In this Issue
astern tatesman E S
Vol. 95 Issue 7
May 12, 2017
EASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE COLLEGE EST. 1908
Eastern prepares for budget cut amid speculation
Zane Johnson Staff Writer
News, Pgs. 3, 4, 8
Following information given to state colleges and universities by Oklahoma legislators, Eastern President Dr. Stephen Smith and the rest of the administration began to plan for yet another budget cut for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Having been told to have plans ready for cuts at
10%, 15%, and 20% (or anywhere from $689,000 all the way to $1.2 million), and following weeks of rumors and gossip, Dr. Smith announced in an April 7 e-mail that the Meat Science and Music programs will be cut this fall. “Over the past three years we have looked at our low enrollment programs as we have tried to cut in every area of the college first before looking at the
academic programs,” Smith said in the e-mail. “Based on the state Regents low productivity report, the Meat Science program has had an average of three graduates per year over the past five years, and the Music program has had a total of two graduates the past five years.” Dr. Janet Wansick, Vice-President of Academic Affairs, explained more about the process of suspending pro-
Heritage exchange Study Abroad, Pgs. 6-7
Sports, Pg. 12
grams. It starts, she says by following the State Regents’ low enrollment policy, which requires courses to have 10 students generally. Next, is the State Regents’ low productivity report, which covers programs at the college by low enrollment and graduation over the past five years. Dr. Wansick then pulls the schedules of all the teachers in low SEE BUDGET PAGE 4
Jackson delivers keynote address
EOSC RELEASE
Eastern Oklahoma State College hosted its 108th Commencement Ceremony on May 5 in Wilburton. An estimated 287 students will earn degrees from Eastern this year. Commencement speaker Teresa Jackson, an Eastern alumna and longtime employee of the Choctaw Nation, spoke to the Class of 2017 about how to define success as they move forward in life. “Tomorrow and in the next couple of years, you’ll be getting closer to reaching your goals for success. And although there’s no way to measure success, you can determine what level of success you want to achieve,” Jackson said. “Success shouldn’t be measured by the amount of money that you have in your bank account and it shouldn’t be measured by a title. Success should be measured by the standards which you set for yourself.” Jackson, of Hartshorne, is a member of the Choctaw Tribe and has worked for the Choctaw Nation for nearly 17 years. A 1985 Eastern graduate, Jackson earned an associate degree
“I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change...I’m changing the things I cannot accept.” - Angela Davis “Titles are important; I have them before I have books that belong to them. I have last chapters in my mind before I see first chapters, too. I usually begin with endings, with a sense of aftermath, of dust settling, of epilogue.” - John Irving Ross Green, left, with the Choctaw Nation demonstrated traditional stickball and weaponry for the Danish visitors March 28. Green is pictured with Silkeborg instructor Cille Mortensen.
SEE
GRADUATION PAGE 11
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The Mix campus news
Book buyback dates for all campuses Wilburton campus Monday (8th) - Thursday (11th), 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m . Friday (May 12th) 8 a.m .– 4 p.m. McAlester campus May 11, 2017, 2 p.m.- 7 p.m. Idabel campus May 10, 2017, 1 p.m.- 3 p.m. Antlers campus May 10, 2017, 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
The Best Mix of Top 40, pop, adult, contemporary, light classic rock and today’s cross-over country music. The Morning Show with The Crazy Train Weekdays 7 - 11 a.m. The Afternoon Show with Dougo Weekdays 2 - 6 p.m.
Join the Statesman staff Are you a great writer? Photographer? Are you good with web design?
If so, you may want to work for the Statesman newspaper. Please contact Kristen Turner at (918) 465-1720 or kturner@eosc.edu. You do not have to be a Mass Communication major.
May 12, 2017
News
May 12, 2017
Page 3
Migliore continues his service to Eastern TAYLOR BROYLES Staff Writer
Being named an Eastern Oklahoma State College Hall of Fame inductee, Dr. Henry Migliore will forever be a memorable alumnus. Since his time at Eastern, he has gone on to write a number of books, teach at universities around the world, and sit on a few local church committees. Dr. Migliore has a history in business. He has been a business consultant for the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center for 13 years. Prior to serving as a business consultant and the manager for press manufacturing operations of Continental Can Company’s Stockyard Plant, he was responsible for long range planning at Continental's Indiana plant. In addition to holding managerial positions, Dr. Migliore gives presentations to groups, clubs, and businesses of all sizes. He was also a selected to be a part of the International Conferences on Management by Objectives and the Strategic Planning Institute Seminar Series. In November of 1998, Dr. Migliore was inducted to the Eastern Oklahoma State College Hall of Fame after his induction to the Eastern Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. These awards were well deserved after his many years of dedication to the college. Since his graduation in 1960, he has helped with development of the college. This level of dedication
continues as he is still a chairman for a scholarship fund. The Larry Stone award is given to student athletes who exhibit good grades, sportsmanship, and love for their sport. Larry Stone was a football and baseball player at EOSC in the early 1960s. After he passed, some of Stone’s friends and fellow teammates created this scholarship in his name. Dr. Migliore, being a close friend, has been able to present the award each year to the deserving students. Dr. Migliore gives Eastern credit for a large portion of his success. He played baseball, basketball and football for the college and still remembers his coaches and fellow players. Dr. Migliore described the atmosphere for the athletes as, “a loving and nurturing environment with discipline.” In his life he was a highly recruited athlete, and ended up at Eastern because Coach Blankenship called Coach Winters to tell him that Henry and his mother were coming down to try out for the teams. While Migliore was a new player, the team embraced him with open arms. One teammate said, “You have a good team if you love one another.” The teams all ate together, lived together, and of course practiced together. They were each other’s family when they were away from their own family.
Eastern Statesman Staff Derrick James Editor Wyatt Hubbard, Staff Writer Zane Johnson, Staff Writer Taylor Broyles, Staff Writer
Kristen Turner, Adviser
Dr. Henry Migliore, center, was on hand to present To'Lishia Weasah and Treshawn Gause with this year's Larry Stone Award. Dr. Migliore is a distinguished Eastern alumnus who has been able to present the award, which is in honor of his college teammate and friend, each year since its inception.
