OCULeads Brochure

OCULeads

THE PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP CLASS

ABOUT THE PROGRAM OCULeads: The President’s Leadership Class is a scholarship program for students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership potential in academics and extracurricular endeavors.

In 2001, OCULeads began as a program to identify leadership potential in incoming students to Oklahoma City University. During the last 16 years, OCULeads has produced more than 400 campus leaders and successful professionals.

In 2015, the OCULeads program merged with the Clara Luper and American Indian Scholarship (AIS) programs to form a first-year leadership cohort. Students selected for the OCULeads program will spend their first year residing with other OCULeads, Clara Luper and American Indian scholars in the OCULeads Living/Learning Community. This community living experience will provide enriching co-curricular activities that complement the OCULeads classes.

Program participants will hear from OCU’s most talented faculty, staff and administrators; plan thoughtful and engaging campus events; and meet distinguished university guest speakers.

OCU’s 17th president, Robert Henry, identified the need to recognize and train the future leaders of our community and our nation. President Henry, whose career includes service as a state representative, attorney general of Oklahoma, and Chief Justice of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, typifies leadership in the public realm.

He has also founded and operated small businesses, and served on the boards of large corporations and philanthropic institutions. He employs experience, knowledge, skill, and his network to foster leadership in the selected scholars of OCULeads: The President’s Leadership Class.

LETTER FROM PRESIDENT HENRY Dear Future OCU Star, Selecting a college is one of the most important decisions of your life. OCU’s focus on intellectual, moral, and spiritual development creates successful citizens by providing leadership opportunities, connections with leaders in all fields, and the finest education to our superior students. Members of OCULeads (the President’s Leadership Class) access the most excellent features of a liberal arts education at Oklahoma City University!

Our students have engaged accomplished American journalist Bill Moyers, former White House Press Secretary for President Lyndon B. Johnson; Sandra Day O’Connor, first female Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; renaissance-man Bulent Atalay, nuclear physicist, artist, and author of “Math and the Mona Lisa: the Art and Science of Leonardo da Vinci”; political activist Gloria Steinem; Congressman Tom Cole, member of the United States House of Representatives for the 4th District of Oklahoma; Dr. Matt Mountain, curator of the Hubble Telescope; Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel, and the list goes on.

Oklahoma City University is a crossroads for business, political, and cultural leaders for Oklahoma and the nation. OCULeads students have exclusive opportunities to meet and learn from these leaders. The President’s Leadership Class greatly enhances an already superior education at OCU. OCU and I are excited to welcome you and help you grow as a leader in our community. OCULeads students have become some of our greatest campus leaders. Through the skills you learn and network you build in the President’s Leadership Class, you will be prepared to delve into leadership in your fraternity, sorority, or favorite academic club, to organize fellow students to serve at a local charity, direct your first on-stage performance, conduct fellow student-musicians in a new piece you composed, or serve as a senator in the Student Government Association. The opportunities for leadership and to create change are endless.

I look forward to your application and applaud you for pursuing your dreams at Oklahoma City University.

Sincerely,

Robert Henry President Oklahoma City University

ABOUT PRESIDENT ROBERT HENRY Robert Henry is the 17th president of Oklahoma City University.

Henry returned to OCU after having served as Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He has a long-standing relationship with OCU, previously serving as dean of the OCU School of Law and tenured professor of law. He taught graduate and undergraduate courses at OCU and has been a frequent guest lecturer. Prior to his appointment to the Court, Henry served as Attorney General of the State of Oklahoma, as well as state representative in Oklahoma’s House of Representatives where he chaired the committees on the judiciary, common education, and the appropriation and budget committee on general government. Henry also practiced law in Shawnee, Oklahoma, for ten years.

President Henry serves on the board of directors of Devon Energy, the Oklahoma Heritage Association, the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma State Fair, and the OKC Allied Arts.

Additionally, he serves on several national and international boards including the iCivics advisory board. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is a life member of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

The recipient of many honors and awards, Henry was inducted into the 2008 Oklahoma Hall of Fame and received the Oklahoma Native Son Award from the South Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce in 2013.

In 2015 he received the Leadership Oklahoma Lifetime Achievement Award.

President Henry and Artist Mike Wimmer.

STUDENT ADVISORS Destini Carrington is a Psychology major from Del City, Oklahoma. Leadership has always been one of her passions and frequent hobbies. She was given a multitude of opportunities to excel as a leader while a student at Del City High School. Now that she is attending OCU as a Clara Luper Scholar, she hopes to implement changes on campus. She is the Secretary for OCU’s Black Student Association, a New Student Orientation Leader, and a former member of First. In addition to being involved on campus, she loves exploring Oklahoma and finding new activities to try from thrifting to hiking. OCU has been a life changing experience and she is grateful to have the opportunity to aid in your journey. The adventure awaits!

Ellie Roth is a Finance major with a Spanish minor from Tonkawa, Oklahoma. On campus, she is involved in SGA Student Court, Honors Student Council, the Wesley Center, and Alpha Chi Omega. Away from campus, she volunteers at Hawthorne Elementary and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. In her spare time, you can find her reading, exploring OKC with her pals, or eating chips and queso.

APPLY TO OUR PROGRAM APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 1, 2018 To complete your application you must submit: 1. A resume detailing your leadership, community service and extra-curricular activities 2. Attached application 3. Leadership essay (prompt below) Define what it means to be an effective leader, then describe at least one specific example of such leadership, as experienced in your own personal leadership roles and/or interactions with other strong leaders, which led to your definition of a leader. Use vivid details to explain how the example embodies your definition. Additionally, please explain why you would like to be a member of OCULeads: The President’s Leadership Class. (No more than 2,000 characters) 4. OPTIONAL: Upload your Zeemee profile to your OCU application or your Common application.

Complete the application at http://www.okcu.edu/main/about/president/oculeads/apply.

CRITERIA

To be considered for membership in OCULeads: 1. Applicants must be entering freshman (direct matriculation from high school).

2. Applicants must submit the application by February 1, 2018.

3. Applicants must apply for admission to OCU before submitting an OCULeads application.

4. Applicants must meet the following criteria: • ACT of at least 24 • High School GPA of at least 3.25

PROGRAM

First-year OCULeads students will enroll in a 1 hour course during the fall and spring semesters. (These classes are not for credit but will be graded on a pass/fail basis.)

Members are encouraged to discover their individual strengths through a variety of activities including: • Participating in the OCULeads Living/Learning Community • Volunteering for and planning local community service projects • Attending exclusive events at the invitation of OCU President Robert Henry • Meeting the scholars and distinguished guest speakers visiting OCU OCULEADS STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS THAT CAN BE RENEWED FOR UP TO 4 YEARS. *Due to scheduling considerations and arts management focus, prospective dance majors should apply to Dance & Entertainment LEADS in place of OCULeads.

For more information, visit www.okcu.edu/dance/audition.