OBU Magazine — Spring 2026

Rebuilding HOPE

The Spirit of Shawnee Hall

CREATIVE

PRESIDENT Dr. Heath A. Thomas EDITOR Paula Gower

Chele Marker-Cash

PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Bross Evan Kennemer

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As part of the Shawnee Hall restoration, wood flooring from the building’s original 1915 construction was carefully reclaimed and given new life through art. Oklahoma City artist Paul Bagley used the century-old planks to create Heritage in the Grain: Two Bison

a sculptural tribute to OBU’s enduring spirit. The work weaves legacy and artistry together, connecting generations through materials shaped by time, craftsmanship and the shared story of a campus rebuilt with purpose.

“SHAWNEE HALL NOW STANDS AS A VISIBLE REMINDER THAT GOD BRINGS LIFE OUT OF TRIAL.“

Dear OBU Alumni and Friends,

As I reflect on this season at Oklahoma Baptist University, my heart is filled with gratitude for God’s faithfulness and for the shared vision that continues to guide us forward on Bison Hill.

Across these pages, you will see clear evidence of momentum on Bison Hill. Students are learning in renewed spaces, new academic programs are preparing graduates for high-need fields, faculty continue to distinguish themselves through excellence in teaching and scholarship, and our alumni are shaping communities around the world. Together, these stories tell one cohesive truth: OBU is moving forward with purpose.

At the heart of this progress is our Shape the Future campaign: a strategic, mission-driven commitment to equip students to live all of life, all for Jesus. This campaign reflects thoughtful academic planning, a long-range campus master plan, and a deep conviction that Christian higher education must respond faithfully and boldly to the needs of the world.

OBU continues to expand programs in health sciences, engineering, education, business, and ministry; areas where well-prepared, faith-forward leaders are urgently needed. New graduate programs in occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, physician associate studies, and physical therapy represent a significant step forward, positioning OBU to serve students and communities for generations to come.

Facilities play a vital role in this mission, not as an end in themselves, but as tools that support transformational Christian education. Renewed and reopened for classes in January, Shawnee Hall, our first and most enduring academic building, and Thurmond Hall, our repurposed engineering building, now serve as symbols of both continuity and innovation.

The restoration and renewal of Raley Chapel, the heart of spiritual life on campus, will ensure that future generations experience the same formative rhythms of worship, reflection, and calling that have shaped OBU students for decades. With restorations underway, we anticipate reopening Raley Chapel in late spring 2027.

None of this progress can happen apart from the faithful partnership of the OBU family. Every step forward has been made possible through prayer, generosity, and a shared commitment to our mission: faculty and staff who pour into students each day, alumni who remain deeply connected, and friends who believe in the enduring value of a Christ-centered education.

As you read this issue, my hope is that you will see not only what we have accomplished, but what still lies ahead. The work of the Shape the Future campaign is ongoing, and its completion depends on continued support from those who share this vision. So, I invite you to continue this journey with us. Together, we can complete the restoration of Raley Chapel, expand our academic reach, and cultivate a campus environment that reflects the excellence of our mission and the hope we have in Christ.

With gratitude and hope,

Dr.

Heath A. Thomas OBU President

Rebuilding HOPE

The Spirit of Shawnee Hall

Heritage in the Grain: Two Bison

In the second floor lobby, two magnificent wooden bison stand face to face honoring OBU’s beloved mascot.

Created by Oklahoma City artist Paul Bagley, they are crafted from the building’s original reclaimed flooring.

Inside the resilient new Shawnee Hall, two 11-foot bison wall pieces, crafted from wood reclaimed from the floors of the original structure, stand as a fitting tribute, symbolizing beauty reborn from what once was. They reflect the spirit of Shawnee Hall itself: a symbol of hope.

The wood brought together in these powerful works of art tells the story of a community that refused to lose heart. The restoration becomes a gift to future generations, a reminder that education, faith and community endure. That same spirit now pulses through the heart of the rebuilt Shawnee Hall. Here, four of the university’s vital areas have found their home:

The Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education prepares the next generation of teachers and academic leaders.

The Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences leads students to explore the complexities of human thought and community.

The Graduate Health Sciences programs blend the power of on-campus connection with the convenience of online learning.

And the OBU Admissions Office welcomes students whose journeys will begin right here.

Read more on the following pages about what the renewed Shawneee Hall means to leaders in these areas, their students, and the future of OBU.

Rebuilding HOPE

A LIVING TESTAMENT TO HOPE

For 116 years, the spirit of hope has sustained OBU and continues to shape its future. Faculty and staff see Shawnee Hall as far more than a place to work. For them, it is a living testament to faith, perseverance and promise.

We asked four leaders to reflect on what Shawnee Hall means to them and to the future of OBU. Dr. Bret Roark chairs the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Dr. Annie Keehn leads the School of Education. Dr. Brandy Brown directs the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. Scott Hannigan serves as vice president of enrollment strategy.

ROARK: CONTINUITY AND TRANSFORMATION

Roark, whose division also calls Shawnee Hall home, sees the restoration as a blend of continuity and transformation.

“I am impressed by the quality of the restoration and the amount of thought put into how to design the building in a way that truly represents OBU,” he said. “It reflects a respect for OBU’s past as well as a vision for its future.”

As a longtime faculty member, Roark views the building as a place where students continue the same timeless pursuit that has always defined OBU – the integration of faith and learning.

KEEHN: A RECOMMISSIONING FOR FUTURE EDUCATORS

For Keehn, returning to Shawnee Hall after the storm stirred feelings that combined gratitude with reverence.

“In the days following the tornado, as we moved our offices out of Shawnee Hall, we could not have imagined how incredible the building would be when we returned,” she said. “I am grateful for the new learning spaces and filled with anticipation for how the Lord will shape lives within these rooms for years to come.”

For Keehn, the space serves as a recommissioning that calls future educators to become bearers of hope in their own classrooms.

“My dream for the students who will be trained in Shawnee Hall is that they will recognize the profound privilege they hold as educators to shape minds and hearts of future generations,” she said. “I pray they will be well equipped to demonstrate the love of Christ and to foster safe and nurturing learning environments for every child they serve.”

Keehn believes each new class of OBU students will face their own storms, whether academic, personal or spiritual.

She encourages them as they begin their journeys at OBU to remember the following: “Just as this building has faced challenges, so will you during your time on Bison Hill. Through these challenges, you will be prepared for the good work God has for you. Just as Shawnee Hall stands renewed and stronger, your life can also reflect God’s enduring faithfulness to the world around you.”

The Spirit of Shawnee Hall CONTINUED

MABEE LECTURE THEATRE, THIRD FLOOR

SHAWNEE HALL GRAND OPENING

 Grand Opening and Welcome Home banners greet alumni and friends for the Shawnee Hall Grand Opening Celebration during The Weekend. The historic brick and stone on the building’s exterior has been restored, and a new cornice and pediment added to match the 1915 design.

 Walking past the “Future Shaper” wall in the second floor entry, prospective students encounter alumni stories that point to the legacy they hope to join.

SECOND FLOOR ENTRY

 Mabee Lecture Theatre features 259 fixed and accessible seats, can divide into two equal spaces, and is equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology. Artwork from OBU’s Coreopsis Collection enhances this unique, flexible learning environment.

OBU’s Immersive Classroom Expands Student Experiences

OBU is Oklahoma’s first higher education institution to implement a Gener8 Immersive Classroom, positioning the university at the forefront of multi-touch, interactive and collaborative learning.

More than just a classroom, it’s a gateway to new worlds. Floor-to-ceiling projections transport students from the surface of Mars, to a bustling 1920s street, to the canopy of a rainforest, or a futuristic STEM lab.

The walls aren’t just for viewing – they’re interactive. Students can tap, swipe and manipulate elements to explore concepts, trigger animations, reveal hidden information and move objects with their hands. Learning becomes active, hands-on and immediate.

Lessons come alive as students investigate, collaborate and make realworld connections, whether studying science, history or practicing teaching in classrooms that spark curiosity.

Equipped with eight projectors, multiple sensors and cameras, all four walls respond to touch and motion. Students and faculty can create their own experiences using coding and the lab’s five computers, bringing lessons and stories to life in new ways. The space has already come to life through experiential learning, offering hands-on teaching exercises for visiting students, immersive experiences for teacher education students, and lesson design by elementary education majors.

IMMERSIVE CLASSROOM, FIRST FLOOR

Rebuilding HOPE

The Spirit of Shawnee Hall CONTINUED

BROWN: A SACRED SPACE OF RENEWAL

That theme of resilience resonates deeply with Brown, program director for OBU’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. The program launched in January and is the first of four new graduate health sciences hybrid programs with a home in Shawnee Hall. Brown joined OBU only months after the tornado, and she sees the building’s renewal and the beginning of OBU’s newest academic chapter as inseparable.

“The first building on campus will also host the university’s first doctoral program,” she said. “This new endeavor symbolizes change, growth and vision for the future. Yet I also treasure the roots from which our university has grown. OBU is expanding upon it’s traditional undergraduate Christian liberal arts education to offer hybrid, accelerated health science programs that prepare hearts and minds to change the world.”

Brown remembers touring campus during her interview, when Shawnee Hall was still stripped to its frame.

“Even then, in the middle of the chaos, I felt no despair. I only sensed a gentle whisper of hope,” she said. “It was a tender voice of resilience and promise that invited us to believe in rebirth.”

Her reflection carries a theological depth.

“To me, Shawnee Hall is a sacred place,” Brown said. “It calls us to remember where we came from, no matter how far we go. A strong foundation built on hope and perseverance has the power to shape our lives and to touch the world.”

HANNIGAN: A MESSAGE MADE VISIBLE

When Hannigan walks into Shawnee Hall, he feels a deep gratitude that reaches beyond architecture.

“Even though I did not see Shawnee Hall before the tornado, walking into it now gives me this overwhelming sense of gratitude,” he said. “You can feel the history here. Generations of students have learned and grown within these walls. There is something moving about seeing how what was once broken has been made new again.”

 Tammie Haveman, D.Min., M.A., PA-C, director of clinical education for OBU’s developing Physician Associate program, talks with a guest during The Weekend in the new Lingo Lab, a state-of-the-art flexible teaching and simulation space.

 Dr. Canaan Crane, professor of psychology and director of the Marriage and Family Therapy program, teaches new therapists how to work with couples using OBU’s state-ofthe-art counseling lab which allows classroom and virtual observation of live and simulated therapy sessions.

COUNSELING LAB, FIRST FLOOR

LINGO LAB, SECOND FLOOR

“[Shawnee Hall] calls us to remember where we came from, no matter how far we go. A strong foundation built on hope and perseverance has the power to shape our lives and to touch the world.”

Hannigan understands the hall as something more than a restored building. To him, it is a living sermon.

“I believe Shawnee Hall is hope in physical form,” he said. “It connects where we have been to where we are going. It is a reminder to students that even when life feels uncertain, God is still building something good.”

“I am confident that OBU will continue its mission of providing students with an excellent education founded in a Christian, liberal arts tradition,” he said. “Students will continue to grow in their understanding of how to integrate their faith with their chosen discipline.”

A PROMISE PASSED TO A NEW GENERATION

In this way, Shawnee Hall mirrors the university itself. It is grounded in tradition, yet always moving forward. Its walls hold the echoes of the past, even as they hum with new energy and possibilities.

That promise now passes to a new generation – those who will fill these classrooms with questions, ideas and faith that endures. For them, Shawnee Hall is not only a symbol. It is an invitation to carry its spirit forward.

“I will tell students that every time you walk these halls, remember that you are part of something bigger,” Hannigan said. “You stand within a legacy of faith, learning and perseverance. My hope is that you will discover your calling here and leave prepared to shape the future with the same faith and courage that rebuilt these walls.”

A PROMISE KEPT

As sunlight filters through the restored windows, the wooden bison at the heart of Shawnee Hall boldly says that this place stands as more than a building. It stands as a promise kept. A promise that hope endures, that faith rebuilds, and that learning in Christ never ceases. 

Shawnee Hall’s Thoughtful Design Shapes Learning and Campus Experience

Shawnee Hall’s renewal is evident not only in its architecture, but in the intentional design of its interior spaces. Classrooms span all three floors alongside collaborative, interactive and specialized learning areas. Together, these features offer a glimpse of how Shawnee Hall is shaping its role in OBU’s next chapter.

FIRST FLOOR – Where Learning Comes Alive

Academic Program Areas: A hub where key divisions collaborate and students dive into real-world learning.

Immersive Classroom: Step inside this interactive space and explore concepts in a whole new way.

Marriage and Family Therapy Lab: Updated facilities let students practice counseling skills in a hands-on environment.

SECOND FLOOR – Connecting and Welcoming

Admissions and Future Bison Suites: Where prospective students get their first taste of life on Bison Hill.

Student Study Rooms: Dedicated student study spaces made for concentration and connection.

Student Center: Open, modern and inviting – perfect for study, conversation and community.

Lingo Lab: A flexible space supporting events and immersive graduate health science experiences.

THIRD FLOOR – Innovation Meets History

Mabee Lecture Theatre: Advanced technology, flexible

seating, and artwork from OBU’s Coreopsis Collection create a one-of-a-kind learning environment.

Bison Hill Presentation Room: Views of the Oval and south campus complement a preserved section of original Shawnee Hall brick, blending history with inspiration.

DETAILS THAT DELIGHT

Restrooms on every floor feature custom green-andgold tiles, adding a cohesive, modern touch that complements Shawnee Hall’s refreshed design.

STUDENT STUDY ROOM, SECOND FLOOR

SHAWNEE HALL

Held by History. Carried by Hope.

The restored Shawnee Hall tells a story of resilience, renewal and faith that shaped two seniors from their first class to graduation.

As freshmen, Lane Cryer and Noah Steelman took classes in the historic Shawnee Hall just hours before an EF2 tornado severely battered it on April 19, 2023.

Now, as seniors preparing to graduate, they are leaving OBU shaped by what rose in its place.

The Night It Became Personal

For Cryer, Shawnee Hall stopped being just a building the night of the storm.

He had pulled off the road outside Shawnee, sheltering near a gas station after a friend warned him the storm was closing in. When the tornado passed, he drove straight to campus. He stepped out of his truck, pulled on his work boots and stood in silence.

