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The official magazine of the College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University 2012

Steering a new course Bret Danilowicz takes the wheel of A&S

Gary Lawson / University Marketing

p l a y b i l l

cov er Bret Danilowicz is taking over the College of Arts and Sciences as its 12th dean. Story, Page 2. Cover photography by Phil Shockley.

2012 v14

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Arts and Sciences Magazine is a publication of the Oklahoma State University College of Arts and Sciences. All communications should be mailed to OSU College of Arts and Sciences ATTN: Arts and Sciences Magazine 205 Life Sciences East Stillwater, OK 74078-3015. 2 0 1 2 © O k l a h o m a S tat e U n i v e r s i t y Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. Title IX of the Education Amendments and Oklahoma State University policy prohibit discrimination in the provision of services or benefits offered by the University based on gender. Any person (student, faculty or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based upon gender may discuss their concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with the OSU Title IX Coordinator, Mackenzie Wilfong, J.D., Director of Affirmative Action, 408 Whitehurst, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, (405) 744-5371 or (405) 744-5576 (fax). This publication, issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the College of Arts & Sciences, was printed by University Printing Services at a cost of $9,000/9M. #4356 10/12

s t a f f

Editor

Dorothy L. Pugh ’83

Art Director

Paul V. Fleming ’90/’00

Photographers

Phil Shockley Gary Lawson ’83

Associate Editor Michael Baker

Writers

Brianna Autry Matt Elliott Stacy Pettit ’09 Lorene A. Roberson ’84 Brittany Snapp

Designers

Mark Pennie Ross Maute

College of Arts and Sciences Dean

Bret Danilowicz

Senior Director for Development

Jason J. Caniglia

Communications Coordinator

Lorene A. Roberson ’84

Year indicates OSU College of Arts and Sciences graduates.

From the Dean’s Office

his is the first time I have lived in Oklahoma, so I am quickly learning about its history, the Stillwater community and how to really pronounce “Miami.” It is also a perfect opportunity to take stock of the college from a fresh perspective. Our major goals should include:

»»Educating our A&S students to

levels above their peers from other universities. Our students deserve no less.

»»Garnering a higher national

reputation. That recognition helps us attract a diverse faculty who are passionate about teaching and research, which in turns attracts students with a passion for learning and engagement with faculty.

Looking around the college, I see national recognition for our students and our faculty. Our students’ honors include such examples as Fulbright scholars Joshua Damron and Alejandra Gonzalez Herrera, Goldwater scholar Rosa Yorks and the OSU Symphony Orchestra’s role as a finalist for the American Prize. Our A&S faculty are no less honored: Our physics faculty participated in the discovery of the Higgs boson, our faculty are attracting more federal research grants, and individuals working in our Center for the Study of Disasters and Extreme Events are receiving national awards for their research and teaching in emergency management.

Like these examples, many of our student successes are linked to our alumni support; alumni provided the scholarships that attracted these energetic students here, kept them here and gave them the materials and travel funds to advance their creative activities and research. Alumni support is so important at this time due to the intense competition our students are facing: More students are entering universities, and more are graduating to enter a struggling national economy that’s offering fewer jobs and less opportunity. The public has begun questioning the value of a college degree, and books are criticizing the attention that college students receive from faculty during the first two years of study. I was delighted to see our A&S faculty care deeply about getting students off on the right path as freshmen. Our college has created both the Mathematics Learning Success Center and a writing center that focus on ensuring that students learn from Day 1. Student learning is, and will remain, an OSU advantage. Those who have graduated from OSU can attest to that advantage. OSU’s alumni are among the most dedicated in the nation. You can see it during “America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration,” when more than 70,000 alumni and family members return to Stillwater (this year, it is Oct. 20).

You can also see it in the dedication of the graduates who are helping enhance the Boone Pickens School of Geology, giving it a rising national profile. These alumni connect the faculty and students into a diverse network of opportunities. Going even beyond the generosity of Mr. Pickens, they have secured four additional endowed research chairs and are pursuing another in geoscience education. Recently, alumni have also endowed several graduate student positions, attracting top-caliber students to the program. While this department is an excellent example of a fabulous alumni/faculty partnership, alumni in many other A&S departments are also coalescing to support their former programs. As you can see from these examples and from the pages of this magazine, our alumni are intertwined with our success as a college. So reach out and connect to your department’s faculty and students; working together, we can accomplish anything. Although I have been here just a short while, I have learned one very important tradition at OSU: always close with … … Go Pokes!

Bret Danilowicz Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Phil Shockley / University Marketing

An Education to Remember story by

Lorene A. Roberson

New A&S dean brings a world of passion for teaching and research to OSU

Bret Danilowicz can count a number of great educators who influenced him while an undergraduate student. continues

“Right now in my life I have a lot of energy and passion, and I bring that with me to OSU. I am really looking forward to attacking this job with vigor.”

We are settling into Stillwater and finding great opportunities for the family. At this point, we are enjoying infusing our wardrobes with OSU orange.”

Bret Danilowicz shows off his catch during a fishing trip.

4 Jason Caniglia / OSU Foundation

Early encouragement A botanist who brought in a variety of plants from Danilowicz grew up in Utica, every corner of the world gave N.Y., in a home that encourDanilowicz the experience of aged learning. His grandfather hands-on learning. was a machinist who made parts A physiology professor showed for the first Apollo flights. His him how to dissect animal dad worked as a NASA theoretcorpses, teaching the young ical nuclear physicist, designing Danilowicz to compare a cat engines for the future. with a lion cub as well as trace After 12 years at NASA, the evolution of skull bones from Danilowicz’s dad wanted to teach reptiles into birds. “She chalin a populated university setting lenged us to a point where I still versus conducting research in an remember some of the compariisolated laboratory. “Dad wanted sons in muscles and skeletons to to share what he was excited this day,” he says. about so he got into a new field Danilowicz completed his called computer science.” That undergraduate research projwas 1976. ect with a zoologist who loved “It’s not so new now,” he marabunta — army ants. And acknowledges today. that’s the teacher he remembers With all that exposure to higher the most. “What I learned from education, Danilowicz underhim was intense compared to stood early on that he would what I had learned in any other need a plan. At 10, he announced classroom setting at the time. that marine biology was his call“I carry a passion for undering. At 16, he prepared for gradgraduate research with me to uate school. At 17, he skipped this day.” his senior year of high school to At 44, Danilowicz brings enroll at Utica College. that passion to Oklahoma State In 1989, Danilowicz graduUniversity as its 12th dean of the ated summa cum laude with a College of Arts and Sciences since bachelor’s degree in biology and 1905. a minor in computer science from While Danilowicz may be one Utica College. In 1994, he earned of the college’s youngest deans in a doctorate in zoology from history, he downplays that nota- Duke University. tion, saying, “My hair is gray While completing his doctoral early, so maybe I will fit in. Right work in Hawaii, he met his now in my life I have a lot of future wife Katherine Shannon, energy and passion and I bring a seventh-grade science teacher. that with me to OSU. I am really “Bret was smart enough to study a looking forward to attacking this little fish found only in Hawaii,” job with vigor.” says Kay, as she’s better known.

Bret Danilowicz (right) visits with Boone Pickens during a June trip to Pickens’ Mesa Vista Ranch in the Texas Panhandle. Pickens invited the incoming dean to visit with him and other key constituents to get feedback on the college before

The Duke University student gave Danilowicz started his new position. her class a tour of the University of Hawaii Marine Lab where he did his research. “It was love at first sight,” she recalls. They married in 1993 and headed to Canada after Danilowicz completed his doctorate. At the University of Windsor in Ontario, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow for the biological sciences department and the Great Lakes Institute. Meanwhile, Kay earned a master’s degree in speech and language therapy. “Kay saw how much fun I had while earning my Ph.D., so she went back to school, too,” Danilowicz says. In 1996, their son Torin was born after they raced across the Canadian border so he would be delivered in Detroit. Although their son’s Celtic name was purely coincidental, it was a foreshadowing of events to come. In 1997, the family moved to Ireland for Danilowicz’s job as a lecturer — equivalent to an assistant professor in the U.S. — in zoology at University College Dublin. While Danilowicz worked tireHe rose through the ranks to asso- lessly at the university, it wasn’t his ciate dean in science at University sole focus. He and his family spent College, which had more than an equal amount of time in their 21,000 students and one of the larg- community of Enfield, Ireland, a est research budgets in Ireland. suburb of Dublin known for its tradiHis noted successes there include tional Celtic culture. improving student retention, When they met neighbors whose emphasizing mentoring programs child had Down syndrome, the for first-year students and focusing couple put together an ice cream on students who were at extreme social in their neighborhood to benerisk of failing. fit Down Syndrome Ireland. “In Ireland, the support for Down syndrome was not as expansive as it is in the U.S.,” he says. “We wanted to make a difference.” continues

Jason Caniglia / OSU Foundation

5 All the previous deans The 11 men who have previously led the College of Arts and Sciences at OSU include:

Dean

Years at the top

Robert H. Tucker

1905–1907

William W. Johnson

1910–1912

Lowery L. Lewis

1912–1922

Clarence H. McElroy

1922–1935

Schiller J. Scroggs

1935–1958

Robert B. Kamm

1958–1965

James R. Scales

1965–1967

George A. Greis

1968–1980

Smith L. Holt

1980–1998

John M. Dobson

1999–2003

Peter M.A. Sherwood

2004–2012

“I want to make sure we focus on the undergraduate teaching mission. I also want to make sure we are recognizing faculty in teaching as well as research. Great educators are so very important to the success of our students.” — Bret Danilowicz

Bret Danilowicz speaks to the Geology Advisory Board at the Mesa Vista Ranch.

Back in the States

And he continued to indulge In 2010, Forbes magahis passion for undergraduzine ranked Georgia Southern In 2004, the family of six ate research. More than 50 University as the 10th best (by then including Torin’s three percent of the graduates from college in the nation for minoryounger siblings: Brynn, Teagan and Cullen) returned to the U.S., ity students in science, technology, Danilowicz’s college had participated in research projects during engineering and mathematwhere Danilowicz would be an their years at school. ics. Diverse Issues in Higher associate biology professor and Meanwhile, the Danilowicz Education also recently said the associate dean for science and household remained involved college is fourth in the nation in technology at Georgia Southern in the community. The parents graduating black students in the University. picked up running shoes and physical sciences. Danilowicz has long demonhave not stopped since. Danilowicz also created the strated an aptitude for learn“We became avid runners in Center for Sustainability in 2007. ing. In 2004, he enhanced his education with a master’s degree “Largely due to the actions of this Georgia, and we were part of a center, Georgia Southern has been large running club,” he says. That in education focusing on leadincluded organizing a marathon nationally ranked in Princeton ership from Open University in Review’s Guide to Green Colleges with about 30 runners out of the United Kingdom. While at their home each year. for the past two years,” he says. Georgia Southern, he earned a “It was a lot of fun but we master of business administration. have left our running commuBoth would serve him well in his nity behind. We look forward to new position. building that level of friends here in Oklahoma.”