When it comes to giving advice to students at Eastern, Dr. Migliore reminds them that even though some things come up, life goes on and you should live with courage. Eastern is a school that should not be taken for granted, students need
to embrace the experience but remember where they came from. “Eastern is the gateway to the rest of your life,” Dr. Migliore says. “Go on and be successful but always be thankful for what EOSC has given you.”
Stanford named Outstanding Transfer Student at OU Q: Why did you chose to go to Eastern? A: I chose to go to Eastern because it made perfect sense. It was close to home, offered small classes and was overall exactly the kind of environment I needed to grow. I started my first classes at Eastern during my junior year of high school and completing my associate degree there was a logical choice. The scholarship opportunities were substantial, being better than the scholarship offers I got from OU. Q: What was your position at the Eastern Statesman? A: When I started at the Statesman after changing my major to mass communication, I was a staff writer. I wrote over anything and everything I could. I was eager to broaden my writing and my experiences. The second semester of my sophomore year, the editor had transferred to
OU, and I took the position. It was amazing because I learned more about the whole process of producing a newspaper and leading a publication. Q: What else did you do at EOSC regarding clubs, positions held, and other extra activities? A: At Eastern, I was heavily involved in the Honors Program and Photo Club. I was also in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. My sophomore year, I served as president of Honors Club and secretary/vice president of Photo Club. I also studied abroad in Denmark and Germany in 2016 after having been a Den Pal in 2015. Q: What have you done at OU to help you receive the President’s Award for the Outstanding Transfer Student? A: At OU, I have worked really hard in maintaining a 4.0. I have also become involved in Public Relations Student So-
ciety of America. This year was the first year Choctaw Nation College and Career Resources had a presence at OU, so I have been really involved in the Choctaws of OU program. I enjoyed taking part in Choctaws of EOSC so being in the OU program makes being up here seem more like home. Q: Do you have plans for after college? A: After college, I want to pursue a career in public relations or similar communications profession. It is my dream one day to work in communications for the Choctaw Nation. My tribe has helped me immensely all through my life, and I want to give back by using my talents and gifts. Other than that, I am very open to whatever comes my way. I will continue to pursue different opportunities to build my skill set and grow as a human being.
Published monthly from August through May by students of Eastern Oklahoma State College, Wilburton, OK. Opinions expressed in the “Statesman” are not necessarily those of the Eastern student body, faculty or administration. Opinions expressed in articles, columns or letters are those of the individual writers. Members of the Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association, Community College Journalism Association, Student Press Law Center and Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association. Letters to the editor are not only welcomed, but encouraged. All letters must be able to be verified with the author’s phone number, address, and e-mail address. The editor reserves the right to edit to fit space limitations and to comply with libel laws and good taste. The publication is issued by EOSC and is printed at a cost of about $50 per page. Telephone is (918) 465-1714. E-mail: statesman@eosc.edu.
News
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BUDGET
wording of this policy states that declaring financial exigency is up to the President of the college.
enrollment programs and looks for general education courses that would make the program a 'no-cost program.'” For example, while few students earn a history degree, all history instructors teach the Gen Ed required courses. Finally, Dr. Wansick explained, the cost of the program itself is looked at. “There are 3.4 graduates over the last five years, and an average of 10 students per year,” Eddie Woods, Dean of the Agriculture Division said. “Right now, we’ve got nine and are graduating four.” Plans of degree completion for the remaining students within the Meat Science and Music programs are in the works. The reaction to the suspension of these two programs has been very contentious, as some supporters of keeping the Meat Science program felt that the administration was not up-front with the numbers, that the administration did not invoke a Financial Exigency Policy and was not giving the full picture when it came to the financial situation of the Meat Science program and the college farm. What the Statesman has found is a very complicated state budgeting system that makes using money made from one area for academics near impossible.
E&G (290) AND AUXILIARY (700) BUDGETING In order to obtain and understand the budgets for Eastern Oklahoma State College, the Statesman went directly to LaDonna Howell, Vice-President of Business Affairs. “The way that the budget works and the way that our money works is that we have separate, we could say pots of money, for different things, and they can only be used for certain things,” Howell explained. “Okay, so our (290) E&G, that would be for any of our main operations, instruction, that sort of thing. Then we also have a grant fund, and those are only for grant fund dollars that run through there. “And the 700 fund, or the Auxiliary fund, will be for all auxiliary things. That’ll be anything from housing, the radio station, the bookstore and the cafeteria - any of the student activity funds that comes through there.” According to Howell, E&G receives state-appropriated funding, as well as student tuition, and some of the student fees go to this account. “You do have student activity fees, things like that, that come through there [700 account], but the majority of that would have to be self-sustaining. And the way that the rules are written up that you should be using that to feed back into it, so money that is made from an operation feeds back into itself, or supports it, or helps offset overhead that relates to it.” Through this conversation, it became clear that the State Regent’s budgeting policies do not allow for Auxiliary funds (700) to go into E&G. This means that money from profitable auxiliary ventures cannot pay for academic programs. For example, entrance fees to basketball games could not go toward paying for a Music academic program. According to The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education’s Educational and General Budgets Summary and Analysis for Fiscal Year 2016 “The Educational and General (E&G) Budget is the principal operating budget of the institution. It includes the primary functions of Instruction, Research, and Pub-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
FINANCIAL EXIGENCY Financial Exigency is a specific policy that allows the President to declare a “state of financial crisis” and convene a new committee, made up of the VP of Academic Affairs, Business Affairs, and Student Affairs, as well as the McAlester Campus Dean, Director of Institutional Advancement, Human Resources Manager, Faculty Council Chair, 1 Division Dean, the Athletic Director, and any other members of the school the President would appoint. However, it’s important to note that the Faculty Handbook states in VII B 1. Declaration that “When, in his/her opinion, a state of financial exigency is impending, the President, in consultation with the Financial Exigency Committee and the Chair of the Board of Regents, shall declare the college to be in a state of financial exigency.” The
lic Service, as well as the activities that support these three main functions. It is distinct from the capital budget, which includes expenditures for new construction, major repairs or renovations, and major items of equipment. It also excludes auxiliary enterprises, which provide services tangential to the education process, such as housing, food services, and the college store. “Just as the activities funded in these three budgets (Educational & General, capital, and auxiliary enterprises) differ, so do the sources of revenue. Most of the activities in the E&G Budget are funded from state appropriations, student fees, grants and contracts. The capital budget is funded from revenue bond proceeds, special appropriations, dedicated monies (Section 13 and New College Funds), and major private gifts. Auxiliary enterprises are self-supporting operations funded through fees charged to the recipients of the service.” THE SCHOOL FARM Through all of this turmoil, questions began to arise about the school farm. These questions were presented in a series of letters circulated throughout the community and on social media. There was also an instance where an anonymous person, not associated with this newspaper, created a fake Google account using the “Eastern Statesman” name and then sent out an email to most of the staff and faculty claiming wrongdoings on the part of the administration. These wrongdoings were mostly regarding the college farm and its management. Still yet another email was sent out, this time by Ranch Management Specialist Earl Shero. This message stated that while the money saved through a proposal his brother presented to the Board of Regents “would not generate all of the funds needed to replace the state budget cuts, it could save the two academic programs that are currently on the chopping block.” While Shero’s proposal does sound to be revenue generating, as explained above in the difference between E&G and Auxiliary budgets, it would not be able to fund the Meats Science or Music academic programs. The real Eastern Statesman staff, following procedure laid out in the Oklahoma Open Records Act, obtained financial records from Howell that per-
May 12, 2017
Information provided by the Business Affairs office concerning the budgets of the college farm and the Meat Lab. To view complete records, visit the Statesman’s website, www.statesman.eosc.edu.
