Local Church Makes Over 2600 Masks for Students • Passing of CSC’s Lou Henson

both online and face-to-face classes with an additional flexible option for students to participate and interact with instructors by webcam during regularly scheduled class sessions. Courses are labeled in Banner for students to be aware of the format they chose for instruction delivery.

“Connors’ reopening plan was developed following input from returning and incoming students, faculty and staff, as well as recommendations from the CDC, the Oklahoma Department of Health, and Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences,” said Dr. Ron Ramming, President of CSC.

“Because of the fluid nature of the pandemic, changes and updates to the plan may change as new information becomes available.”

Residential housing on the Warner campus is open to students and has additional safety restrictions in place for guests visiting and common areas for students.

“The safety of our students, faculty

and staff is the upmost importance of the college, while providing the students an atmosphere where they can learn and be successful,” said Ramming. We know that despite our very best efforts, we will not be able to guarantee we will be able to prevent exposure to COVID-19 throughout the semester and year; however, we will continue to work together to create a safe environment to significantly reduce the chance of infections and slow the spread of the virus.

With all of the constant changes ongoing due to the pandemic, CSC athletics continues to follow the requested guidelines from the NJCAA to ensure safety of our athletes and fans. For all fall scrimmages and games, every fan attending should have their temperatures taken before entering a facility. If a fan has a temperature, they must be asked to leave, as they cannot attend the event for their safety as well as the safety of others. CSC also strongly encourages that all

fans wear masks while at any event. The temperatures of the opposing team and coaches will be taken when they arrive for any event. Hand sanitizer will be placed at the facility or field where the event is being played.

Coaches are asked to schedule time in the fitness center for their teams to work out to avoid multiple students in the fitness center at a time. Machines are being sanitized and students are asked to wipe the machine down each time after use. All athletes are being screened before practices in facilities on the CSC campus.

With continued efforts from all faculty, students, and staff, CSC looks forward to adapting to the new “normal”, and maintaining on campus throughout the school year.

COMMUNITY Local Church Makes Over 2,600 Masks for CSC Students

A face mask assembly line to social distance,” Ramming said. up north and Oregon,” Hale said. operated each Tuesday out of one “And we’re really going to encourage The women had several group of the rooms at First Baptist Church mask wearing in those situations. sewing sessions, from 10 a.m. to 1 of Warner. For several hours each We’re doing as much as we can to p.m. week, one woman cut materials stop the spread of the virus.” “We set up kind of an assembly into 14-inch by 9-inch segments. A Connors’ Dean of Students Mike line,” Ward said. couple of other women folded and Jackson said he’s pleased the church Many women brought their own ironed, refolded and re-ironed the members agreed to help. sewing machines. Others did ironing segments into three or four layers. “Masks are hard to find right and cutting. More women sewed the layers now, especially in the quantity we “We love the fellowship of it,” she together with elastic, then it’s more need,” he said. “A lot of schools said. “It may take us a few minutes ironing. Members of the church’s are doing different kinds of things. to get everything ready to go. sewing group sewed over 2,600 The fact that it’s a reusable mask They made 70 masks in one masks for Connors State College means a lot to us because finding session. before the start of the fall semester those disposable masks has been First Baptist has been known for this August. Group coordinator Deb a difficulty. They can wash this one its outreach, she said. Salmon said Connors’ officials asked and reuse it as much as they need “It’s what we’re supposed to do as if the group would make the masks to.” Christians,” Ward said. She said the for incoming students. Sewing group member Vickey sewing group meets monthly to sew

CSC President Ron Ramming Ward called the work “a labor of love children’s clothes for the Operation said the college will distribute the for the Connors’ community.” Christmas Child ministry. masks to students at the Warner Connors provides bolts of The church also was a distribution and Muskogee campuses. It’s a material, plus thread and elastic, she center during the 2019 floods. precaution Connors takes as the said. “We just have a heart to help COVID-19 pandemic remains. Church member Judy Hale said others,” she said. “So we very rarely

“As our students come back and she feels she’s doing the work for say no to anybody who asks for as we’re making plans to have the Lord. She said Connors’ students help. It’s who we are and what we students come back on campus in will need the masks because they do.” as safe a manner as we can, there’s come from all over the country. Story by The Muskogee Phoenix going to be times where it’s difficult “We had them from back east and

Passing of CSC’s Lou Henson

Okay native Lou Henson, the all-time wins leader as men’s basketball coach at the University of Illinois and New Mexico State, died Saturday at his home in Champaign, Ill., at 88, his family announced Wednesday.

