Friday, October 21, 2022
HOMECOMING EDITION 2022
Hats off to our Cowboy Heroes This year, OSU Homecoming celebrates Cowboy Heroes. The list stretches wider than the brim of Pistol Pete’s hat.
Impacts that last a lifetime Mallory Pool News Editor
working on a new series to find those people and acknowledge their work, their character and what they do for Oklahoma State University. I hope everyone will tune in. The first episode is coming out soon.” Brandon Weeden, former OSU quarterback, stands as a Cowboy hero for many sports fans. “I love it,” Weeden said about being considered a Cowboy hero. “I kind of embrace it. I always enjoy coming back to Stillwater. I think it’s such a cool vibe, cool fan base. I went with some buddies to the Texas Tech game and about 30 minutes in, they’re like, ‘You’re not annoyed yet?’ I’m like, ‘No.’ Could be the other way around. I could have played there for a few years and they don’t know who I am. I guess it’s always a good thing that they recognize you, but I truly enjoy it. I embrace it. I like meeting all these new people. I hope that everybody thinks of me — you know, I’m not Barry Sanders — but I hope people think highly of me or enjoyed watching what we did those two years as a starter. So yeah, it doesn’t bother me one bit. I actually embrace it and enjoy it.” The students of OSU already knew who their Cowboy Heroes would be. Sonrisa Bebo, a French major at OSU, talked about one of her Cowboy heroes, a professor she loves that has made a huge impact on her future career. “One of my OSU heroes is my French professor, Laurielle,” Bebo said. “I love her. She was an amazing professor who made my freshman year so much better. She’s really passionate about what she does, and you can tell she really cares about her students. She makes class fun and interesting and I really fell in love with French after taking her class.”
It’s not just about people who have their name on a building. Our Cowboy heroes are so much more than that. They aren’t just a name, a history fact or words on a plaque. These leaders, professors and loved ones are our biggest role models. The students of OSU think highly of these individuals and the university does, too. The theme of America’s Greatest Homecoming this year is “Hats Off to our Cowboy Heroes.” This theme is not just any ordinary theme. While, yes, the theme describes the famous Cowboys such as T. Boone Pickens, Nancy Randolph Davis and Burns Hargis, it also describes the heroes everyone may not see. The Alumni Association described it best when announcing the theme of Homecoming this year. The Homecoming Executive team selected the theme this year because “we are celebrating the Cowboy heroes who make us all proud by personifying the OSU culture of service and excellence.” Cowboy heroes can be athletes, professors, faculty, leaders, entrepreneurs, firefighters and first responders, military personnel and so many more. “From Wally Funk becoming the oldest person to reach space, to Henry Edward Roberts inventing the first personal computer, Cowboys are paving the way as heroes in all aspects of life,” the Alumni Association said. “We recognize those who have come before and eagerly anticipate the next generation of Cowboy difference makers. After all, our heroes have always been Cowboys.” One of the biggest heroes on our own campus, OSU President Kayse Shrum, has left a legacy that will live on in the Cowboy Culture for years to come. “I am both honored and humbled that someone would think of me this way,” Shrum told The O’Colly. “I simply love Oklahoma State University, what it stands for and what we accomplish together. There truly are so many Cowboy heroes, living out the Cowboy Code every day. I’m See Heroes on 5A
Graphic by Abby Cage Find a full list of all those pictured at ocolly.com