STATE magazine - Winter 2017

The official magazine of Oklahoma State University

Winter 2017

We are truly thankful for

The Cowboy Family

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Winter 2017, Volume 13, Number 2 • statemagazine.okstate.edu

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Welcome to the Winter 2017 issue of STATE magazine, your source of information from the OSU Alumni Association, the OSU Foundation and University Marketing. On the cover

Wi nt

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from left, Devon Burgess, Vivien Ivey and Mattie Horton jump into the future in front of Old Central. The oldest building on campus, today’s home of The Honors College is where the first female graduate, Jessie Thatcher Bost, gave her commencement speech in 1897. This magazine edition explores how women have contributed to the university through the decades. More photos of young Cowboy legacies feature Josie Wang and Mattea Lawson. (Cover photography by Phil Shockley)

S PE CI A L S E C T IO N STATEment 34 Scholar Thank You

35

Snapshot: Welcome Plaza

37

Jessie Thatcher Bost

38

Women for OSU History

40

Ann Patton

46

Natalie Shirley

50

Rebekah Hatfield

54

Femfolio 56 Maxine Warren

57

Heather Yates

59

Courtney Dike

60

Barbara Stoecker

64

Ashlee Ford Versypt

66

Undergraduate Research

68

Bear Research

70

Influential Figures

76

Patrice Latimer & Erica Stephens

86

Caroline Reed

90

Ramona Paul

92

Cynda Clary

94

Linda Livingstone

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56

Martha Reed

96

Student Scholar Spotlight

100

2018 Symposium

103

C OW BOY C OLLE C TION

10 28 Mandela Fellows Young African leaders learned new skills at OSU through a fellowship program.

D E PA R T ME N T S

America’s Greatest Homecoming From the Cowboy Stampede Rodeo to the football game, Homecoming activities continue to touch the lives of our students and alumni. Generations of Cowboys return to Stillwater to celebrate. Take a glimpse into the highlights of Homecoming 2017: ‘Herald Your Fame.’

30

Letters to the Editor

4

Socially Orange

5

President’s Letter

6

Distinguished Alumni Awards

7

Diversity Hall of Fame

22

Campus News

24

FAPC Recipe

26

OSU-Tulsa 46 OSUIT 48 OSU-Oklahoma City

50

Veterinary Medicine

54

OSU Museum of Art

56

KOSU: Uniquely Oklahoma

58

The Cowboy Way

59

POSSE Replay

60

Research 64 OSU Medicine Student Scholars

85 100

Legacy Link

104

Alumni Chapters

105

Chapter Leader Profile

108

First Person Essay

110

Class Notes

112

In Memoriam/Passages

118

Book Corner

120

History 122 O-STATE Stories

A Musical Fanfare A surprise announcement of a lead gift launches the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music opening alongside The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts in fall 2019.

126

Oklahoma State University is a land-grant system of interdisciplinary programs preparing students for success. As Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves lives through integrated teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 34,000 students across its five-campus system, including over 24,000 on its Stillwater campus, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 260,000 students to serve the state of Oklahoma, the nation and the world.

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UNIVERSITY MARKETING Kyle Wray / Vice President of Enrollment Management & Marketing Erin Petrotta / Director of Marketing and Advertising and Enrollment Management Communications Megan Horton / Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media Elizabeth Keys / Editor Paul V. Fleming, Valerie Kisling & Dave Malec / Design Phil Shockley & Gary Lawson / Photography Karolyn Bolay, Shelby Holcomb & Dorothy Pugh / Editorial Adrianna Cunningham / Intern Brandee Cazzelle, April Cunningham, Pam Longan, Leslie McClurg & Kurtis Mason / Marketing University Marketing Office / 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078-1024 / 405-744-6262 / go.okstate.edu / statemagazine.okstate.edu / editor@okstate.edu / osu.advertising@okstate.edu Contributors / Kim Archer, Courtney Arnall, Derinda Blakeney, George Bulard, Kelly Burley, Chelsea Burns, Kendria Cost, Nora Foster, Mandy Gross, Sean Hubbard, Todd Johnson, Jeff Joiner, Kyle Lomenick, Wade McWhorter, Sara Milligan, Jim Mitchell, Rachel Metzer, Melissa Mourer, Sandy Pantlik, David Peters, Sara Plummer, Gary Shutt, Sherry Smith, Michelle Talamantes, Kandace Taylor, Beth Theis, Bruce Waterfield & Kim Woodard

O S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N Kent Gardner / Chair

DEAR READERS,

Several of you wrote to us about how you light up your holidays with America’s Brightest Orange®. Many families decorate for the season showing their Cowboy spirit. We love receiving snapshots of how you celebrate at your house.

Continue sharing your stories and ideas through mail service to STATE Magazine, 305 Whitehurst, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK 74078.

Email your letters and digital photos to editor@okstate.edu.

Happy Holidays!

Elizabeth Keys STATE Editor

Tony LoPresto / Vice Chair Phil Kennedy / Immediate Past Chair Chris Batchelder / President and CEO Jace Dawson / Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Pam Davis / Vice President and Chief Programs Officer Treca Baetz, Chris Batchelder, John Bartley, James Boggs, Gregg Bradshaw, Larry Briggs, Burns Hargis, Kirk Jewell, Angela Kouplen, Mel Martin, Travis Moss, Tina Parkhill, H.J. Reed, Tom Ritchie, David Ronck & Tina Walker / Board of Directors Lacy Branson, Will Carr, Chase Carter, Tori Moore, Leanna Smith & Jillianne Tebow / Communications and Marketing OSU Alumni Association / 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-7043 / 405-744-5368 / orangeconnection.org / info@orangeconnection.org

O S U F O U N DAT I O N Lyndon Taylor / Chair Kirk Jewell / President Donna Koeppe / Vice President of Administration & Treasurer Chris Campbell / Senior Associate Vice President of Information Strategy Shane Crawford / Senior Associate Vice President of Leadership Gifts David Mays / Senior Associate Vice President of Central Development Paula Voyles / Senior Associate Vice President of Constituency Programs Blaire Atkinson / Senior Associate Vice President of Development Services Robyn Baker / Vice President and General Counsel Pam Guthrie / Senior Associate Vice President of Human Resources Deborah Adams, Mark Allen, Chris Batchelder, Bryan Begley, Bryan Close, Jan Cloyde, Patrick Cobb, Ann Dyer, Joe Eastin, Jennifer Grigsby, John Groendyke, Helen Hodges, David Houston, Gary Huneryager, A.J. Jacques, Brett Jameson, Kirk Jewell, Griff Jones, Diana Laing, John Linehan, Joe Martin, Ross McKnight, Jenelle Schatz, Becky Steen, Lyndon Taylor, Phil Terry, Stephen Tuttle, Jay Wiese & Jerry Winchester / Trustees Shelly Cameron, Jennifer Kinnard, Chris Lewis, Jacob Longan, Amanda O’Toole Mason, Michael Molholt, Matthew J. Morgan & Benton Rudd / Marketing and Communications OSU Foundation / 400 South Monroe, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076-1749 / 800-622-4678 / OSUgiving.com / info@OSUgiving.com STATE magazine is published three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring) by Oklahoma State University, 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078. The magazine is produced by University Marketing, the OSU Alumni Association and the OSU Foundation, and is mailed to current members of the OSU Alumni Association. Postage is paid at Stillwater, OK, and additional mailing offices. Magazine subscriptions are available only by membership in the OSU Alumni Association. Membership cost is $45. Call 405-744-5368 or mail a check to 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater OK 74078-7043. To change a mailing address, visit orangeconnection.org/ update or call 405-744-5368.

Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This provision includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. The Director of Equal Opportunity has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies. Contact the Director of Equal Opportunity at 408 Whitehurst, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-1035; telephone 405-744-5371; or email eeo@okstate.edu. Any person (student, faculty, or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based on gender may discuss his or her concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with OSU’s Title IX Coordinator at 405-744-9154.

This publication, issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the vice president of enrollment management and marketing, was printed by Royle Printing Co. at a cost of $0.97 per issue: 37,622/December 2017/#7066. / Copyright © 2017, STATE magazine. All rights reserved.

Higher Education Marketing Report / 2017 Publications Silver Award Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists / 2016 Best Public Relations Magazine Oklahoma College Public Relations Association / 2016 Magazine Excellence Award Member / Council for Advancement and Support of Education

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OR ANGE POWER CELEBR ATIONS

I’m thrilled with your interest in my family’s ORANGE POWER Christmas. I earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1982, and my husband, Kevin Meyer, completed a bachelor’s degree in international business in 2003. Our daughter Emma Meyer graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy. We are OSU fanatics.

Even our car license plates show our Cowboy pride.

We have the new orange Pistol Pete car tag design. Mine says “LOYAL” and Kevin’s OSU tag says “N TRU.” Sideby-side our cars say “LOYAL ’N TRU.” Go Pokes!

Julie Meyer Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

What’s Your Orange Passion?

#okstate Join the conversation on social media with the Cowboy Family.

Congratulations to T. Boone Pickens on being selected as one of Forbes 100 Greatest Living Business Minds! lnkd.in/eiraVeT. 100 GRE ATE ST LIVING BUSINESS MINDS

T. BOONE PICKENS kellyzhao26 The best thing about sports is you can always meet cute people. #gopokes #studyabroad #iamokstate #kellychaoexchangelife

Risk-Taker, Oil Wildcatter, Hedge Fund Manager

“You drill your fair share of dry holes, but you never lose your optimism.”

Memorable Stories

#okstate President Burns

Hargis is in the building!

Submit your questions for him by using #AskBurns or replying to this snap!

@CowboyFB The Cowboys and @CoachGundy were featured on the @TODAYshow! #okstate

Campus Scenes

Oklahoma State University @okstate @okstateu OStateTV @okstateu

@okstateu Happy first

day of autumn, Cowboys! We can’t wait to see the leaves on the trees turn to #Orange

Oklahoma State University Visit okla.st/socialdir for more social media connections.

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Welcome to this special edition of STATE magazine. The issue is dedicated to women and the lasting mark they have made on Oklahoma State University and on our world.

On the cover, Old Central symbolizes OSU’s rich

Thanks for your ongoing support of Oklahoma

history of fulfilling our land-grant mission while the

State University. We have enjoyed record enrollment in

young girls represent the future and the Oklahoma

recent years, due in part to referrals and recommen-

State women who will help shape it.

dations from our loyal alumni and donors. Student

Jessie Thatcher Bost was the first female Oklahoma State graduate, and the words from her commencement address are as true today as they were in 1897: If “you

recruitment is in high gear, and we encourage you to send potential students our way.

As 2017 comes to a close, First Cowgirl Ann and I

and I could have chosen when to exist, I think there

want to wish you all the best during the holidays. It’s

could have been no more inspiring time than now.”

been a great year, and we look forward to even more

Women have been finding their inspiration at OSU ever since. This special edition of STATE offers a mere glimpse of their impact.

success in 2018 and beyond.

Go Pokes!

We spotlight long-time researcher Dr. Barbara Stoecker, African-American student government

Burns Hargis

presidents Patrice Latimer and Erica Stephens, OSU

OSU President

Fire Service Training’s Caroline Reed who joined Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts, Baylor University nesswomen Helen Hodges, Amy Mitchell and Anne Greenwood. Anne partnered with her husband, Michael, to fund a new music building adjoining The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.

The success of these women and the accomplishments of many other OSU women are covered in the following pages. Plus, we provide a recap of this year’s “America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration,” as well as updates on news and activities this fall.

OSU President Burns Hargis and First Cowgirl Ann Hargis joined throngs of students on the first day of the semester to view the solar eclipse on the library lawn.

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PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

President Linda Livingstone, and successful busi-

DISTINGUISHED

Alumni Awards PHOTO / GENESEE PHOTO SYSTEMS

The OSU Alumni Association honored the 2017 Distinguished Alumni including Wilson Pipestem, Jack Corgan, Claud Evans, Jennifer Grigsby, Piyush Patel, and Kayleen and Larry Ferguson.

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes former students who attain distinctive success in their chosen fields or professions and perform outstanding service for their community. The 2017 Distinguished Alumni honorees were recognized at a reception the evening of September 22 at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center and on the field during halftime of the Texas Christian University and OSU football game on September 23. Meet the newest inductees to join the elite group of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients:

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Jack Corgan of Dallas studied architecture at OSU and served Sigma Alpha Epsilon as rush chairman and president before transferring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master’s of Architecture.

After graduation, he worked at OSU as an assistant professor of architecture.

In 1971, the Corgans moved to Dallas so Jack could join his dad’s architectural firm. In 1975, he became president, building CORGAN from a staff of eight to more than 250 employees nationwide.

Corgan and his wife, Carol, were co-chairs of the successful 1985 Dallas Independent School District bond program and founded Positive Parents of Dallas. Corgan was president of Dallas Plan, AIA Dallas and MIT Club of Dallas.

Corgan served as Branding Success chairman for OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology and was inducted into its Hall of Fame.

He also served on the OSU Foundation’s Board of Governors.

The Corgans have endowed scholarships and are members of the Heritage Society and life members of the OSU Alumni Association.

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Claud D. Evans of Okemah, Oklahoma, graduated from OSU in 1966 with a degree in agricultural biochemistry.

He earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1970.

Evans worked for the Ralston Purina Company before opening his own veterinary practice in 1983. He is currently the sole practitioner and owner at Okfuskee County Veterinary Clinic, in addition to operating a farm with Angus cattle and Spanish meat goats.

Evans has numerous publications to his name and has presented at the American Veterinary Medical Association’s annual convention. For 16 years, he served on the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, including two terms as board chairman.

Evans served on the OSU Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and the administrative council for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. He is a member of the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching and a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

Larry and Kayleen Ferguson of Hot Springs, Arkansas, met in 1975 at OSU’s Dairy Cattle Center. Larry graduated that year with a degree in animal science. After studying English at OSU, Kayleen completed her degree at Utah State, though she considers herself a lifelong Cowgirl.

Larry worked with Schreiber Foods, moving from production supervisor to CEO in 1999 and helping grow the company into an international dairy operation. Kayleen focused on her career as a language arts teacher while raising the couple’s three sons.

The couple established the Larry and Kay Ferguson Dairy Foods Scholarship at OSU in 2000 and the Ferguson Family Foundation in 2006, which has donated $2 million and committed to matching up to $4 million more to build a state-ofthe-art barn and renovate the OSU Dairy Cattle Center, now named the Ferguson Family Dairy Center at OSU. The Fergusons operate and manage Maranatha Agriculture LLC in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Jennifer M. Grigsby of Edmond, Oklahoma, graduated from OSU in 1991 with a degree in accounting and went on to earn an MBA from Oklahoma City University.

She currently serves as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Ascent Resources LLC. In 1995, Grigsby went to work for Chesapeake Energy, ultimately serving as senior vice president of corporate and strategic planning, and senior vice president, treasurer and corporate secretary. She went on to serve in a variety of executive positions for American Energy — Woodford LLC and American Energy — Minerals LLC. Grigsby is also a principal and co-founder of Amethyst Investments LLC. She serves on many boards in the Oklahoma City community and was chair of the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2013-2015 and the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees from 2015 to June 2017.

Grigsby is a member of the Wilton T. Anderson School of Accounting Hall of Fame and the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame, which also recognized her as one of its “100 for 100” graduates during the school’s anniversary.

She is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

Piyush Patel of Oklahoma City graduated from OSU in 1998 with a degree in elementary education. He went on to earn a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Phoenix.

As a lifelong educator with more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, he founded Digital-Tutors, a worldwide leader of online training, educating more than 1.5 million students. As an OSU student, Patel created the “I Wonder Fair,” which helped educate 5,000 fifth-graders.

Patel and his wife, Lisa, own Conclusion Wines in Napa, California, which donates its proceeds to Oklahoma nonprofits.

Patel was inducted into the OSU College of Education Hall of Fame in 2017, the same year he was a commencement speaker at OSU. He serves on advisory boards for Regent Bank and The Trust Company of Oklahoma, among others, and is a business mentor to several local companies.

Patel has authored seven college textbooks, and his book Lead Your Tribe, Love Your Work will be released in February 2018. He is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

Wilson Pipestem of Skiatook, Oklahoma, graduated from OSU in 1992 with a degree in English. As an OSU student, he was a scholarship athlete for the track and cross-country teams.

Pipestem went on to earn his law degree from Stanford.

A citizen of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and an Osage headright holder, Pipestem has dedicated his life and career to protecting the rights of tribal governments and American Indians. He founded Pipestem Law in 1999 and Ietan Consulting in 2000. He served as lead counsel in Osage Nation v. United States, which was settled for a record $380 million in favor of the Osages after 11 years of litigation.

Pipestem also played a prominent role in the enactment of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He is an expert on federal Indian law and has taught at the Catholic University of America and at American University.

Pipestem has served on the boards of various organizations, all of which provide opportunities for Indian youth.

He is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

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PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Rickie Fowler, right, and his girlfriend, Allison Stokke, lead the Sea of Orange Parade. YAHOO Sports followed them around Stillwater recording and broadcasting their visit.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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T

hree words in the Oklahoma State University Alma Mater provided the inspiration for this year’s Homecoming theme – ‘Herald Your Fame.’ Our alma mater has produced many famous people and ideas, all of which were celebrated in October at the annual event that has also brought fame to OSU – “America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration.”

Rickie Fowler, one of OSU’s most famous alumni, returned home to serve as grand marshal of the Sea of Orange Parade. Known for wearing America’s Brightest Orange® on Sundays, Fowler received warm, loud Cowboy cheers at every Homecoming event as if he were approaching the 18th green at The Masters.

Warm weather and clear skies greeted OSU alumni and friends for Homecoming’s main events Friday and Saturday, capped off by a resounding 59-16 victory over the Baylor Bears.

While we were happy to win the game, we were also excited to welcome back three-time OSU graduate Linda Livingstone as Baylor’s new president, who is featured on Pages 96-99.

Along with our sponsor Phillips 66, the OSU Alumni Association invites you to relive Homecoming 2017 and some of our favorite moments that help make this event so famous.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Gage Calhoon and Brittany Krehbiel were crowned 2017 Homecoming King and Queen by last year’s winners, Ridge Howell, left, and Jacquelyn Lane, right.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Tyron Johnson, No. 13, evades a tackle during the Baylor vs. OSU Homecoming football game.

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PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Homecoming executives, from left, dye the library fountain orange including Corian England, Jackson Emery, Andy Zahl, Emily Anderson, Karoline Radka, Brooks McKinney, Karlie Wade, Allie Cook, Gentry Meyer and Gatlin Squires, while OSU President Burns Hargis, Pistol Pete and OSU Alumni Association President Chris Batchelder supervise.

Students put the finishing touches on their Homecoming Sign Competition entries.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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Signs illustrating the ‘Herald Your Fame’ Homecoming theme covered the library lawn.

PHOTOS / GARY LAWSON

Freshman Cheyenne Bartling from Cleveland, Oklahoma, is ranked 10th in the Central Plains Region for goat tying. Her talents were on display at the Cowboy Stampede, OSU’s rodeo event that kicks off Homecoming activities.

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A young Cowgirl helps paint Hester Street for the Cowboy football team.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Members of Kappa Alpha Theta put the finishing touches on their house decoration, “Your Moment in Time� with Phi Gamma Delta.

Shawn Ferrell, 3, prepares to roll a pumpkin for a game at the Homecoming Harvest Carnival.

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PHOTOS / GARY LAWSON

Members of Pi Beta Phi/FarmHouse pomp their house decoration titled “Surfin’ U.S.A.”

Anna Robison, 7, plays a game at the Homecoming Harvest Carnival.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

With Hester Street painted, students moved on to the sidewalks to share their Homecoming spirit.

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Grand Marshal Rickie Fowler chipped autographed stress balls into the crowd at Homecoming & Hoops.

PHOTO / BRUCE WATERFIELD

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

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PHOTO / BRUCE WATERFIELD

Sigma Nu/Gamma Phi Beta perform the OSU Cowboys chant during Homecoming & Hoops. The Greek pair won the Jerry Gill Spirit Award for Homecoming 2017.

Head football coach Mike Gundy stole the show when he challenged quarterback Mason Rudolph to take his shirt off during Homecoming & Hoops.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

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“Stillwater State of Mind” by Alpha Gamma Rho/Kappa Kappa Gamma tied for first place in the house decoration competition.

Bible Baptist Church’s depiction of a Cowboy landing on the moon won the Grand Marshal’s Cup for the best parade entry.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Members of OSU’s International Student Organization walk in the Sea of Orange Parade including Fatimah Firdaus, left, from Indonesia and Jooyoung Kwak from South Korea.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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“The Olympians” by Sigma Alpha Epsilon/Zeta Tau Alpha tied for first place in the house decoration competition.

PHOTOS / GARY LAWSON

Families gather around Theta Pond bathed in orange at Walkaround.

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2017 Homecoming Awards Basketball Bonanza Harvest Carnival Greek Bracket 1st — Kappa Sigma/Alpha Chi Omega 2nd — Phi Gamma Delta/ Kappa Alpha Theta 3rd — Alpha Gamma Rho/ Kappa Kappa Gamma Female MVP — Hannah Anderson Male MVP — Garret Maxey

Open Bracket 1st — Sigma Phi Lambda/Phi Kappa Tau 2nd — Patchin/Jones/Drummond 3rd — Omega Phi Alpha/ Sigma Tau Gamma Female MVP — Taylor Price Male MVP — Noah Luckey

Sign Competition Student Organizations

Inclement weather turned the annual Football Frenzy tournament into the Basketball Bonanza. Kappa Sigma/Alpha Chi Omega, top, won the Greek Bracket with Sigma Phi Lambda/Phi Kappa Tau, above, winning the Open Bracket.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

1st — Student Wellness Council 2nd — Swine Club 3rd — Theta Tau Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — CowboyThon

Residential Life 1st — North Monroe 2nd — Zink/Allen 3rd — Wentz/Parker Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — University Commons

Greek Life 1st — Alpha Tau Omega/Delta Delta Delta 2nd — Phi Gamma Delta/ Kappa Alpha Theta 3rd — Pi Kappa Alpha/Alpha Delta Pi Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Sigma Chi/ Kappa Delta

Student Organizations 1st — College of Education, Health & Aviation Student Council 2nd — Freshmen in Transition 3rd — National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and Pre-Vet Club (Tie) Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Early Childhood Education Club

Residential Life 1st — University Commons 2nd — Wentz/Parker Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — University Commons

Greek Life 1st — Sigma Phi Epsilon/Alpha Xi Delta 2nd — FarmHouse/Pi Beta Phi 3rd — Sigma Chi/Kappa Delta Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Lambda Chi Alpha/Phi Mu

Chili Cook-Off Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow

Student Organizations 1st — Block and Bridle 2nd — Oklahoma Collegiate Cattlewomen 3rd — Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow

Residential Life 1st — Bennett/Kamm/Peterson/Friend 2nd — University Commons 3rd — Stout Hall

Orange Reflection Cowboy Motorsports’ Sea of Orange Parade entry cruises down Main Street.

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1st — Stout Hall 2nd — Bennett/Kamm/Peterson/Friend 3rd — Patchin/Jones/Drummond Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Patchin/Jones/Drummond

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

PHOTO / BRUCE WATERFIELD

Pistol Pete is in the spotlight at Homecoming & Hoops.

House Decorations Alumni Association Chairman’s Cup

Young Cowboy fans anxiously await the team’s arrival at the Spirit Walk.

Sea of Orange Parade

Sweepstakes

Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Stout Hall

1st — Alpha Gamma Rho/ Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon/Zeta Tau Alpha (Tie) 2nd — Sigma Nu/Gamma Phi Beta 3rd — FarmHouse/Pi Beta Phi 4th — Phi Gamma Delta/ Kappa Alpha Theta 5th — Kappa Sigma/Alpha Chi Omega Phillips 66 Fan Favorite — Alpha Tau Omega/ Delta Delta Delta

Large Band Competition

Engineering Excellence Award

Residential Life

1st — Ponca City High School

Community Parade Entry 1st — Bible Baptist Church 2nd — Miniature Horse Brigade 3rd — Perkins Road Pet Clinic

Student Organizations 1st — Dairy Science Club 2nd — Sigma Phi Lambda/Phi Kappa Tau 3rd — Omega Phi Alpha/ Sigma Tau Gamma

Sigma Alpha Epsilon/Zeta Tau Alpha and Sigma Nu/Gamma Phi Beta (Tie)

1st — Stout Hall 2nd — Bennett/Kamm/Peterson/Friend 3rd — University Commons

Safety Award

Grand Marshal’s Cup

Alpha Gamma Rho/ Kappa Kappa Gamma

Bible Baptist Church

Student Organizations 1st — Dairy Science Club 2nd — Sigma Phi Lambda/ Phi Kappa Tau 3rd — Oklahoma Collegiate Cattlewomen

Residential Life 1st — Stout Hall 2nd — Bennett/Kamm/Peterson/Friend 3rd — University Commons

Greek Life 1st — Alpha Gamma Rho/ Kappa Kappa Gamma 2nd — FarmHouse/Pi Beta Phi 3rd — Sigma Nu/Gamma Phi Beta

Jerry Gill Spirit Award Sigma Nu/Gamma Phi Beta

Homecoming King & Queen Gage Calhoon and Brittany Krehbiel

Most Spirited College College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Stout Hall won first place in the Orange Reflection competition.

Fans gather at Traditions Tailgate before the football game.

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PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Individuals accepting awards during the third annual Diversity Hall of Fame included, from left, Dr. Claud Evans, Sam Combs III, Andre Storey, Burns Hargis, Huey Battle (Dr. Battle’s son), Sandra (Battle) Graham (Dr. Battle’s daughter), Dr. Jason Kirksey, Michael Battle (Dr. Battle’s son), Randi Jackson (the Ransoms’ granddaughter), Sheryl Crockett (the Ransoms’ daughter), Stan Ransom (the Ransoms’ nephew), and Dr. Krystal Beamon.

OSU Diversity Hall of Fame honors nine

BY J I M M I T C H E L L

T

he Oklahoma State University Diversity Hall of Fame has inducted seven new honorees and recognized two Rising Star Award recipients.

The OSU Diversity Hall of Fame recognizes alumni and university supporters who have significantly contributed to the advancement of diversity and inclusion at Oklahoma State University and distinguished themselves in their particular field or profession and benefited their communities.

“OSU is proud to honor these individuals whose legacies remain embedded in the fabric of the institution,” says Dr. Jason F. Kirksey, vice president and chief diversity officer for the OSU Division of Institutional Diversity.

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The inductees, who were honored during the sold out Afro-Am Homecoming Gala and Diversity Hall of Fame at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center October 12, include: Dr. Huey Jefferson Battle served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II before returning to civilian life and graduating from Langston University in 1947. He received a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and earned his doctorate in agricultural economics from OSU in 1954, the first African-American in Oklahoma to earn a doctoral degree.

He had a distinguished 23-year career at Virginia State University.

Samuel Combs III is CEO and founding partner of COMSTAR Advisors, a consulting and private investment firm.

He recently retired from ONEOK, where he was president of ONEOK Distribution Companies with financial responsibilities for its natural gas distribution segment.

His earlier positions included jobs with Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, a ONEOK subsidiary, as well as AT&T and Southwestern Bell. He is a past president of the OSU Alumni Association.

A former OSU Regent, Dr. Claud Evans owns and practices at the Okfuskee County Veterinary Clinic in Okemah.

He has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural biochemistry from OSU and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Prior to opening his practice 34 years ago, he worked in management with the Ralston Purina Co. The support of OSU President Burns

Hargis in advancing diversity and inclusion at OSU has been vital to the university’s progress and national recognition.

Hargis has also guided OSU to record enrollment and fundraising since taking office in March 2008. He holds degrees in accounting and law and is the second OSU graduate to lead the university as president.

Brenda D. Neal is a senior vice president of investments, and financial advisor in global wealth management at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in New York. She is also an arbitrator with oversight of securities firms that do business with the public and an activist for women and underserved minority youth with a focus on upgrading their education and job skills. Neal graduated from OSU and received a master’s degree from New York University.

Archie (Stevenson) Ransom graduated from OSU in 1958 with a degree in

food nutrition and institutional management, which served her well as a dietitian and instructor in the Los Angeles area. After raising a family, she became a dietary director in Denver. While Ransom remembers tense racial times on the OSU campus, she has dedicated her life to ensure that was not the reality for her children and grandchildren.

Despite a stellar academic and extracurricular record at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Lloyd Ransom was denied acceptance to the major universities in Oklahoma in 1952 and entered military service. Following desegregation, Ransom returned to Oklahoma and earned a chemistry degree from OSU in 1958, which led to a successful career as a chemist and chemical engineer in the aviation industry. Lloyd met his wife (and co-inductee), Archie, while attending OSU.

The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit agency Minority Access, Inc., honored OSU at its 18th Annual National Role Models Conference. OSU Assistant Vice President for Institutional Diversity Dr. Jovette Dew, left, accepted the award on behalf of the university.

Rising Star Award

The American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity, a national nonprofit organization of equal opportunity, diversity and affirmative action professionals, recognized the university with the Roosevelt Thomas Champion of Diversity Award. Dr. Jason Kirksey, center, accepted the award in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Kirksey was also recognized with the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education 2017 Dr. Frank W. Hale, Jr. Distinguished Service Award.

Dr. Krystal K. Beamon is an associate professor of sociology and faculty associate with the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was recently named outstanding faculty member. She excelled at OSU in academics and was an All-American athlete in track and field.

Beamon has authored books that reflect her research interests, including race and ethnicity, the sociology of sport and the contemporary African-American experience. She earned her three degrees at OSU. Andre I. Storey is the regional vice president of ancillary services at Christus St. Patrick Health System, a subsidiary of Christus Health. He has overseen hospital operations and joint ventures that support the organization’s mission in Lake Charles, Louisiana, since 2014.

During a prior job for the health system, he founded the Greater Texarkana Young Professionals. He graduated from OSU with a degree in business administration and earned a master’s degree in health care administration from Trinity University.

For more information about the Division of Institutional Diversity at OSU, as well as related activities and departments, visit diversity.okstate.edu/.

Honoring OSU Insight Into Diversity magazine has recognized OSU as one of 11 Diversity Champion colleges and universities in the nation ranked in the top-tier for its “unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion at the highest administrative levels.” This is the sixth consecutive year that OSU has received the magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award.

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OSU sees record enrollment Oklahoma State University has recorded a record undergraduate enrollment on the Stillwater campus for Fall 2017. The 20,311 students in Stillwater is the largest number in university history and includes 4,220 freshmen, OSU’s second-largest freshman class.

OSU’s total enrollment for the Stillwater campus, including the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, is 24,274. The total number for the OSU system is 34,568.

