2022-23 roundUP lr

Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association

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Going Places

Monte Junker, ’86, poses with a US Air Force C-17 cargo plane on the Ross Ice Shelf at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, before his 2,400-mile flight back to New Zealand.

Contents 04

ALUMNI DIRECTOR LETTER

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O U T S TA N D I N G SENIORS 2023

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SPORTS HALL OF FA M E 2 0 2 3

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ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT LETTER

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RANGER EVENTS

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IN REMEMBRANCE & CLASS NOTES

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HOMECOMING 2022

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GOING PLACES Living the dream

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A HEART FOR SERVICE Educating Rangers and providing hope

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WA L K I N G T H E WA L K Northwestern grad is “all in”

University President: Dr. Bo Hannaford Official Publication Published annually by the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association Editors: John Allen & Jana Garvie Lindley Art Direction/Designer: Jana Garvie Lindley Writers: John Allen & Caitlin Hofen Photography: Caitlin Hofen, Jana Garvie Lindley Change of address notices and other correspondence may be sent to: John Allen Director, Alumni Relations Northwestern Student Center 709 Oklahoma Blvd.

Alva, OK 73717 580-327-8593 nwalumni@nwosu.edu

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2022-23 Alumni Association Board Officers President: Ali Kirtley Vice President: Tony Crouch Secretary/Treasurer: John Allen Recording Secretary: Kandee Almgren

www.ournorthwestern.org (580) 327-8593 NWOSUAlumni

nwalumni@nwosu.edu

our_northwestern

@ournorthwestern

For information about making a contribution to Northwestern Oklahoma State University, contact: Allen E. “Skeeter” Bird Chief Executive Officer Northwestern Student Center 709 Oklahoma Blvd.

Alva, OK 73717 580-327-8593 aebird@nwosu.edu roundUP magazine is published by the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association office. It is mailed to more than 2,000 alumni, parents and friends of Northwestern throughout the country and world. To change your mailing address, send an email to NWalumni@nwosu.edu; write the roundUP magazine, 709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, Oklahoma 73717; or call 580-327-8593.

The Richard E. Byrd Memorial at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Your Foundation & Alumni Association Staff

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Dear Ranger Family, Welcome to the newest edition of roundUP, fittingly titled Going Places. We have placed the spotlight on three incredible alumni who have achieved much success in their journeys, and they are not slowing down in discovering new paths for the next adventure.

Charity Lyon, director of the Alva (Okla.) Hope Pregnancy Center, recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a critical resource center serving citizens and their families in northwest Oklahoma.

Judith Ridgeway, while retired from her successful law practice in Norman, Okla., is actively involved in helping individuals in substance abuse recovery and other programs that improve the lives of others.

Dr. Monte Junker has served patients both in the United States and abroad, savoring every setting as an opportunity for adventure and discovery.

Their stories reveal the common denominator of the impact Northwestern Oklahoma State University has made on their lives. This trio of Rangers also share the gift of service, passion for others, and an unmistakable drive that gets things done. Period.

The tie to Northwestern is strong and cherished. If you haven’t been back to campus in a while, please consider joining your Ranger family at Homecoming 2023 on October 7 or at the annual Spring Alumni Reunion on April 27. Between these two dates are many opportunities to reacquaint yourself with your alma mater, from sporting events to fine arts productions and performances. We look forward to welcoming you and hearing your story.

Ride, Rangers, Ride,

John Allen Director, Alumni Relations Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association

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Dear Northwestern Alumni and Friends, It’s been my honor to serve on the Northwestern Alumni Board for the past few years.

As we continue to receive stories of inspiration and achievement from both current students and alumni, it warms my heart to see the Ranger Family continuing to impact many communities. I believe this is shown through the strength of caring for our communities, an individual’s leadership and adaptability, and each person’s drive for growth.