Jason Caniglia / OSU Foundation

Role’s hint

Students are equally important to both Danilowicz and his In 2007, Danilowicz played wife, who is a lecturer in the OSU the role of Ike Skidmore Department of Communication in Oklahoma at the Emma Sciences and Disorders. Kelly Community Theatre in “When I look at higher educaStatesboro, Ga. tion nationally, there often is a “We have had the opportunity disconnect about how a univerto be in theater a lot,” he says. sity works with its undergraduAfter he accepted the job at OSU, his friends teased him about ate students,” Danilowicz says. the performance. “Maybe it was “As a reputation for a univera foreshadowing of our move out sity increases in research, very often teaching is left behind. At here,” he says now. Oklahoma State’s rising enroll- OSU, we have a lot of fabulous faculty who care about our ment and Arts and Sciences’ undergraduates. increasing interest in research opportunities were a couple of the factors that appealed to Danilowicz. He hopes to expand relationships and connections to It was love at first sight.” allow these opportunities to be financially supported. — Kay Danilowicz

“I want to make sure we focus on the undergraduate teaching mission. I also want to make sure we are recognizing all faculty equally and that these professors are fully supported because their expertise in teaching and helping students is so very important,” he adds. Meanwhile, Danilowicz continues to brag about his family’s new community. “When I started wearing my Oklahoma State T-shirt, I met people in Georgia and New York who attended OSU, and they told me about these wonderful experiences they had here. The alums speak really well of OSU. That was a good sign.” Editor’s note: SMSC senior Jonathan L. Lacaba, an intern in the office of media and alumni relations for the College of Arts and Sciences, contributed to this story.

The Danilowicz family (from left): Brynn, Torin, Cullen, Kay, Teagan and Bret, with their dogs Siersha (black) and Sandy. courtesy / Bret Danilowicz

Newly named Regents professors in the College of Arts and Sciences

4 named Regents professors in A&S

include Frank Blum (from

left), Robert Sternberg, Perry Gethner and Estella Atekwana.

The College of Arts and Sciences is welcoming four Oklahoma State University professors to the ranks of Regents professors for 2011. The title is the university’s highest promotion for a faculty member. On the following pages, we offer a glimpse of their knowledge and expertise — and a bit of their personalities as well. Matt Elliott portraits by Gary Lawson and Phil Schockley stories by

continues

Little things, enormous impact Study of microorganisms gives Atekwana a big view of tiny matter The widely accepted perception is that no organism affects its environment more than man. After all, it’s easy to point out how we affect our surroundings: dams, pollution, mining and industrial agriculture. OSU professor Estella Atekwana’s research shows that view may be a little selfserving. On planet Earth, it’s the little things that truly matter, says Atekwana, one of the College of Arts and Sciences’ four new Regents professors for 2011. Microorganisms are believed to have been the first life forms on the planet. The byproducts of their biological processes, scientists believe, helped create the atmosphere. And today, the little guys are working away in ways we can’t see. “Sometimes they can transform their environments in a matter of hours, or minutes, days or decades,” says Atekwana, a pioneer of the field concerning such research, biogeophysics. “They work in cooperation, too. We could learn a lot from them if we weren’t spending so much time fighting about our differences rather than learning how our differences complement each other and make us stronger.” Atekwana, originally from Cameroon, studies how microorganisms affect their environment, from the earth’s crust up into the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. She’s also a noted expert in plate tectonics, the study of how Earth’s plates shape the planet, creating continents, mountains, ocean basins, volcanic and earthquake belts.

Estella Atekwana believes mankind could learn much by studying some of the planet’s smallest life forms.

In Louisiana, Atekwana is Today, her work takes her all Atekwana says she was honored measuring naturally occurring to receive a Regents professorship, over the world, most recently Gulf of Mexico bacteria’s abilfrom the shores of a little island and she lauds OSU for supportity to break down oil in the wake ing the department where she and in Louisiana to an isolated valley her husband, Eliot Atekwana, have in Botswana where two continen- of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill tal plates are in the early stages of of 2010. The spill was the world’s been since 2006. largest and sparked a cleanup pulling apart. While OSU is often concerned that continued for months as She always takes her students with energy issues, Estella well as ongoing research into its on such trips and believes firmly Atekwana focuses on biogeoeffectiveness. physics. Her first discoveries, that in the role she plays in their That’s where Atekwana’s work development as much as she microbes can affect geophysibelieves in the importance of her comes in. She and her team placed cal properties, took place when electrical sensors next to an island research. Most recently, she has she was an assistant professor at been the lead principal investiga- near the spill site in the fall after Western Michigan University. tor on a $4.6 million multi-insti- the spill. Most of her readings In 1996, she was part of a showed much of the hydrocartution grant from the National team that visited a contaminated bons left by the spill were gone, Science Foundation to study U.S. Air Force base, Wurtsmith, and shifts in the bacteria commuthe Okavango Rift system in in Oscoda, Mich., after the site nity had occurred. Those tilted the Botswana, which has trapped made the federal government’s the Okavango River, forming the tables toward a dominant organSuperfund list for cleanup. Team ism, which she suspects is breaking largest wetland complex in the members were studying grounddown the chemicals. world. Normally, massive volcawater contaminated with oil More work remains to be done, noes such as Kilamanjaro are a and found the water was better byproduct of developing rifts and however. at conducting electricity than “The truth is there are lots of dot the East African Rift Valley it should be. They were able to spills in the gulf,” she says. “The next door. But that’s not taking link those changes in its properties to organisms that were break- place in the Okavango Rift Valley, island where our instruments are Atekwana notes, so she’s trying to has been hit by multiple spills over ing down the oil and producing the years.” figure out why. organic acids and carbon dioxide Atekwana attended Howard She and her students travel as byproducts. University for her bachelor’s “These acids enhance the weath- to the region on the edge of the and master’s degrees. She has Kalahari Desert where they ering and dissolution of rocks, a doctoral degree from Nova releasing ions that go into solution take core samples and examine Scotia’s Dalhousie University. She magnetic and gravity field data to and make the contaminated envihas taught at Western Michigan find magma circulation beneath ronment more conductive,” she and the Missouri University the ground. They live in tents, says. “We used this information often working in areas frequented of Science and Technology. to explain our geophysics results She frequently pairs in her by lions, zebras, giraffes, hippos suggesting that microorganisms research with her husband, Eliot can significantly impact the physi- and other large wild animals. Atekwana, a geochemist at OSU She spent last summer taking cal properties of their environment, and expert in areas including how gravity measurements across the and biogeophysics was born.” environments dispose of contamrift system to determine how the inants and environmental change earth’s gravity fields are changed in ancient times. by the rifting, indicating changes in the thickness of the crust and Estella Atekwana other geologic features that will give them clues on how the rift works and how it began and developed.

Frank Blum credits the drive to understand for his work in chemistry: “I want to know how things work — how the physical things work.”

Erasing limits

Frank Blum

Blum looks at the big picture when studying the smallest of materials Some professors prefer to guide students’ work

creative,” Blum says. “With that approach, I’m no longer limited by my own personal limitations. carefully and hover over everyWe’re only limited by the limitathing they do. Not so with newly tions we have collectively.” minted Regents Professor Frank Blum is one of four new Regents Blum: He prefers to give his professors in the College of Arts students more of a free rein. and Sciences for 2011. As the “The benefit is they will often take approaches you wouldn’t have Harrison I. Bartlett chair of chemistry and department head, he taken, that you wouldn’t have delves into the laws of physics advised, but that can be really

and how they apply to molecular systems, especially in polymers, which have components from natural and synthetic compounds. He advises seven doctoral students at OSU, including Bal Khatiwada, a Nepalese chemist who’s working with Blum on her project looking at how Plexiglas interacts with nanometer-sized particles of silica, the common component of glass.

“The thinner polymer layers gets, a big divide between how an the more their properties change,” atom behaves and how a macrohe says. “In some cases, we’re talkscopic system behaves. It’s a big ing about layers that are millions jump from something that’s on the Ångstrom or nanometer scale of times thinner than a human hair. Those properties tend to be to how does a boat hull bend, or different than bulk properties.” how strong is a composite golfKhatiwada’s project is funded by club shaft.” a grant from the National Science Once he finished his doctorate in Remolding a Foundation. Blum also has a proj1981, he was offered several great department ect with the U.S. Army Research corporate opportunities, but the Blum came to OSU in 2010 to take over a chemistry department freedom of academic life called him. Laboratory trying to find better His interest in polymers focused materials for chemical sensors using rebuilding after several retirements. on how absorbed polymers behave ultraviolet light and liquid drops. By 2013, the department will have and how polymer nanocomposhired six new professors. proud mentor ites can conduct electricity. He also He says he is humbled by the About his seven doctoral looks at how those materials work chance to help remold the chemstudents, Blum notes how proud when they’re absorbed into another istry department that has so he is “they’re becoming functional material called a solid substrate, many caring alumni. That and and prolific in their own right. Stillwater’s friendliness adds to the such as glass. They’re now starting to be indeFor example, in fiberglass, small campus he has come to love. pendent, being able to draft papers fibers of glass are mixed in with “Stillwater is a little bit of a small based on the research they’ve done. epoxy, which is a plastic. The glass town,” he says. “The university They’ve been able to try to forehas a family atmosphere complete fiber is hard and brittle, but the see problems and opportunities with loyalty, support and even the plastic layer is softer and more in a way that a mature scientist ductile. The melded material is occasional bickering. But by and would with, in many cases, just a harder to stretch and bend, providlarge, faculty members, students little guidance from me. And that’s ing a gradual change from the and staff at this university really really the exciting part of my job.” properties of both the glass fibers care deeply about it.” In addition to his posts at Drexel Blum taught at Drexel University and the polymer and creating and Missouri-Rolla, he has also something light, strong and useful and the University of Missouritaught at Sweden’s Lund University such as a motorcycle helmet. Rolla before coming to OSU in and IBM in San Jose, Calif., Characterizing how those mate2010. He has a doctorate from the during his 31-year career. Blum rials work with each other is University of Minnesota and bachhas received numerous awards, elor’s and master’s degrees in phys- extremely difficult, and Blum is including three awards from the ical chemistry from Eastern Illinois an expert at understanding that Alcoa and Exxon Education founat the molecular level using techUniversity. dations, and a distinguished Always fascinated by how things niques such as nuclear magnetic alumni award from Eastern Illinois resonance, something similar to an work, Blum first took to chemisUniversity. MRI for a molecule. try during his organic chemistry Blum is a fellow of the American Once researchers underclasses as an undergrad at Eastern Chemical Society and its division stand that, they can make better Illinois University. He considers of polymer chemistry. He is a past composites. For example, they that drive to understand as the secretary and chair of the society’s could devise a coating for the glass true mark of a scientist. polymer chemistry division and a fibers to make an entirely different “That’s what sustains me,” he former chair of the ACS commitmaterial or combine several matesays. “It’s been my approach tees on nominations, elections and rials for another fashion. to science. I want to know how divisional activities. That knowledge is useful in things work — how the physitoday’s age of booming consumer cal things work. How do atoms electronics. As products shrink, and molecules behave in order to the functionality of the materials make macroscopic things? There’s used in them usually increases. “I always search for things I don’t know, and even if I do that, I can’t figure out things sometimes,” Khatiwada says. “I can always ask him, and he’s always there. He’s extremely helpful. The other students view him as more of a parent than a professor.”

