Chapter Leader Profile: Mike Presnal Tulsa is an orange town — at least that’s what Tulsa Chapter President Mike Presnal says. More than 40,000 OSU alumni reside in the Tulsa area. Presnal is in charge of organizing those alumni and leading one of the most successful alumni chapters. “Tulsa is an OSU city, and we want to keep it that way,” Presnal says. A native of Stillwater, Presnal was born a Cowboy. His parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and brother all graduated from OSU. His grandfather, Robert Price, was head of the Agricultural Education Department and later inducted into the OSU Hall of Fame. OSU employed Pistol Pete joins Tulsa Chapter President Mike Presnal after a run. both of his parents. “I felt no pressure to attend OSU,” jokes Presnal. As a student, Presnal took advantage of every opportunity he could to get involved. He participated in Concert Chorale, the Student Union — Mike Presnal Activities Board, Kappa Sigma fraternity and President’s Leadership The Tulsa Chapter holds several events throughout the year Council. He also spent a summer studying at OSU-Kyoto in to help raise funds to support OSU students. In addition to watch Japan and worked at Carmike Cinema. He graduated in 1995 parties at Dave and Buster’s, the chapter participates in Albert with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. G’s Bedlam Run through downtown Tulsa. The group hosts an “I loved my time at OSU,” Presnal says. “Some of my favorite annual event for OSU Legacies and a Cowboy Crawl in the Blue memories are just walking through our beautiful campus, going Dome District. In the past six years, the chapter’s biggest event, to basketball games at Gallagher-Iba Arena, collecting Joe’s cups Vintage O-State, has raised more than $150,000 in scholarship and reading the O’Colly.” funds that have been awarded to more than 100 students. The connections he made at OSU also helped him get Under Presnal’s leadership, the Tulsa Chapter has continued involved after graduation. Two of his fellow PLC peers, Nicole to grow. Last year, the chapter raised more than $42,000 and Bostian Trantham and Sonya Beck Widowski, served as Tulsa presented 22 scholarships to Tulsa-area students. Their goal this Chapter presidents. They encouraged him to attend alumni meetyear is to raise $50,000 for scholarships. ings but he resisted until one night about six years ago. “Ultimately, my decision to attend OSU was influenced by the “I went to one meeting and I was hooked,” Presnal says. “It scholarships I received,” Presnal says. “That is one of the reasons feels great to give back to the university that gave me so much.” I’m so passionate about helping our chapter raise scholarship funds.” TULSA CHAPTER BY THE NUMBERS In his spare time, Presnal and his wife, Jaclyn, love to travel. 46,271 alumni and friends They have visited Italy, Hawaii, 4,171 members Puerto Rico, France, Spain and 4,587 current students from Tulsa County Mexico in the last few years. 60 miles from Stillwater They also enjoy running together.
“Ultimately, my decision to attend OSU was influenced by the scholarships I received. That is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about helping our chapter raise scholarship funds.”
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