Our students choose Northwestern because they want to proactively pursue their passions early in life. We on the Northwestern Alumni Board see this through many avenues, but specifically as we select our Outstanding Seniors for the year as well as our Outstanding Graduates. For our Outstanding Seniors, they must show their dedication through academic achievement at Northwestern and their promise of future achievement. Selecting these students is not an easy task, but we proudly acknowledge each student’s achievements and wish them the best in their future endeavors as they become alumni.

As for our Outstanding Graduates, we are grateful to see many of our alumni building on the Ranger Spirit through their own disciplines. We gladly recognize the Outstanding Graduates at our annual Spring Alumni Banquet, where we get the opportunity to bring everyone back together for an evening of nostalgia and celebration.

As the Ranger Family continues to grow, I encourage our Rangers Alumni to actively participate in our upcoming events for the year to help support current and future students - events such as Northwestern’s Homecoming, sports events, volunteer opportunities, and music and arts events.

Along with Northwestern’s events, I invite each of our Ranger Alumni to participate in our Ranger2Ranger program. This is an opportunity to give a small portion of your time to greatly impact a student’s future by becoming a mentor to a Northwestern student. As a mentor, you can talk with students about career advice and career paths; help them by practicing networking and interview skills; offer job shadowing; and even help them build a better, industry-specific résumé with the help of your experience.

Connection through our community is a great way to help the next generation of students.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all of my Northwestern Alumni Board members for their dedication to our Rangers and their influential pride in our students and alums. As the year progresses, I look forward to us continuing to serve our Ranger Family and for us to continue to promote and share with you each accomplishment and success of our students and alumni.

Ride, Rangers, Ride!

Alexandra “Ali” Kirtley President Northwestern Alumni Board Class of 2015 & 2017 roundUP 2022-2023

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GOING PLACES

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by Caitlin Hofen Monte Junker, DDS, ’86, watched as the sun sank into the Southern Ocean on February 24, 2023 his last night in Antarctica - contemplating all his experiences over the last two months. Providing dental care to staff members supporting the National Science Foundation allowed Junker to cross another adventure off his bucket list and experience living at the South Pole.

“I had been trying to go to the South Pole for more than 10 years,” Junker said. “My favorite part of my time in Antarctica was the beauty. The stark, white flatness of the South Pole was awe-inspiring. The air was so clean and so pure. I could see for miles.”

Junker has lived and traveled all over the world, making him never one to turn down an adventure.

Junker spent his early life in Oklahoma before he, at 11 years old, and his family moved to Dubai, UAE, for his father’s work with Conoco. When he was 16, they moved to Singapore until his senior year of high school, when they moved to Jakarta, Indonesia.

Junker graduated from Jakarta International School.

“My parents gave me the chance to experience a lot of different things growing up,” Junker said. “My education was worldly. It allowed me to meet new people and see cultures and places I would

never have otherwise. It gave me an appreciation for the United States and insight into how we can do things differently.”

After graduation, Junker returned to Oklahoma and briefly attended Oklahoma State University before transferring to Northwestern Oklahoma State University. While at Northwestern, Junker obtained an elementary education degree with a botany minor.

“Growing up overseas, I could never work because I didn’t have a work visa since I was so young,” Junker said. “I primarily babysat for families in our communities. Kids and I always got along well, so it was comfortable for me to go into education.

“While I was at Northwestern, Dr. Paul Nighswonger, a professor of biology, took me under his wing which led me to minor in botany.”

Junker’s next adventures took him to Texas, where he taught in various districts before deciding to continue his education and attend dental school.

Junker graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center in 1997 with his doctorate in dental surgery. continued

At left: Monte Junker prepares to fly from the South Pole to McMurdo Station.

Below: at McMurdo Station in Antarctica

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1,500 people on the island. We only had bicycles, no cars. I didn’t own a car for six years.”

Junker’s passion for sailing leads him to his next adventure in September 2024.

