TCC is committed to establishing a safe and healthy environment for its students, employees, and visitors. Individuals deserve the right to work and learn in an atmosphere free of violence and harassment and only if the community works together can we create a positive and healthy environment. The College takes acts of dating violence, domestic violence, harassment, threats, and bullying on the basis of sex, retaliation, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and stalking extremely seriously and strongly encourages individuals to report these acts.
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Heather Hancock
Compliance Officer/Title IX Coordinator
909 S. Boston Ave, Room 505 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
Phone 918-595-7842
Email: TCCTitleIX@tulsacc.edu
The 504 Coordinator is designated to coordinate efforts to comply with and carry out responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities.
Scott Gove, Ph.D.
Dean of Students & Accessibility, ADA/504 Coordinator
909 S. Boston Ave Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119
Phone: 918-595-7079
Email: scott.gove@tulsacc.edu
from the president
Leigh B. Goodson, Ph.D.
Thank you, Tulsa.
We recently held the 2025 Vision Dinner, our annual event that celebrates our champions for education and connection with our community.
Every year the event raises funds that benefit our students in a number of ways, such as scholarships, internships, textbook vouchers, technology, and more.
Every year it fills me with pride for our institution and our city. Our supporters show up because they believe in our mission and share our values. This year was a success, and you can read about the event later in the magazine. We are grateful for your support.
This fall is the College’s 55th birthday. In that time, we’ve been a cornerstone of opportunity in northeast Oklahoma—adapting, evolving, and leading with purpose. From pioneering early college high school programs to expanding workforce partnerships, not to mention providing our partner institutions with highly prepared transfer students looking to complete a bachelor’s degree, we’ve consistently responded to the changing needs of our students, our community, and our state.
And we’re not finished yet.
We’ve just launched a new strategic plan—a roadmap to guide us through the next chapter of the College’s journey. This plan is a living reflection of our shared values, our aspirations, and our unwavering commitment to an educated, employed, and thriving community. Our roadmap leads to a thriving future for the College where we respond to the community’s needs.
At the end of last semester, we unveiled the College’s firstever official mascot. To say the goose has been embraced is a mild understatement. We opened suggestions for names and had more than 680 participants with thousands of possible monikers by the end of the second day. I’m told mascot merchandise is flying off the shelves of our campus bookstores.
We have big plans for TCC, and more exciting news coming soon. Our work never stops, and I hope you’ll continue to support the College and step with us into a brighter future for our community.
Service-Learning Trip Reshapes How Future Nurses Care
Piles of sheets and gowns waited in the laundry room at Dominica’s public infirmary, a facility that serves about 95 elders with limited staff. The industrial washer had failed, and everything was being scrubbed by hand.
Ten TCC Nursing students, alumni, and faculty members had arrived on the Caribbean island for a 10-day service-learning course. They were prepared to adapt to paper charting, ration supplies, and learn by listening. They were not prepared to watch caregivers lose hours each day hand-washing linens.
Nursing student Kelly Kochner saw the overwhelming need and challenged her classmates to act.
“I said, we can do this as a team. We can raise the money to get this infirmary a new washing machine. Somebody said, ‘maybe by next month,’ and I said, ‘No, I think we can do this within the next 24 hours,’” says Kochner.
That night, the team wrote a short appeal, shared it across social media, and went to sleep. By morning, donors had covered the $4,000 cost of a commercial washer plus shipping from Miami.
The washer was only one moment. The 10 days changed how these students will care for patients in Tulsa.
What Service-Learning Looks Like
Unlike traditional study abroad programs, service-learning courses put students in direct community service settings under faculty supervision. In Dominica, that meant rotating through the public infirmary, a private elder-care facility, the island’s main hospital, and home-health visits.
TCC’s Director of Faculty Development and Global Learning Douglas Price says service-learning pushes students into situations they cannot fully prepare for in a classroom.
“You see the real-world application of skills learned in the classroom here in Tulsa and applied in another world area,” says Price. “That application sets a student up for dealing with situations later in a clinic or hospital at home. It’s not a new experience. It’s like, ‘I’ve done this before.’”
