said.

“Every kid has a different story; they all have unique and diverse situations.”

A GOOD EXAMPLE Now, with his daughter soon to be a teacher in her own right, Bill shared with BreAnna the advice he wished he had gotten as an early career educator.

“There will be struggles, no doubt,” he said. “There will be tough days and tough situations. You will get frustrated. But there are so many more good days to balance things out. You have to love what you do. You’ve got to have fun with it.

“I have 100% confidence that BreAnna will become a great teacher.”

The biggest quality BreAnna hopes to emulate from her dad is his leadership. Watching him be a mentor to youth — whether as a teacher, basketball coach or leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes — has been inspiring.

BreAnna said that what she most wants her future students to learn from her is to be kind, considerate people.

Bill hopes to be remembered by his former students as a teacher who also coached, and not just a coach who happened to teach.

When asked about his hopes for the future of Oklahoma education over the next five years, Bill is most optimistic for support of the new-tothe-profession educators, whether they are fresh out of college or making a career change.

“If we can embrace that we’re all in this together, the easier it will be to guide and instruct the students,” Bill said. “As long as standards have been met, all I want to do is teach these kids about topics they haven’t yet learned about and help them to grow as individuals.”

To watch an interview with the Peepers, go to okla.st/peepers.

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Watching What You Eat OSU professor studying people’s behavior around dieting

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ieticians can present facts about food and diet to people, but oftentimes they don’t ignite changes in anyone’s diet.

People can understand that they should be eating more fruits and vegetables, and dieticians can tell them that all day, but it still won’t make them want to do it.

That’s where Dr. Ashlea Braun comes in.

Braun has been an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University since 2021.

Her work focuses on the bidirectional relationship between food and behaviors, which means she interacts directly with people most of the time.

Braun’s research aims to uncover what truly affects people’s diets.

“Over time, I’ve grown this appreciation for the influence that diet may have on our behavior,” Braun said. “So, it’s not just that we behave in a certain way and it influences our diet, but our diet influences the way we behave.”

She compared this to the idea of smoking cigarettes. Every billboard in the world can share the negative effects of smoking, but rarely do they cause anyone to stop smoking. Braun believes there’s some other reason they’re doing it and that they need more intensive support. She takes a similar approach to people’s diets.

This is where a tool called motivational interviewing can come in. It is a form of psychotherapy and behavioral counseling that, in the past, has been used to help people struggling with substance abuse. Now, Braun applies it to dieting.

“If somebody’s not eating the way they’re supposed to be eating, just as one could receive motivational interviewing for substance use, we can provide motivational interviewing for diet to help facilitate that change,” Braun said.

Braun has used this technique to help parents better their children’s

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Dr. Ashlea Braun is an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University.

diets. She would interview the parents, causing them to change their diet, which would indirectly influence the diet of the children.

Dr. Sam Emerson, an associate professor of nutritional sciences, said Braun is incredibly passionate about what she does.

“She’s not just trying to jump through hoops, she really wants to know the answers to her scientific questions,” Emerson said. “She can seem to find a way to get excited about any topic related to nutrition.”

In their research together, Emerson performed more of the clinical research, while Braun was interested in the behavioral components. The two have taken a look at the metabolic or body composition implications of eating ultra-processed foods, where Braun focused on the “why” questions.

“She asks why people do what they do, why they eat what they eat, and what the health implications are,” Emerson said. “So we’ve teamed up; she’s the behavioral expert.”

Braun is also the mentor of Olivia Pitasi, a nutritional sciences master’s student. Pitasi said Braun has helped her collect qualitative data, which was

something she hadn’t previously done much of, and she has learned how to use motivational interviewing.

Pitasi mentioned being able to use motivational interviewing in her everyday life.

“We spent the whole semester learning that process and how to implement the skills from motivational interviewing in our day-to-day lives, like when you’re talking to a friend or a colleague or a family member in terms of behavior change,” Pitasi said.

Braun is using motivational interviewing and spreading knowledge of it to fulfill her wish to support people.

Emerson and Pitasi both mentioned her drive to help people in the nutritional science world.

“My goal is to understand how we can better support people taking into consideration the contexts and the challenges, and the difficulties people face when they’re trying to decide what to eat,” Braun said. “I think it’s really challenging. That’s the basis of what we can do to make this easier for people so that they can change their behavior, they can eat better, and they can maintain optimal health in the long term.”

STORY MAK VANDRUFF | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON

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Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

New Extension initiative explores the benefit of group fitness

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or many, exercising becomes more and more difficult as you age.

A new program from Oklahoma State University is aiming to adapt a training regimen to fit people’s needs.

OSU’s new Stay Strong, Stay Healthy program was presented on campus for the first time at the Seretean Wellness Center this summer.

SSSH is an eight-week exercise program based on extensive scientific evidence. Research findings show SSSH participants improved their strength, flexibility, balance and experienced enhanced sleep quality. For older — as well as less active, middle-aged adults — results included reduced fall risk and increased independence.

SSSH is a national program model originally developed by the University of Missouri’s Dr. Steve Ball in 2005.

Dr. Bree Baker — assistant professor and Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Aging and eXercise (MAAX) Lab director in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation — knows the ins and outs of SSSH from her time as a postdoctoral researcher alongside Ball and maintains a close working relationship as the program launches.

“We were watching the program work firsthand, but we didn’t have the research to back it at the time,” Baker said. “We had to sit down and ask the questions: ‘Does it work? How much does it work? Does it work for a wide range of individuals?’”

SSSH saw real growth as it became an Extension program rather than being solely lab-based. This allowed for the program to reach many counties, with

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Dr. Bree Baker

nearly 15,000 individuals across the U.S. becoming involved. Now, utilizing Extension agency networks is the standard for the program.

The individuals who participated in the study were not regularly active when the program began. After eight weeks attending classes and practicing a variety of movements, participants found themselves to be stronger and more capable than they thought.

“We saw unexpected results beyond the findings we had hoped for,” Baker said.

When the first group of participants were contacted one year after their program had ended, many were still resistance training and noted a boost in their confidence, encouraging them to try new activities.

“Not many doctors prescribe weightlifting as a way to reduce fall risk,” Baker said. “The reality is that we have research that proves the efficacy of weight training for improved balance and mobility. This program model will positively impact Oklahomans’ lives.

“It’s absolutely not necessary to be in shape or regularly active to join the program.”