“I currently have a 42-foot sailboat, so my spouse and I are planning to take off and sail around the Pacific for a couple of years,” Junker said. “I grew up around boating and fell in love when my brother bought the first sailboat in the family. I taught myself to sail and am on boat number eight right now.”

As his life heads in a different direction, Junker plans to continue helping others.

“Since I took so many science classes at Northwestern, almost all my prerequisites were finished before I started dental school. I felt well prepared thanks to Dr. Nighswonger and the classes I took in my undergrad.

“My background in science led me to enjoy dentistry and to use it to make a difference. My educational background has also come in handy as a dentist. We like to think people know how to brush and floss, but many people don’t get it or have never been taught these skills. A big part of my job is an ongoing need to teach people, understand their challenges, and give them the tools necessary to care for themselves.”

Junker worked in the Seattle area before going to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, an island country near Guam in the Pacific Ocean. He worked for six years as a comprehensive dentist for the residents and employees on the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll base.

Junker said Kwajalein has been his favorite place to live.

“I’m a sailor and scuba diver,” Junker said. “I had a 44-foot sailboat, and the water there was amazing.

I had a great time sailing and scuba diving. I like working in small communities, and there were only

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“Professionally, I’m getting toward the end of my career,” Junker said. “I won’t say I’m done by any means; I love what I do. But I’ve been a dental director with 16 offices under my belt at one point.

Now I’m strictly doing dentistry, working under someone else, and I love that part.

“I have several mottos in life, and one is ‘Why pay to see the world when you can get someone to pay you to see the world?’ I’m always looking for the opportunity to travel and get paid to do it. Dentistry has allowed me to do so and make a difference in the lives of so many people worldwide.”

Why pay to see the world when you can get someone to pay you to see the world?

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SPRING ALUMNI REUNION April 27, 2024

Classes to be honored:

1954, 1964, 1974, 1984, 1999, 2014, 2019

Dr. Madison Campbell Ranger Recognition

Jimmy Richey Arts

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Honored Guests:

Outstanding Graduates & Seniors 2024

Kevin Evans Humanitarian

Nicole Steuart Business/Professional

Donnie Rader Education

To nominate an Outstanding Graduate, scan the QR code or go to https://ournorthwestern.org/get-involved/ events-programs/spring-alumni-reunion

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Outstanding Seniors 2023

SAVE THE DATE

Back: Dr. Bo Hannaford, Paige Robinette, Jordan Green, Caitlin Hofen, Allison Huffmaster Front: Liberty Bird, Emilie Brown, Landry Gaddy, Kylee Harzman, Camryn Howard, Gracie Scarbrough, Josey Myers

2023 Senior Award Winners T.C. Carter Award – Gibson Barlow, Molly Bruyn, Tanner Clarkson, Landry Gaddy, Caitlin Hofen, Camryn Howard, Jocelyn Long, Braden Reichert and Gracie Scarbrough Outstanding Psychology Students – Laura Blair (Alva), Grace Hise (Enid) and April Martinez (Woodward) Sara L. Bosworth and Mary DeLisle Scholarship Award – Josey Myers John Sheffield Teacher of the Year Award – Dr. Venkata Moorthy John Ted Meier Student Teaching Award – Beret Watters Dr. Joe Dollins Merit Award – Tanner Clarkson Newman Civic Fellows Award – Sagelyn Budy deSERVING Ranger Award – Bishop Buck John F. Kennedy Award – Paige Robinette

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Charity (Dellenbach) Lyon, ’96, ’99, has a heart for service that extends to many facets of her life.

Northwestern and simultaneously earned her master’s degree in speech education.

A native of Sawyer, Kans., Lyon made her way to Northwestern at the suggestion of her English teacher, Jana Garvie Lindley,’87.

An opening in the Communication Department allowed Lyon to become a full-time instructor and advisor for the student television station.

“I visited campus on graduation weekend and I fell in love with the people,” Lyon said. “It was a family atmosphere, and there was so much activity. It felt like a wonderful place where students would know they are important. I was sold on Northwestern the first time I visited.”