Henson was buried Wednesday in a ceremony in Champaign, which was attended by family only. He had battled cancer over the past two decades after an initial diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2003.

Henson graduated from Okay in 1951, played at Connors State College in 1951 and 1952 before going on to his successful collegiate coaching career. After having his Connors’ jersey retired in 1994, he was the first person inducted into the Connors’ Athletic Hall of Fame, that being in 2012, and the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He most recently was inducted to the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, in 2019.

“The Cowboy family lost a legend today, a man inducted into numerous hall of fames and having two courts named after him at both New Mexico State and Illinois,” said Connors’ athletic director and men’s basketball coach Bill Muse.

“He always wanted to give you as much time as he could. He and his wife Mary have been very supportive of our program throughout the years. He fought a great fight to the end. A really quality life.”

Charlie McMahan, who was once boys basketball coach and athletic director at Okay and now is superintendent at Porter, had one brief phone encounter with Henson.

“We were we had a very short conversation one time trying to get him one year to come to a sports banquet. There was a last minute something and he couldn’t make it,” McMahan said.

“I remember how humble it seemed he was, how it didn’t feel like he was sitting here talking to some peon coach. At the same time, I’m sitting on the phone ‘thinking hey, I’m really talking to this guy,’” said McMahan.

Henson’s coaching career began at Las Cruces (New Mexico) High School in 1957 and spanned 21 years at Illinois. He retired in 2005, 21 wins shy of becoming only the fifth coach in Division I history to win 800 games. Henson retired with a career record of 779-413, the sixth-winningest in Division I history at the time.

His initial job coaching in the college ranks in 1962 at HardinSimmons University in Texas. As a condition of taking the HardinSimmons job, Henson insisted that the team (and thus the school) be racially integrated, a condition to which the university agreed. He was 67-36 in four seasons there with two 20-win campaigns.

During a 41-year career, Henson registered 423 wins at Illinois and 289 at New Mexico State, where he coached from 1966 to 1975 and again from 1997 to 2005. He led both schools to the Final Four — the Aggies in 1970 and the Illini in 1989.

“Our Orange and Blue hearts are heavy,” Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said in a statement. “We have lost an Illini icon. We have lost a role model, a friend, and a leader. “Coach Henson’s true measure will be felt in the lives he touched – the lives of his former players, people on this campus, and friends in our broader community.”

For years after Henson left the sidelines, he and his wife, Mary, were widely loved, unofficial ambassadors for both Illinois and New Mexico State and the towns where they’re located, Champaign, Illinois, and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

“Who doesn’t love Lou? Seriously — who doesn’t love him?” former NBA player Reggie Theus, who succeeded Henson at New Mexico State and considered him a mentor, once said. “Because he’s genuine. There’s no ego there.”

Henson is survived by his wife, Mary, and daughters Lisa, Lori and Leigh Anne. A son, 35-year-old Lou Henson Jr., died in a 1992 car accident.

Story by The Muskogee Phoenix

COWBOY FAMILY Dr. Tabitha Hibbs, Faculty

baseball program, starting as third baseman for both years while on the field for Coach Keith.

“Being a part of the baseball program, the coaches had a huge impact on me as a person,” said Mendham. “The program taught me how to work hard and achieve my goals.”

Dr. Tabatha Hibbs hails from Nebo, Kentucky. Dr. Hibbs is co-chair for the Undergraduate Research Program at Connors State College, a new program started recently. Dr. Hibbs teaches Comp I, Comp II, Humanities I, Creative Writing, and British Literature. She obtained her multiple degrees from several universities; Western Kentucky University, McNeese State University, and the University of Tulsa, where she earned her doctorate in English.

When asked why she chose to work at Connors, Dr. Hibbs states she was successful in college because of the support and mentoring she received from faculty, despite being a firstgeneration college student from a rural community.

“Working at Connors gives me the opportunity to offer that same support to students of a similar background,” said Dr. Hibbs.

