Campus Update
January 2017
GOV. ANOATUBBY ADDRESSES
ECU GRADUATES
Gov. Bill Anoatubby, of the Chickasaw Nation, delivered the Fall 2016 Commencement Address at ECU on Dec. 10. At the ceremony, 210 candidates received their bachelor’s degrees while 99 more obtained master’s degrees.
LANOY GIFT HELPS ESTABLISH MATH-SCIENCE INSTITUTE
Thanks to a donation of $350,000 from Pauline Lanoy, the Institute for Math and Science Education has been established at ECU. The new institute is geared toward enhancing the educational experience of prospective teachers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. This was the latest of large gifts made to ECU by Lanoy and her late husband Leon. Their family adorns the recently remodeled Education Building.
CHORALE CAPTURES TOP PRIZE AT INTERNATIONAL EVENT
Competing against choir professionals and more experienced singers, the ECU Chorale claimed the top prize in the Mixed Choir: Level of Difficulty I category at the Golden State Choral Trophy 2016, an international competition conducted in Monterey, California, Nov. 24-25. The ECU Chorale vied for the trophy in the finals with four other choirs, two from the United States and two from Poland. Eighteen choirs in all were selected to take part in the festival, representing the Philippines, Croatia, Afghanistan, the Netherlands, Poland and the U.S. In addition to the capturing the Golden State Choral Trophy, the ECU Chorale also impressed famous composer Dr. Morten Lauridsen. The Chorale performed one of Lauridsen’s most difficult pieces of music – Chanson Eloignee – and Lauridsen offered a glowing critique, admitting how stunned he was that director Dr. Steven Walker and the Chorale performed the piece so well in bringing it to life.
Campus Update January 2017
ECU WELCOMES SUSAN PADDACK
ECU officially welcomed Susan Paddack to campus on Nov. 11 with a “Goodbye Senate and Hello ECU” reception. Paddack, who is serving as executive director of ECU’s new Oka’ Institute, spent 12 years as State Senator for District 13, which includes Pontotoc and Hughes Counties, along with portions of Garvin and Coal Counties in Oklahoma. Paddack also delivered the Women’s Club Lecture on Nov. 4.
VETERAN’S DAY CELEBRATED AT ECU
ECU honored veterans and military service members during a Veteran’s Day ceremony on Nov. 11 at the flagpole near the Centennial Plaza.
NINTH GRADE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS PRACTICES
Ninth grade students from Pontotoc County learned about business practices on Nov. 16 by creating a packaging and shipping company at ECU’s Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business. Along the way they learned about brand marketing to create a logo for their company and pitched their product to volunteers from local businesses. Using resource allocation, they purchased items to build their packaging crate and then tested the results by doing an egg drop.
AREA STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
Area junior high and high school students learned about science and research as they listened to speakers and toured lab facilities on the ECU campus.
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE HOSTED
BY ECU “Empowering Women to Bee Present, Passionate and Positive” was the name of a women’s conference held Nov. 17 at ECU. The day-long event, with a bee theme, included speeches, breakout sessions and vendor booths. Topics included leadership, customer service, time management, finance, health, work, life, balance and more.
SCHOOL OF NURSING CONDUCTS WORKSHOP
The ECU School of Nursing conducted a workshop on Nov. 30 as representatives from the program and various other medical facilities were in attendance.
THANKSGIVING DINNER HELD
The ECU Human Resources Department, along with the Human Resources Club and Silent Friends Club, hosted its Annual Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Nov. 21 at the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex.
TIGER CONNECTION EXPERIENCED BY PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
High School seniors and transfer students experienced a preview day at ECU called “Tiger Connection.” The event is designed for prospective students to check out what ECU has to offer. The next Tiger Connection is set for March 8.
DR. NICHOLSON-WEIR AWARDED PRIZE FOR BEST PAPER
Dr. Rebecca Nicholson-Weir, ECU assistant professor of English and Languages, was recently awarded the 2016 South Central Modern Language Association Prize for Best Paper in Historical, Literary and/or Cultural Studies. Her paper was entitled “Time and Place Will Have Their Say: Experimental Narration in Zora Neale Hurston’s Dust Tracks on a Road.”
THREE OSD GRADUATES EARN MASTER’S DEGREES
Three Oklahoma School for the Deaf graduates walked across the ECU stage to receive their master’s degrees on Dec. 10. The trio is currently employed by OSD, which is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Sisters Trudy Lynn Fox Mitchell and Donna Fox Saaty, who reside in Ada, earned their master’s degrees in human resources administration and human services counseling respectively. Amanda Bowerman Chebultz, from Sulphur, received a master’s degree in educational leadership.
Campus Update January 2017
DR. SEWELL BOARD CERTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Dr. Guy Sewell, professor in East Central University’s Environmental Health Science Department, was recently honored as a board certified environmental scientist by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists Certification Board. Sewell was granted certification to the academy in the specialty of groundwater and the subsurface environment. He is a Robert S. Kerr Endowed Chair and is executive director of the Institute for Environmental Science Education and Research at ECU.