“The porch roof was gone,” Cryer said. “Raley’s roof was peeled back. Shawnee Hall was hit very hard. That night is ingrained in my mind.”

At the time, Cryer was a freshman middle school education major with an emphasis in history.

Shawnee Hall was where he took core classes, where he learned to think critically and argue carefully, and where he began preparing for the classroom he someday hopes to lead. After the storm, he wasn’t sure he would ever sit in those halls again before graduating.

For months, Shawnee Hall stood wounded. Classes were relocated. Questions lingered. Would the building be saved? Would it reopen in time for the students who had begun their college journey there?

What Restoration Means

Now, as Cryer walks its halls again as a senior, the meaning runs deeper than brick and mortar.

“To be in here now means restoration,” he said. “What it really means to restore something.”

Built in 1910, Shawnee Hall is the oldest building on OBU’s campus and has anchored academic life for generations, shaping students who would go on to teach, preach, heal and lead. The tornado left it unusable. While a small number of classes briefly

returned last fall, this spring marks its full return to daily academic life.

What stands today is not simply a repaired building, but a reimagined one.

Historic character remains visible in exposed brick walls and reclaimed-wood bison artwork crafted from salvaged materials from the original structure. At the same time, updated classrooms, immersive learning spaces and advanced instructional technology signal that Shawnee Hall is not frozen in the past. It is oriented toward what comes next.

For Cryer, those details matter.

“You can’t talk about OBU without talking about Shawnee Hall,” he said. “You can’t talk about the history of OBU or Civ without talking about it. Seeing the old wood on the second floor, seeing how far we’ve come since April 19, 2023, it gives you hope for where we’re going.”

Seeing What’s Possible

That sense of hope is shared by Noah Steelman, a senior secondary math education major with a minor in history, who also remembers Shawnee Hall as it was before the storm.

On the night of the tornado, Steelman and others sheltered in the basement of Agee Residence Center. Phones buzzed with radar images and warnings.

“Someone said, ‘It looks like it’s going to come through campus,’” he said. “We were like, ‘This might actually happen.’”

Seeing Shawnee Hall afterward was sobering. Walking into it now feels transformative.

“It’s a night-and-day difference,” Steelman said. “I walked in after it was done and just thought, ‘This is crazy.’”

Spaces that once served as storage are now offices. Classrooms have been redesigned to mirror real-world learning environments. The Lingo Lab supports hybrid graduate programs in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology and Physician

Associate Studies, programs that can be completed in two years or less. The Mabee Lecture Theatre anchors the building with upgraded audiovisual systems and flexible configurations.

For Steelman, those changes shape how he envisions his future in education.

“We have rooms that actually simulate real school classrooms,” he said. “Flexible seating, immersive technology. Education is hands-on. You’re teaching, presenting and managing a room.”

During a STEM Day event, Steelman taught high school students inside one of Shawnee Hall’s immersive classrooms.

“With the interactive walls and activities, that’s the next level of education,” he said. “Being able to experiment with that technology now is so valuable.”

The reopening of Shawnee Hall marks a milestone in OBU’s recovery from the 2023 tornado, which damaged or destroyed multiple campus facilities.

President Dr. Heath A. Thomas formally marked its return during The Weekend celebration in October 2025, calling it a continuation of the university’s

founding partnership with the city of Shawnee and Oklahoma Baptists.

Supported through private gifts and campaign funding, the renovation reflects what faithful generosity can accomplish and has set the tone for the Shape the Future campaign, which continues the renewal of other landmarks on Bison Hill, including Raley Chapel.

For students like Cryer and Steelman, the impact is both immediate and enduring.

“What Shawnee Hall taught me,” Cryer said, “is what resilience looks like on a grand scale. How you take something catastrophic and turn it into something good.”

As seniors preparing to graduate, they will leave OBU carrying more than degrees. They leave shaped by a building that stood broken, was faithfully restored, and now prepares them to step into classrooms, communities and callings with confidence.

“This shows me that no matter what we face,” Cryer said, “the Lord is going to provide.” 

STUDENT CENTER, SECOND FLOOR

Wind, Wings and Cyber Warfare in Thurmond Hall

Step inside the renewed Thurmond Hall and the future comes into view fast.

A six-foot Firejet drone greets visitors inside the second-floor entry, symbolic of the growing aerospace and defense engineering education underway on campus. Downstairs, a new Aerolab Educational Wind Tunnel sends air roaring through a clear test chamber at speeds up to 145 mph. And one floor above, crews are preparing a classroom that will soon host mock cyberattacks as students learn to defend real servers and networks.

Together, the three features anchor a building that OBU leaders say reflects the university’s push toward hands-on engineering and cybersecurity education.

The wind tunnel, partly funded through a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, is now one of the engineering program’s signature tools. Dr. Chuck Baukal, engineering program director, said its arrival marks a major step in strengthening OBU’s aerospace focus.

“The tunnel will play a central role in

teaching key aerodynamics concepts,” Baukal said. “Students will be able to measure lift, drag and other forces with real data. That experience is essential for anyone preparing for advanced study or work in aerospace engineering.”

The Firejet drone extends that learning into the realm of cyber-physical systems. Built and donated by Kratos Defense, the drone’s display serves both as an industrial connection and a teaching asset for students studying avionics and digital control systems. It’s location in Thurmond Hall underscores a deliberate effort to bring engineering and cybersecurity work into the same orbit.

That overlap expands again with OBU’s new cybersecurity lab. Upstairs, the cybersecurity lab is made possible in part by a $25,000 grant from Craig Newmark and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. OBU Vice President of Technology and Digital Innovation and Chief Technology Officer Josh Shoffner said the space is designed to operate as a “cyber warfare range.”

Students will work with physical servers,

THURMOND HALL

WIND TUNNEL, FIRST FLOOR

 The Aerolab Educational Wind Tunnel produces air speeds up to 145 mph and supports the engineering program’s aerospace focus, giving aerodynamics students hands-on testing experience.

 Thurmond Hall’s dramatic entry preserves OBU’s original seal in the flooring while creating a futurefocused home for the Firejet drone, built and donated by industry partner Kratos Defense.

 The student study lounge creates space for students to gather, study and collaborate.

firewalls and routers, a contrast from programs that rely entirely on cloud-based simulations. Exercises will include offensive and defensive operations where students attempt to breach networks, stop intrusions and repair compromised systems.

“This is real equipment, not just virtual machines,” Shoffner said. “Students will be the ones pushing boundaries and exploring how systems work, break and get fixed. That kind of learning is what makes students prepared for the workforce.”

Shoffner said the lab meets a critical workforce need. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 29 percent increase in demand for information security analysts from 2024 to 2034, a trend OBU aims to meet with graduates who have practiced in realistic scenarios.

OBU is also exploring opportunities to host community workshops in the lab to support small businesses seeking to strengthen their cybersecurity.

Shoffner said the goal reaches beyond the equipment itself.

“We want this lab to be a service,” he said. “Not just to our students but to the community as well.” 

STUDY LOUNGE, SECOND FLOOR

A Call to Restore Raley Chapel

For decades, Raley Chapel has served as the spiritual heartbeat of campus, nurturing faith, calling and community. OBU alumni and supporters are being called to rally support to restore this sacred space. The renderings on this page reveal plans for the renewed exterior and grounds, set to welcome new experiences of worship, surrender and spiritual growth.

A Moment of Reflection

Jami Smith, ’94, wasn’t expecting tears that night. She was simply walking across Bison Hill to an event when she stopped cold.

Hanging on the construction fence outside Raley Chapel was a photo of her leading worship years ago, students lifting their hands in praise behind her.

The building she once learned to hear God in was now battered by the April 2023 tornado. The image on the fence reminded her of what had been, and what still needed to be restored.

“So much of what I learned musically and spiritually happened inside Raley,” Smith said. “I received grace, mercy and wisdom there. What a wonderful beginning for me.”

A Spiritual Home for Generations

For more than 60 years Raley Chapel has been the spiritual heartbeat of OBU. Generations stepped into its towering spire not just to attend chapel but to find direction, purpose and calling. In its pews students wrestled with faith. On its stage countless pastors, missionaries and worship leaders surrendered to the voice of God.

OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas, ’98, was one of them. He remembers the exact moment.

“I walked in one day as an English major with my plans set,” he said. “Henry Blackaby preached, and my life was wrecked. God got hold of my heart and shifted my calling from teaching literature to teaching Scripture. My life changed in Raley Chapel.”

This west facing view of Raley Chapel features a brick bridge spanning a gently flowing stream that links four serene ponds.

RALEY CHAPEL

Stories like his are not rare. They are the norm. Thomas said thousands have been called to ministry and missions inside the building. Many were saved there. Others found the courage to follow Jesus for the first time.

The tornado that tore apart Raley’s roof and soaked its interior did more than damage a structure. It wounded a place that had shaped decades of spiritual formation.

“Raley Chapel has been the worksite for life change for more than 60 years,” Thomas said. “God still desires that Raley remain a place where students encounter Him.”

Memories That Last a Lifetime

Dr. Todd Fisher, ’92, executive director-treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists, still feels the weight of memories each time he talks about the building. He remembers chapel services from his student days, the sound of marbles rolling down the old linoleum floor, and Easter Sunday sermons he later preached to packed crowds when he pastored in Shawnee. One year he even baptized new believers in Raley’s portable baptistry.

“If I have this many memories, imagine the untold thousands who do too,” Fisher said. “It is such an integral part of OBU and of Oklahoma Baptist life.”

A Call to Restore

When First Baptist Church of Ardmore pastor, Dr. Alton Fannin, spoke with Thomas in 2025, he understood the urgency. The building wasn’t just damaged. It had been totaled.

“OBU’s desire is not only to restore Raley to usability but to prepare it for future generations,” Fannin said. “Insurance can’t accomplish that alone. Oklahoma Baptists must.”

FBC Ardmore responded with conviction, giving nearly $230,000. “Raley Chapel is the spiritual heartbeat of OBU,” he said. “It must be restored for the next 50 years.”

Smith agrees. Thomas and Fisher do too. So do thousands who once sat beneath its spire and listened for God.

Raley Chapel shaped their beginnings. Now they hope to shape its future, ensuring its spiritual guidance and life-changing influence for generations yet to come. 

This north facing view of Raley Chapel highlights the newly landscaped lawn in the foreground – an open space designed to accommodate large events and outdoor concerts.

This east facing view highlights the brick paver plaza which seamlessly extends into the main promenade, forming the University’s primary thoroughfare for students, faculty and visitors.

POTTER AUDITORIUM RENDERING

Moments That Changed Us

For generations, Raley Chapel has been where faith took root and futures took shape. Within its walls, students have worshiped, wrestled, laughed and listened for God’s voice, often discovering that He was calling them to something more. As plans take shape to restore and reimagine Raley’s interior, current students reflect on the moments that changed them and the hope they hold for future students who will one day step inside and encounter God in the same space.

RALEY CHAPEL

COLE TAYLOR

Senior Communication Studies major Coweta, Oklahoma

Raley Chapel was huge in my life. When I came to OBU, I was in a tough season, and my walk with God was very stagnant – I would even say non-existent. During the second semester of my freshman year, we had Focus Week, and it was in Raley Chapel that the Lord convicted me and refocused my life around Him. I spent time worshiping, praying and diving into the Word more than I had in a long time. Raley Chapel is where my life changed completely. God flipped everything I expected life to be and aimed me toward what He planned for my life.

For the next generation of students, I pray they would enter Raley Chapel with open hearts and minds. I know they will leave changed, because amazing things happen within those walls.

ANNA RADER

Senior Exercise Science Pre-Allied Health major Sulphur, Louisiana

When I think back on my freshman year at OBU, so many of my favorite memories come from Raley Chapel. There were nights spent there with friends, playing guitar and worshiping the Lord together. Hearing our voices echo throughout the chapel was so beautiful. Other memories include Christmas chapel, Welcome Week, concerts, and so much more.

As I look back on those moments, I hope that future students who return to Raley will experience worshiping the Lord together and see all the good God has done through what the tornado brought. I’m so excited for all they will get to experience in Raley Chapel.

One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.

PSALM 145:4 (NKJV)

UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT

Dear OBU Alumni and Friends,

Greetings from Bison Hill! It is a privilege to return to campus serving our alma mater. I hope this issue of the OBU Magazine finds you well and celebrating God’s continued faithfulness in your lives, as well as all He is doing here at OBU.

The theme of this edition is HOPE. We are fragile creatures, and our hope can be shaken in big and small ways through tragedy, uncertainty, or the unknown. Yet when we set our minds on things above, we remember our hope is not in what is temporary, but in Jesus, our rock and redeemer. On Bison Hill, we keep our knees to the earth, our feet moving forward, our hands busy with the work before us, our hearts grateful, and our eyes lifted upward. This posture allows us to witness God’s goodness as He renews this campus through faithful partnership. He remains our one true Hope.

Shawnee Hall is again filled with the energy of students discovering the truth, goodness, and beauty of our Creator and His creation. This iconic space, which formed generations before the 2023 tornado, is shaping students anew through faith-integrated education and modern learning environments. This is hope realized.

Thurmond Hall will open this spring, welcoming future engineers, physicists, and computer scientists into a premier learning environment. Here, students refine their God-given gifts, build community, and prepare to lead with compassion and purpose in a complex world.

This is hope renewed.

That same Hope carries us into the restoration of Raley Chapel, the spiritual heartbeat of campus. Its renewal is not simply preservation of a landmark; it ensures future students encounter God in lifeshaping ways. Because of your generosity, that vision is becoming reality. This is hope rising.

As Vice President of Advancement, I witness daily how deeply alumni and friends care for this university. Your generosity appears in many forms: financial support, prayer, mentorship, advocacy and presence. For many, giving is personal because OBU shaped your story. Others invest because you believe in the power of Christian higher education. In every case, your partnership turns hope into action, one student, one program, one restored space at a time. This is hope restored.

The work of Shape the Future continues to unfold. As you read these pages, I hope you are reminded that God is at work on Bison Hill and that you play a meaningful role in this story.

Thank you for believing in OBU. Thank you for investing in students. Thank you for shaping the future with us.

With Hope,

Julie Paul Vice President of Advancement and Alumni

Celebrating a Decade of Women of Vision

Nearly 150 women gathered at OBU to celebrate a decade of Women of Vision, honoring faith, generosity, and shared purpose. From scholarships to campus improvements, the group’s collective service continues shaping Bison Hill. The evening affirmed a legacy of faithful investment in students and launched support for a new Raley Chapel project.