FRESHMEN 2017

BY THE NUMBERS

65% are from Oklahoma.

29.1% are minorities.

28.8% have an ACT score of 27 or higher.

26.8% were in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class.

19.1% are first-generation college students.

16.9% percent had a 4.0 high school GPA. Members of OSU’s second-largest freshman class gather on the football field for a Class of 2021 picture.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Southern Living magazine recognizes OSU’s picturesque campus Oklahoma State University’s campus is known for its beautiful buildings, vibrant gardens and gorgeous lawns. The campus has served as a prime choice for hosting special events and a place to photograph special occasions for generations.

In fact, OSU’s stunning campus earned it a spot on Southern Living magazine’s list of the South’s Most Beautiful Colleges. The magazine gave this description:

“A Big 12 campus noted for its beauty, Oklahoma State University (OSU) features calming Theta Pond along with charming Neo-Georgian architecture that gives this campus a cohesive, collegiate look. The university’s redbrick buildings work with brick-lined walkways, courtyards, and open spaces to create symmetry and relaxing outdoor rooms. Landmark structures include Old Central and the Edmon Low Library.”

Read more about the South’s Most Beautiful Colleges at southernliving.com/culture/school/ beautiful-college-campuses.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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Ruling the Rodeo OSU junior makes royalty dreams come true as Miss Rodeo Oklahoma 2018

BY B E T H T H E I S

Growing up, every little girl dreams of being a queen. Taylor Spears was no different, with her dreams of ruling over the rodeo. This past summer, Spears’ royal aspirations became a reality when she earned the state’s highest crown in rodeo, Miss Rodeo Oklahoma 2018.

The contestants competed in horsemanship, appearance, speech, written test, photogenic and personality. They also answered impromptu questions about their rodeo knowledge.

The Oklahoma State University junior spent a year preparing for the Miss Rodeo Oklahoma pageant.

“When it comes to pageants, the most important thing is to be real and to be yourself.” — TAY LO R S P E A R S “I’m still in shock,” she says. “I don’t think I’ve actually taken the time to think of what it is all going to be about, but it’s going to be exciting.”

From a young age, Spears admired her older sister and wanted to do everything she did, from cheerleading to rodeo queen pageants. At the age of 7, the Cleveland, Oklahoma, native got her first taste of pageantry when she won Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Sweetheart.

“I started out big because when you’re Sweetheart, everyone wins,” Spears says. “I just thought I was everything.”

Spears fell in love with rodeo queen pageants with the Sweetheart experience. It takes hard work and dedication, Spears says — adding there is more to a rodeo queen pageant than showing up and looking pretty.

“When it comes to pageants, the most important thing is to be real and to be yourself,” she says.

During her year as Miss Rodeo Oklahoma, which begins January 1, she will make appearances at Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Professional Rodeos across the state and represent Oklahoma at out-of-state rodeos. Spears is also visiting various schools to talk to students about rodeo and her platform, Shine Your Light, to encourage students to be the best version of themselves they can be.

Spears is the first to hold all four titles within the Oklahoma Rodeo Pageants Council, including 2010 Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Princess and 2013 Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Teen.

She is studying agricultural communications at OSU, where she is also a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and the OSU Spirit Rider team.

She will compete for Miss Rodeo America at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas next December.

PHOTO / SHERRY SMITH

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RECIPE

PHOTO / TODD JOHNSON

Spinach and Sausage Quiche Ingredients: • Two 10-ounce boxes of frozen chopped spinach • ½ pound Blue & Gold Sausage* • 1 dozen Country Lane Naturals Free Range Eggs* • 2 cups shredded Christian Cheese Yellow Mild Cheddar* • ¼ cup Towhead Salsa Medium* • 1 tablespoon Cedar Hill Seasoning Garlic and More* * Made in Oklahoma

Directions:

Cooking at Home for the Holidays

with the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center

BY M A N DY G R O S S

Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center offers a recipe book packed full of recipes for every occasion, including the holidays.

The FAPC Favorites Recipe Book highlights a delicious slate of appetizers, desserts, entrées, soups and stews from university faculty, staff and students, and encourages the use of Made in Oklahoma products, says Chuck Willoughby, FAPC business and marketing relations manager.

FAPC, a part of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, is known for stimulating and supporting the growth of value-added food and agricultural products and processing in Oklahoma. The recipe book is an opportunity to generate funds for the center’s Product Innovation Fund to help support FAPC’s mission.

“It is fun to try some of the great recipes our colleagues have submitted,” Willoughby says. “Also, the proceeds allow us to enhance our efforts in serving Oklahoma’s food industry. Private donations increase what we can accomplish beyond allocations alone.”

The FAPC Favorites Recipe Book is available for $15. Email fapc@okstate.edu with a mailing address to place an order. Checks and cash are accepted. Checks should be made payable to the OSU Foundation and mailed to FAPC Favorites Recipe Book, c/o Mandy Gross, 148 FAPC-OSU, Stillwater, OK 74078.

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter muffin pans.

Thaw and drain spinach completely.

Crumble and brown the sausage; reserve the renderings for other recipes.

In a large mixing bowl, hand blend all ingredients.

Spoon mixture into buttered muffin pans nearly to the rim mounding slightly.

Bake for 45 minutes, cool just enough to pop them out of the pans and serve. Makes 18 quiches.

“These muffin-sized crustless quiches are ideal for breakfast, brunch or anytime. They’re easy to freeze and then pop in the oven when you need a quick breakfast.”

— Recipe submitted by Chuck Willoughby, FAPC business and marketing relations manager

E C N E U L F N I F O D L R O AW iversity ma State Un o h la k O it is an leaders v Young Afric

L

ike many children today, Larissa Uwase grew up in a single-parent household.

The Rwanda native lost her mother when she was 6 years old. Her single father struggled to raise his family and make ends meet at a turbulent time in their nation.

Rwanda was trying to pick itself back up after losing some 800,000 people during the mid-1990s genocide. As a byproduct, the country was left with very limited supplies of nutritious food.

This family struggle was Uwase’s inspiration for creating the CARL Group — an agriculture-focused firm dedicated to improving the health of Rwandans and all Africans through innovative food produced from orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.

“I grew up with a big dream of creating a nutritious food industry,” Uwase says today. “Alongside three other founders and four staff members, we supply sweet

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potato vines to women farmers and buy the excess product from them.”

With 35 percent of Rwandan children suffering from vitamin A deficiency, the group selected orange-fleshed sweet potatoes because they are very nutritious and contain plenty of vitamin A. “In fact, {the deficiency} can cause blindness, as well as limit growth, weaken immunity and increase mortality.”

Still, Uwase faced a challenge in promoting the vegetable: In Rwanda, the crop often gets fed to animals or thrown away because many people are unfamiliar with its health benefits.

CARL Group makes sweet potato crisps, biscuits, bread, donuts and even sweet potato pasta. All are rich in vitamin A and support Uwase’s “passion for food processing and feeding people.”

The continent of Africa is home to more than 1.2 billion people. Through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, 25 of them spent part of their summer on the campus of Oklahoma State University.

UBBARD

BY S E A N H

Mandela Washington Fellows Larissa Uwase, right, and Malerotholi Maseribane Ntsaba visit on the Oklahoma State University campus.

The campus project was a partnership between OSU’s Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership, and the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship in the Spears School of Business. The opportunity was made available through funding from an International Research Exchange grant from the State Department.

As a flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is designed to empower young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa through academic coursework, leadership training and networking opportunities.

“I chose to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship because I needed to experience the American innovation in food processing, learn about leadership with business and entrepreneurship in the best universities in the U.S., like Oklahoma State University,” Uwase says.

All of the African Fellows have different stories, passions and motivations.

Their interests in agriculture, entrepreneurship and bettering the lives of others ties them together. Malerotholi Maseribane Ntsaba, of Lesotho, a completely landlocked country encircled

by South Africa, has more than one interest. From an entrepreneurial and politically oriented family, Ntsaba is the founding director of Egg-Cellent Farm Lesotho.

She also started a foundation called Lintle for Women and the Girl Child, named after her 3-year-old daughter.

Egg-Cellent Farm was established in 2013 to produce broiler chickens, but the business took a turn when Ntsaba learned through her research that Lesotho had a limited supply of eggs. She shifted from broilers to layer hens to combat the

Members of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders tour OSU’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center.

“This whole experience at OSU … changed my life, and this is something that I am taking to Rwanda in order to impact other women who aspire to be leaders.”

— L A R I S S A U WA S E

shortage of eggs, and her farm of 1,200 birds now supplies eggs to the local community, supermarkets and restaurants.

“My aim is to forge a sustainable and local layer poultry economy for my country, as we currently don’t have parent stock farms in production of layer replacement stock,” Ntsaba says. “I wish to empower local layer poultry farmers with reducing the dependency and costs of importing hens from abroad.”

After launching the egg business, Ntsaba set her sights on a foundation aimed at empowering, restoring the dignity and protecting the individual rights of women and girls, particularly in rural communities.

After surveying adolescent schoolgirls in rural communities in 2014 about their views on menstruation, Ntsaba wanted to address misconceptions about women’s cycles and the problem of limited access to safe, affordable and convenient feminine hygiene products.

“Most girls miss one to three days of school, every month, all around because they don’t have adequate ways of dealing with their menstrual periods,” she says.

“Some girls choose to totally stay out of school during that time due to societal misconceptions about menstruation and hygiene, while others use less hygienic

options, such as sheepskin and dirty socks to deal with it.”

The foundation organizes fundraising events and annual campaigns to provide washable sanitary pads for girls.

This is what the Mandela Washington Fellowship program is all about — giving entrepreneurs like Uwase and Ntsaba the tools they need to take their work to the next level.

“I can put together what we learned from the people we met at OSU and Oklahoma at large, into three words, which are passion, perseverance and persistence,” Uwase says. “This whole experience at OSU in the Mandela Washington Fellowship changed my life, and this is something that I am taking to Rwanda in order to impact other women who aspire to be leaders.”

Ntsaba’s goals in the program were to further develop her leadership and business skills, and acquire influential networks to help her in her business and her foundation.

“My expectations with the program were met over and above. I had the best experience at Oklahoma State University,” Ntsaba says. “There is no cherry on top for me; the entire experience was a highlight.”

PHOTOS / TODD JOHNSON

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A Musical Fanfare

PHOTO / CHRIS LEWIS

Student musicians from OSU’s Pokeapella and Trumpet Studio join Anne and Michael Greenwood at the Music in the Gardens event on September 24 after plans for the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music were announced.

Surprise announcement of lead gift launches Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music, ensuring fall 2019 opening alongside The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts

BY A M A N DA O ’ T O O L E M A S O N

P

amela Myers was a piccolo player in the Cowboy Marching band in 2007 when she first met Michael and Anne Greenwood.

Anne’s sister was a teacher from Myers’ hometown of Pauls Valley and told her to stop by the family’s tailgate near the Spears School of Business before a football game.

Myers, a freshman at the time, was on a break from her game day duties, dressed in her uniform with her instrument in hand.

It was the start of a beautiful friendship between the Greenwoods and Myers. It was also the beginning of a transformational

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relationship between the Department of Music and the Stillwater philanthropists, who recently stepped forward with a lead gift to name the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music.

“Anne was so caught off guard to hear that many of us students played in the band because we loved it. We didn’t have scholarships or money coming from anywhere,” Myers says. “A lot of the time we didn’t even have food made available to us on game days.”

And so, Anne and Michael started providing snacks for Myers and her

friends. Bags of pretzels, candy, fresh fruit — things students could stick in their pockets and graze on throughout the day.

Before long, she and Michael were giving snacks to the entire marching band.

As the years went on, Anne continued to make care packages for the students and forge friendships. Meanwhile, the couple’s commitment and dedication to all of OSU deepened.

In the area of music, they became more involved in various programs and got to know the talented professors behind the students’ success. They traveled with

PHOTO / CHRIS LEWIS

student groups when they performed abroad and hosted bowl game parties to thank marching-band students for their work and to recognize their contributions to a successful football season.

They met needs where they saw them, in music and the university at large. They heard the concerns of music professors several times over about the department’s overcrowded academic space that could no longer support the more than 2,000 students who participate in programs each year. Many doubted they would see a new facility come to fruition during their careers, Michael says.

In mid-September, the Greenwoods orchestrated a surprise announcement at Music in the Gardens, an event hosted by the Friends of Music, a volunteer group that works on behalf of OSU’s music programs to generate and provide financial support.

Student and faculty musicians performed throughout The Botanic Garden at OSU in west Stillwater. It was a preamble to the couple’s surprise: a

Doug Henderson, director of the Cowboy Marching Band; Anne Greenwood; Joe Missal, director of bands at OSU; and Michael Greenwood celebrate the announcement. new building would indeed be built, and because of the Greenwoods’ lead gift, construction would begin soon.

OSU President Burns Hargis was met with cheers and applause when he told the crowd that the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music would open

alongside The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts in the fall of 2019.

The Greenwoods received a standing ovation while they walked to join Hargis and Howard Potter, head of the Department of Music, on the stage, shaking hands and giving hugs on their way.

Conceptual renderings were provided by Beck Design, architects for the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music and The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.

Michael and Anne Greenwood will enable us to realize one of our long-standing goals of building an exceptional facility for our music faculty, staff and students that will be second to none.”

— Burns Hargis, OSU president

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Both the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music and The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts will provide us the catalyst to build a nationally recognized center for music education over the next decade.”

— Howard Potter, head of the Department of Music

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and faculty will be able to benefit from the proximity and programming of The McKnight Center.”

Potter calls OSU’s music programs hidden gems, rapidly being discovered.

“The quality of our program is reflected in the New York Philharmonic’s decision to conduct a residency partnership with masterclasses on the OSU campus in 2019,” Potter says.

The entire orchestra will be in Stillwater during The McKnight Center’s opening ceremonies, performing concerts and working directly with OSU students.

“Both the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music and The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts will provide us the catalyst to build a nationally recognized center for music education over the next decade,” Potter adds.

Specifically, Potter anticipates they will be able to add degree programs in a variety of areas, including jazz performance, and

that existing ones, such as music industry, will rise in acclaim. He expects to see an influx of applications from around the world once the buildings are complete.

“Our graduates will be able to achieve even more in the profession than they currently do,” Potter says. “The Greenwoods and all of the donors behind these initiatives are putting us in a position to achieve even more national accolades and will quite literally put OSU music programs in a national spotlight.”

Days after the announcement, Michael and Anne were still relishing their surprise announcement and the satisfaction from making the new facility possible. They said the opportunity was right to give the students and faculty the space to teach, recruit and grow the program.

“It’s a gift we had to do,” they say together. “They are such hard workers.

They’ve done so much, but think what they can accomplish now.” O

To watch a video feature about the Greenwoods and the new Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music, visit OSUgiving.com/greenwoods.

PHOTO / CHRIS LEWIS

“This is such a happy day. It’s long, long overdue,” Anne says. “I am so glad, and I am so grateful we can do this for OSU Music. I’m glad, because these are remarkable students and they deserve so much more. It is finally happening. It is a dream come true.”

Michael lauded the talents and skills of the OSU music programs, saying he has always admired people who can do things in life that he could never accomplish.

“In honor of your talents, your hard work and the joy you bring us from your many, many performances, to the faculty and the students of the Department of Music, all this,” he says, pointing to renderings of the facility, “is for you.”

Hargis called the Greenwoods two of OSU’s most loyal contributors.

“The Greenwoods will enable us to realize one of our long-standing goals of building an exceptional facility for our music faculty, staff and students that will be second to none,” Hargis says.

He added that their gift, which puts OSU well on its way to reaching its $15 million fundraising goal for the $25.5 million music building project, will have a broad impact at Oklahoma State University.

At the event, Hargis also commended the Greenwoods, The Edward E. and Helen Turner Bartlett Foundation and Jonathan Drummond for their previous commitments to the project, as well as other early investors in the construction of The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.

“I felt like it was the perfect time to commit to the music education component of the overall project,” says Drummond, a Stillwater ophthalmologist who was heavily involved in OSU’s music programs as a student in the late 80s. “As a former music student it is important to me that students

OSU President Burns Hargis and First Cowgirl Ann Hargis visit with Anne and Michael Greenwood at the Music in the Gardens event on September 24.

More About:

Michael and Anne Greenwood PHOTO / BRUCE WATERFIELD

On September 24, the Friends of Music hosted a spectacular event at The Botanic Garden at OSU to celebrate the tremendous talent found within the university’s music programs. A special thank you to the event’s sponsors, who helped make the evening a memorable success.

Grandioso

B

oth Anne and Michael Greenwood attended OSU in the late 1970s. Michael earned a 1977 bachelor’s degree in business administration, while Anne studied accounting at OSU for three years before graduating from the University of Tulsa in 1979. Anne has since retired from a career in corporate accounting with several Fortune 500 companies and focuses on philanthropic endeavors. Michael continues his career as the managing director of Carnegie Capital LLC, a financial advisory firm he founded in 2004.

The Greenwoods are extremely involved at Oklahoma State, serving on numerous boards and committees for OSU and in various volunteer and leadership capacities for colleges across the university. They support various passions at OSU with their financial contributions and have endowed three scholarships and have also named the Anne Morris Greenwood Reading Room in the Edmon Low Library, the Michael and Anne Greenwood Distance Learning Center in the Spears School of Business, and the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center.

These lifetime members of the OSU Alumni Association were inducted into the OSU Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame in 2015.

I am so glad, and I am so grateful we can do this for OSU Music. I’m glad, because these are remarkable students and they deserve so much more. It is finally happening. It is a dream come true.”

— Anne Greenwood

College of Arts and Sciences Beck Design Susan and A.J. Jacques OSU President’s Office | OSU Foundation

Crescendo The Botanic Garden at OSU Deb and Dave Engle

Allegro Janet and Gene Anderson Ann and Tracy Caine | Sue and Biff Horrock Drummond Eye Care PC Meredith and Don Garner Betty and Bud Townsend Janzen Toyota Pat and Bob Knaub Nigel Jones Caroline and John Linehan The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts Martha and Roger McMillian Pope Distributing Robert Raab and Bruce Waterfield Carol and Tom Stewart Marta and Dennis White

Dear OSU Alumni and Friends,

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Women have played a significant role in Oklahoma State University’s story from the very beginning.

In 1897, 10 years before Oklahoma’s statehood, Jessie Thatcher became the first woman to graduate from a college in Oklahoma Territory. In 1901, 19 years before women won the right to vote, she became the first female president of the OSU Alumni Association. She was the first of seven women to lead the organization in eight years, followed by Cora Donart, Jessie Morrow, Velma Walker, Blanche Wise Diggs, Ethel Walker and Cora Miltmore. While Thatcher’s accomplishments throughout her life were impressive (you can read more about them on Pages 38-39), what she represents is even more memorable.

In this special issue, we celebrate the way women have shaped this premier land-grant institution. The inspiration for this tribute came from our desire to highlight the 10-year anniversary of Women for OSU, an incredible group of leaders who are transforming this university, and by extension the world, by encouraging a culture of giving and service.

The group inspires others to change the world around them, and especially at Oklahoma State.

We also recognize some of the women leading the university today. That includes eight influential figures who have helped make OSU America’s Brightest Orange® over the past decade. We highlight both upcoming and established faculty and alumni, as well as current and recent scholars and student leaders. We even feature an alumna chosen to lead a Big 12 rival.

In truth, this entire issue could be filled with nothing but a list of women who have left their mark on Oklahoma State, and it would still fall short of capturing the full picture of how women have benefited the university and the Cowboy Family. The following pages are a highlight symbolizing the great things women have achieved at OSU. We are so fortunate that so many incredible women have been Cowgirls over the past 127 years. We hope this issue makes you as proud to be a member of this family as we are.

Happy holidays!

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Chris Batchelder

Kirk Jewell

Kyle Wray

President OSU Alumni Association

President OSU Foundation

OSU Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing

WINTER 2017

Thank You! Kourtney Brooks was a 2015 Women for OSU Scholar who went on to graduate with degrees in entrepreneurship and marketing. She wrote the following to thank donors for their support.

My experience at Oklahoma State University set me up for success in the real world. Success that exceeds monetary value and is centered in the spirit of generosity. Success that was derived from a group of mentors and alumni at Oklahoma State University that believed in me, challenged me and cheered me on when I felt like giving up. Because of generous donors like you, I walked the stage in May 2016 committed to remaining loyal and giving back to my alma mater.

Our great land-grant university impacts individuals, students and families around the globe and was founded upon passionate visionaries who were willing to put in the work to create an experience like mine for hundreds of thousands of students for generations to come.

Thank you donors, for carrying on the legacy Powerful. Generous. Loyal. Resilient. Leaders.

These five words flashed through my mind as I sat in the Foundation boardroom with the awards committee interviewing for the Women for Oklahoma State University scholarship in the spring of 2014. As we exchanged stories of giving and our personal visions for philanthropy, I couldn’t help but to take a deep breath and sit in awe, inspired by being in a room of women such as these.

Fast-forward three years and as a college graduate and founder of TINGE™, an international skincare company, with big hopes and dreams of empowering women around the world, I am overcome with emotion, inspired and thankful for my orange roots. Receiving the Women for OSU scholarship changed me. It relieved an immense amount of financial stress and gave me a great picture of the woman I wanted to become.

of philanthropy and embodying a spirit of giving.

My experience would not have been possible without the support from Women for OSU and all other donors who are continuing to generously make a difference for Cowboys and Cowgirls today.

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The Hand that Rocks the Cradle “Since the first days, when in the dawn of humanity, the destiny of the race was

shaped by the single act of a woman, her hand has ruled the world. Statesmen and warriors have trifled with the fate of nations, and intoxicated beyond reason, have madly flung away earthly power and hope of Heaven for a woman’s smile.”

— J E S S I E T H AT C H E R B O S T 1897 Commencement Speech PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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J e s s i e Th a t c h e r B o s t (1 8 75 – 19 6 3)

From its beginning, Oklahoma State University has been influenced by amazing women. In fact, Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College’s first group of students included more females (23) than males (22), with enrollment open to anyone ages 12-30 since the curriculum spanned eighth grade through college. Among those first enrollees was Jessie Thatcher, who on June 9, 1897, became the first woman to graduate from OAMC. That was just one step in a lifetime of trailblazing for Jessie Thatcher Bost, who was later inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s, Oklahoma Higher Education and OSU Alumni halls of fame. She led the way for subsequent generations of women to influence OSU until her death in 1963 at the age of 88.

While there is no way for us to recognize every woman who has left her impression on this great land-grant institution, we celebrate Bost as the symbolic beginning of this women’s issue of STATE magazine.

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Blazing Trails

BY JAC O B LO N G A N

OAMC’s Bennett called Bost ‘Oklahoma’s first woman of education’

Bost, the first woman to graduate from any Oklahoma college, became a teacher and the first female president of the OSU Alumni Association. She also helped lead the successful fights for women’s suffrage nationally and to preserve Old Central locally.

Thatcher Hall, OSU’s first women’s dorm, was named in her honor in 1925.

Her name also graces an Edmon Low Library room, where the papers her family donated are housed and viewable online (osugiving.com/bostcollection). Her family also established a scholarship in her name.

She married former classmate Henry Bost in 1902 and put her career on hold to raise their four children, three of whom attended OSU. She later returned to teaching for nearly 20 years. At her 1946 retirement, legendary OAMC President Henry Bennett called her “Oklahoma’s first woman of education.” He added, “I like to think of her as a symbol of all that womanhood, womanly institutions and womanly courage have brought to our civilization.”

Bost was a precursor to future Cowgirls, studying the same subjects as men and participating alongside them in required military drills. She also worked her way through school, exhibiting the work ethic that has become a hallmark of OSU graduates.

In an 1898 essay, “How I Worked My Way Through College,” Bost wrote, “… any institution which brings up successive generations of young people with sound healthy notions of labor is a source of benefaction. Such is the college from which I graduated. … I regarded all work honorable if honorably done, and a thing worth doing was worth doing well, and I was honored and respected by all.”

PHOTOS / OSU ARCHIVES

Starting with a degree

Jessie Thatcher became the first woman to graduate from Oklahoma A&M College on June 9, 1897.

Making — and keeping — Oklahoma A&M history Bost overcame many obstacles to complete her degree, facing more gender issues than today’s Cowgirls. For example, to counter the men’s-only Webster Literary Society, she helped establish the Sigma Literary Society. Had Bost not missed a year due to typhoid fever, she would have been in the school’s first graduating class, 1896. One of the commencement speeches was “Man, the Master.” Bost later responded with her own speech, “Who Rules the World.”

“Since the first days, when in the dawn of humanity, the destiny of the race was shaped by the single act of a woman, her hand has ruled the world,” she said.

“Statesmen and warriors have trifled with the fate of nations, and intoxicated beyond reason, have madly flung away earthly power and hope of Heaven for a woman’s smile.”

She concluded by quoting a William Ross Wallace poem: “They say that man is mighty, he governs land and sea; He waves the mighty scepter o’er lesser powers that be; But a stronger, mightier power, man from his throne has hurled, And the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”

For David Peters, head of OSU’s Archives department at the Edmon Low Library, Bost is a vital source of OSU history.

“There were a total of nine graduates in those first two classes, and we have very little from the others,” Peters says. “She kept her notebooks, drawings for classes, even some botanical specimens. She kept things that reflected her college experience, and she kept them in good condition.

It provides a wonderful reflection of the student perspective of life in the earliest days of Oklahoma A&M.” Her belief in the power of education is evident in her writing, including her commencement speech, “The Dawning of the Twentieth Century.” In it, she said: “Education is the one all-important thing, paramount to everything else; for, in the few words of Seneca ‘as the soil, however rich it may be, cannot be productive without culture, so the mind without cultivation can never produce much good fruit.’”

In “Who Rules the World,” Bost could have been speaking of herself or of so many other women who have helped shaped OSU when she said, “With no desire for public renown, these mothers and daughters mold society into lofty ideals of manhood and womanhood yet still cling with loving touch to the traditions of the past.” You can read about many more of them in the rest of this magazine.

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W O M E N f o r O K L A H O M A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y C E L E B R AT E S A D E C A D E O F I N S P I R I N G P H I L A N T H R O P Y

BY M I C H A L S H AW

Women for OSU, like many programs, has experienced its share of reinvention and revival. What has remained constant is its mission — to foster a culture of giving and service that acknowledges the significant impact women have at OSU and to inspire others to positively shape the future of the university through philanthropy and engagement.

Women for OSU’s History Women in Philanthropy began in 1995 under the leadership of Pat Knaub, then dean of Human Sciences, and was organized under that college’s umbrella. It was evident to Knaub that women were missing from leadership positions on campus and she sought a way, through education and motivational experiences, to catapult women into leadership and philanthropic roles.

Unfortunately, due to lack of resources and shifting priorities, the Women in Philanthropy program ended in 2004.

Knaub’s passion for leadership and philanthropy, however, remained strong.

After retiring as dean in 2007, she reignited the program, and together with 40 founding members, launched the Women for Oklahoma State University Leadership and Philanthropy Council in 2008.

Our inaugural WOSU Council understood the opportunity before them. They found similarities and commonalities among them and used these values as their base.

Their focus was on the power of partnerships and unity. The group further understood that while collaboration could take more time, the outcome would be more sustainable, and that transformation would happen at the speed of trust.

Thanks to Knaub’s visionary leadership, the OSU Foundation’s Deb Engle, and the council’s founding members, Women for OSU is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and is stronger and more vibrant than ever before.

Each year, Women for OSU celebrates members of the OSU family who display leadership in philanthropy by naming a Philanthropist of the Year. The nine past honorees, who were chosen by the council, are featured throughout this article. For more information about them, visit OSUgiving.com/women.

WOMEN for OSU PHILANTHROPISTS of the YEAR 2009

Marilynn Thoma

2010

Lola Lehman

2011

Linda Shackelford

“Our interest in giving to education or to “As time goes on, my recipients will give “People helped me when I needed help. So arts and culture has always been to improve back. Then their recipients will give back, you do what you can to help others, because the quality of life of the people around us, and that will go on forever. It’s a good you can always see someone who needs help, and to leverage it in ways that it begins to feeling to know you’ve helped create that and tomorrow it may be you who needs it.” work now, but it has effects far-reaching.” domino effect.”

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Dare, Dream and Do

WOMEN for OSU ENDOWMENT GROWTH

Women for OSU has held nine annual symposiums. At its first event on April 23, 2009, approximately 250 people watched student Sarah Cary receive a $2,000 scholarship in the Wes Watkins Center.

Compare that to the ninth symposium on April 27, 2017, when more than 500 people witnessed 10 students receive $43,020 in scholarships in Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Since that first symposium in 2009, the organization has surpassed 3,000 total attendees at its events, including symposiums and regional gatherings. It has awarded $187,370 in scholarships to 49 students and recognized nine Philanthropists of the Year.

Additionally, the group’s scholarship endowment has grown to $912,837 with a goal of reaching $1 million by its keystone 10th annual symposium, scheduled for April 5, 2018, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“The Women for OSU scholarship made my senior year so much easier by not having to think about how to pay for college,” says Allison Meinders, a 2015

scholarship recipient. “The award also pushed me to continue to give back to OSU and the Stillwater community.”

For WOSU, the collective focus and attention is on unity — how they, as a council, can benefit Oklahoma State and inspire leadership and philanthropy in countless other communities.

Today, women view philanthropy not so much “giving” as “investing” — investing in change, investing in the future and investing in causes

that are personally meaningful.

During her 2012 symposium keynote address, Jennifer Buffett reminded the audience that “philanthropy” is derived from the Greek “philo” (loving) and “anthropo” (people), and it is the love of people that propels the WOSU Council forward.

These women love their communities and the people who fill them. They dare to dream and do, to make the world a better place.

WOMEN for OSU PHILANTHROPISTS of the YEAR 2012

Martha Burger

2013

Sue Taylor

2014

Nancy Payne Ellis

“I support all of the colleges I’ve attended “I guess I just like to help people. I’m a “My life is what I can do that might make because your education is truly the crusader for women, and I’ve been fortunate a difference. It’s not what you gather but foundation that establishes your success. to be in a position that I can help others what you scatter that tells the kind of life Donating money or time to the college that when I see a sincere need.” you have lived.” provided your education is a duty.”

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Inspiring Connections Chatzky, Olympic legend Jackie the Wes Watkins Center in 2009. It then Joyner-Kersee, and philanthropists went to the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Nancy G. Brinker and Jennifer Center for five years before moving to Buffett have all made appearances. the Student Union Ballroom in 2015 “When you see the numbers and after it outgrew both previous locations.

