C H A P TERS
Record Cowboy Attendance Boone Pickens Stadium wasn’t the only place breaking attendance records last season. OSU alumni chapters and watch clubs saw a dramatic increase in participation during the 2011 football season. Chapters Director Pam Stubbs says there were 250 watch parties with an average attendance of about 30 Cowboys each — more than 7,500 alumni and friends last season. Stubbs says 23 watch clubs were added and several became chapters. “The football team obviously helped get everything going,” Stubbs says. “A lot of the attendees have enjoyed being together so much that they continued to watch basketball games and build a chapter. A group like Chicago started out as a watch club and recently became a chapter.” Between August and December, more than 17,000 people attended an Alumni Association event, and Stubbs says she wants to increase that figure. “I think it’s great we’ve been able to expand as much as we have,” she says. “It would be nice to have a watch club in every state, and we’re getting closer to that point.” The largest watch party during the season was at the New York City OSU Alumni Chapter, which had more than 250 alumni and friends at its Bedlam watch party and filled the Stillwater Bar and Grill in Manhattan. Chapter President Eric Martin says the restaurant’s owner has even considered expansion. “This year we had the largest crowds ever,” Martin says. “I never expected our turnout to be so large. Just four years ago, our chapter was lucky to have 10 people show up.” Martin says the crowd is usually a blend of residents and tourists. “We get students and families that don’t live in New York to come to Stillwater Bar and Grill and experience the best OSU atmosphere outside Oklahoma,” Martin says. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Stillwater or in New York City, we are all Cowboys.”
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A minimum number of 150 alumni and friends within a 50-mile radius is required to start a chapter or a watch club. Stubbs says there’s no requirement on how many people attend or how often they meet. “We’re all about continuing OSU’s family feeling in the communities where our alumni live,” Stubbs says. “If you’re interested in starting a chapter or watch club in your area, we’re here to assist you in surveying the alumni in your area, providing supplies and sending out communications.” For more information about OSU Alumni chapters and watch parties, visit orangeconnection.org/chapters or call Pam Stubbs at 405-744-8717.
Tulsa Chapter
The Tulsa Cowboy Stampede will again be the stomping ground for OSU alumni and friends in Green Country, but at a new location this year. The Tulsa OSU Alumni Chapter sponsors the annual Cowboy Stampede, which will be held at Ritchie Ranch near Glenpool. Pattie Haga, vice president of the OSU Alumni Association, says the event is perfect for families looking to celebrate their OSU spirit with other future Cowboy and Cowgirls. “The Tulsa Stampede is geared toward children and families because we want to get children excited about OSU,” Haga says. “This year’s event will be similar to those in years past, but at a different location.” The event is set for 4 p.m. June 9. Admission for Alumni Association members is $12 for adults, $8 for under 18 and free for children younger than 4.
Nonmember admission is $16 for adults, $10 for under 18 and free for children younger than 4. Glenn Zannotti, the event’s committee chair and assistant director for development at the OSU Foundation, says there will be activities for all and a chance to meet a few OSU icons. “The event will include a barbecue dinner, Jupiter jumps, and appearances by Pistol Pete and possibly Bullet,” Zannotti says. “We will also have additional outdoor games for the kids, and we have invited President Hargis to the event as well as other OSU dignitaries.” Tulsa Chapter President Tina Parkhill says the event is for OSU alumni and their friends and family. Parkhill encourages everyone to come out to the event, which is typically attended by about 200 orange-clad fans. “This is a wonderful opportunity to get a large number of our OSU alumni, family and friends together to celebrate Oklahoma State, play games and have fun,” Parkhill says. “It’s an exciting event for the chapter every year because one of our chapter’s major initiatives is to engage alumni, and we try to do several events throughout the year.” Ritchie Ranch, 16850 S. 33rd West Ave., is a mile east of U.S. Highway 75 between 161st and 171st streets in Glenpool. Visit orangeconnection.org/tulsastampede for more information and to register online.
Alumni Scholarships OSU alumni chapters are reaching out to future Cowboys and Cowgirls with their annual scholarships. Chapters Director Pam Stubbs says 16 alumni chapters held different fundraising events to award scholarships this year. This was also the first year the application process was online. “We had 677 applicants this spring, compared to last year’s 450, and were able to give $190,000 in scholarships to more than 135 students for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year,” Stubbs says. Through the OSU car tag funds, the Alumni Association matches two scholarships from Oklahoma and Texas chapters up to $1,000. The scholarships range in