Une affaire française Gethner has turned his enchantment into expertise that’s in global demand One of the College of Arts and Sciences’ new Regents professors, recruited a decade ago by the University of Oxford’s Voltaire Foundation to participate in its reissuing of all the French master’s works in new critical editions, recently published his edition of Voltaire’s last completed tragedy. “Obviously, that’s an exciting element to my career,” says noted French scholar Perry Gethner, whose edition of Irene was published in 2010. Gethner, a French language and literature instructor, received his Regents professorship, OSU’s highest promotion for a faculty member, in November 2011. “I’ve been increasingly recruited by people all over the world doing the complete works of so-and-so, and they need me to be part of the team.” Gethner, an OSU professor since 1984, is an expert in French drama and opera from the so-called early modern period, generally considered to be the 16th through 18th centuries. In addition to Voltaire, he has published critical editions and translations of other French authors, some more obscure than others, such as Jean Rotrou, Pierre du Ryer and Jean Mairet. Gethner, OSU’s foreign language department head, remembers being enchanted by languages ever since he was a kid growing up on the northwest side of Chicago, where his father ran a local drugstore. “I always enjoyed languages, and my teachers encouraged me,” says Gethner, who would go on to attend Yale University, where he obtained his doctorate in French literature in 1977. He nurtured a love of the art form as well as an appreciation for placing the works in their proper historic contexts, such as the French Wars of Religion during the 16th century. This contributed to the choice of biblical plays for the

“I always enjoyed languages, and my teachers encouraged me.”

Perry Gethner

Although he teaches regular Meanwhile, English writers undergraduate classes, he doesn’t at the time were reading French get to direct the research of gradplays, Gethner says, but none of the French writers were reading the uate students at Oklahoma State because his department doesn’t English. Widespread French love have a graduate program. Nor does of English writers didn’t begin, he he get much chance to present his says, until Voltaire in the second own research in class. “You don’t half of the 18th century. French get to teach it,” he says. “Research writers were reading Spanish and Italian at the time, but almost none and teaching are almost completely of them could read English, he says. unrelated in language programs.” Most students who take French “I find these sorts of things do so because they want to learn intriguing,” he says. “Who’s influa French Baroque? the language. OSU’s classes in encing whom, and what forms He also wrote works questionFrench literature and drama just does that influence take? Because ing whether there was a Baroque the French writers in Shakespeare’s scratch the surface. period of French literature, giving Gethner enjoys teaching, day were nowhere near as great a lecture on the topic on campus however, and is known among his as Shakespeare, they’re usually at Oklahoma State. The debate students for being approachable, dismissed, but I certainly thought was a controversial one that shook knowledgeable and easy to work some of them should be made up ideas among French scholwith. Conferences and the academic available through translations.” ars about what was happening community help keep him enthused Translating is tough enough between 1580 and 1640. Works about his work, he says. when working with modern forms they had dismissed as worthless of a language. But when it’s in an Phi Beta Kappa success now are being rehabilitated as part older version of the language, the of the Baroque period similar to Also, he chaired the committext could have archaic words other European countries at the tee that applied for permission to unknown to but a few academics, time, he says. establish a chapter of the national or words whose meaning may have Not much attention has been academic honor society, Phi Beta changed considerably over the years. paid to French playwrights of that Kappa, at OSU. Part of an effort There’s a lot of onus on the period. Gethner has set out in part stretching back several decades, he translator to get them correct, to correct that by translating some and other faculty members travespecially when scholars and of their works, an effort that began eled to Florida in August to be students could be utilizing those with his translation of dramavoted on by the national assembly, editions for decades to come. tist Antoine de Montchrestien, an and they were successful. “You also have to deal with author known for his religiously “Getting that approval to start a trying to figure out what the neutral work in a time when many Phi Beta Kappa chapter at OSU is correct text is,” Gethner says. plays were religious diatribes really exciting,” Gethner says. “Some editions could be so mutiagainst either Protestantism or Outside of work, Gethner lated and so bad you can’t read Catholicism. performs classical piano recitals them. Sometimes there’s more That time period is intriguing, in the Stillwater area and accomthan one edition, too, and in some he says, because the English were panies singers. He is also a singer cases there are only the author’s producing William Shakespeare who was once in the chorus of an manuscripts. For one project, I and Christopher Marlowe, opera company. had to look at Voltaire’s own Gethner says, while the French had He taught for six years at the handwriting and make some no similar writers. The greatest of University of Chicago before valiant attempts at trying to read their playwrights — Moliere, Jean coming to OSU. He has also edited it. I was dealing with very beauRacine, etc. — came later, especollections of works by early tifully written manuscripts done cially during the second half of the female French playwrights, and by his secretary. Voltaire would 17th century. he has written articles on musiput stuff in the margins and often cal comedies as well as drama and scratch it out. That was the part literary theory. that was hard to decipher.” subject of his dissertation (he also had an interest in the Bible, being a former pre-seminary student). “The whole development of my career since then has been essentially finding things that I was good at, or that I was interested in,” Gethner says. “And this included a number of other areas in dramatic history. I’ve done a lot of work on hybrid plays, musical comedies and opera libretto since.”

Robert Sternberg

University. For more than 30 years, he taught at his alma mater, Yale University, where he was the IBM professor of psychology and education and a professor of management. He is also the author or editor of more than 150 books and a prolific writer for the academic and lay presses. OSU rolled out a new admissions process last July that he designed in collaboration with Kyle Wray, OSU’s Sternberg aims vice president for enrollment to make OSU management and marketing, and other personnel from the memorable for Busy man university’s admissions office. students. Sternberg received the Called Panorama, it incorRegents post three years porates prospective students’ after he was hired as provost. leadership qualities into their He took that job over from evaluations, expanding them Marlene Strathe, who had beyond the typical essays sent been the provost for seven in with applications. years. The provost is the He also published a book senior member of the OSU on intellectual giftedness in president’s cabinet and admin2011, the same year he and isters all of the university’s his wife had triplets, Samuel, academic programs. His job Sternberg explains psychology Brittany and Melody (the includes planning policies, as ‘the interaction of who you are latter two are identical twins). budgets, student and faculty with the environment.’ It’s hard to imagine when development — the “whole he sleeps. enchilada.” “I don’t have a lot of spare In addition to his admintime these days,” he admits. No one realizes the irony more istrative work, Sternberg “I think it’s important for than Robert Sternberg does. teaches an undergraduate administrators to teach. It’s OSU’s chief academic officer and one of course in leadership, which especially important if you’re four new Regents professors in the College of he notes received an overall in academic affairs to stay Arts and Sciences for 2011 doesn’t remember student rating of 3.92 out of much of what he learned in class at Yale. And 4.00 last spring, and is teach- in touch with what’s going on with the students. And I yet, thanks to hard work and caring profesing a graduate course this think it’s important to publish sors, Sternberg made himself into one of the fall in one of his specialties, because it’s awkward to evalworld’s leading experts in how people think, human intelligence. Before he uate the research of others if love and hate. came to OSU, he was the dean you’re not doing any yourself.” of arts and sciences at Tufts

“I find students don’t much remember what they learned in classes,” Sternberg says. “They remember a few professors, students or staff members who changed their lives.” The chance to provide that mentorship to students is what drives him today. It’s why he believes in Oklahoma State and its land-grant university mission. It’s part of why he earned the university’s highest promotion for faculty members, a Regents professorship in 2011.

A drive for mentoring

Early days

as part of a science project he devised — all before his Sternberg was born in 15th birthday. In one case, Newark, N.J., and grew up in the suburb of Maplewood. he hoped to get a girlfriend by giving her the test — and His father had dropped out learned that doing so wasn’t a of high school during the way to appeal to females. He Depression and owned a is quick to note he has never button store to support his family. His mother had immi- given his beloved wife, Karin, an intelligence test. grated to the United States from Austria in 1938. Mentors’ help Sternberg performed poorly At Yale, Sternberg met the on IQ tests when he was man who became his mentor, young, and his teachers didn’t Endel Tulving. Tulving is one expect much out of him as a of science’s leading thinkresult. That changed when his ers in the field of memory fourth-grade teacher saw his and a noted contrarian who potential and challenged him. nurtured Sternberg’s drive to His grades improved, but question authority. It was just his frustrations with how the the help Sternberg needed to education system measures enter psychology after receivintelligence continued. With an ing a C in the introductory amused expression on his face psychology course. today, he describes the field “It’s the interaction of who as sometimes dominated by you are with the environment. people who always performed Someone else might have studvery well on those tests. ied under him, and it wouldn’t “So, those tests were kind of have taken. But for me, it a self-congratulatory sort of really took.” thing,” Sternberg adds with a He graduated summa wry smile. cum laude and went to gradOver time, he blossomed uate school at Stanford into someone who couldn’t University, where he studhelp but question the status ied under another mentor, quo. As a seventh-grader, he Gordon Bower. Ever since, came up with his own intelSternberg, a former president ligence test after finding a of the American Psychological popular intelligence test in his Association and current presschool library, the Stanfordident of the Federation of Binet scales, an early such Associations in Behavioral exam credited with establishand Brain Sciences as well as ing the field of intelligence treasurer of the Association testing. of American Colleges and The exam he came up Universities, has been on the with would later become the “academic fringes,” studying Sternberg Test of Mental unpopular things or the things Abilities. But it was the he finds the most challenging Stanford-Binet that he gave to understand. to some of his fellow students

Among his contributions to psychology are several influential theories in thinking, ethical reasoning, love, hate, leadership, thinking styles and creativity, as well as his theory of successful intelligence, which states that intelligent behavior comes from analytical, creative, practical and wisdom-based abilities. He was listed by the American Psychological Association’s Monitor as one of the 100 most influential psychologists of the 20th century. At OSU, he has emphasized that being smart in school does not necessarily mean that someone will be smart in life, and vice versa. Academic and practical intelligence are only weakly correlated. What is most important in life is wisdom and ethical behavior — making the world a better place by making a positive, meaningful and enduring difference to it.

times, someone who has a great deal of success in life has had equally momentous failures. At the OSU graduate commencement last May, he was the keynote speaker and he spoke frankly about many of his failures. It’s a message he drives home to his students in any way he can. A major key to success is resilience in the face of multiple failures. “You have to learn how to take failures and rise above them,” he says. “When you’re young, you don’t see it that way. When you’re young, you sort of plot out a course that you think will help you always succeed; you’re going to be the guy with the lucky charm. I think that’s just really the important thing in life. I feel like I’ve had some bad breaks. And I have had some great breaks. I have wonderful, beautiful children. A fantastic wife. A terrific job. I live in a great house on beautiful land. I live in a wonderful community. But it hasn’t Personal style always been that way. You just The new Regents profeskeep working until you get to sor brings his enthusiasm into where you want to go.” his classroom, with a teachSternberg lives just outside of ing style he calls very personal. Stillwater with his wife, Karin, He brings material from his who has an MBA as well as a job as provost to his leaderdoctorate in psychology from ship class, letting students the University of Heidelberg, in on the bigger decisions he Germany. In addition to their made that week and asking triplets, he has two grown chilwhat they would have done. dren from a previous marriage He also brings in speakers — one the CEO of a dot-com who discuss their experiences business who recently sold it as leaders and how they develto Google and went to work oped from Oklahoma State there, and the other, a doctoral undergraduates into imporstudent in sociology at Harvard tant leaders in society. University. Sternberg enjoys One message Sternberg is hiking with his family, exerquick to drive home is the cising, reading and collecting importance of failure. Often coins and watches.