Baker said SSSH is trying to break down barriers to accessibility and educate people on the benefits of strength training. Hopefully, people can continue their activity even after the eight weeks.

The sessions at OSU are progressive in activity and training level. For the program’s first two weeks, participants may not even use weights but will focus on education of proper form and movements before working to

resistance training. Also included in the curriculum are nutritional facts and strategies.

Baker and her team are working diligently to bring this program to Extension agencies throughout the state, with the goal of SSSH having a presence in all 77 counties.

Kim Beard, assistant director for employee wellness at the Seretean Wellness Center, is one of the instructors for the on-campus class.

“After meeting with Dr. Bree Baker and learning about the program, I knew without a doubt that this was a program we needed to offer at OSU,” she said.

The Seretean Wellness Center was the perfect location, and starting the program over the summer when things were slower around campus was also ideal.

Validating the initial research sessions, progress was made in more than just physical abilities of participants.

“Participants really came out of their shells — the differences were huge not only in physical wellness but also social wellness,” Beard said.

“You could see the self-confidence of many in the class increasing with each passing week of the program.”

LEARN MORE about SSSH and visit okla.st/sssh.

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY

Classes are accessible for those with walkers and wheelchairs. To keep updated on more Department of Wellness programs, go to wellness.okstate.edu.

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Formerly the Center for Family Services, the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic offers therapy for couples, families and individuals on campus, throughout Stillwater and in surrounding communities.

Whether you are worried about difficulties within your relationships or challenges you may be facing as an individual, the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic at Oklahoma State University is available to support your unique needs.

The clinic is designed to provide competent, well-rounded mental health care at a low cost.

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PHOTOS KELLY KERR

A PLACE YOU CAN GET HELP Newly renamed Marriage and Family Therapy clinic offers relational support to campus and community

Formerly the Center for Family Services, the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic offers therapy for couples, families and individuals on campus, throughout Stillwater and in surrounding communities.

Whether you are worried about difficulties within your relationships or challenges you may be facing as an individual, the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic at Oklahoma State University is available to support your unique needs.

The clinic is designed to provide competent, well-rounded mental health care at a low cost.

The Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic is overseen by licensed practitioners and serves as a training space for graduate students in the college’s marriage and family therapy program.

Clinic staff regularly work with a variety of presenting client concerns, from individuals who may just need a little boost in their mental health to complex relationship and family issues that require ongoing support.

Counseling Our training clinic offers dynamic mental health services treating individuals, couples, parent-child relationships and more.

Research Informed Treatment

Our graduate student therapists are regularly engaging with current research on treatment, theory and use comprehensive assessment tools to assist in the therapeutic process.

A Convenient Location and Sliding Scale Fees Within the College of Education and Human Sciences’ Department of Human Development and Family Science, the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic is conveniently located on OSU’s campus and has reserved parking directly in front of the clinic.

The clinic operates on an income-based sliding payment scale to make therapy affordable for everyone.

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Oklahoma State University’s Department of Design and Merchandising is bringing fashion production into the digital age by piloting the nation’s first universitybased professional certificate program in 3D Digital Product Creation.

Three new certificates will teach students 3D skills and provide general

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knowledge of the overall 3D landscape in the fashion industry.

Launched in fall 2023, courses are offered for fashion students and industry professionals to become certified as 3D designers, 3D technical designers and 3D artists. A pathway to becoming a 3D material artist will be added to the portfolio in fall 2024.

The 3D Digital Product Creation courses will be led by instructor Diane Limbaugh, who has taught at OSU for more than a decade and provides industry insight and experience as a technical designer and owner of her own fashion brand.

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING

Meeting Industr y Need The certificate series was ideated through the 3D Retail Coalition (3D. RC) Education committee, which is comprised of dedicated industry professionals and educators who have met over the past seven years to determine the skills, skill level and knowledge needed in order to pursue a position in 3D Product Creation.

“I have never seen a technology adaptation in industry as fast as the major fashion entities switching to 3D technology,” said Dr. Lynn Boorady, head of OSU’s Department of Design and Merchandising.

In response to the critical industry need, leadership and faculty from the design and merchandising department developed four courses for each role and then refined them with constant feedback from industry partners to ensure that the question “Would you hire a person with these skills?” could be answered with a resounding yes from fashion companies.

“When we finally developed the skill matrices for each of the four industry positions, I knew it was time to develop something that would not only propel our students into their careers, but also be able to upskill others already in the industry,” she said.

“These skills are dearly needed, and these jobs pay well.”

Boorady said COVID-19 was the catalyst for moving to digital. However, many companies made the transition before the pandemic.

“It is a much more sustainable option for creating new designs, has a much faster turn-around time and allows everyone to work in a single online space to streamline the entire process from ideating through selling to the consumer,” she said.

Each certificate pathway has four courses to complete, with each requiring the completion of six or more modules that include instruction, assignments and practice.

Coursework will provide knowledge in navigating Browzwear software, allowing students to learn to use bodyscanned avatars and dress forms in a 3D space as well as pattern making in 3D, along with other industry utilized software. Determining appropriate materials for use and understanding placement of seams, artwork and trims helps to translate design into a 3D garment to be used for samples, fitting and testing fabric drapes.

“While we based our certificates on a single software, we introduce a myriad of different software to ensure that our students have the skills required,” Boorady said. “We wanted to mimic how industry works — and they use many different types of software to develop the best possible images and final products before going to market.

“They must because mistakes in manufacturing can cost companies significant losses.”

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Certificate Pathways The certificates all share the same first three courses for completion but differ in their respective capstone courses.

The individual classes for the Digital Product Creation certificate are self-paced, allowing students to sign in when they can to watch prerecorded lectures and complete weekly assignments. To progress through the sequence, students must obtain a grade of a C or better in each course.

Digital Product Creation is the first course students will take in the certificate program. Students will advance their 2D design skills with 3D digital creation, understand the importance of 3D software as it pertains to the apparel industry and be introduced to 3D software programs such as Browzwear’s V-stitcher and Stylezone.

Digital Product Creation II is next in the sequence, building on the basics learned in the first course. Students will continue to improve their knowledge and proficiency in 3D design by creating avatars, materials, and garment patterns, and learn to perfect simulations and styling. Skills will be advanced in Browzwear’s V-stitcher, and Stylezone and Blender tools will be introduced.

The third course, Advanced Digital Product Creation, will help students determine their pathway to 3D garment creation by further advancing 3D design knowledge. They will enhance their 3D skill set with advanced rendering, garment construction and animation of avatars.