tain to the college farm. In these records, some truth to some of the claims made by Shero was found. The college farm, operating with E&G funds for academic salaries and supplies and Auxiliary (700) funds for business ventures, does cost the school money. Starting off in the E&G budget, the farm had a total loss of $175,614.25 in 2016. However, in the Auxiliary (700) budget, there is a profit for the farm of $41,598.30. But it gets a bit tricky. As stated by Howell, money generated by businesses like the radio station, meat lab, and the school farm, all go back to the business in auxiliary funds. This means that any E&G costs are absorbed by the school. Howell does say that these E&G costs are from the “teaching components” of these industries and notes that the school is “each year, trying to get more and more” of the employee salaries over to the Auxiliary (700) fund. To add some perspective to the cost of the farm, the Statesman analyzed components of the Meat Science program. According to the budgets provided by Howell, the Meat Science program and Lab, operating as a business and providing services to the community, had a total loss of $125,012.11 from the E&G budget in 2016, though this number does not include the maintenance and utility costs of the plant. E&G is also
used here for academic salaries, including the manager of the lab. The Auxiliary (700) profit was $5,997.27. After viewing the Meat Lab budget provided by Howell, Woods described what he saw as a discrepancy in the meat lab’s spending. “Their [Meat lab] budget is $16,000. They got that to spend,” Woods said. “And so, they bring in, buy meat products and things, they turn it around and resell that. And if it brings in $30,000, I’m just throwing some numbers out, they’ve covered their $16,000 expense, so they’ve got $14,000 profit, they’re able to utilize that to buy more meat products to sell.” “If we spend that, they’re counting that with the budget as a cost, and actually, that’s not a cost to the college.” According to the documents collected from Howell, in 2016, the farm had a net loss of $134,015.95, and the Meat Lab had a loss of $119,014.84. The suspension of the Meat Science and the Music academic programs was discussed at the April Board of Regents meeting, though official approval will occur at the June meeting. The Statesman will continue to follow this story and its summer developments in the coming academic year. To view complete records, visit the Statesman’s website, www.statesman. eosc.edu.
Graduation 2017
May 12, 2017
Page 5
Eastern Class of 2017 nears 300 graduates Associate of Arts
Abbie Abercrombie Shelby L. Adkins Lindsy Alexander Raven B. Allen Tommy A. Allen Taylor Anders Ethan Ardese Alexis M. Atwell Haley Nicole Atwood Rachel Baker Vincent Dale Baker Joshua Barnes Casidhe Barrett Cindy R. Batchelor Zachary Baugh Kayla Beauchamp Joyce M. Beggs Kayla Marie Bell Telisa Blundell Ashley Brewton Hailey Marie Bunch Katie Carlton Stana R. Carper Kayla Carr Brock Carter Dakotah Cassell Kendra Mixer Cody Grady H. Coleman Cecilia Reyna Contreras Lexen B. Cook Kelsey E. Crawford Taryn N. Creasman Amber R. Deela Ginger Dees-Whala Celyna M. Dollack Haley Victoria Duff Amanda Renee Eddowes Cheyenne S. Eller Brittany A. Elliott Rachel C. Fields Hunter Fowler Micah Frazier Katy L. Furneaux Selena Gantt Lea Giaudrone Alexis R. Goodwill Lynelle Gordon Austin Keith Graham Courtney Brooke Hamill Kristopher Payton Hamilton Monika Hamman Ashley Haney Terra Ann Hawkins Amanda E. Hawthorne Sydney Hayes Ryan G. Hemm Jenilee Herrick Charline Hice Pamela R. Holly
Mackenzie E. Holt Jessica M. Hood Hannah Horstman Preston Wyatt Hubbard Emily Jackson Jessica L. Jamison April Jeffries Rebecca J. Johnson Zana G. Johnson Jacob J. Kelley Tammy Kelley Laurin Rochelle Kelly Nicholas Keyamo Christy L. Kirkland Katie Kirk-Patrick Ruth Jesusita Lawson Mark A. Lay Colton K. Leffel Skyler Lefors Savanna Lovell Paula Diane Lynch April Renee Mackey Jhon Mareus David Marshall Nicholos Martindale Trevor McBane Allison McDaniel Desireá Nykeá Lee McGinnis Stacy L. McLemore Michelle D. McNutt Bailee M. Metcalf Alexa Meshale Miller Matthew Miller Jonathan T. Mullins Sarah E. Newell Chelseana O’Leary Pamela A. Paredes Ana Peralta Jennifer Perkins-Burchard Sara K. Perry William B. Picotte Natalie Marie Pierce Matheus Mantovani Pinto Tesa K. Pitt Kory Pollard Ashley Lucinda Porton Lauren K. Ragan Misty Dawn Ramos Casey M. Remedi Winona D. Rickman Andrew A. Rivera Angelo R. Rivers II Amanda Roberts Selene N. Roberts James G. Schulz Brandon Sherwood Stephen D. Shropshire Austin Simpson Ashlee Skidmore
Charles Smallwood Bradley Michael Smith Brice Smith Paige Danielle Sparks Hailey Dawn Spears Sabrina L. Stanford Hunter Stewart Shayla N. Stewart Michael P. Stizza JoHannah Stone Coltan Lace Swift Sydney Lynn Tarver Christopher A. Taylor Jasmine Cree Taylor Djulinda Then Amanda Tokunaga Caitlin Erin Tubby Amanda L. Ward Whitney Ward Tyler Watson To’Lishia Yea Weasah Jordan Layne Wilburn Jadyn Wills Dakota Wilson Winter R. Wolfe Callie Lanette Woolsey Marty G. Zachry
Associate of Science
Ashley N. Adams Lucas Almeida Name de Morais Morgan Alyssa Ames Shaye L. Angel Barbara Bagsby Miranda L. Barnes Tamra G. Beck Bryana Lyn Binkley Ryan Shane Broughton Clara Brown Sophia Bullard Timothy R. Burmaster Alyshia A. Byington Jordan Paige Campagna Elizabeth K. Carrell Wesley Austin Corcoran Danilo Crespo Zendre RaQuitta Crutchfield Bailee Nicole Davis Yolanda Davis Caleb Scott Dubler Natalie Eley Jared V. Engler Jennifer Epperson Christopher J. Fisher Justin Ford Morgan Foster Alex J. Froslie Ian Fulton Nicole M. Gilliam Kody C. Hance