The group also visited schools, donating about 60 backpacks filled with supplies and clip-on fans to help children manage in classrooms without air conditioning. Assistant Professor of Nursing Lanette Julian says donations, which also included medical supplies for the infirmary and hospital, were guided by a wish list gathered during last year’s pilot trip.
“We had such a good experience with Dominica, we wanted to go back and reconnect with those people and take even more donations. This year, we took nine checked bags full of donations,” Julian says.
Partnerships that Last
For many students, the most meaningful lessons came from the bonds they formed. Alumni leader Colton Edwards, now an ICU nurse at OSU Medical Center and a master’s student at Northeastern State University, recognized residents from last year’s trip. One man remembered him by his earrings.
“Every single person I saw last year, a lot of them I got to see this year, and it was immediate. They hugged me, or said, ‘Colton, we’re so excited to see you,’” Edwards says. “One man’s name was Greg, and he literally just beamed from ear to ear. He said, ‘I remember you. I remember your ears. You’re from Oklahoma.’”
Another resident proudly demonstrated how far she could extend her arm after doing the exercises TCC students had taught her the year before.
Julian says the exchange works both ways.
“Every single one of the students said that they got more out of this trip. The people there did more for them than what we did for them,” she says.
Outcomes for Students and Patients
Service-learning trips are rehearsals for the unknown, according to Price.
“You cannot simulate every interpersonal variable in a lab,” Price says. “When students navigate language differences, different documentation systems, and new expectations, they come home calmer under pressure. Patients feel that.”
Julian says communication was one of the most important skills students practiced.
“Communication is such a big aspect of nursing … and a big part of communication is listening,” she says.
Students gained experience making clinical decisions with limited supplies, communicating across cultural differences, and taking on leadership roles such as fundraising and team coordination.
“It was really exciting to celebrate victories with the newer students and see how much they grew in just a few days,” says Edwards.
Kochner says the experience reshaped how she will approach patients in the future.
“It showed me that there are people hurting, no matter where you go; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually,” Kochner says. “Every patient has a story, and in that moment, I get to be part of helping, even in a small way. That’s powerful.”
Things Five
with Lydia Mauldin
40 visits MORE THAN SINCE 2017!
offers a cornucopia of knowledge and training.
Everything from math to science, from drones to code, the College can help prepare anyone for the working world.
Take Lydia Mauldin, our resident expert on all things Disney parks. By day, Lydia leads teams in our Admission department, making sure the College is represented well in all the area high schools and beyond. If enrollment is up, Lydia and her teams have had a hand in it. And she can’t enter a room without lifting everyone’s spirits. If you need a book rec, she’s got one.
But her passion is Disney, and it’s all better conveyed in her own words …
“Did I grow up going to Disney? Nope! My first visit was in May 2015 when I joined the Disney College Program. I ended up taking my parents and grandparents for their first trips as adults instead.
“My love for Disney grew while working there, first at Hollywood Studios’ Fantasmic!, an open-air nighttime spectacular, then at Tower of Terror, the Twilight Zone-themed elevator drop ride. The best perk of working there? Free park admission! I spent every spare moment exploring the property.
“My brother later joined the program and now lives in Florida, and my husband, who had never been before meeting me, is now a total fan. Disney can be magical for everyone, but knowing a few tricks makes it even better. And yes — as I type this, I’m counting down to my next trip in February 2026!”
Skip the bottled water. Don’t pay $6. You can bring in food and drinks to every park. I always pack a water bottle (there are refill stations) and grab free cups of water at quick-service or sit-down spots.
Stay on Disney property & consider Skyliner Resorts. If you’re in Orlando just for Disney, it’s worth it. The free transportation to parks is unbeatable, plus you sometimes get early entry. Skyliner resorts are elite. Caribbean Beach Resort is a favorite; the Skyliner takes you straight to Hollywood Studios or EPCOT without waiting for buses.
3 4 5 2 1
Best times to visit. Right after school starts in fall (after Labor Day) or spring (before Princess Weekend in late February) means cooler temps and lighter crowds. Avoid holidays. Christmas through New Year’s is chaos.