Dr. Hibbs is also the faculty editor for Kaleidoscope, the creative writing and photography journal for students, staff, and faculty at Connors State College. In her spare time, Dr. Hibbs enjoys gardening, and she and her husband are restoring their 120-year-old house. Dr. Hibbs said she is continually challenged as an instructor to adapt to the changing student needs and learning styles.

“There is a deep commitment on the part of faculty, administration, and staff to seeing students succeed, not just in the classroom but in all areas of life,” said Dr. Hibbs. “That support is important for students beginning college, regardless of their age.”

Dr. Hibbs stated one of her favorite things about working at Connors State College is getting to know and work one on one with

David Mendham, Student

Coming from Dorchester, Ontario, While at CSC, Mendham had David Mendham is a recent several achievements on and off graduate of Connors State College. the field including All American and Mendham attended Connors State Academic All American in 2019, and College on a baseball scholarship playing in the Junior College World for two years. Mendham graduated Series of Baseball in 2019. high school from Catholic Central, While at Connors, Mendham’s in London, Ontario. As a child, 2019 seasonal stats include: .422 Mendham always had dreams of average, 14 home runs, and 81 RBI, becoming a Major League Baseball ranking number two in the National player, and CSC is helping him Junior College Athletic Association accomplish his dreams. for RBI stats.

“I chose Connors State because Currently, Mendham is residing in of the legacy and standard of Columbia, South Carolina, attending sportsmanship Coach Keith has set his first year at the University inside his baseball program,” said of South Carolina on a baseball Mendham. scholarship, where he is majoring in

Mendham was very involved in the Criminal Law.

some truly fantastic young people.

Originally from, and currently residing in Hulbert, Okla., Rex Jordan attended Connors State College from 1990-1991. Upon attending CSC, Jordan continued his education at Oklahoma State University, obtaining a bachelor’s

Tosha Stout, Staff

A graduate of Warner HS, Tosha Stout has been employed with Connors State since 2018. Stout was initially hired as an Academic Advisor in the Student Support Services program, then transitioned into the role of Academic Success Coach/ Carl Perkins Advisor and

Rex Jordan, Alumni

degree in Agricultural Education Cherokee Nation Council.” in 1993, and earning his master’s Jordan served his first term on degree in Agriculture in 1997. Jordan the Council from 2015-2019, and is currently in his second term as a won reelection to serve his last term Cherokee Nation Councilor. from 2019 to 2023.

Connors is a family tradition – When asked why Jordan thought Jordan’s son Drew graduated from CSC was a good place for students, Connors with an associate’s degree Jordan said Connors provides a in agriculture in 1996, and daughter great entry into college life. Cray attended CSC in 1999. “I graduated from Hulbert High

“Connors instilled in me the School with a class size around confidence to continue on with my 40, and was the first in my family education at OSU,” said Jordan. to attend college,” said Jordan. “I “I greatly appreciate their help in appreciate the personal touch and assisting me in obtaining a college attention CSC gives to each student.” education.” Jordan said the small classes

Jordan has spent over 25 years and attention instructors give to working for the Cherokee Nation each student makes it possible and and the Housing Authority of easier for students to transition into Cherokee Nation. college life.

“At the Cherokee Nation, I was Along with serving the Cherokee the first Cherokee Nation 4-H Agent Nation as a Council member, Jordan in the Nation,” said Jordan. “Later, I and his family have been involved spend about 20 years working for in 4-H and FFA activities for over 50 the Housing Authority and left as years. a Director in 2015 to run for the

Haley Hilton, Staff

Reach Higher Coordinator.

“To me, Connors is a family,” said Stout. “I grew up in Warner, so the people, which make CSC special, have always been there to support and encourage me.”

Stout currently resides in Keefton, enjoys barbequing with her family, and chasing around her 9-month-old son, Jackson Ray.

Haley Hilton graduated from Hilldale HS, and has also been employed with CSC since 2018. Hilton started as a part time Admissions Clerk, moved to full-time Admissions Clerk, before moving to her current position as Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Hilton said one of her greatest moments here has been watching of Connors State, finishing her the students succeed and graduate. Associate’s Degree in May of 2020.

“The people at Connors will never In her spare time, Hilton and her understand how much I appreciate husband Brandon enjoy spending them,” said Hilton. “Since my first time teaching their kids how to day everyone has been so helpful hunt and fish, along with playing and understanding.” chauffeur to their kids to numerous

Hilton is also a recent graduate ball games and rodeos.