Blayne A. Heath Anastasia Herskind Regina Hilburn Krystal Rose Holbrook Brett Homer Shay D. Hoog Jessica B. Howard Emley Jacob Bruno Gorga Jaeger Steven Jean Marcel Joseph Priscilla S. Kirkes Brett James Looten Cody Lyles Garrett Martin Summer N. Martin Kyle L. McKinney Jared Morgan Jamie L. Nix Frederick E. Norman III Zane L. Nowlin Victoria L. Perrigo LaMaur D. Price Christe J. Quick Alberto Ricky Ramirez Cynthia Rose Raub Gabrielle Renteria Anthony M. Richison, Jr. Bryan C. Russell Paul A. Shanks Logan M. Shimp Colton E. Shrum Samuel Lee Simco Morgan E. Smith Carmen M. Soriano Cassidy Spradlin Christopher W. Standridge Kayla D. Stevenson Eduardo Suarez Smarlin Tavarez Katie S. Thompson Shaquielle E. Tucker-Carter Brittany C. Perez Vega Kayla L. Ward Ladonna Ann Ward Andrea Jenée Weaver Nevada Williams Jimmy Wilson, Jr. Krystal A. Woods Clayton S. Wynn
Associate of Applied Science
Jordan L. Armstrong Camie D. Ashalintubbi Cortney K. Ashlock Mary A. Barnard Michelle L. Boddy Cathy Briggs Linda D. Choate
Lauren Taylor Dial Kameron L. Dugan Makayla Denise Farley Shelbie N. Fields Crystal B. Foshee Valarie Y. Gentry Chad A. Goggans Christie A. Goggans Miranda S. Gonzalez Connie J. Grantham Jason M. Hagelberger Sarah C. Hall Jordan Alexandra Hamilton Laura A. Hardaway Kali R. Hedrick Sarah A. Hodge Fredrick Holmes Kandis P. Hudson Whitney J. Hull Ricky D. Jiles Adele L. Jones Claudia L. Keith Victoria D. Matthesen Amanda M. Melton Savannah Rae Mitchell Wyatt D. Oakes Velvet Spring O’Hair Sherry R. Pierce Danna E. Poirot Ashley Lucinda Porton Meagan L. Rains Kaitlin Brooke Reavis Gabrielle Renteria Darian N. Roberts Kathy Scifres Lauren A. Smith Christine R. Sockey Djulinda Then Jess L. Tolleson Charlotte R. Trusty Jillian White Angela Wise Bonnie A. Wolfe
One Year Certificate of Mastery
Charli Conrad Amanda Renee Eddowes Seirra Flores Thommi Brooke Irish Zanna McCune Christopher Odneal Pamela A. Paredes Misty Dawn Ramos Shanna Smith Whitney Ward Mary Weathers
This is not an official list. If you see an error, contact the Registrar's Office
Denmark
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May 12, 2017
Students travel to Denmark and Sweden in educational exchange
DERRICK JAMES Editor
On April 22, 11 Eastern students and two professors made the long journey to Denmark as part of our Study Abroad program with Silkeborg Business College. The trip started out with the plane in Dallas being delayed for an hour and the question of making the connecting flight arose. But after getting in the air, the pilots hit the jet stream just right, and the group made it in time to catch the connecting flight to Copenhagen, Denmark from Frankfurt, Germany. After arriving in Copenhagen, the students only had an hour to get comfortable in their rooms at the hostel before they hit the pavement, literally. The group walked the beautiful streets of Copenhagen, the group saw and toured Christianborg Castle, went on a canal tour and saw many things such as the Little Mermaid statue and The new Opera House. The day ended with a good ol’ fashion Chinese Buffet and the group could go back to the hostel or explore, which all elected to go back and sleep after the long 24 hours. Day two started early, too early, with a train ride to Malmo, Sweden, where the group visited Malmohus Castle and explored a museum and ate lunch at a
A group of Eastern and Silkeborg students stop for a photo outside of Rosenborg Castle
very tasty café. The students returned to Copenhagen that afternoon. The evening consisted of going to Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world, and inspired Walt Disney in making Disney Land a reality. Day three was a doozy, with lots of walking and climbing, and all achieving at least 20,000 steps on their fit-bits.
The group visited Rosenborg Castle, climbed the round tower, witnessed the changing of the guards and more of the city. That evening, the group traveled to Silkeborg but train. The students were met by their host families. The night was an early one after all the day’s activities. The first day in Silkeborg started off
with a presentation to the Global Business students over the State of Oklahoma. The school provided lunch through their campus café. The college’s first year students then took each Eastern student on a personalized tour of the city. The day was an early day, as the Eastern students could return to their
host family for an evening of hygge. Day five took the Eastern students to the West Coast of Denmark. Blavand offered a lighthouse to climb with a beautiful view of the ocean. The beach consisted of old World War II German bunkers that could be explored. The trip continued to the city of Ribe, which is the oldest town in Denmark. The students explored the old city and was taken on a guided tour of the Ribe Viking Museum. The sixth day, the students visited Aarhus, the European Capital of Culture. Students toured the AROS museum, where they walked the “Rainbow Bridge,” and saw exhibits such as the Big Boy and a scratched-up Lamborghini in which the tour guide said, “We have no idea why this was done.” The day continued with a tour of an open-air museum which consisted of 75 historical buildings collected from townships across the country of Denmark. The final day was a surprise meant for the host family to give the Eastern students a final good bye and Danish experience. The trip back was a long one, and all of the students were glad to be back on American soil, but also very happy to have the experience offered to them by Eastern Oklahoma State College and Silkeborg Business College. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience.