A Legacy of Faithful Giving

Rooted in gratitude, Joe and Kay Henry’s decades of giving reveal how faithful alumni partnership sustains OBU’s mission across generations.

On a sweltering summer day in 1964, a teenage girl stepped onto the campus of OBU to attend a journalism workshop. The heat was memorable, but the woman leading the session, Dorothy Finklea, left a more enduring impression. That teenager, Kay Vandevier Henry, would soon discover that the stories being written at OBU weren’t just about newsprint – they were about calling, community and commitment.

Now, more than six decades later, Kay and her husband, Joe Henry, stand among OBU’s most faithful champions. Their story is one of generosity rooted in gratitude, shaped by love for a university that gave them not only a rigorous education, but also a deeper understanding of faith, purpose and service.

A Transformative Start

“When I came to OBU as a freshman in 1965, I was fully onboard and I had a plan,” Kay said. “Keep my grades up to maintain my OBU scholarships and graduate with a double major in journalism and English.”

That plan succeeded.

Kay graduated magna cum laude in 1969, armed with a solid education and a drive to serve. Along the way, she met Joe Henry, the man who would become her partner in life and in ministry. Together, they began a tradition of giving that has lasted more than 50 years, starting with a modest pledge of $300 spread over three years. It may not have seemed like much at the time, but for two young alumni starting out, it was a bold act of faith.

“We were newly minted OBU graduates and we believed that ‘giving back’ is what OBU alums do,” Kay said. “We have always wanted to help OBU thrive and enable the next generations of students to flourish as beneficiaries of a first-class education so they can powerfully and positively impact our world for Christ.”

Investing in a Vision

Over the decades, the Henrys have backed that conviction with action, supporting virtually every major OBU campaign: Growth for the Future, Vision for Excellence, Bridging the Centuries, Foundation for the Future, Vision For A New Century, and now, Shape the Future. Their giving has grown but so has their understanding of the university’s impact.

“These amazing students become future shapers and that is what our Lord calls us to be,” Kay said. “As beneficiaries of OBU’s Kingdom work, we also are called to benefit others.”

The Henrys believe deeply in OBU’s mission, not just because of what it provided them, but because of what it continues to offer students – an education steeped in biblical worldview, personal mentorship and academic rigor.

Mentors and Milestones

Kay credits much of her growth at OBU to the guidance of journalism professor John Parrish, whose high standards helped shape her professional path.

“His standards of excellence were very high, but still achievable with grit and hard work,” she recalled. “I just never wanted to disappoint my parents, or Mr. Parrish.”

Years later, Kay would work under Parrish’s leadership when she returned to OBU as alumni director and development officer. Over time, she served in key fundraising and leadership roles, helping to launch multimillion-dollar campaigns. Kay also co-authored several books through Convention Press, using her gifts as a communicator to further ministry and mission.

Joe’s career in engineering took him to Baker Hughes, where he worked in several roles, including project engineer. He carried with him the values strengthened on Bison Hill.

A Family Legacy

OBU’s influence has extended to the Henrys’ children. Their son, Doug, is now the dean of Baylor University’s Honors College, and their daughter, Jenifer, is an executive in the financial sector. Both are OBU graduates who credit the university with equipping them academically and spiritually.

“OBU helped shape the path of spiritual and educational growth for our son, Doug, specifically through the personal interest and mentoring of OBU President Bob Agee and faculty members Don Wester, Warren McWilliams and Mack Roark,” Kay said.

Jenifer was equally shaped by her time on Bison Hill, where professors like Ronda Hall and John Cragin encouraged her global aspirations. Through OBU’s Global Options program, she studied in Moscow – an experience that helped launch her into a career in international business.

The Mustard Seed Principle

Reflecting on OBU’s long legacy, Kay turns to Scripture to express its Kingdom impact.

“I think Jesus’ parable of the tiny, mighty mustard seed can be seen in God’s Kingdom work through OBU,” she said. “The dedicated work of OBU’s faculty and staff in planting seeds of faith and learning in the lives of students ‘puts out large branches’ (Mark 4:30-32).”

For Kay, these branches are the alumni who serve around the world, including missionaries, educators, healthcare professionals, pastors and business leaders who trace their beginnings back to Bison Hill.

She lists names like Willa Ruth Scantlan Garlow, Verne McCabe, Calvin Miller and Mary Jane Peitz Howarth –each a testimony to the transformative power of OBU’s mission.

Beyond the Checkbook

Though financial gifts remain vital, the Henrys emphasize that support for OBU comes in many forms.

“Support takes many forms,” Kay said. “Financial gifts are critical, of course, for keeping the doors open and continuing the university’s pursuit of providing transformative education. However, other important investments include praying for OBU; encouraging prospective students and donors; sharing OBU testimonials with family, friends and church; and attending OBU events.”

As the Shape the Future campaign continues to gain momentum, the Henrys are excited about OBU’s trajectory under President Heath Thomas. They see in him a leader who, like the early pioneers of Bison Hill, meets challenges head-on with vision and faith.

“Dr. Thomas stands tall among OBU’s legacy of impactful leaders,” Kay said. “Today’s OBU leadership demonstrates resilience and dedication in the ongoing development of multi-functional facilities, innovative programs and strong educational foundations for students.”

“This great work honors God and transforms lives; and we must continue, all of us, to be faithful and supportive Kingdom workers.”

KAY HENRY

The Road Ahead

The Henrys recognize that OBU’s path has not been without trials, from the early days of statehood through wars, economic depressions, and most recently, the destruction caused by a 2023 tornado. But they remain convinced that OBU’s calling is eternal.

“Joe and I are convinced that OBU is about God’s eternal Kingdom work,” Kay said. “This great work honors God and transforms lives; and we must continue, all of us, to be faithful and supportive Kingdom workers.”

Their story is a reminder that legacy is not just built through large gifts or high-profile roles, but through consistent, faithful support over time.

The Henrys’ lives are a testament to what it means to live generously, serve humbly and invest in the kind of education that changes lives, and through those lives, changes the world.

As Kay often says, OBU is not just where her story began. It’s where her purpose was shaped, her faith deepened, and her lifelong journey of giving set into motion. 

Mission. Momentum. Measurable Impact.

THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT tells the story of a year defined by momentum, mission and measurable impact.

Across campus and around the world, OBU students, faculty and alumni expanded academic achievement, service and leadership in ways that reflect the university’s Christcentered calling.

From bold innovation and national recognition to global outreach, championship athletics and life-changing ministry, this year-in-review captures the people and programs shaping OBU’s present and preparing its future.

Together, these stories offer more than highlights. They reveal a community investing faithfully in lives that will influence churches, professions and communities for generations.

2,317 Total Fall Enrollment

Enrollment by Location

Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Group

of the Class of 2025 report being employed, enrolled in graduate school or both.

OKLAHOMA’S PROMISE + BISON PACT

OBU’s Bison Pact makes private Christian education at OBU affordable for families who qualify for Oklahoma’s Promise. OBU covers the remaining tuition and general fees after other state, federal and OBU aid have been applied. 167 students received Bison Pact financial aid packages this year. $37,588

Prepared for What’s Next

Rachel Antony’s Journey from OBU to Washington, D.C.

The phone lights up again on Rachel Antony’s desk, another request layered into a day governed by precision and trust.

In a Washington, D.C., office where minutes matter and access carries consequence, Antony moves with quiet confidence. As deputy scheduler for U.S. Sen. James Lankford, she helps manage the flow of meetings and commitments that shape a senator’s work – often unseen, always essential.

From Global Roots to Capitol Hill

Her path to Capitol Hill began far from Washington, D.C.

Antony was born in India and raised between India and Oklahoma, moving back and forth over the years. The experience formed an early awareness of cultures, expectations and responsibility – an understanding that would later inform both her faith and her vocation. She graduated from Clayton High School in southeastern Oklahoma in 2021, then set her sights on a college experience defined by more than convenience or credentials.

“I wanted to attend a college where I could work closely with my professors, grow a firmer foundation in my faith, and participate in extra-curricular activities I enjoyed,” said Antony, who graduated from OBU in May 2025 with a degree in international business.

Formed at OBU

At OBU, those priorities converged. The university’s emphasis on academic rigor, personal mentorship and Christian formation created an environment where learning was relational and purpose-driven. Antony found professors who invested not only in her coursework, but in her character and calling.

“OBU’s faith-centered and community-oriented framework encouraged building strong mentor relationships with our professors, growing deeper in our relationship and understanding of God and His Word, and finding ways to enjoy our passions,” she said.

As a business major in OBU’s Paul Dickinson School of Business, Antony was challenged to think critically, communicate clearly and operate with integrity under pressure. The preparation extended

beyond lectures and exams, pushing students into real-world scenarios that demanded adaptability and professionalism.

“Through both coursework and meaningful conversations, our professors set clear expectations for professionalism, integrity and excellence in the workplace and prioritized the importance of living out our faith consistently,” Antony said. “That foundation has been invaluable on Capitol Hill.”

Those skills were tested on an international stage when Antony earned first place at the Collegiate International Career Development Conference in San Francisco through DECA. The competition required participants to analyze unfamiliar scenarios and present solutions with minimal preparation – an experience that mirrored the demands of her OBU coursework.

“At OBU, every business major is required to present on various topics in multiple classes,” Antony said. “This constant practice and our professors’ training and guidance hone and improve our public speaking skills, creativity and confidence.”

She credits that success to the people around her as much as to the preparation itself.

“A major factor of my placing in the DECA conference was the support from my professors and peers,” she said. “Dr. [David] Houghton prayed for me in the waiting lobby right before my final round.”

Houghton, chair of the school of business, and Antony’s academic advisor, became a defining mentor during her time at OBU. As sponsor for DECA and Salt and Light Leadership Training and as a Bible study leader, he modeled what it looks like to integrate faith, leadership and professional excellence.

“He truly exemplified faithfully living out one’s calling in their professional career, personal life and leadership,” Antony said.

That integration proved essential during seasons of uncertainty about life after graduation. Rather than offering quick answers, Antony said the OBU community taught her how to wait faithfully and act responsibly in the present.

“The people around constantly pouring into me at OBU encouraged me to wait on His next direction as I obeyed Him in my present responsibilities and decisions,” Antony said.

Prepared to Serve

In September, Antony began her role in Sen. Lankford’s Washington office, where she now lives and works full-time. Lankford, who has represented Oklahoma in Congress for more than a decade, is a former director of the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center.

As deputy scheduler, she helps connect constituents with scheduling requests and manages the complex coordination required in a fast-paced political environment.

“At OBU, I learned to juggle multiple responsibilities at once,” she said. “The skills I developed during those seasons of learning, adapting and growing prepared me to take on a role that once again required flexibility, resilience and continued growth.”

For Antony, representing Oklahoma and her alma mater in Washington, D.C., carries both weight and gratitude.

“It is a privilege to represent OBU and Oklahoma while serving in an office that works wholeheartedly, tirelessly and resiliently for our state and country,” she said.

Looking back, Antony sees her faith, education and sense of purpose as inseparable – each reinforcing the other in ways that continue to guide her decisions.

“During college, I was motivated by the understanding that the work I was doing and the knowledge I was gaining would one day equip me to fulfill God’s calling and serve both Him and the people He places in my path,” Antony said. “It is doing exactly that.” 

98%

of OBU Exercise Science, Sports and Recreation graduates who apply to graduate healthcare programs are accepted

96.2%

Is the combined pass rate among OBU Education graduates on teacher certification exams

91% of OBU Nursing graduates who sit for the NCLEX licensure exam pass the first time, while the national average is 80%.

100% of OBU Science graduates who apply for medical school are accepted.

24-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

18 GO TRIPS 148

23 FACULTY AND STAFF

18 LOCATIONS (16 other countries)

Walking with Elephants, Following God

For OBU senior Camryn Laverty, the Global Outreach (GO) trip to Thailand was never just about three weeks of travel and service. It was about healing, faith and discovering how her passion for physical therapy can be used as a ministry.

Laverty, an exercise science and pre-allied health major from Grove, Oklahoma, joined the Thailand team this past summer. She and her group assisted missionary families and children with special needs in Chiang Mai and the surrounding areas. Her work included therapy, providing consultations for children with disabilities, and serving at a retreat for missionary families whose lives are impacted by disability.

She went on the trip with a clear purpose.

“I wanted to use my passion for physical therapy

and service to make a difference in the lives of others, especially children and families with special needs,” Laverty said.

Alongside the practical work, the team also participated in a cultural excursion to an elephant park, where students learned about Thai history, traditions and the cultural significance of elephants in the region. The experience helped students better understand the people they were serving and reinforced the importance of cultural humility in ministry.

“My prayer going into the trip was that God would use both my hands and my heart to bring hope and love to the people we met in Thailand,” she said.

But the trip also became personal in a way Laverty did not expect. In August 2024, she suffered a

OBU students interact with elephants in Thailand, part of a Global Outreach trip that blended cultural learning, service and faith in action.

heatstroke so severe that doctors told her she might never sweat again. For nearly a year, she prayed for healing with no visible change. Then, while working in Thailand, it happened.

“One moment I will never forget was during the first week, while we were building wheelchairs,” Laverty said. “In the middle of the hard work, I suddenly realized I was sweating for the first time since my heatstroke. In that moment, I felt so much joy. It was special because I saw God answer a prayer I had been praying for a year and something I honestly never thought would happen. It reminded me that God’s timing is perfect.”

At that moment, she said, her faith was reshaped.

The impact of the trip was felt not only by students like Laverty, but also by those who welcomed the team in Thailand.

The host of the trip said, “For many years, our ministry team has prayed for a university partnership in order to have a yearly team come and serve with our ministry. We have consistently seen the amazing impact on those who are able to participate in these trips, both those giving and those receiving. This was our first year to partner with OBU and it far exceeded our expectations and was truly an answer to our prayers. We have never worked with such a well-prepared, wellled, intentional and high-quality team. The students and the mentors were so dedicated, so humble, and so open to serving however needed. Their hearts for the Lord were an encouragement to us, and our entire team cannot wait to host them again next year.”

The Avery T. Willis Center for Global Mobilization seeks to partner with students, faculty and staff to engage a diverse world. The Center provides support and opportunities for students to reach out to people world wide. Through local and international outreach, a student’s global perspective is challenged through the integration of the individual’s faith and education.