ECU’S SOEA PROVIDES GIFTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
ECU’s chapter of the Student Oklahoma Education Association (SOEA) helped provide Christmas gifts for students at Ada High School. Members of ECU’s SOEA chapter, along with faculty and staff members of the Education and Athletic Departments not only collected t-shirts and clothing for the students, they also planned fundraisers and donated money so the Ada High counselors would be able to purchase gifts for the students.
ECU WINS VOTER REGISTRATION AWARD AGAIN
ECU students hold up three fingers after the university won the Oklahoma Campus Compact Voter Registration Contest for the third straight time.
CODY CAPTURES FIRST PLACE IN TIGER TANK
Christian Cody, a senior business finance major, was the winner of ECU’s 2016 Tiger Tank Pitch Competition. The competition is similar to network television’s “Shark Tank” in which participants pitch a business idea in hopes of securing an investment deal. Cody’s app idea was linking those seeking a healthier lifestyle with local fitness partners and fitness facilities.
MACKEY STUDYING ABROAD IN WALES
Senior Morgan Mackey, of Choctaw, has received the Brad Henry International Scholarship and is studying abroad at Swansea University in Wales through ECU’s Global Education Program.
SHOWTIME PRESENTS “A BROADWAY SPECTACULAR”
Members of ECU Showtime displayed their vocal music skills in performing “A Broadway Spectacular” in the Dorothy I. Summers Theatre in November.
STUDENT TEACHERS FOR SPRING 2017
A group of ECU students pose as they prepare to journey out into the field for their student teaching duties this spring.
Campus Update January 2017
EIGHTY-FIVE INITIATED INTO ALPA CHI
The ECU Chapter of Alpha Chi initiated 85 new students in a ceremony held on Nov. 15. Alpha Chi is comprised of the top 10 percent of juniors and seniors at ECU. Students must have at least a 3.5 grade-point average to be eligible to join.
STUDENTS DIRECT ONE-ACT PLAYS
ECU students directed a series of One-Act Plays, Nov. 17-19, at the Chalmers Herman Theatre. The student directors chose their respective plays at the beginning of the semester. Each held their own auditions for the roles in each play and had rehearsals with limited help from their professors.
ECU BASKETBALL STARS HONORED
ECU basketball player Braxton Reeves was named United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) National Player of the Week on Dec. 21 after averaging 42.5 points in a pair of Tiger back-to-back victories. He tallied 40 points against Texas A&M-Commerce along with an ECU and Great American Conference record 45 against Cameron. Teammate Ishmael Donzo was named Great American Conference Co-Player of the Week on Jan. 9, following the Tigers’ road wins at Harding and Arkansas Tech. Donzo averaged a double-double for the week (18.5 points and 11.0 rebounds). He tallied 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds against Harding and collected 15 points and nine boards against Arkansas Tech.
Campus Update
April 2017
DR. PIERSON TAKES OVER PRESIDENCY OF EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Dr. Katricia G. Pierson officially took over as ECU’s ninth president on March 1. Pierson is the first woman to hold that office in the 108-year history of the institution. Just a day after assuming the ECU presidency, Pierson is interviewed by two reporters – Kendra Germany and Tina Firquain - from the Choctaw Nation. The interview was for the Biskinik Newspaper and a digital TV station. Pierson is a member of the Choctaw Nation.
RETIREMENT RECEPTION CONDUCTED FOR JOHN R. HARGRAVE
Friends, family, dignitaries, employees and students were on hand for the retirement of ECU President John R. Hargrave on Feb. 17. The event featured a dinner, dancing, laughs and reminiscing with ECU’s eighth president.
TIGERS MAKE NCAA D2 TOURNEY FOR FIRST TIME
The ECU men’s basketball team, under the direction of head coach Ja Havens and assistant Aaron Hill, made its first appearance in the NCAA Division 2 Tournament at the Central Region in Maryville, Missouri. The Tigers won their opener, 115-106 in overtime, against Minnesota State-Moorhead, before falling to Southwest Minnesota State in the second round, 74-70. The Tigers finished the season with a 25-8 record. A crowd of ECU students, employees and fans encouraged and wished the Tigers well with a celebratory sendoff to the NCAA Division 2 Central Region on March 9.
ECU CELEBRATES FOUNDER’S DAY
ECU celebrated Founder’s Day on March 24 with various activities, snacks and fun. Included in the festivities was a performance by the ECU Pride of Tigerland Band. Attendees were able to get up close to exotic animals.
NEW CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT WOMEN’S ATHLETICS
Billie Floyd, a longtime educator, state senator and civic leader, is serving as honorary chair of ECU’s new “Campaign for Excellence in Women’s Athletics.” The purpose of the campaign is to provide additional funding for ECU Women’s Athletics as funds raised will be kept at the ECU Foundation, Inc.
ECU ACHIEVES EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR HEALTHY CAMPUS
ECU received the highest certification level – excellence status – for a Certified Healthy Campus by the Oklahoma Turning Point Council and the ECU Administration and Finance Office achieved a Certified Healthy Business Merit Certificate, it was recently announced.