May 12, 2017
Denmark
Page 7
Dante Miller, Blayne Heath, Katie Thompson, Zane Johnson, Sabrina Stanford, Sophie Bullard, Amanda Hawthorne, Cali Baughman, Taylor Broyles, Alexis Goodwill and Derrick James pose for a picture on the observation deck of The Round Tower in Copenhagen, Denmark. At left, a windmill in Malmo, Sweden. Right, a statue outside of the Ribe Cathedral.
Left, Eastern students dot the beach at Blavand. Blavand is on the west coast of Denmark and borders the North Sea. In the middle picture is a colorful representation of a street in Ribe, Denmark. At the far right, Alexis Goodwill and Amanda Hawthorne wave from inside of the Rainbow Panorama atop of the ARoS Art Museum in Aarhus, Denmark.
News
Page 8
May 12, 2017
Duncan retiring after 42 years at Eastern TAYLOR BROYLES Staff Writer
I recently had the chance to sit down and talk with Marilynn Duncan, who has taught at Eastern Oklahoma State College for 42 years. She currently holds the position as Behavioral & Social Sciences Division Dean, as well as teaches a number of psychology classes on campus and online. Mrs. Duncan had studied psychology and sociology throughout college, but had thought she would pursue a career in counseling rather than teaching. With her degree in sociology she also could have done social work, which she says was definitely not what she wanted to do. Among the list of other jobs Mrs. Duncan could have taken was as a probation officer. Fortunately, teaching was the first job opening that came her way. When Mrs. Duncan decided teaching was her calling, she applied to several places in Oklahoma as well as Texas. She actually went to an interview in Texas the day after she interviewed at EOSC. Luckily, we got her first by contacting her the next day. The school in
Texas notified her that she got the job a week after she accepted the position here in Oklahoma. Being from Muskogee, she wanted to be close to home. Mrs. Duncan taught many classes in the psychology, as well as, the sociology field. Not only would she become a well known teacher and friend, she had the President’s eye when she was nominated for the President’s Excellence Award in 2015. The psychology and sociology faculty nominated Mrs. Duncan without her knowing. The rest of the faculty and staff voted, and without much surprise, she was the recipient of the award. I asked Mrs. Duncan if she had a memorable moment here at Eastern. She told me that establishing and sponsoring the “Psycho Club” and NAACP clubs had to be at the top of her list. For almost 30 years she was the sponsor of the clubs. They were extremely competitive, to the point that they would win plaques and money prizes. At one time, there were 30 members in her clubs. Each of the other clubs set out to beat them in different competitions but, according to her, never succeeded. “The other clubs were after us,” said Mrs. Duncan in regard to a food drive
held at Eastern. “To the extent that the baseball coach had the baseball players going to buy cases of canned goods! But at that time we were up to about 3,000 canned goods. Each year we got more and more.” She went on to tell me that one time they had a new member who ended up being a spy, to see how her clubs were so successful. Duncan said that the many late nights and long days of work were worth it. Many of those students from the 80s still call her and wish her a happy birthday or happy Mother’s Day. One of my final questions for Mrs. Duncan was what advice she would give to future teachers. She has found that patience is a key to it all and the teacher has to have a desire to teach, and a love for it. Even after 42 years, Mrs. Duncan still loves what she does. One her favorite quotes is by Whitney Houston, “The children are our future. If we don’t teach them, we are in trouble.” Marilynn Duncan hopes that all future teachers and students understand why she loves education, as much as she does.
After 42 years at Eastern Oklahoma State College, Marilynn Duncan is retiring. She will remain as an online instructor next semester, but will no longer serve as the Dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
Schweitzer set to retire after seven years at Eastern of instruction knowledge that they have.” Her plans for retirement include building a house here in Southeastern Oklahoma, growing a garden, traveling and read “I plan to read books that I have not been able to read in the last seven years.” She also plans to volunteer here at Eastern. Her advice to students is to realize the importance of an education. “This is a little girl from Red Oak, Oklahoma with very few social skills, and education absolutely made the difference in my life. I would not be here without education. “I think students today take their education opportunities so lightly and do not realize that this is one of the most important decision in their life.”
“
This is a little girl from Red Oak, Oklahoma with very few social skills, and education absolutely made the difference in my life. I would not be here without education. I think students today take their education opportunities so lightly and do not realize that this is one of the most important decision in their life.
“
Lee Anne Schweitzer is retiring after 40 years of teaching, the last seven of which were at Eastern Oklahoma State College.
DERRICK JAMES Editor After 40 years of teaching in Oklahoma colleges, Mrs. Lee Anne Schweitzer is hanging up her syllabus for retirement. The English professor spent seven of those years here at Eastern, where she felt right at home. “It did not take me, less than a semester here, I really felt like I belonged here. I felt like this was part of my family.” Said Schweitzer. “I did not find this at Tulsa Community College” When asked about how students have changed over her career, “Students don’t have the grammar skills as we did in past, I think students are smarter in other areas, such as the ability to do electronics and computer skills, it’s not that students are less smart, it’s just a different kind
Lee Anne Schweitzer
Visit www.statesman.eosc.edu to check out video interviews with Duncan and Schweitzer.
Alumni
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May 12, 2017
WHERE ARE THEY NOW...