Lyon married her husband Travis, ’99, in the summer of 1999. She stepped down as an instructor to stay home full-time when they were expecting their first child.

Lyon pursued a degree in mass communication, where she was an active member of the student television station.

“I had planned to get my master’s and work for a church with a big media department, but I ruptured my Achilles tendon. I had to have surgery and do physical therapy. I didn’t want to move while on crutches, so I decided to stay in Alva.”

Lyon worked in sports information at

“I always wanted to be a full-time wife and mom,” Lyon said.

The Lyons have two children. Lake is a sophomore at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, and Liberty is a senior at Cherokee (Okla.) High School.

“Being a mom is the best job I’ve ever had,” Lyon said, “but it’s also the hardest job I’ve ever had.

I loved every minute of staying home with my children. Once they got a little older, I was able to come back to Northwestern and start teaching as an adjunct.” continued

I want to help these young people as much as I can...

Lyon in the Hope Pregnancy Center Baby Boutique

Bo Hannaford (right) and his future brother-in-law Tim Taylor, ‘93, are ready for a Ranger football game.

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A Heart For Service

by Caitlin Hofen

Lyon is the Hope Pregnancy Center - Northwest Oklahoma Director.

The Center is located in Alva, Okla.

continued

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Charity, Travis, Liberty and Lake Lyon

Lyon’s son, Lake, is a pre-med major aspiring to become an orthopedic surgeon. He is also on the Friends University football team.

“Lake is very compassionate. I think he was born with that compassion, but I definitely think Liberty helped shape that compassion. He is good at including everyone, even those who others may not notice are being left out.”

Lyon’s daughter, Liberty, was born with two major heart defects. She underwent heart catheterization surgery at two days old to make holes in her heart larger so oxygen could get to her heart easier. Liberty underwent surgery again at three weeks old to repair her heart defects.

“The day after her surgery, Liberty went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead for 10-15 minutes,” Lyon said. “They did a heart massage and were able to bring her back. We are so thankful they could. She is pure joy.

“She did suffer widespread brain injury at that time. She is globally developmentally delayed

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and relies on us entirely to live. She can’t speak verbally but communicates through her actions and facial expressions. Though this has brought challenges into our lives, her joy and testimony of God’s love shines through every time she enters a room. Lake and Liberty are best friends, and I believe they always will be.”

Her Faith Drives Her Purpose Lyon said she finds strength through her relationship with Jesus Christ and her faith.

“I seek God even when my life is a mess,” Lyon said. “I keep my eyes on Him. I hope that my behavior is aligning with Him more and more. I desire to shine my light for Christ and His light on others.”

Lyon uses her light to impact young people and help them make good life decisions.

“I made some poor dating choices when I was young, and it took a long time for me to overcome some of my own insecurities,” Lyon said.

“Through that journey, I developed such a heart

I was sold on Northwestern the first time I visited. for young people. Young people have so many emotions developing, hormones changing, and they are gaining independence, but their brains aren’t fully developed yet. They are making so many choices that can have life-long effects, but they don’t see that in the moment.

“I know anyone, no matter what their support system looks like or how intelligent they are, can make really difficult choices. I want to help these young people as much as I can, to make better decisions in the first place and provide support when they don’t make the best choice.”

Even though Lyon teaches only one course now at Northwestern, she tries to show her students love and how important they are.

“It is much harder to connect with students as an adjunct instructor,” Lyon said. “Many students don’t enjoy speech class, but I try my best to provide them with the necessary skills and help build their confidence in public speaking. I also try to help them realize how special they are as a person and how they have a plan written for their life. I don’t always succeed in this, but I must try to make them feel loved.”

“Charity Lyon has a heart of gold,” said Kenzie Doane, a former student of Lyon’s. “She is encouraging, loving, and energetic.