Plan your trip. Don’t “wing it” your first time. There’s too much to see and do. Genie+ and Lightning Lanes are worth it to skip long lines. Whether you want to meet characters or ride rides, everything has a line, so make a list of priorities before you go.
Check special events. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate ticket, but you get in from 4 p.m. to midnight and enjoy lighter crowds — make it your Magic Kingdom day. EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival is also a must; over 30 booths mean you can snack your way through lunch and dinner without a formal reservation.
Rocking Out Giving Back &
Deafening rock music shook the walls of Noise Town music venue in Tulsa last summer, as metal bands took the stage to raise money for the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “Metal for Meals,” which combined music with mission, was the brainchild of TCC alumnus Christopher Capra.
“We thought it would be pretty cool to do something for the Food Bank that uses music,” Capra remembers. “My dad came up with the name ‘Metal for Meals.’ I got my friend’s band, Hypnosis, to play and we found another band, Garden Ants, and we went to Noise Town. I didn’t know we were going to have that big of a turnout.”
If I can use what I’ve learned to help someone change their life for the better, that’s what matters most.
Capra’s own band, Holy Practitioner, rounded out the night’s lineup in front of a packed house. A portion of all proceeds went directly to the Food Bank, helping families across its 24-county service area.
The mission was personal for Capra. Over the summer, he worked on a 12-person Food Bank team that delivered more than 600,000 meals to local food pantries and community centers.
Capra’s favorite part of the job was spending time with kids along his delivery route, often bringing colored pencils and paper so they could make art together.
“The kids are so joyful, and they have their whole lives ahead of them,” says Capra. “When you’re an adult, your view of life is pretty well set, and it’s hard to change. But kids haven’t reached that point yet, so the positive influence you can have on them is incredibly powerful.”
Before working with the Food Bank, Capra was one of more than 70 students from Broken Arrow High School’s Early College Academy to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree from TCC, plus a Sound Engineering certification from Tulsa Tech, all while holding down a part-time job. He graduated with distinction from TCC and ranked in the top five percent of his high school class.
“It was definitely the busiest time of my life so far. But it was all worth it,” Capra says. “It’s more manageable than it seems. I know the work I put in is going to save me time and money. I would recommend any student look into the opportunity.”
The Early College Academy prepares students in ninth and 10th grades with high school-level courses, then transitions them into TCC coursework in 11th and 12th grades. This pathway allows them to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree. For Capra, that means starting his first year at the University of Central Oklahoma already halfway to his bachelor’s degree.
This fall, Capra is majoring in Psychology while studying Music at the UCO’s renowned Academy of Contemporary Music. While he doesn’t plan to pursue music as a full-time career, he says it will always be part of his life.
“Music and being creative helps you understand yourself and connect with others,” says Capra. “And psychology is about understanding people and helping them grow. So, there are some similarities.”
Looking ahead, Capra hopes to become a therapist, but he also plans to keep performing and creating.
“I want to help and inspire people. I want to push people in a new direction … If I can use what I’ve learned to help someone change their life for the better, that’s what matters.”
Science Faculty Yack About Atoms and Anecdotes in New Podcast
Two TCC professors are turning their office banter into a smart, sarcastic podcast, making topics like chemistry and dinosaur DNA accessible, funny, and just weird enough to keep listeners coming back.
Brian Cross, Associate Professor of Biology, and Matt Smith, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry, co-host Yackety Science, a Public Radio Tulsa podcast that blends the latest science headlines and obscure facts with humor and curiosity.
“We’re yacking back and forth. That’s the idea behind the podcast,” says Smith. “We have fun bantering and talking about science in a way the average listener can enjoy. We try to make it more approachable, and also funnier. And honestly, there are just some topics we like talking about.”
“The magic of the podcast is riffing off each other,” says Cross. “It wouldn’t be the same if I were just sitting there talking.”
Cross and Smith have officed next door to each other at TCC’s Metro Campus for more than a decade. After years of trading wisecracks, they realized their musings might resonate with a broader audience.
“I poked my head into Matt’s office and said, ‘Hey, want to make a podcast?’ Then we just started brainstorming,” says Cross. “It’s not a great origin story. I don’t even know exactly why the idea popped into my head. Just … why not?”