Eastern Alumni making an impact on the world
Dr. Billye Kay Givens
By Mike Cathey (EOSC 1983 of Indianola) Recently and completely out of the blue and without knowledge of her approaching retirement, Dr. Billye Givens (EOSC 1971 of Wilburton) received a telephone call from former student, Jack Chambless now an economics professor at Valencia College in Oakland, Florida. In essence Chambless shared the following quote with Dr. Givens in their telephone conversation, “Dr. Billye Givens was instrumental in showing me what passionate, engaged teaching looks like. In the fall of 1984 she assigned George Orwell’s novel, 1984 to our class. She proceeded to teach us why this book was important to the times we were living and why we needed to be ever vigilant in the preservation of our rights. I did not realize it at the time but her joy and enthusiasm would carry over to my philosophy as a college professor.” At the end of the current semester Dr. Givens will retire from EOSC with 44 years of service and likely the “never to be broken record” of the longest serving full-time, tenured faculty in Eastern’s 109 year history. And added to this very significant personal milestone is Dr. Givens’ family legacy of being a third generation Eastern employee dating back to the Oklahoma School of Mines and Metallurgy. Both her parents, Bill Givens and Carolyn Thomas Givens, were also alums of EOSC. And let’s not forget that when Dr. Givens graduated from Wilburton High School in the spring of 1969, she promptly enrolled at EOSC and in the spring of 1971 completed an Associate of Arts in English. Yes, that would be two more years to be added to the total time spent at EOSC! Following her graduation from EOSC, Givens received bachelor’s, master’s, and Ed.D degrees from Oklahoma State University. At OSU, she played varsity tennis and was No.1 in singles in both her junior and senior years. “When I started at Eastern, I had 3 scholarship offers: music, debate, and physical education,” Dr. Givens
shared about her time at Eastern. “I took the music scholarship. Later I was the Faculty Scholarship recipient and also an American Association of University Women Scholarship recipient. I was the Outstanding English Major Graduate, the Outstanding Liberal Arts Graduate, a Junior College Conference Tennis Champion, won the Carl Albert Oratorical Contest for two years, Vice President of the Student Senate, had a lead role in the musical ‘Bye, Bye Birdie’, selected for Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges, Outstanding Young Women in America, a member of the Wesley Foundation, Affiliation of Christian Students, a member of Future Teachers Association, and had an article published in National Library Journal. “Eastern provided me the opportunity to participate in a diverse group of activities while pursuing my English degree. I got a chance to develop skills in music, oratory, athletics, and leadership that I might not have had the opportunity to acquire elsewhere.” For the last 11 years Dr. Givens has been the Dean of the Language, Humanities, and Education Division and for her entire EOSC tenure has been a professor and leader in the EOSC English Department. She has also taught Philosophy, is a former physical education instructor, is a former men’s and women’s tennis Coach, and former women’s basketball assistant coach. In 2013, she was selected by her peers to receive the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award. She has also received the EOSC Honors Program Teacher of the Year Award and has been chosen by all EOSC Students as Teacher of the Year twice. In addition to Dr. Givens full schedule of activity at EOSC she has always found the time to be an active and engaged member in the life and activity of the Wilburton community. She is a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Wilburton serving in all capacities of church leadership including being a Sunday school teacher, and a long time trained Lay Speaker
Dr. Billye Kay Givens will retire from Eastern Oklahoma State College after 44 years. Dr. Givens graduated from Eastern in 1971 with a degree in English.
in the Methodist Church. Several years ago, the Wilburton Presbyterian Church, with a declining membership and financial instability, faced an almost certain congregational end. Dr. Givens stepped up and without fanfare and compensation became the full-time Pastor of the Wilburton Presbyterian Church with a now active and engaged congregation. She is frequently also called upon throughout the community to play a role with families during times of grief and celebration. And with her love of animals Dr. Givens is the founder and President of the Wilburton Partners for Animal Welfare. Her impact with both human and animal lives is very significant. “While at Eastern I developed some wonderful friendships that continue to the present,” shared Dr. Givens about her four decades at Eastern. “There
were a lot of good, involved students at Eastern, and we challenged each other to be the best we could be. We had a lot of fun while learning to develop our talents. I had some great mentors like Pat Thomas, Helen Albright, Johnnie Wray, and Bob Pratt.” In 2015, Dr. Givens delivered the EOSC graduation commencement address and shared these important parting words to students, “Tonight, you have knowledge and skills that you didn’t have two years ago. Your community, your state, your nation and your world need you more today than ever. Use the skills that you have now acquired and give your gift to leave the world better than you found it. “Commencement is a milestone in your education process, but there is no graduating from learning. Learning is a lifelong process and I hope that each of
you will be a lifelong learner.” Author’s note: My first interactions with Dr. Givens was when she served as a judge of mine during my high school speech competitions held at EOSC. When I arrived at EOSC as an English major, I was assigned to Dr. Givens as my advisor. I also became her workstudy student and an Outstanding English student recipient. She has been a mentor and friend ever since. Mike Cathey is a Lifetime Member of the EOSC Alumni Association. While at Eastern, Cathey was a staff writer for The Statesman and Vice President of the Student Senate. Cathey is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and resides in Chicago, IL and Indianola, OK.
Alumni
May 12, 2017
Page 10
WHERE ARE THEY NOW...
Eastern Alumni making an impact on the world
Currently assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia, Pfc. Campbell Davis (EOSC 2015 of McAlester) is further assigned to the three-volley salute and participates regularly in rendering final honors to our nation’s servicemen and women at Arlington National Cemetery. He has also recently been accepted into the training program for the Caisson Platoon and is also currently receiving horsemanship training. Headquartered at Ft. Myer, Virginia, The Old Guard is a ceremonial and infantry unit, participating in such duties as inaugurations, special events, military honors services at Arlington, and protecting our nation’s capitol. Campbell earned an EOSC Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and for the fall 2014 and spring 2015 semesters was on the Dean’s Honor Roll. He is an avid outdoorsman enjoying deer and duck hunting and fishing. While at EOSC, he spent a great deal of time keeping up his physical fitness training in preparation for military service. “From a very young age I wanted to join the military,” Campbell recently shared from our nation’s Capital. “Later, I became focused on the Army and Special Forces training. I was in good physical condition from high school football and track, but made a difficult decision not to enlist after graduation. I postponed enlistment to complete at least two years of college. “Going to school wasn’t what I wanted to do right then, but I became convinced additional education would be of value in the Army. Enrolling at EOSC was a good decision for me, but I would be challenged with college courses while at the same time trying to maintain and/or increase my level of physical conditioning. “The advantages of EOSC included being closer to home with less time spent commuting and more time
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Set goals, make a plan, stay focused, and work diligently to achieve your goals. Life presents stumbling blocks along the way, but you must continue to persevere. Don’t be afraid to set goals for yourself and take positive actions toward developing skills and habits to achieve them. Finish what you start and put forth a good effort. This can be difficult, but is the best advice I ever received.