In 2016, just one year later, attendance consider how Women for OSU has grown, it’s very impressive,” says alumna Amy grew to over 500, and the location Mitchell, the organization’s fifth chair. moved again to Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“The growth in the demand for tickets to One of the reasons for the event’s the symposium has been fantastic. And high demand each year is the impressive if you knew nothing else about Women keynote speakers. Former First Lady for OSU, the list of keynote speakers Laura Bush, actresses Marlee Matlin says a lot about the organization.” and Holly Robinson Peete, journalists Joan Lunden, Lisa Ling and Jean

One of the council’s chief initiatives that fosters a culture of giving and service is Women for OSU’s annual spring symposium. It is a unique opportunity for leaders to gather in Stillwater and be inspired by philanthropists and student leaders, and to share personal stories of philanthropic journeys.

Symposium attendance has increased dramatically over the years — a testament to the power of women’s philanthropy and leadership.

The first symposium took place at

WOMEN for OSU KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

2009 JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE

2010 NANCY G. BRINKER

2014 JEAN CHATZKY

2011 LISA LING

2015 MARLEE MATLIN

2012 JENNIFER BUFFETT

2016 LAURA BUSH

2013 HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE

2017 JOAN LUNDEN

Celebrating Philanthropy The symposium also honors the Philanthropist of the Year, with the award given to a member of the OSU family who displays leadership in philanthropy. Each year, attendees hear the personal story of an OSU philanthropist and the motivation and experiences behind her giving and service.

“My life is what I can do that might make a difference,” says 2014 Philanthropist of the Year Nancy Payne Ellis. “It’s not what you

gather but what you scatter that tells the kind of life you have lived.”

This award, and the inspirational lessons these women teach, has become a hallmark of the event.

Year after year, responses are the same: Women leave the symposium feeling more inspired to give and impact change than ever before.

“I always return from this event encouraged for the future of women, especially those educated at OSU,” says

alumna Kayleen Ferguson, who has attended multiple symposiums. “My favorite part is the introduction of the scholarship recipients. They represent a wide variety of majors and goals in life, and their stories are so uplifting and amazing! The strength of their educational opportunities at OSU is evident and encourages others, like myself, to provide funds for future students.”

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Spreading the Message Each year, past scholarship recipients return — and more than 90 percent have become donors themselves. While it’s easy to see the tangible growth the organization has experienced, what may be less obvious is the national trend regarding women’s giving that Women for OSU represents.

In the last two decades, there has been a national movement to engage women for greater leadership and philanthropic roles in their communities and higher education.

Research and studies consistently show women are the primary decisionmakers when it comes to charitable gifts.

It is irrefutable that women philanthropists are making an impact at OSU: As of last spring, the 43 current council members had given more than $120 million over their lives to support various needs at OSU. Women for OSU, its symposiums and additional activities celebrate and encourage women to follow their passions. One of the organization’s responsibilities is to empower the next generation, paving the way for others to give back and shape the future.

To foster the connections and inspiration ignited at the symposium, WOSU hosts multiple regional events each year. These have been held all over the country, including in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Dallas and Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas and throughout Oklahoma.

“Women for OSU is such a tremendous organization because we are guided by incredible ladies and because we work with the amazing OSU family,” Mitchell says. “We have just started to scratch the surface of what we can accomplish together. I look forward to a great year that establishes the momentum for achieving even more in the next decade.” O

For more information about the 2018 Symposium, including sponsorship opportunities, visit OSUgiving.com/women.

S H I F T I N G PAT T E R N S I N C H A R I TA B L E G I V I N G O V E R T I M E

1970s Pre-Boomers Age 25-47 2000s Gen X/Millenials Age 25-47

Young single women today give at comparable levels to their counterparts 40 years ago. Young single men and married couples today give less than their counterparts 40 years ago.

Young married women today have more influence on decisions about giving than their counterparts 40 years ago.

Young married couples whose giving decisions were influenced by women give higher amounts than their counterparts 40 years ago. Those whose giving decisions were made by men only give lower amounts than their counterparts 40 years ago.

Information provided by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

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Women for OSU Partners The WOSU Partners Program also provides women with a great opportunity to connect with others passionate about OSU. Women are stronger in their giving together, and Women for OSU invites you to become a WOSU Partner. A new option of a minimum annual contribution of $500 is now available for those ages 35 and younger to become Women for OSU Partners.

For more information, including a listing of our current partners, visit OSUgiving.com/women/partners.

Women for OSU hosts multiple regional events each year to foster connections and inspirations ignited at the symposium. At the December 1, 2016, Dallas regional event, council member Jami Longacre, right, connected with Raquel Schmitz, left, and Megan Benn.

First Cowgirl Ann Hargis, third from the right, is a regular guest at Women for OSU regional events, including in Tulsa on June 22, 2017.

Pictured with her, from left, are Diane Crane, Jeanine Rhea, Barbara Nall, Kathy Winslow and council member Pat Cobb.

WOMEN for OSU PHILANTHROPISTS of the YEAR 2015

Billie McKnight

2016

Malinda Berry Fischer

2017

Linda Cline

“I can’t imagine making money and then not “Receiving this honor did make me reflect “I think you just get led to do things. I just doing something for somebody else. I can’t on my life a little bit, and like all of us, when do what I think might be helpful and what imagine not giving back. It’s just natural.” we believe something strongly enough, we I want to do. It’s just seeing the need and will find a way to do what we can and to saying, ‘Is that a place I want to help? Do give what we can.” they need help?’”

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A LIFE OF LEARNING Weeks shy of her 80th birthday, longtime Tulsa author and activist Ann Patton proved it is never too late to earn a degree as she graduated from OSU-Tulsa with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.

BY K I M A R C H E R

Ann Patton, weeks from turning age 80, celebrates as she walks across the stage during the OSU-Tulsa Graduation Ceremony in May 2017.

When Tulsa author Ann Patton graduated from high school in 1955, college was not an option for poor kids like her.

“The University of Tulsa was the only option for students who could not leave Tulsa, and it might as well have been the moon,” she says.

By age 22, Patton was married with four kids. Growing up in west Tulsa, Patton was taught that education is the “preparation for complete living.” So she never gave up on her dream of earning a college degree.

On May 15, Patton became the oldest known graduate of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa after four decades of earning “a crazy-quilt collection of college hours from several schools that I always dreamed might add up to a degree.”

“It was OSU-Tulsa that brought it all together,” Patton says. “Academic

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advisers helped me fill the holes in my courses. When we moved to Orlando for health reasons in 2015, OSU-Tulsa’s advisers helped me find the online course that completed the circle. A miracle!”

Patton, by all accounts, has long been considered a success.

A former journalist with the Tulsa World, Patton is a book author, consultant and member of the team that developed Tulsa’s award-winning flood management system. She also is known nationally for her expertise in disaster mitigation and water management.

Patton wrote Unmasked: The Rise and Fall of the 1920s Ku Klux Klan, The Tulsa River, Dan’s War on Poverty and Fifty Years Remembered: The First 50

Years of the Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Why? Why would I care so passionately about graduating just before my 80th birthday?” she says. “Mostly, it is just for me. But also I want my grandchildren to know not to give up on their dreams.

More importantly, I want them to know that education has inherent value.”

As a journalist, she once interviewed a young man who escaped communism by swimming through shark-infested waters.

Patton says she will never forget something the man said — “My teacher is my life.”

“People today argue that education has to translate directly to making money,” she says. “But the higher goal is to help us live a full and rich life.”

“People today argue that education has to translate directly to making money.

But the higher goal is to help us live a full and rich life.”

— A N N PAT T O N

She was also inspired to complete her degree by her granddaughter, Patricia Ann Franklin, who traveled from her home in Seattle to watch Patton walk across the stage at OSU-Tulsa.

About 15 years ago, Franklin was a single mother, working full-time and raising a son when she enrolled at OSU-Tulsa and earned a bachelor’s degree.

“It is so wonderful that this institution has allowed people like my granddaughter to get the education that can make their lives so much better,” Patton says. “They are the real heroes.”

For Patton, education has been a lifetime pursuit.

“I was a supremely nontraditional student, and I could never have made it without OSU-Tulsa,” she says. “This is an amazing institution and a wonderful addition to Tulsa. I am grateful.”

Watch a video of Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum recognizing Ann Patton during his speech at the 2017 OSU-Tulsa graduation ceremony: okla.st/Ann_Patton.

Learn more about her at annpatton.net.

Ann Patton and her granddaughter, Patricia Ann Franklin, await the start of the OSU-Tulsa graduation ceremony in May.

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BY S A R A P L U M M E R

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OSUIT

“Women are generally more detail-oriented, and this job needs those details. It’s sad that women dismiss this career because it’s historically been so male-driven. I want to show people it’s possible.” — Amanda Cullum About 10 years ago, Amanda Cullum was a mother of two who had no idea what she wanted to do until she saw a news story about an event at OSU Institute of Technology.

“I saw on TV someone from OSUIT say, ‘We train people to go to work at Chevron in Midland, Texas,’” her hometown, Cullum says.

“My brother had gone through the Civil Engineering Technologies program, so I knew I had to do something with engineering to prove I could do it too,” she says, so she came to the Okmulgee campus and enrolled in the School of Engineering Technologies’ Instrumentation Technology program.

Cullum interned at Chevron in Midland, and after graduating with her Bachelor of Technology, she went to work at Chevron.

“Chevron starts you out as a field technician. I actually do love it — I love the field. It’s like a family out there,” she says.

Eight years later, Cullum is now a program and execution automation analyst and spends about half her time in the field and half her time in the office.

“I do all the programming for the pumps and compressors. I tell pumps to

come on and off,” she says and has even built control panels and systems.

Her husband, a fellow OSUIT alumnus, also works for Chevron. The couple are raising six children, two biological and four adopted ranging in ages from 1 to 18 years old.

“I’m pushing my kids to go to OSUIT. It’s such a good education for the price and the time,” she says. “My youngest son, he’s 11, he wants to be an automation analyst. My middle son wants to be an electrical engineer.”

When Cullum started at OSUIT, she says she didn’t know what she was getting herself into, only that she liked that the programs utilized hands-on learning.

“I had no idea what I wanted to get my degree in. I took an instrumentation class, and I was good at it. It was extremely hands on, which was great, that’s how I learn,” she says. “It wasn’t until my sixth semester that I realized I was the only girl in the program.”

Growing up with two brothers, Cullum says she didn’t think anything about it, and she never felt she was treated differently because she was a woman.

“I was a mom of two kids. I treated school like a full-time job. The guys I

graduated with, we would stay up at night working on projects, and we stayed in touch after graduation,” she says.

That sense of family extended beyond her classmates to the faculty as well.

“One of my sons got sick, and we were in the hospital, and the instructors came up to see us. They went to my wedding. It was like a family,” Cullum says. “They knew me.

Not all instructors will go to the hospital or go to the wedding.”

Since her graduation, Cullum has come back to OSUIT several times. She delivered the keynote address at graduation; she’s given presentations for Chevron; last year, she was inducted as a Rising Star into the OSUIT Alumni Hall of Fame.

Cullum, who is the only woman in the 15-person automation department at Chevron, says the industry is becoming more open to women, and she hopes by coming back to OSUIT, more female students see her and think they can do it too.

“Women are generally more detailoriented, and this job needs those details.

It’s sad that women dismiss this career because it’s historically been so maledriven,” she says. “I want to show people it’s possible.”

Cullum, who 10 years ago didn’t know what she wanted to do is now looking far into her future, and it includes coming back to OSUIT. “I want to become a supervisor, but you have to have a Bachelor of Science to become a supervisor, so I found a university that would accept my Bachelor of Technology and let me begin working on my master’s degree online,” she says. “When I retire from Chevron, I want to go back to OSUIT and teach in the Instrumentation Technology program.”

For Cullum, the prospect of coming back to OSUIT to teach is a way to give back to her alma mater and the industry.

PHOTOS / KYLE LOMENICK

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OSU-OKC President Natalie Shirley helped bring the latest technology to the campus with the addition of the new allied health building.

Great Orange

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

BY S A N DY PA N T L I K

E X P E C T A T I O N S OSU-Oklahoma City president raises campus profile

Natalie Shirley became the first female president in the OSU System in 2011. On December 31, she will retire from her position at OSU-OKC. Her legacy shows in the lives she has touched.

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Robert Lakes’ initial encounter with OSU-Oklahoma City President Natalie Shirley was at an event during his first semester. “I was respectful, but kept wondering, ‘Who is this short lady, and why is she asking me all these questions?’”

Lakes, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, came to OSU-OKC with a four-month plan to take a few classes and leave. His interaction with Shirley put him on a new trajectory.

The next day, OSU-OKC Vice President of Student Services Brad Williams called Lakes at Shirley’s request to find out what he needed to complete his degree. Today, Lakes is an OSU-OKC graduate working full-time and pursuing a bachelor’s in finance and supply-chain management.

“At that moment, my world changed,” Lakes says. “She was the real deal — a CEO, a president, a board member, a lawyer, an adviser. I saw in her what I aspired to be. She doesn’t pull punches, is tough but compassionate I think because of her upbringing. She earned everything she achieved by outworking everyone, and that’s what she inspired me to do.

She even taught me the importance of reading the Wall Street Journal and The Economist and still saves her copies for me every week.”

In 2011, Shirley became the fourth president of OSU-OKC and the first female president in the OSU System. She believes education is a tool.

“Education itself is not necessarily my heart’s passion,” she says. “I am focused on what it can do for the student, community and state.”

Lawyerlike, she presents a strong case.

“Oklahoma’s unemployment rate has been low since the 1980s. Yet, we consistently rank in the bottom decile for families and kids living in poverty.

That means everyone is working hard, but not getting anywhere,” she says. “The reason is clear: Oklahoma is very low in educational attainment. Therefore, we can’t fully address the chronic problems of Oklahoma unless we educate more Oklahomans. Education is the only tool that can move us forward.”

Shirley was drawn to the position because she attended a two-year college.

She earned an associate degree from Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa before going to OSU for degrees in psychology and political science. She also earned a University of Oklahoma law degree.

“I know many of our students are bucking the socioeconomic status quo because I have done that, too,” Shirley says. “Our students represent underserved populations in the region. Many work full-time, support families and face struggles to improve their education level.

Many are not expected by anyone to complete their education — but we expect it of them and teach them to expect it for themselves.”

Shirley is the oldest of four children from a Blackwell, Oklahoma, family of modest means with amazing parents. The first in her family to go to college, Shirley identifies with her students.

“I wasn’t the smartest person in my graduating class, I wasn’t the tallest or the prettiest, but I was determined to succeed by working harder than anyone else,” she says.

Of all her accomplishments as president, Shirley is most proud that OSU-OKC’s graduation rate has more than doubled in the past five years.

According to Payscale.com, OSU-OKC graduates make more than those from any other Oklahoma two-year college.

“These are more than numbers; they are life-changers and show the powerful tool that education can be,” Shirley says.

Shirley said the first thing she noticed when she came to campus six years ago was, “We were severally orange-anemic.”

She immediately started a campaign to make America’s Brightest Orange® front and center throughout the mile-long campus, carrying the OSU brand, color and Pistol Pete south from Stillwater.

“Offering an OSU degree in OKC is one of our strongest attributes,” she says.

“It was important to me that our students and employees know and feel they are part of the OSU Cowboy family.”

Shirley also ranks raising OSU-OKC’s profile in the community as a major feat.

Creating partnerships has been her presidency’s slogan.

“We have strategically partnered with anyone and everyone to lift our campus and students, especially in recent years with severe state budget cuts,” she says.

Natalie Shirley focuses on students and how education can improve their lives.

She visits with Janely Franco, left, and Abel Calderon.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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Andy Lester, who served as a regent for Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges from 2007 to 2015 and was appointed to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in 2016, joined OSU President Burns Hargis, center, in congratulating Natalie Shirley at her investiture in 2012.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Under her leadership, in 2016 OSU-OKC opened a new Allied Health Building featuring advanced simulation training and an embedded Variety Care community health center; opened the Engineering Technology Center in 2011; introduced the Paint This Town Orange fundraising event generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for student scholarships; enhanced services to veteran students; and increased efforts to build business and community partnerships that secured millions in corporate, private and grant funding to benefit scholarships and programs.

OSU-OKC recently partnered with Dove Science Academy to offer the chance to earn an associate degree upon high school graduation, and initiated campus lease agreements with Cristo Rey High School and OSU-Center for Health Sciences.

“It is my goal to create an expectation that our students can perform at high levels,” she says. “OSU-OKC won the Governor’s Cup entrepreneurial competition twice and was the only twoyear school in the finals more than once.

Our graduates are out there shaping the community as police officers, firefighters, counselors, teachers, nurses, health care professionals, business owners and more. Our transfer students have won a number of scholarships to OSU and other schools.”

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OSU-OKC graduate and OSU senior Wendy Lau embodies Shirley’s goal.

While at OSU-OKC, she was the only Oklahoman to receive the 2015 All-USA Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team scholarship. After transferring to OSU, she received a 2017 Women for OSU Scholarship. Lau is scheduled to graduate in May with an industrial engineering and management degree.

“I got acquainted with President Shirley through the (OSU-OKC) Student Government Association,” Lau says. “I would see her running around campus in her four-inch heels on a mission all the time. But no matter how busy she was, she always had time for a conversation, to write a letter of recommendation, answer my email and even gave me the clothes off her back when I needed an orange dress for a school event! She really helped me find the path to go on to OSU.” Shirley, a mother of six, recognizes she sometimes slips into “mom mode” with students.

Alvin Beagles found that out when he was “invited” to Shirley’s office during a grade appeal.

“She gave me a pretty good scolding, set me straight and got me back on track,” Beagles says. “That conversation really opened my eyes and helped me get the support I needed. I ended up graduating

and am now working on my history education degree. I definitely would not have gotten this far without her.”

Shirley will retire December 31 to pursue other ventures. OSU President Burns Hargis says Shirley was a perfect fit to lead OSU-OKC. “Her business and government experience increased OSU-OKC’s impact and presence in the Oklahoma City community,” Hargis says. “We appreciate and applaud her service to OSU and wish her all the best.”

“I have absolutely loved being here,” Shirley says. “For me, this role has always been about our students, and using any means to ensure OSU-OKC provides them with the best opportunities and resources to reach their educational and economic dreams. They inspire me every day.

“It will take all of us to raise the education and employment levels of our fellow Oklahomans, but we are worth the effort that leads to a better future. I intend to help others work toward that goal no matter where I go next.”

Editor’s note: Natalie Shirley was chosen as one of our “Influential Figures: Women Who Make OSU America’s Brightest Orange®.”

Read more on Page 84.

PHOTOS / PHIL SHOCKLEY

VET MED

Dr. Hartfield practices veterinary medicine from her clinic in Cushing, Oklahoma.

Veterinarian hopes her children’s book series inspires some to choose her career in animal health care

STARTING “I

BY D E R I N DA B L A K E N E Y

OSU alumna Dr. Rebekah Hartfield used her pig, Rosie, to kick off a series of children’s books about being a veterinarian.

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did not have a straight path to veterinary school. I didn’t grow up knowing I wanted to be a veterinarian,” says Dr. Rebekah Hartfield from Chandler, Oklahoma.

That less-than-straight path started with growing up in Bridgeport, Texas.

After high school, she says, “I tried a semester of college and didn’t like it.”

But a summer of working on a dude ranch, hearing her colleagues discuss school persuaded her to try again.

“I earned my associate degree in equine science,” she says. “To help pay for school, I worked at a veterinary clinic and also got my vet tech degree.”

Her husband encouraged her to attend veterinary school: “You’re really good at this,” he told her.

“Why don’t you go to vet school?” She declined at that time but earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science at Texas A&M University.

“It was hard. School is really hard for me,” she says.

Despite the challenge, she decided to give veterinary school a try. A&M turned her first application down. The next year, she added Oklahoma State University to her choices of schools.

“I probably wasn’t the best veterinary school candidate, but I worked really hard, and with my experience, I was able to get into OSU.” Hartfield earned her doctorate of veterinary medicine degree in May 2016. Since then, she has been working in Oklahoma at the Cushing Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice owned by Dr. Brian McNeil, a 1978 OSU alumnus.

more than 1,500 miles and read to 3,000plus children at schools, libraries and events in Oklahoma and Texas.

She has sold 1,000-plus copies at the events and via her website, doctorhartfield.com. She’s partnering with area veterinary clinics to carry her book and will have a Doctor Hartfield Veterinary Book Series display at the OSU Veterinary Medical Hospital. The book encompasses three things she loves: veterinary medicine, teaching and reading.

While not all kids have access to the large animals in her books, they do have access to books, she points out.

“I see everything — dogs, cats, horses, cows. I feel like OSU really prepared me to work in private practice,” Hartfield says.

“We got a lot of hands-on experience … with cases in the hospital, plus I created more opportunities volunteering outside of school.”

She puts in about 55 hours a week at the clinic. In her free time, she works on her next love — her book.

“My sister inspired me to write a children’s book. She needed a school project for her graphic design degree. At the same time, a friend asked me, ‘My daughter who’s 10 wants to be a veterinarian. What are some good books for her?’ I couldn’t find any books for her age, so I called my sister and said, ‘Let’s write a children’s book.’”

The idea was “a go” once her 3-yearold niece visited Hartfield’s farm, where Rosie the pig was ailing.

“I led (Abby) through how to do an exam, diagnosis and treatment of Rosie.

And that’s when I knew this was what my first book needs to be about,” she says.

Rosie the Pig is the first in a planned series of six books for children 10 and under. In the three months after its release, Hartfield and Rosie have traveled

“I really hope my book will inspire younger kids to practice rural medicine in a mixed animal practice, working with large animals specifically. When I’m visiting schools, (I find) not even a quarter of these kids have seen a pig — let alone touched one. I want to expose kids to

EARLY

large animals and hopefully inspire them to be a large animal vet one day,” she says.

Her next book, Pistol the Horse, will tell how she and Abby bandage a cut on Pistol’s leg. Each book will reiterate lessons from previous books while introducing new knowledge. Other books in the series will feature a goat, cow, dog and cat.

Hartfield plans to use some of the book sales to establish an OSU veterinary student scholarship.

“I think there is such a need to have more scholarships to encourage kids to pursue rural medicine, especially mixed practice. I want to give back to the school that gave me a chance,” she says.

If you share Dr. Hartfield’s passion for animals and would like to support veterinary student scholarships, contact Chris Sitz, OSU Foundation senior director of development, at csitz@osugiving.com or 405-385-5170.

Learn more about Dr. Hartfield’s animal book series outreach at okla.st/ Vet_Hartfield_Animal_Books.

PHOTOS / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Students at Stillwater’s Highland Park Elementary School vied to pet Rosie when Dr. Hartfield visited.

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Two Exhibits Featuring Works by Women Artists Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype highlights the work of modernist Maxine Warren (1927-2014). Warren is an under-recognized artist who graduated from Oklahoma State University with an art degree in 1948. The Ponca City native went on to create abstract art throughout her life.

Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype adds to our understanding of the contribution from women’s artists of the postwar abstraction in the southwest part of the United States.

The exhibit demonstrates how Warren relied on her intuition, unique painting technique and bright color palette to explore relatable universal truths, such as the overwhelming power of love and hope.

Maxine Warren: The Universe in a Monotype will be featured in the OSU Museum of Art until February 3, 2018.

Maxine Warren, “Reconciled Among the Stars” (from Private Words for T.S. Eliot series), 1991, oil monotype print, 31 ½ x 23 ¾ inches.

Femfolio Femfolio, a portfolio of prints, showcases the work of 20 women artists who were catalysts for the feminist art movement in the 1970s. Each piece represents different feminist styles and viewpoints that defy the stereotypes associated with femininity. Some pieces challenge the typical delicacy that most would associate with women by showing feminine imagery with masculine features. Each piece of art encompasses the artists’ desire for equality among men and women in society.

Women artists have been contributing to the intellectual development and tasteful visuals in the art industry since the late 20th century.

Artists featured in Femfolio include Emma Amos, Eleanor Antin, Nancy Azara, Betsy Damon, Mary Beth Edelson, Lauren Ewing, Harmony Hammond, Joyce Kozloff, Diane Neumaier, Faith Ringgold, Miriam Schapiro, Carolee Schneemann, Joan Semmel, Sylvia Sleigh, Joan Snyder, Nancy Spero, May Stevens, Athena Tacha, June Wayne and Martha Wilson.

Femfolio will be featured at the OSU Museum of Art until December 16, 2017.

The portfolio counters the typical idea of femininity by including masculine attributes to the otherwise feminine pieces.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

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L E AV I N G A

Legacy

Martha Reed

transformed Southwest fashion design by popularizing Navajo broomstick skirts paired with traditional velvet or cotton blouses. Then she transformed her alma mater by leaving her family’s Taos, New Mexico, estate to Oklahoma State University for use as a teaching facility.

That established the Doel Reed Center for the Arts as a tribute to her father, the legendary artist who led OSU’s Department of Art from 1924 until 1959, when he retired to Taos. The studio where he made many iconic aquatints, the adobe home he shared with his wife, Jane, and Martha’s adobe home are now all renovated Reed Center facilities.

Martha Reed’s passion for her alma mater, art and the Southwest, as well as her dedication to preserving her father’s legacy, are all reflected in her estate gift.

To learn more about how you can support OSU through your estate, visit OSUgiving.com/estateplanning or call the OSU Foundation Gift Planning Office at 800.622.4678.

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Opening Eyes on a Next Generation Journey

BY J I M M I T C H E L L

Oklahoma State University strategic communications student Victoria Ribeiro describes her weeklong Next Generation Radio experience as something she’ll remember and utilize the rest of her career.

“The week was a challenge for me,” she says. “Not only did it test my strengths and open my eyes to areas I could improve on, but it also tested my passion for journalism.”

Next Generation Radio is a collaborative digital media project of National Public Radio and its member stations around the country. It was founded in 2000 by KOSU alumnus and current NPR project director Doug Mitchell, who travels the U.S. to work with a range of public and commercial media journalists, and the college journalism professors who mentor the competitively selected students.

Once the assignments for the week were announced, Ribeiro admits she felt

Laura Ziegler, left, mentors students such as Victoria Ribeiro in the Next Generation Radio experience.

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a little overwhelmed: “We had 15 tasks to complete before the week was over, as we developed our story. Those tasks were written on a giant white board in front of the newsroom. By the end of the week, I felt so relieved to check the final box, I literally shed a tear.”

During the workshop, each NextGen participant must post daily updates on social media, detailing the progress on their chosen story, keeping a log of the interviews and sound recordings they have gathered, sending in their latest drafts for the story for multiple edits and posting the latest drafts online.

Though the project seemed somewhat daunting at first, Ribeiro had support from mentors who were assigned to help the students.

“My mentor was Laura Ziegler with KCUR public radio in Kansas City. It was so awesome to have her because I had never done anything like this before,” Ribeiro says. “She was with me for my interviews and served as my expert guide for this reporting project. Doug was also very helpful in getting us started on our pre-production work by showing us how to develop a structured outline for the story. He called it a ‘project blueprint,’ something we read word-for-word in front of the entire group.”

NBC News video producer Shako Liu provided valuable tips to the students for shooting photos and videos, while Celeste Headlee of Georgia Public Broadcasting, a NextGen alumna, served as their managing editor.

Ribeiro says she also found her student colleagues at the workshop offered very helpful advice.

“Everyone was down to earth and great to be around. We clicked well as a group and even hung out when we were away from the newsroom,” she says.

“One of the other ‘mentees,’ that’s what they called us, has a music blog he does for bands that are rising in popularity. I

Victoria Ribeiro records the sounds of boxing in a gym for a radio project. appreciated his insights on how to start a blog and get better at writing pieces.”

While Ribeiro and the other mentees chose their own stories, the chief requirement was to find someone in Oklahoma City who was inspiring. She may have hit the jackpot with Marcus McMinn, also known as “Coach Mac,” who runs a boxing clinic that provides much more than boxing lessons for at-risk youths.

Ribeiro’s multimedia work for the project can be found online at okla.st/NxGen17.

Ribeiro says she’s honored to have been chosen for the program, which made her reconsider her future plans about being a publicist.

“This workshop helped me realize public radio/multimedia journalism could definitely be a career option for me now,” she says. “I’ve even begun to consider double majoring in multimedia journalism once I wrap up my final strategic communication courses.”

The NPR Next Gen workshop was made possible in part by a generous gift from KOSU donors Evelyn and Tom Gosnell, a longtime faculty member in the OSU Spears School of Business.

For more information, visit nextgenerationradio.org.

HEATHER YATES, associate

COLLEGE SWEETHEARTS

professor and program coordinator for Construction Management Technology in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology from Oklahoma State University in 1998 and a master’s in engineering technology from Pittsburg State University in 2002. Yates began teaching at the collegiate level at Pittsburg State University, but she always intended to return to Stillwater.

“I love the university, the people and the students,” she says. “I fell in love with OSU as an undergraduate and always wanted to return for my career.”

Yates was appointed an associate professor at OSU in 2006. She completed her doctorate in higher education at OSU in 2012.

INSPIRING PROFESSORS Yates remembers how one of her professors helped her realize what her true passion was when she was an undergraduate student. As an employee at OSU, she can now call one of her biggest inspirations a fellow colleague.

“I loved having Dr. Camille DeYong in class,” Yates says. “She was an inspiration to me as a woman studying engineering. I recently told her how I figured out in one of her classes that I had a practical mind rather than a theoretical mind, and it led me to change my major to construction management technology.”

DeYong is an associate professor at OSU in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. She teaches industrial engineering and management courses.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Yates met her future husband at a Stillwater store while in college. She and her husband Scott have 11-year-old twin daughters who attend Stillwater Middle School.

“We were both shopping for groceries one Friday night in Walmart,” Yates says. “He told his buddies that his future wife was about to walk around the corner, and then my friend and I came down the grocery isle. He got the nerve to speak to me in the parking lot and ended up inviting us to a party.”

COUNTERING STEREOTYPES Yates is passionate about the success of women in science, technology, engineering and math. Her research from her doctorate focused on the voices of women in engineering. She has been an invited speaker at conferences nationally and internationally to promote women in construction. Yates encourages young women to pursue careers in STEM. “Never give up,” she says.

“Believe in yourself, and never forget who you are. Find something that you are truly passionate about — it makes it so much easier to go to work every day with a positive attitude.”

FINDING BALANCE When she’s not teaching future construction professionals, she enjoys teaching fitness classes and encouraging others to stay active. As an undergraduate she enjoyed group fitness classes at the Colvin Rec Center during lunch. Now she enjoys turning up the music and teaching dance fitness classes.

“Outside of work, I love teaching Zumba and Aqua Zumba classes,” Yates says. “I teach at the Colvin Recreation Center, Seretean Wellness Center and Bodyworks Gym.”