The last course in the series expands on the advanced skills learned throughout the certificate program and allows students to focus on an individualized path as a 3D designer, 3D technical designer, 3D artist or 3D material designer. In the capstone course, students will learn additional software specific to their desired area of expertise.

Students who choose the 3D Apparel Designer pathway will learn to build 3D prototypes and samples executed to reflect design concepts; create accurate, detailed, high-quality renderings quickly and efficiently; and understand technical sketches, illustrations of construction details and multiple product views.

Those who opt for the 3D Apparel Technical Designer certificate will learn pattern making, block development

Spreading the Word 3D technology, and all it offers to fashion companies, has been a major topic at industry conferences for years.

The new 3D Digital Product Creation certificate program was announced during a panel session at the Product Innovation Apparel Conference in New York City on June 28.

OSU’s offerings were shared with more than 100 conference attendees by Boorady, instructor Diane Limbaugh, and fashion design and production graduate Carson Scott. Industry leaders were also present, including Safir Bellali — chair of the 3D Retail Coalition’s (3D. RC) education committee; Adrianne Hranko — senior fit engineer for

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Columbia Sportswear; and Joshua Young — director of digital product creation for VF Corp.

“3D Digital Product Creation is transforming the world of fashion for both students and the industry alike,” Scott said. “As a student, learning to work in 3D was a valuable tool that helped me become a more informed designer. I can visualize, validate and approve a digital twin before ever sewing a stitch.”

“The program has been userfriendly, intuitive and allowed me the flexibility that I needed to create what I want in 3D.”

and grading; understand digital pipelines and how they relate to the product development cycle; and gain digital asset management software experience including file management and attribution.

The final certificate pathway launching this fall is for students who wish to become 3D Apparel Artists. In this capstone course, students will learn to produce photorealistic 3D images or animations of apparel; understanding lighting principles and digital color processes; and learn applications of material textures and physics, along with trim, artwork, and embellishments.

Set to launch in the fall of 2024, the 3D Digital Material Designer certificate will teach students to understand measurement methods and devices for mechanical and physical properties as well as optical fabric maps; identify, communicate and categorize materials; and digitally recreate fabric based on optical and physical characteristics.

Courses 1. Digital Product Creation 2. Digital Product Creation II 3. Advanced Digital Product Creation 4. Capstone a. 3D Apparel Designer b. 3D Technical Designer c. 3D Apparel Artist d. 3D Material Designer (coming in 2024)

For more information, email diane.morton@okstate.edu, call 405-744-6552 or scan the QR code.

For current OSU students or those from other universities, courses begin in accordance with OSU’s academic calendar and may be counted for credit toward a degree program.

The course format for current undergraduate and graduate students is the same as for industry professionals, with the exception of having up to 15 weeks to complete each course during the fall and spring semesters.

Upon certificate completion, courses will be transcripted for submission to the university at which the student is pursuing a degree.

These certifications are specifically designed for those in the industry who are interested in reskilling or advancing their professional skills.

Upon certificate completion, learners will have the skills necessary to obtain a job in 3D product creation within the apparel industry.

The online certificate courses offer professionals in the workforce convenience and flexibility with prerecorded lectures and the ability to access the coursework from anywhere with internet.

Each course has six or more modules to complete, including slideshow presentations, video lectures, assignments, and quizzes. There are no exams. Students have up to six months to complete each course but can finish at a quicker pace if preferred.

“We know that everyone’s technology journey is different, and everyone has their own pace,” Boorady said. “Some people may be great at learning new software, while others may need more time. Some people have family responsibilities or are working long hours. We wanted to develop something that could fit into a variety of lifestyles and abilities.

“The self-paced courses, along with stellar support from Diane Limbaugh, will offer the opportunity for success.”

Because the courses are asynchronous and self-paced, individuals may start their studies at any time. Synchronous sections can be created for companies who wish to enroll six or more employees and should contact the department for more information.

Courses are $800 each or all four courses for the completion of one certificate can be packaged for $2,900.

An additional $150 fee is required to access Browzwear. Registration is now available at okla.st/register3dpc.

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NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS

Bite Sized

Welcoming new Nutritional Sciences department head to Cowboy country

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he Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences welcomed Dr. Norman Hord as the new head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences ahead of the fall 2023 semester.

Hord comes to Stillwater with an extensive background in nutritional health — as he earned his bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. in nutritional sciences from Michigan State University, Clemson University and Purdue University, respectively, as well as a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Throughout his career, he has held many faculty positions across the country, as he spent eight years at Oregon State University, where he was the school head for the Department of Biological and Populations Health Sciences. He most recently served as professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Allied Health where he chaired the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

As Hord embarks on his new appointment at Oklahoma State, he hopes to use his background and experience to help move the nutritional sciences department forward.

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ASPIRE magazine sat down with Hord to discuss his new position.

Where are you originally from?

I am a native of Battle Creek, Michigan — the “ready-to-eat cereal” capital of the world — and the first person in my family to get a college education. An interesting fact about my family is my mother was one of 16 children. You may have heard the proverb, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ and I was that child!

What sparked your passion for nutritional sciences?

My interest was sparked while recovering from a wrist injury in high school. As a tennis player, I was devastated to sustain an injury during the tournament season prior to my freshman year of college. The injury prompted me to start reading popular books about nutrition, and through my recovery process, I became hooked on nutrition!

and grow excellent programs in our college while making new collaborations in research. I hope to provide support and vision for new initiatives at Oklahoma State University to further our land-grant mission.

Do you have any hobbies outside of your career?

I love spending time with friends and family (especially my grandchildren), working out, reading, going to music festivals, and exploring new cuisines and restaurants.

As a nutritional scientist and registered dietitian, do you have a go-to, healthy meal?

I love oatmeal with nuts, berries and honey for breakfast and salads made from arugula with tuna, hummus, avocado and tomatoes for lunch. My favorite recipe is a white bean chicken chili — the dish is nutritious, high in fiber and spicy!

What goals do you have for the OSU Department of Nutritional Sciences?

I look forward to working with faculty, staff and students to maintain

STORY SIERRA WALTER | PHOTO KELLY KERR

Becoming Official Hammer confirmed as new head of community health sciences, counseling and counseling psychology

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r. Tonya Hammer was appointed as department head for the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology by the OSU/ A&M Board of Regents on July 1, 2023, after serving as interim department head for one year.