Whether it is her teaching or ministry work, she always gives 100 percent. She continues to inspire me to work hard and wear a smile. I was blessed to have had her as a teacher.”

Lyon’s passion for serving others led her to get involved with Northwest Ministries.

“I have volunteered for several years with Northwest Ministries,” Lyon said. “When the director stepped down, I stepped up.”

Lyon and her team brought a new Northwest Ministries branch to Alva called Hope Pregnancy Center. It is a division of Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, providing various care and services for families in northwest Oklahoma.

Other Hope Pregnancy Centers are located in north Oklahoma City, south Oklahoma City, Edmond, Tulsa, Ardmore and Shawnee.

“The heart of Hope Pregnancy Center is to help men and women choose life and have hope amid unexpected pregnancy,” Lyon said. “Our mission is to love any woman or man who enters our door.

We present them with all three options available when they find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy, which are abortion, adoption and parenting. We give them information that is truthful and unbiased. We don’t pressure them into deciding one way or another because we believe in the sanctity of human life from the time of conception until someone goes to the grave.

We hope they will choose life through parenting or adoption, but regardless, we want to love them and offer resources.

“I want Hope Pregnancy Center to be a place where people know they are safe. In our world where Roe vs. Wade has been overturned, and Oklahoma has said abortion is illegal with some exceptions, I know it is a controversial subject. I want people to know that Hope is a safe place to come, regardless of where they stand on the issue.

No matter their choice, they will be loved and served with compassion.”

Through many facets of her life, Lyon provides support and comfort to those around her. Today, she is still making her mark on Northwestern through the lives of her students and the relationships she has forged through her ministry. roundUP 2022-2023

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EVENTS

August ’22

Ranger Wake Up

Donuts, apples, bottled water and coffee were provided, and several door prizes were awarded to students as the fall semester began.

October ’22

Family Day

It’s all about the Ranger family! We hosted a special breakfast in the Student Center for students and alumni parents to kick off the day and then caught up with alumni and families in the President’s Suite at the football game.

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Feb 15,

October ’22

Expressing appreciation for our donors included a greeting from Dr. Bo Hannaford, university president; remarks from Northwestern student, Greysan Ioerger-Henson; thoughts from Foundation & Alumni Association CEO, Skeeter Bird; and a message and song from gospel artist Sandi Patty.

Donor Dinner

November ’22

Thank-A-Thon

An opportunity for students to share their gratitude by writing cards to donors, this event combines fun, pizza and door prizes with a big dose of Ranger spirit.

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Hosted by the Northwestern Woodward Campus

February ’23 and the Foundation & Alumni Association, Red Tie Jazz was held at

Red Tie Jazz

the Woodward Conference Center. Max Ridgway provided music for this special event.

Above: Dr. Jonathan Thomason, Dean of the Woodward campus, with event staff. Below: Woodward campus graduates spoke at the event and posed with donors. From left: Speaker Vik Desai, Bruce Benbrook, speaker Mario Perez, speaker Dr. Jennifer Pribble, LaVern Phillips and Kevin Evans.

April ’23

Baseball, Hot Dogs & Apple Pie

Hosted by the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association and the Enid campus, this annual event provided an opportunity for alumni to cheer on the Ranger baseball team against East Central University. More than 600 hot dogs were prepared by the Rowdy Rangers, free tee shirts were provided for the first 120 youth league baseball players and Ranger baseball alumni and former coaches were recognized.

’22

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EVENTS

1.

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Beautiful, cool fall weather graced the Northwestern Homecoming festivities on November 5. The Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association hosted a new medallion hunt, raffled off a tee shirt quilt and provided the annual delicious lunch prepared by the Rowdy Rangers on the Alva Square. The Ranger Run was followed by the parade with floats, bands, queen contestants and parade marshal Mike Knedler.

A massed band performance of local high school musicians preceded the football game, with Rangers taking on Arkansas Tech University.

The Alumni Band was in full force directed by alumna Madison Hofen.