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COUR T NE Y DIK E FEMALE SCHOLAR

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This news was first published in the Spring 2017 issue of POSSE magazine.

To read other great stories, consider joining the POSSE. Annual donations to OSU athletics of $150 or more qualify for POSSE membership and include an annual subscription to POSSE magazine.

Visit okstateposse.com for details.

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STORY BY WADE McWHORTER PHOTOS BY BRUCE WATERFIELD

Agatha Adams FIGURES SHE’S ONLY SEEN A HANDFUL OF STUDENT-ATHLETES LIKE Courtney Dike OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES. Adams has been working in Oklahoma State Academic Services for Student-Athletes for over 30 years, guiding countless Cowboys and Cowgirls in their academic endeavors.

So when a rare gem like Dike comes along, it isn’t lost on Adams.

“Courtney is the type of young lady any mother and father would be proud of,” Adams says. “She’s a hard worker, very selfless, a giver who always tries to help the other students. She’s just a unique individual that I’ve enjoyed working with.

“I feel like she’s going to succeed in whatever she chooses to do. I told her we’re going to be reading about her and seeing her on TV because she’s very motivated to be successful, and you see that in her every day.”

What Dike accomplished in four years in Stillwater is already nothing short of television documentary-worthy:

Four-time All-Big 12 Conference performer on the pitch, one of only four players in OSU soccer history to earn All-Big 12 status four times.

2016 Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Ranks in the top five on OSU’s all-time lists in goals, assists, points and shots.

And that was just in an OSU uniform. She also started

and earned two caps for Nigeria in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup a year after leading Nigeria to a runner-up finish at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

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“All athletes have to perform in their sport and in the classroom, but to do both at an elite level is what is very difficult.” — Colin Carmichael, OSU head soccer coach While those accomplishments are impressive, consider what Dike did off the field: • Graduated from OSU in four years with bachelor’s

and master’s degrees in accounting as well as a minor in Spanish.

• Was OSU soccer’s first Academic All-American since 2012.

• Earned academic all-conference, all-district and all-region honors three times.

Looking at Dike’s distinguished résumé, it’s easy to see why she was chosen as the 201617 OSU Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

“Everybody sees Courtney’s accomplishments on the field, and they’re very impressive, but probably more impressive is what she did in the classroom,” says OSU soccer head coach Colin Carmichael. “She leaves Oklahoma State with a master’s degree in accounting and, whatever she chooses to do with that, I’m sure she’ll be very successful.

“All athletes have to perform in their sport and in the classroom, but to do both at an elite level is very difficult. To be able to dedicate your time to soccer, play for the Nigerian national team in your down time and also be able to maintain a very high GPA — to do those things is hard period, but to do them at such an elite level is a testament to Courtney’s work ethic and her intelligence.

“To do what she did on and off the field in her four years is unbelievable and made her very deserving of the OSU Scholar Athlete Award.”

Adams takes that a step further, saying that what makes Dike even more of a rare breed is her selflessness and willingness to help others, adding that she was the very rare student-athlete who also served as a tutor during what little free time she had.

“We’ve had some students that have completed master’s degrees within four or five years, but to be able to balance their time and excel in all those areas is very unique,” Adams says.

“To star in your sport, get two degrees and at the same time be willing to give up that little extra time that they have — because being a student-athlete is very demanding — to help others students master their courses, you don’t find a lot of them like that.

“She was not selfish. Usually even our 4.0 students concentrate on their sport and own academics. Any free time that they have, they don’t want to give it up. But Courtney was willing to give it up. And not only that, she was very active in serving the community.

“She was what I would call a well-rounded student-athlete, which you just don’t find very often.”

Dike credits her family with creating a culture that led her down the path to being successful. Dike’s parents, Vincent and Jacinta, immigrated to the United States in the 1980s to enhance their educational opportunities and have passed that passion on to their five children.

“Education has always been the priority over everything — sports, friends, all of that,” Dike says. “My parents were never very strict about it, it was just an expectation you knew was there. They never forced studying on us, they just told us to make sure homework and stuff was done before you do anything else.

They trusted us to do that. My older siblings did that, so it just became common knowledge that it was what was expected.”

Dike’s interest in pursuing a career in accounting was sparked at Edmond North High School. She needed an elective, chose the subject and “I was alright at it and didn’t hate it, so I figured I’d major in it.”

At OSU, she determined that her love of numbers and interest in accounting was a perfect match.

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“I’ve always enjoyed learning in general, learning new things and improving on things is something I’ve worked at,” Dike says. “I’ve been interested in a lot of the things I’ve studied so part of it is being curious about certain things.

“Accounting is something that is probably the only thing I was interested in. I’ve always been a numbers person, so math was my thing. Everyone else in my family has gone into medicine, which I have zero interest for.”

Dike credits one of those family members, her sister, Kim, as being heavily influential to her success in Stillwater.

“I had a plan from the beginning,” Dike says. “(Kim) helped me — she literally helped me map out every semester of what classes I wanted to take. I had a plan of taking the CPA exam from the moment I got to campus, so I wanted to make sure I did everything while I was playing and get as much out of it as I could.

“It was hard at first. College is different, so managing time was difficult. But once I really got focused on it, it wasn’t too hard for me.

I made a lot of great friends with the same major who helped when I was struggling with certain things — great teachers as well who were willing to fill me in on certain things I missed when I was traveling a lot.

“I just had a goal, and I was set on it the whole time. I wanted to make sure I did well and make the best of the opportunity that was given to me. It was difficult at times — staying up all night studying, then working out in the morning before taking a test — just not having time for anything. But at the end of the day, it was all worth it. I got a great education and a great soccer experience out of it. I couldn’t have imagined a better situation and a better experience, even though it was extremely difficult.”

Most take the CPA over a longer period of time, but as you’ve probably figured out, Courtney Dike isn’t like most people. “(The CPA exam) is going to be my only focus for this moment of time, so hopefully I’ll be fine,” Dike says. “Basically I’m going to be studying all day every day all summer long, with maybe a few days off here and there to relax and not go crazy.

“The CPA and the World Cup have been my top two goals. I’ve already accomplished one, so I feel like the other one, if I focus, I can get.

“I’m pretty dedicated and can be stubborn at times so if I have a plan, I’m going to go for it and do whatever it takes to get there. I know with hard work you can do anything.

There are certain things that you can control.

I know that I’ve gotten a great education at Oklahoma State, so if I put in the work my professors and advisers tell me I need to do to pass the exam, I’m going to do it.”

While she hasn’t taken much time to dwell on her soccer successes at OSU, which also included leading the Cowgirls to three NCAA Tournament appearances , Dike says she is already feeling a void from a life without competing in the sport she loves.

“You wake up and go to class and then maybe you text your friends, and they’re like ‘I have soccer and can’t do that.’ For the first time ever, you’re wondering what you’re going to do because you’re not training and playing and you actually have time,” Dike says.

“It’s definitely a different feeling and very sad sometimes, but at the same time you’ve got to be realistic. There’s a time for everything. If I didn’t know what it meant to get this education, I don’t think I would have done it. There are phases in everything and no matter when it would have come, I would have felt the same way I think.

“At the time you’re so busy and it goes so fast that you’re just thinking about the next thing and getting better, but now when I look back on it and other people talk to me about it, I can be happy and look back on it and smile about everything that happened. Now that I’m not as involved, I realize more what I have accomplished — it’s more real to me.”

And if there’s one thing certain — OSU’s 2016-17 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year can look back on the last four years of her life, a star on the soccer field and in the classroom, and know she made the most of her opportunities.

“I’m incredibly thankful to my parents for stressing academics because maybe I wouldn’t have realized how far I could go if they didn’t stress how important it was,” Dike says. “It’s most rewarding that I have options after I graduate. It’s a great feeling to know I accomplished something like this with so many different things going on. I had a big support system the whole time, with family, friends, teammates, coaches, everything. I’m thankful for my athletic scholarship because that took off a lot of stress. The opportunity to be able to accomplish what I did was something I’m very grateful for and don’t take for granted.”

The next goal and phase of life will be equally as challenging. While Dike has already accepted a job with Ernst & Young in Oklahoma City with plans to start this fall, she won’t spend her summer between college and beginning life in “the real world” relaxing. She's already on the 9-to-5 (plus) grind, those hours filled burying her nose in books studying for the CPA exam, an intensive four-part test that she expects to pass before starting at E&Y.

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Today, there are more than 1,000 faculty members at Oklahoma State University, and for most of OSU’s history, that group has been dominated by men. Once upon a time, most opportunities for women were in the important fields of home economics and education, but today, the doors to every discipline are open to women.

Our look at two researchers — Barbara Stoecker, a scientist whose work has international significance, and Ashlee Ford Versypt, a young researcher already making a name for her work — exemplifies the talents of all who contribute to our world-class research university.

Ushering in the next generation

BY J E F F J O I N E R

Obstacles to women scientists have been pushed aside by senior and junior faculty at OSU PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Barbara Stoecker

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B

arbara Stoecker’s influence on the OSU Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Human Sciences goes back 30 years. However, her study of micronutrients and health has benefited the lives of thousands of people — especially children — in developing countries in Asia and Africa. A native of Atchison, Kansas, Stoecker is a Regents Professor and holds the Marilynn Thoma Chair in Human Sciences. She earned her doctorate in nutrition in 1970 at Iowa State University. But before she did, she spent time in Jamaica as part of the International Farm Youth Exchange.

“That was the first time I had ever seen malnutrition,” Stoecker says.

The experience influenced her future.

Stoecker took a leave of absence as an Iowa State professor to accompany her husband — Art, now an OSU agricultural economist — to Thailand, where he worked on a collaborative project between Iowa State and the Thai government.

She joined a group of Thai pediatricians

studying vitamin A deficiency and one particularly alarming outcome. Some rural children with the deficiency, who then developed measles, were going blind because the disease further depletes already low levels of the vitamin.

“You think of Bangkok and of all these fruits and vegetables that are good sources of carotene and thus vitamin A,” Stoecker says. “But we were doing a lot of work in an agricultural area close to Laos and Vietnam, where they really had a vitamin A deficiency.”

Stoecker says the team’s research in Thailand, along with work of many others, supported efforts in Asia to supplement children with vitamin A, which later became a successful World Health Organization program.

The Thai project was just the start of Stoecker’s worldwide study of vitamin and mineral deficiencies — selenium in China; vitamin D, zinc and iodine in sub-Saharan Africa; and even vitamin E in space (though she stayed safely on the ground for a NASA study of bone loss in astronauts and vitamin supplements).

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

“We talk about micronutrients as hidden hunger. A lack of macronutrients like protein and calories are what we see in a famine, but many aspects of growth and development are dependent on vitamins and minerals,” Stoecker says.

After joining the OSU faculty in 1987, she began a three-decade relationship with Ethiopia, where she has had the greatest influence of any place she has worked. The African nation has long had close ties to OSU, which helped establish Alemaya (now Haramaya) University there in 1954. Since then, OSU has been training Ethiopian students — both there and at OSU — and providing resources to develop higher education there.

Stoecker has contributed to researching and starting nutrition-related programs in Ethiopia — including the study of severe iodine deficiency, which affects cognitive development in children.

She has also written university curriculum and trained Ethiopian graduate students, many of whom are now researchers, health care providers and public officials in that nation.

“She saw the need to train Ethiopians who could then establish their own nutrition programs and in turn have a real impact on the country’s health,” says Brenda Smith, Regents Professor and the John and Sue Taylor Professor in Nutritional Sciences at OSU and a Stoecker protégé. “It’s remarkable — the breadth of her impact.”

The legacy of Stoecker’s training of young scientists means her influence in nutrition research will continue for many years. Stoecker served as Smith’s doctoral

Barbara Stoecker visits with her protégé, Brenda Smith, in the new wing of the College of Human Sciences.

adviser and mentor when she came to OSU in 1993, and Smith credits the guidance for generating a deeper passion for research.

“Her science is stellar, but it goes beyond that,” Smith says. “She’s a scientist who is very generous with her time and ideas and supports young and upcoming researchers.”

Many at OSU will agree that Stoecker’s leadership and reputation have been a major factor in the growth

of the nutritional sciences program.

In the 1990s, the College of Human Environmental Sciences (now Human Sciences) undertook a multimillion-dollar renovation of its nutrition labs. Dean Pat Knaub, along with Stoecker and fellow faculty, were instrumental in attracting donors to the project.

“It has really been Barbara’s reputation and work that have established the foundation for what’s going on here in nutrition research,” Smith says.

Barbara Stoecker’s research extends around the world, including working in Ethiopia.

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Mentoring leads to more

BY J E F F J O I N E R

Young female faculty members carry on the tradition of guiding university students

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Ashlee Ford Versypt, assistant professor of chemical engineering, was recognized in 2017 with the CEAT Excellent Teacher Award for her efforts to mentor students.

long any career path, there are people who make a difference through guidance and encouragement.

On a university campus, they are called mentors. Ashlee Ford Versypt, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Oklahoma State University, is one of those people.

Ford Versypt mentors students in the classroom and in her laboratory by teaching the critical skills needed to communicate their research. Reputations in science are built on research achievements, which can come slowly for junior faculty members. But scientists can impact the educations of their students from Day One.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

“I am dedicated to excellence in my teaching and educational scholarly activities, because these are integral for the success of our program and my career,” Ford Versypt says. “If I provide opportunities for others and generate new ideas that can address challenges, I consider that a success.”

That dedication was recognized with the 2017 College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Excellent Teacher Award.

Ford Versypt came to OSU to work in her first faculty position in the fall of 2014. Along with teaching duties came the arduous job of establishing her lab, which focuses on chemical engineering, computational science and biomedicine.

Originally from Snyder, Oklahoma, Ford Versypt earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s in chemical engineering and a doctorate in chemical engineering and computational science from the University of Illinois in UrbanaChampaign. She completed her education with a postdoctoral research position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ford Versypt chose to start her career at OSU thanks to the university’s emphasis on undergraduate research, she says.

“I like that what we do in the classroom is important and that we integrate undergraduates into our research,” she says. “Undergraduates here are very bright and very hard-working. They have a great work ethic.”

Ford Versypt is passionate about providing her students with good research experiences because she found that same opportunity significant.

“I had a great undergraduate research experience myself,” she says. “I took a junior-level laboratory course taught by the person who would become my adviser, Dimitrios Papavassiliou. He recruited me to join his research group, and I felt like, ‘Wow! This is amazing that this professor wants me to be in his lab.’”

Ford Versypt actively recruits top students from her classes at OSU. Her first two undergraduate recruits worked for her on a summer CEAT outreach program dealing with pharmaceutical design. The students’ efforts resulted in being co-authors on a conference paper and a peer-reviewed journal article. In only three years at OSU, Ford Versypt has already worked with 17 undergraduates.

Of course, student recruiting is not limited to undergraduates. Ford Versypt’s graduate students are also making a name for themselves and her research program. Her first doctoral student, Minu Pilvankar, has distinguished herself with her tireless work and ability to find and analyze research relevant to their work.

“She’s my go-to person to find biological and physiological papers and being able to interpret those experiments. She’s able to find relevant information that we can incorporate into our computer models,” Ford Versypt says.

Pilvankar’s doctoral thesis is on creating physiological computer models of diabetic kidney disease. Her work is done entirely on computers rather than in a traditional chemistry lab. Recently, she was awarded a prestigious international

computational research fellowship — the first for an OSU student. She credits Ford Versypt for her spot in an OSU Ph.D. program.

“I could have applied to other universities, but I didn’t because I wanted to work with her,” Pilvankar says. “As a mentor, she has helped me in so many ways both in my personal and professional development.”

One of Ford Versypt’s leadership abilities is showing students what they are capable of accomplishing. And student success means program success.

“For Minu to win this fellowship shows that world-class things are going on at OSU,” Ford Versypt says. “It enhances our prestige and puts us on the radar of places where quality research is taking place.”

Ford Versypt says leadership by female faculty members has fostered the idea that those with potential can succeed regardless of gender.

“As a woman in science and engineering, I try to serve as a role model to show diversity in background and experiences that contribute to better scientific teams for solving problems of interest to all people,” she says.

Ashley Ford Versypt actively recruits students from her classes to perform research alongside her in the lab including, from left, master’s student Ye Nguyen, doctoral student Steve Ruggiero and doctoral student Minu Pilvankar.

PHOTO / JEFF JOINER

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PHOTO / JEFF JOINER

Native American freshmen choose an entomology adventure

BY B E T H T H E I S

O

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The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, part of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, partnered with the Center for Sovereign Nations at Oklahoma State University in the spring of 2016 to establish the four-year grant program. It is designed to attract highly qualified Native American students into the entomology and plant pathology undergraduate program at OSU. The partnership and grant program were spearheaded by Hoback, the primary investigator on a research

project exploring why Native Americans suffer twice the rate of certain diseases compared to non-natives.

“Entomology is a dying but important industry,” says Hoback, who noted the number of scientists trained in entomology has declined substantially since the 1990s, and very few Native American students earn degrees in the field.

In general, the lack of trained entomologists from diverse backgrounds is challenging for the field of entomology because of the potential for

Wyatt Hoback, assistant professor of entomology and plant pathology, works with students Natalee Taylor, left, and Taylor Coles.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

klahoma State University freshman Natalee Taylor always wanted to be a veterinarian.

In fact, she spent two summers interning with a veterinarian who specialized in large, small and some exotic animal medicine, and planned to major in biochemistry and molecular biology en route to vet school.

Even with experience researching ticks from previous classes and an internship, studying entomology never crossed her mind.

Then came the conversation with Wyatt Hoback, an OSU assistant professor of entomology and plant pathology, during a student event on the Stillwater campus.

“I didn’t even know entomology was a major here,” Taylor says. “I met Dr. Hoback at new student orientation, and we started talking about my research project. After he discovered my experience with tick research, he began to tell me about the entomology department.”

The friendly chat not only led Taylor to eventually change her major but also opened the door to a barrier-breaking scholars program designed to integrate the study of insects and Native American heritage.

A Muscogee Creek citizen from Henryetta, Oklahoma, she is one of six inaugural scholars in Native Americans Trained In Various Entomological Sciences, or NATIVES.

miscommunication and misunderstandings rooted in racial, cultural and ethnic differences.

That lack of diversity in the field is a specific challenge for Oklahoma, where 39 sovereign nations manage nearly half of the state’s lands.

Other NATIVES scholars include twin sisters Alexis and Taylor Coles, Norman, Oklahoma; Bailee Posey, Corinth, Texas; and Haylee Stevens, Claremore, Oklahoma, who are Choctaw citizens.

Katelynn Montgomery is a Cherokee student from Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Interestingly, like many of their fellow scholars, the Coles did not have entomology on their radars, either. But, turns out, the field is a perfect fit as they chart courses toward lifelong dreams of becoming doctors.

After learning what the entomology program has to offer, Stevens was convinced it fit with her plans for a career in the medical field.

“It seemed like just a great opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” she says. “The people with the Center for Sovereign Nations are more of a family away from home. There is always someone to talk to or get help from in the center. They are there for us when we need them, and that means a lot.”

Fellow NATIVES scholar Montgomery also appreciates the family atmosphere surrounding the program.

“One of the first things I noticed after

“We want to give back and help our people and protect the lands of the tribe,” Alexis Coles says.

NATIVES is more than simply a scholarship program, though.

Getting connected with the program and the Center for Sovereign Nations has helped Posey, who hails from a family of veterinarians and expects to follow the same path by studying entomology with a pre-veterinary option, learn more about her Choctaw heritage.

Meanwhile, for Stevens, NATIVES has provided financial support for her college education as well as a slate of tools that will help her prepare to achieve her post-collegiate goals.

joining the program was the family I gained,” she says. “Not many freshmen get that base from the beginning.”

Once selected for the program, she quickly connected with the center and is thriving.

“I love the idea of coming up with a question and then solving it myself,” Montgomery says. “I get to teach myself and constantly learn about new ideas. It’s like an adventure all the time. It never gets old.”

NATIVES scholars will engage in a STEM-based curriculum and research experiences in three core areas of entomology: insect biology and ecology, medical-veterinary entomology and forensic entomology.

In addition, they will visit state-ofthe-art research and commercial facilities related to food safety, agrisecurity, and medical and veterinary entomology.

Scholars also will participate in an international research experience in Panama.

Several OSU staff members are critical to the grant’s success including Elizabeth Payne, director of the Center for Sovereign Nations; Astri Wayadande, vector entomologist; Bruce Noden, medical veterinary entomologist and Justin Talley, livestock entomologist.

The Center for Sovereign Nations at Oklahoma State University was created in

“One of the first things I noticed after joining the program was the family I gained.”

— K AT E LY N N M O N T G O M E RY

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Haylee Stevens, Katelynn Montgomery, Taylor Coles, Bailee Posey, Natalee Taylor and Alexis Coles are students in the NATIVES program.

2015 as part of OSU’s vision for serving the 39 tribal nations in Oklahoma with a lead investment from the Chickasaw Nation. The Choctaw Nation joined as a partner in 2016. As one of only 13 entomology programs in the nation, the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology believes in the value of hands-on education and the importance of a wellrounded student experience. The department’s award-winning faculty members are dedicated to developing students and passionate about adding value to their total educational experience.

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By e - By e

BLACK BEAR? Not A ny more…

OSU researchers investigate rising black bear population in Oklahoma

BY S E A N H U B B A R D

SHE HAS TO FEEL LIKE AN ACTRESS GRACING THE RED CARPET FOR THE FIRST TIME. EVERYONE IS GOING CRAZY OVER THE RARE CHANCE TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF HER. CAMERAS ARE SNAPPING AND SPECTATORS ARE IN AWE.

A

t just five weeks old, this young lady is creating a longlasting memory for the group of 25-orso eager onlookers. But, more importantly, over the next several years, she will play a role in helping answer some of the questions lurking around her lifestyle.

Black bears are becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the landscape of eastern and southeastern Oklahoma.

The Ouachita Mountains have served as the backdrop for many landowners in the area to tag along with researchers

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from Oklahoma State University’s Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

“Often, landowners will see a bear on their property and contact the Wildlife Department,” says Sue Fairbanks, NREM assistant professor and adviser to the project. “They (landowners) typically invite their families to join us when we check on the dens because most are excited to see the bears and take some pictures with the cubs.”

Catching a glimpse of a black bear in the state does not happen very often, however the species has been making a strong comeback in portions of Oklahoma.

Before humans developed much of their habitat, black bears ranged all over the forested regions of North America.

However, early in the 20th century, black bears were extirpated from the state. As more people began to show up, the bears started to disappear and eventually did completely.

It wasn’t until the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission successfully reintroduced black bears into the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains in the 1960s that the bears even had a shot at survival in the region.

Natural Resource Ecology and Management graduate student Erica Perez holds a black bear cub as part of a research project looking at the increasing population of the species in Oklahoma.

Because of the increase in the Arkansas bear population, by the late 1990s, black bears had begun to naturally disperse and recolonize in portions of eastern Oklahoma, leading to a drastic increase in the volume of nuisance calls about bears ransacking campsites and breaking into places for food.

In 2001, Sara Lyda, then an NREM graduate student, began researching bears in the state to get a handle on population numbers and the habitats they preferred.

Fast forward 16 years to present day Oklahoma, where there are now two separate and distinctive black bear populations. One lives in the Ozark region and totals less than 100 bears.

“Most of those are males, because those are the ones that move into the area first,” says Lyda, who is now a senior research specialist with NREM. “That is a very young and unstable population.”

The other group, which is much larger and more established, calls the Ouachita Mountains in extreme southeastern Oklahoma home. In fact, this group has been doing so well that the Wildlife Department opened a hunting season in several counties in the area in 2009.

PHOTOS / TODD JOHNSON

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“UPON COMPLETION OF MY SCHOOLING, I HOPE TO WORK FOR A NONPROFIT OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT AIMS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.” — Erica Perez, OSU graduate student

The Ouachita Mountains in southeast Oklahoma provide the right habitat for a stable population of black bears, which is the main focus of the research project.

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“The southeast has a very stable population,” Lyda says. “Even with the hunting season, this population is still growing, is doing well and has room to grow here.”

There is good reason for that, and with the continuing study of the bears, the researchers have been collecting data to find out why. Erica Perez, NREM graduate student, has adopted the program and currently holds the keys to this ongoing research vehicle.

“The Ouachita National Forest in the southeast provides a large, contiguous stretch of forest that is an excellent habitat for bears since it provides many of their main food items like berries and acorns,” says Perez. “The area in the Ozark region is much more fragmented due to human development, making it less able to support a big population like in the Ouachita region.”

The researchers currently have 148 bears tagged in the Ouachita study area, 79 males and 69 females, which means they’re catching roughly the same number of each sex. However, the group doesn’t put GPS satellite collars on all of them.

Of the 27 collared bears, 24 are female. Male bears give the team a snapshot of how the population may expand geographically, but the females are the stars of the show.

“Since population fluctuations rely heavily on adult female survival, we primarily focus on collaring females that are reproductively active,” Perez says. “We can get an idea of how they are surviving within each age class — cubs, yearlings, subadults, adults — and how successful they are at reproducing. This also allows us to track females to their winter dens to obtain counts of how many cubs they’re having.”

The team uses the GPS collars to find the bears before they leave their dens in late February and early March. This is the part of the research where landowners are invited to tag along for a den check.

Joining the researchers for the day’s work begins with a quick, early morning briefing of what the day will hold, then loading up in the trucks and heading out. With anticipation spilling out of the spectators’ pores, the drive through the Ouachita Mountains seems to take forever.

The train of vehicles park a half-mileor-so away from the den location, which is home to one particular mama bear and her cub for the winter. The group waits as Perez and the team begin to meander through the hillside, quickly disappearing in the heavily forested area.

The spectators wait patiently and get their cameras ready while the researchers locate the den, sedate the approximately 200-pound mama bear and give the “all clear” to come on down, which doesn’t take too long.

It is a peaceful hike, with only the sounds of twigs breaking and leaves crackling under their boots. After a couple pit stops to catch their breath, the entire group has finally made it to the den, where Perez has the cub wrapped in an orange OSU blanket.

The cub, seemingly feather-weight, cuddles as closely as possible to whoever is holding her. With a distinct odor, already razor sharp claws, thick fur, a wet nose and an endless supply of whimpers, the five-week-old cub clings on for dear life, searching for the warmest spot possible.

PHOTOS / TODD JOHNSON

She gets passed from person to person, each equally excited about the novelty of holding one of Oklahoma’s most unique species of wildlife.

While the media frenzy is taking place, the researchers continue to monitor the vitals of the mama bear — checking her temperature, breathing and heart rate. The GPS collar around the bear’s neck also gets a thorough examination and replaced if there is any damage or the battery is getting low.

Once the spectators all get a chance to hold the baby and take as many photos as they can, showtime is over and it is time to get to work.

Perez records weight, chest girth, sex and distinguishing marks for the cubs before inserting a passive integrated transponder or PIT tag, which can be scanned for identification purposes if the cub is ever caught again.

Finally, a small sample of hair is plucked from the cub and out comes the cutest roar of all time. The group feels some sort of sympathy for the poor, little cub, but knows in the near future, the roar may be more terrifying than cute.

By tracking radio-collared bears to their winter dens, the researchers have found bears use a variety of shelters for dens including rock crevices, hollow trees, holes dug into the ground under the root ball of fallen trees and more.

New to the ongoing research is the use of ibuttons. This technology is programmed to record the temperature every four hours beginning at midnight.

“This will help determine the warmth provided by different types of dens, and determine whether pregnant female bears choose warmer dens than other bears,” Perez says. “The more we know about

what constitutes a safe, warm den for the birth and survival of black bear cubs, the better we can identify and manage good black bear habitat.”

The bears enter their dens in December or January and typically remain there for several months.

“Black bears in Oklahoma will find a cozy spot and sleep through cold winters,” says Fairbanks. “They don’t eat or drink while denned, and their heart rate and metabolic rate drop. But, their body temperatures don’t decrease as much as small hibernators, like chipmunks and skunks.”

They’ll leave the collars on the mama bear in hopes of using her life story to gain more knowledge about the entire population.

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“EVEN WITH THE HUNTING SEASON, THIS POPULATION IS STILL GROWING, IS DOING WELL AND HAS ROOM TO GROW HERE.” — Sara Lyda, senior research specialist

“Our goal is to keep those females collared as long as possible,” says Lyda, who helps with the research efforts. “If you can follow that female from year to year, you can see how a good rain year has affected whether she has a lot of cubs, or her condition, things like that.”

The research has shown the habitat in southeastern Oklahoma is prime real estate for these bears, with ample amounts of forage being a major perk. Black bears in Oklahoma prefer to not work too hard to find their food. A steady diet of fruits, berries, plants, ants and hard mast — like acorns and hickory nuts — typically does the trick.

However, throughout the year, a few of these items may be taken off the bear buffet. Changing seasons, lack of rainfall, human intrusion and fire can all play a role in what types of food will be available to the bear population.

“The bears in Oklahoma and Arkansas are predominantly vegetarian. They eat acorns, in particular, in the winter,” says Fairbanks. “They go into a situation where they are trying to put on weight as fast as they can and those acorns are a great food source for doing that.”

The good news for the folks with bears living amongst them is there have been no instances of bears attacking livestock, pets or people — at all — in Oklahoma.

“They are just not looking for meat,” Fairbanks says.

The research heavily suggests the population in the state is very healthy and bears will be around a long time.

Continued research will be of great benefit, however.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate with our partnership and relationship with the Wildlife Department,” Lyda says. “If we can continue the research we’ve been doing and the monitoring, not only will it help the ODWC and their management efforts and help the bears, but it also will help other generations of students who will be coming up and will be our future wildlife biologists and managers to get the experience they need.”

Leading this research project until she graduates with her master’s degree in May 2018, Perez is hoping to use her experience to further her education and career in wildlife.

“I have really come to enjoy the whole research process — from developing research questions and collecting my own data, to the end product of seeing the practical application of the work I have had the opportunity to be a part of. It’s my hope to enter into a Ph.D. program to further my education in ecology and wildlife science,” she says. “Upon completion of my schooling, I hope to work for a nonprofit or government agency that aims to better understand and manage our natural resources.”

The researchers have found bears use a variety of shelters for dens including rock crevices, hollow trees, holes dug into the ground under the root ball of fallen trees and more.

PHOTOS / TODD JOHNSON

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Influential

FIGURES by jacob longan

These eight women have been tremendous influences on OSU over the past 10 years. Pictured are, from left, Anne Greenwood, Kayse Shrum, Ann Hargis, Pamela Fry, Susan Jacques, Amy Mitchell, Natalie Shirley and Helen Hodges.