From Belton, Texas, Hammer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, respectively. In 2001, she earned a Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

Her first faculty appointment was at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. In 2013, she began as an assistant professor on the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa campus. In her time as department head, she hopes to help each of the individual programs within her school realize their goals.

ASPIRE magazine spoke with Hammer about her promotion.

What do you enjoy most about working in our college?

So many things — but the main highlight is the collaborative nature of the leadership in the college. Working

STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTO KELLY KERR

with Dean [Jon] Pedersen and others on the leadership team helps to make my job fun and inspiring.

innovative and contributes to our community and the university’s landgrant mission.

Beyond becoming department head, what is your biggest accomplishment during your tenure at OSU?

What was your influence in pursuing a career in counseling education?

Being promoted to full professor in 2022 was a major accomplishment in my career. My involvement in helping the master’s counseling program obtain re-accreditation twice during my time at OSU has been a wonderful feeling as well — exhausting, but wonderful.

What goals do you have for the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology?

Increasing enrollment in the undergraduate and newly approved doctoral program for public health, continuing to train outstanding master’s and doctoral level clinicians in counseling and counseling psychology, and building our new Bachelor of Science in Nursing into one of the premier nursing programs in the country. I hope to support the faculty in my unit as they seek to produce scholarly work that is

I was volunteering with youth and felt inadequate having only a degree in English. I decided I wanted to become better equipped to help them and went back to school. I fell in love with the field and quickly knew I wanted to obtain my doctorate and teach.

As a member of the counseling community, what advice do you have for students navigating life on campus?

It’s so important to have a sense of belonging in order to be successful.

Get involved, meet people, find your connections. If you need help, ask.

We have so many resources on this campus to help students.

What are your hobbies?

I love to cook for other people. I have found a love for antiquing in the last few years, helping my mom to find items to sell in her shop at an antique mall in Salado, Texas. I also love to travel.

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Closing a Chapter

Celebrating more than 60 years of service to OSU

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wo College of Education and Human Sciences professors are retiring after over a combined six decades at Oklahoma State University.

Drs. Laura Hubbs-Tait and Shiretta Ownbey have seen the college change many times in their tenure and have taught hundreds of students in their respective departments.

Dr. Laura Hubbs-Tait Hubbs-Tait served as a regents professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science for 31 years.

During her tenure, she remained steadfast in her commitment to teaching students and furthering

research in the field she was most passionate about.

Originally from Austin, Texas, Hubbs-Tait was inspired by her parents.

While her father influenced her love of science through his career as an ichthyologist, her mother inspired her through her work as a psychologist.

“I breathed my mother’s passion for children in need,” Hubbs-Tait said. “The combination of my parents’ interests led me to focus on developmental and child psychology.”

Thanks to the foundation and inspiration Hubbs-Tait’s parents instilled in her, she pursued her passion at the University of Michigan and completed a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She continued her education at Boston University where she earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in psychology.

Throughout her education, she was mentored by influential faculty members who eventually led her to take a position at OSU in 1992.

During the three decades HubbsTait served OSU, she found her greatest love was helping students through mentorship and encouragement. She also enjoyed working with colleagues on research she found important. In 2018, she received the Society for Research in Human Development Outstanding Mentor Award for her outstanding efforts in helping those around her.

As she prepares for retirement, Hubbs-Tait looks forward to spending time with family and serving as a volunteer to help those in need.

“Students and faculty of the OSU College of Education and Human Sciences are lucky to have worked with and learned from Dr. Hubbs-Tait,” CEHS Dean Jon Pedersen said. “She has put her mark on the college through her kindness, mentorship and passion for helping people.”

Dr. Laura Hubbs-Tait

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STORY SIERRA WALTER | PHOTOS TODD JOHNSON AND JOHN JOHNSON

Dr. Shiretta Ownbey Ownbey wraps up 30 years serving CEHS as professor, faculty fellow and administrator. Her service touched many aspects of the college from student success, recruitment and the advancement and promotion of human sciences.

A Texas native, Ownbey’s career started as a county extension educator and public school teacher. After a few years in the field, she decided to finish her education while continuing to work full time. In 1991, she completed a Ph.D. in clothing, textiles and merchandising at Texas Tech University.

Shortly after, Ownbey was hired at OSU as an assistant professor where she remained for the rest of her career. As a design and merchandising faculty member, she helped increase enrollment and greatly impacted student success in the college.

Within just a decade of service, Ownbey was promoted to associate dean where she strategized ways to increase student retention rates. Through her research, she discovered better methods to serve students’ needs and created the first student success center for the college and university.

As a result of the new initiative, the college’s retention rates strengthened.

This groundbreaking success led to other colleges across campus following in pursuit.

“It simply takes someone — some college, some department — to step out, to provide an example, to base decisions on past research and make a change,” Ownbey said.

From helping relaunch a new degree within family and consumer sciences education to creating scholarship funds, Ownbey continued to make an impact in her beloved college.

It comes as no surprise that Ownbey received many awards throughout her tenure. A few accolades include the Ellen Swallow Richards Public Service Award, Academic Advisor Award from OSU and Regents Distinguished Teaching Award.

“The OSU College of Education and Human Sciences wouldn’t be the leading academic destination for human

sciences without the contributions of Dr. Shiretta Ownbey,” Dr. Pedersen said.

“We are thankful for the innovative touch she has put on our college.”

Dr. Shiretta Ownbey

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Mentoring and Inspiring

70 student ambassadors selected to serve the incoming freshmen class

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ollege is an exciting part of life when students can discover their passion and make lasting memories and connections. It’s also a time of transition and growth.

The Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences’ student ambassadors step up to help with that process.

“Our college is about people,” said Scott King, student ambassador advisor. “And our student ambassadors are unique in how they are committed to impacting our students on a very personal level.”

Throughout the year, student ambassadors are tasked with supporting and guiding freshmen through their first year in college. This happens in one of two settings. A handful of student ambassadors are placed in the Program for Learning, Adjustment and Connection Excellence — a livinglearning program for students. The majority serve in a freshman orientation class where they are paired with freshmen in a peer-to-peer format.

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Ambassadors connect with students on a personal level to help create a fulfilling and positive first-year experience.

“My goal is for every student to feel a sense of belonging at OSU,” said student ambassador Josh Stephens. “And, to consider themselves a valued member of the Cowboy family.”