Announcement of Ranger Royalty and winner of the Homecoming drawing took place at halftime.

Above: Ranger alumna Alica Hall with her daughter in the parade.

Above: Parade Marshall Mike Knedler poses with Dr. Bo Hannaford, university president.

Right: Friends Linda Tutwiler, Dr. Cheryl Evans and Carla White gathered at the alumni tent on the square.

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Above: Rangers In The Community composed of students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members came together a week before Homecoming to spruce up downtown and were fed by the Rowdy Rangers.

Above: Alumni Band gives it their all.

Below: Terry Pederson, Karen Sneary, Jean Sneary and Senator Roland Pederson

Above: Students Abby Detar and Jaci Oakley hand out medals at the annual Ranger Run. Top Right: Rowdy, Bailie Gooch Arvie and Olivia Yandel cheer on the runners.

At left: Homecoming Queen Carli Seabolt and King Fernando Nunez.

Below: Jane and Max McDermott enjoy Ranger Lunch on the Square with Julia and Larry Bays.

Above: The Ranger quilt designed by Dee Mason was won by Jana Brown.

At right: Dr. Aaron and Dee Mason won the Ranger Medallion Hunt. roundUP 2022-2023

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Ridgeway enjoys her battery-powered chainaw, a recent gift from her huband, Michael

Walking the Walk

by John Allen

“How fast do you type?”

The question was a defining moment in the life of Judy Ridgeway, ’70. After graduating from Northwestern, Ridgeway attended law school at the University of Oklahoma. At her first interview for an attorney position, the gentleman asked Ridgeway about her typing skills.

“This was a different time,” offered Ridgeway, “but I knew I wanted more from my education than to sit and type. I stood up and left the interview.”

That interview was her first and last. Ridgeway started her own law practice in Norman, Okla., in 1975. At that time, she was one of a handful of women lawyers in the entire state. She built a successful 36-year career as an attorney and business owner.

Ridgeway is a woman of unrelenting determination.

Living on the Edge Ridgeway was born in Pulaski County, Mo. Her father, a boisterous bar owner, died before she was two years old. Her mother struggled to take care of Judy as a young widow coping with her own grief.

In 1958 when Ridgeway was eight years old, her mother, Marjorie, a chemist, met and married Vernon Nieberlein, a chemical engineer. The family moved to Huntsville, Ala., in 1960, where Vernon worked in rocket development for the space program at Redstone Arsenal. The Nieberlein family grew over the years with three sons.

Ridgeway was given the best opportunities for personal growth and achievement, including lessons in flute, piano, voice and gymnastics. She played the organ at church on Sunday mornings and was the drum majorette in the marching band. She was exceptionally smart: she skipped two grades and graduated high school early.

And she was adventurous, with a desire to live life to the fullest.

“I lived life on the edge all of the time,” Ridgeway said. “After I was caught shoplifting in high school, my parents sent me to an all-girls Catholic school with the hope that a military-type regimen would help.”

Headstrong, Ridgeway immersed herself into the “hippie” counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s. It was a time when youth rejected traditional social norms and voiced their disapproval of racial and political injustices.

Ridgeway’s mother introduced her to the civil rights movement. Marjorie Huguley Nieberlein was the first white woman to become a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Alabama. Ridgeway remembers marching for civil rights alongside her mother in Selma, Ala., at the age of 14 and being tear-gassed during the protest. Her mother’s efforts to remove racial barriers became a formative and lifelong lesson for Ridgeway.

Judy’s lifestyle choices – independent thinking, indulgence in counterculture activities, and living life as (in her words) “an all-American hippie” – left her at odds with her conservative parents.