GRANT FUNDS COLLABORATIVE SPACES AT LIBRARY
ECU’s Linscheid Library showcased its new Collaborative Spaces project with an open house on March 24. The spaces, funded through a $40,000 grant from the Sarkeys Foundation, are located on the northwest corner of the second floor of the library.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN SNEAK PEEK
High School juniors and seniors were on the ECU campus March 8 for ECU Tiger Sneak Peek, a one-of-kind campus visit experience, which included tours of campus, meetings with campus and staff concerning scholarship and degree programs .
ECU ALUMNI, FRIENDS GATHER BEFORE THUNDER GAME
ECU alumni and friends gathered for a pregame celebration at the Colcord Hotel in Oklahoma City, prior to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Feb. 3 NBA game against Memphis. The ECU Chorale performed the national anthem before the game.
OKA’ INSTITUTE HOSTS DARCY LECTURE
The 2017 National Ground Water Association’s Darcy Lecture was delivered by Dr. Kamini Singha on Feb. 23, in ECU’s Estep Multimedia Center. The lecture was presented by the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division Series and The Oka’ Institute.
FACULTY, STUDENTS MONITOR CREEK
Water Resources Policy and Management faculty and students were trained by Blue Thumb to monitor creeks and streams. Sarita KC (left) and Dr. Christine Pappas are shown monitoring Sandy Creek.
REIFSNIDER RECEIVES ADA ARTS AWARD
For her years of service to Ada and ECU, Vickie Jo Reifsnider was recently selected as “The 2016 Outstanding Adan in the Arts” by the Ada Arts Council. Reifsnider, musical theatre director, accepted the award during the “Ada Arts Showcase.”
DR. SUKHOLUTSKAYA EARNS AWARD
ECU’s Dr. Mara Sukholutskaya recently received the Excellence in Classroom Teaching Award (Post-Secondary) at the Southwest Conference on Language Teaching in Oklahoma City. The recipient of the award goes to an educator, who teaches languages other than English and has contributed significantly to the teaching of second languages and to the profession.
ECU MOCK TRIAL TEAM COMPETES AT REGIONAL FOR FIRST TIME
For the first time a mock trial team from ECU competed in the College Mock Trials Great Plains Regional Competition, Feb. 10-12, at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Carly Heitland, a political science and English education major from Sulphur, was recognized as one of the 10 Outstanding Witnesses for the competition.
ECU STUDENTS, FACULTY PRESENT POSTERS AT RESEARCH DAY
Fifty ECU students and faculty presented research posters at Research Day at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid on March 3. The event was attended by 950 students statewide. Several ECU representatives posed for a group photo here.
HARDAGE TO SERVE INTERNSHIP AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
ECU junior Josh Hardage, a biology/chemistry double major from Washington, Oklahoma, will serve an internship this summer at Duke University under ECU alumnus Dr. Courtney Karner, assistant professor and research faculty member in the Department of Orthopaedics Research at the prestigious institution in Durham, North Carolina.
NEW MEMBERS INDUCTED INTO ALPHA CHI
Sixty new members were inducted into
ECU’s Chapter of Alpha Chi on March 6. Alpha Chi is comprised of the top 10 percent of juniors and seniors at ECU. Students must have at least a 3.5 grade-point average to be eligible to join.
GSA CONDUCTS BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Students display their signed books from author Sharon Bishop-Baldwin during a GayStraight Alliance
Book Signing event. The book is entitled “Becoming Brave: Winning Marriage Equality in Oklahoma and Finding Our Voice” and it chronicles the legal path in which Sharon and her partner, Mary Bishop-Baldwin, took in the marriage equality battle. Mary is an ECU alum and former ECU faculty member.
AWARDS MOUNTING FOR BASKETBALL STANDOUT BRAXTON REEVES
ECU basketball star Braxton Reeves has achieved numerous postseason awards for his play during the 2016-17 season. Reeves was not only named 2017 Great American Conference Player of the Year and 2017 GAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, but was selected as Division II Conference Commissioners Central Region First Team, NABC Coaches’ Division II All-Central District First Team, 2017 Reese’s NABC Division II All-Star for the West, Basketball Times NCAA Division II All-American Second Team and Division II Conference Commissioners Association Honorable Mention All-American.
TWO TIGER BASKETBALL STARS NAB GAC AWARDS
Braxton Reeves and Ishmael Donzo were honored with postseason basketball awards from the GAC. Reeves was a First Team selection while Donzo was a Second Team pick.
THREE HONORED FROM WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Three members of the ECU women’s basketball team garnered postseason recognition. Devon Branch was named to the All-GAC Second Team while Jalyn Jackson and Whitney Stotler achieved honorable mention status.