Of the 70 student ambassadors selected, 27 have served as ambassadors previously while 43 are new student ambassadors. Over the course of the year, student ambassadors will cumulatively serve over 6,300 hours (over 8 1/2 months).

Fashion design sophomore Lauryn Huey started her journey as a student ambassador in the fall of 2023. Her hope is to make authentic connections with her mentees to ensure they feel welcome and included in the OSU community.

“I want everyone to know I am a built-in bestie and there is someone always rooting for them,” Huey said.

Many student ambassadors were inspired to step into a leadership

position by their personal experiences.

Student Ambassador President Elsa Berry said her mentor as a freshman made a lasting impact on her, which led her to serve as a student ambassador the past two years.

As students themselves, student ambassadors are positioned to connect with freshmen in a way faculty and advisors can’t.

“Mentorship is such an amazing opportunity and a powerful responsibility,” Berry said. “I want my peers to feel like I am someone who they can rely on, and more importantly, know OSU is a safe space. I continually advocate for inclusion, kindness and a culture of joy, which I hope they can feel. Each student, no matter their past or current circumstances, has a seat at our table.”

STORY SIERRA WALTER | PHOTO KELLY KERR

GET TO KNOW US

30+

Undergraduate Degree Options

15 : 1

Student to Faculty Ratio

25+

Student Organizations

4,228+

Hours of Ambassador peer mentoring of 1st year students

4,317

Students Enrolled in Fall 2023

NEWS & NOTES

HALL OF FAME

The Oklahoma State University College of Education and Human Sciences welcomed a new member to its Hall of Fame and honored two Outstanding Alumni Award recipients during the 2023 Hall of Fame banquet on April 28 in the Nancy Randolph Davis Great Hall on the Stillwater campus.

Amy Mitchell received the college’s most prestigious honor, the Hall of Fame Award given in recognition of outstanding professional and personal achievements that have brought honor and distinction to the college and to the university and made a significant and lasting contribution, consistent with the mission of OSU and CEHS. Mitchell, a Dallas native, graduated from OSU in 1983 with her bachelor’s degree in family relations and child development.

Following graduation, she pursued a career as a social worker at a San

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI

The Outstanding Alumni award honors alumni who have demonstrated a distinguished career and continue to make impactful contributions to their profession and beyond. Their quest for excellence is shown through their accomplishments, service to the community and leadership.

Athena Frank of Glencoe, Oklahoma, graduated with her bachelor’s degree in business information with a specialty in information processing from OSU’s then College of Business in 1985 and later completed her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus in information and community technology from the then OSU College of Education in 1992.

The early part of her career focused on working in the accounting, legal and information processing sectors. After completing her master’s degree, she began teaching business technology courses at Ripley High School for 12 years.

Her career has led her to become the business information technology instructor for the Central Technology Center in Drumright, Oklahoma, where she provides instructional and career

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Angelo, Texas, hospital while she and her husband, Malone, founded Riata Energy.

In 2006, Amy assumed the role of partner and managing member for Riata Corporate Group and is now the director and manager of Longfellow Ranches. Prior to this role, she served as the accountant as well as regulatory and compliance administrator for Riata Energy, managing the real estate acquisitions and investments as well as the corporate records of the Riata entities and was involved in the development of the companies.

In 2008, the Mitchells donated $57 million to OSU, becoming the school’s second-biggest donor behind T. Boone Pickens.

Amy, along with her husband, was inducted into the OSU Hall of Fame in 2013. Amy has supported many organizations and devoted her time and effort to helping those in need.

Included in the numerous boards and committees that Amy has served on throughout her career is her seat on the board as the former executive director of the Piñon Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by the Mitchell family in 2006 to support institutions that assist children and elderly individuals.

Since 2010, the Piñon scholarship program has awarded more than 400 scholarships to graduates of Fort Stockton and Sanderson High Schools in Texas.

Being a successful entrepreneur, giving back and helping others has remained a passion of Amy’s. In addition to her philanthropic work, Amy owns and operates Forget Me Not, a gift shop, bakery and catering business in Highland Park, Texas.

skills and strategies in business, finance and entrepreneurship to high school juniors, seniors and adults from the district’s 18 local sending communities.

Over her three decades of service, she has received numerous accolades on the state and national level and has served in leadership positions for various boards of directors. In her role as the local Business Professionals of America chapter advisor, Athena has been honored to receive the Oklahoma BPA Lifetime Achievement Award, Oklahoma BPA Advisor of the Year Award and the 2021 National BPA Advisor of the Year.

Dr. Steven A. Scott of Pittsburg, Kansas, has invested nearly 50 years in public education as a teacher, coach, administrator, leader and board member.

Scott graduated from Pittsburg State University in 1973 with a major in secondary mathematics and began his professional career as a middle school math teacher in Riverton, Kansas, before completing a master’s degree in mathematics at OSU, graduating in 1977.

After time spent teaching upperlevel mathematics at Miami High School in Oklahoma, he accepted a

faculty position in the Department of Computer Science at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College.

Scott later returned to Kansas as faculty in the PSU College of Education and began working toward a doctorate of education in higher education at OSU, completing this degree in the spring of 1990.

His teaching, as well as his graduate course work, focused on the use of technology in the classroom for teachers at all levels. Scott’s career advanced steadily until he was selected by the Kansas Board of Regents to become PSU’s ninth president.

Scott’s tenure as president provided growth for the university across academics, athletics and facilities.

Currently retired, Scott has maintained an active role in community and statewide affairs.

LEARN MORE about the college’s Alumni Association, the Hall of Fame award or to make nominations, visit education.okstate.edu/alumni

Amy Mitchell, 2023 CEHS Hall of Fame recipient

Athena Frank and Stephen Scott, 2023 CEHS Outstanding Alumni Award winners

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NEWS & NOTES

Graduate students showcase skills in verbal presentation

CEHS celebrates freshmen

The 2022 College of Education and Human Sciences Three-Minute Thesis was held on Thursday, Oct. 12.

Developed by the University of Queensland in 2008, 3MT is an opportunity for graduate students to showcase their research interests and presentation skills in a short three-minute verbal presentation, with support of a single unanimated PowerPoint slide.

Two consecutive sessions of 11 graduate student presentations were judged by faculty and staff members to determine who would move on to the universitywide event. Judging criteria are based on comprehension and content as well as engagement and communication.