Election-year lessons story by Lorene A. Roberson photography by Gary Lawson

New chief of OSU’s political science department offers her take on the 2012 vote. Professor Jeanette Morehouse Mendez remembers watching the 1984 presidential election returns come in when she was all of 8 years old. This summer, she became the youngest person and first female to head the political science department, having been at OSU since 2005. She teaches courses in American political behavior, with an expertise in elections, campaigns and the media. Her work has been published in such journals as Journal of Politics, Social Science Quarterly, Political Psychology, Politics and Gender, Journal of Women, Politics and Policy, PS: Political Science and Politics, Journal of Media Psychology, and Journal of Political Science. We’re chatting with her about the 2012 presidential election and OSU’s impact on its students, the state and the nation.

This fall, you will teach a class on the current presidential election. Describe the class and the makeup of the class.

In the course, what questions do students ask during election years? The No. 1 question is which candidate I will vote for! Of course, I never have

When I was thinking of courses I would

revealed this in any course and tell them

like to teach, I thought that a class focus-

they can keep guessing. I feel my role

ing on the current election would draw

is to present the information and create

interest from a variety of students — and

an environment for discussion and inter-

it did. I last taught this in 2008 and had a

action, and not use this as a platform to

full course of 35 students. The best part

advance my own beliefs. But students

was that the students were interested in

really want to know about my prefer-

elections and government and that is why

ences, so they also continually ask me to

they took this course, as opposed to a

express my opinions on all of the content.

required course. And most interestingly,

The students are smart and engaged and

the class was well split in terms of parti-

ask great questions about the effects of

sanship and ideology. And that meant …

the election. And because many of the

some lively discussions!

students will be first-time voters, they ask a lot about the past election and about current politics to place this election in a broader context. continues

There is a difference between going to vote and going to vote and being informed about the issues and candidates.”

How does OSU prepare the next generation of leaders in our state and nation to be creative, as well as ethical, critical thinkers? How does OSU prepare its students to be critical thinkers in the democratic process? OSU does a wonderful job in preparing our future leaders — just look at our alums across the state and the nation in leadership positions. We are doing something right. I think the courses we offer in political science allow students to be creative, based on the content, the assignments and how our faculty members approach the courses. Further, we all, in political science, want our students to be ethical critical thinkers, and we do all we can to foster this in the classroom. In particular, many of our courses include content on democracy and the democratic process, and students show a great capacity to think about why the United States is a democracy and what benefits there are to this. Further, our comparative politics and international relations courses, to name a couple, explore democracy in a global perspective. I think our students are given

all of the tools to succeed and become

effective members of society, members who will be engaged in the process and knowledgeable. There is a difference

Oklahoma that there is no reason to vote

to young voters. But the fact that the

because we are a red state and that will

youth vote is so much lower in Oklahoma

not change. So if you are a Republican,

comparatively is discouraging. It gives the

there is no need to vote because others

impression that the candidates and the

will vote Republican for you. And if you

parties are purposefully ignoring this group,

are a Democrat, your vote will not count. I

and that can have longer range implications.

try to counter this in my classes, because

Voting is habitual and the earlier one begins

this isn’t quite true. At face value, yes,

to vote in their life cycle, the more likely

Oklahoma is a red state. But so many elec-

they are to continue to vote.

tions occur in a four-year span, and many

In the fall, thousands of students on college campuses throughout the nation will attempt to register to vote and be turned away. The reasons are many: You have an out-of-state driver’s license. Your college ID is not valid here. You pay out-of-state tuition, so even though you do have a state driver’s license, you still cannot vote. Some state lawmakers are doing everything they can to prevent students from voting in the 2012 presidential election. What are your thoughts on this? What’s the situation in Oklahoma?

local elections are decided by a few votes. Still, I think students buy into this logic, and this rhetoric gives them a disincentive to be involved. I also think students don’t feel connected to the process, the politicians and the candidates. The issues that students list as most important (for example, student loans, access to education and unemployment) are not the big-ticket items that get discussed by the media and the candidates. So unless students can relate to the candidates and politicians, they will not take the time to be involved because they do not see a connection personally.

Students are an important part of the voting bloc. However, research dating back to the 1940s has consistently shown that young citizens vote at lower rates than older citizens. Describe the young voter situation in Oklahoma. The youth vote has not been large in

between going to vote and going to vote

modern-day elections, though much atten-

and being informed about the issues

tion was focused on this in 2008 and

and candidates. In political science, we

Obama was successful and generating

strive to make sure our students become

a large youth vote. In Oklahoma in 2008,

informed citizens.

close to 51 percent of people age 18-24

OSU typically has a low level of involvement overall (at least since the 1960s) of the student body in politics in comparison to other campuses. Can you comment on why that might be? Agree? Or disagree?

registered to vote and close to 39 percent

I do agree with this overall; however, the students I encounter the most are political science majors, and these students are involved in politics. I keep hearing within

of those age 18 to 24 did actually vote. This is low compared with other age groups in Oklahoma. For example, 68 percent of those age 65-74 voted in the election. Further, the number of youth voting in Oklahoma is much less than other states, where other states see 50 percent or more of those age 18-24 voting. Again, part of this comes back to the candidates and the parties making themselves accessible

This is a hot topic right now as many states are implementing identification requirement that have the potential to exclude valid voters. This type of debate is not new, but it is very political. There are reasons to believe that the Republican Party would be advantaged by these types of laws, and for those reasons, this is not democratic. Voter fraud is not a large issue in the United States so the risk of alienating potential voters is not high enough in my opinion. Oklahoma passed the Voter Identity Law in the 2010 election, and this requires everyone to show proof of identity before they are able to vote. What this means is that a person needs an Oklahoma-issued identification card (driver’s license or identification card), a federally issued identification card or a tribal nation identification card. For college students, OSU identification cards are not valid because they do not have expiration dates on them. But students can

— female candidates are more strategic

Politics has traditionally been viewed

tration card instead of a state-issued ID.

as a man’s world, and it is no wonder that

than male candidates usually and choose

So, while it seems the burden is higher

gender differences are present. At the

opportune times to run, such as when there is not an incumbent. Because of this,

for some people to show proof of iden-

most basic level, a gender gap exists in

tity, all valid voters can meet these require-

voting, with women more likely to vote

female candidates tend to be successful

ments with a few minutes of time. Further,

Democratic and men more likely to vote

when they run.

college students at OSU can choose to

Republican. However, the gap has ebbed

vote absentee in their hometown, by filling

and flowed in past elections, and specific

out paperwork more than 30 days before

candidates can influence the magnitude of

the election, but they can also register here

the gap. Women have become more active

in Stillwater since they reside here. Given

in politics, and we do not find differences

The presidential election is just around the corner. What do you dub this election (for example, President Barack Obama has been dubbed “the first Facebook president”)? What’s your take on this election? Care to make any predictions?

these types of laws, the burden really is on

in voter registration and turnout rates. We

the political parties and candidates to get

also have seen an increase in the number

out the vote. Once parties and candidates

of female candidates since the historic

1992 “Year of the Woman” electoral climate.

the card that will allow them to vote.

Subtle differences, though, still exist. My

What role will social media play in this election?

co-author Tracy Osborn and I have stud-

The role of social media is increasing in

ied the effects of gender in social networks, and we find that women are perceived to

the election. Each election we see a larger

be less politically knowledgeable. Further,

impact. In 2008, the number of campaign

women form their political social networks

ads produced for online only, not televised,

with family and friends, while men are more

changed the landscape. And the number of

likely to discuss politics with co-workers,

candidates using Facebook pages contin-

and not family members. Further, women

ues to increase. Candidates are adapt-

are more likely to name their husband as

ing to the changing social media climate,

someone they discuss politics with, but

and for college students, this is a great

men are not likely to name their wives as

way to involve them in the process. But I

people they discuss politics with.

think social media plays a larger role not

All of these subtle effects undermine the

through candidate pages, but by people

role and legitimacy of women in the polit-

commenting about politics and interact-

ical system. But this does not mean that

ing with politics among social groups and

things are bleak for women. Some studies

networks. The level of political discus-

show that the presence of women in office

sion occurring among people within their

serves as a role model for young females.

networks is increasing via social media and

And in Oklahoma, it is particularly encourag-

I think these types of discussions and inter-

ing that we finally have a female governor.

actions are influential. People learn about

Further, the (Oklahoma) 2010 gubernato-

politics and receive cues about the elec-

rial election had two (major party) female

tion from their social networks, and social

candidates, which has only occurred in

media is the new way to connect social

the United States a handful of times since

networks together rather than face-to-face

1992. Female leaders and candidates have

discussion.

an additional hurdle because they need to

How does political behavior vary along gender lines? If so, how? If not, why? Are female leaders treated differently than male leaders? Would you discuss gender, as it pertains to the political arena, in Oklahoma?

overcome gender stereotypes of being too

This sounds like something my students would ask me! And I would tell them that electoral forecasting is a risky business. The odds are 50-50, but many political scientists get it wrong. What I think this election will focus on is a referendum on Obama. Obama cannot campaign on change again, and instead needs to show how he has achieved change in the last few years. Romney, on the other hand, has so far built a campaign on attacking Obama, but offering little substance on what he would do in office. I think this got him through the primary season pretty much, but I expect Obama to get tough and press him more on specifics. In the end, most elections with an incumbent come down to simple retrospective voting — the idea that you look back over the last four years and evaluate if you and the nation are in a better or worse place.

compassionate and emotional, while also being masculine enough. But being too masculine triggers additional stereotypes and intense media scrutiny. Because they are under more scrutiny and media coverage often is superficial — appearance, etc.

continues

gary lawson / University Marketing

Jeanette Morehouse Mendez lectures her class on the 2012 presidential election.

You grew up in Santa Rosa, Calif., in a one-parent home. What was the voting situation like when you were growing up? Did your talk politics at home? Where does your love for politics come from? My earliest political memory was watch-

Given that you didn’t have as much of an interest in politics until high school, how important do you think it is to discuss politics at an early age? Politics is definitely something that needs to be discussed early — and the same is true about voting. Most kids develop

ing the Reagan and Mondale election

a sense of partisanship in elementary

returns at my grandmother’s house. And I

school; the attachment strengthens as kids

remember going to the polls with my mom

mature and learn more about the political

but sitting in the car. I would always ask her

process. And since voting is habitual, it is

who she voted for and she wouldn’t tell me.

important to teach kids the importance of

But really, my interest in politics started in

voting even before they are 18. This year

student government in high school, where

in my Elections 2012 class, we are work-

I was student body treasurer my senior

ing with Sangre Ridge Elementary School

year. More importantly, my interest in polit-

to develop a mock election for students

ical science was the result of a wonder-

and parents on the day before the elec-

ful professor, Jane Leftwich Curry, at Santa

tion. The message we want to convey is

Clara University. I was a combined science

that voting is a civic duty, and it is important

major, with a natural science emphasis,

to exercise your right to vote. If the projects

and I took her introduction to compara-

works and generates interest, I hope we

tive politics course and loved it — and she

can do something similar districtwide in the

encouraged me to pursue it. My love of

next election cycle. This gives my college

American politics grew out of an initial inter-

students a chance to become involved in

est in Russian politics but after a trip alone

the community as well, which is a great

to Russia in 1998, I decided I didn’t want to

service we can provide and hopefully one

travel alone for fieldwork and would rather

with many positive benefits for the elemen-

focus on American politics.

tary school, my class and OSU.