Campus Update
June 2017
J. MICHAEL PRINCE HONORED AS ECU DISTINGUISHED ALUM
J. Michael Prince, ECU
Class of 1993, was honored as a distinguished alumnus with a reception on May 5. Prince is a global retail executive who has worked in senior leadership positions with some of the most iconic sports and fashion brands in the world including Nike, Cole Hann, Converse, Hurley, Guess? and Umbro. Prince was recently named chief operating officer for USPA Global Lincensing Inc., the exclusive licensing arm and national broadcaster of the United States Polo Association. Prince also spoke at the 10 a.m. commencement ceremony on May 6.
GOV. NIGH GOING FOR GUINNESS RECORD
Former Oklahoma Gov. and ECU alumnus
George Nigh addressed graduates during ECU’s commencement exercises on May 6. Nigh, who spoke at the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony, was pursuing a Guinness Record for the number of commencement ceremonies in which he has delivered speeches. He is pictured here with Connie Reilly (center), regent for the Regional University System of Oklahoma and Dr. Katricia Pierson, ECU President.
ECU POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES TWO DEFIBRILLATORS
Through a gift from the Mercy Health Foundation-Ada and the Valley View Foundation, the ECU Police Department was presented with two AEDs (automated external defibrillators), valued at $2,200 apiece. One of the defibrillators is being kept on the wall in the police department while the other is located in a patrol car.
ALUMNI REUNION SET FOR TULSA ON JULY 7
An ECU Alumni Reunion for the Tulsa area will be conducted on Friday, July 7, from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at McNellie’s Sidebar at 409 East First Street in Tulsa. The cost is $10 per person and light hors d’oeuvres will be provided.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HONORED WITH AWARDS
Hundreds of area high school students were honored on the ECU campus during the First United Recognition of Excellence Honors Ceremony on May 1 in ECU Foundation Hall.
FIVE ECU FACULTY WORKING WITH OKA’ INSTITUTE
Five ECU faculty members are the inaugural Summer Research Opportunity Award winners for the Oka’ Institute, it was recently announced. Dr. Randall D. Maples, assistant professor in ECU’s Department of Chemistry; Dr. J. Bruce Moring, assistant professor in the Department of Biology; Dr. Terrie Becerra and Dr. Erick Ananga, assistant professors in the Department of Political Science and Legal Studies and Dr. Nicholas Jacob, assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science developed proposals that are consistent with the Oka’ Institute’s research projects of enhancing aquifer recharge and groundwater and surface water interaction.
OKA’ INSTITUTE HOSTS ADA WATER FEST
ECU’s Oka’ Institute hosted the 14th Annual Ada Water Fest on April 20 on the Centennial Plaza. The Water Fest had 11 water-related agencies and organizations on campus, featuring 18 different educational stations with hands-on activities as well as visual demonstrations for the 538 fifth graders from schools in Pontotoc County to learn about the importance of water.
Campus Update June 2017
VETERANS AND MILITARY APPRECIATION
DAY HELD AT ECU
ECU’s Veterans Upward Bound Program hosted its annual Veterans and Military Appreciation Day on May 18. Veterans and military personnel from all branches of the military were honored. Major Ed Pulido, U.S. Army (retired) delivered the keynote address and the Bret D. Isenhower Scholarship was awarded among many activities.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE
BUSINESS WORLD AT OBW
High school students were on campus June 4-8 for Oklahoma Business Week. During the annual camp, the students form a “company” to learn about business practices and compete in simulated business challenges.
YOUTH INVOLVED IN BASKETBALL CAMP
More than 70 youth attended the Tiger Basketball School’s Shooting Camp, May 22-23, at the Kerr Activities Center. Participants learned the fundamentals of shooting the basketball. ECU men’s assistant basketball coach Aaron Hill and members of the ECU men’s and women’s basketball coaching staffs, current players and former players led the camp.
HENDERSON WINNER OF GEORGE NIGH AWARD
ECU biology major Carlee Henderson was named the 2017 George Nigh Award winner for being the top graduating senior, it was announced on April 27. Henderson, an Ada resident and Latta High School graduate, was one of four finalists for the prestigious honor. The other three were Anna Lawler, a nursing major from Chandler; Kristina Mayfield, a human resources counseling major from Pauls Valley and Jessica Potter, an elementary education major from Cyril.
DRAPER UNDERGOING MARINE BIOLOGY INTERNSHIP IN MARYLAND
Kate Draper, an ECU sophomore biology major from Ada, is currently undergoing a marine and estuarine science internship at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore until Aug. 11, through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Draper applied online for the internship through the National Science Foundation. The internship is one of only 15-20 spots available through the Maryland institution.
ECU STUDENTS TOUR NEW YORK, LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS
Students from ECU’s Business Leaders Association took a trip to New York City in May to tour various companies and learn about business practices as well as go on sightseeing tours, including the Statue of Liberty.
ALPHA CHI INITITIATES 60 NEW MEMBERS
Sixty new members were initiated into the Gamma Chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society at ECU this past spring. Alpha Chi is comprised of the top 10 percent of juniors and seniors at ECU. Students must have at least a 3.5 grade-point average to be eligible to join.