Enter Aurice Huguley Ridgeway believes her drive to get things done comes from the indelible influence of her matriarchal family. In addition to her mother, Ridgeway has always been inspired by her maternal aunt, Aurice Huguley, ’40. Huguley worked at Northwestern Oklahoma State University for 43 years, advancing her career to Registrar and, finally, Business Manager before retiring. Huguley graduated with a degree in home economics and was unstoppable in her professional and philanthropic endeavors, serving on local and statewide boards and committees. Quietly, she funded the education of many students in their attainment of college degrees.

continued

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Ridgeway keeps her Aunt Aurice’s tips of wisdom readily available on her refrigerator.

seeking and working through recovery.

After becoming sober, Ridgeway began to specialize in representing fathers in custody cases.

“I served the underdog – the fathers, alcoholics, drug-addicted mothers. I was able to share my personal experience and provide them hope for a different way of living.”

Ridgeway, who had spent her childhood summers with her Aunt Aurice in Alva, earned her undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology at 19 years old. She acted onstage in Northwestern’s performances and sang in the Campus Singers choral group. And she witnessed the same drive to get things done in her aunt as she did in her mother.

“My aunt should have killed me a dozen times,” Ridgeway said with a laugh. “But she had my back.

I saw in her great accomplishment by finding ways to get things done. She never gave up. She was all in.”

Ridgeway has always shown the same drive and determination, according to a long-time acquaintance.

“From the first time I met Judy, she has been straight-ahead and incredibly enthusiastic about everything she’s involved in,” said Ben Buckland, ’68, managing partner of Buckland Media Group in Oklahoma City.

After graduation, Ridgeway hitchhiked across America with other Northwestern graduates and put her degree to work as a social worker for a year in New York City. Her desire to make a bigger impact on the lives of people brought her back to Oklahoma, where she enrolled in the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Full Throttle When she started as an attorney, Ridgeway practiced criminal law and personal injury – all while fully participating in mood-altering chemicals. On April 10, 1980, Ridgeway accepted she had a problem with drugs and alcohol, joined a self-help group, and has remained sober ever since.

She continues to be active in helping others who are

In the mid-80s, she hired Michael Ridgeway to investigate a non-fatal hit-and-run automobile accident that Ridgeway caused when she was drinking; she needed the investigation in order to make amends. Michael was impressed by her vulnerability and candor, and she was taken with Michael’s intelligence and “dimples.” A perfect match, Ridgeway and Michael married in 1988.

Michael, also an OU College of Law graduate, has worked for the State of Oklahoma and is often sought for expert testimony and consulting. In 2011, he was recruited as General Counsel for the Dubai Financial Services Authority in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Ridgeway followed her husband to Dubai in the summer of 2011, closed her law practice in Norman, and admits to spending anxious social moments introducing herself as a “housewife.”

Not one to sit back, Ridgeway taught conversational English to Arabs during the five years the couple lived in Dubai.

Now back in Oklahoma, Ridgeway and Michael live on a well-manicured, 50-acre estate in rural Norman with a dog, horses, cats, ducks and geese.

They enjoy a blended family of five children and six grandchildren. Ridgeway continues to work on projects involving social consciousness and making the world a better place. She started a successful rural area trash drive in Cleveland County that has removed hundreds of pounds of waste and more than 17,000 discarded tires. The program continues today.

Benefitting from the influence of Dr. Anna B. Fisher, professor of biology, and her love of plants and nature, Ridgeway has a greenhouse and tends to a multitude of plants. She raises ducklings that will eventually share her pond with fish and geese. She and Michael also love attending Shakespeare plays.

Ridgeway says she was inspired by Julia K.Sparger, an English instructor at Northwestern, who brought the works of Shakespeare to life in class. continued

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“Be all in, with both feet.

Care passionately about something, and be productive.”

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Based on her own recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction and overeating, Ridgeway speaks and conducts workshops regarding recovery, both in person and on Zoom.

What is her advice to college students?

No Secrets Ridgeway is unabashedly open about her life and is a deeply spiritual woman.