“This trip strengthened my walk with God by showing me His faithfulness in both big and small ways,” Laverty said. “Serving families, building relationships and seeing the joy of others deepened my gratitude and dependence on Him.”

The Thailand trip also gave her perspective on both immediate and lasting blessings.

“In the short term, God gave me the chance to see Him answer prayers in a very real way,” she said. “In the long

term, this trip blessed me with a deeper trust in God’s timing and faithfulness, as well as a clearer sense of calling. Seeing how physical therapy can be used to serve families and children with disabilities confirmed that my future career can also be a ministry in many different ways.”

Since returning home, Laverty has been sharing her story with friends, classmates and peers in ministry. She said she hopes her testimony encourages those who are struggling to see God at work in their own lives.

“I’ve already had opportunities to share what God did on this trip with people at school and friends who have walked with me through my recovery,” she said. “Being able to tell them how God answered a year-long prayer by allowing me to sweat again has opened the door to conversations about faith, healing and God’s timing.”

She added that she wants to continue sharing in both personal conversations and larger group settings, especially to encourage others who may feel distant from God.

“To the ones struggling to believe God is really there, to the ones struggling to hear His voice and to the ones who are struggling to sit in silence with Him, I just want to encourage you – come talk to me because I would love to help in any way,” Laverty said.

For Laverty, the GO Trip was not only an opportunity to serve but also a defining moment of faith, healing and purpose. And it affirmed what OBU leaders hope every GO Trip does: change lives, both in the places students serve and in the students themselves. 

OBU students assemble wheelchairs in Thailand, working side by side to provide mobility for children and families with special needs.

Generations United by Global Mission

Avery Willis’ Legacy: A Family’s Commitment to the Great Commission

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20

Matt Willis took a deep breath and pictured what the Great Commission looks like when lived out.

For him, it looks like the life of his grandfather, Avery T. Willis.

When Matt thinks about his late grandfather, he doesn’t just recall family gatherings or childhood memories. He remembers a man who lived out the Great Commission with steady, everyday faithfulness. From mission trips to underground evangelism, Avery’s influence shaped not only Matt’s path, but a multigenerational legacy of commitment to global missions.

“He’s the one who baptized me,” Matt said. “He took me to Cuba. He not only told me what missions and discipleship look like, he showed me.”

A 1956 OBU graduate, Avery was known worldwide for his influence in global outreach. His legacy includes the development of MasterLife, a discipleship training series that has impacted believers around the world, as well as his leadership with the International Mission Board (IMB).

Yet for those who knew him best, Avery’s greatest legacy is found not in programs or titles, but in the lives he touched, beginning with his own family. Through OBU’s Avery T. Willis Center for Global Mobilization, that legacy continues to shape the next generation of missionaries and Christ-followers.

A Family Shaped by Missions

For grandson Matt, ’05, and his family, missions weren’t simply something they supported; they were a way of life. Matt’s father, Randy Willis, grew up overseas because of Avery’s ministry, and by the time Matt was a teenager, he was following in those same footsteps.

“Some people might have been concerned about letting their son, who was in high school, go to Cuba,” Randy said. “But I grew up in third-world countries, so that was all very natural to me. I never had a fear of that.”

Avery’s approach to discipleship wasn’t just about studying the Bible; it was about living it out. His

commitment to sharing Christ meant that his children and grandchildren were introduced to mission work early.

Where would that lead? Matt’s life offers a clear answer.

Matt and Allison Willis met during college while on an international mission trip. Serving the Lord together became the foundation of their relationship and has remained their deepest joy for more than 20 years.

After graduating, Matt served as global outreach coordinator for OBU’s Avery T. Willis Center for Global Mobilization while earning his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. They then spent seven years as IMB missionaries in South Asia with their three children. Today, they serve at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where Matt is associate pastor of missions and evangelism.

Matt learned early that obedience would not always be easy, but that God would always be present. He recalls his second trip to Asia vividly.

“That’s the only time that I have been interrogated by police and threatened,” Matt said.

While traveling through rural Asia with a fellow missionary, Matt was distributing booklets about the Good Shepherd when one recipient reported them to authorities.

“The police drove up and separated us and interrogated us,” Matt said. “They said, ‘How many of these have you given away? How many do you have left? Give us everything you’ve got of those remaining tracts. We’re going to come back tomorrow, and if you’ve told anyone else about Jesus, we’ll throw you in jail.’”

With no transportation and no clear way out, Matt and his companion found themselves in a dangerous situation. Unexpectedly, they encountered a man whose truck was stuck in the mud and who gave them a ride into the city, allowing them to escape safely.

The experience reflects both the risks of following

Christ in restricted regions and the bold obedience Avery modeled throughout his life.

That commitment to missions was never tied to a specific profession or degree. Instead, it flowed from a heart devoted to spreading the gospel. Randy, ’79, a mathematics graduate, and his son Kyle, ’06, an international business graduate, exemplify that truth.

Despite their different academic paths, both have actively engaged in global missions. Randy has led dozens of short-term mission trips across five continents. Kyle served in Indonesia providing tsunami relief while a student at OBU.

“These experiences reflect that the call to share Christ is not limited to pastors or missionaries by profession,” Randy said. “It extends to anyone willing to follow God’s leading, regardless of career or skillset.”

The Power of Storytelling in Discipleship

One of Avery Willis’ most influential passions was orality – the practice of communicating biblical truths through storytelling.

Avery recognized that in many cultures, oral communication was more effective than literacybased discipleship methods. Rather than relying solely on written materials, he encouraged believers to engage with Scripture through narrative and personal testimony.

A Legacy That Endures

Having Avery’s name associated with OBU’s Center for Global Mobilization ensures his passion for missions will continue to inspire students for generations. But his legacy goes beyond a name. It is a call to action.

Avery’s mission was never limited to full-time ministry. He believed every believer was responsible for owning their faith and calling.

Reflecting shortly after Matt addressed nearly 900 students in a Wednesday chapel service, Kyle said, “What I hope students walk away with is an extreme ownership of both their personal relationship with Christ and their testimony in whatever their vocation is, to bring glory to God.”

Continuing the Mission

At OBU, the spirit of Avery Willis’ mission continues through faculty, chapel speakers, and students who are passionate about sharing the gospel.

“OBU is blessed by so many professors and guests speaking at chapel to show what it’s like to follow fully,” Matt said. “You can see that model, not just read it in books.”

Avery’s legacy is more than history. It is a living call for students, believers, and missionaries to step forward in faith. Whether through storytelling, evangelism, or discipleship, his life reminds us that the Great Commission is for all who follow Christ.

That truth is also carried forward in print. In 2009, Matt co-authored “Learning to Soar: How to Grow through Transitions and Trials” with his grandfather. Avery’s biography, “I Aim to Be That Man: How God Used the Ordinary Life of Avery Willis Jr.,” written by his daughter, Sherrie Willis Brown, was released in 2018.

In 2022, Matt and Allison co-authored “MasterLife Together: A Discipleship Experience for Small Groups,” published by Lifeway, building on Avery’s original MasterLife series. Lifeway published the teen edition of “MasterLife Togethe” in 2025.

“More than 60 OBU students have engaged in MasterLife Together, guided by Dr. Matt Kearns [OBU Director of Student Ministry],” Matt said. “The study’s reach extends beyond OBU, with translations in Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi and Swahili, and more languages in progress.”

As his family and the Avery T. Willis Center for Global Mobilization carry forward the mission Avery began, they do so with the same boldness and commitment he embodied – a legacy that continues to shape the future of global outreach. 

Matt Willis, grandson of Avery T. Willis, visits with students following a Wednesday chapel service on Bison Hill.

Education Without Boundaries

Strategic academic pathways are expanding access, meeting critical workforce needs, and multiplying the impact of an OBU education.

OBU’s future is being shaped not only by brick and mortar, but by carefully designed academic pathways that extend the university’s mission to learners who cannot relocate to Shawnee or pause their lives to attend class full time.

A new suite of online and hybrid degree programs reflects a strategic commitment to access, excellence and faith integration, while responding directly to workforce, ministry and healthcare needs across Oklahoma and beyond.

Removing Barriers in Business

In business, OBU has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer an online 90-credit-hour Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration

The program is among the first in the nation and the first in Oklahoma authorized at a reduced credit level. Designed for working adults, the degree removes traditional barriers without lowering academic expectations. Students complete a directed work experience documenting 600 hours in the business field, allowing professional

experience to become an integrated part of the curriculum rather than a competing obligation.

Housed in the Paul Dickinson School of Business, the program emphasizes leadership, ethics and applied learning consistent with OBU’s Christian liberal arts identity. Faculty intentionally connect theory with practice through collaboration with experienced business leaders who demonstrate real world application. The program expands OBU’s reach while preserving its on-campus business programs, offering flexibility without compromise. It also provides a scalable investment in workforce development that aligns with the university’s mission and values.

Meeting Education Needs

OBU’s online education initiatives address a different but equally urgent need. Oklahoma continues to face a persistent teacher shortage, particularly in special education. The online Bachelor of Science in Education in Special Education/Elementary Education provides a licensure track that prepares graduates to teach special education from pre-kindergarten

through grade 12 and elementary education in grades one through eight. The program is accredited, affordable and structured for adult learners, paraprofessionals and school staff who need flexibility without sacrificing quality.

Students complete more than 100 hours of field experience prior to a 14-week student teaching internship, which can often be arranged near their home communities. Coursework blends asynchronous learning with limited synchronous engagement during upper-level methods courses. Graduates are prepared not only for classrooms, but for service in hospitals, nonprofit organizations and agencies supporting individuals with disabilities. The program reflects OBU’s conviction that every child is created with God-given dignity and deserves instruction marked by competence and compassion.

Strengthening Educator Pipelines

OBU is launching an additional online Bachelor of Science in Education in General Studies through the Henry F. McCabe Family

 OBU’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy students in Applied Functional Anatomy Lab study lower-extremity muscles, building foundations for whole-person occupational therapy care.

School of Education. This nonlicensure program is designed for school employees who want to become teachers but need a pathway compatible with full-time work. Graduates may pursue emergency certification while completing state requirements for standard licensure. Developed in response to direct feedback from school administrators, the degree fills a gap in Oklahoma’s educator pipeline and positions OBU as a responsive partner to public education.

Theological Education for Today

The university’s theological education has also expanded. OBU now offers a Master of Divinity degree in multiple formats – in person, online and hybrid. Long requested by churches and ministers, the MDiv provides rigorous preparation that is biblically rooted, practically relevant and theologically orthodox. Students may pursue a traditional in-person degree, a fiveyear combined bachelor’s and MDiv track, or an online pathway that allows active ministers to remain in their communities while studying.

The program integrates academic depth with ministry practice through partnerships between faculty scholars and experienced practitioners. It reflects OBU’s commitment to preparing ministers for the realities of local church leadership, gospel advancement and faithful service. The MDiv represents an investment in Oklahoma’s churches and the leaders who will guide them for decades to come.

Flexible Pathways in Healthcare

One of the most visible academic expansions is underway in the health sciences. OBU is adding graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology and physician associate studies, with Shawnee Hall serving as the on-campus hub for immersive

laboratory experiences. These programs are primarily online, hybrid and accelerated, allowing students to remain in their communities while completing degrees in two years or less.

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program welcomed its first cohort of 33 students this spring, with planned growth in subsequent years as the program moves through accreditation candidacy. The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program will launch in fall 2026, supported by newly added online prerequisite coursework and an SLP minor that prepares students for graduate admission. The Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies is scheduled to begin in spring 2027, with recruitment underway for clinical preceptors. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is planned to launch in fall 2027, pending accreditation.

OBU recently received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer a new online 90-hour Bachelor of Applied Science in Health Sciences. Built from existing OBU coursework in exercise science, mathematics and science, the degree includes 600 hours of directed work experience and is designed for working professionals, such as occupational therapy assistants, physical therapist assistants, speech-language pathology assistants and those in related fields, who are seeking a pathway into graduate education. This new degree will strengthen the pipeline into the university’s new graduate health science programs by providing all the necessary prerequisites for entry into graduate study in OBU’s OTD, MS-SLP or DPT programs.

Innovation Guided by Mission

Together, these new degree offerings demonstrate how OBU is shaping the future through intentional innovation.

They extend OBU’s reach, strengthen its academic portfolio and affirm its calling to prepare graduates who serve with excellence and purpose. In doing so, they invite partners to invest in programs that change lives, strengthen communities and advance the university’s enduring mission.

These programs are not isolated additions but part of a coherent strategy that aligns academic innovation with institutional stewardship. Each degree has been developed with sustainability, accreditation and long-term impact in mind.

Multiplying the reach of an OBU education, these programs prepare students for meaningful vocations and ensure the university remains responsive to the needs of the church, industry and society while remaining faithful to its Christ-centered mission.

This academic expansion represents a wise investment in future generations, both locally and globally. 

Additional Programs Launched or In-Process

Online Global Marketplace Engagement –Vocational Emphasis

Data Analytics

Cybersecurity

Software Engineering

Online Strategic Communication and Public Relations

Online Graphic and Digital Design

Construction Management

Computer Science –Artificial Intelligence

Seeing God’s Design in the Details

Amid roly-polies and shimmering spiders, Dr. Contessa Edgar’s awe for God’s intricate creation shines, earning OBU’s 2025 Distinguished Teaching Award.

There were three small, clear cases sitting on Dr. Contessa Edgar’s desk.

They were spaced in a half-moon pattern.

The one to the right had a clump of roly-polies, while the other cases contained jumping spiders.

The tiny jumping spiders weren’t part of that day’s lesson plan or research – that would soon come. But as sunlight caught the iridescent green shimmer of the creature straight in front of her, OBU’s chair of the Division of Science paused to admire it – a spontaneous moment that captured exactly how she sees her work.

“Why does it have to be iridescent?” she wondered aloud. “Couldn’t it just be bright red? But God made it this way. It’s just … beautiful.”

That sense of awe, of seeing God’s creativity in every detail of His creation, is at the heart of Edgar’s teaching. It’s what draws students into her classroom and what defines her as a scholar, mentor and person of faith.

Edgar, professor of biology, received OBU’s 2025 Distinguished Teaching Award, the university’s highest faculty honor. The award recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies OBU’s commitment

to excellence through superior instruction, character and dedication to students.