ECU OPERA THEATRE TOURS ITALY, PERFORMS
The ECU Opera Theatre, under the direction of Melody Baggech, performed in Rome, Italy. The cast, crew and members from the Ambrit International School posed for a group photo. The ECU students attended many of the tourist attractions in Italy, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa which appears to be held up by ECU student Kaci Kennedy.
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN GREEK WEEK
Games were a part of Greek Week in April as ECU students competed in various activities. The week of festivities not only included games and a banquet, but community service projects.
ECU SOFTBALL PLAYERS HONORED
ECU sophomore softball player Mariah Ewy was honored by the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA) as an Academic All-District 7 First Team for 2017. Junior teammate Alissa Taylor was an All-Great American Conference First Team selection. Ewy and fellow sophomore Aundrea Hamric were named to the All-GAC Second Team while senior Kelbie Crelia, junior Claresha Clemons and sophomore Breecia Crawford nabbed honorable mention accolades.
BASEBALL PLAYER MEKEEL NAMED TO ALL-GAC FIRST TEAM
ECU senior Jake MeKeel was named to the 2017 All-Great American Conference First Team for 2017. Teammates Kodiak
O’Ravez, a senior, and Connor Stevenson, a junior, were honorable mention picks.
FILER NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
ECU sophomore Larry Filer was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 Team for 2016-17. Filer, who registered a perfect 4.00 grade-point average in biology, helped ECU claim its third straight GAC Cross Country Championship by placing 12th individually.
SISTER-BROTHER COMBO NAMED SCHOLAR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
The sister-brother combination of Anna Mora and Richard Mora, both cross country and track and field team members, were selected as ECU Female and Male Athletes of the Year, it was announced at the Athletics Night of Honors event in the Ataloa Theatre on May 2. Performance is the classroom and on the athletic field were taken in consideration for the awards.
ECU SHOWTIME MEMBERS PERFORM DISNEY MUSIC IN COSTUMES
Members of ECU Showtime put on Disney character costumes and performed songs from hit movies during their final spring performance on April 28 in the Dorothy I. Summers Theatre. The event was called “When You Wish Upon a Star.”
SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDS HANDED OUT TO ECU STUDENTS
Springtime is the season for departmental scholarship presentations and awards, including the Human Resources Department which handed out Briles Foundation Scholarships in this photo.
BENCH DEDICATED TO LATE DR. JOHN ULRICH
Family, friends and colleagues joined together for a bench dedication in honor of the late Dr. John J. Ulrich during a ceremony on April 20 on the ECU campus. Ulrich served as chair for ECU’s Political Science Department from 1991-96. He started at ECU in 1985 as assistant professor, moved up to associate professor in 1989 and was named professor in 1997.
BUSINESS TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD GOES TO DR. SCOTT
Dr. Michael Scott, professor of business administration in ECU’s Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business, was selected for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Region 6 Teaching Excellence Award for 2017. For the third year in a row, an ECU faculty member from the Stonecipher School of Business has been honored. Dr. Stacey Bolin was chosen for the award in 2016 and Dr. Thomas A. Zeni in 2015. Scott was picked for the award for Region 6, which consists of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana.
SILENT AUCTION BENEFITS ECU WOMEN’S CLUB SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The ECU Women’s Club hosted its annual brunch and silent auction on May 2 in the Danley Hall Atrium. Proceeds from the benefit went to the Women’s Scholarship Fund. The auction raised.$2,250.
OLDENBURG, DOUGHERTY WELL AWARE OF LEGACY OF HALLIE BROWN FORD
ECU instructors
Annie Oldenburg and John Dougherty are well aware of how Hallie Brown Ford influenced the success of two institutions halfway across the country from each other. Oldenburg and Dougherty are both graduates of the Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies at Pacific Northwest College of Art in Oregon and now have come full circle by working in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center at ECU.
DR. BIXLER PARTICIPATES IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FORUM
Dr. Laura Bixler, professor of special education at ECU, is trying to help fix problems such as teacher shortages and massive turnover, after recently participating in a forum at the State Capitol. The forum was designed to address ways and ideas in limiting that turnover while improving resources and training for teachers in the State of Oklahoma.
ECU HOLDS PARKER ETHICS LECTURE
Dr. Nathan Mellor, CEO of C3 Brands (Mosaic Personnel and Strata Leadership) and president of Strata Leadership, LLC in Oklahoma City delivered the 27th Annual Parker Ethics Lecture on April 4. Mellor has developed leadership programs, including Peace Through Business Rwanda and Four Star Debate with General Tommy Franks, which were highlighted on CNN Inside Africa, FOX News and FOX Radio.
Campus Update
September 2017
INAUGURATION FOR DR. PIERSON AS ECU’S NINTH PRESIDENT
The inauguration of ECU’s ninth president, Dr. Katricia Pierson, was conducted on Sept. 15 in the Ataloa Theatre of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. Greetings to President Pierson were made by Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby; Stacy Shepherd, executive officer of Member Services for the Choctaw Nation; Glen D. Johnson, chancellor for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and Regent Connie Reilly on behalf of RUSO. On hand for the Investiture, were Regents Reilly and Jeffrey Dunn. Dr. Willie Hughes gave a greeting on behalf of the alumni; Dr. Michael Scott on behalf of the faculty; Gina Smith on behalf of the staff and Gavin Burl on behalf of the students.