JOHN STRAH Senior Director of Development College of Arts & Sciences 405.385.5661 | JStrah@OSUgiving.com

They are here to help you connect your

JASON CANIGLIA Senior Director of Development College of Arts & Sciences 405.385.5155 | JCaniglia@OSUgiving.com

orange passion with the College of Arts & Sciences. To meet John & Jason and learn more, scan this QR code or visit: www.OSUgiving.com/Meet-John-Jason

Brianna Autry story Gary Lawson / University Marketing Photography

Singing a Different Tune Adley Stump is following a musical path these days.

OSU alumna Adley Stump never envisioned a life of microphones, spotlights and record deals. But that appears to be the future for the jourI always remind myself nalism/broadcasting major after her run on NBC’s The that this career was not Voice whetted her appetite for given to me to be selfish a career in country music. with it.” — Adley Stump It started when she won best female performer for her version of Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” at the 2010 Varsity The Tulsa native made it on Revue, a contest among OSU’s the NBC show and prepared Greek houses. Stump’s Pi for it by releasing her first EP, Beta Phi sorority sister, Becky Like A Lady. The EP — more Wheeler, didn’t know what music than a single but less she was kicking off when she than a full album — includes dared Stump to try out for such self-penned songs as Varsity Revue. “Crazy Dreams,”“One Way “When Adley sang at Varsity Ticket” and “Chocolate and Revue, her voice left us in awe,” Tequila.” Wheeler says. “I wanted to have my own To hone her craft, Stump music ready if people liked hit the stage at Willie’s Saloon what they saw on The Voice,” in Stillwater — one of the she says. places where 1984 journalOn the show, Blake Shelton ism and broadcasting alumpicked her for his team, but nus Garth Brooks got his she was eliminated in March. start. Stump’s parents, being Since then, she told the Tulsa staunch supporters, posted a World: “I’ve been all over the video of her performance on place. It’s been the coolest Youtube that caught the eye experience, and I’ve learned of a Nashville investor, who more about myself in the last offered Stump an artist develyear than I’ve learned in all opment deal. She moved to my life.” the Music City after her 2011 graduation and tried out for The Voice.

Adley Stump, a 2011 A&S graduate, performed at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa over the summer.

While she was working on The Voice, Stump also created Get Stumped, an online series that includes her performing such random acts of kindness in Nashville as surprise visits with grocery store employees, animal shelter volunteers and street vendors. Stump is currently working on a new CD and planning a tour. Her summer included a gig at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. “It was the first time I had been home since The Voice,” she says.

Adley Stump met musicians Trisha Yearwood (left) and her husband, Garth Brooks (‘84, journalism) when they visited OSU in April 2011.

Cain’s was filled for her show, with fans of all ages cheering her on. She explains how much she enjoys her audiences: “I always remind myself that this career was not given to me to be selfish with it,” she says. “It didn’t come out of nowhere for no reason. If I’m not working for the fans of my music and working to provide something beautiful to them, I’m not doing my job. This was a gift. This was nothing I earned.” Even so, she continues to work for her success: “With things happening so fast, I learned you just have to believe in yourself. I have a lot of people believing in me and carrying me. I never thought I would be on this road.”

Brianna Autry is a student in the OSU School of Media and Strategic Communications who plans to graduate in December 2013.

gary lawson / University Marketing

Growth of giving story by

Stacy Pettit Smith

Donor’s $50 check was just the beginning of decades of giving back to OSU.

It was the early ’80s when recent OSU graduate Claudia Holdridge handed over her first donation to her beloved alma mater. The $50 contribution brought a smile to her face: Not only did she feel gratified in giving back to the university she loved — she also secured a parking spot in the Morrill Hall lot for her and her girlfriends during the upcoming football season. Over the next three decades, Claudia and her husband Bart Bartlett watched the campus change and grow. The zeros on the end of that original $50 gift grew, too: Two $500,000 gifts for endowed chairs plus nearly $800,000 in scholarships have been donated to the university through the Edward E. Bartlett and Helen Turner Bartlett Foundation,

Claudia and Bart Bartlett take in OSU’s first home football game of the 2012 season with their daughter, Sarah, and son, “Trey.”

which was created by her husband’s grandfather.

“As the years go by … we all have this common goal that we want to see OSU become even

Currently, she sits on the “It’s one way of giving back,” Although OSU has chosen Claudia Bartlett says. “You the two seniors for more than OSU Foundation Board of Governors and the College establish relationships when four decades, Bart says the of Arts and Sciences Alumni you go to school there. As the university has rules to follow years go by … we all have this when making the final decision. Advisory Board. “There’s a lot to be said common goal that we want to The candidates cannot qualify see OSU become even better.” for financial aid or be receiving about the OSU family,” she Claudia, who graduated in a hefty amount in scholarships, says. “A lot of people are so proud of being a part of 1980 with a bachelor’s degree leaving a group of students in advertising and public rela- who often have few options in OSU.” Although the Bartletts tions, and Bart, who began covering college costs. his college studies at OSU “We’ve always felt that these spend much time ensuring students get the opporbefore transferring to the are the kids who fall through University of Illinois to finish the cracks of the system,” Bart tunity to experience OSU for themselves, they also find his degree in ceramic engisays. “They’ve done everytime to improve the lives of neering, both love to contrib- thing they’ve been asked to ute to the university because do to prepare for college, and those outside the college age group. Seeing others of all they “bleed orange,” Bart says. statistically, they will do well ages and generations succeed And orange has run through and succeed.” is a driving force behind many Bartlett veins for generations. The Bartletts’ goal to aid decisions made by their founEdward Bartlett was an OSU students did not stop dation. Thousands of dollars Oklahoma A&M chemiswith the scholarships. The try graduate in 1912, Bart couple donated $500,000 for have been donated to various Oklahoma communities to says. Their financially success- an endowed chair in chembenefit a variety of programs ful lives allowed Edward and ical engineering. Then, in his wife to create the Edward 2007, the foundation donated ranging from art education E. Bartlett and Helen Turner another $500,000 to create an programs to renovations at the Bartlett Foundation. Their endowed chair in chemistry — Bartletts’ hometown library in estates became the permathe first endowed position for Sapulpa to nonprofit agencies nent basis for the foundachemistry at OSU. This dona- that serve senior citizens. Claudia volunteers with tion, which donates to various tion met two of the Bartletts’ nonprofit agencies, educagoals: to help bring in the best Sapulpa Public Schools and tional programs and commu- educators for future chemistry is on the executive committee for the Oklahoma Foundation nity development projects students and to honor Bart’s for Excellence, which supports throughout Oklahoma. father Harrison, who studied In 1965, the foundation chemistry at Oklahoma A&M academic excellence in the state’s public schools. Her began awarding two scholarin the 1940s. husband, a plant manager ships to Sapulpa High School Although Bart’s family at McElroy Manufacturing seniors headed to OSU. history runs deep at OSU, Inc. in Tulsa, also serves on “It’s the longest-running Claudia is making sure that the board of the Boy Scouts’ program from the foundation,” she, too, has an impact on Indian Nations Council. Bart says. future generations at OSU.

better.” — Claudia Bartlett

“We try to touch a crosssection of ages within the community,” Bart says. That passion for others is what led them to each other in 1992. They began dating while they were both serving on the board for an alternative school for at-risk children. In September 2012, Claudia and Bart celebrated their 18th anniversary the way many couples do — focusing on their family. “We (had) an exciting evening at a Boy Scout troop meeting with our son,” Bart says, laughing. While shuttling their son, Harrison “Trey” III, a sophomore in high school, and their 13-year-old daughter, Sarah, to band practices and football games, keeps them busy, the entire family still finds time to put on their favorite color and head to a football or basketball game at OSU — their second home. “I’ve always felt comfortable on campus,” Bart says. “I guess that’s part of it — you always feel welcome.”

Brittany Snapp story Frank G. Bossong IV / courtesy photography / courtesy redskin

Couple’s generosity lives on at OSU A 1950 Oklahoma State graduate continues to have an impact on his alma mater, even years after his death. Frank G. Bossong III, who built a Born in New York City, Bossong successful career in health care adminisspent much of his life in New England. tration, established a charitable remainder He received master’s degrees in educaunitrust through the OSU Foundation in tion from New York University and in 1992 with a gift of more than $263,000. hospital administration from Columbia It provided Bossong with a steady income University. through quarterly annuity payments and Bossong retired as administrator of the added more than $417,000 to scholarDistrict of Columbia General Hospital ship endowments. in 1983. It has provided more than $62,000 in During his retirement, Bossong annual scholarships and graduate fellow- coached youth athletic teams and was ships for OSU students pursuing degrees a basketball referee and softball umpire. in health care or health care administraHe was scheduled to referee a game the tion. The impact will continue to increase day he died in February 2005. as the endowments grow. Bossong shared his love of black In 1996, Bossong established another and orange with his wife, although unitrust with a gift of $100,000. That she hadn’t attended OSU. An Ohio fund gave Bossong an additional income native, Mrs. Bossong traveled the world until his death in 2005 and supported through her nursing career and spent his widow, Kay Bossong, until she died time as chief nurse at the Beni Messous in 2010. Remaining funds were placed Hospital in Algeria. She worked for in an endowment for general university the Washington, D.C., Department of support. Human Services for nearly 40 years “He loved the university,” says his son, before her retirement in 1986. Frank G. Bossong IV. “When we were The Maryland couple often traveled to growing up, he always talked about the Stillwater to attend football games and university. It was something special to him.” homecoming activities. After serving as an air traffic controlTheir son remembers his dad would ler with the Army Air Forces in Guam look forward to such trips and always during World War II, the elder Bossong took his camera along. attended Oklahoma A&M College “He would bring back pictures of how through the G.I. Bill, obtaining a bachethe campus was growing and changing,” lor’s degree in history in 1950 and excel- the younger Bossong says. “It definitely ling in his studies. had a special place in his heart.” The May 19, 1950, edition of the Daily O’Collegian announced that Bossong had been chosen as one of 160 students for membership in the national honor society Phi Kappa Phi.

After her husband passed away, Mrs. Bossong continued to display OSU memorabilia in her home, including watercolors of campus and the couple’s Heritage Society plate. Upon her death, she left an estate gift to the university. Although Frank and Kay Bossong are no longer here, their commitment to education continues to assist students at OSU through the charitable remainder unitrust established more than 20 years ago. David Mays, senior associate vice president of gift planning at the OSU Foundation, says a charitable remainder unitrust is a great way to make a significant gift to OSU while creating an annual income as well. Income can be paid over the course of a lifetime, or for a set number of years not to exceed 20 years. Once the trust terminates, the OSU Foundation uses the remaining funds in the trust for the purposes indicated, whether it be student, faculty, program or other campus support. “As you can see, it can be an effective tool to achieve both your financial and charitable goals,” says Mays. The legacy of Frank and Kay Bossong will continue to live on at OSU through the recipients of the scholarships. Brittany Snapp is a master’s student in the School of Media and Strategic Communications.

RI G HT Frank G. Bossong III and his wife Kay were strong supporters of Oklahoma State University.

29 “He loved the university. When we were growing up, he always talked about the university. It was something special to him.” — Frank G. Bossong IV

Striking gold (and silver and bronze) story by

Lorene A. Roberson

photography by

Timothy Ryan

Cowboys shine behind the scenes at 2012 London Olympics.

30 OSU alumni Lynn Garrison and Tim Ryan show off the medals for the London Olympics. Both were working for Rio Tinto, a Games sponsor that provided the metal for all the gold, silver and bronze medals.