For Edgar, the moment was both humbling and deeply personal.

“It’s not me,” she said. “It’s only God working through me, and through the people around me who make this possible. My colleagues, my students, my family – they’re the ones who deserve this award.”

A CALLING THAT BEGAN SMALL

If you ask Edgar, her career has always been about small things – not just in scale, but in humility and wonder. Her field is molecular biology, a discipline focused on what can’t even be seen under a microscope. “I care about things that are so small you have to use chemistry just to detect them,” she said.

She teaches her physiology students about one of her favorite microscopic marvels – a molecular pump inside the mitochondria, where hydrogen ions flow like children down a water slide, spinning a motor that produces the energy sustaining every living cell.

Dr. Contessa Edgar holds up a tiny jumping spider.

“When I teach that, I can’t help but be amazed,” she said. “If that pump doesn’t work, you’re not alive. The attention to detail – it’s extraordinary. To me, that’s the patience and creativity of God made visible.”

Edgar has taught at OBU since 2012, rising through the ranks from assistant to associate to full professor. Her courses – anatomy, physiology, histology, cell biology and the science capstone – have shaped hundreds of students pursuing healthcare, graduate research and biomedical fields.

She has mentored more than 60 student research projects, including capstone studies and honors theses. Before coming to OBU, she served as an associate research scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation from 2010 to 2013.

Her academic journey began at the University of Sioux Falls, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry with a minor in mathematics. She later completed her Ph.D. in biomedical science with an emphasis in immunology from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

A former Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, Edgar has presented her research at national meetings of the American Association of Immunologists and the American Society of Hematology. She has also received multiple OBU honors, including the Promising Teacher Award and two studentnominated Seven Who Care Awards.

TEACHING AS WORSHIP

When Edgar talks about her classroom, she doesn’t begin with exams or lectures. She begins with her students’ stories.

“I just had a prospective student walk in,” she said. “He wanted to know how science could help him understand God better. We talked about how learning about creation teaches us about the Creator.”

It’s a theme Edgar returns to often – that studying the natural world is an act of worship.

“Some people might see the integration of faith and science as superficial,” she said. “But for us, it’s sacred. It’s how we understand God’s intelligence, His creativity, His diversity.”

That mindset has influenced generations of OBU students, from those pursuing medical school to those discovering for the first time that science can deepen faith rather than threaten it. “When we study the human body, or the stars or a single cell,” Edgar said, “we’re uncovering the fingerprints of the One who made them.”

A COACH, A MENTOR AND A CHEERLEADER

Ask Edgar what kind of teacher she is and she smiles. “A coach,” she said. “A cheerleader. Sometimes a counselor.”

“Everybody hits a barrier at some point,” she continued. “It may not be in my class, but it’s coming. Part of college is learning how to push through challenges – learning time management, resilience and faith. Because there are things in life that are too hard without God’s grace.”

Her students see that grace firsthand. One wrote, “Dr. Edgar engages with students, builds relationships, ensures lessons last beyond exams, and points us to Christ through prayer and teaching.”

For Edgar, those moments of connection, whether helping a student overcome fear or find confidence, matter most. “Sometimes I’m not teaching content,” she said. “I’m teaching courage.”

GRATITUDE IN COMMUNITY

Edgar’s humility runs deep. She’s quick to credit those who shaped her – especially her colleagues in the biology department.

“These three biology faculty, Dr. Bradley Jett, Dr. Tony Yates and Dr. Dale Utt, have given me so much,” she said. “Without their mentorship, I wouldn’t have survived my first year here. And Dr. Debbie Bosch, who taught here before me, guided me in ways that still influence how I teach today.”

She sees the same partnership in her home life.

“My kids are in my office frequently after school, letting me finish my work,” she said. “My husband’s support makes this possible. It’s never just me. It’s always us.”

That shared spirit extends beyond her family to her entire division.

“It’s not an accident that our biology faculty have such a strong history of teaching excellence,” she said. “We learn from each other. We cheer for each other. It’s a culture of faith and encouragement.”

FULL CIRCLE

With the roly-polies and the jumping spiders in front of her and her more familiar area of molecular biology on her mind, she softly says, “You can’t help but be amazed.”

“Every molecule, every atom, every cell,” she said, “it’s all a reflection of God’s character – His patience, His creativity, His beauty, His attention to detail and appreciation for diversity. And that’s what I want my students to see.” 

Mentor Passes Torch to Protégé

A Legacy in Motion: Dr. Albert Chen passes the baton to former student Dr. Paul Inman.

The quiet hum of a physics lab at OBU has often echoed with questions more profound than equations: What makes a life meaningful? How do we pass on not just knowledge, but vision?

For nearly four decades, Dr. Albert Chen has helped shape those questions into paths for discovery. With his retirement from full-time teaching at the close of the 2024-25 academic year, the torch has passed into the hands he once guided. They are the hands of Dr. Paul Inman.

Chen, a pillar of the physics program since 1986, has been more than a professor. He has been a mentor, a model and a quiet revolutionary in a field defined by constant change. With a background that stretches from Taiwan to Baylor University and through the corridors of NASA research centers, his impact on OBU’s campus is incalculable. As he transitions into a senior professor role as an adjunct instructor, his influence remains woven into the very fabric of the program.

Stepping into the full-time faculty role is Inman, a physicist whose work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory explores the edge of what’s possible in computational modeling and artificial intelligence. But before he was a scientist shaping national research, Inman was a student in Shawnee, Oklahoma – sitting in Dr. Chen’s classroom, asking questions, running experiments and catching a vision for what science could become.

Chen’s story begins thousands of miles from the redbrick buildings of OBU. A native of Taiwan, he arrived in the United States to pursue graduate studies at Baylor University.

But it was on Bison Hill where he found his professional and spiritual home. From his earliest years on faculty, he brought a rare fusion of rigorous inquiry and personal mentorship, treating students not as temporary guests in a classroom but as future colleagues in discovery.

His professional resume reads like a tour of space science’s most storied institutions. As a NASA Summer Research Fellow, he conducted engineering simulations to support shuttle technology and investigated Martian dust at Johnson, Dryden, Stennis and Kennedy Space Centers. And yet, the heart of his work remained grounded in the classroom.

“Dr. Chen’s legacy at OBU is one of profound impact and inspiration,” said Dr. Larinee Dennis, provost and chief academic officer. “For nearly four decades, he has challenged and mentored generations of students, fostering a love for physics and a pursuit of excellence.”

In 1989, Mortar Board named Chen Teacher of the Year. In 2015, he received OBU’s Distinguished Teaching Award. But accolades never seemed to interest him as much as outcomes. Former students regularly describe how he pushed them

beyond what they thought they could achieve, and stayed with them when the work got hard.

Inman graduated magna cum laude from OBU in 2014 with a double major in physics and mathematics. As a student, he displayed an early aptitude for computational thinking – a direction that would guide the next decade of his life. After earning his Ph.D. in physics from Oklahoma State University, where he modeled radiation in Earth’s atmosphere using Monte Carlo simulations, Inman’s career carried him into a world of high-impact research.

His professional journey includes lab instruction at Vanderbilt, graduate assistantships in radiation transport research and ultimately, a staff scientist position at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There, he has explored artificial intelligence and machine learning in imaging – highly specialized work with growing implications for healthcare, defense and beyond.

Now he has brought that experience back to Bison Hill.

“There’s something unique about this place,” he said. “OBU allows for a kind of inquiry that embraces both the

scientific and the theological. I want to help students see that the two are not at odds – they can inform and enrich one another.”

Inman joined the faculty on July 1, 2025, as assistant professor of physics. His arrival is not just a staffing decision; it marks a generational shift within the department – one that builds upon legacy while charting new ground.

“My goal is to reimagine the OBU physics curriculum to have a strong emphasis on computation, modeling and simulation,” Inman said. “These are the tools today’s physicists must have. And we can teach them in a way that’s rooted in Christian purpose and service.”

OBU’s physics program, housed within the James E. Hurley School of Science and Mathematics, has long punched above its weight. Small by national standards, the program has placed students into leading graduate programs and research careers, largely because of its culture: personal, intense and deeply intentional.

That culture, Inman says, is what he’s eager to protect and expand.

“I was mentored here in ways that went far beyond physics,” he said. “I want to carry that forward – not just through updated labs and curriculum, but through the way we walk alongside our students.”

Though Chen and Inman are now colleagues in title, their bond was forged years ago, in a different season of life, under the quiet glow of lab lights and the shared language of problem-solving. It’s a relationship that speaks volumes about the power of mentorship – and the way a faithful teacher can multiply his influence across generations.

Physics, as Chen often reminded his students, isn’t just about particles and forces. It’s about seeking order in complexity, coherence in apparent chaos. It’s about asking the big questions with humility and precision.

In that way, Chen’s retirement and Inman’s arrival are not endpoints or beginnings. They are points along a trajectory – a carefully calibrated handoff not just of responsibility, but of calling.

That trajectory is what sets OBU apart.

In laboratories and lecture halls, the future is being shaped not only through cutting-edge research but through relationships that endure. One professor prepares the way. Another takes up the mantle. And somewhere in between, the next Paul Inman is sitting in the front row – watching, wondering, becoming.

Newtonian rules do not govern the physics of legacy. Its energy is not lost but passed on, again and again, in conversations, experiments and moments of understanding. At OBU, it looks a lot like future-shaping momentum. 

Faculty Advancing Knowledge and Culture

OBU faculty continue to earn national and international recognition for their scholarship, leadership and service. From major literary and theological awards to professional honors and global engagement, these achievements reflect the depth of expertise and impact of OBU’s academic community.

Dr. Benjamin Myers EARNS NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Benjamin Myers, Crouch-Mathis professor of literature, professor of literature and English, and director of the Honors Program, was recognized by The Wall Street Journal, which named his 2019 sonnet cycle “Black Sunday” one of its “Five Best: Stories of the Dust Bowl.” In 2025, Myers also released An Invitation to the Liberal Arts: The What and Why of Classical Christian Higher Education and presented keynote readings in New York City and across the region.

Dr. Heath A. Thomas EARNS BOOK HONOR

Dr. Heath A. Thomas, president and professor of Old Testament, received a 2025 Book of the Year award from the Southwestern Journal of Theology for Reading the Old Testament as Christian Scripture, co-authored with Mark S.

Gignilliat. The book received the top honor in biblical studies, recognizing Thomas’ ongoing influence as a scholar and leader committed to faithful engagement with Scripture. The award reflects both his academic contribution to the field and his role in advancing Christian higher education through scholarship and leadership.

Dr. Matthew Emerson

RECEIVES BOOK AWARD

Dr. Matthew Emerson, vice president for academic operations and partnerships, received a 2025 Book of the Year award from the Southwestern Journal of Theology for The Baptist Vision: Faith and Practice for a Believers’ Church, co-authored with R. Lucas Stamps. Selected as the leading work in Baptist studies, the book explores the theological and historical foundations of Baptist faith and practice. The honor highlights Emerson’s scholarly leadership and the national impact of OBU faculty within theological education.

Dr. Bruce Perkins

INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

Dr. Bruce Perkins, associate professor of religion and director of the OBU Prison Divinity Program, was inducted into the OBU Walter O. Mason Jr. Kingdom Diversity Hall of Fame. The honor recognized his faithful, decadeslong commitment to ministry and his leadership in establishing OBU’s Prison Divinity Program, which offers Oklahoma’s first in-person, four-year bachelor’s degree for incarcerated students. The groundbreaking program graduated its first cohort in May 2025. (See Prison Divinity commencement story on page 42).

Dr. David Houghton

RECEIVES LEADERSHIP AWARD

Dr. David Houghton, chair of OBU’s Dickinson School of Business, received the Clapham Circle Award from SALLT (Salt and Light Leadership Training) in recognition of leadership that advances cultural transformation, unity, and community. The award honors individuals whose work reflects historic models of Christian civic leadership.

Dr. Annie Keehn

RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE

Dr. Annie Keehn, chair of the McCabe Family School of Education, assistant professor, and co-director of the Master of Arts in Teaching, received the 2025 Promising Teacher Award. This honor recognizes junior faculty with fewer than six years at OBU who demonstrate exceptional teaching potential and the qualities of a future Distinguished Teaching Award recipient.

Dr. Mark Franklin

HELPS LAUNCH PIANO ACADEMY

Dr. Mark Franklin, Patterson professor of music, helped launch the inaugural Excelsior Piano Academy in Sondershausen, Germany. He taught lessons, led workshops, delivered devotionals, presented on Liszt’s works, and performed in recitals with piano faculty from across the United States.

Dr. Rich Rudebock

ELECTED TO CBFA BOARD

Dr. Rich Rudebock, professor of business, was elected to a three-year term on the Christian Business Faculty Association Board of Directors.

Students Excelling on Every Stage

OBU students are making waves on stage, in design, in business, and across campus, earning national honors, awards and recognition while shaping their futures and leaving a lasting impact.

Student Musical Takes National Spotlight

When the overture of “Dreamers: A Depression-Era Musical Fairytale” filled a 2,000-seat theatre in Abilene, Texas, tears welled in the eyes of OBU’s cast and crew. What began as a solitary creative project during the COVID-19 pandemic had grown into a nationally recognized production.

In 2025, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival awarded “Dreamers” three national honors, affirming both the work of student writer Elena Streett and the strength of OBU’s theatre program. Streett, now a senior creative writing major and theatre minor, credits OBU’s collaborative environment and mentorship for shaping her growth as a writer, performer, and director. At its core, “Dreamers” explores loneliness, identity, and community – themes that resonate today. Streett plans to submit the musical to regional theatres and festivals while developing new work.

Bison Business Triumphs in San Francisco

OBU students achieved strong results at the Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference, in San Francisco last April. Eight students competed, with four advancing as finalists. Rachel Antony, an international business major, won first place in the travel and tourism event, becoming only the third student from Oklahoma to earn a CICDC category win. Lynnley Grindstaff, Sarah Black, and Kenley York also earned finalist honors. Dr. David Houghton, chair of OBU’s Paul Dickinson School of Business, said, “Students continue to perform at the highest level.” DECA prepares leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management, providing professional development, networking, and leadership opportunities.