First conceived in 2022, the podcast didn’t get picked up until 2024. Yackety Science found a home with Public Radio Tulsa, and the first episode aired in March 2025. New episodes drop twice a month.
Cross and Smith split their recording time between the KWGS studio, housed on the University of Tulsa campus, and the McKeon Center for Creativity just across the street from the Metro Campus.
“TCC has the facilities, the resources, and the encouragement to take on projects like this. I really appreciate that,” says Smith.
“One of the reasons this is such a great job is because we have some flexibility,” Cross says. “So, when I get an idea—like this podcast—I actually have time to pursue it.”
Though both call teaching at TCC a great gig, neither expected their careers to lead here.
Smith, a TCC alumnus, originally studied Computer Science until a Chemistry course inspired him to change professions.
“My mom was a chemistry teacher, and my dad’s a clown, so I guess that’s where I get it,” Smith says. “I ended up working as a tutor and a lab assistant at TCC before transferring to Northeastern State University for my bachelor’s degree and eventually going to grad school at the University of Tulsa. Now I’m back as a professor.”
Cross says he always knew he’d chase a career in science. He was fascinated by animals as a child, starting with a giant collection of stuffed animals, and later worked at the Tulsa Zoo in the large mammal department.
“I got to help with root canals on a polar bear once. I still remember the dentist doing like five or six root canals,” he says.
Cross studied Zoology at the University of Oklahoma and served in the Peace Corps as an environmental education volunteer in West
Africa before returning to Oklahoma to complete a master’s degree at Oklahoma State University.
Cross and Smith’s combined knowledge and experience allow them to cover a wide array of science topics. One recurring segment busts bad movie science, like Jurassic Park’s infamous frog-DNA experiment.
“This is something I’ve talked to my students about. The main problem was that they used frog DNA to fill in dinosaur DNA. Frogs aren’t closely related to dinosaurs,” says Cross. “The better way would be to start with a chicken and tweak its genes, because birds are a type of dinosaur. So, if you want to resurrect the scary Mesozoic dinosaurs, the easiest place to start is with the dinosaurs that are still here, that is, birds.”
The learning doesn’t stop with the listeners. Even the hosts are gaining new knowledge with each episode.
Learning doesn’t have to be boring.
“We’ve had to do a lot of research for the podcast on the latest industry developments,” says Smith. “I’ve learned a ton of biology, and Brian’s picking up chemistry.”
The co-hosts agree that while they aim to entertain, the mission of Yackety Science is to demonstrate the prevalence and accessibility of science, regardless of the listeners’ background or expertise.
“Even if you never touch chemistry again, just training your brain to approach problems differently is worthwhile,” says Smith. “Science teaches you how to think critically, which is useful whether you’re going into accounting, law, or anything else. It’s about building versatile ways to think.”
“We want to help people build a better understanding of the natural world,” says Cross. “The hope is that listeners will become more interested in science, value it more, and become betterinformed citizens.”
Whether the podcast co-hosts are swapping science jokes or breaking down the latest research, Cross and Smith prove that learning doesn’t have to be boring.
Signature Symphony Travels America’s
Mother Road with Route 66 Playlist Season
Signature Symphony at TCC is taking audiences on a musical journey down America’s most famous highway. The Route 66 Playlist season, which opened in September with Tulsa’s King Cabbage Brass Band, connects the spirit of the Mother Road with the diversity of music inspired by it.
Signature Symphony Artistic Director Scott Seaton says the theme connects naturally to Tulsa and the upcoming Route 66 centennial.
“It just made sense with the Route 66 impact in Tulsa. It made sense to highlight something that has such a monumental significance on 20th century America,” says Seaton.
Each concert throughout the season highlights a different stop on the legendary highway. In January, Copland and the Wild West features cowboy songs and folk melodies, while March’s Route 66 to Hollywood showcases familiar favorites from the silver screen.
“Route 66 is basically just a road, but when you travel it, you run into all kinds of music, and you play all kinds of music in your car,” Seaton says. “It’s like a mix of all the quirky, unique sounds you find along the way. We wanted the season to capture that vibe— something you don’t always hear in other Route 66 concerts.”