For many, attending the Olympic Games may be a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. For two OSU College of Arts and Sciences alumni, it is all in a day’s work. This summer in London, Lynn Garrison (’84 history) and Timothy Ryan (’84 journalism/ public relations) worked with Rio Tinto PLC, official provider of Olympic medals. The childhood buddies first met in junior high in Oklahoma City. The Olympic Games reunited them 22 years later. “We didn’t know that each of us had pursued a travel career until we ran into each other at the Athens Olympics in 2004,” Ryan says. Both had been hired by the same sports marketing agency. Since then, that agency has hired them for every Olympics to manage on-site logistics for sponsors such as Rio Tinto. “Our job is to help companies leverage sponsorship assets,” Ryan says. Garrison is a transportation expert; Ryan, a ticketing expert.

Other workers for the Londonbased mining company hailed from New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. “One of the best parts of working the Olympics is the teamwork required,” Ryan says. “There is an amazing international flavor. It’s more than just athletes coming together.” As for Ryan — who has been part of the Olympic world since the Sydney Games in 2000 — what was the best thing about the London games? “Whenever you are on-site, you learn quickly who the promising local athletes are. It was great to see the British excel at their own games. “And I always enjoy media coverage from the BBC. It provides a global view.”

Sanya Richards-Ross celebrates her gold medal in the women’s 400-meter race.

Cellphone shooters were everywhere at the London Olympics, including on the teams of athletes.

32 Competitors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase include Donald Cabral (center, leading) of the U.S., Ethiopia’s Nahom Mesfin (right) and Italy’s Yuri Floriani. None of those three medaled; Cabral placed eighth, with Mesfin 12th and Floriani 13th.

Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder was a member of the U.S. basketball team at the London games. The team defeated Spain to win the gold medal.

Dmytro Dem’yanyuk competes in the men’s high jump event, representing Ukraine. The athlete, almost 30 years old and standing 6-foot-7, was among three competitors who tied for 16th place.

Sanya Richards-Ross (center) of the U.S. takes gold in the women’s 400-meter race with a winning time of 49.55 seconds. Amantle Montsho (left) of Botswana placed fourth in the race while Russia’s Antonina Krivoshapka was sixth. None of the runners took more than 51 seconds to cover the distance.

Matt Elliott story

A glimpse of the Games OSU senior nets a London internship — and a way to follow her grandfather’s footsteps.

The only OSU student “He’s one of the biggest A senior advertising major inspirations of my life because to participate in her intern had the opportunity to be program, she lived in a neighhe sees what he wants out of in London during the 2012 his life and he does it,” Cooper borhood near London’s Summer Olympics. says. “He knew he wanted to historic Hyde Park with other Kellee Cooper, a native of students from the United be a doctor ever since he was Bristow, landed an internStates who were interning at ship with the British company 4, and that’s what he worked other area companies. for his whole life.” Bodymetrics during the “Now, I have friends all In contrast to her grandfabiggest event in town since, ther’s time with the Olympics, over the country,” she says. err, well, the city hosted the Cooper spent her time work- “That was probably my favorGames in 1948. ite thing, meeting the other ing for Bodymetrics, which people who were in my sells scanning technology to “He’s one of the biggest inspirations of my program.” clothing makers to design life because he sees what he wants out of It wasn’t a work-only better-fitting clothing. his life and he does it.” — Kellee Cooper summer for Cooper; she also In addition to “typical intern stuff,” Cooper says she attended some events of the Games, including the women’s assisted with photo shoots Cooper isn’t the only OSU and helped with styling, help- triathlon. person in her family who Cooper, who graduates in ing others pick out what they has been to the Olympics. want to wear. She also helped May 2013, says she hopes Her grandfather, Dr. Donald to get a job in styling or the company market itself Cooper, was a physician assigned to the Americans for using social media. Her back- copy writing for advertising. London also showed her she ground as an American was the Mexico City Olympics in loved the fast-paced life of a very helpful, too, due to the 1968. He helped the United big city (and public transporfact that the company was States to 107 medals at that tation, too). year’s Games, the highest total expanding in the U.S. Whatever she chooses to “It was really cool to see the of any nation that competed. do, her internship showed her ins and outs of what all goes Cooper was also OSU’s the possibilities were endless on,” she says. “I had never team physician for more worked for a business before, if she put her mind to somethan 40 years and one of the so that was very enlightening.” thing, just like her grandfather nation’s leading experts in saw when the Americans took sports medicine at the time. home 107 medals at the 1968 Olympics.

phil shockley / University Marketing

Kellee Cooper and her grandfather Dr. Donald Cooper can compare notes on the Olympic Games. He was a team physician for the U.S. at the ’68 Games in Mexico City; she attended the London Games in the summer of 2012.

Does yo ur WILL work? DO YOU HAVE A CURRENT, VALID WILL THAT ACCOMPLISHES EVERYTHING YOU WANT IT TO DO? We at the Oklahoma State University Foundation want you to have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have a valid estate plan. We want you to have a will that works well for you. And, frankly, one that works for us by including a bequest to the OSU Foundation. People often say, “I never thought about making a charitable gift through my will. It just never occurred to me.” When you name the Oklahoma State University Foundation in your will or living trust, you make a crowning gift to an organization you have supported during your life. Your Last Will and Testament declares that you believe in OSU’s mission and you want a portion of your assets invested in this worthy cause.

If you plan to share your legacy with the OSU Foundation through a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan or other estate provision, we invite you to join the Heritage Society. When we know about your generosity, we can meet your wishes for its use. We want to express our appreciation and we will honor requests for anonymity. As always, we urge you to consult with an estate-planning attorney or other qualified advisor regarding a will, living trust or whatever best suits your needs. Sound professional help will contribute to peace of mind for you and your family.

For more information about opportunities to benefit the College of Arts and Sciences, contact Jason Caniglia or John Strah at 405.385.5617 or visit OSUgiving.giftlegacy.com.

phil shockley / University Marketing

Bringing art out of the dark story by Stacy Pettit Smith

Postal Plaza Gallery will breathe new life into OSU’s collection. continues

Louise Siddons and Bruce Crauder visit the Postal Plaza Gallery as construction continues to transform the old post office into a new art center.

years of art collected at

the university’s art, much

OSU will evolve into the

of Siddons’ time was dedi-

gallery within the former

cated to the search and

post office building, which

rescue of various pieces

will be equipped with two

throughout campus.

separate display galleries

“We spent the first six

and a climate-controlled

months just finding every-

storage space, says

thing,” Siddons says. “It’s

Bruce Crauder, associ-

not that no one knew

ate dean of the College

where they were, but you

of Arts and Sciences. The

had to find the right people

construction project will

who knew.”

So much of art depends on human interaction for its story to thrive. It is,

revive what was once the

A portion of the collec-

epicenter for Stillwater’s

tion was displayed within

after all, a person who brushes colors across a white

communications as the

the Bartlett Center for

canvas, who molds a lump of clay into a sculpture. And

heart for OSU’s art.

Visual Arts, while other

for years, the stories of much of OSU’s art collection fell

For the opening exhibi-

silent as pieces were left in the dark — stored in closets

tion, the gallery will shine a

hallways or entryways

and basements, void of human interaction. Next fall, the

well-deserved spotlight on

throughout campus.

art once hidden across campus will regain its voice as it is

the 2,000-plus pieces of

“Almost every build-

taken out of storage and moved to its new home in down-

the university’s permanent

ing you go to on the main

town Stillwater. OSU’s Postal Plaza Gallery will breathe

art collection, Siddons

campus has artwork

new life into the art that has been sleeping in the dark

says. Once its doors open,

stored in it on the walls,”

rooms across campus for decades.

the gallery will offer visi-

Siddons says. “One of the

tors an array of pieces

things you do when you

from the 17th century to

don’t have proper storage

pieces were hung in

“We have this amazing

today. The diverse collec-

is hang it out on the wall

collection, and it doesn’t

tion includes pieces from

somewhere. People are

just deserve to be shown,

around the globe rang-

careful about the art on

but it needs to be taken

ing from African sculptures

the walls, so it’s cared for.”

care of and properly

and Indian textiles to two

While some may have

exhibited,” says Louise

works by Salvador Dali.

seen it as bittersweet to

Siddons, an art history

Siddons discovered that

assistant professor and

locating the various pieces

art was once “stored” on

OSU’s curator of collec-

proved to be her first

campus, others were a

tions. “There is a story of

challenge. After the 2010

little more thrilled to see

rejuvenation here.”

announcement that the

the artwork find a new

see blank walls where

With the opening of

former post office would

home in the gallery down-

the Postal Plaza Gallery

soon store and showcase

town, Siddons says.

next fall, OSU’s permanent art collection will

“It’s so exciting because when we open the doors,

finally have a place to call

people will say this is museum quality and that

home. What began as a search for proper stor-

OSU really knows what it’s doing with artwork.

age for the more than 70

And they’ll be correct.” — Louise Siddons

It’s a marvelously solid structure. The building itself is a work of art “About a decade ago, the

and something that was really

The gallery will be a care-

library loaned us storage for

ful blending of the build-

six months,” she says. “That

ing’s history and its present,

turned into 10 years. That

Siddons adds.

thought through.” — Bruce Crauder

was lucky for us and proba-

Much of the building’s

bly unlucky for the library.”

original ironwork and marble

though the building will be

right here, and we get to

But before the collec-

has been tied into the design

separated for exhibits and

study them.” Now, she

tion can be transported to

of the art gallery. Additional

storage, the entire building

says she hopes the Postal

the new facility, the 1930s-

lighting has been added to

can serve as a classroom

Plaza Gallery will ener-

era building must undergo

highlight special historical

and teaching area, Siddons

gize both OSU students

a facelift. Originally built

features such as an origi-

says.

and the Stillwater commu-

as the city’s post office

nal cornice, Siddons says. A

by the Works Progress

mural depicting the history

Administration, the building has gone through

“Just having a space

nity. “I think it is a way that

where students can work is

you can capture that excite-

of Payne County that was

huge,” she says. “It’s going

ment about discovery and

painted on a wall in the

to change the way we teach

research,” Siddons says.

many different purposes,

1960s has also been incor-

humanities.”

And with art donations to the

most recently serving as

porated within the building.

office space. Even through

Aside from the historical

understands the value of a

And she personally

the year after the announce-

decades of wear and tear,

relevance and beauty of the

student’s experience in the

ment of the museum,

Crauder says the building

building, Crauder says the

museum.

has endured with a strong

space is a perfect fit for the

In fact, Siddons once

university doubling during

Siddons says she expects there to be a variety of

core. “It’s a marvelously

university’s collection with

despised history as a

pieces to encourage discov-

solid structure,” he says.