A

list of every female who has left her mark on our great university would be far too long to include in this magazine. Instead, we are symbolically highlighting these eight women who have helped shape Oklahoma State University over the past decade. We asked them what they hope their influence on OSU has been. Whether by offering up their talent, time or financial support, these women are each a driving force behind OSU’s climb to recognition as a premier land-grant institution. They represent thousands of others who came before and those who will undoubtedly follow their examples.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

A

Pamela FRY

list of every female who has left her mark on our great university would be far too long to include in this

magazine. Instead, we are symbolically highlighting these eight women who have directly influenced success

at Oklahoma State University over the past decade. A committee chose them based on their multi-level influences at

OSU, especially within the university’s priorities the past 10 years. Whether by offering up their talent, time or financial support, these women are each a driving force behind OSU’s climb to recognition as a premier land-grant institution.

They represent thousands of others who came before and those who will undoubtedly follow their examples.

p

amela Martin Fry has had prominent influence on academics at the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses. She has been OSU-Stillwater’s vice provost since January 2011, and became OSU-Tulsa’s provost and vice president for academic affairs in December 2016.

Pamela led the 2014 creation of the University College, which provides central leadership to support student success with a focus on students in various academic support areas. Among the many results are the creation of the University College Advising Office, Veteran Student Academic Success Center, increased services for amela Martin Fryand hasexpansion had prominent transfer students of LASSO influence on academics at the Stillwater tutoring services. and Tulsa campuses. She has been OSU-Stillwater’s vice provost since January 2011, and became OSU-Tulsa’s provost and vice president for academic affairs in December 2016.

Pamela led the 2014 creation of the University College, which provides central leadership to support student success with a focus on students in various academic support areas. Among the many results are the creation of the University College Advising Office, Veteran Student Academic Success Center, increased services for transfer students, and expansion of LASSO tutoring services.

She also led efforts to streamline

p

Pamela FRY She also led efforts to streamline general-education requirements and develop finish-in-four plans for undergraduates. These initiatives support

Her research agenda focuses on the analysis of teaching, learning and curriculum at both the P-12 and collegiate levels. She has taught courses in educational philosophy,

timely graduation and decreased student debt, especially for those changing majors or transferring to OSU. This has helped OSU’s five- and six-year graduation rates reach all-time highs, and the four-year rate is among the university’s highest ever.

She previously served six years as dean of the College of Education and three years as the school head of teaching and curriculum leadership at OSU. She was also general-education requirements and develop interim provost in 2013-2014. finish-in-four plans These Prior to movingfortoundergraduates.

OSU in 2001, Pamela initiatives support timely graduation and served 12 years as a tenured faculty decreased student debt, especially for those member and administrator at the University changing majors or transferring to OSU. That of Oklahoma. A full professor of curriculum has helped OSU’s fiveand six-year graduation studies, she holds a bachelor’s with highest rates reach highs,she andwas the named four-year honors fromall-time OU, where to rate is among the highest. the College’s inaugural Hall of Fame class Sheaspreviously served six ayears as dean known the “75 Who Made Difference.” of the College of Education and three From OSU, she received a master’s inyears as the school head of teaching andacurriculum applied behavioral studies and doctorate leadership at OSU. She was also interimwas in curriculum and supervision.

Pamela provost the in 2013-2014. named college’s 1989 outstanding Prior moving to OSU in 2001, Pamela graduate to student. served 12 years as a tenured faculty member and administrator at the University of Oklahoma. A full professor Curriculum Studies, she holds a bachelor’s with highest honors from OU, where she was named to the College’s inaugural Hall of Fame class known as the “75 Who Made a Difference.” From OSU, she received a master’s in applied behavioral studies and a doctorate in curriculum and supervision. Pamela was named the College’s 1989 outstanding graduate student.

Her research agenda focuses on the analysis of teaching, learning and curriculum at both the P-12 and collegiate levels. She has taught courses in educational philosophy,

leadership, management and advocacy; supervision of educational personnel; curriculum development, teaching and assessment of learning; and evaluation and improvement of educational institutions.

In 1996, she received the Association of Teacher Educators’ Distinguished Researcher Award in recognition of the most outstanding publication influencing teacher education.

Over her career, Pamela has provided leadership,tomanagement leadership education at and local,advocacy; state and supervision of educational personnel; national levels, including as editor of one of the curriculum teaching and and top nationaldevelopment, journals in teacher education assessment of learning; and evaluation and as one of four nationally elected representatives improvement of educational institutions. to the board of directors for the American In 1996, sheofreceived Association of Association Collegesthe of Teacher Education.

Teacher Educators’ Distinguished Researcher At the community level, she served two terms Award in recognition of the most outstanding as a Stillwater Public Education Foundation publication influencing teacher education. trustee and was honored with the 2010 SPEF OverService her career, Pamela has provided Pioneer Award. leadership to education at local, stateinand She and her husband, Don, live Stillwater. national levels, including as editor of one of the Their sons, Adam and Jared, are OSU top nationaland journals in teacher Emily, education and graduates, their daughter, is a junior as one of four nationally-elected representatives at OSU and a member of the pom squad. to the board of directors for the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education.

At the community level, she served two terms as a Stillwater Public Education Foundation trustee and was honored with the 2010 SPEF Pioneer Service Award.

She and her husband, Don, live in Stillwater.

Their sons, Adam and Jared, are OSU graduates, and their daughter, Emily, is a junior at OSU and a member of the pom squad.

“In my administrative roles at OSU, I hope that I have contributed, at least in some small part, to the success of our prestigious land-grant university in preparing graduates who will serve as positive and ethical leaders in their respective fields. On a more personal level, I have found no greater meaning in my career than working with students, especially those who face challenging circumstances, to walk across the stage at graduation, degree in hand, ready to take on the world.”

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I hope that the many things I have supported will not only benefit our students for years to the come butthings will also “I hope that many I have show themwill thatnot giving to our students supported onlyback benefit their alma make for years tomater come, can but will also show them a real difference.” that giving back to their alma mater can make a real difference.”

Anne GREENWOOD a nne Morris Greenwood’s influence isGreenwood’s evident across nne Morris campus. Her portraitacross hangs in influence is evident the Edmon Low Library’s Anne Morris campus.

Her portrait hangs in the Greenwood Her name Edmon Low Reading Library’sRoom.

Anne Morris appears alongside her husband’s the Greenwood Reading Room. Heron name Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center, appears alongside her husband’s on the considered of Greenwood the top collegiate Michael andone Anne Tennisfacilities Center, in the country. thetop Michael and Anne considered oneAnd of the collegiate facilities Greenwood School of Music, which is under in the country.

And the Michael and Anne construction,School will also herwhich name.

Greenwood of bear Music, is under Anne is a will visible vocal of construction, alsoand bear her supporter name. many OSUisgroups She was the Anne a visibleand andevents. vocal supporter of inaugural of Women for OSU, many OSUchair events and groups.

She which was the has awarded $187,370 in scholarships over inaugural chair of Women for OSU, which the past nine $187,370 years. Sheinhas also served has awarded scholarships over in leadership and She volunteer capacities the past decade. has also served for in Friends of the Library, OSU Friends leadership andOSU volunteer capacities for of Music,ofOSU Athletics Council, College Friends the OSU Library, OSU Friends HumanOSU Sciences Freshman Reading of Music, Athletics Council, College Program, Performing ArtsReading Advisory of Human OSU Sciences Freshman Council and thePerforming Provost’s External Advisory Program, OSU Arts Advisory Council.and Anne a major sponsor the Council theis Provost’s ExternalofAdvisory OSU Student and sponsor the Cowboy Council.

AnneFoundation is also a major of the Marching Band, which, in and addition to financial OSU Student Foundation the Cowboy

support, she has provided thousands of snacks over decade.

She is aof support, shethe haspast provided thousands memberover of the Loyal snacks theOSU pastFoundation decade. She is a and True Society, Club,Loyal OSUand member of theOSU OSUBaseline Foundation Diamond Club, OSU Wrestling Club and OSU True Society, OSU Baseline Club, OSU POSSE. Anne also Wresting a proud member Tri Diamond Club,isOSU Club andofOSU Delta sorority serves as treasurer POSSE. Anne and is also a proud member of of its Tri Housing Corporation.

Delta sorority and serves as Treasurer of its AnneCorporation. and Michael have endowed three Housing scholarships: Anne have Morris Greenwood Anne andthe Michael endowed three— Carnegie Wildcats Endowed scholarships: the Anne MorrisScholarship, Greenwoodthe — Anne Greenwood Marching Band Endowed Carnegie WildcatsOSU Endowed Scholarship, the Scholarship and the Michael L. Greenwood — Anne Greenwood OSU Marching Band Endowed Tulsa Will Rogers Ropers Endowed Scholarship.

Scholarship and the Michael L. Greenwood — They are lead Ropers donors for the Michael and Tulsa Willthe Rogers Endowed Scholarship.

Anne are Greenwood School of of the Music, Patron They the lead donors Michael and donors for The McKnight forPatron the Anne Greenwood School Center of Music, Performing ArtsMcKnight at Oklahoma State donors for The Center for University the and major donors the new State Spears School Performing Arts at for Oklahoma University of Business building Center for and major donors forand the the newOSU Spears School Early Childhood Development Endowment. of Business building and the OSU Center for The Greenwoods are sponsor Endowment. donors for the Early Childhood Development Distinguished Chefare Series, Thedonors H. Louise H.E. The Greenwoods sponsor for & the “Ed” Cobb Speaker Series The and H. theLouise OSU Alumni Distinguished Chef Series, & H.E. Association Homecoming “Ed” Cobb Speaker SeriesEndowment. and the OSU Alumni

Marching Band, which, in addition to financial

Association Homecoming Endowment.

Anne, a native of Carnegie, Oklahoma, studied accounting OklahomaOklahoma, State Anne, a native ofatCarnegie, University for three years before graduating studied accounting at Oklahoma State from The University of Tulsa in 1979.

During University for three years before graduating her time OSU, sheofwas theinCollegiate FFA from TheatUniversity Tulsa 1979. During queen, Residence Hall officerFFA and her timeDrummond at OSU, she was the Collegiate was on the Dean’s Honor Roll. After a career in Queen, Drummond Residence Hall Officer and corporate withRoll. several Fortune 500 was on theaccounting Dean’s Honor After a career in companies, including American Electric Power, corporate accounting with several Fortune 500 Central and including South West, McDonnell Douglas companies American Electric Power, and the and Williams Companies, Anne retired to Central South West, McDonnell Douglas focusthe onWilliams philanthropic endeavors. and Companies, Anne retired to Anne was inducted endeavors. into the OSU Alumni focus on philanthropic Hall of Fame in inducted 2016 andinto thethe Spears Anne was OSUSchool Alumniof Business Hallinof2016 Fame in 2015.

The Greenwoods Hall of Fame and the Spears School of reside in Stillwater and in are2015. lifetime of Business Hall of Fame Themembers Greenwoods the OSU Alumni Association. reside in Stillwater and are lifetime members of the OSU Alumni Association.

To read more about their gift to create the Michael and Anne To read more aboutGreenwood their gift toSchool create of the Music, see Michael andPage Anne30.

Greenwood School of Music, see page 30.

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Ann HARGIS

a

nn Hargis proudly embraces her role as OSU’s First Lady, spending much of her time serving the community since her husband, Burns, became OSU’s president. She has been active across campus and involved in community organizations and activities with students, faculty, alumni, donors and others.

Her influence and engagement on such a personal level is what makes her so special to the Cowboy family.

As a certified yoga instructor, she values all aspects of wellness, including health, physical fitness, and emotional and spiritual well-being.

She is a cheerleader for related initiatives, such as the Orange Grove — an outdoor relaxation

area for students, faculty and staff — and celebrates that it developed as a joint project between students and administration. Campus beautification is another component, and Ann loves the Price Family Garden with organic fruits, vegetables and herbs. She also celebrates the labyrinth between Morrill and the Bartlett Center, Real Cowboys Recycle, the exercise stations at bus stops, the Choose Orange healthy-eating program and the allergen-friendly University Commons kitchen. Ann was perhaps the biggest cheerleader when OSU was designated America’s Healthiest Campus®.

Ann was instrumental in developing OSU’s unique pet therapy program, Pete’s Pet Posse, and participates with her dog,

Scruff. Last December, she accepted the OSU Loyal and True Award on the program’s behalf in recognition of its contributions to the university’s well-being. The award honors those who personify the OSU spirit through unwavering devotion, personal sacrifice and commitment of time and talents.

On campus, Ann has been appointed as a board member for many committees and organizations. She is a First to Go mentor, assisting students in the transition to a university setting. She makes regular visits across the campus to spotlight student and faculty accomplishments and various programs. She frequently provides “taxi” service to students in her orange golf cart, Clementine. She has many wonderful stories of these experiences, and she especially loves to tell of interactions with those who do not recognize her.

In October 2014, Ann was named Oklahoma Woman of the Year by The Journal Record for her service to the community and leadership in wellness. She is a board member for the Stillwater Public Education Foundation and Payne County Youth Services. At the state level, she was appointed by the governor to the Oklahoma Arts Council, is a member of Leadership Oklahoma Class V, and served on the executive committee of the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics. The Hargises were recognized by the American Red Cross and the Oklahoma City and Stillwater Chambers of Commerce for their service to the community.

A native of Dallas, Ann earned math and Latin degrees from the University of Texas.

She then worked in the information technology industry, and advertising and marketing.

The Hargises are lifetime OSU Alumni Association members who have supported the university through scholarships and personal donations. They have two children — son Matt and his wife Michelle, and daughter Kate Haas and her husband Richard. Their grandchildren are Peighton, Preston and Oliver.

“I hope I have helped create a culture of positive emotional health through Pete’s Pet Posse and all the warm and fuzzy feelings these animals bring to campus. It is also very important to me to help create lifelong memories and the BRIGHTEST future for our Cowboys and Cowgirls.”

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Helen HODGES “I hope that my influence has contributed to increasing the joy and appreciation of music at Oklahoma State University.”

h

elen Hodges has had an incredibly successful legal career, and she says every job she has ever gotten was because of her 1979 OSU accounting degree. Her greatest influence on her alma mater comes from her passions for music and agriculture.

She generously supports those two areas at OSU, which is among the many ways she has benefited Oklahoma State.

Helen’s love for agriculture began with growing up on a farm outside Hennessey, Oklahoma, not far from OSU. Both her parents were Oklahoma A&M graduates, and when Helen headed off to Oklahoma State, it was her pragmatic father who encouraged her to major in accounting rather than political science.

Decades after graduating, she honored her parents by establishing the Dillon and Lois Hodges Professorship in Plant and Soil Sciences in 2008. This position strengthens the Oklahoma Wheat Improvement Team through cutting-edge technologies and nextgeneration sequencing.

Helen’s lifelong love for music began as a child, when her mother enrolled her in piano lessons. That also inspired her to

support music at OSU, including becoming a Patron donor for The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University.

As a student, Helen learned to fly. She was a member of the 1980 Flying Aggies team that took top honors at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association SAFECON. She was also active in Mortar Board, Beta Gamma Sigma and Beta Alpha Psi. Her love for OSU shows in a photo of her doing a polar plunge in Antarctica while wearing orange and with “pistols firing.” She also showed that orange passion by giving to many different areas at OSU, including becoming a major donor for the Henry Bellmon Scholarship Endowment for Scholar Development & Recognition Fund, and the new Spears School of Business building.

She earned a law degree in 1983 at the University of Oklahoma, where she was the managing editor of the Oklahoma Law Review. A shortage of jobs in the legal sector led her to take a position as a staff accountant with Arthur Andersen after law school. Helen went on to serve as the law clerk for the Penn Square bank cases.

Beginning in 2001, she helped prosecute

the securities fraud case on behalf of Enron investors, which received a record recovery of $7.2 billion.

Helen is Of Counsel in the San Diego office of Robbins Geller Rudman and Dowd LLP. She has received the Top Lawyer in San Diego and Super Lawyer honors. She is also on the advisory board for that community’s Mainly Mozart, a nonprofit that enriches lives through exposure to world-class music.

Helen has served on the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees since 2013.

She is a POSSE member and a life member of the OSU Alumni Association. In 2016, she was named a Distinguished Alumni Award winner and a Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Champion.

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Susan JACQUES “I hope my influence on OSU will help people realize that a small caring gesture can make a world of difference in someone’s life.”

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usan Jacques beautifully exhibited her influence on her alma mater through a difference-making gift to the College of Education in 2008. This retired middleschool science teacher celebrated her love for the women in her family by establishing professorships to benefit future educators.

The A.J. and Susan Jacques Professorship in Special Education, named for Susan and her husband, is a tribute to her first teaching position as a substitute teacher in an area of critical need.

The Jennifer Jacques Flanery Community Counseling Professorship is named for their daughter, who has a passion for children who benefit from counseling.

The Elizabeth Jacques Professorship in Reading and Literacy Education is named for their oldest daughter, who wants to emphasize reading with her own children.

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The Joan Donelson Jacques Health Promotion Professorship is named for Susan’s mother-in-law, an OSU alumna and passionate health promotion advocate.

Susan also established the Betty Abercrombie Memorial Scholarship in honor of Susan’s academic adviser, without whom Susan says she would not have become a science teacher, and the A.J. and Susan Jacques Chair in Agricultural Economics.

They have supported many additional causes across the university, including other scholarships, athletics, the Wine Forum of Oklahoma, the President’s Fellows and the Distinguished Chef Series.

Susan graduated in 1975 with a recreation management degree, and then became an award-winning teacher in both Oklahoma and Kansas. She was inducted into the OSU College of Education Hall of Fame in 2014.

While at OSU, she met A.J. on a blind date, and he later proposed to her on Pi Beta Phi’s porch. That is among her favorite college memories. They were both named Distinguished Alumni in 2016.

The couple enjoyed very successful careers before retiring to Stillwater in 2016. Susan has a distinguished record of service to Oklahoma State University and the greater community. She is a member of the Women for OSU Council, Friends of the Library, Friends of Music, the OSU Alumni Association and POSSE. She also supports the local community in various ways, including through her service on the board for The Saville Center for Child Advocacy.

Amy MITCHELL

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my Mitchell has been as accomplished in business as she has been influential in helping others find their entrepreneurial spirit. She and her husband donated a part of their business earnings to create a nationally recognized program at the Spears School of Business.

Amy and Malone Mitchell founded Riata Energy in their spare bedroom with $500 in capital in 1985. In 2008, the company was known as SandRidge Energy when they sold one million shares of stock and split the $57.2 million between athletics and the Spears School of Business.

That contribution created OSU’s entrepreneurship program, which is elite today. It was the largest donation ever to a university entrepreneurship program and the second-largest academic gift ever made to OSU. Their vision was to help future entrepreneurs learn how to create, finance

and manage their own businesses, and to help the athletics programs enhance the bond among alumni.

The Riata Center for Entrepreneurship is named in recognition of their generosity, which continues as they support various other projects at their alma mater. Amy’s nature is to be supportive, and the Mitchells hope their words and actions inspire current and future OSU students.

Amy is a board member and former executive director of the Piñon Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by the Mitchells to promote the education, health and well-being of children and the elderly. She is a licensed broker for the Texas Association of Realtors and a member of the National Association of Realtors. Amy is currently the chair of Women for OSU. She also served as a Homecoming judge in 2009. In addition, Amy has served as the honorary chair for OSU’s Riata Center for Entrepreneurship WE Inspire Conferences.

Amy earned a 1983 degree in family relations and child development. She met Malone during their first semester at OSU, and they married after their sophomore year.

In 1985, Amy worked as a social worker at Angelo Community Hospital during the day and maintained Riata Energy’s books in the evening while Malone coordinated the geology, engineering and fieldwork. Within five years, they acquired numerous small oil producers. By 2005, Riata had become one of the country’s largest privately held energy companies and the largest private landdrilling contractor.

The Mitchells are life members of the OSU Alumni Association. They live in Dallas and have four children: Alexandria, Noah, Briggs and Elizabeth.

They were inducted into the OSU Alumni Hall of Fame in 2013 and named Spears School of Business Outstanding Alumni in 2011.

“Winston Churchill said, ‘We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.’ Malone and I hope that our support for OSU has enriched the lives of students for generations to come.”

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Natalie SHIRLEY

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atalie Shirley became the first female president in the OSU System, as well as the fourth president of OSU-Oklahoma City, in May 2011. Her influence, from high-level decisions to forging relationships with students, helped OSU-OKC’s graduation rate more than double over the past five years. That is the accomplishment of which she is proudest as she retires on December 31 to pursue other ventures.

There are many other highlights from her tenure. In 2016, OSU-OKC opened a new Allied Health Building featuring advanced simulation training and an embedded Variety

Care community health center. In 2011, the campus added the Engineering Technology Center. The new Paint This Town Orange fundraising event has generated $600,000 for scholarships. Services for veteran students have been enhanced. Finally, increased business and community partnerships resulted in $1.68 million in corporate, private and grant funding to benefit scholarships and programs last year alone.

Natalie remains in Governor Mary Fallin’s Cabinet, having been appointed as Secretary of Education and Workforce Development in January 2015. In this position, Natalie works

with the governor to implement the Oklahoma Works program, which is designed to increase educational attainment for Oklahomans, producing a more educated workforce to support and cultivate the state’s economy.

From 2007-2011, she also served in Governor Brad Henry’s cabinet as Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism. In that position, Natalie was the liaison between the governor, five major state agencies and more than 30 small agencies, authorities and institutions. During that time, she also served as executive director of the Department of Commerce, the state’s leading economic development agency.

Formerly, Natalie was president of ICI Mutual in Washington, D.C., after serving in various leadership offices in the company. ICI Mutual is the captive insurance company of the mutual fund industry.

She also serves on the United Way board, as well as several business boards, including the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, BancFirst, and the Oklahoma State Fair Board. In addition, she is on the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum Board of Trustees.

An Oklahoma native, she graduated from Oklahoma State University and earned a law degree from the University of Oklahoma.

Natalie lives in Oklahoma City and has six children – Jackson (a senior at OSU), Katie, Charlotte, Ross, Chase (a freshman at OSU) and Kendall. They are members of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

To read more about her tenure at OSU-OKC, see Page 50.

“I hope that I have created an environment where students feel valued, supported and have the resources they need to succeed. My goal from day one has been to raise the profile of OSU-OKC as the place in our community where students are trained to work and educated to lead.”

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Kayse SHRUM

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r. Kayse Shrum became Oklahoma’s youngest and first female president and dean of a medical school in 2013 when she was promoted to the position at the OSU Center for Health Sciences. She is passionate about helping her home state improve its overall health, which is why she has been a leader in addressing Oklahoma’s shortage of health care professionals. Thanks to her influence and leadership, OSU-CHS has made rural health a top priority.

Kayse led the strategic efforts to create a sustainable rural primary care physician pipeline program, which starts with rural highschool outreach programs and culminates with rural-based residency training programs. She launched award-winning high school recruiting programs such as Operation Orange and Blue Coat to White Coat, established the Rural Medical Track, and expanded the number of residency training programs in Oklahoma by securing a $3.8 million grant from the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust and a $5.6 million grant from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.

Under her leadership, OSU-CHS has experienced unprecedented growth. Student enrollment has more than doubled as new academic programs have been established to meet Oklahoma’s workforce needs. The school has also raised more than $22 million in private support, including an $8 million transformative

gift from the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Foundation to build a state-of-the-art clinicalskills simulation building.

Kayse has been recognized for her leadership and many contributions to improving health outcomes in Tulsa and Oklahoma. She was named a finalist for The Journal Record’s 2015 Woman of the Year award and was inducted into Connors State College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. She also received the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association’s Outstanding & Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and the Tulsa Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women’s Pinnacle Award for Health in 2012.

She holds the George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair in Medical Excellence and Service and the Saint Francis Health System Endowed Chair of Pediatrics and Professor of Pediatrics. She is active in a variety of professional and charitable organizations.

Kayse is the vice president of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association. She is also a board member of the Children’s Hospital Foundation at Saint Francis, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, BankSNB and Southwest Bancorp, PLICO, Oklahoma State University Medical Authority and Trust, and OSU Center for Health Systems Innovation.

Kayse earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. She joined the medical school faculty at OSU-CHS in 2002. She was chair of the Department of Pediatrics from 20042011, when she was promoted to provost of OSU-CHS and dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.

She and her husband, Darren, have been married for 25 years and live in Coweta, Oklahoma. They have six children – Colton and Kyndall, who are OSU students, as well as Joseph, Kilientn, Kason and Karsyn.

“I hope my influence on OSU will be to help train and develop outstanding primary care physicians who will possess a fierce desire to improve the health of rural Oklahomans and who will care for their patients with compassion, dignity and warmth.”

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It has taken OSU 44 years to elect two black women to lead the SGA. Our chat reveals how much things on campus have changed during that time.

BY W I L L CA R R

Patrice Latimer, left, was OSU’s first black female president of the Student Association, now known as the Student Government Association, in 1973.

Elected in 2017, Erica Stephens is the second black female president of OSU’s Student Government Association.

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When ERICA STEPHENS was elected the Student Government Association president in spring 2017, she knew her election was a special one. After all, Stephens was only the second black woman to hold the seat at Oklahoma State University.

Her predecessor, PATRICE LATIMER, was elected in 1973 — 44 years earlier.

Stephens, a strategic communications/political sciences senior, and Latimer, a 1975 sociology graduate who is an adjunct instructor at OSU, sat down with the OSU Alumni Association in October to discuss their shared experiences.

How did you decide to attend OSU?

LATIMER: I grew up in Tulsa. After

traveling with Up With People High School for two years, I chose to return to Oklahoma for college. I began my freshman year in 1971, within the first decade following passage of the Civil Rights Act. I really chose to come to OSU to take advantage of the perceived increase in opportunity available at OSU, Oklahoma’s mainstream landgrant institution. Both of my parents attended Tennessee State University, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) where they met. At the time, it was the belief that the better in-state opportunity was to attend OSU. STEPHENS: I have an Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship, so I knew I needed to stay in Oklahoma. Once I got to do a tour here, I was struck by the beauty of OSU. I loved Theta Pond. That was my favorite, and I took so many pictures there. I just felt the community here.

How did you determine your major?

STEPHENS: I knew I wanted to study political science. I grew up watching the news and being into politics, but I knew I wanted to do something other than political science as well and have a double major. That is what took me about a year to decide. I did a lot of research on it, and I added strategic communications.

LATIMER: It was a learning experience once I got here. I learned once I arrived I was better in the arts than I was in science. I also learned I was more interested in people-related topics than I was in sciences. So, I just started to develop that, and I ended up a sociology/

economics major — more of a minor in economics. It became apparent that people and economics just go together.

What were some of your impressions of the campus as a student?

LATIMER: My first impressions of the campus physically matched Erica’s.

It is and always has been an absolutely beautiful campus. I have attended both OU and OSU, and without any disparagement intended to OU, you don’t get the same warm feeling (there). Also, in terms of the sense of community, there was a similar feeling. However, at that time we must remember OSU was in the midst of some student unrest.

Did any of the unrest at that time lead you to SGA?

LATIMER: Yes, we wanted SGA to be more representative of the student body — not just on issues of race, but also on general social issues. You have to remember the Vietnam War was going on at that time, and students were being drafted into the war. There was a lot of student interest in the continuation of the war and on draft policy.

What got you started on your campaign path?

LATIMER: Actually, a group of

students inspired me to run for office because they too had an interest in a more diversified student representation.

The concern was the campus might not be ready to elect a black female SGA president. I didn’t have many photographs that were widely distributed, but I did appear at the residence halls and different places. Prior to our election, it was not well-known that a black, female student was a presidential candidate.

STEPHENS: I also had a group of students come to me and Brayden (Farrell) and say you all should run. I had never really thought about running until the end of my junior year when someone suggested it in the Student Alumni Board brag bag, which we do at the end of

every meeting. Someone said “Stephens for Vice President,” and I thought they were saying vice president of the (SGA) Senate. It wasn’t until end of the fall semester, after Brayden and I got back from the Big 12 Fall Conference in West Virginia, that we decided to run.

Erica, did you know about Patrice’s story at the time?

STEPHENS: I didn’t. It wasn’t until we announced our candidacy that the O’Colly printed the story.

LATIMER: I think there’s a lot of similarity in our stories because then, like now, we are on the brink of many social changes. And I think if we reflect upon the time period of the past 40 years, it reveals that we have created a pipeline of people who are ready to serve in different roles in pursuit of necessary social changes.

STEPHENS: When you were saying you didn’t use your picture that much ...

Obviously (our pictures) were always in the O’Colly. The O’Colly did that article very early on, so what we didn’t do is put in our campaign every time we would go speak or even on our Facebook page that I would be the second black woman president in 40 years.

LATIMER: Right. And it is just amazing how things have changed; it is a tribute to the community to have been able in an open way to make a conscious choice for Erica and Braden. That is progress, and I think we do have to just keep working at it. And try to make sure that it doesn’t take 40 years to get even closer to the objective of equality.

How did you handle people seeing you as the voice for minority students? Did the minority groups on campus look at you as their president instead of you being the president of every group on campus?

LATIMER: No, they didn’t. Part of the reason for that I think was that by the time that I was SGA president, there

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didn’t seem to be engagement in SGA by minority students because SGA itself was deemed to be an organization of the fraternities and sororities.

Have you faced that since you’ve become president, Erica? Have there been a lot of minority groups coming to you as their direct go-to?

STEPHENS: I think in the first couple weeks and also through the summer, I might have put that pressure on myself.

I think they have reached out to SGA more this year, and obviously I love that.

We’ve had in the last year a lot more things that affect minority students like the blackface issue on campus last year, the Muslim ban and DACA. There has been a lot of space and time for minority students and minority groups to come to SGA and talk about their issues.

LATIMER: You have a broader, more culturally diverse student body than was here in 1971 through 1975. I grew up in a segregated community, and that’s one of the harms of separation, which inhibits our awareness, curiosity and understanding of our various cultural differences that are usually not threatening when you come to know others.

STEPHENS: We really wanted everyone to be more aware that there are these different groups on campus outside of the specific community that they are involved in. Awareness is a way to open up the lines of communication and create a more inclusive student body as a whole. That’s why Brayden and I came up with “Unite the Campus.”

We also spelled it Un1te to emphasize that, no matter our differences, we are “1” Cowboy Family.

LATIMER: It’s really a wonderful opportunity for student groups to recognize how similar they are as opposed to dissimilar. I’m very excited about (your) administration and the opportunities you have. If I can be of help, let me know.

STEPHENS: Yes, we definitely will.

I’m so excited you are on campus this year.

PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

“… IT IS JUST AMAZING HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED, AND IT IS TO ME A TRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY. … IT’S REALLY A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT GROUPS TO RECOGNIZE HOW SIMILAR THEY ARE AS OPPOSED TO DISSIMILAR.” — PAT R I C E L AT I M E R

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I Nike Vault Brand Swoosh Fit Cap $26 J Nike Long Sleeve Tailgate Top XS-XXL | $55 K Nike Full Zip Elite Hybrid Jacket S-4XL | $100 L Nike Fly Rush Jacket S-4XL | $120 M Nike Elevated Polo S-4XL | $85 N Nike Beanie Stripe $30 O Nike Elite PO Hoodie S-2XL | $80 P Nike Basketball Cotton Tee S-3XL | $30

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

Caroline Reed is the assistant director of Fire Service Training at Oklahoma State University.

‘DECIMATION’ Hurricane Harvey’s devastation stuns Oklahoma aid team leader

BY E L I Z A B E T H K E YS

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Caroline Reed describes Hurricane Harvey’s damage in one word — decimation.

The assistant director of Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training faced “just total destruction” and miles of misery when the Texas Highway Patrol escorted her Oklahoma Incident Management Team into Rockport after Hurricane Harvey pounded the area in late August. The most powerful storm to strike Texas in half a century impacted over 80 percent of the buildings in the small coastal art community. More than a third of the buildings there were rendered lost.

Reed is a certified finance/administration section chief for the OKIMT. The interdisciplinary 12-member team consists of personnel from multiple agencies: the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Tulsa Fire Department, Sapulpa Fire Department, Oklahoma County Emergency Management, City of Moore Emergency Management and OSU Fire Service Training.

OSU trains the emergency responders in all areas from “guys dangling from helicopters to the administrative support needs,” Reed says. “OSU’s Fire Training Services outreach averages 3,000 to 3,500 courses every year, reaching 30,000 to 35,000 students.”

Her OKIMT group arrived in Rockport on August 31 at the invitation of FEMA and Texas Emergency Management. Not much was left standing.

“Our mission was to restore water and power,” Reed says. “The area was under martial law, and the city of Rockport was uninhabited.”

With no running water or electricity, the team camped out in the county library building.

“OKIMT members worked with city and county personnel to resolve many logistical and operational challenges so residents could return to their homes,” Reed says.

Disasters are nothing new to Reed.

She has assisted with relief recovery after Oklahoma tornadoes and wildfires. As one of the top 10 grant winners in OSU’s College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture, she knows how to get things done. Reed helped OSU Fire Service Training partner with OSU Biosystems Agricultural Engineering to fund a grain engulfment and confined space rescue simulation trailer. This one-of-a-kind rescue trailer helps train first responders and grain industry employees on working safely in grain storage bin environments, including rescuing grain industry employees from engulfment if needed.

Reed has been contributing for more than 20 years to OSU’s fire protection programs, earning three degrees including an associate degree in fire protection and safety engineering, a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications and a master’s degree in occupational education.

HOW TO HELP

A note left on an Oklahoma Incident Management Team vehicle expresses gratitude for the emergency assistance.

She came to OSU to play softball for the Cowgirls, winning a College World Series placement ring during her pitching days.

OSU’s fire service academic programs attracted her to Stillwater when she was a heavily recruited athlete in Olympia, Washington.

“I’ve always been interested in fire service,” Reed says. “You have to realize you may be the only woman in the field, but you should follow your dreams and not be limited to the confines of social norms.”

She continues to represent OSU throughout the country with many folks grateful for the help in emergency situations.

“It was a real honor and privilege to work with this amazing team,” says Mike Pedersen, a Texas A&M Forest Service resource specialist. “Rockport is better because of you! Thank you from all of us here in Texas.”

Assist OSU students affected by Hurricane Harvey through the Cowboy Strong Student Emergency Fund: philanthropete.OSUgiving.com/CowboyStrong

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D r . R a mon a F r a n c e s Wa r e ( E m mon s) Pau l O c t obe r 17, 1936 – Ju n e 30 , 2 013

A Lasting Legacy

BY JAC O B LO N G A N

Ramona Paul continues to influence early childhood education in Oklahoma PHOTO / PHIL SHOCKLEY

Ramona Paul designed Oklahoma’s early childhood education program, which made the state a national leader in developing young minds.

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amona Ware Emmons Paul spent her life in early childhood education. Both at OSU and throughout the state’s public schools, her work made a difference and led to Oklahoma becoming a national leader in developing age-appropriate curriculum. Four years after her death, Paul’s legacy continues to make a difference at Oklahoma State University through two memorial gifts — one she made honoring her parents and one her husband made recognizing her.

From the beginning, Paul seemed destined to become a legend in education.

Both of her parents were OSU faculty members; her mother, Girdie Ware, was a stellar professor of human sciences. Ware’s teaching and research were so influential that the Early Childhood Association of Oklahoma’s Outstanding Teacher award is named for her. She also taught at OSU’s Child Development Lab, where Ramona was a preschooler.

About 70 years later, in 2009, Paul was named Oklahoma Today’s Oklahoman of the Year because, in her role as assistant superintendent of public instruction, she was “the single person most responsible for making Oklahoma’s early childhood education program the envy of the nation.”

In that story, Paul said she originally wanted to be a veterinarian, which may have been inspired by the work of her father, H.G., an OSU poultry specialist.

But she was told that was not an option for women when she was in junior high in the 1950s.

“Well, I liked young children,” Paul told Oklahoma Today. “And so that’s just kind of how I decided. In retrospect, … my own experiences as a child in preschool were very positive. I liked children and I liked families, and so I could do that — because when you work with very young children, you have to work with families. You don’t have any choice.”

Paul earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees focused on family relations and child development from OSU, followed by a Ph.D. from Purdue University. During her 20 years with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, she established the early childhood education program, saying programs such as Head Start and kindergarten should benefit all children, not just those in poverty. She advocated for early childhood teachers to be certified, which was more than the traditional job requirement of a high school diploma.

Finally, she placed early childhood programs in public schools.

“Ramona Paul made a huge impact on how early childhood education is viewed and implemented in Oklahoma.”

— Amy Williamson, associate professor of human development and family science and director of the Institute for Building Early Relationships

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Ramona Paul, a founding member of Women for OSU, was chair of the group’s Awards Committee. She introduced the scholarship recipients, including Marti Going, at the 2013 Women for OSU Symposium in the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.

After she died in 2013, her husband, Homer, established the Ramona Ware Emmons Paul Endowed Professorship in Early Childhood “to encourage excellence in teaching, research and scholarship in the area of early childhood.”

Amy Williamson, an associate professor of human development and family science and director of the Institute for Building Early Relationships, is the first Paul Professor.

“Ramona Paul made a huge impact on how early childhood education is viewed and implemented in Oklahoma,” Williamson says. “It’s an honor to hold this professorship, which allows me to make an impact on my field in a variety of ways, particularly through research, supporting early childhood workforce development and student mentoring.”

Homer Paul says the professorship honors Ramona’s legacy and his belief that OSU should continue to be a laboratory for enhancing education for young children.

“The need for bigger and better and more expanded attention to early childhood is pretty clear,” Homer Paul says.

“It’s a matter of economics and establishing potential in all children. It raises the bar on the educational level for kids and makes us appreciate that the earlier

Ramona and her husband, Homer Paul, left, met the 2013 Women for OSU Symposium keynote speaker Holly Robinson Peete along with then-College of Education Dean Pamela “Sissi” Carroll, right.

they start learning, the better. From birth on is a tremendous learning window.

That shouldn’t be left until they get to kindergarten.”

Previously, Ramona Paul and her brother, Robert Ware, memorialized their parents in 2004 by establishing the H.G. & Girdie Ware Endowed Scholarship for Human Sciences students. In 2006, Homer and Ramona Paul’s generous donation created the Childhood Development Lab’s Homer and Ramona Paul Model Teaching Classroom. The classroom contains adult- and child-size equipment and materials. Instructors invite teachers and children from the lab to the classroom so early childhood education students can work with them.

Ramona Paul’s impact was extensive.

She was a founding member of Women for OSU and served as chair of the group’s Awards Committee. She was inducted into the OSU Alumni Hall of Fame and the College of Human Sciences Hall of Fame. Paul was also named Kappa Kappa Gamma Woman of the Year by the Greater Oklahoma City Alumnae Panhellenic, Oklahoma representative to the White House for the 1979 United Nations’ International Year of the Child, and chosen for the United States Air Force Air War College National Security Forum in 1982.

“Ramona loved OSU and early childhood education, but it was never about her. It was always about the kids and the need,” Homer Paul says. “She was a lowprofile person when it came to seeking attention. She was a marvelous individual with very firm principles and ideals and ideas. If you got in the way of those, you needed to be prepared to defend yourself because she was very firm, and she could back it up.”

Ramona and Homer Paul’s combined family includes seven children and 14 grandchildren. As he continues to adjust to life without his beloved wife, Homer Paul is comforted knowing his gift is still enhancing Ramona’s work for future generations.

“It’s a legacy, something that will be there forever,” Homer Paul says. “The area of early childhood education continues to expand in its scope and its need. I think there is no better place than OSU for that to be a focal point, and especially through an endowed professorship in Ramona’s name.”

If you are interested in making a memorial gift to OSU, visit OSUgiving.com/memorial or contact the OSU Foundation at 800-622-4678.

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A Clear

PASSION For Students Highest-ranking female administrator in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources serves as mentor

C

BY S E A N H U B B A R D

ynda Clary does more than just say it’s all about the students: She eats, breathes, sleeps and lives for the success of students in Oklahoma State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Clary has been the highest-ranking female administrator in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources since she accepted the position of associate dean in 2012. Her title does not get in the way of helping out wherever she can.

Kristi Sproul, education and marketing specialist for AgCareers.com and former CASNR prospective student coordinator, worked with Clary on several projects, including the National FFA Convention.

“Often faculty members spend part of their day in the trade show booth and don’t necessarily engage with prospective students,” Sproul explains. “Dr. Clary, however, will work the booth the entire day and really connect with prospective students to encourage them to join the CASNR family.”

For the 2015 convention, Sproul proposed pomping the CASNR and FFA logos — ala Homecoming displays — as the interactive booth activity. This turned out to be a lot more work than she expected.

“Dr. Clary sat down on the concrete floor, in her suit, after the trade show had closed for the night, and pomped alongside the college students,” Sproul recalls. “She doesn’t shy away from the less glamorous jobs, and that says a lot about her character.”

Clary earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from California Polytechnic State University before earning her master’s degree at Purdue University.

At Purdue, Clary was the graduate teaching assistant for the marketing team. With her master’s degree, Clary headed back to California to co-teach a summer course at Cal Poly.

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PHOTO / RACHEL METZER

Teaching stoked the fire within her to work in higher education, so she went to North Carolina State University, where she completed her Ph.D. in the agricultural economics department.

Clary began her teaching career at New Mexico State University and held many positions over the next 19 years.

Chadelle “Chaddy” Robinson, college assistant professor of agricultural economics at New Mexico State, was a lost sophomore when she met Clary, struggling to find a fit in a college and a passion for a field of interest.

“She taught by example and reminded me often that sometimes you just need to slow down and take care of the people around you, especially the ones you know are struggling,” Robinson says.

When Robinson went to graduate school at NMSU, Clary was the chair of her master’s committee. With high standards for her thesis and Clary pushing her to present at professional conferences, Robinson was nervous about the statistics in her work.

Clary cleared her calendar, and the pair spent an evening working through Robison’s thesis until they heard their stomachs rumble.

“Dr. Clary is a proven leader in higher education and initiates resultsdriven programs.”

— TOM COON, DA S N R V I C E P R E S I D E N T

PHOTOS / TODD JOHNSON

“She ran to the local grocery store and grabbed a roasted chicken and loaf of warm baked bread. We sat on the floor of her office, continued to work on the paper and ate dinner,” Robinson remembers. “I can still remember the satisfaction of the meal.

The chicken was tasty, but the company was fabulous.”

Years later, Clary’s family chose to relocate to Stillwater so the educator could bring her passion for student success to CASNR. This decision was not as simple as just packing up and moving. In Las Cruces, New Mexico, Clary’s husband, Rob Haddock, was a corporate financial controller, a youth basketball coach and a youth baseball league board member — rewarding positions not necessarily easy to replicate elsewhere.

“He gave all that up for me to be able to take on this opportunity,” Clary says. “His support is what has made my career possible.”

It didn’t take long at OSU for Clary to find herself serving as a mentor in a Women in Leadership program through the Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence.

“Dr. Clary has been both a formal and informal mentor to me, and I have valued her ability to view situations and issues from multiple perspectives,” says Kristen Baum, associate professor of integrative biology at OSU. “She’s very generous with her time and provides her undivided attention, even when there are important deadlines and more pressing issues.”

Her colleagues in CASNR also sing her praises.

“Dr. Clary is a proven leader in higher education and initiates results-driven programs,” says Tom Coon, DASNR vice president. “With record enrollment and unparalleled retention rates, we are able to graduate students who are workforce ready for the agriculture and natural resource industry job markets. She is a catalyst for the successes of our students and is truly motivated in finding new ways to assist them in their academic journeys.”

While Clary doesn’t get to spend much time in the classroom, she still manages a lot of student interaction.

“We don’t just invest in those students who ace every class and seem to always make the right decision, but we invest in that student who is on academic probation and is struggling and has made some wrong decisions, too,” she says. “We are honest with them, show them the big picture and help them decide what their priorities are and what decisions they need to make. As a college and a division, we do those things every day, and that makes me extremely proud to be associated with this place.”

Cynda Clary welcomes students at CASNR Roundup.

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Baylor University President Linda Livingstone

A New Cowgirl takes over as first woman to lead Baylor University

BY C H A S E CA R T E R

Linda Parrack Livingstone was a four-year letter winner on the Oklahoma State University Cowgirl basketball team.

PHOTO / GARY LAWSON

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Adventure L

inda Livingstone’s life has been filled with one adventure after another.

After earning three degrees at OSU and competing on the women’s basketball team, she taught at Baylor University before serving as dean of the business schools at both Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Her latest adventure is a homecoming of sorts as she returns to Waco, Texas, to lead Baylor as its first female president.

For her, it’s just the next exciting chapter in a career built on faith, family and education.

ORANGE ROOTS

Livingstone grew up on her family’s farm in Perkins, Oklahoma, and by the time she was born, her father had already made a name for himself within the Cowboy family.

Doyle Parrack graduated from Oklahoma A&M in 1943 with a degree in education. He played on the Aggies’ 1945 national championship team and went on to coach at Oklahoma City University, the University of Oklahoma and finally Oklahoma State under the legendary Henry Iba. Like her father, Linda played basketball at OSU and was a four-year letter winner from 1978-1982. Her future husband, Brad, also played basketball at OSU, and the two met through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“I had such a great experience at Oklahoma State,” says Livingstone, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and management in 1982. “OSU gave me a love for learning and the college campus setting. It prepared me well for the professional world and kept me grounded.”

While working on her master’s degree in business administration, Livingstone says Dr. John Mowen, a marketing professor, told her he thought she would do well in an academic career and asked her if she had ever thought about getting a Ph.D. “That was very specific advice for me from a faculty member,” Livingstone says.

“He saw something in me that sparked a thought in my mind that maybe there was an opportunity I should think about.”

Livingstone earned her MBA in 1983 and returned to OSU a few years later to pursue a doctorate in management and organizational behavior. This time it was

Linda Livingstone’s father, Doyle Parrack, played on Oklahoma A&M’s 1945 national championship team. her adviser, Debra Nelson, whose advice turned out to be pivotal in shaping her entire career.

“During my first semester, she asked me what schools I had been thinking about once I finished my Ph.D.,” Livingstone says. “She actually suggested Baylor because she knew I was a person of faith and Baylor was a Christian university.

“This was before Baylor was in the Big 12. I had never been on [its] campus, and I’m not sure I would have ever thought about it otherwise.”

ADVENTURES FROM COAST TO COAST As it turned out, Nelson’s advice was right.

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“Knowing I’m trusting in God to provide leadership and guidance in my career with my family as we make some of those career choices gives us confidence that it’s going to work out okay.”

— Linda Livingstone, Baylor University President

Linda Livingstone’s father, Doyle Parrack, coached college basketball after graduating from OSU.

Livingstone began at Baylor in 1991 as an assistant professor in management. She was named an associate professor in 1997 and, one year later, associate dean of graduate programs at the Hankamer School of Business.

“We loved Baylor when we were here,” Livingstone says. “Our daughter was born in Waco, and my time at Baylor as a faculty member and associate dean was formative in developing my passion for academic administration.”

After 11 years at Baylor, Livingstone began what would turn into a 12-year stint as dean of the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine.

She oversaw a $200 million expansion of its graduate campuses as well as its executive, full-time, and fully-employed MBA programs.

In 2014, Linda was hired as dean of George Washington University’s School of Business, and the Livingstones moved

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2,300 miles east to Washington, D.C. “We viewed going to Pepperdine as a new adventure, and so we viewed taking on the opportunity in D.C. as a new adventure as well,” Livingstone says. “Our daughter was going off to college at Rice, and I felt at that point, to be able to run a business school in the nation’s capital would provide some unique and interesting opportunities.”

HOMECOMING IN WACO The last decade in Baylor University’s history has proven to be one of its most noteworthy — for reasons both good and bad.

A renaissance in athletics in the 2000s earned a national spotlight — first as the Baylor women’s basketball team brought home two NCAA titles and then when the Baylor football team surged to prominence under former head coach Art Briles.

A team that had traditionally been

Linda Livingstone’s husband, Brad, played for the Cowboys Basketball team.

known as a bottom dweller, Baylor football won outright or a share of the Big 12 Conference title in 2013 and 2014. Aging Floyd Casey Stadium was replaced by a gleaming McLane Stadium on the Brazos River. Alumni and fan support was at an all-time high. But in the fall of 2015, it all began to unravel.

Allegations and reports began to swirl about sexual assaults being committed by members of the Baylor football team that were going unpunished. A report released by the Baylor regents to The Wall Street Journal ultimately found 17 women alleged sexual assaults or instances of domestic violence by 19 players. In May 2016, Briles and Baylor President Ken Starr were removed from their posts, while the university and the nation came to grips with the reality of sexual assaults on colleges campuses.

After a lengthy search process, Livingstone was named Baylor’s 15th president on June 1, 2017. She views the role

as both a challenge and an opportunity.

“Because I’d been here before, I knew the heart and soul of the place; I knew the people,” Livingstone says. “I knew at its core Baylor was a great academic institution with a great mission as a Christian research university. What better opportunity to come in and help move it past a difficult time to a really wonderful future that is unique in higher education?”

As the new president, Livingstone says she’s doing a lot of listening — to students, alumni, parents and others. The investigations surrounding Baylor resulted in 105 recommendations for improvements, and

Ultimately, Livingstone says working with the students has been the most affirming and positive experience of her homecoming at Baylor.

“They’re enthusiastic about life, and they also care deeply about their faith and how that integrates with the things they’re doing,” Livingstone says.

says. “That’s certainly been a very positive part of my early time here.”

Moving forward is an important point Livingstone is already emphasizing. In addition to addressing the issues in Baylor’s recent past, she is working to guide the school to an even brighter future.

“Our aspirations are to move up in the ranks of top-tier research university while continuing to strengthen our Christian

Linda Livingstone’s family gather to congratulate her when she graduated from OSU. Livingstone says the school has implemented all of them.

“In terms of moving the institution forward, what we’re focusing on is continuing to learn from the issues we had with sexual violence in the past and continuing to make improvements,” Livingstone says.

Baylor’s challenges are far from unique. According to a 2015 report by the Association of American Universities, 11.2 percent of all college students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. It has become a systemic problem nationwide that Livingstone says Baylor is committed to changing.

“Given what [Baylor] has experienced and the significant changes we’ve made, this audit we’re doing will be very helpful to other institutions to look at what they’re doing and see if there are things they can be doing differently or better,” Livingstone says. “We want to continue to learn from other people as we hope they’ll continue to learn from us.”

Linda and Brad Livingstone have one daughter, Shelby, who attends Rice University.

FAITH AND THE FUTURE

mission as a university,” Livingstone says.

“Five years from now, I hope we’re signifiNo matter where she has lived, cantly further along that path, growing Livingstone says her faith has served as an our academic reputation while maintainimportant tool for guiding her career. ing the integrity of our Christian mission.

“I made some pretty significant and I certainly hope we’ve won a few more Big difficult career choices,” Livingstone says.

12 championships in that time frame as well.”

“Knowing I’m trusting in God to provide Today, Baylor is turning to its first leadership and guidance in my career with female president to help heal the wounds my family as we make some of those career of its past and strengthen its resolve for the choices gives us confidence that it’s going to future.

It’s a job well suited for a Cowgirl work out okay.” who is a firm believer in the power of faith, At Baylor, Livingstone says she has been family and education — all of which she overwhelmed by the community of people honed at Oklahoma State. of faith around her who have encouraged And to the women now at OSU workand supported her. ing to bring their dreams to life, she has “One of the things I’ve been particuone piece of advice: larly affirmed by since I’ve been back at “Go for it. If it’s something you’re Baylor is just how many people talk about passionate about and care deeply for, go how they’re praying for me, for my family for it.” and for the Baylor community,” Livingstone

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Every dollar given to support Oklahoma State University makes a difference in the lives of people touched by OSU and its land-grant mission. For every gift, there is a story. The generosity of Women for OSU has been central to the stories of nearly 50 students who have received a scholarship from the philanthropy organization since 2008. In total, more than $187,000 has been awarded to students, including the scholars featured in this impact spotlight.

You can make a difference, too!

Discover your Orange Passion at

OSUgiving.com 100

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2010 WOSU Scholar HOMETOWN: Guthrie, Oklahoma MAJOR(S) AND MINOR(S): Degrees: Biochemistry and molecular biology, 2012; Microbial ecology, 2012; Doctor of osteopathic medicine, 2016 WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE GRADUATING FROM OSU? After finishing my undergrad, I was accepted into the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa. After graduating there in 2016, I started my residency training in internal medicine at Kent Hospital in Warwick, Rhode Island. I wear my OSU scrubs every chance I get! My husband, James (also an OSU alumnus), and I are enjoying our time in New England, but Oklahoma will always hold a special place in our hearts.

WHAT DID THE WOMEN FOR OSU SCHOLARSHIP DO FOR YOU? I was so grateful to receive this award, which provided much-needed financial assistance to pursue a double major in biochemistry and microbiology. These degrees established a solid foundation for my medical knowledge, which has been invaluable as I continue my training. The scholarship was a generous gift that helped me achieve my dreams. I cannot say thank you enough to the people who donated and made this scholarship possible.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT OSU? The first thing that comes to mind is how grateful I am that I was able to spend my college years at a place like OSU. I met so many wonderful people, including professors, staff and other students, who made such positive impacts on my life. OSU provided wonderful academic and extracurricular opportunities that helped me gain knowledge and leadership skills I use every day.

2012 WOSU Scholar

2017 WOSU Scholar

HOMETOWN: Woodward, Oklahoma

HOMETOWN: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

MAJOR(S) AND MINOR(S): Degree: Agricultural communications, 2013

MAJOR(S) AND MINOR(S): Majors: Microbiology and French Minors: Biochemistry and leadership

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE GRADUATING FROM OSU? I was privileged with the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps as an agriculture volunteer in Senegal, West Africa, for two years. I translated many of the things I learned at OSU to life there. I worked with local farmers to find improved solutions to current agricultural practices and worked with local communities to address issues in food and water security. I am now pursuing a master’s in media management at The New School in New York City.

WHAT DID THE WOMEN FOR OSU SCHOLARSHIP DO FOR YOU? The Women for OSU scholarship helped me in the completion of my undergraduate degree and allowed me to pursue my dream of working abroad in development. The scholarship was a consistent reminder of the Cowboy family’s commitment to bettering the lives of others and their investment in the future.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT OSU? My time at OSU was definitely one of the most meaningful and transformative times of my life. I learned what it meant to be a part of a community. Being a part of a community means giving what you can but graciously receiving more than you can ever give. I am more grateful for my time at OSU than I am able to put into words. It is a special place, made even more special by Women for OSU.

WHAT DID THE WOMEN FOR OSU SCHOLARSHIP DO FOR YOU? I see it as an award of distinguished merit. When I look at the women who have earned this scholarship, I see a group of intelligent, powerful, whole-hearted women, and I am honored to be recognized as one of them. This funding has most substantially allowed me to financially focus on MCAT prep courses. Additionally, I have recently decided to pursue my yoga instructor’s license, and it has paved the way for me to afford these expenses.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AT OSU? It has been beyond what words can encapsulate. OSU has given me a higher purpose by providing platforms to exercise my passions for leadership and the development of the minority community. Every moment I spend at OSU is a gift, and I am grateful to be able to attend this university.

WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN DOING LATELY? After returning from a semester studying in France, I hosted the first event for my nonprofit, From the Heart, during the summer. It was such a success. A teacher from Crutcho Middle School told me, “Don’t ever stop what you are doing. We need more people like you.” His encouraging words made me appreciate the standard I am held to as a Women for OSU Scholar, so I cannot say it enough — thank you, donors!

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Oklahoma needs doctors like YOU.

Interested in pursuing a career in medicine?

Interested in making a difference?

OSU-trained physicians work and live in every county in Oklahoma, providing much needed care to generations of Oklahomans. Learn how the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the OSU Center for Health Sciences can help you achieve your dream of becoming a doctor. To learn more about applying to the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, please visit us at www.medicine.okstate.edu.

1111 West 17th Street

Tulsa, OK 74107-1898

918-582-1972

S AV E

the

D AT E !

201 8 SYMPOSIUM THURS DAY, APRIL 5, 2018 Gallagher-Iba Arena

For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, visit

OSUgiving.com/women.

COMING IN APRIL 2018!

Chamber Music

Festival

The McKnight Center Chamber Music Festival will gather the finest chamber musicians across North America for a one-week Stillwater residency from Sunday, April 8, through Saturday, April 14. Under the artistic leadership of famed concert pianist and chamber musician Anne-Marie McDermott, the Chamber Music Festival will feature a variety of performances in Stillwater, Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Mark your calendars and check McKnightCenter.org for more details.

F E AT U R I N G

Anne-Marie McDermott A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R

What you will need: Scissors Tape or Glue Holiday Cheer Spirited Fingers

Instructions

Join an Oklahoma State University Alumni Association Chapter near you to celebrate OSU and connect with Cowboys. For the most current events listing, visit ORANGECONNECTION.org/chapters.

December 7 Orange Power Happy Hour OKC Metro Chapter December 16 Ice Skate & Tailgate OKC Metro Chapter December 16 Cowboy Skate Tulsa Chapter December 28 O-State Snow Tubing OKC Metro Chapter January 10 Orange Hour Tulsa Chapter January 18 Orange Power Happy Hour OKC Metro Chapter

Orange Peel 2018

February 7 Orange Hour Tulsa Chapter

In February, the OKC Metro and Tulsa chapters are putting a new twist on an event many Cowboys will remember from the 1990s and 2000s — Orange Peel. All alumni and friends are invited to the back-to-back benefit concerts supporting scholarships for local students attending Oklahoma State University.

“We’re excited to bring this event format to Cowboys in our two largest chapter markets,” says Chris Batchelder, OSU Alumni Association president. “Everyone involved in these benefit concerts is a big supporter of OSU, and we know they will offer attendees an exciting evening and an easy way to give back to Oklahoma State.”

Orange Peel OKC will be held at 7 p.m. February 23 in the OKC Farmers Public Market. The night will be headlined by live music from red dirt music stars Cody Canada and Mike McClure and feature comedian Spencer Hicks. Live auction items will be scattered throughout the evening.

Tickets to Orange Peel OKC are $70 for Alumni Association members and $75 for nonmembers. Beer and wine will be provided at the event as well as a cash bar.

The following night, Orange Peel Tulsa will be held at the historic Cain’s Ballroom featuring a concert from the Great Divide, Red Dirt Rangers and The Chance Anderson Band. The show will start at 7 p.m. with tickets available for $35 for Alumni Association members and $45 for nonmembers.

Tickets and sponsorships for each event are on sale now, and proceeds from each event will benefit scholarships for local students attending OSU. Last year, both chapters along with the Chesapeake Energy and Devon corporate chapters combined to raise $84,000 for scholarships.

For more information and to buy tickets for the events, visit ORANGECONNECTION.org/orangepeel.

February 10 Brighter Orange Houston Chapter

Alumni Chapter News Compiled By Will Carr

February 16 Brighter Orange North Texas Chapter February 23 Orange Peel OKC Metro Chapter February 24 Orange Peel Tulsa Chapter March Cowboys for a Cause Month March 2-5 Women’s Big 12 Basketball Tournament Oklahoma City March 7-10 Men’s Big 12 Basketball Tournament Kansas City, Missouri March 14 Wrestling National Championship Kickoff Party Cleveland, Ohio March 14 Orange Hour Tulsa Chapter March 24 OSU Day at the Fort Worth Zoo North Texas Chapter

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ate & Tailga e Sk te c I

The OKC Metro Chapter is offering a unique tailgating experience this December. Ice Skate and Tailgate will take place December 16 with the Orange Bowl Classic basketball game between Oklahoma State University and Florida State University.

Cowboys are invited to skate at the Devon Ice Rink, where OSU Alumni Association members and their families will receive a discounted rate of $9 per person for all-day ice skating pass. The rate for nonmembers will be $13.

After some ice skating, a tailgate watch party will take place at the Renaissance Hotel Downtown in the Bar at 10 North. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.

Alumni are welcome to head back to the Devon Ice Rink after the game to take full advantage of their all-day ice skating passes.

The Tulsa Chapter is also offering an ice skating opportunity with Cowboy Skate the same day. OSU alumni and friends will gather at Arvest Winterfest located outside the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa. Members can purchase an all-day (noon-11 p.m.) ice skating pass for a discounted rate of $6. The rate for nonmembers is $8.

Tickets to both events can be purchased online at ORANGECONNECTION.org/ iceskatetailgate.

Pistol Pete feeds the giraffes at the Tulsa Alumni Chapter’s “Giraffic Birthday Party.”

Pistol Pete parties with alumni families at Tulsa and Oklahoma City zoos The OKC Metro OSU Alumni Chapter celebrated Pistol Pete’s birthday at the Oklahoma City Zoo on October 8. More than 300 OSU fans and friends attended the party and sang “Happy Birthday” to Pete. Afterward, cake was served and Pistol Pete mingled with the crowd.

“Pistol Pete’s birthday is my favorite family event of the year,” says Crystle Fisher, OKC Metro Chapter president. “We always have a great turnout. The kids are excited to see Pete and enjoy a piece of cake.”

Zoo photographers captured family photos of everyone with Pistol Pete. Each child received a bright orange OSU drawstring backpack courtesy of the OKC Metro OSU Alumni Chapter.