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By Mike Cathey (EOSC 1983 of Indianola)
Campbell Davis
Campbell Davis EOSC 2015 for studying and physical training. While there wasn’t time to participate in student activities, it was a great advantage that instructors could know their students and be more accessible if assistance was needed. “I was able to complete an associate’s degree and in 2016, enlisted in the Army. After 2-3 weeks of basic training, I was asked if I would be interested in being assigned to the Old Guard Regiment, Ft. Myer, Virginia. “I realized it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and an honor just to be considered. As soon as Basic was completed, I left for Washington D.C. to assume new duties and training opportunities.” When asked about his personal strategies and advice for others Campbell shared, “Set goals, make a plan, stay focused, and work diligently to achieve your goals. Life presents stumbling blocks along the way, but you must continue to persevere. Don’t be afraid to set goals for yourself and take positive actions toward developing skills and habits to achieve them.
Pfc. Campbell Davis graduated from Eastern with a degree in criminal justice in 2015. He is currently assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia.
Finish what you start and put forth a good effort. This can be difficult, but is the best advice I ever received. Even if you don’t yet have a career goal, forming good work and study habits, disciplining yourself to be prepared and on time are qualities of successful people and are goals worth achieving in themselves. Remember that others are taking notice of you and may be the source of your next opportunity.” Mike Cathey is a Lifetime Member of the EOSC Alumni Association. While at Eastern, Cathey was a staff writer for The Statesman and Vice President of the Student Senate. Cathey is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and resides in Chicago, IL and Indianola, OK.
News
Page 11
May 5, 2017
Mass Communication Department loses two former students
Kristen Turner
Recently, one of my very first students was killed in a car accident. He was part of a group of students who I lovingly called my “guinea pigs” because they were the first group that I had for two years. Joseph Tyson was a big guy from a small town who everyone referred to as “Boo.” In fact, one of the last times he came to see me, I told him that he was probably getting too old for me to call Boo. To this, he replied with a big, sheepish grin (his signature), “Nah, Kristen, you can call me Boo.” In my world, I have the honor of really getting to know my students. We are a small group, and we work on so many different projects together that it is just natural that we all become close. My students call me by my first name. Even after they leave Eastern, I still get texts about homework assignments, reference letters, and occasionally advice on life decisions. Social media has also allowed me to see marriages, births, deaths, and life events that make me so proud. The bond that I have with my students is quite literally the only reason that I come to work
most days. I love them; I love the little part that I play in their lives, and I cherish the large part that they play in mine. The loss of Boo has reminded me of how important every single interaction we have with each other is; I hope that my current and former students understand how each and every one of them has shaped my life for the better. Joseph Tyree Tyson known as “Boo” was the third of four children of Sonny and Faye Tyson. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona on the day of October 29, 1986. He lived in Phoenix until 1993, then moved to Oklahoma. He attended Tuskahoma Elementary School, where he was involved in basketball and baseball until the eighth grade. He then attended Clayton High School where he participated in band and basketball. He graduated from Clayton High School in 2006, furthering his education, he at-
tended Eastern Oklahoma State College, Carl Albert Junior College, Southeastern College and Oklahoma State University. He had a lot of friends. Boo never met a stranger and will be deeply missed. He was a people person, and everywhere he would go people knew him simply as “Boo”. He is preceded in death by grandparents Irene Govan and Willie Fred Cooper. He is survived by his parents; Sonny and Faye Tyson, grandparents; Joseph and Callie Tyson. One sister; Latasha Ables, two brothers; Maurice Cooper and Cameron Tyson. Two nieces; Krishana Ables and Kierra Cooper. One nephew; Darius Ables. Uncles; James Tyson, Sonny Govan, and James Govan. Aunts; Josephine Bueton, Clara Govan, Jessie Mae LacyGovan, and Pauline Simmons-Govan. Services will be held Saturday, April 22, 2017 2:00 PM at Tuskahoma Elementary School, Tuskahoma, Oklahoma, with Taloren Govan officiating. Interment will follow at Cole Spur Cemetery. Pall Bearers; Taloren Govan, Kenneth Duncan, Charles Burton Jr., Maurice Cooper, Jay Andrews, and Cameron Tyson. Honorary Pall Bearers: Karris Go-
van, and Carvel Govan.
Russ Bird is one of the first people that I met at Eastern Oklahoma State College; he was welcoming in a very overwhelming situation for me at the time. He was the pressman but was a man of many talents. He was extremely talented and was always willing to help me out with any project that we were working on in the Mass Comm Department. He later became a student of mine where his creativity really shone in video production. After he left, I only spoke to him every once in awhile and mostly through Facebook. Looking at the messages now, I can hear him saying the words he typed with a laugh: “Do I see that you had twins? I saw a post from you with the twins and I thought wow...poor girl, lol. Twins are awesome, nothing like it. Tiring and a lot of work but nothing better. I hope all is
going well with you and your family.” The world has a lot less energy without you in it, Russ. I will miss you. Russell Eugene Bird born April 29, 1967, passed away at his home in Wilburton on March 31, 2017, at the age of 49. He was survived by his mother, Wanda Cooke of Wilburton; his daughters, Skylar and Shyanne Bird of Wilburton; his sons, Jaden Yacyszyn of Wilburton and Brett Bird of Pauls Valley, OK; granddaughter Jessica, of Wilburton. Also sister Kelly Winn of Modesto, Calif.; Linda Amaral and son, Billy Monges of Wilburton; brothers Greg Bird, of Canadian, Ray Bird of Florida, and Terry Vernon of Wilburton. He was the co-founder of the Bird Brothers band with his brother Greg, who were accomplished song writers and recorded artists. Later he founded the Dixie Rain Band from the Wilburton area. He worked at Eastern Oklahoma State College for 16 years and owned his own screen printing business in Wilburton and the Tulsa area. Memorial service to be announced at a later date. Services under the direction of Waldrop Funeral Home, Wilburton, Oklahoma.