15,000 square feet of space.

student and initially went

ery. To keep the creative

“And it’s not a generic build-

Although OSU eventually

to college to major in phys-

spark alive, the gallery will

ing — it’s a classic building

plans to have a museum on

ics. But while taking an art

also feature new exhibitions regularly.

in itself.” The building needs

campus, Crauder says the

history class as a general

few changes aside from

gallery is a critical step in

education course, something

knocking down walls that

preserving and cataloguing

sparked Siddons’ curiosity in

she is excited to share

the arts.

some of OSU’s best-kept

For now, Siddons says

were added in the 1960s

pieces while also encourag-

and updating the plumbing

ing learning. “It’s so exciting

“One of the first things

and other essentials. In fact,

because when we open the

they made us do was go to

Siddons says, the architects

doors, people will say this

a museum, and it changed

PowerPoint, or you can talk

are focusing on the unique-

is museum quality and that

my life,” she says. “It was

about art while it is right in

secrets.“You can talk about art by looking at a

OSU really knows what it’s

incredible (to know) these

front of you, and how excit-

“The building itself is a

doing with artwork,” he says.

things are real, they’re

ing is that?”

work of art and something

“And they’ll be correct.” Even

ness of the structure.

that was really thought through,” she says.

top lef t Architectural rendering of the Postal Plaza Gallery left During a private event where plans for the gallery were unveiled, attendees could view renderings of what was to come for the former post office building. right The building on Husband Street, a few blocks south of Sixth Street, was built 80 years ago as part of the WPA.

Upping the care factor Early admission program aims to improve doctor numbers in rural Oklahoma. story by

Lorene A. Roberson

photography by

Gary Lawson

They tag along on physicians’ daily rounds in small towns. They watch as uninsured patients’ needs are determined. They scrawl notes on index cards and stuff them in the pockets of their white jackets. Their job: Observe patient care in communities where doctors are hard to come by. continues

This spring, four aspiring doctors were admitted to the Oklahoma State University College of Medicine through the Rural and underserved Primary Care Early Admissions Program. They will finish their undergraduate degrees at OSU in May of 2013, and begin medical school that fall.

The students are part of a new plan designed to provide a solution to a chronic problem in Oklahoma — the shortage of primary care physicians in rural areas. “The Early Admissions Program has a specific mission, and that is to serve rural and underserved Oklahoma. Our four students want to help those communities in need. We are excited to see them tackle a critical issue in Oklahoma,” says Amy Martindale, director of student academic services in the OSU College of Arts and Sciences. Juniors Jessica Branstetter of Perkins, Chá Reeder of Stillwater, David McVay of Tulsa and senior Maria Vachapittack of Stillwater are the program’s inaugural class. Martindale says the four are passionate about the new endeavor. “Osteopathic medicine’s appeal to many of our students is its philosophy of taking care of patients holistically, not just focusing on the specific symptom presented today,” she says. “These students are also dedicated to primary care, to meet the general medical needs in rural and underserved communities.” Early recognition

42 Jessica Branstetter

“Most of my family lives in Oklahoma. This is where I want to be.”

The OSU College of Arts and Sciences in Stillwater and the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa are collaborating on the plan. The OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources also is taking part in the unique venture. Under the program, students take pre-medical courses on the Stillwater campus for three years before starting medical training during their fourth — or senior — year. They earn a bachelor’s degree in four years and an osteopathic medical degree in three more. “We want to identify students who show early signs of interest in rural medicine. We want to keep their talents in our state and make sure they are successful,” says Dr. William Pettit, associate dean at the OSU Center for Rural Health. “It’s a phenomenal thing to start this program, and we are thrilled to be working with the College of Arts and Sciences.”

The curriculum took more than a year for the three units to develop, and at first glance, the requirements are standard pre-med. In the summer between their sophomore and junior years, however, the requirements are stepped up, with the students required to complete a three-week externship with a practicing osteopathic physician. In their junior year, students participate in primary care shadowing experiences. Students also join the OSU Student Osteopathic Rural Medicine Club — known as StORM, a name created by the group’s first set of officers in 2008. “The first officers wanted to be more than just a club; they wanted to storm Oklahoma by meeting with legislators, dignitaries, townspeople and new students to address rural health,” says Pettit, the club’s adviser. StORM’s main goal is to serve as representatives on both the state and national level. “In the long run, we want our students to become spokespeople,” Pettit says.

A love for medicine

A microbiology major, Jessica Branstetter externed in July with Dr. Jennifer Ferrell of Stillwater. The externship, which is shorter than an internship, was a natural transition for the 19-year-old. For the last five years, she has volunteered at Stillwater Medical Center, where she now works as a clerical assistant in the ER. ‘Give them hope’ Branstetter says she always knew she wanted With Dr. Dustin Cupp, David McVay to be a doctor. walked the halls of Cushing Regional Hospital, “I have always wanted to be in the medical a 95-bed hospital that serves the Oklahoma field. I … wanted to get through high school communities of Cushing, Drumright, Ripley, quickly so I could do what I really wanted to Agra, Perkins, Yale, Oilton and Stroud. do, which was medicine,” she says. The physiology major went to morning and With that in mind, she graduated a year early afternoon clinics and on patient rounds with from Perkins-Tryon High School as valedicto- Cupp. On one Tuesday evening, they worked rian of her class. OSU’s rigorous program does at the county’s free medical clinic. And while not faze Branstetter in the least. he could not treat the patients, McVay listened. “I am really excited about this medical continues program,” she says. “Most of my family lives in Oklahoma. This is where I want to be.”

David McVay

“Everyone has family problems, so it’s good when you can feel for your patients.”

While in the various clinics, he heard stories from multigenerational households about caring for wounds, farming accidents and job losses. He met families who had no jobs, no insurance and little hope. “We would talk about their physical, emotional and spiritual health, along with the importance of being a family,” McVay, 21, says. “Everyone has family problems, so it’s good when you can feel for your patients, and it’s OK to think about them the day, the week, the month after. “It’s good to give them hope and encouragement.” Cushing was McVay’s first rural experience after working with urban communities for more than four years. During his senior year of high school, he dedicated each Tuesday to volunteering for Good Samaritan Health Services in poor areas of Tulsa. “The area was very rough; however, being there helped give me more compassion and a clearer vision,” he says. “My experience with Good Samaritan was when I first decided to commit to a long-term vision of helping people through health care.” ‘Fascinating’

Chá Reeder

“I fell in love with the program and its family appeal.”

The 20-year-old Chá Reeder, a microbiology major, tagged along with Ferrell in August. The doctor-in-training calls the experience fascinating. “I want to go into general practice, so it was great to observe patients with all different needs.” Reeder, a Stillwater native and a selfproclaimed Cowboys fan since birth, says she has always wanted to stay within the OSU family. During high school, she toured the medical school once and later toured it as a college student — several times. “I fell in love with the program and its family appeal. I also appreciate how none of the medical students are fighting to be in a No. 1 spot, but rather everyone is working together.” OSU’s osteopathic medicine approach appealed to Reeder, too: “Viewpoints are changing, and there’s more of a focus on preventative medicine,” she says. “Instead of being stuffed full of medicines, people are looking for better ways of living. And osteopathic medicine’s way of treating diseases and the entire body works with that.”

‘Even more enthused’

Maria Vachapittack’s path differs from her younger colleagues. Her academic career started at the University of Nebraska, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theater. At 25, while she was pregnant with her first child, she became enchanted with medicine. “My doctor asked me what I wanted to do with my theater degrees. With deadpan humor, I said ‘go into medicine,’ ” she says. “I was very serious, though, and decided to give up a regular paycheck and follow my gut and heart and go into science. “It is a gamble that has paid off.” At OSU, she is working on a degree in university studies. This summer in Muskogee, Okla., Vachapittack externed with Dr. Michael Stratton of the Children’s Clinic, doing morning rounds and attending Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control Commission meetings, where Stratton is a member. “I was impressed by the depth of knowledge Dr. Stratton possesses, his kindness and warmth toward patients and his good nature,” Vachapittack says. “He’s a great physician.” Vachappittack admits she loves getting a jumpstart on medical school. “Who wouldn’t jump on this opportunity? I have a lot of higher education, and I wanted to get into the classes that I would really use as a doctor,” the 27-year-old says. “OSU’s early admission program helped that decision, but both my husband and I have really fallen for Oklahoma’s charm. I’m drawn to the beauty of the land here.”

45 Maria Vachapittack

She’s also drawn to medicine — rural, to be specific. “There’s an extreme need for doctors in this area of medicine and in Oklahoma. I was overjoyed when the OSU Center for Health Sciences came to Stillwater with the news of this early admissions program. “I would never take back this decision, and I bet if you talk with me in a year, I’ll be even more gung ho and even more enthused. I love people, and being a doctor seems the perfect choice for me.”

“I would never take back this decision, and I bet if you talk with me in a year, I’ll be even more gung ho and even more enthused.”

Gary Lawson / University Marketing

’79 POLITICAL SCIENCE

Vincent G. Logan Distinguished Alumnus 2012

Investment management consultant Vincent G. Logan was named 2012 Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University on April 11. Logan, a 1979 political science graduate, was presented with the distinction at the college’s honors and awards banquet, where more than 200 students were recognized. “I’m very happy to call OSU my home and my university,” Logan said. At OSU, Logan was a member of the Native American Association and Pre-Law Club. “You may not chair or head your student organization; however, being involved in any capacity will serve you well. At OSU, I learned how to be a team player.” Logan is president of the Nations Group, an investment counseling firm in New York founded to help tribal nations design effective strategies for reaching financial objectives. He was educated at OSU, the University of Oklahoma College of Law and the summer law institute at Oxford University.

The College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Board is accepting nominations for the college’s 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award. To receive a nomination form, contact Shane O’Mealey at shane.omealey@okstate.edu or 405-744-5647. Nominations are due by Jan. 6, 2013.

February 2012

OSU Hall of Fame

October 2011

Distinguished Alumni Jerry Gill (above) was one of two A&S recipients of the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award presented by the OSU Alumni Association. Gill, a Stillwater resident, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1967, a master’s degree in 1973 and a doctorate in 1976, all in history. One of his jobs during his 36-year tenure at OSU, Gill was as associate director for the Office of High School and College Relations. photo by Genesee Photo Systems Vaughn O. Vennerberg II (below left), recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award, receives an honorary doctorate from OSU/A&M Regent Chair Jay Helm at the spring commencement ceremony. The Dallas resident earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1976. He was president and director of XTO Energy Inc. in Fort Worth, Texas, until its merger with ExxonMobil in June 2010. He worked for 23 years with XTO when it was the nation’s largest domestic natural gas producer with more than 3,200 employees. photo by Genesee Photo Systems

Benjamin Harjo Jr. (’74) was inducted into the OSU Alumni Hall of Fame on Feb. 17. Harjo earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts at OSU. The Oklahoma City resident is one of the nation’s leading American Indian artists. photo by Genesee Photo Systems

October 2011

A&S Homecoming Reception More than 100 alumni and friends turned out for the A&S homecoming reception in Murray Hall. Alumni from 1961 and 1986 received 25- and 50-year pins from A&S alumni board President Dr. Tim Geib (’98) and Peter M.A. Sherwood, emeritus regents professor of chemistry and emeritus dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. photos by Cam Holmes and Mallory Schrader/School of Media and Strategic Communications students

The 50-year pins are presented to (from left) Earl Folk, Priscilla Decker, Joyce Jamison, Melva Wedge, Barbara Peters, Dr. Tom McDougal and Mike McDowell.

From left: Marti Troy (’86), Rosemary Addy (’85), and Kristi Roberts (’85) and her husband, Greg

A&S alumni board member Christopher Gafney (’90) and his wife, Chere (’90)

December 2011

Art at the Postal Plaza

Art alumnus Carson Scott, a member of the Class of 1959, (center) presents a print of Frank Eaton’s workshop to OSU President Burns Hargis and

his wife, Ann Hargis. The sculptor donated the piece to OSU at an event for the OSU Postal Plaza Gallery.