Bek Urban, a counseling psychology doctoral candidate, was the first place and $300 prize winner for the college’s event. Urban’s thesis topic covers “Discrimination Trauma and Eating Disorders in Trans and Nonbinary Adults;” part of continued research in disordered eating and body image in transgender and nonbinary individuals, as well as weight stigma and diagnosis bias.

The College of Education and Human Sciences presented 2022-23 Freshman Awards, recognizing students for service, leadership, research, academics and perseverance in their first year at Oklahoma State University.

Dominic Egure was the second-place winner, earning a $200 prize. Egure presented on “ECHO Education Nigeria.”

Temitope Olabiyi finished in third place, receiving a $100 prize. Olabiyi’s presentation was on the “Impact of Transformative Practices in Nigerian Special Education.”

Each year, a participating student is selected for the People’s Choice Award with a cash prize of $300. Kirkita Panwar was the 2022 winner for a presentation on the “Power of Digital Stories.”

Advisor’s Choice Award Dylan Armstrong, applied exercise science Sarah England, applied exercise science Tessa Fasching, elementary education A.J. Frizzell, family and consumer sciences education Lauryn Huey, fashion design Michael Kelly, professional pilot Hannah Lindeman, aviation management Paula Lopez-Guzman, elementary education Zeb Kelly, family and consumer sciences education Jaiden Marr, public health Bryan Medrano, applied exercise science Katey Murphy, interior design Rachel Owen, dietetics Paige Seknicka, interior design Kyla Taylor, elementary education Allie Willison, applied exercise science

Ambassador’s Choice Award Ty Kuehl, professional pilot BreAnna Peeper, elementary education

Outstanding Freshman Researcher Rebekah Cleary, elementary education

Standout Service Award Kate Coffee, nutritional sciences/allied health

Academic Achievement Award Olivia Napier, fashion design

Outstanding Leader Award Kate Dillon, nutritional sciences/allied health

Ace of Initiative Award Aidan Grant, professional pilot

Perseverance Award Madison Metzger, applied exercise science

Cowboy Spirit Award Ginna Buller, elementary education

Nancy Randolph Davis Award Allie Garcia, applied exercise science

Freshman of the Year Award Above: Dr. Stephen Clarke and 3MT winner Bek Urban. Below: 2023 Freshman Award Winners

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Faith Wood, recreational therapy

CEHS honors Outstanding Seniors Representing the top 1% of the college, these individuals were selected by their school or department for the prestigious honor based on their commitment to Oklahoma State University’s landgrant mission through exceptional leadership, campus involvement, academic achievement and professional development related to career goals.

Each Outstanding Senior student received a commemorative stole to wear at graduation and their first year of membership in the OSU Alumni Association at no cost thanks to the generosity of the College of Education and Human Sciences Alumni Society.

Payton Losh - Jenks, Oklahoma A design and merchandising major with an option in interior design, Losh served as an officer for the American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association and International Facility Management Association. She also served as a P.E.T.E Mentor, helping younger interior design students in and outside the classroom.

Lily Diagostine - Bixby, Oklahoma A public health major with an option in community health, Diagostine represented the program with enthusiasm and excellence, achieving a 4.0 GPA throughout her time at OSU. She served

as the president and treasurer of the student-led Health Promotion Club at OSU-Tulsa for three semesters.

Jessica Cortez – Tulsa A human development and family sciences major with an option in early childhood education, Cortez was named as a RISE Scholar, a McNair Scholar, an OSU Senior of Significance and Outstanding Senior. She was also the CEHS Orange Robe recipient for the Spring 2023 commencement ceremony. She has been an active member, fundraising chair and vice president for the Latino Business Student Association, vice president of Voto Latino and president of the Hispanic Student Association. Cortez found a passion for helping students find resources to aid them in their own success.

Kendall Guillory – Plano, Texas An applied exercise science major with an option in strength and conditioning, Guillory was a member of the drumline in the Cowboy Marching Band. She represented OSU at the American College of Sports Medicine Undergraduate Quiz Bowl and helped serve the community by volunteering through her sorority and various clubs on campus. Guillory participated in prestigious internships, granting her the opportunity to work with numerous professional athletes while representing OSU.

Mary Green – Edmond, Oklahoma A nutritional sciences major with an option in allied health, Green was active in the CEHS Student Council as a member and an executive board officer. She was also a CEHS Ambassador and a two-time Wentz Research Grant recipient. Green also worked for the Student Union and the OSU Library over the course of her undergraduate career.

Kristen Cunningham – Cypress, Texas An aerospace administration and operations major with an option in aviation management, Cunningham was a member of the CEHS Ambassadors organization and served as the president during her senior year. Cunningham was a member and president of the American Association of Airport Executives, where she has developed confidence in her professional capacity and affirmed her chosen career path.

Mackenzie Frech – Enid, Oklahoma A secondary education major with an option in social studies, Frech served in a variety of leadership roles that benefited the community. She was a member of the President’s Leadership Council. She was also selected as a Mortar Board Top 20 Freshman, Outstanding Leader and CEHS Senior of Distinction. Frech attributed her many successes to the support system she has built in her friends, family, professors and advisors.

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NEWS & NOTES

Seniors of distinction

2022-23 Faculty and Staff Awards

The College of Education and Human Sciences recognized 18 Seniors of Distinction for 2023.

Selected by the Student Affairs committee, the honored students demonstrated qualities of leadership, academic excellence and service and showed dedication to Oklahoma State University’s land-grant mission.

University Awards

School of Community Health, Counseling and Counseling Psychology Lily Diagostine — community health — Bixby, OK

Department of Design and Merchandising Anabelle Lindsey — fashion design and production — Oklahoma City Payton Losh — interior design — Jenks, OK

School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation Kristen Cunningham — aerospace administration and operations — Cypress, TX Bekah Harris — aerospace administration and operations — Wichita, KS

Department of Human Development and Family Science Jessica Cortez — early childhood education — Tulsa Alyssa Roemer — child and family services — Coppell, TX

School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation Kendall Guillory — applied exercise science — Plano, TX

Department of Nutritional Sciences Kristen Anthamatten — dietetics — Tulsa Juliana Arndt — human nutrition/premedical sciences — Stillwater Emmalee Evans — human nutrition/premedical sciences — Bentonville, AR Mary Green — allied health — Edmond, OK Molly Jessell — allied health — Stillwater Devon Le — dietetics — Oklahoma City Ava Sinnes — allied health — Tulsa Jessie Walters — allied health — Frisco, TX School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences Maddie Dunn — elementary education — Yukon, OK Mackenzie Frech — secondary education — Enid, OK

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Ten faculty and staff members from Oklahoma State University’s College of Education and Human Sciences received universitywide recognition at the 2022 University Awards Convocation on Dec. 8.

