Thapa awarded newest chair in Spears

A new chair has been established in the Spears School of Business thanks to two Oklahoma State alumni and long-time supporters of the university.

The Carl and Marilynn Thoma Distinguished Chair in Hospitality and Tourism Management will support the head of the Hospitality and Tourism Management department, who brings distinction to the school and the university through research, outreach activities and a commitment to student learning and leadership.

“We are proud to support the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management with this gift,” Thoma said. “We hope the chair will help this program continue its success in serving students and making a positive impact across the region.”

The inaugural Carl and Marilynn Thoma Distinguished Chair has been awarded to Brij Thapa, professor and head of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM).

Established in 1937, HTM has expanded to a business-focused curriculum and engaged in research and outreach programming for hospitality, tourism and economic development.

Thapa also serves on the Oklahoma Restaurant Association’s Advisory Board.

In this role, he will take over student mentorship and placement of graduates in key industry sectors. Thapa will also prioritize advancing research targeted for industry and community practice as well as work with industry and government stakeholders to make an impact across Oklahoma as part of the land-grant mission of OSU.

See Spears on 6 county district court judge, on Friday dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, which means the same claim can’t be refiled in that court. In a brief entry on the court docket, Wall said she was dismissing the case based on arguments from the city, regional chamber of commerce and other state and city officials.

It’s the latest setback in a decadesold effort by survivors as well as their families and allies to seek reparations for the May 1921 attack by a white mob on the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, which was home to a thriving Black community and multiple Black-owned businesses. A coalition to explore reparations for the survivors was established in 2001, and previous litigation to establish redress has been unsuccessful.

See Reparations on 6