Bison Standouts: Class of 2025 Honored

OBU recognized outstanding members of the Class of 2025 and student leaders during its annual Awards Chapel in April 2025. Zoee Weaver received the Rosalee Mills Appleby Award, the highest honor for a senior woman, and Jake Saunders earned the W.P. Blake Award, the highest honor for a senior man. Erin Dyer received the Evans T. Moseley Leadership Award for leadership potential, and Caleb Campbell earned the John Wesley Raley Scholar Award for academic achievement and character. Students across OBU’s academic divisions were recognized, including Sarah Black (Business), Sophia Strange (Nursing), and Juan “Miguel” Caballero (Prison

Divinity Program). The event celebrated scholarship, leadership, and Christian values, highlighting OBU’s mission to develop servant leaders.

Designing Gold: Kaylen King Shines at Addys

OBU senior Kaylen King earned a Gold Addy Award for her package design project, Rx Juicery, at the 2025 American Advertising Federation’s Addy Awards in Oklahoma City. A graphic design major from Bethany, Oklahoma, King won in the competitive student category, competing against peers from the University of Oklahoma,

Oklahoma State University, and the University of Central Oklahoma. OBU Professor Corey Fuller praised her creativity and dedication, noting she previously earned a Silver Addy in 2024. King is also a standout on the OBU Bison track team. Her award highlights both her individual talent and the strength of OBU’s Art and Design Division.

OBU welcomed three new administrative leaders whose experience, preparation and commitment to Christian higher education strengthen the university’s direction. Together, they bring depth in advancement, campus life and academics at a time when the university is investing in programs, people and long-term mission. Their combined leadership supports student formation, academic excellence and institutional sustainability, signaling steady momentum for the future of the OBU community.

New Leadership Advancing OBU’s Mission

JULIE PAUL

Vice President for University Advancement and Alumni

Paul, ’96, joined OBU as vice president for university advancement and alumni, providing strategic leadership for fundraising, donor stewardship and alumni engagement. An OBU alumna, Paul brings more than 20 years of experience across higher education, nonprofit development and business leadership. She previously served as chief advancement officer at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, where she increased annual giving, major gifts and endowment growth while leading capital initiatives and strengthening donor systems. At OBU, she plays a central role in the Shape the Future campaign, overseeing major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation relations and alumni engagement efforts that support long-term institutional priorities.

JOE WUEST

Vice President of Campus Life

Wuest was appointed vice president of campus life, overseeing programs and services that shape the student experience beyond the classroom. With more than a decade of experience in higher education and additional leadership in Oklahoma civic administration, Wuest brings a broad understanding of student development, organizational leadership and community engagement. His background includes senior roles at Ohio Christian University and Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, as well as executive leadership in municipal government. At OBU, he leads campus ministry, residential life, student engagement and wellness, supporting a Christcentered environment where students grow academically, personally and spiritually.

Dean of Traditional Undergraduate Education Paul, ’98, was named dean of traditional undergraduate education, serving as the academic leader for the university’s residential undergraduate programs. An OBU alumnus, Paul brings more than two decades of experience in higher education leadership, faculty development and academic administration. He previously served as dean at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, and held leadership and teaching roles at Oral Roberts University, the University of Tulsa, Illinois State University and Oklahoma State University. His professional background also includes corporate strategic planning. At OBU, he supports academic quality, faculty collaboration and missiondriven undergraduate education across the university.

Vice President for Enrollment Strategy Hannigan joined OBU as vice president for enrollment strategy, leading undergraduate admissions, graduate and online recruitment, and student financial services. He brings extensive experience in enrollment leadership, advancement and financial services. Most recently, he served as senior advancement officer at Harding University, supporting strategic fundraising initiatives and donor engagement. Prior to that role, he spent more than a decade in admissions leadership at Harding, including serving as senior director of admissions, where he oversaw recruitment strategy, enrollment planning and communications. He holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration from Harding University.

DR. JEFF PAUL

SCOTT HANNIGAN

President’s Leadership Class Sets Standards

Five months after its launch, OBU’s new President’s Leadership Class is now deep into the work its founders envisioned: shaping, stretching, and preparing selected firstyear students to lead with integrity, conviction, and a Christcentered focus in their communities and careers.

The inaugural President’s Leadership Class, known simply as PLC-1, has settled into a rhythm of regular meetings, guest speakers, service projects, site visits with business and government leaders, and leadership training grounded in biblical principles.

For OBU President Heath A. Thomas, seeing the program in full stride marks the fruition of an idea he has carried since stepping into office in 2020.

“One of my friends, John Maxwell, has said that ‘everything rises and falls on leadership,’” Thomas said. “This is true. We are passionate about developing the next generation of self-aware, servant leaders who know how to chart the future, create buy-in, communicate the destination and execute toward goals with the right processes. This is why I established OBU’s President’s Leadership Class. If we raise them up, our world will be better.”

Chosen for their academic achievement, leadership experience, character, service and extracurricular activities, the students represent communities of all sizes. Their academic pursuits span engineering, finance, nursing, communications, education and international business to name a few. The students’ common thread is a desire to grow as servant leaders.

Prospective students interested in being selected for the PLC cohort complete an application as part of the OBU enrollment process. Next, a selection committee reviews each application to carefully form the PLC class for each new school year. The nine-month program that begins each fall includes at least seven in-depth sessions each semester with additional leadership labs, excursions and service opportunities.

Guest speakers, panels and small-group conversations bring leadership concepts into practical focus, while service and travel experiences allow students to apply what they learn. OBU’s Office of Admissions partners in the program, encouraging participants to share their OBU story to prospective students and audiences.

The PLC program is built around three pillars: learning to lead oneself, learning to lead others, and learning to lead the world. PLC provides dynamic experiences that challenge class members to deepen their self-awareness, grow in their abilities, strengthen communication skills, and expand their influence.

Kaylea McNeely of Choctaw said the program has helped her become more self-aware. “I have learned so much about myself and what it means to be a leader. It involves having an

influence on the people around you. I have really taken this to heart, knowing that we can actually be leaders in every area of our lives. This has challenged me to have integrity throughout my day.”

Addison Barnhill of Edmond has discovered new aspects of leading. She said, “Leadership is about serving others and standing for what is right, even when it is hard. I have learned the importance of being a good listener, asking good questions, and leading by example.”

Levi Haynes of Norman said, “The numerous speakers and influential people have offered so much information and insight on how to succeed. I have grown in my communication skills and how to speak to people about myself and my goals.”

Members say one of the distinguishing features of the program is the access it gives them to leaders across multiple sectors – access they recognize as far beyond typical first-year opportunities.

Edmond freshman Logan Austin shares a memorable experience from the program thus far. “I listen and take notes from great leadership speakers which allow me to recognize my purpose and take steps to achieve it through personal development and themes like building my personal brand.”

As these unique and rewarding opportunities continue for PLC Class 1, these first-year experiences represent more than the launch of a new program. They mark OBU’s commitment to educating the whole person, mind, heart and hands, and preparing graduates to lead with wisdom and humility.

These students are the first to take part in a program Thomas envisioned years ago. As they learn, travel, serve and lead this year, they carry the responsibility and opportunity of setting the standard for those who will follow. 

PLC Class 1 members restock shelves at Community Market of Pottawatomie County. Pictured left to right: Caden Johnson, Eli Laird and Judah Motley.

VOLLEYBALL

OBU completed one of the most successful volleyball seasons in program history, capturing the Great American Conference Tournament championship and returning to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third time under head coach Anna Howle. The Bison finished the year 22-10, marking another campaign of consistent growth, competitive depth and postseason achievement.

CHEER

A Bison Year to Remember

Record-setting performances, national championships and conference dominance defined another remarkable year for OBU Athletics.

In 2025, OBU’s Spirit program added another banner year to an already decorated run. All three cheer teams representing OBU competed in separate divisions at the National Cheerleaders Association Division II College Nationals. Cheer - Team Green, all girl advanced, won the NCA DII All Girl Advanced National Championship and the Overall Grand Championship. Cheer - Team White, spirit rally, won the NCA DII Spirit Rally National Championship. This was the first year for this team’s existence and they claimed the title over 20 other teams.

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

OBU’s women’s track and field team claimed an impressive fourth consecutive Great American Conference Outdoor Championship. The Bison delivered multiple NCAA-qualifying performances and meet records, highlighted by graduate student Valerie Olson earning Most Valuable Player honors. Head coach Brian Whitlock was named GAC Coach of the Year as OBU extended its conference-record outdoor championship streak to four straight seasons, underscoring the program’s sustained excellence.

SEAN DIXON – MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

In May 2025, Sean Dixon, senior, won OBU’s first individual track and field championship in the NCAA Division II era. Dixon put his name in OBU lore when he secured the first DII national championship in track and field by winning the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. After doing so, he achieved 2025 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association First Team All-American status. Dixon was also named the Great American Conference Male Athlete of the Year.

VOLLEYBALL – GAC Tournament Champions CHEER – NCAA DII Champions

POSTSEASON SUCCESS

Softball

GAC Tournament Finalist 36-17 overall record

Stunt

NCAA DII

#3 National Ranking 12-3 overall record

Dance 2nd Place NDA DII Pom

Cheer Runner-Up Gold

DII Intermediate All Girl

INDIVIDUAL HONORS

65+

Student-athletes earned All-Great American Conference

13

Student-athletes named All-Americans

PROGRAM MILESTONE

Sean Dixon

GAC Male Athlete of the Year First male athlete in OBU history to earn the honor

The Origin of the Thunder

Before the Oklahoma City Thunder ever won a title, their franchise story began with an OBU legend. In 1967, Al Tucker became the first regular draft pick in Seattle SuperSonics history, launching an NBA career after a recordsetting run at OBU that included three NAIA titlegame appearances and a national championship. A 50-point game, AllAmerica honors and tournament MVP awards cemented his legacy on Bison Hill. Tucker later earned NBA All-Rookie recognition and started for Seattle’s inaugural team. As Oklahoma City celebrates its first championship, OBU remembers the player who helped lay the foundation of the franchise.

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD – GAC Outdoor Champions

BISON BASKETBALL TRIVIA

Redemption Writes the Last Line

Celebrating the first graduates of OBU’s Prison Divinity Program and the lives transformed through Christ and education.

The words were written, not shouted. But they were penned with such conviction that they seemed to settle across the room like a stone dropped in water.

“My life is not fatal.

My life is not futile.

My life is not final.”

Incarcerated student George Christian offered the declaration as part of a poem in the commencement program during the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of OBU’s Prison Divinity Program (PDP).

Those attending the ceremony inside the Recreation and Wellness Center on OBU’s campus, held the programs and read the words… each word mattered.

This was no ordinary commencement. The caps and gowns were there, as were the stage and diplomas. But these graduates would not be returning to the freedom of life outside the prison gates. Instead, they were returning that day to the

Lexington Assessment and Reception Center (LARC) and later to other Oklahoma correctional facilities as ministers of the gospel.

The 2025 graduates of OBU’s PDP program earned fully accredited Bachelor of Arts degrees in Christian Studies, the culmination of a rigorous four-year curriculum completed inside the LARC. Incarcerated men who once believed they had little hope for redemption now hold the credentials – and the calling – to become field ministers, offering pastoral care, biblical teaching and spiritual mentorship to their fellow inmates across the state.

In the months since that first graduation, the ripple effect has grown. Field ministers are now leading Bible studies, discipleship groups and worship services in multiple facilities, and new cohorts have begun their studies behind prison walls. What started with one class has expanded into a movement of learning and ministry that continues to multiply.

“We have yet to see the full impact of this

program, but we have seen God move mightily thus far,” said Dr. Bruce Perkins, director of the PDP and the visionary behind its founding. “One of the greatest impacts has been witnessing more than a thousand men commit their lives to Christ through the direct witness and evangelism of our students.”

The PDP was established in 2020 through a partnership between OBU, Oklahoma Baptists and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. It is the first in-person, four-year degree program for incarcerated men in Oklahoma. And it is academically equal to anything offered on OBU’s main campus. Perkins emphasized, “I’ve seen men work very, very hard to earn this degree. We do not compromise the rigor of the OBU education.”

Admission to the program is highly selective. Many of the students entered with minimal prior education – some with only a sixth-, ninth-, or tenth-grade education.

“Many believed narratives that were given to them that they would never be successful,” Perkins said. “Yet, they have demonstrated tremendous grit and perseverance. This commencement is the fruit of their labor.”

The May 7 ceremony brought together a powerful gathering of supporters. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt attended, along with Steven Harpe, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and Dr. Todd Fisher, executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists. Families of the graduates were also present, many moved to tears.

These men now carry more than diplomas – they carry missions. As field ministers, they will serve their fellow inmates with the authority of education and the humility of transformation. The goal is not only to bring moral and spiritual renewal to Oklahoma’s prisons, but to shift the culture from within.

“We have yet to see the full impact of this program, but we have seen God move mightily thus far.”

DR. BRUCE PERKINS Director of the Prison Divinity Program

Jason Cline, another graduate, summed up the journey: “I came to OBU with questions, I am leaving with answers!”

For many, the program has offered not only intellectual growth, but also deep personal healing. Jered Holbrook reflected, “The most amazing thing that I have experienced through these four years in OBU is the investment that has been made in my life by many people in not only voicing that I am worthy as a person, but by actions that prove they care.”

Graduate Vincent Ochoa spoke to the ministry ahead: “Through my OBU/PDP college education, God has equipped me with all the necessary tools and resources that I need to accurately share His gospel narrative and live a life worthy of the high calling of God He has commissioned me in Christ Jesus. I am truly grateful!”

That gratitude was echoed throughout the ceremony, in prayers and in tears. To outside observers, the caps and gowns may have seemed ordinary. But to those who understand the story behind each graduate, they represented a resurrection.

The first class of OBU’s Prison Divinity Program leaves behind them a path now open for others to follow. More cohorts are underway. More lives are being changed. The ripple effect – within the prison walls and far beyond – has only begun.

As graduate Javier Welch declared, “God is using this program to change more lives than any of us will ever know until we are with Him in eternity.”

And George Christian’s poem still echoes: “My life is not fatal.

My life is not futile.

My life is not final.”

No, it isn’t. In fact, it’s just beginning. 