April 2012

A&S Honors and Awards Banquet Investment management consultant Vincent G. Logan (’79) was named 2012 Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Arts and Sciences on April 11. Logan was presented with the distinction at the college’s honors and awards banquet. More than 200 students were recognized at the event as well.

From left: Vincent Logan with Jamie Vickery (’12) and student Forrest Rogers, and Regents Professor Peter M.A. Sherwood, then the A&S dean.

From left: Logan’s sister Jeanine Logan (’77) with student Sara McKiddy.

49 From left: Tom Wikle, A&S associate dean for academic programs; Lorene A. Roberson, A&S communications; Lindsey Brownlow, A&S student academic services; Rosalina Yorks (’12); Logan; Lauren Foley; Jamie Nix (’12); Jamie Vickery (’12); Joshua Damron (’12); Amy Martindale, A&S director of student academic services; Grant Tinsley (’12); and Sherwood.

April 2012

A&S Spring Alumni Event Alumni and friends enjoyed an evening of jazz at the Beacon Club in downtown Oklahoma City. OSU students and faculty who are members of the OSU Jazz Ensemble performed during the reception. Peter M.A. Sherwood, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was recognized for his service to the college and university. He retired in July 2012. photos by Ann Sherman Photography

From left: Ana Scott (’11) and Bianca Cole (’10)

Shirley and Herb Davis (’53).

From left: OSU students Jonathan Lacaba, Laura Lopez, alumnae Lorene A. Roberson (’84) and Bonnie Cain-Wood (’99) and student Wes Haddox.

April 2012

Celebrating 40 OSU’s Department of Theatre hosted an alumni event in honor of its 40th year. More than 50 alumni from throughout the United States attended the event at Murray Hall. From left: Brooks Powers (’07), Dawn Behrens (’06) and OSU theater professor Heidi Hoffer.

From left: Jody Biggers with Kathy and Leo Noltensmeyer.

COL LE GE OF

Arts & Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences Alumni: Stronger Every Day This is an exciting time for the

Alumni Board of Directors

Office of the Dean

College of Arts and Sciences at

President

201 Life Sciences East Stillwater, OK 74078 (405) 744-5663

OSU. Our College continues to grow, and we have more than 42,000 alumni today. The Office of Alumni Relations for the College of Arts and Sciences works with the OSU Alumni Association to strengthen ties among its alumni and friends.

Dr. Timothy Geib (’98) National Board Representative

Dana Glencross (’82/’86) Members

Carol Ringrose Alexander (’86) Dr. D. Erik Aspenson (’89) Claudia Holdridge Bartlett (’80) Dr. Carla Britt (’83) Matt Caves (’97) Stacy Dean (’86) Christopher Gafney (’90) Brian Huseman (’94)

For more information or to join

Theresa McClure (’78)

www.cas.okstate.edu Dean

Bret S. Danilowicz, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Instruction and Personnel

Bruce C. Crauder, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Academic Programs

Thomas A. Wikle, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Research

Ron Van Den Bussche, Ph.D.

Pam Mowry (’04)

Director of Student Academic Services

David Parrack (’80)

Amy Martindale, Ed.D.

visit www.orangeconnection.

Timothy Ryan (’84)

Director of Fiscal Affairs

org, or contact Shane O’Mealey,

Annawyn Shamas (’56)

the OSU Alumni Association,

alumni relations for the College

Renee G. Tefertiller Director of Outreach

of Arts and Sciences, at 405-

H. Walter Shaw

744-5647 or shane.omealey@

Senior Director of Development

okstate.edu.

The college’s spring alumni event in Oklahoma City recognized the contributions of Peter M.A. Sherwood (third from left), who retired in July 2012. With Sherwood are Matt Caves (from left), Dana Glencross, Carol Ringrose Alexander, Pam Mowry and Dr. Timothy Geib.

Jason Caniglia

In Memoriam After college, he owned Lawson Printing in Stillwater before going to work for the U.S. Postal Service until retirement.

Dr. Alan R. Bandy, ’64, chemistry, died on Dec. 24, 2011, at age 71. Dr. Bandy, an OSU alumnus and a faculty member in the chemistry department at Philadelphia’s Drexel University, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oklahoma State University in 1964 and a doctorate from the University of Florida in 1968. After serving as a postdoctoral associate at the University of Maryland, he joined the faculty of Old Dominion University. He later joined Drexel, serving as the R.S. Hansen Professor of atmospheric and analytical chemistry. Dr. Bandy often served as principal investigator in studies funded by the National Science Foundation and the NASA Global Troposphere Program. Dr. Bandy pioneered isotopic dilution techniques, which were needed to probe the fluctuations in atmospheric dynamics. His research was equally rooted in analytical and physical chemistry. He was the author or co-author of more than 100 publications, adviser to 20 graduate students and mentor to 10 postdoctoral scholars.

Dr. Bandy is survived by his wife, Ellyn Gershon Bandy; four children; two stepchildren; 11 grandchildren; a brother, William; and a sister, Colleen Fischer.

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Don Childs, visiting theater Monica Antionette professor, died Dec. 18, 2011, at Dudley, ’06/’08, political sciage 68. Mr. Childs began his career at the San Francisco Actors Workshop in the 1960s, working as a technician, lighting designer and technical director. Following that, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s in fine arts from Indiana University. Mr. Childs taught theater courses in many cities, including San Diego, Montreal and Stillwater. At the time of his death, Mr. Childs was teaching and designing at OSU. He created more than 200 plays, musicals, dance concerts and exhibitions. He shared a Gold Medal for his lighting design with scenographer Ladislav Vychodil at the Prague Quadrennial, an international exhibition. He also showcased his work at the World Stage Design, an exhibition of international performance design in Toronto. In 2007, the Texas Educational Theater Association named him Artist of the Year. Mr. Childs was chair of the Southwest Chapter of the U.S. Institute of Theatre Technology. He founded the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas to provide hands-on training for the live entertainment industry. He was a member of several organizations, including the U.S. Institute of Theater Technology, the United Scenic Artists and the International Association of Auditorium Managers. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and daughter, Tera Lynn.

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ence, died in a car crash Feb. 1, 2012, at age 27. Ms. Dudley was working toward a doctorate in educational leadership at OSU. Ms. Dudley earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Oklahoma State University in 2006 and 2008, respectively. She was named a visiting professor in political science at OSU after her 2008 graduation. She also had served as coordinator of the OSU Retention Initiative for Student Excellence and the Inclusion Leadership Program since July 2009. Ms. Dudley was a staunch advocate for ensuring students recognize their full potential in college. Ms. Dudley is survived by her mother, Vickie Dudley; father, John Caldwell Sr.; sisters Chari Price, Janea Carter and Taira West; and brothers Dominique Dudley, Jawan Dudley, Kyndal Dudley, John Caldwell Jr., Tyrese Davis and Clarence Barnes Jr.

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Monty Lawson remembers his dad as a multitalented man: “Dad had a lifelong interest in music. He was not shy about trying his hand at playing the fiddle, mandolin, guitar and even singing,” he says. Mr. Lawson’s survivors include two sons, Dr. Michael Lawson (’85), his wife, Kristi, and their son, Chris, of Kearny, Neb.; and Monty Lawson, his wife, Valerie, and their son, Colin, of Tulsa.

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Paul A. Montemurro, former OSU marching band director, died July 5, 2012, at age 79. Mr. Montemurro served as the band’s director from 1972 to 1981, when he became director of bands until he resigned from OSU in 1985. In 1979, he and several former students formed an alumni band. His students often referred to him as “Prof.” He was born April 20, 1933, in Chicago and married Margaret Dickover on March 9, 1985, in Oklahoma.

Richard Lee Lawson, fine arts, ’53, died April 27, 2012, at age 83. Mr. Lawson was born April 27, 1929, in Queen City, Mo. In 1953, he earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Oklahoma A&M College. He married Gloria Vinita Rutter on July 3, 1954, in Stillwater. She died in 2008.

Mr. Montemurro was an accomplished trumpet, flugelhorn and piccolo trumpet soloist with 42 years of experience in band direction, music education and church music work. He also was director of bands at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Mo., and directed instrumental groups at schools in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. In 1971, Mr. Montemurro was named an Outstanding Educator of America. Three years later, he received a Citation of Excellence from the National Bandmasters of America. He was named the National Association of Jazz Educators’ Outstanding Jazz Educator in the Oklahoma unit in 1987.

His professional affiliations included Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, National Patrons of Phi Beta Mu, College Band Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference and American Bandmasters Association. He was a member of two honorary band societies, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. He was also a member and served as president of the Oklahoma unit of the National Association of Jazz Educators. In addition to his wife, he is survived by five children: Pamela Reding and her husband, Chris, of Stillwater, Paula Lindon and her husband, Darin, of Colorado Springs, Colo., Frank Montemurro and his wife, Ashley, Millicent Montemurro and Megan Montemurro, all of St. Joseph, Mo., and a sister, Antoinette Castelvecchi and her husband, Leroy, of Dundee, Ill.

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Billy Joe ‘B.J.’ Smith, fine arts,’55, and emeritus art professor, died Jan. 26, 2012, at age 80. Mr. Smith served as the director of the Gardiner Art Gallery, which he started in 1965, for 29 years before retiring in June 1994. A 1950 graduate of Guymon (Okla.) High School, he received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Oklahoma A&M College in 1955. After serving in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers with a commission from OAMC’s ROTC between 1955 and 1957, he earned a master’s degree in fine arts in 1959 from the University of Oklahoma.

Mr. Smith lived in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1959 and 1961 and attended the University of California, Berkeley’s College of Education in 1961. Returning to Oklahoma, he worked at the Oklahoma Art Center, now the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, as its assistant director from 1961 until 1965. In August 1965, he was hired by OSU’s Department of Art to start its first full-time gallery. He ran OSU’s gallery as a staff of one, hanging 11 shows a year until his retirement.

Mr. Smith’s painted artworks are in the permanent collections of the Fred Jones Museum of Art, University of Oklahoma, Norman; Oklahoma State Collection of Artists and Craftsmen, Oklahoma City; Oklahoma City Museum of Art; Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, Neb.; and numerous private collections. Since 1978, he has been listed in Who’s Who in American Art. He also is included in Who’s Who in the South and Southwest and Men of Achievement. Mr. Smith is survived by a brother, George Smith and his wife, Marion of Westminster, Colo.

Memorial Scholarships To learn more about memorial scholarships, contact Jason Caniglia at 405-385-5155 or email jcaniglia@osugiving.com

You may not be thinking about coming back home today.

But you will. until then, CONNECT with us at okstate.edu cas.okstate.edu twitter.com/OSUartssciences orangeconnection.org osugiving.com

Oklahoma State University College of Arts & Sciences

No n - P rof it o r g an i zat ion U.S . P O S TAGE P A I D

201 Life Sciences East

S t i l lwat e r , OK

Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-3015

BAC K YAR D

P er m i t N o. 1 9 1

SUPPORT Donors support OSU many ways, including outright cash gifts, donations of property and estate-planning tools such as wills and trusts. An opportunity that isn’t as well known is the gift of mineral rights. Oil and gas royalties could help you achieve your charitable goals. Whether the gift is an entire or undivided fractional interest, it can significantly impact many areas, including scholarships, faculty, facilities and programs. Isn’t turning something in your backyard into a gift that helps students an exciting thought?

For more information, contact Jason Caniglia or John Strah at 405.385.5617 or visit OSUgiving.giftlegacy.com.