OSU President Kayse Shrum and Provost Jeanette Mendez presented recipients with awards in teaching, service and contribution to their respective colleges as well as the university.

Faculty Awards — Dr. Ki Cole from the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation was awarded the Distinguished Early Career Faculty Award. An associate professor of research, evaluation, measurement and statistics, Cole’s primary research interest is in item response theory, factor analysis, test score equating, test and survey development and evaluation, and evaluating statistical software.

Dr. Tilanka Chandrasekera of the Department of Design and Merchandising received the Regents Distinguished Research Award, recognizing faculty who have shown unusually significant achievement in their field of research. With a background in architecture, Chandrasekera teaches courses in interior design and was nominated for his ongoing work in the Mixed Reality Lab. Dr. Sam Emerson, nutritional sciences associate professor, received the Regents Distinguished Teaching Award, having shown unusually significant achievement in student instruction. Emerson has helped guide the development of the Laboratory for Applied Nutrition and Exercise Science, a space designed for clinical research with humans, in the context of nutrition and exercise science.

Dr. Lucy Bailey received the Inspiring Excellence award for the Women’s Faculty Council’s Outstanding

Achievement and Mentorship of Women.

Bailey is faculty in social foundations and qualitative inquiry and the OSU director of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies. This award is given to faculty who have made significant contributions to research, scholarship and/or creative works and have a demonstrated record of encouragement, mentorship and advancement of women toward professional success.

Dr. Greg Clare was recognized for his recent appointment of the Carol Dewitt Morsani Endowed Professorship in Design.

Dr. Daniel Lin, nutritional sciences professor, was recognized for his appointment to the John and Sue Taylor Human Environmental Sciences Professorship.

The award for Academic Excellence in Academic Program Assessment has been given to Amy Birchfield, Dr. Alana Cluck and Dr. Tyler Kane of OSU’s RN to BSN online nursing degree program.

This award recognizes academic program assessment individuals or teams who demonstrate innovation, excellence and dedication to program outcomes assessment planning, reporting and implementation.

Staff Award — Michelle Crew, senior academic advisor in the CEHS Student Success Center, received the Advising Excellence Award.

College Awards In the spring 2023 semester, CEHS recognized faculty and staff excellence in service, mentorship, research, teaching, creativity, innovation and more.

In total, 13 awards from 11 categories were presented, eight to faculty and five to staff members. The 2023 recipients are: Right: Dr. Ki Cole

Middle: Dr. Sam Emerson

Middle: Dr. Greg Clare

Middle: Dr. Daniel Lin

7.

Right: Michelle Crew

Faculty Awards — Dr. Lucy Bailey, associate professor of social foundations in the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation, was presented the Teaching Excellence Award.

Since 2005, Bailey has taught a wide range of content at OSU at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has established a truly transformative learning space through her relational orientation and high academic standards, and students thrive under her instructional and advising influences.

Dr. Kat Gardner-Vandy was presented the Scruggs Award for Early Career Meritorious Research.

An assistant professor, GardnerVandy joined OSU’s School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation in 2017 and serves as the principal investigator of a NASA Science Activation program at OSU titled “Native Earth | Native Sky.” A primary focus of her scholarly work has been making connections between scholars in planetary science and those working with Native American and Indigenous populations.

Dr. Julie Angle, professor of science education in the School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences, was presented the Leadership and Service Excellence Award for her exceptional level of loyal service to the college, OSU and broader community.

Angle’s extensive resume highlights her tireless contributions to the field, including service as director of the Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair, held at OSU. Dr. Jennifer Cribbs was presented with the Research Excellence Award. A professor in mathematics education in the School of Teaching, Learning and

Educational Sciences, Cribbs serves as director for the Center for Research on STEM Teaching and Learning.

Cribbs has been successful in obtaining funding to support not only her work but also the advancement of knowledge for preservice teachers. She is notably recognized for applying what she has learned through her research career to benefit in-service secondary math and science teachers and their respective students.

Dr. Douglas Knutson was presented the Scruggs Award for Early Career Meritorious Research.

Knutson is an assistant professor in the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Psychology and serves as the director of the Health Education and Rural Empowerment Lab. He is extensively published and has been invited as a presenter nationally and internationally. His focus on LGBTQ+ persons’ psychosocial needs, particularly those living in rural areas, contributes to a population in need. Knutson recently achieved board certification as a counseling psychologist by the American Board of Counseling Psychology.

Dr. Aditya Jayadas, assistant professor and graduate coordinator for the Department of Design and Merchandising, was presented the Graduate Faculty Excellence Award.

Jayadas has worked diligently to develop and enhance the graduate program offerings and enrollment rate of the department. He has proven to be an extraordinarily strong asset to the department and is highly and equally regarded by students, staff, faculty and administrators.

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 51

Diane Limbaugh was presented with the Non-Tenure Track Teaching Excellence Award.

Since 2006, Limbaugh has been a pillar of the apparel design and production program as a teaching instructor. Her service has included instruction, advising and leading of numerous study away opportunities.

She is well connected in the apparel industry and highly regarded by her students as a mentor during their studies and beyond.

Dr. Jill Joyce was presented the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for her contributions in developing the next generation of scholars.

Joyce has been a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Nutritional Sciences since Fall 2018.

She has a passion for mentoring undergraduate students and supporting their success when they achieve academic goals.

Staff Awards —

The Staff STAR award recognizes CEHS staff members who are considered all-around stars by their department as well as those outside their immediate work group.

Chad Marek, administrative support specialist for Academic Programs and Student Services, was presented the Staff STAR Award. Marek exemplifies the college’s mission, vision and values daily by going beyond his work. His positive attitude provides a sense of community to those he interacts with.

Kim McCarty was presented with the Staff STAR Award. McCarty has served OSU for more than 30 years and has been a key component of the success of the CEHS NASA Education

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Projects office. She is known by her colleagues as a model of hard work, discipline and attention to detail while bringing joy, laughter and sincere friendship to all around her.

Chase Cothran was presented with the Creativity and Innovation Award.

Cothran is an assistant flight instructor in the aviation program.