Judy Ridgeway walks the walk through action, determination, and drive. She stands ready for the next challenge and opportunity – be it a new project, an individual who needs a hand up, or a cause that needs attention. Judy takes on life with passion and vigor, and remains determined not to let patriarchal stereotypes or bureaucratic inefficiency get in her way.

“Secrets make us sick. The action of God in our lives is inevitable. The struggle is how long we wait to experience the presence of our Maker.

“The past is a useful tool. Without it, I wouldn’t believe as intensely in what I believe today.”

“Be all in, with both feet. Care passionately about something, and be productive.”

If a mountain needs moving, Ridgeway will do it.

Ridgeway with husband Michael in Dubai in 2014

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GRADUATE TO A WORLD OF BENEFITS

As a card-carrying Northwestern Alumni Association member, you can enjoy several membership benefits, including 20% off selected merchandise at the Northwestern Alva Bookstore.

Other benefits include: • • • • • •

Discounts at participating area merchants A temporary visitor’s pass to Northwestern’s J.R. Holder Wellness Center if you live more than 60 miles outside of Alva The alumni magazine, roundUP, and the Foundation’s Annual Report Discounts on selected alumni merchandise throughout the year Monthly emailed newsletter Invitations to exclusive University and alumni events

Membership Dues

Annual $25 per yr (singles) or $45 per yr w/Northwestern News* $30 per yr (family) or $45 per yr w/Northwestern News* Lifetime $300 (single) $400 (family)

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Sports Hall of Fame Inductees 2023

Brandon Brown

Rikki DelVecchio

Garin Hig gins

Jo hn Mazzocca

Basketball

Baseball

Football

Baseball

From left: Garin Higgins, Brandon Brown, Jill DelVecchio in honor of husband Rikki (deceased) and Joe Phillips, who accepted for John Mazzocca

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Former Northwestern coaches and alumni gathered to reminicse and celebrate the new inductees.

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In Remembrance ’53 Lenora Hutcheson Mead 5/30/2023 ’55 Eleanor Kopper 10/18/2022 ’55 Haroldene Hill 1/29/2023 ’56 James Lee Jackson 12/29/2020 ’59 James E. Bradley 7/21/2023 ’60 Willis Dean Colson 1/21/2023 ’68 Paul Harlan Biering 11/15/2022 ’69 James Michael Browning 10/5/2022 ’70, ’76 Shelley Hintergardt Martin 7/7/2023 ’72 John Raymond Jones 11/7/2022 ’73 Delbert Leon Taber 1/29/2023 ’75 Rex Duane Friend 1/7/2023 ’76 Dr. Troy Lee Smith 1/20/2023 ’76 Margaret Melander 11/12/2022 ’80 Trent Heaton 11/17/2022 ’82 Wilma Jean Johnson 2/13/2023 ’93 Isla Hada 5/24/2022 ’11 Lantz McNeil Mathers Sr. 12/22/2022

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Class Notes

photo by Mickey Jordan

Cherrie Greco, ’69 Greco was appointed a seat on the Colorado Juvenile Parole Board.

Dr. Cheryl Evans ’92 Evans will be inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame on Nov. 6, 2023.

Kyle Reynolds, ’95 Reynolds, former superintendent of Woodward (Okla.) Public Schools, was named the winner of the Medal of Excellence Award in elementary/secondary education.

Sharee Madsen, ’96 Madsen was hired as assistant principal at Ponca City (Okla.) High School.

Sheldon Russell, ’96 Russell was be honored with the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023 Oklahoma Book Awards.

Jason Paris, ’98 Paris, fine arts teacher at Cherokee (Okla.) High School, was named the winner of the Medal of Excellence Award in secondry teaching.

Dr. Dudley Darrow, ’02 Dr. Darrow was hired as superintendent of Enid (Okla.) Public Schools.

Dr. ShiAnne Farris ’13 Dr. Farris began her osteopathic residency at Bothwell-University of Missouri Rural Family Medicine Residency in the summer of 2023.

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