BRANDON WHITTEN INSTITUTE FUNDED
The Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction and Recovery at ECU will be funded for five more years at $250,000. Reggie Whitten, the father of the late Brandon Whitten and founder of the institute, presented a check for $50,000 to the institute for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
OKA’ CONFERENCE SET FOR OCT. 10-11
The 2017 Oka’ Institute Sustainability Conference will take place in the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center, Oct. 10-11. This year the Oka’ Institute is excited to offer two optional tours as well as a Student Research Poster Competition. Participants can choose to tour Byrds Mill Springs or the EPA Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center, both located in Ada, on Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m.
ECU CARE CLOSET CREW RECOGNIZED
The Ada City Schools District honored ECU’s Care Closet Crew with a plaque for its initiative in collecting food, clothing, toiletries and school supplies for students in Ada Schools. From left are: Ada Schools Superintendent Mike Anderson, ECU’s Matt McGaha, President Katricia Pierson and Dr. Nanette Schmitt.
WAYNE COBB COURT HAS NEW LOOK
Wayne Cobb Court in the Kerr Activities Center has a new look after the floor was refurbished this past summer. The court serves as the home for ECU volleyball and women’s and men’s basketball.
ECU COMMUNITY TAKES IN SOLAR ECLIPSE
Hundreds got the opportunity to look at the solar eclipse through telescopes on Aug. 21 on the lawn between Science Hall and the Physical and Environmental Science Center.
FRESHMEN EARN THEIR STRIPES
Incoming ECU freshman participated in the first Earn Your Stripes event on Aug. 17. Each freshman received a Tiger stripe and a Class of 2021 pennant as ECU President Katricia Pierson welcomed the contingent.
RIVAL BANDS TREATED TO PIZZA PARTY
Band members from Ardmore and Ada were treated to a pizza party prior to the two high schools squaring off in a football game on Sept. 1. ECU President Katricia Pierson poses with these Ardmore band members.
DISNEY INSTITUTE COMES TO ECU
ECU employees participated in the Disney Institute’s Approach to Quality Service Seminar on Sept. 8. The event focused on Disney’s approach to customer service. The group posed for a photo with Mickey and Minnie Mouse balloons, following the seminar. The event was hosted by the Chickasaw Nation.
BUSINESS STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD
Six ECU business students are headed overseas – five to France and one to Germany – this fall through ECU’s Go Global Study Abroad Program.
Shelby O’Dell, Casie Henderson, Jacey McDonald, Madison Keith and Cody Rekieta are attending ECU’s sister institution – the University of Limoges in Limoges, France. Colten Skinner is attending another of ECU’s sister institutions - the University of Applied Sciences in Biberach, Germany.
McDONALD INTERNS WITH OKC THUNDER
Jacey McDonald, an ECU Business Scholar, served an internship with the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder this summer. McDonald spent time conducting research on current events happening nationally and locally and seeing what marketing techniques other brands and companies were implementing. She also participated in InternOKC, a five-week seminar.
WOOD TO INTERN IN WASHINGTON D.C.
Anna Wood aspires to go to law school once she graduates from ECU in May. But first, Wood will learn the ins and outs of law on the ultimate stage. She will serve as intern for U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe in Washington D.C. this spring. Wood is the second recipient of the Dr. John J. Ulrich Fellowship.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE SELECTS
ECU STUDENT MOSELEY
ECU senior Elsa Moseley has received a Virtual Student Federal Service internship with the U.S. Department of State. Moseley will correspond for a year, through Skype, with Russian high school teachers to design and implement teaching objectives for Russian high school students in the “Russia Access” program which teaches English to talented youth from low-income families.
ECU STUDENT WINS INTERNATIONAL PHOTO CONTEST
ECU student Bipin Shiwakoti was selected as one of only six winners worldwide of the #WaterWomen Photo Contest, conducted by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The photo featured ECU Professor Dr. Christine Pappas and graduate student Sarita KC, as they monitored Little Sandy Creek in Ada for water quality, management and conservation. The image was featured prominently at World Water Week held recently in Stockholm, Sweden.
NEW MASTER’S PROGRAM GROWS
The Water Resource Policy and Management Master’s Degree Program started the fall semester with 16 students in the program’s second year of existence. The students attended a Graduate Student Orientation.
HOLLE NAMED GAC FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
ECU junior quarterback Noah Holle was named Great American Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 4, following the Tigers’ 55-34 season-opening win at Oklahoma Baptist on Sept. 2. Holle was 20-of-27 passing for 351 yards and five touchdowns.
HONORS CONVOCATION CONDUCTED
Members of ECU’s Honors Program march in a procession in front of Science Hall, prior to Honors Convocation in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.
STUDENT TEACHERS OUT IN THE FIELD
Nearly 30 ECU students are ready to be student teachers as they work out in the field from Ada to Oklahoma City.