2025 HIGHLIGHTS

Historic Weekend on Bison Hill

OBU welcomed alumni, students, families and friends to a historic weekend as Family Weekend and Bison Day coincided with the grand reopening of Shawnee Hall. The 110-year-old academic building, restored and reimagined after a 2023 tornado strike, was celebrated in a milestone ceremony under the “Shape the Future” campaign. Festivities continued with class reunions, Bison U sessions, the 10th anniversary Women of Vision celebration, a musical gala and spirited campus gatherings.

Despite rain moving many activities indoors, the energy remained high with Art on the Hill, the Bison Bash tailgate and a lively football matchup against Southeastern Oklahoma State. Liv Todd of Fayetteville, a nursing major,

was crowned Harvest Court queen, while Cole Taylor, a communication studies major from Coweta, was named king, capping a weekend of resilience, tradition and joy.

During The Weekend, OBU also recognized the accomplishments of its alumni through the 2025 Profiles in Excellence awards, honoring former students whose achievements in work, service and personal pursuits bring distinction to the university. Four exceptional alumni were celebrated as award recipients, whose stories and contributions follow.

DR. GEORGE H. MCDOW, ’68

McDow, a music education graduate, has led a decadeslong career in music education and global arts advocacy. After Army music training and service, he earned a master’s degree from the University of North Texas in 1973 and a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1989. He taught at multiple levels and serves as an adjunct professor of ethnomusicology at Liberty University. He helped found the OkMEA Hall of Fame and was inducted in 2023. Honors include China’s Friendship Medal and roles with the Lausanne Movement and Global Consultation on Arts and Music in Missions. He and his wife, Sherry, have three children and six grandchildren.

DR. JENNA LEE GEOHAGAN, ’11

KAY JOHNSON, ’67

Johnson is the founder and superintendent of Lawton Academy of Arts and Sciences. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art at OBU and a Master of Arts from the University of Oklahoma in 1969. Under her leadership, Lawton Academy gained regional and national recognition, including the 2018 Values Driven Award of Excellence from AdvancedED. In 2011, she coached a team to the national eCybermission STEM competition finals. Johnson’s work includes community service through blood drives, military family support and local events. She is a member of First Baptist East, Lawton.

Geohagan, a biology graduate, is a family physician at Central Oklahoma Family Medical Center in Seminole. She earned her M.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 2015. She founded and leads Impact Seminole, a nonprofit improving education and community engagement through initiatives such as literacy programs, esports, and countywide events. She volunteers with the Seminole Public Library, presents to youth and civic groups, and coordinates free sports physicals. She serves on the Seminole Chamber of Commerce board and is active in Rotary. In 2025, she received the Up & Coming Community Award. She and her husband, Tyler, have three daughters.

MATT MCALLISTER, ’12

McAllister is a marketing graduate and a former Bison baseball player. After applying to more than 300 jobs, McAllister launched his career in Texas, then built and scaled marketing teams at Aspen Heights Partners. He later co-founded a Denver agency serving 150 clients in its first year. He broke into tech at Spredfast and rose to executive roles, including vice president and chief marketing officer. At Yelp, he leads a 40-person team managing nearly $1 billion in business across five divisions. He co-founded Demandful in 2024 and mentors professionals while advising global tech and AI firms in multiple countries.

From the Alumni Director

Dear OBU Alumni and Friends,

This past fall, The Weekend reminded us of something we already know deep down: there is no place quite like Bison Hill.

One of the most meaningful moments for me personally was walking through Shawnee Hall again after its reopening. Watching alumni – some seeing those halls for the first time in decades – pause, smile and share stories was incredibly special. Those spaces hold memories, friendships, and moments God used to shape lives. Seeing them renewed was a powerful reminder that OBU continues to honor its past while boldly investing in its future.

And even a little rain couldn’t dampen the spirit. Despite the weather, we welcomed record crowds for The Weekend. Alumni, parents, families, students and friends showed up in full force, proving once again that when it’s time to come home to Bison Hill, nothing gets in the way! Don’t forget to save the date for The Weekend 2026 – happening a little earlier this year on October 1-3!

STAY CONNECTED

Update your alumni profile

Read our monthly newsletter: The Graze

Follow OBU Alumni on social media

Join a Traveling Bison trip

Save the date for The Weekend 2026

COMING UP

Bison Connections

Bison U

Traveling Bison 2027

Showcase

Oklahoma Food Tours

OBU at SBC in Orlando

Visit the alumni website by following the QR code, or at okbu.edu/alumni

FOLLOW THE HERD

Those moments connect directly to the ongoing Shape the Future campaign. As we celebrate milestones like Shawnee Hall, and now Thurmond Hall reopening, we are also turning our focus forward - most notably to Raley Chapel. This has long been a sacred place on our campus, one that has witnessed countless prayers, callings and commitments. As we prepare for its next chapter, we do so with gratitude for what has been and anticipation for what God will continue to do through this place.

Connection doesn’t stop on campus, either. Our Traveling Bison program continues to be one of the most meaningful ways alumni and friends experience OBU together. In this issue, you’ll read a wonderful story about President Heath Thomas and First Lady Jill Thomas leading a group through Greece and Turkey, walking in the footsteps of Paul alongside alumni and friends. It’s a beautiful example of learning, faith, and fellowship coming together. With exciting trips planned this year and into 2027, we’re grateful for the growing herd that continues to explore the world together.

Throughout the year, there are countless ways to stay engaged closer to home as well – through Bison Connections events, nights at the OKC Thunder and Tulsa Drillers, Oklahoma Food Tours, Bison U, Alumni Nights at OBU athletic events and so much more. Whether it’s networking, learning, cheering or simply gathering around a table, there truly is something for everyone.

Finally, I encourage you to stay connected. Make sure we have your most upto-date contact information, follow along on social media, read our monthly e-newsletter The Graze, and engage in ways that are meaningful to you and your family. Most importantly, continue to pray for OBU, for our students, and for one another. We are deeply grateful for your continued love, support and belief in this university.

Thank you for being part of the OBU story - past, present and future.

With sincere gratitude,

Lea Ann Quirk, ’02 Executive Director, OBU Alumni Association

From the Alumni Board President

It has been an honor to serve as president of the OBU Alumni Board.

One of the things I love about OBU is the sense of connection that exists across generations. No matter when you were on campus, there is understanding of what it means to be a Bison – rooted in faith, shaped by relationships, and strengthened by a commitment to living our values. The

Alumni Association exists to nurture that connection, and I am encouraged by the ways alumni stay engaged.

The OBU Alumni Association is in a season. We are focused on building relationships, creating opportunities for alumni to reconnect, and supporting the mission and future of OBU. Through gatherings, service, travel, and storytelling, our goal is to help alumni stay connected to the place that helped shape who they are.

It has been encouraging to see alumni leaning in – sharing their stories, showing up for events, mentoring students, and supporting OBU during milestones and challenging seasons.

That sense of community reminds us the heart of OBU has been its people.

As a university, OBU is moving in a hopeful direction. Even after difficult moments in recent years, there is renewed purpose and momentum on campus. Faith remains central, progress is, and the commitment to preparing students for lives of purpose and service continues to guide step.

My prayer is that wherever you are today, you feel proud of your connection to OBU and encouraged by what lies ahead. Thank you for staying connected, supporting OBU, and being part of an alumni family continues.

– Lisa Roth, ’92

Advancing OBU’s Mission Through Alumni Leadership

The OBU Alumni Board advances the university’s mission by strengthening alumni engagement and support. Organized into focused subcommittees, members align their work with key university priorities and serve as ambassadors for OBU.

2025-26 OBU ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS

PRESIDENT

Lisa Roth, ’92

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jeremy Smith, ’00

SECRETARY

Chris Justice, ex ’95

TERM EXPIRES 2026

Lisa Roth, ’92

TERM EXPIRES 2027

Lauren Buss, ’14

Ronda Cooper, ’92

Heather Dean, ’11

Naaman Henager, ’22

Jordan Knutson, ’23

Paige McLain, ’16

Anna Pumphrey, ’19

Judy Robinson, ’74

Jeremy Smith, ’00

Jennifer Williams, ’98

TERM EXPIRES 2028

Katelyn Burks, ’24

Gonzo Garzon, ’15

Cynthia Gates, ’87

Chris Justice, ex. ’95

Mandy Kniskern, ’98

Mandi MacDonald, ’12

Drew Posada, ’16

Deanna Wilder, ’97

Jayme Wood, ’98

TERM EXPIRES 2029

Jordan Cleveland, ’08

2027 Trip Reveal

From Move-In Day to leadership roles during The Weekend, Board members contribute hands-on service that fosters connection and encourages philanthropy, helping shape OBU’s future for generations.

Traveling Bison Travel Showcase & Reunion Event

April 21, 2026 • 11:30 a.m. • OBU Campus

• Great Food

• Travel Stories

• Exciting Door Prizes

• Inspiration for your Next Trip

• Guided Tours of Shawnee Hall

Shared Journeys, Lasting Impact Inside

OBU’s Traveling Bison Experience

When a group of OBU alumni and friends set out to walk in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, they expected history. What they found was transformation.

Led by OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas and his wife, Jill Thomas, the 2025 Traveling Bison journey to Greece brought together travelers from across generations for an experience that far exceeded expectations.

“It was awesome,” Jill Thomas said. “Everyone was blown out of the water!”

This trip represents what the Traveling Bison program is about: meaningful travel with shared purpose, rich learning, deep relationships and spiritual impact that lasts long after the suitcases are unpacked. Whether overseas or stateside, biblical or cultural, Traveling Bison trips do more than show travelers the world. They help participants experience it together under the trusted umbrella of OBU.

From the ancient ruins of Corinth to the storied streets of Thessaloniki, each site offered a window into early Christianity, but it was the community formed along the way that gave the trip its deepest meaning.

“Our journey through Greece was more than sightseeing. It reminded us that when we travel together, we grow together,” Dr. Thomas said. “The

history, the community, the reflection all pointed to how God uses shared experiences to shape our lives. That’s the heart of Traveling Bison. Whether exploring biblical sites, walking through national treasures or engaging with culture, these trips create friendships, learning and memories that last a lifetime. I encourage our alumni and friends to join us on future adventures and discover the joy of traveling with the OBU family.”

A JOURNEY OF THE HEART AND MIND

For Chuck and Anne Lawrence, frequent travelers, this trip was the culmination of a personal journey they call the “Early Church triangle.”

“We’ve been to Israel and to Rome,” said Chuck, a 1982 OBU graduate. “This trip to Greece was the third leg of that journey, covering much of the New Testament. We had high expectations and it still exceeded them.”

Ephesus stood out as a site where biblical history came alive.

“We saw the agora, the marketplace where Paul may have made and sold tents,” Chuck said. “Then we walked to the ancient port, where goods came in from all over the world. To know Paul and John were here together. It was inspiring.”

Yet it wasn’t just landmarks that stirred the soul. In Berea, the group paused to reflect where Paul first preached to Gentiles after fleeing Thessaloniki.

“As a group, we had a spiritual moment there,” Chuck said. “The realization that what started here reached all the way to us. It was powerful.”

Dr. Thomas’s biblical teaching wove every site into a living story of faith.

“In Corinth, we stood beneath the place where Paul was brought before the magistrate,” Chuck said. “Dr. Thomas reminded us that God told Paul the night before that He would be with him. And that same God is with us today.”

Anne added, “It’s driven me to go deeper in studying Paul’s letters. You read the Bible differently after standing in these places.”

MORE THAN A TRIP

The Traveling Bison experience continues in spontaneous conversations, unplanned detours and shared meals that become sacred moments.

Chuck recalled an unplanned stop at the stream where Lydia was baptized.

“Our driver took us there and we walked to the stream,” he said. “Dr. Thomas read Scripture and reflected on how we are part of an unbroken line of faith. It’s our responsibility not to break that chain. It was deeply moving.”

That moment grew even more meaningful when the women posed for a photo at the stream in tribute to Lydia and the legacy of women in the gospel story.

The Lawrence family had traveled with Traveling Bison before and knew what to expect: strong leadership, thoughtful planning and meaningful reflection. But they say this trip still stood out.

“OBU trips are top of the line,” Chuck said. “This one had the best food and the best hotels of any trip we’ve taken. And when weather canceled our plans to visit Patmos, the team arranged a backup so good that we never felt like we missed anything.”

Marilyn Rogers, who traveled with her husband Ken, echoed that sentiment.

“We do a lot of traveling,” she said. “This was one of the best well organized trips, with a caring director and great accommodations. Most of all, it was a good value.”

The Rogers had toured before, but this trip offered something more.

“Dr. Thomas made the Bible come to life,” said Marilyn, a 1970 OBU music education major. “We enjoyed getting to know him and Jill on a personal level. Watching him interact with students, we left feeling the university is in good hands.”

One such interaction came during a meal in Athens, where the group met up with an OBU Global Outreach trip team already serving in-country. For Jill Thomas, the moment embodied what Traveling Bison is all about.

“To see our students living out their calling and then

introduce them to people who love OBU. It’s something we want to do more of,” she said.

INTERGENERATIONAL IMPACT

The Greece trip brought together a wide age range, an intentional and meaningful mix.

For Chuck Lawrence, the group dynamic was a highlight.

“We bonded quickly and well,” he said. “Everyone respected and cared for each other. We shared thoughts and feelings. Best group ever.”

That connection is a hallmark of the Traveling Bison program.

A DIFFERENT WAY TO TRAVEL

Whether it’s a biblical tour of Greece or a national park adventure in the U.S., Traveling Bison trips are marked by connection, purpose and flexibility.

“There’s something about traveling with people who understand what OBU means,” said Lea Ann Quirk, executive director of the OBU Alumni Association. “It creates instant kinship.”

Trips offer airfare-inclusive and land-only options. Single travelers are welcome and multigenerational families can participate together. Professional travel operators handle logistics so the Alumni Association can focus on creating an OBU experience within a great tour.

And now, the program gives back in a new way. At the spring 2025 Traveling Bison showcase, Quirk announced that a portion of proceeds from all trips will support OBU’s Global Outreach efforts.

“At OBU, we encourage students to think globally and engage in experiences that broaden their perspective,” Quirk said. “That’s why Traveling Bison, designed to give alumni and friends the chance to explore the world and embrace lifelong learning, aligns naturally with our commitment to provide similar opportunities for students.”

FAITH IN EVERY STEP

From museums to marketplaces, rocky shores to quiet prayer walks, the Greece trip, and every Traveling Bison trip, is designed to open hearts as much as eyes.