The Tulsa Alumni Chapter celebrated Pistol Pete with a “Giraffic Birthday Party” at the Tulsa Zoo on October 22.

More than 100 attendees had the zoo all to themselves as the party took place after closing time.

“Watching the kids get to feed the giraffes and then have cake and their pictures taken with Pete is so heartwarming,” says Amber Hinkle, Tulsa’s coordinator of engagement. “Even Pete got in on the giraffe feeding this year!”

OSU fans celebrated with Pistol Pete at the Oklahoma City Zoo including, from left, Stephen Konarik, Henley Jo Thomson, Barbara Baldwin, Matthew Wise and Kelley Newkirk Konarik.

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Alumni Chapters cheer at watch parties around the country

Alumni from several generations gather in Omaha, Nebraska, to watch OSU play Texas Tech University.

OSU alumni in the Southeast Virginia Chapter took their watch party on the road to Heinz Field in Pittsburg.

Kansas City alumni meet up to show that everywhere can be Cowboy Country.

Las Vegas alumni cheer on the Cowboys with their spirit paddle.

A group of future Cowboys attended a watch party with the Kay County Chapter to cheer on the OSU football team against the University of Pittsburg.

A large crowd of Houston alumni showed up for the OSU vs. Texas Christian University football game watch party.

New York City alumni cheer on the Pokes at Stillwater Bar & Grill.

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CHAPTER LEADER PROFILE:

Crystle Fisher

G

BY L E A N N A S M I T H

rowing up in a small town, Crystle Fisher, president of the OKC Metro Oklahoma State University Alumni Chapter, made the decision to attend OSU fairly easily. She graduated from Holdenville High School in 2000 as valedictorian and received academic scholarships, which helped make her decision to join the Cowboy family even easier.

“I loved the small town feel in Stillwater and the friendliness of the people,” she says.

Fisher graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 2004. While pursuing her master’s degree at OSU, she worked as a graduate assistant for the College of Education. She was also a member of Phi Mu Epsilon, a mathematics honor society on campus.

Memories of sporting events and hanging out on the Strip with her friends stay with her to this day. She also enjoyed participating in Homecoming.

“I think everyone would agree Homecoming is the best part of the school year with so much hype and energy,” she says.

After earning her master’s degree, Fisher taught middle school math in Oklahoma for four years before moving to Denver to teach college algebra. After teaching, she accepted a position as a production analyst on the innovation team for Chesapeake Energy.

She got involved with the OSU Alumni Association while serving as the Chesapeake Chapter liaison to the OKC Metro Chapter. Serving in this position led to continued involvement with the chapter.

“I really enjoyed meeting new people,” Fisher says.

She wanted to see the chapter succeed in engagement and scholarship funding,

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Crystle Fisher makes new memories at a sporting event with her husband, Mike, and 3-year-old son, Wyatt.

which spurred her to run for vice president and later president.

Fisher says two skills she learned at OSU have made a huge impact on her today: time management and work ethic.

Even during her freshman year, she would prioritize her weekly schedule.

“I also learned that failure is OK,” she says. “Failure is just a stepping stone to success.”

Giving back to her alma mater, helping future OSU students financially and staying connected with OSU events and other alumni are all elements Fisher says she really enjoys. She has helped coordinate the Vintage O-State fundraising event

“I think everyone would agree Homecoming is the best part of the school year with so much hype and energy.”

— Crystle Fisher O KC M E T R O O S U A L U M N I CHAPTER PRESIDENT

for the past several years and is currently coordinating this year’s main fundraising event, Orange Peel.

Fisher says her favorite event is Pistol Pete’s birthday, celebrated annually at the Oklahoma City Zoo. “I love seeing all the families and future OSU students in the making spending time together,” Fisher says.

“OSU truly is a family, and being able to continue to facilitate that has been very rewarding.”

Fisher met her husband, Mike, at OSU. They live in Edmond with their 3-year-old son, Wyatt.

OKLAHOMA CITY METRO OSU ALUMNI CHAPTER

BY THE NUMBERS 38,956 alumni and friends in region 3,861 members 3,545 current OSU students from chapter area 52 miles from Stillwater

Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame DISTINGUISHED

Alumni Awards

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The

Roof

of

AFRICA My story changed on a mountaintop

BY N O R A F O S T E R

“Hey, I think we can do that!”

OSU Spears School of Business alumnae Renee Caldwell, right, and Nora Foster climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to celebrate their 50th birthdays.

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That’s what Renee Caldwell, my fellow OSU alumnae and best friend of more than 35 years said after we watched an IMAX movie about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. The mountain is one of the seven summits, the tallest peaks on each of the seven continents. At 19,340 feet, the highest freestanding mountain in the world is also known as “The Roof of Africa.” What better way to celebrate our 50th birthdays?

We trained hard for about a year, hiking the hills and trails in and around our Austin, Texas, neighborhood and traveling to Colorado to try a couple of 14ers — mountains 14,000 feet or higher.

Finally, in February 2011, we climbed Kilimanjaro. It was incredibly challenging — Renee and I both said during the

trek that we weren’t sure we would get to the summit — but we never thought about quitting.

Reaching Uhuru Peak, the top of the mountain, was life-affirming. I didn’t realize quite how life-changing it was until after the climb, when the high wore off, and I realized I had fallen in love with our head guide, Bernard Shirima. I found out later he had fallen in love with me, too.

After months of texts and internet phone calls, I traveled back to Tanzania in 2012.

The following fall, Bernard came to visit me — his first trip out of Africa. He is part of the Chagga tribe and had lived his entire life in Tanzania. Bernard was immediately a fan of the San Antonio Spurs and Shiner Bock beer, and he enjoyed exploring Austin on foot and bicycle. As the

bond between Bernard and me grew over time and distance, we began to understand how deeply we shared a love of the people, culture and natural wonders of his native country. What could we do to share that with the world and keep building our life together? We decided to start a safari company.

My professional life up to that point had been a business world of accounting and finance. I graduated from OSU in 1983 and became a CPA. I could easily have moved to Tanzania and continued as an accountant; there are lots of opportunities to share the knowledge and skill I have, and Bernard and I could have a comfortable life together. But we agreed that sharing Tanzania with others would also be helping the country. Tourism brings opportunity to the Tanzanian people as well as awareness and protection to its wildlife and natural resources.

The country’s beauty and wonder is so spectacular that the Tanzanian government has preserved over 25 percent of its land as national parks or conservation areas. Wildlife, such as lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinos — together known as the “Big Five” — can roam freely in their natural habitats. This preservation means, we hope, that all of us can enjoy watching the majesty of the great wildebeest migration or listening to the bark of a zebra from a tented camp deep in the Serengeti for many years to come.

I’ve been fortunate to do quite a bit of international travel over the years in Europe, South and Central America, and Asia. Nothing had prepared me for Africa.

Standing at the summit of Kilimanjaro took my breath away. Watching a herd of elephant mothers surround their babies at the first sign of danger brought tears to my eyes. Seeing a child’s eyes go wide with wonder as I tried, haltingly, to speak in his native language made me smile. I have had so many experiences that have enhanced my life in ways I never thought possible. Even at over 50, life can hand you surprises.

Nora Foster fell in love with her mountain guide, Bernard Shimira.

“What will your story be?”

— Nora Foster and Bernard Shirima

Three generations of Masai women greet visitors on an African safari. Leopards and other wild animals are common sights in Tanzania.

This year, Bernard and I completed our home in Tanzania, where we can see Kilimanjaro from our backyard. We both travel back and forth between America and Africa. Our home is a blend of our lives and cultures, and our business is a blend of our skills and personalities. The attention to detail and meticulousness I learned across 30 years in accounting and Bernard’s 20 years of knowledge and experience in the Tanzania tourism industry make us a good team. Our clients have loved their trips with us. They say they can’t imagine anything better, and I feel the same way. It’s not easy to build

a new company and a new life, but when you love what you do — and the person you’re doing it with — it’s very rewarding. From the awe-inspiring vista of the Serengeti to the palm-fringed beaches of Zanzibar, the ancient continent speaks to your soul. It changed my life story and, together, Bernard and I ask, “What will your story be?”

If you want your story to include a chapter on Africa, or you’d like to know more about ours, we’d love to hear from you! Email us at info@fromhere2africasafaris.com.

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’40s Katherine Reeve, ’48 science, is a Chi Omega sorority alumna living in Pampa, Texas. In the fall of 1942, her father gave her a check for $750 and told her if she used it all up, she would have to come home. She joined a sorority, lived in the house, bought all her supplies, and managed to come home with one silver dollar.

’50s Joe Sewell, ’50 animal husbandry, retired in 2000 after working 40 years at First Bank and Trust in Perry, Oklahoma, serving in several positions, including as president. He and his wife, JoAnn, were married 62 years before her death March 18, 2017, at age 82.

Roberta (Robin) Robertson, ’51 science, is a retired educator from Duncan, Oklahoma. She enjoys spending time with her 2-year-old great-grandson who already knows how to point his pistols and say, “Pete!

Go Pokes!”

Kay Anthony, ’58 childcare program management, and husband Bob Anthony, ’64 trade and industry education, bleed orange, just like their family. Grandson Caleb Anthony graduated in May 2017 with a degree in environmental science. They have three granddaughters who all attend OSU. Lily and Hannah are studying engineering, and Grace is a senior in allied health. Their father, Rick Anthony, ’82 business administration, also attended OSU.

’60s

Mary Tatum, ’61 home economics, was awarded the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women’s Service in Sisterhood Award. This award is given to an individual who serves the fraternity above the local level with loyalty, intellect and effectiveness. She was grand president of the fraternity from 2009-2013.

L i n d a To d d Armstrong, ’63 home economics, and her husband, Lewis A. Armstrong, ’65 geology, recently published the Todd Family and Friends Cookbook. It includes 430 recipes and 13 chapters with recipes from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. The cookbook is available for purchase on Amazon.

Barbara Thomas, ’63 business, is retired and has returned to her farm in Ninnekah, Oklahoma. Her daughter, Michele Flanagan, ’85 business management, is serving her 25th year as a marketing director for Fort Sill’s Morale Welfare and Recreation unit. Her son, Joe Thomas, is state president for the Arizona Education Association and has one son and two daughters with his wife, Valerie.

Charlie Strong, ’64 health and physical education, has coached for over 30 years in the U.S. Army and at the University of Kansas, University of Alabama and the University of Southern Carolina. He is married to Vivian Hart, ’68 family relations and child development, and they have two sons, Scott and Tim.

Michael S. Hyatt, ’67 finance, was Patricia Coffey, ’61 home eco- recently presented the Sister Cities nomics education and consumer sci- International’s Ruth Hashimoto Award. ences, is retired and living in Hinton, The organization’s most prestigious Oklahoma. She lost her husband, award honors exceptional national Russel, on January 30, 2017, after and local leadership within the SCI being married 55 years. organization. He has served with SCI for over three decades.

First Cowgirl Ann Hargis hosted a tour of the campus in her golf cart Clementine. Guests from Norman, Oklahoma, included, from left, Betty Bellis, ’54 humanities; Mary Joyce Hurst, ’56 home economics education and consumer sciences; and Lynne McElroy, ’71 nutritional sciences and master’s degree ’82.

Gilbert Sanders, ’67 history, was elected president of the Oklahoma Psychological Association. He is the first person to have been elected three times to serve on the American Psychological Association Committee of State Leaders. He is a recipient of the Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement in the Practice of Psychology.

He is also a former OSU track athlete who took first place in the 2017 American Psychological Association’s 39th Annual 5K Race Walk.

Bill Schwertfeger, ’67 physical science, is looking forward to seeing his fellow class of Air Force ROTC retired officers.

Keep us posted! OSU Alumni Association members may submit information to be published in STATE Magazine. Send news to Class Notes, 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater, OK 74078. Information can also be mailed to info@orangeconnection.org or submitted online at ORANGECONNECTION.org/classnotesubmit.

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Darrel Anderson, ’68 agricultural education, and Earlene Anderson, ’68 home economics education and consumer sciences, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year. They have a year-old granddaughter, a granddaughter who is a junior at OSU and a grandson who is a senior at OSU. Darrel and Earlene are both retired teachers living in Meeker, Oklahoma.

Paul Baker, ’68 industrial engineering and management, has been married to Nikki Bentley Baker, ’66 education, for 52 years. They have two children, Stacy Baker Cumpton and Jeff Baker. Paul owns Emrick’s Van & Storage and is an agent for Allied Van Lines in Enid and Oklahoma City. Paul and Nikki are season ticket holders for OSU football and basketball.

Richard Cook, ’68 general business, has retired as corporate risk manager from Student Transportation of America, the third-largest school bus company in the United States. He is enjoying retirement with hunting, fishing, substitute teaching and volunteering at his local church.

Marc Minoff, ’69 hotel and restaurant administration, is living in Gardiner, New York.

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Wayne Walker, ’70 fire protection and safety, is spending his retirement building, restoring and working on hot rods, classic cars, rat rods and pickups.

Kevin McComas, ’79 animal science, enjoys retirement while he raises Angus cattle and continues farming in Minco, Oklahoma.

’80s

Charles Joseph Hitt, ’73 BISC, and Julia A. Hitt, ’74 secondary education English, are both enjoying retirement in Heavener, Oklahoma. Dr. Celia Stall-Meadows, ’81 Glenn Olson, ’69 psychology, cel- Their daughter, Jessica Hitt, ’15 fashion merchandising, and her husebrated his 70th birthday in October. accounting, married Trent Morris, band, Kendall Meadows, ’82 He is happily retired after teaching ’12 English, in July. animal science, are living in Tulsa. and serving as a principal for 30 years They have two grandchildren, 3-yearin Alaska. He is enjoying his grand- David Elrod, ’74 geography, has old Layla Middleton and Carter Midkids, golfing and traveling. joined the Shackelford, Bowen, dleton, who was born in July.

McKinley & Norton LLP law firm as a partner. He founded a litigation bouMonty Hays, ’82 tique, Elrod PPLC, in Dallas. agricultural education, is living in DusDonni Hodgkins, ’75 sociology, is seldorf, Germany, Samuel Laboy enjoying her life in New Hampshire where he is based A l v a r a d o, ’70 and made a gallon of maple syrup as a pilot and line last spring. check airman for engineering, is a FedEx Express. He and his wife, Jani professional civil engineer. He was Steven Adams, ’76 science man- Hays, ’83 home economics educanominated for the agement, Lloyd Landreth, ’81 tion and consumer sciences, are Alumni Hall of Fame wildlife ecology, John Russel, ’85 enjoying traveling Europe. They plan in 2013 and 2015. political science, Leann Drum- to return to the U.S. in the fall of 2018. mond Ellis, ’87 accounting, Amelia David McCollum, ’70 journalism Fogleman, ’91 English, and Sara Larry Robertson, ’82 business and broadcasting, served as deputy Berry, ’97 psychology, have been administration, and his wife, Janet director of intercollegiate athletics at named to the 2018 Best Lawyers Robertson, ’81 social science New Mexico State University. He now in America list. They were honored teaching, have moved to McKinney, serves as a national adviser to Phi for their practice with GableGot- Texas. He began his position as the Kappa Tau national fraternity. He and wals in Tulsa. director of human resources for comhis wife, Jacqueline McCollum, pensation and human resources ’70 executive secretarial adminis- Diana Bergman, ’77 English and systems at Collin College in January. tration, have three children and six education, has recently retired from grandchildren. teaching at Grove schools in Grove, Marinell Scott-Hall, ’82 speech and theatre, is working four jobs while Oklahoma.

Bonny Sue Mullen, ’70 secondary remaining true to her alma mater. education and her husband Paul Letha Grace Caudle, ’77 history, Mullen, ’71 general business, are is living in Bristow, Oklahoma, as a Max Clayton, ’83 curriculum and enjoying their retirement in Stillwater. retired middle school teacher. She instruction, and his wife, Ann Clayton, was recently presented with the are enjoying retirement with their two Bristow’s Chamber of Commerce grandsons, Mason Clayton, 10, and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Landon Clayton, 1. Landon has cystic fibrosis, so Max and Ann are actively Lori Ewell, ’79 microbiology, has involved in fundraising to find a cure. been inducted into the Chelmsford (Massachusetts) High School Hall Carolyn Warner, ’83 management, of Fame for her outstanding work and her husband Jay Warner, ’84 with research and development of architecture studies, established an new food products and improving endowed Arts & Sciences scholarPatricia Park, ’70 business admin- existing ones. She currently works ship this year. They have two sons, istration, is retired from owning five for Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods Calvin Warner, ’14 philosophy and Burger Kings. She is now an execu- Inc. as the director of the develop- Spanish, and Austin Warner, ’16 tive director of the Lawton Philhar- ment, quality assurance and regu- mathematics. They both graduated monic Orchestra and a member of latory department. as Phi Beta Kappa members. the Lawton Board of Education. Her daughter, Meredith Park, ’00 busi- Bill Fanning, ’79 animal science Mark Harris, ’87 ness, and husband Kris have three business, is president and chief opermechanical engichildren. They reside in Frisco, Texas. ating officer of the Stock Exchange neering, ha s reBank in Woodward, Oklahoma, where cently retired after Gary Voice, ’70 marketing and busi- he has been working for 34 years. He serving 30 years ness, is a retired senior account rep- was named the Oklahoma Mayor of with the Air Force resentative for 3M Co. in Tulsa. He is the Year for large cities in 2009. His as a civil engineer. now doing professional photography wife, Kathryn Fanning, is a Texas He and his wife, for real estate and insurance.

Tech graduate.

Amber, have three

’70s

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children: Taylor, Hannah and Blaine, who is a junior at OSU. David Reser, ’87 civil engineering, founded Infrastructure Engineers Inc. in 1994. The consulting engineering firm was included in the Engineering News-Record’s 2017 Top 500 Design Firms. The company employs over 150 people across 23 offices in 16 states.

’90s Jay Stallsmith, ’91 accounting, is a managing partner in Tulsa.

Dennis Burbank, ’92 political science, and his wife, Julie Dobbs, are celebrating 25 years of marriage. Their daughter, Jordan, will be attending the University of Utah on a scholarship to play soccer.

Angela Marsee, ’93 journalism and broadcasting, was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin as a member of the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth for a two-year term.

She has been a prosecutor for 20 years and is the district attorney for the Second District in western Oklahoma. She was also selected as one of The Journal Record’s “Fifty Making a Difference” Award.

Shelley McNeill, ’93 journalism and broadcasting, attended the 2017 presidential inauguration with her husband John Hight. Their son, Richard, is starting his sophomore year at OSU and another son, Preston, has submitted his application to OSU after studying abroad in France. They have two other children, Austin, 20, and Clara, 14.

Michael Larranaga, ’96 fire protection and safety, has received the Early Achievement Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

Shannon Thompson, ‘97 business, has partnered with Todd Fimple, ’93 leisure service management, to start Oklahoma Promo. She is married to Erin Thompson, and they have a 3-year-old daughter, Hailey.

Let’s Go Bowling!

Cheer on Coach Gundy and Cowboy Football at OSU’s 12th straight bowl game!

Find official travel packages for OSU Athletics with options to suit every fan’s needs at

OKStateFanTravel.com

’00s Trevor Riddle, ’01 philosophy, was recently honored

by Best Lawyers in America in 2018 in the Criminal Defense: General Practice sector. His law practice focuses on cross-examining forensic laboratory technicians, doctors, biomechanical engineers and other expert witnesses in highprofile cases. He was the first attorney to argue for the admissibility of polygraph evidence under Kansas’ recently amended rules of evidence.

Michael Hightower, ’02 mass communications, is working as an independent historian and biographer. He has written two books on the history of banking in Oklahoma as well as a novel, The Pattersons, and two corporate histories. He is currently working on 1889: The Early History of Central Oklahoma and a biography of an American explorer who pioneered deep gas drilling. He lives with his wife, Judy, in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Oklahoma City.

Charles Brant, ’03 architecture, has been named a Building Design and Construction 40 under 40 award winner. He is a senior project manager at Kwame Building Group in Dallas, responsible for $400 million in K-12 school construction. He is also the co-founder of ASTEK, which has introduced architecture to over 6,000 fifth-grade students.

Rosa Abbott, ’04 forest resources, finished nursing school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2015.

Dana Haynie, ’04 m a r keti n g, wa s named into the 2017 Becker’s Hospital Review list of health care leaders under the age of 40 who are “Rising Stars.”

She is the vice president of growth and marketing for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa. She and her husband, Ryan, volunteer for their church and other local organizations.

They are proud parents of two sons, Harrison and Turner.

Justin Westphalen, ’09 physiology, is starting his new job as an emergency physician at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. He and his wife,

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Audrey Westphalen, ’09 physiology, are expecting their first child in January.

’10s James Anderson, ’10 master’s in psychology, is the dean of the College of Education at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.

He previously taught at OSU in both graduate and undergraduate courses. He has also served as a U.S. Army research psychologist.

Daniel Leiber, ’12 fire protection and safety technology, married Morgan Valvana on September 16, 2017, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Daniel is a senior safety manager for Tesla and Morgan is a safety manager for Jet.com in Reno, Nevada, where they reside. Daniel is the son of Richard Leiber, ’76 electrical engineering.

Vance Lewis, ’12 doctorate in higher education, is an assistant professor of business management at the University of Central Arkansas. He was recently named the associate editor of Organization Management Journal. He also served as the president of the Central Arkansas OSU Alumni Chapter.

Teresa Randall, ’12 doctorate in environmental science. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education in 1983 and a master’s degree in environmental science in 2002. She has recently accepted a new job at the Kansas City Zoo as a community outreach manager.

Tonya Hoover

OSU alumna to head National Fire Academy T

he U.S. Fire Administration is getting some help at the top from Oklahoma.

Tonya Hoover, an Oklahoma State University Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology graduate, has been named the new superintendent of the National Fire Academy, the first woman to hold that position. She was formerly the California state fire marshal.

Hoover earned an associate degree in fire protection and safety in 1984, followed by a bachelor’s in technical education in 1986. She says her OSU education has been

invaluable: “I can honestly say that throughout my career — that ranged from being a fire inspector, a deputy campus fire marshal for a large university, a local government fire marshal to being the assistant state fire marshal and now the state fire marshal — I have used every piece of knowledge and applied every skill.”

Through the years, Hoover has been involved with OSU through the alumni association, a frequent guest speaker and a member of the IFSTA board of directors.

In Memoriam Marybelle Wortman Spangler, ’49 home economics and journalism, died July 19, 2017. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

John W. Bundren, ’51 chemistry, died April 23, 2017, in Tulsa. He was born in Enid, Oklahoma, and served in World War II, where he was awarded a Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, Distinguished Unit Badge and a Good Conduct Medal. He was an analytical chemist in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for 34 years for Phillips Petroleum Co. in research and development.

Jeanene Cioletti, ’55 elementary education, died at the age of 82 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. She was born September 23, 1933, in Tulsa, and educated in Pryor. She received her master’s degree in theology at the Andover-Newton Theological School in Newton Center in Massachusetts after graduating from OSU where she was a member of Kappa Delta. She became an ordained Baptist minister and preached at the Central Baptist Church in Massachusetts. She enjoyed reading, sewing and cooking. She and her late husband, Mauro Cioletti, had a passion for traveling, even visiting Egypt. She is survived by two children, Steven Cioletti and Lauren Ewell, a grandson, Samuel Ewell, and several nieces and nephews.

congregations in Virginia, Maryland and Oklahoma. He went on mission trips to Ukraine and worked with the High Plains Children’s home, which held a special place in his heart. He married his wife, Patty, August 29, 1954, and they had three children.

Besides his wife, he is survived by son and daughter-in-law Dale and Melanie Hubbard, daughter and sonin-law Malinda and Herb Reynolds, and son Dan Hubbard. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Merrill B. Burruss, ’58 agronomy, died August 2, 2017, in Oklahoma City at the age of 80. He was born August 4, 1936, in Oklahoma City and graduated from Chickasha High School.

In the Oklahoma National Guard, he achieved the rank of colonel. He was an active member of the 45th Infantry Division Artillery Association, the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, and an Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame member.

After working in the banking industry, serving as president of People’s National Bank in Kingfisher, he retired in 1997. Beginning in 1981, he was a lifetime director of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Active in his community, he was a member of the Geary-Hinton Rotary Club, the Nazarene Church in Kingfisher and the First Christian Church of Geary. He was preceded in death by his parents, M.B. and Zelma Burruss, and his first wife, Mary Ann Burruss. He is survived by his wife, Nadyne Burruss; children, John Burruss; Charles Edward Burruss, wife Angela and granddaughter Mary Ann; stepdaughters, Susan Bulls and husband David, Pam Walters and husband Phillip. He is also survived by five step-granddaughters, four step-great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.

Dixon Dale Hubbard, ’56 animal husbandry, died June 8, 2017 at the age of 83. He was born on May 13, 1934, in Dill City, Oklahoma, and graduated from Cordell High School in 1952. He received his master’s degree from OSU in 1958 in animal husbandry and his doctorate in 1960 in animal Joe Allen Crutchfield, ’59 businutrition. He had a successful career ness and publication administration, in agriculture and cooperative exten- died September 11, 2017 in Boerne, sion at Panhandle State University, Texas, at the age of 81. He was born Texas A&M University Cooperative April 5, 1936, in Holdenville, Oklahoma.

Extension Service and the United He was both a track and basketball States Department of Agriculture in scholarship student-athlete at OSU. Washington, D.C. The Beef Improve- His senior year, he was named the ment Federation named him a pioneer outstanding OSU basketball player. in improving the quality of beef in the Coach Henry Iba called Joe “the ideal United States. His work allowed con- athlete” and a boy of strong moral sumers to obtain beef that would be character, determination and selfless the same quality around the country. attitude. He worked in the family busiMr. Hubbard was active in 4-H, live- ness, Ben & Ray Clothiers, for many stock judging, meat judging and years. In Duncan, he belonged to the always wanted people to be aware of First United Methodist Church, Rotary where their food originated. He was Club, Elks Golf and Country Club and baptized on March 31, 1946 at the served as president of the Chamber Cordell Church of Christ. He served of Commerce. In 1991, he founded as an elder leading and shepherding Houston Plating Co. and served as

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president until 2007. After retiring, he co-founded the Chickasha Officials and his wife, Anita, moved to Cordil- Association. The highlight of his reflera Ranch. Mr. Crutchfield loved to eree career was officiating in the AllState game at Tulsa in 2016. He and fish, play golf, travel and spend time with his family and grandchildren. He his wife, Janice Jennings, were maris survived by his wife, Anita; two chil- ried for 40 years. They traveled to all dren, Joe Crutchfield Jr. (wife Mary 50 states with their daughters. While Ann) and Jill Counts (husband David). on his journey with ALS, he proudly He is also survived by four grandchil- served as a beta tester for VisuALS dren and two great-grandchildren.

Technology Solutions. Mr. Phelps was a member of the Southern Oaks Norman Warminski, ’64 agri- Church of Christ. He was preceded cultural education, died September in death by his mother, Geraldine 21, 2017, after battling cancer. He Phelps; father, Robert K. Phelps; sister, was born on April 4, 1942, in White Phyllis Cutrer and sister-in-law, MarDeer, Texas, and grew up working garet Ann Berry. He is survived by his on the family farm before attending wife, Janice Phelps; daughters and Oklahoma State University. He later sons-in-law, Jennifer and Steve Driskill, earned his master’s degree in land- Cara and Brian Gerdes; brothers-inscape horticulture from Texas A&M law Cliff Cutrer, Joe Berry, Richard University. Mr. Warminski was well and wife Issy Jennings, and Steve known as The Plant Doctor from his and wife Patti Hesser; as well as four weekly appearance on CBS. For 32 grandchildren, numerous nephews years, he hosted a morning radio call- and nieces and many other family in show and hosted the Sunflower members he dearly loved.

Gardener productions on television for four years. He was passionate about Lawana Kunze, ’88 education educating people on plants and how administration, died August 29, 2017 to take care of them. Serving as a in Shawnee, Oklahoma, after 24 Sedgwick Country Horticulture agent, years of courageously battling an Mr. Warminski founded the Master aggressive form of brain cancer.

Gardener Program and the Wichita She was born on August 2, 1949, in Chickasha, Oklahoma. She was Garden Show. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and an accomplished musician, excelProxie Warminski; son, Kevin; and ling in piano and vocals. She marsister, Vivian Warminski Simmons. ried Richard Kunze, ’69 agriculHe is survived by his partner, Jerry tural economics, on September 26, Martin; daughter, Christy Bieker; sister, 1975. After obtaining her bachelor’s Joanna Acker (Bernard); brothers, degree from Oklahoma Baptist UniStephen (Bonnye) and Randy (Bev- versity, she was determined not to be erly); and grandchildren, Emerson the only one in her family without a and Blaze. degree from OSU, so she decided to pursue her master’s degree in eduCarl R. Phelps, ’74 physical edu- cation. Mrs. Kunze loved her music, cation, died at the age of 65 in Chick- teaching, reading, traveling and her asha, Oklahoma, after battling ALS. family. She also loved all things OSU. She and her husband rarely missed He grew up participating in rodeos and attended Christian College of any athletic events in Stillwater for over the Southwest in Mesquite, Texas, for 40 years. Mrs. Kunze even served as one year on a basketball scholarship. a sponsor of the OSU Wrestling Mat He finished his bachelor’s degree Maids. For 12 years, she sponsored at Oklahoma State and received a and funded the Lawana Kunze Scholmaster’s degree from OU. While at arship in the College of Education, OU, he was the first coach of Okie which is awarded annually to an adult Spokesmen, a wheelchair basket- student pursuing a graduate degree ball team. He served as superinten- while already in the work force, just dent of schools in Paoli, Purcell and like she did. Mrs. Kunze was preChickasha, all in Oklahoma, and was ceded in death by her parents. She selected in 1985 as one of the Top is survived by her husband, Richard; 100 Up-and-Coming School Super- sons, Tim Kunze, ’91 agricultural intendents in North America. He economics, and Jay Kunze, ’00 developed Christian Care Retirement agricultural economics; and brother, Village in 1988 and owned and oper- Eddie Mills. She also had numerous ated it for 16 years. He was named aunts, uncles and cousins.

Oklahoma’s Nursing Home Administrator of the Year in 2001. In 1985, he started a coffee club. In 1993, he cofounded one of the most successful investment clubs in the world. Mr. Phelps also served as a referee and

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Book Corner Margie Minter ’58

Margie A. Minter has always had a heart for children — and proved it with a 34-year teaching career. Minter, who earned a master’s degree in elementary education from Oklahoma State University in 1958, still wanted to inspire children after retiring in 1994. The result of that desire is a children’s book, Ollie’s Unlucky Day. Ollie’s Unlucky Day tells the story of a dog named Ollie and a cat named Lucky. The two pets have been friends for many years. When Ollie’s mother plans a surprise birthday party for him and his doggy friends only, Lucky feels left out. Lucky decides to crash the party and causes chaos that surprises everyone there. Ollie’s Unlucky Day teaches the values of friendship and forgiveness in a silly, heartwarming story.