NEW FACULTY WELCOMED
Eighteen new faculty members were welcomed back in August. Most were starting their teaching duties this fall, but a few began in the spring of 2017.
WELCOME WEEK FESTIVITIES AT ECU
Among the fun activities prior to the start of the fall semester was the Block Party with food, games and performances by the ECU Pom Squad. ECU students packed into the Bill S. Cole University Center on the first day of classes for the annual Howdy Fair. Students visited booths and enjoyed activities. On the first ‘Hump Day’ of the 2017 fall semester, ECU students enjoyed camel rides on the lawn in front of the University Center.
OPEN HOUSE CONDUCTED FOR REFURBISHED PESAGI LOUNGE
An open house was conducted for ECU’s recently refurbished Pesagi Hall Lounge as several students kicked back for relaxation and discussion.
ECU TAKES PART IN ADAFEST
Thousands converged on ECU’s Centennial Plaza for AdaFest, a daylong festival which spotlights music, art, food and fun.
FAMILY MEMBERS JOIN STUDENTS FOR FAMILY DAY
Family members of ECU students joined them for Family Day on Sept. 9 on Centennial Plaza. The day included activities, refreshments, fun and free t-shirts.
Friday, Sep. 29, 2017, 7:30 p.m. Ataloa Theatre
Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center Advance Tickets $25 / ECU Students $10 Purchase online at ecok.edu/Fine Arts or call 580-559-5751
Campus Update
November 2017
TWO ECU ALUMS HONORED AT WOMAN OF YEAR GALA
A group of ECU students, along with President Katricia Pierson, attended The Journal Record
2017 Woman of the Year Gala on Oct. 26 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Two ECU alums – Kathy Pinson and Jennifer Weast – were honored among the 50 Women Making a Difference in the state during the event. Pinson is chief operating officer of LegalShield (formerly PrePaid Legal Services, Inc.) of Ada while Weast is senior vice president/controller of BancFirst in Oklahoma City.
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT BUSINESS
Thirty fifth and sixth grade students recently learned how to start a business when they participated in ECU’s Junior Business Club. The three-week academy, sponsored by ECU’s Stonecipher School of Business, guided Ada’s Willard Elementary School students into a business venture of lemonade stands. The students, divided up into six companies, learned how to create a business plan, obtained a loan to start up the business, built and painted their stand and sold lemonade at the Tigers’ home football game on Sept. 9.
BENCH DEDICATION CONDUCTED FOR DR. ALVIN TURNER
A bench dedication was conducted on campus for Dr. Alvin O. Turner, dean emeritus of Humanities and Social Studies at ECU, on Sept. 28. Turner was named the Oklahoma Humanities Council’s highest honor for dedication to the humanities through teaching, writing and participation in public humanities programs.
HUNDREDS ATTEND OKA’ SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE
Hundreds gathered on the ECU campus for the 2017 Oka’ Sustainability Conference, Oct. 10-11, at the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center. Participants were able to listen to experts from the field of water resources and sustainability at the second annual event. Participants were also able to tour Byrd’s Mill Springs and the EPA Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center.
FOUR ECU PROGRAMS BENEFITTING FROM RENEWED GRANTS
Through the efforts of ECU’s grant specialists and program leaders, four programs were able to receive five federal grants to keep up and running for the next five years. ECU’s Upward Bound, Veteran’s Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math and Science and McNair Scholars programs were the recipients of the grants.
ECU RECEIVES SUICIDE PREVENTION GRANT
ECU is one of only 17 institutions of higher learning in 2017 to receive the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant, it was recently announced. The grant will be utilized in the ECU Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Program, part of the Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction and Recovery.
Campus Update November 2017
THOUSANDS ON HAND FOR HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITIONS ON ECU CAMPUS
Thousands of high school students were on campus for three big high school competitions, including the TigerPalooza band contest on Sept. 30; OSSAA One-Acts Plays, Oct. 25-27 and OSSAA Little Dixie Fall Choral Contest on Oct. 30-31.
CAREER DISCOVERY DAY CONDUCTED
ECU hosted a Career Discovery
Day for ninth grade students in Pontotoc County. The program exposed hundreds of students to jobs in the area and to the skills required for a career.
WOMEN IN SCIENCE CONFERENCE HELD IN TULSA
A Women in Science Conference was conducted in Tulsa as young girls learned about science-related careers for women. Dr. Carolyn Lewis, director of ECU Nursing, talks with a young girl about nursing.
HAZEL DELIVERS STOKES LECTURE
Jon Hazell, 2017 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, delivered ECU’s Marvin Stokes Lecture on Oct. 30 in the Estep Multimedia Center. Hazell is a science teacher at Durant High School. Eleven area teachers were also recognized.
580-332-8000
LIBRARY HOLDS OPEN HOUSE FOR NEW STUDY ROOMS
ECU’s Linscheid Library conducted an open house for its new Group Study Rooms, funded by the Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Grant.