Phi Theta Kappa inducts 40 new members into honor society
Pictured at the ceremony were (front row, left to right) Amber Bailey, Hannah Huddleston, Breanna Beaty, Tierra Christian, Molly Sharp, Tessia Purvis, Raenna Zozula, Tyanna Thurman, Miranda Raney, Kylee Simpson and Mykah Crose. Middle Row: Andrew McBride, Alissa Maloy, Tori Gillispie, Anastasia Herskind, Natalie Eley, Amanda Joslin, Anita Vaughan and Jennifer Burch. Back Row: Austin Simpson, Chance Long, Rainey Mauzey, Philip Scott, Stanlee Underwood, Troy Ray and Fred Norman.
GRADUATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
in business administration before continuing her education at Southeastern Oklahoma State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. After starting her career
as an auditor with the IRS, Jackson joined the Choctaw Nation as a comptroller for the health system in 1999. She quickly progressed in her career as the chief financial officer, hospital administrator and now senior executive officer. Jackson closed her speech by offering graduates four ways to strive for success.
Forty Eastern Oklahoma State College students were recently inducted into the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa during a campus ceremony in Wilburton. The students and their friends and families heard presentations by officers of Eastern’s Theta Pi chapter and a congratulatory speech by guest speaker Dr. Janet Wansick, vice president of Academic Affairs. New members were asked to recite the Phi Theta Kappa pledge and a reception immediately followed. Founded in 1918 at Stephens College, Phi Theta Kappa is recognized as the official honor society of associate-level institutions and programs. According to the organization’s website, their mission is two-fold: recognizing and encouraging academic achievement and providing opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership service and fellowship programming. Eastern’s chapter upholds this mission by sponsoring a variety of events to serve
“Believe in yourself, dare to dream, discover what inspires you, and unleash your passion,” Jackson said. “Graduates, good luck in your future endeavors, hold true to your dreams and never forget where you started, right here at Eastern Oklahoma State College. Go Mountaineers!"
their campus and community. Annually the chapter hosts events including a Toys for Tots holiday campaign and a voter registration drive, the latter of which they are proud to boast their seventh consecutive victory in a contest among 23 Oklahoma colleges and universities. “We are proud to welcome these new members and acknowledge that hard work pays off,” said Brenda Kennedy, chapter advisor and computer information systems professor. “These students demonstrate the core values of our college and it is an honor to recognize their success.” Membership is granted by invitation only once certain qualifications are met. To qualify, students must have completed 12 to 29 hours of coursework towards an associate degree with a cumulative 3.75 grade point average or more than 30 credit hours with a cumulative 3.5 grade point average. Induction into Phi Theta Kappa empowers these students with a competitive edge. In addition to becoming eligible for over $37 million in scholarship opportunities, they become part of a network of nearly 3 million fellow scholars. Members also enjoy special benefits and discount offers from the organization’s corporate partners such as GEICO and Bank of America. Members graduating from Eastern are
recognized during commencement ceremonies and have their membership noted on their college transcript. Those inducted this spring include: Kash Allen, Bunch; Amber Bailey, Bethel; Breanna Beaty, Hartshorne; Donna Bryant, McAlester; Jennifer Burch, McAlester; Tierra Christian, Ada; Camille Collins, Hartshorne; Lexen Cook, McAlester; Mykah Crose, Wilburton; Rylee Denomy, Saskatchewan, Canada; Natalie Eley, Staffordshire, England; Kodye Engle, Stigler; Keely Frazier, Cyprus, Texas; Tori Gillispie, Kiowa; Jarrod Halphen, Tuttle; Clay Hawes, Talihina; Anastasia Herskind, Grand Prarrie, Texas; Hannah Huddleston, McAlester; Zachary Johnson, Nacogdoches, Texas; Amanda Joslin, Ft. Towson; Courtney Keeney, Eagletown; Chance Long, Wister; Winslow Lybrand, Warr Acres; Alissa Maloy, Pittsburg; Rainey Mauzey, Red Oak; Andrew McBride, McAlester; Fredrick Norman, Talihina; Tessia Purvis, Hartshorne; Miranda Raney, Red Oak; Troy Ray, Hartshorne; Philip Scott, Tulsa; Molly Sharp, Wilburton; Austin Simpson, Ada; Kylee Simpson, Tuskahoma; Martin Suarez-James, McAlester; Tyanna Thurman, Antlers; Stanlee Underwood, Red Oak; Anita Vaughan, McAlester; Michaela Williams, Broken Bow and Raeanna Zozula, Hartshorne.
Sports
May 12, 2017
ALL STAR
Page 12
Lady Mountaineer Rylee Denomy pitches from the mound against rival the Carl Albert Lady Vikings.
Lady Mountaineers drop two to Carl Albert Lady Vikings at home Hurt set to play in NJCAA All-Star Game Mountaineer sophomore, Jerry Hurt, has been selected to play in the 2017 NJCAA Coaches Association All-Star Game in Las Vegas.
WYATT HUBBARD Staff Writer The Lady Mountaineers lost in a doubleheader last Tuesday, April 11 against Carl Albert. In game one Carl Albert struck first with four runs in the fourth. Eastern came back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth with a home run off the bat of Winslow Lybrand but in the end, fell to Carl Albert 5-2.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Lady Mountaineers jumped out to a 1-0 lead with the home run off the bat of Rylee Denomy in the bottom of the second inning. Carl Albert bounce back with a run in the fifth to tie the game at one. In the top of the seven however, Eastern’s pitching fell apart and gave up six runs to Carl Albert. EOSC would going to the game 7-1.
EOSC PRESS RELEASE Eastern Oklahoma State College sophomore Jerry Hurt has been invited to play in the 2017 NJCAA Coaches Association All-Star Game on April 29 in Las Vegas, Nev. Hurt becomes the first Mountaineer basketball player in recent memory selected to play in the All-Star game. The shooting guard from Memphis, Tenn., was the second-leading scorer in the
country this season with 25.5 points per game, all while adding 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He led Eastern in points per game, as well as three-point percentage at 43.7. Hurt’s personal accolades include NJCAA Region II All-Conference firstteam and Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference all-conference honors. The Mountaineers finished the season with a 17-13 record. Hurt and the Mountain-
eers’ high-powered offense averaged 95.5 points per game, good for 11th in the country. The 2017 NJCAA Men’s Basketball All-Star Game is being held at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 29 at 4:30 p.m. It is being played in conjunction with the Nike Basketball Coaches Clinic and will only feature 24 student-athletes, 12 from Division I and 12 from Division II/DIII.