“Bison herds naturally travel together and the OBU herd shouldn’t be any different,” Quirk said.

Marilyn Rogers summed it up simply: “We all bonded beautifully, making special friends and memories that will last forever.”

To learn more about Traveling Bison adventures, visit okbu.edu/alumni/traveling-bison or email Quirk at leaann.quirk@okbu.edu.

Plan to attend the annual Travel Showcase and Reunion held at OBU each spring. This year’s event will be April 21 at 11:30 on OBU’s campus.

“It’s the best way to catch the travel bug and connect with fellow Bison globetrotters,” Quirk said. 

Alumni Award

GRADUATE OF THE LAST DECADE – GOLD AWARD

A Small Souvenir, A Big Future

CORBIN CAMPBELL began his journey to OBU with a simple childhood sweatshirt, unexpectedly setting him on a path where strategic leadership, service and spiritual purpose now intersect.

Achildhood souvenir became the unlikely starting point for Corbin Campbell, ’15, whose career blends strategy, service and spiritual purpose.

When Corbin Campbell was 10 years old, he followed his mom to a business conference at OBU. While she worked a vendor booth in the upstairs Geiger Center, Campbell wandered downstairs into the campus bookstore.

That’s where he spotted it: a gray sweatshirt with “OBU” stamped boldly across the front in gold letters.

His mom bought it for him.

At the time, it was just a cool souvenir – something to toss on for soccer practice or school spirit days.

“Never did I think that I would earn a degree from that same university a decade later,” Campbell said.

But a decade later, that sweatshirt became more than a memory. It became a symbol of a place that would shape his character, his calling and the course of his professional life.

Finding His Way Back to Bison Hill

A 2015 business administration in marketing graduate from OBU’s Paul Dickinson College of Business, Campbell now serves as marketing and business development lead at Guernsey, a multidisciplinary architecture and engineering firm based in Oklahoma City. His path to that role – and the influence he’s had on others along the way – is rooted in the faith-centered foundation he developed on Bison Hill.

“Looking back, the decision to go to OBU was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” he said. “It’s been the foundation to my personal, spiritual and professional growth.”

Campbell grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, the son of supportive parents who invested deeply in his development. As a teenager, sports were his world – especially soccer. “I knew I wanted to play at the college level,” he said. “Athletics played a large role in my decision.”

But it wasn’t just about the game. After speaking with a few universities, Campbell said the recruiting experience at OBU stood out. “The admissions and recruitment staff were just as passionate about welcoming me as the coaching staff,” he said. “It felt like they saw me as a whole person.”

His time at OBU, though, didn’t follow a straight line. After his freshman year, Campbell made the decision to quit soccer and transfer to a state school. He packed up and left Shawnee, thinking he’d follow a more conventional path: get a degree, get a job, move on.

But almost immediately, something felt wrong.

“I knew in my heart that I was lacking purpose and lacking growth,” he said. “Quitting on the university was actually the moment that reassured me OBU was not just where God wanted me to be, but where He needed me to be.”

He returned to campus the following semester and moved back into Agee Residence Center. From that point on, Campbell embraced every opportunity to grow in business, in faith and in leadership.

“At OBU, I matured in my faith, developed deep friendships and was encouraged to think beyond conventional business concepts and toward mission-driven work,” he said. “OBU provided a deeper reason to serve, regardless of industry or profession.”

A Life Built on Purpose and Influence

After graduation, Campbell took that mission-minded mentality with him into the workforce – and into his local community. While building his marketing career, he also coached boys soccer at Deer Creek High School from 2013 to 2021, helping lead the team to a 5A State Championship in 2015.

“Coaching wasn’t just about winning,” he said. “It was about investing in the lives of young men. Helping them develop character and confidence – that was the real reward.”

Campbell spent time playing soccer overseas in Liverpool, England, in the summers of 2013 and 2014. He played for a Christbased football club that used semiprofessional soccer as a tool for ministry. They traveled the United Kingdom playing, serving local churches, and providing outreach to many schools and youth organizations.

He extended that same mindset through mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma, becoming a consistent presence in the life of a local boy.

“The best thing you can do for someone is show up,” Campbell said. “You don’t need to have all the answers. Just be dependable. Be real.”

Professionally, Campbell joined Guernsey, a firm that provides architecture, engineering, planning and consulting services. As marketing and business development lead, he crafts brand strategy and develops new client relationships. He also serves as an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).

He views his role as an opportunity to bring purpose into business.

“In marketing, there’s always a temptation to prioritize profit over people,” he said. “But OBU taught me how to lead with humility, create with purpose and compete with integrity.”

He believes that selling ethically matters – and that influence is about more than outcomes.

“OBU’s professors modeled servant leadership. That left a mark on me,” he said. “Without that kind of foundation, I wouldn’t be the same kind of leader, husband, father or believer.”

Now married to his wife, Kaleigh, Campbell is raising two young sons, Harrison and Porter, in Oklahoma City. The family attends Life.Church and remains actively involved in their church community.

“In this chapter of life, I’m focused on legacy,” he said. “How

do I steward my gifts well – not just for career success, but for the benefit of my family and my community?”

When he’s not working or volunteering, Campbell enjoys playing competitive golf. He’s a two-time Net Club Champion at The Greens Country Club, having won in both 2023 and 2024.

Still, his deepest passion lies in shaping what comes next for his family, his colleagues and those coming up behind him.

“To me, being a future shaper means living with intentionality and influence,” Campbell said. “It’s about recognizing that every conversation, every decision and every act of creativity has the potential to shape what comes next.”

That includes how he mentors others, how he leads in his profession and how he parents his two boys. “The most influential future shapers don’t just create opportunities for themselves,” he said. “They create momentum for others.”

In recognition of his professional excellence, community service and embodiment of OBU’s mission, Corbin Ellis Campbell has been named OBU’s 2025 Graduate of the Last Decade.

For Campbell, that sweatshirt from the bookstore was more than a childhood keepsake. It was a quiet signal of something bigger – a signpost pointing to a future shaped by faith, service and calling.

“God used everything – my plans, my mistakes, even my detours – to lead me exactly where I needed to be,” he said. “And I’ll always be grateful that place was OBU.”

Alumni Award

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Faith in Action Around the World

DR. MARGO HENDERSON began a faith-driven nursing career at OBU, carrying her Shawnee roots to global clinics through a life of service.

Ahigh school head start and a heart for missions launched Dr. Margo Sullivan Henderson, a 1974 nursing graduate, into a global career uniting nursing and faith.

The nurse practitioner stood at the bedside of a young patient in a war-scarred hospital in Libya. Bombed-out walls loomed just outside the clinic. Supplies were scarce, wounds were deep, and infection control seemed a distant luxury.

But Dr. Margo Sullivan Henderson knew what to do. She sanitized what she could, offered care with gentle precision, and prayed over the patient. She wasn’t just there to heal bodies – she was there to serve souls.

“You step into places where it doesn’t make sense for a woman like me to go,” Henderson said. “But God had already gone ahead of me.”

Born and raised in Shawnee, Henderson’s journey began just blocks from Bison Hill. Her father, James Sullivan, had attended OBU after World War II. Her mother, Billie, worked in the School of Nursing. By high school, Margo had already enrolled in OBU’s Academy Program, earning early college credits before ever donning a cap and gown.

“I always had an affection for OBU,” Henderson said. “I grew up at First Baptist Church where many OBU faculty were active. I was in the choir under Dr. James Woodward and James Brown. Their influence was deep.”

A Foundation Built at OBU

She knew from age 15 she wanted to be a nurse. When it came time to choose a university, OBU’s reputation sealed her decision.

“I looked at the pass rates for the state nursing exam. OBU’s numbers were solid. Plus, I had already taken classes there in high school. It just made sense.”

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1974. Her OBU years were formative – not just for her future profession, but for her personal faith.

“There were so many treasures I found at OBU,” she said. “The faculty demonstrated a connection between their work and their faith. That showed me how to bring my calling into my career.”

Henderson married Roger Henderson, a fellow OBU alumnus who shared her passion for ministry. The couple

moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where Roger enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Margo began her career as a staff nurse. But she wasn’t finished learning. She later earned a Master of Science in Nursing and a post-master’s certificate in family practice from the University of South Carolina.

Her career expanded to include roles as nurse practitioner, clinical educator, and healthcare director.

In Georgia, she co-founded Focal Pointe Women Center, one of the state’s earliest comprehensive women’s health centers. She later launched multiple clinics in Augusta that offered indigent care and spiritual counseling to underserved communities.

“I felt like I had a calling from God on my life,” she said. “And I needed to see how that would work in my professional life.”

Faith and Healthcare

That calling led her to serve migrant and Hispanic populations, mentor young clinicians, and speak regularly on the integration of faith and healthcare. She joined the Medical College of Georgia in 2003 to care for patients with intractable epilepsy, eventually earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice. Her doctoral research on non-epileptic seizures earned national attention and was presented to neurology residents.

She later joined the MCG nursing faculty, where she taught in the nurse practitioner program and developed communitybased clinical sites for students. “I wanted students to see that

care means more than treating symptoms. It’s about the whole person,” Henderson said.

On Mission Around the World

Henderson’s ministry extended far beyond the U.S. borders. She participated in over 20 medical mission trips to Ecuador, Thailand, India, and Libya – each time bringing medical expertise and Christ-centered hope. She led mobile clinics, trained healthcare workers, and implemented infection control in crisis zones.

“There were moments I was the only woman in the room, and

“The

saw and heard at OBU. Professors like Dr. Timberlake, Dr. Rowena Strickland, Dr. Holcomb, Dr. James Hurley, and Dr. John Mills – they taught us to give our all to the Lord.”

She vividly remembers hearing OBU missionary Jaxie Short speak in chapel. “Her passion and testimony helped solidify for me that faith in Jesus was the way to walk through this world, especially in the hard places.”

Honoring a Life of Service Henderson was honored with the 2025 OBU Alumni

faculty demonstrated a connection between their work and their faith. That showed me how to bring my calling into my career.”

often the only foreigner,” she said. “But the needs were there, and God was present.”

Her leadership extended to nonprofit boards, including Christ Community Health Clinic.

A Legacy Still Growing

Now retired from full-time medical practice, Henderson remains active at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta. She and Roger, her husband of over 50 years, are proud parents and grandparents. Two of their children followed in their footsteps and attended OBU.

When asked what her OBU experience gave her, Henderson is quick to answer. “So much of who I am today was shaped by what I

Achievement Award. For a woman who has cared for epilepsy patients in Georgia, trained nurses in Ecuador, and disinfected trauma clinics in Libya, the recognition is a moment to reflect – not boast.

“I didn’t plan any of this,” she said. “I just said yes, one step at a time.”

That first “yes” came in Shawnee, inside classrooms where nursing and faith walked hand-in-hand, and from where Dr. Margo Sullivan Henderson would be launched into the world.

50-year journey in bi-vocational ministry, about 40 years in worship and music, and another 10 as a senior pastor.”

The other milestone of his OBU years? Meeting Rosemary Chappell.

“She was also a student at OBU,” he said. “We married in August 1970. The most important and meaningful decision I made at OBU was to ask Rosemary to be my wife and it has been affirmed by 55 years of marriage.”

Their shared devotion to ministry, family, and Christian education would shape not just their own story, but that of their children and grandchildren. The McCabes raised six children, all who attended OBU. Five are alumni. The McCabes have 28 grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. Eight of them are also OBU alumni. Theirs is a Bison Hill connection that is incredibly four generations deep.

“OBU had a major impact on my life and I hold my college days and friends close to my heart,” he said. “In fact, without those OBU days, I would not be where I am today. I learned to think analytically, reason critically, theologically, and ethically because of the values education I received at OBU. Every time I step on the campus, I feel a tremendous sense of belonging to something bigger and better than myself and to see the world through the lens of all I was exposed to at OBU.”

Business with Purpose

Though McCabe’s calling was always grounded in ministry, his career took him into the boardroom as well. After earning a master’s degree in theatre from Central Missouri State University

in 1973, McCabe taught at Cameron University and Union University before stepping into the industrial minerals industry. He climbed the corporate ranks, holding roles including vice president at McCabe-Woody & Company, sales director-east for U.S. Silica, and vice president of sales and marketing at KMG Minerals.

Eventually, he became president and CEO of McCabe Industrial Minerals, Inc., a Tulsabased firm he has led for more than 30 years.

“Teaching helped shape my communication and leadership skills,” he said. “That background made a huge difference when I stepped into business.”

Throughout his business career, McCabe remained rooted in ministry, pastoring and serving Southern Baptist churches primarily across Oklahoma, with stints in North Carolina and West Virginia as well. His final pastoral role was at Tulsa Hills Baptist Church from 2011 to 2016.

His dual calling, faithfully balanced, became a defining trait.

Civic and Kingdom Service

McCabe’s service extended far beyond the church pews and boardrooms. He served two terms on the board of WatersEdge (formerly the Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma), contributing to its loan services, real estate, and investment committees.

“I’ve always believed that our leadership should reflect Kingdom values,” McCabe said. “Whether in business or ministry, we’re called to steward what God has given us with excellence.”

That same commitment is evident in the McCabe family’s

enduring ties to Christian higher education. The Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education at OBU, named for Verne’s father, and a legacy scholarship for second-generation OBU students are just part of a legacy of impact.

“OBU has been central to our lives,” he said. “It’s where we were shaped, and it continues to shape the generations after us.”

Formed by Faith, Shaped by OBU

Ask McCabe what part of himself would be missing without his OBU experience, and the answer comes quickly.

“A major part of who I am today was learned at OBU,” he said. “My professors challenged me to strive for excellence in everything God puts before me while maintaining Christlike service toward everyone I encounter.”

It’s a philosophy he credits to mentors like former OBU President Dr. Bob Agee.

“Dr. Agee used to say OBU is distinctively Christian yet academically excellent,” McCabe said. “That’s something I’ve carried with me my entire life.”

For McCabe, the chapters of his life, from youth camps and college stages to pulpits and corporate offices, have all been marked by the same refrain: faithfulness, service, and calling.

And at the heart of it all was a detour to Shawnee, a decision that would shape not only a career but a legacy.

“I know I’ll always be connected to an institution that continues to impact the world for Christ and His Kingdom,” he said. “OBU produces graduates who are future shapers. And I’m humbled to be part of that story.”