Cothran has significantly impacted Flight Center operations, efficiency and overall excellence as the aviation program has grown. He has been instrumental in redeveloping policies, procedures and curriculum in compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Toma Gaches was presented with the Morsani Staff Service Award for her exceptional level of loyal service to CEHS. Gaches has served the NASA Education Projects office and OSU for over 41 years. She is a wealth of knowledge to her peers and interacts with her colleagues with true kindness, unbendable discipline and the type of caring character that makes her peers want to bring their best every day.

Jonathan Myers was presented with the Staff Mentor Award for his servant leadership and helping others to achieve their goals.

Myers is passionate about assisting faculty in obtaining funding for their research, instruction and outreach projects. He is described by his peers as a go-to guy, because of his naturally open and dependable personality, and a compassionate leader who shows interest and care for his team.

OSU, Southwest Airlines announce partnership Oklahoma State University is a new partner in Destination 225°, a First Officer development and recruitment program at Southwest Airlines.

The new partnership gives OSU professional pilot students access to a career pathway, which can lead to becoming competitively qualified for a commercial pilot career at Southwest.

“Southwest is pleased to welcome Oklahoma State University to our Destination 225° Program through the University Pathway,” said Lee Kinnebrew, vice president of flight operations at Southwest Airlines.

“We look forward to working with Oklahoma State students as we continue to prepare and inspire the next generation of aviation talent who will join the Southwest family.”

Destination 225° University Pathway candidates build postgraduate flight instructing time within their college’s flight program to become competitively qualified to interview for a First Officer role at one of the program’s partner carriers.

After building their flying experience at a partner carrier, Southwest Airlines considers candidates for a First Officer position. Additionally, candidates receive ongoing career mentorship from a Southwest pilot during their university studies and early flying career.

OSU offers an undergraduate degree in aerospace administration and operations, and students can choose from four options: aerospace security, aviation management, technical service management and professional pilot. OSU has the largest enrollment for flight training in Oklahoma and opened the brand new Ray and Linda Booker OSU Flight Center in 2022, providing a premier facility for aviation students.

For more information on Destination 225° and other valued flying, academic and training partners, visit careers.southwestair.com/ D225. Learn more about OSU aviation degrees at flyosu.okstate.edu.

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ALUMNI SOCIETY C O N N E C T. E N G A G E . J O I N .

The OSU College of Education and Human Sciences Alumni Society is open to all alumni, donors and friends of the college who are active members of the OSU Alumni Association and want to: • Engage and network • Participate in special events and programming • Promote and support the college

Learn more and join today: okla.st/EHSalumni

@okstate_EHS

Teacher, Researcher, Mentor

Remembering Design and Merchandising department head Donna Branson

F

ormer Design and Merchandising department head and regents professor Donna Hahn Branson passed away on Feb. 8, 2023, in her home of Chandler, Arizona.

Dr. Branson was hired as an associate professor in Oklahoma State University’s then Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising in 1983. In just four short years, she became a tenured professor and was later chosen as department head in 1993.

During this time, she taught most of the apparel design courses and served as a major professor for 36 graduate students.

Under her leadership, student enrollment grew significantly, making DHM the fourth largest department at OSU. Thanks to Branson’s efforts, almost all faculty obtained external funding for their research projects over nearly seven years.

Her contributions in apparel systems design and production of protective clothing are unmatched.

Much of Branson’s research was focused on designing body armor that protects against improvised explosive device bomb Dr. Donna Branson attacks while allowing for mobility and 1943-2023 passive cooling. This collaborative research was instrumental in protecting the United States Marines Corps during wartime in the Middle East.

Current Design and Merchandising department head Lynn Boorady spoke of the highly regarded professor.

“She really put OSU on the radar of other Research 1 (R1, doctoral) universities doing personal protective equipment research. I visited

OSU in 2006 through a research group and was thoroughly impressed with what was being accomplished here,” Dr. Boorady said.

“Her work and legacy was one of the reasons I applied for my position.”

Branson co-authored 50 research articles in various clothing and textiles journals and brought 28 grants, three manufacturing licenses and two patents to the university because of her research on military protective clothing through the Institute of Protective Apparel Research and Technology (iPART), her research institute. She also refereed more than 100 presentations and eight juried design exhibits.

Branson’s awards include: the Mortar Board Outstanding OSU Teacher Award, the Marguerite Scruggs Award for Meritorious Research, the Manmade Fiber Award for Research, the National Textile Center Scientific Excellence Adviser, Oklahoma State University Regents Professor, and in 2006, the Homeland Security Award for innovative, cutting-edge protective apparel design research.

Branson was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 2011.

Branson retired from OSU in 2006 but continued to serve as director of iPART in Stillwater until September 2010.

Beyond her scholarly works, Branson was an awarded soft pastel and oil painter in Arizona as a member of the American Impressionist Society, the Gilbert Visual Arts League and a signature member of the Arizona Pastel Artists Association.

She enjoyed painting landscapes and florals, and sometimes figurative works.

DONATIONS can be made in Branson’s memory through the OSU Foundation at okla.st/drbranson.

QuadGard body armor systems were developed to better protect key areas of arms and legs from blast fragments.

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STORY KIRSI MCDOWELL | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY AND PROVIDED

Above: “Mexican Bird of Paradise” by Donna Branson. Below: from left, Diane Limbaugh, Dr. Semra Peksoz, Huantian Cao, Dr. Donna Branson and Dr. Cheryl Farr research QuadGuard.

CO L L EG E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S C I E N C E S 55

Leaving a Legacy Commemorating teaching professor Amy Olson

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my Olson – clinical instructor for the College of Education and Human Sciences’ School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences (STLES) – passed away on July 6, 2023, in her home of Stillwater after a several year battle with melanoma.

Olson served as a member of the science and mathematics education faculty from 2014 through the 2022-23 school year.

During her time at Oklahoma State University, she helped begin the OSUTeach program as a master teacher, providing opportunities for mathematics and science majors to earn a secondary teaching certificate along with a discipline degree.

Olson also wrote a series of lessons for the neutral buoyancy lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

While she supported a multitude of research efforts, Olson’s primary focus was in supporting individuals with a passion for science to make a career of teaching, and to help in-service science teachers develop best practices for driving student learning and engagement.

Her legacy will live on in the many lives she taught and touched.

Olson was a teaching professor who volunteered for many things, including Pete’s Pet Posse with her dog, June.

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PHOTO GARY LAWSON

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