Ollie’s Unlucky Day was featured as one of the titles during the 2017 National Education Association’s book fair in June 2017.

She and her husband of 61 years, Dr. Robert Minter, ’57 animal science, live on a ranch southwest of Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Ollie’s Unlucky Day is available by emailing mranch@hughes.net. Books can be ordered for $10 by sending a check to 28056 North County Road 3250, Wynnewood, OK 73098.

Passages The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association has received notice that the following graduates died between June 1, 2017 and October 15, 2017. Their college graduation year(s) and last place of residence are listed in Passages. Families may send biographies for Class Notes In Memoriam to the OSU Alumni Association, STATE Magazine, 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-7043.

Lucile Blasdel, ’38, Woodward, Oklahoma Mary Harrison, ’38, Midwest City, Oklahoma Lorene Barnett, ’39, Starkville, Mississippi Ruth Burrows, ’40, Kingwood, Texas Margaret Archambault, ’41, ’51, Scottsdale, Arizona William Nailon Jr., ’42, Richardson, Texas Walton Bailey, ’43, ’74, Pampa, Texas Orlean Hunter, ’43, Stillwater Millie Rodriguez, ’43, ’63, ’69, Stillwater Glen Berkenbile, ’44, ’46, Tulsa John Frick, ’44, Morrison, Oklahoma John Skalnik, ’44, Irvine, California Margaret Hallock, ’45, Wappingers Falls, New York Ann Seidman, ’46, ’65, Decatur, Illinois Harold Williams, ’46, ’50, Tulsa Louiezon Young, ’46, Oklahoma City Barbara Anderson, ’47, Oklahoma City Rose Guthrie, ’47, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma Bob Henrickson, ’47, ’49, ’56, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida George Horton Jr., ’47, ’52, Jacksonville, Illinois Donna Steigerwald, ’47, ’50, Vero Beach, Florida Joseph White, ’47, Kingwood, Texas William Butler, ’48, ’50, Quinton, Oklahoma Janette Coltharp, ’48, Erick, Oklahoma John Maher, ’48, ’50, Ardmore, Oklahoma Bob Bouton, ’49, Bartlesville, Oklahoma James Dugger, ’49, ’72, Tulsa Delbert Fair Sr., ’49, Ponca City, Oklahoma JoAnn Gilpin, ’49, Tulsa Joe Green Jr., ’49, Dallas Garnett Harms, ’49, Perry, Oklahoma John Harrison Jr., ’49, Norman, Oklahoma Lyle Irby, ’49, Tulsa Harry Lookabaugh, ’49, Dallas Kathryn Lovell, ’49, Stillwater Marybelle Spangler, ’49, Seminole, Florida Betty Wilkerson, ’49, Lamont, Oklahoma

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Johnny Baker, ’50, ’53, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Jim Timmis, ’56, Udall, Kansas

Donald Boggs, ’50, Warr Acres, Oklahoma

C. H. Wulz, ’56, Batesville, Arkansas

Lewis Castle, ’50, Jet, Oklahoma

Edward Bryant Jr., ’57, Norman, Oklahoma

Mattie Clymer-Lawless, ’50, ’80, Antlers, Oklahoma

Pauline Carter, ’57, Ponca City, Oklahoma

Frank Dyer II, ’50, Blackwell, Oklahoma

Raymond Eikenbary, ’57, ’63, ’64, Stillwater

Jim Griffith, ’50, McGregor, Texas

Jack Gregory, ’57, Carmen, Oklahoma

Bobby Leverett, ’50, Watkinsville, Georgia

Janelle Lehman, ’57, Tulsa

Betty Robertson, ’50, Arvada, Colorado

Bob Love, ’57, Panama City, Florida

James Stewart, ’50, Ryan, Oklahoma

Thomas Murphy, ’57, Edmond, Oklahoma

Louis Bass Jr., ’51, Stillwater, Oklahoma

Bessie Stidham, ’57, Monroe, Louisiana

Imogene Bell, ’51, Jefferson, Maryland

Keith Teasley, ’57, Oklahoma City

Eva Christenberry, ’51, Auburn, Alabama

Merrill Burruss Jr., ’58, ’64, Geary, Oklahoma

Arthur Collier, ’51, Lakewood, New Jersey

Max Craighead, ’58, ’70, Richardson, Texas

John Ervin, ’51, Oklahoma City

George Hedger, ’58, Edmond, Oklahoma

Kenneth Hughes, ’51, ’52, Wetumka, Oklahoma

Connie LaGrow, ’58, Cherokee, Oklahoma

Marty Manahan, ’51, Sherman, Texas

Donald Mashburn, ’58, Oklahoma City

James Nevins, ’51, Tulsa

Bill Pratt, ’58, Germantown, Tennessee

Skip Polson, ’51, Perkins, Oklahoma

Jimmy Shamas, ’58, ’70, Littleton, Colorado

Tom Elliott, ’52, Amarillo, Texas

Allen Sommerfeld, ’58, Rock Hall, Maryland

Marty Gallup, ’52, Carlsbad, California

Ed Wiley, ’58, Sayre, Oklahoma

David Hamilton, ’52, Houston

Charles Asbill, ’59, ’73, Houston

C. H. Musgrove, ’52, Santa Ana, California

Larry Carpenter, ’59, ’60, Grand Junction, Colorado

Sue Parham, ’52, Las Vegas, New Mexico

David Craig, ’59, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Leland Pope, ’52, ’56, San Angelo, Texas

Joe Crutchfield Sr., ’59, Boerne, Texas

William Purcell, ’52, Hartshorne, Oklahoma

Carl Jones, ’59, Stillwater

Joe Raffaelli Jr., ’52, Texarkana, Texas

Allison Kelly, ’59, Okemah, Oklahoma

Dave Robinson, ’52, ’55, ’72, Tulsa

Doylene McLaughlin, ’59, Milpitas, California

Ed Robinson Jr., ’52, McAlester, Oklahoma

Bob Norris, ’59, Stillwater

John Dewhirst, ’53, Moore, Oklahoma

Gordon Richard, ’59, Harmon, Oklahoma

Kennith Kirby, ’53, Granite, Oklahoma

Vallajean Younger, ’59, ’93, Pittsburg, Kansas

Noel Kirch, ’53, Oklahoma City

John Fritzlen, ’60, Higgins, Texas

Jack Moore, ’53, Bristow, Oklahoma

J. C. Kunneman, ’60, Okarche, Oklahoma

Anne Campbell, ’54, Pampa, Texas

Daryl Lansdale, ’60, San Antonio, Texas

Ben Dumas, ’54, Emerson, Arkansas

Bonnie McDowell, ’60, Lakewood, Colorado

Gene Iven, ’54, Pond Creek, Oklahoma

Joe Roberts, ’60, Lexington, Kentucky

Donna Jean Lane, ’54, Del City, Oklahoma

Vern Shipman, ’60, Garland, Texas

Helen Mossman, ’54, ’75, Petaluma, California

Virgil Wells, ’60, Buffalo, Oklahoma

Maxine Peier, ’54, Wichita, Kansas

Bob West, ’60, Stillwater

Andy Alexander Jr., ’55, Austin, Texas

John Wilhoit Jr., ’60, ’61, ’75, Grove, Oklahoma

Lyle Bailey, ’55, Ada, Oklahoma

Donald Boydstun, ’61, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Sara Loy, ’55, Clemson, South Carolina

Paul Cook, ’61, ’65, Moorhead, Minnesota

Dale Putnam, ’55, Oklahoma City

Cotton Dunn, ’61, Plano, Texas

Milton Armstrong, ’56, Lawton, Oklahoma

Ron Gilman, ’61, Willis, Texas

Arlen Hill, ’56, Shawnee, Oklahoma

Donald Reitz, ’61, Goodland, Kansas

Dixon Hubbard, ’56, Cordell, Oklahoma

Robert Richey, ’61, Muskogee, Oklahoma

Patsy Klingstedt, ’56, ’76, Carrollton, Texas

Don Soergel, ’61, Edmond, Oklahoma

Ed Long, ’56, Stillwater

Karl Stoneking, ’61, Buford, Georgia

Fred Matthews, ’56, Charlotte, North Carolina

Jim Wood, ’61, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Billy McQuain, ’56, Duncan, Oklahoma

Bob Bublitz Sr., ’62, ’63, ’83, Spokane, Washington

Earl Krieg, ’62, Ponca City, Oklahoma

Laura Louella Wilson, ’72, ’80, Tulsa

Jennifer Carlson, ’85, ’16, Tulsa

Bob Payne, ’62, ’66, Florence, Oregon

Weldon Brown, ’73, Oklahoma City

Billy Cornelius, ’85, Sayre, Oklahoma

Dorothy Perry, ’62, Muskogee, Oklahoma

Charles Haley, ’73, Denton, Texas

Floyd Lindley Jr., ’85, Durant, Oklahoma

Tom Baker, ’63, Oklahoma City

K.W. McCulloch, ’73, ’78, Martinsburg, West Virginia

Daniel Walker, ’85, Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Janet Ray, ’63, Cache, Oklahoma

Phyllis Sams, ’73, ’79, Stillwater

Stan Hanes, ’86, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Steve Thurman, ’63, ’64, Enid, Oklahoma

Jim Walker, ’73, Fort Smith, Arkansas

Harvard Tomlinson Sr., ’63, ’64, Duncan, Oklahoma

Jimmie Weaver Jr., ’73, Duncan, Oklahoma

Ricky McDaniel, ’86, Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Jeanette Willet, ’63, Oklahoma City

Theodore Anderson, ’74, Oklahoma City

Carol Ann Drummond, ’64, ’87, ’91, Tulsa

Linda Calvert, ’74, Norman, Oklahoma

Lewis Partridge, ’64, ’66, Benton, Arkansas

Patricia Franklin, ’74, Oklahoma City

Bob Rigdon, ’64, Lakeland, Florida

Joe Hirsch, ’74, Tulsa

John Stuedemann, ’64, ’67, ’70, Comer, Georgia

Mike Hurt, ’74, Purcell, Oklahoma

Norman Warminski, ’64, Wichita, Kansas

Beverly Mathis, ’74, ’81, Tulsa

Payson Willard III, ’64, ’70, Springfield, Missouri

Carl Phelps, ’74, Chickasha, Oklahoma

Dudley Goolsby Jr., ’65, Oklahoma City

Lovenia Sturm, ’74, ’76, ’85, Oklahoma City

Richard Smith, ’65, Oklahoma City

Danny Williams, ’74, Cushing, Oklahoma

James Marsh, ’66, Corpus Christi, Texas

Teresa Axtell, ’75, ’98, Yukon, Oklahoma

Peter Martic, ’66, Geneva, New York

Brenda Johnson, ’75, ’76, Richardson, Texas

Willa Mae McClure, ’66, ’74, Calvin, Oklahoma

Robert McCartney, ’75, ’77, Chouteau, Oklahoma

Steve Walker, ’66, Savannah, Georgia

Kathryn Ray, ’75, Norman, Oklahoma

Jim Holland Jr., ’67, ’69, Dallas

William Tohee Jr., ’75, Perkins, Oklahoma

John Selby, ’68, Rocky River, Ohio

Douglas Traywick, ’75, ’81, Anadarko, Oklahoma

Charlie Bates Jr., ’69, Edmond, Oklahoma

Thomas Jones, ’76, ’79, Idabel, Oklahoma

Dorothy Kitchingham, ’69, ’73, Oklahoma City

Charles Kimberling, ’76, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Micah Morrow, ’69, Guthrie, Oklahoma

Thomas Page, ’76, Claremore, Oklahoma

Bob Williams, ’69, Highland Village, Texas

James Reeb, ’76, ’79, Newburg, Missouri

Richard Wilson, ’69, ’72, Pittsville, Maryland

Ann Waughtal, ’76, ’84, Stillwater

Jim Batson, ’70, Ponca City, Oklahoma

Billy Joe McAffrey, ’77, Warner, Oklahoma

John Hron IV, ’70, ’73, Ponca City, Oklahoma

Marjorie Atherton, ’78, Sunnyvale, California

Gene Meharg, ’70, Enid, Oklahoma

Danny Daniel III, ’79, Porum, Oklahoma

Lonnie Moore, ’70, ’72, Dallas

Michael Kallam, ’79, ’80, ’84, Cypress, Texas

Rick Pike, ’70, Smithville, Oklahoma

Tracy Newton, ’79, Melissa, Texas

Larry Seward, ’70, ’79, Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Paul Sanford, ’79, Colorado Springs, Colorado

David Tanner, ’70, ’77, Russellville, Arkansas

Becky Sowell, ’79, Oklahoma City

Bob Wendt, ’70, Cleveland, Tennessee

Jon Yee, ’79, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Sharon Dorrell, ’71, Cache, Oklahoma

Patrick Beaty, ’80, Dallastown, Pennsylvania

Joy Greer, ’71, Tulsa

Brad Hembree, ’80, Shawnee, Oklahoma

Harold Hall, ’71, Cleveland, Oklahoma

Mike Davis, ’81, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Neal Patterson, ’71, ’73, Captiva, Florida

Thomas Downs, ’82, ’87, Ponca City, Oklahoma

Paul Porter, ’71, Oklahoma City

Mildred Speer, ’82, Cedar Vale, Kansas

Donald Sliger, ’71, Idabel, Oklahoma

Harlan Gourdie, ’83, Apopka, Florida

Lynne Stewart, ’71, Oklahoma City

Lisa Musick, ’83, Early, Texas

Allan Battles, ’72, Oklahoma City

Saline Randolph, ’83, Mannford, Oklahoma

Amanda Copeland, ’72, Mayflower, Arkansas

Paul Rodman, ’83, Stillwater

Charles Fuller, ’72, Geary, Oklahoma

Toni Eads, ’84, ’85, Corpus Christi, Texas

Denny Gabler, ’72, Altus, Oklahoma

Lawana Kunze, ’84, ’88, Shawnee, Oklahoma

Gary Lawrence, ’72, ’02, Bristow, Oklahoma

James Roberts, ’84, Shawnee, Oklahoma

Larry Rourke, ’72, Mustang, Oklahoma

Carla Turner, ’84, Larkspur, Colorado

Chuck Tate, ’86, Bartlesville, Oklahoma Shelly Houghton, ’87, Dallas Karen Mott, ’87, Bixby, Oklahoma John Schulze, ’87, Pawnee, Oklahoma Amy Clark, ’88, Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania Larry Zwahlen, ’88, Tulsa Faye Buchanan,’ 89, Wynnewood, Oklahoma Walter Grabow, ’89, Omega, Oklahoma John Johnson, ’90, Roanoke, Texas Alvin Rollins, ’90, Perry, Oklahoma Jerry Waughtal, ’90, Stillwater Douglas Cooper, ’91, Oklahoma City Keith Robinson, ’91, Edmond, Oklahoma Joshua Daniels, ’92, Chula Vista, California Jamie Mundy, ’92, Jay, Oklahoma Lisa Brown, ’93, Ketchum, Oklahoma Rick Duerr Jr., ’93, Joplin, Missouri Lloyd Vanzant, ’93, Wetumka, Oklahoma Julie Grider, ’94, ’95, Davis, Oklahoma Jimmie Strawn, ’94, Eldorado, Oklahoma Robert Jordan, ’95, Tecumseh, Oklahoma Eryn Miller, ’96, Yukon, Oklahoma Landon Endres, ’00, Okarche, Oklahoma Gregory Sullivan, ’00, Decatur, Illinois Christopher Glenn, ’02, Tulsa David Buckner, ’04, ’05, ’06, Tulsa Von Lofland, ’04, Columbia, South Carolina Adam McClung, ’04, Vilonia, Arkansas Geron Gall, ’07, Oklahoma City Jon Psaila, ’09, ’13, Clovis, California Jonathan Nelson, ’12, Tulsa Friends of the OSU Alumni Association Howard Conlon, Ann Arbor, Michigan Robert Dockrey, Shawnee, Oklahoma Betty Hazelbaker, Perkins, Oklahoma Carol Hull, Beggs, Oklahoma Robert Kerby, Vinita, Oklahoma Larry Kizziar, Ponca City, Oklahoma Michael Mulvey, Stillwater Julia Thomas, Oklahoma City

Book Corner Marianne Gage ’52

Marianne Gage has lived in California for more than 60 years. She was born in Oklahoma and earned her degree from Oklahoma State University, moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1952. She did graduate work at San Francisco State and California College of the Arts. Gage eventually went on to become a teacher and an author, recently writing her third novel, Private Faces.

Private Faces is about an artist, Natalie Newbury, and her relationships with the women whose portraits she paints throughout the years. After spending the past fifteen years in France, Natalie is having an art show in her friend’s gallery as a reintroduction to America. Before the show starts, Natalie finds evidence that her husband, Ben, has been having an affair with one of her good friends. Natalie begins to re-live her marriage and analyze her husband’s relationship with each woman whose portrait she has painted. Her quest causes her to face the truths of infidelity, betrayal and artistic fulfillment.

Gage’s other books include The Putneyville Fables (2012) and The Wind Came Running (2010). Gage met her husband Ed Diffenderfer, an illustrator, at California College of the Arts. They live in the San Francisco area and have two grown children and three grandsons. Private Faces is available at amazon.com.

Doris Trotter, Vian, Oklahoma

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Nora Amaryllis Talbot Oklahoma pioneering educator of women

BY DAV I D C. P E T E R S O K L A H O M A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y ARCHIVES

N

o one exemplifies the first 50 years of Oklahoma State University and especially the College of Human Sciences better than its longtime dean, Nora Talbot.

From settling in Stillwater as a teen with her family just six months after the first classes were held at the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College to enrolling in the first courses offered by the single domestic science faculty member, Talbot was a part of OAMC at its very beginning.

She graduated in 1910 and returned to her alma mater in 1915 as a young faculty member and department head in the School of Home Economics. In 1923, she was named dean of that school, a position she held for 27 years, one of the longest deanships throughout the university’s history. Her path to this career in academia was neither straight nor simple.

Nora Amaryllis Talbot was born August 30, 1878, in southeast Nebraska, the oldest child of John P. and Isadore Alice (Sommers) Talbot, who went on to have six more children.

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In the spring of 1892, John Talbot and his hired hand drove two wagons loaded with many of the family’s possessions into the new Oklahoma Territory. John took a homestead claim six miles south of Stillwater that had been relinquished by the original occupant.

Alice and the seven Talbot children arrived by train in Wharton (now Perry) in June 1892 to live in their new home, a 400-square-foot house with no interior walls. Before long, it was replaced by a log house with an adjacent kitchen and an upstairs sleeping loft. The Talbots were joined by two other families from Nebraska. All three families were affiliated with the Church of Christ, Scientist, which had been founded only a decade earlier in 1879. The Stillwater congregation they formed in 1896 as charter members was the first established west of the Mississippi and only the third one worldwide.

The Talbot children attended the Lost Creek District School, a one-room school house a mile east of their farm. The parents encouraged and supported their children in their studies. Music education, both at school and in the home, was also important for the Talbots. Their exposure to music had begun in Nebraska, where Mr. Talbot had helped sponsor a small

band and supported the purchase of musical instruments. Nora learned to play the snare drum, and the family purchased an organ that would later travel to the Oklahoma Territory.

The family’s music education continued in Stillwater. Mr. Talbot hired the city band leader, L.O. Woods, to teach the oldest children. Neighboring children PHOTOS / OSU ARCHIVES

The Talbot family constructed a log house with an adjacent kitchen and upstairs sleeping loft on their farm six miles south of Stillwater.

Talbot sisters, from left, Nora, Myrtle and Gertrude, enjoyed music with their family.

Nora played the piano, cornet and other instruments. soon joined these practices. News of their talent spread quickly, and the Talbot Family Band began traveling to entertain at community activities and local celebrations. Stillwater soon formed a women’s band, and Nora played the cornet.

The year Nora turned 19, she enrolled at Oklahoma A&M College as a preparatory student. Secondary school education in the Oklahoma Territory was still in its infancy. The preparatory program at the college provided the educational foundation a student would need for the college curriculum and the equivalency of a high school degree if completed successfully. Nora excelled and soon enrolled in college classes. Within a year, she was a sophomore.

Women’s physical education classes were mandatory, and music was played during exercise and marching drills.

The teacher discovered that Nora could play the piano; from that point on, Nora provided the musical accompaniment for the fitness classes.

Nora assisted students in voice classes by playing the piano for them during lessons, practices and performances. She also joined the OAMC women’s octet.

During Nora’s junior year at college, siblings Myrtle and Amos started the preparatory program, and the three rented a small house near the campus with some of their friends. Nora enrolled in all of

the new domestic science classes that were offered. College President A.C. Scott had hired Maud Gardiner as the first instructor in 1900 to teach clothing design and construction, food preparation and storage, and domestic economy in order to run an efficient household.

In 1898, Alice Talbot received funds from her father’s estate, and the family used it to purchase seven lots at the southeast corner of Knoblock Street and Fourth Avenue, where a two-story home soon went up for the entire Talbot family.

The location became known as “Talbot

Corner” and hosted many activities for the community and college. Tragedy struck the family that fall: Amos died in September and 10-year-old Stella died in October.

Just a few credit hours shy of graduation, Nora left OAMC in 1901, possibly to better support her family. She made many of the clothes worn by the family and accepted a full-time position at a dry goods store in Stillwater. Nora used her dressmaking talents to design and sew for local women and soon developed a large customer base. She also worked part-time in a jewelry store and provided music lessons for area youth. Her sister Myrtle established the first nursery school in Stillwater, and Nora provided her skills on the piano for children’s games and songs.

All of these activities continued until 1906.

Nora also was selected as one of 12 Stillwater women chosen to play at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, also known as the St. Louis World’s Fair. The Oklahoma Women’s Marching Band performed twice each day, once in the morning and again in the evening.

Band members received all-access passes to enjoy exhibits, special events and the amusement park. Nora rode a roller coaster for the time, experienced the latest innovations of the new century and was exposed to the cultures of the world.

In 1906, Nora enrolled in the music

Dean Nora Talbot led the faculty of the School of Home Economics in academic year 1935-36. She was named head of the Domestic Arts Department in 1915 and Dean of the school in 1923, expanding the faculty and student enrollment until her retirement in the 1950s.

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PHOTOS / OSU ARCHIVES

OAMC President Henry Bennett and Dean Nora Talbot revealed plans for the construction of a new building for home economics. education program at Oklahoma Normal College (now the University of Central Oklahoma) in Edmond and received her music education certification in 1907, becoming supervisor of music education for Stillwater schools. Within a year, 100 students were ready to perform in the first school cantata at the Stillwater Opera House. Two performances were necessary to meet audience demand.

Nora then taught one year in Parsons, Kansas, before returning to OAMC in the spring of 1910 to complete her bachelor’s in domestic science and arts. The college had recently completed the Women’s Building, which provided housing for women and classrooms. This academic program had continued to expand since its founding a decade earlier, and Nora was intrigued by the potential for future development. Music performance, education and appreciation would remain with her for the rest of her life, but her career would focus now on the domestic sciences (home economics/human sciences).

She began teaching domestic science classes in the fall of 1910 at Nowata, Oklahoma. Classroom facilities and equipment were very meager, so she organized a successful local cantata to raise funds for new desks, sewing machines and kitchen utensils. Nora taught in Nowata for three years before transferring to

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Muskogee, Oklahoma, for a position with greater responsibility. The curriculum in Muskogee included first aid and health classes and provided her first opportunity to teach boys. In the fall of 1915, OAMC President R.W. Cantwell offered Nora the head of the Domestic Arts Department job in the School of Home Economics, and she accepted, appreciating the opportunity to return to her family in Stillwater.

Prospects for OAMC’s School of Home Economics were improving rapidly.

Congressional approval of the SmithHughes Act in 1917 provided additional federal support for home economics training and extension programs. A practice house was established on campus in 1918 for students to experience the realities of managing a household. Home management became more realistic with the inclusion of babies as part of the experience.

The college was one of three institutions nationwide to adopt babies and bring them to campus. A new Home Economics Building was constructed in 1920, and the school dramatically expanded its academic programing.

During her summers, Nora took advanced classes in home economics at Columbia University in New York, completing her master’s degree in the spring of 1921.

In 1923, OAMC President Bradford Knapp offered the dean of the School of Home Economics to Nora, who was wellprepared to step up at age 45.

Dean Nora Talbot oversaw the expansion of the School of Home Economics from five faculty members at her appointment to almost 70 full-time faculty at her retirement in 1950. Enrollment quadrupled from 200 undergraduates in 1923 to more than 900 undergrads and 200 graduate students 27 years later. Academic majors and opportunities became more diversified during her years.

In 1925, Dean Talbot encouraged the addition of home economics classes for men and recognized the important roles they played in home life. The men would also learn personal grooming, nutrition and social etiquette. Beginning in 1930, off-campus teaching centers were created that ultimately expanded across the state.

The School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration was established in 1938.

She was a strong advocate for education, and especially higher education, for all.

Nora Talbot lived with and cared for her parents until the deaths of her mother in 1941 and her father in 1945. With their passing, she built a new home on Talbot Corner that remains today.

As dean emeritus, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1956.

She remained active in her church, on campus, and in the community during her retirement. She died January 7, 1970.

The inscription on her grave marker simply states she was “An Educator of Women.”

Five generations of teachers gather including, from left, Nellie Kedzie Jones, Abbie L. Marlott, Maud Gardiner Obrecht, Nora Amaryllis Talbot and Nellie Evans.

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Listen to audio excerpts of OSU alumni sharing their compelling life stories and college memories or read their interview transcripts at librar y.okstate.edu/oralhistor y/ostate.

Herstory History through the eyes of women

BY S A R A H M I L L I G A N

In 2015, OSU celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Amid the commemoration projects and events, the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program in the OSU Library decided to look at the continued OSU presence in the state through the firsthand perspective of a sample of alumni in all 77 Oklahoma counties. While many themes emerged from the interviews, not surprisingly one of them was the changing lives of women on campus over various generations.

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While discussing women’s work roles in her home community of Rattan, Oklahoma, Elaine Smith suggested, “No one ever told me that I could be anything other than a teacher or a nurse or a mom, and if I were going to be a teacher, probably not a science teacher.” When asked if the expectation of gender roles were equally limited on the OSU campus, she replied:

Patsi Smith, a 1962 graduate and the only female undergraduate student in the animal science program at the time, recalls a pretty clear gender divide on campus.

“Somewhat, I suppose, but only as much as we allowed ourselves to be.

Of course, it was a time of great transition. I could have been more active in that direction, and now, looking back, wish I had ventured out more.

I’m not a person that enjoys a lot of change, and going from such a small campus [high school] to such a large one was a lot of change. I think I pretty well stayed on track, safe, not too adventurous. … I was frustrated, I think, by the fact that there were certain types of behavior that was acceptable for men but not acceptable for women — double standard. … Probably socially more than any other. An example: It was fine for the guys to go to Willie’s or George’s, but a young woman was frowned upon if she frequented Willie’s or George’s or even some of the places on the Strip. I thought that was very unfair. Still do.”

“Yes, it was different for me. At that time, you could not wear jeans into the library. You had to wear dresses if you went into the library. Now if in the winter you had a long coat and you rolled your jeans up, you could get away with it.”

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Karen Anderson, a 1963 graduate recalls how pregnancy could affect a student’s future:

Moving forward a generation, Luann Waters recalls the 1970s, when there was a visible shift in women’s roles on the OSU campus reflecting the national trends in women’s liberation.

Compare those experiences to the adventures shared in an interview with 2012 graduate Callie Connolly, and the social changes during this time are obvious. Connolly discusses a special assignment during her college internship with the Cherokee Nation:

“My mother was really unhappy because I got pregnant before I did my practice teaching. In that day, I had friends in elementary education who’d sign a contract that [they] would not go out practicing teaching pregnant.

Yes, it was a big deal. My mother was like, ‘You worked so hard to get this far!’ … The man at the college, who was supervising out of the College of Education, had not a clue I was pregnant. I was very lucky that I didn’t show very much. … He wanted me to go to Sand Springs and interview for a position. … I said, “My husband’s … in the School of Civil Engineering.

He’s going to go through the engineering training program. We’re going to go to Oklahoma City.” (Laughs) Phew! I got through that, because it was really a big deal that you could not go out pregnant.”

“I think in the early 1970s everybody was trying to decide, ‘Do we want to be rebellious like we hear that they’re being everywhere else?’ I wore my hair long and straight and might occasionally have a sarape vest on or one thing and another … somewhat questioning. Still very middle America, more conservative, but a lot of people bringing up questions of, ‘What are we doing to the environment? What are we doing to each other?’ Some of those kind of things were going on.

Young women especially were, you know, finding more freedom than they’d ever had a chance to experience before and learning how to modify that and not get yourself in trouble.”

“There was a wonderful program that they were doing off of the Hard Rock, which was in the building right next to mine. Cherokee Nation Businesses is the holding company for Cherokee Nation Entertainments, which has all the casinos in it . . . I got to spend one afternoon on the 13th story of the Hard Rock, hanging off of the building upside down and backwards with a harness on and holding a camera and videoing [the] chief and other people as they rappelled down the side of the building. It was to raise money for the Special Olympics.

Yeah, I was very lightheaded when I finished that project, but I had the best time. Then, they allowed us to rappel down afterwards. I had some really fun experiences.”

There are many perspectives documented during this project, and other OSU alumni interviews, that reflect the changing culture and expectations of students over time.

Visit the entire travel log at cowboys.library.okstate.edu.

O-State Stories is part of the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at the Edmon Low Library, chronicling the rich history, heritage and traditions of Oklahoma State University. Interviews are available online at library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/digital/ostate-stories. For more information, call 405-744-7685.

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Dr. Trudy Milner

Mrs. Lou Watkins

Thank You T H E C O W B O Y FA M I LY celebrates the influence and impact of

Dr. Trudy Milner and Mrs. Lou Watkins, OSU’s two female regents.

Thank you for leading by example, forging change and helping make OSU America’s Brightest Orange.

201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center Stillwater, OK 74078-7043

Does your information need to be updated?

Visit ORANGECONNECTION.org/update to submit changes to your official OSU alumni record.

Encourage the high school senior you know to apply by the February 1 Priority Scholarship Deadline to be considered for great scholarship opportunities.

the gift that keeps on giving —

AN OSU EDUCATION. admissions.okstate.edu/apply