BRANDON WHITTEN INSTITUTE, WITHERINGTON HONORED
ECU’s Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction and Recovery was awarded the Oklahoma Drug/Alcohol Agency of the Year Award and its director Holli Witherington received the Oklahoma Certified Prevention Specialist of the Year by the Oklahoma Drug and Alcohol Professional Counseling Association on Oct. 13 in Norman.
FOUR WITH ECU TIES HONORED FOR SOCIAL WORK AT OU
Four with ECU ties - Dr. Jim Burke, Dr. Carol Bridges, Karen Gaddis and Donna Spivey - were recently honored for their significant contributions to social work in the state by the University of Oklahoma’s Anne and Zarrow School of Social Work during its 100th anniversary. Burke is currently a professor of human resources and retired chair of ECU’s Human Resources Department. Bridges served with the ECU Social Work Faculty for 35 years. Gaddis, an ECU alum, is director of Violence Prevention Services for the Chickasaw Nation and Spivey, also an ECU alum, is a social worker for the Palliative Medicine Team at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa.
GRAVES PRESENTED FORENSICS AWARD
Donna Graves, instructor of communication studies at ECU, was recently presented the D.J. Nabors College Forensics Coach Award during the Oklahoma Speech Theatre Communication Association meeting held recently at ECU. Graves was recognized for her work with the National Communication Association Center for The Committee of International Discussion and Debate by hosting the British National Debate Team for four consecutive years.
ECU JUNIOR WINS POSTER COMPETITION AT OKA’ CONFERENCE
ECU junior Kelsey Anderson took first place in the Student Research Poster Competition at the Second Annual Oka’ Institute Sustainability Conference. Anderson, a chemistry major from Lancaster, Ohio, worked with Dr. Randall Maples, ECU assistant professor of chemistry, on the project and poster entitled “Nanoremediation – An Assessment Model of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Mobility in Groundwater.”
DELTA MU DELTA HOLDS INDUCTION CEREMONY
The ECU Chapter of Delta Mu Delta recently held its induction ceremony. Delta Mu Delta is a business honor society that recognizes and encourages academic excellence of students through a community of business scholars that foster the well-being of its individual members, the school of business and the business community.
ECU STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL WORK LABS
An innovative way of bringing several academic disciplines together on Oct. 17, came to fruition recently with Simulation Labs at ECU. Upper-level students from disciplines such as social work, criminal justice, nursing and legal studies came together to work in mock multi-disciplinary teams to deal with real-life, complex issues.
STUDY ABROAD FAIR HELD AT ECU
ECU students participated in the Go Global Study Abroad Fair on Oct. 3 in the Estep Multimedia Center. Students were able to see exhibits from partner universities from abroad, listen to student speakers and view a performance from ECU Showtime.
ROMEO AND JULIET PERFORMED BY ECU THEATRE
Shelby Davis, of Ada as Juliet, and John Luke Garber, also of Ada as Romeo, perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet, which was presented by the East Central University Theatre Department Oct. 13-14 in the Dorothy I. Summers Theatre.
ECU WOMEN SECOND IN GAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Tiger women’s cross country team finished runner-up in the recent Great American Conference Cross Country Championships. Senior Michaela Lombardi finished sixth overall for the Tigers while teammates Marisa Meza and Kyleigh Norris were eighth and ninth, respectively, as all three earned All-GAC First Team honors. Freshman Barbara Johnson, sophomore Kelsey Horner, freshman Gracye Werth and sophomore Abbie Winchester earned Second Team honors.
TIGER MEN TAKE FOURTH IN GAC
The ECU men’s cross country team took fourth in the GAC Cross Country Championships as senior Kevin Matthews was fifth overall and captured First Team AllGAC honors while sophomore Cameron Corbin ended up 15th and took a Second Team All-GAC award.
ECU’S HULL NABS FOUR GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK AWARDS
ECU soccer player Chloe Hull earned four Great American Conference Goalkeeper of the Week awards during the 2017 regular season on Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 10 and Oct.
31. For the regular season, she had a 1.01 goals-against average while carving out a 5-4-4 record. Teammate Alyssa Butler was named GAC Defensive Player of the Week twice on Sept. 26 and Oct. 31.
TIGERS’ WALDO HONORED BY GAC IN VOLLEYBALL
ECU junior outside hitter Breanna Waldo was named GAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 16. Waldo hit at a .519 percentage with 16 kills, four digs and three blocks in a Tiger victory over Henderson State.
ECU BASKETBALL TEAMS PLAY DIVISION I COMPETITION
The ECU women’s basketball team visited Oklahoma State for an exhibition game on Oct. 29 and the ECU men are scheduled to play at the University of Oklahoma on Nov. 8. The Tigers also have exhibitions at New Mexico State (Nov. 10) and Texas-San Antonio on Nov. 12. The ECU Alumni Association is hosting a pregame celebration prior to the ECU-OU game at the Blackbird Gastropub at 575 S. University in Norman from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Appetizers will be provided. ECU Associate Head Coach Aaron Hill will be speaking about the men’s basketball program. For more information contact Ashia Hillman at 559-5651 or ahillman@ecok.edu.