While much of the music this season is American, Seaton emphasizes that the playlist reflects the country’s cultural spectrum.
“Traveling Route 66 is like taking a trip through a giant cultural mix, and even like traveling around the world itself,” Seaton says. “As you drive, you pass through small towns, big cities, and everything in between, each with its own flavor, stories, and music. That blend of experiences and varied geography is what makes this storied route so special, and we wanted the music to reflect that journey.”
The season continues in December with Christmas in Tulsa, a Signature Symphony tradition Seaton calls “an icon.”
“Every Christmas in Tulsa concert has a blend of the familiar and maybe an opportunity here and there to experience something of music in that realm you don’t know.”
Holiday programming also includes a new family movie matinee with a live orchestral performance of the score to The Snowman. Seaton says the smaller orchestration makes it a natural first step into combining movies and live music for Tulsa audiences.
Later concerts will carry the Route 66 theme westward, culminating in seasonal favorite, Tulsa Sings! – America @250 Along the way, audiences can expect guest artists ranging from internationally acclaimed pianist Jeffrey Biegel to renowned vocalist Scott Coulter, to rising violin star Maya Anjali Buchanan.
Katie Sawicki, Signature Symphony Director of Development and Operations, says the season is possible thanks to strong community support.
“Much of our funding comes from our wonderful and generous supporters. It’s really made possible by those individual patrons who come and enjoy the concerts and make Signature Symphony part of their giving,” says Sawicki.
She adds that being rooted in Tulsa gives the Symphony a unique connection with its community.
“We’re a family. We do important work, but we don’t want to do it alone. Because all our musicians are from the Tulsa area, we understand our community and the people who come to our concerts,” Sawicki says.
Community support allows Seaton and the orchestra to take artistic risks and shape experiences that feel both innovative and welcoming.
“We are always striving to break down this perceived wall between the orchestra and the audience,” Seaton explains. “We are not afraid to take risks and adapt to the world around us.”
The Route 66 Playlist season continues through Spring 2026 at the VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education. More information is available at signaturesymphony.org.
Creating a Buzz About Calculus
Helping students find confidence and community through the Integration Bee
When Joshua Gregory joined TCC in Fall 2021 as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics, he didn’t just bring his expertise in calculus, he brought a passion for helping students see math as approachable, collaborative, and even ... fun.
Growing up in Glenpool, Oklahoma, Gregory never planned to become a teacher. In fact, his first career ambition was music.
“While touring with a band, a younger friend needed help with geometry,” he says. “I unexpectedly fell in love with the challenge of breaking down complex math concepts into understandable pieces. That’s when I realized I had a knack for teaching.”
Though he still plays music, math now takes center stage in his professional life. After graduating from TCC with an associate degree in Education in 2011, he earned a bachelor’s in Mathematics Education from Northeastern State University and a master’s in Mathematics from the University of Arkansas, teaching middle school and high school math before moving to the College.
Helping students find confidence in math and community in each other.
One of the highlights of Gregory’s year is leading TCC’s Integration Bee, a unique, Spring-semester-only competition funded in part by the TCC Foundation. The event focuses on integration, a cornerstone of calculus used to model cumulative effects in science, engineering, economics, and beyond.
Unlike a traditional test, the Integration Bee blends intellectual rigor with a lively, low-pressure environment. Students compete in both individual and team formats, with no grades at stake.
“It’s a chance for them to gauge their understanding with minimal risk while fostering peer learning,” Gregory says. “The goal is to build community and inject energy into a typically lecture-heavy course.”
The event regularly attracts students from Calculus II, Calculus III, and Differential Equations. Gregory has hosted two Bees since taking the lead, with more than 50 students competing in Spring 2024 alone. The format encourages collaboration, even among competitors.
“During the final knockout round this year, the last two teams tackled a tough problem while eliminated students worked on it independently. The energy was incredible, students collaborating on a Thursday night purely for the joy of math, and maybe prize money,” he says.
Gregory adds that preparing for the Bee often changes how students approach calculus.
“Studying for a competition is different from preparing for an exam,” he says. “Students are often more willing to spend extra time working in groups, sharing strategies, and realizing they’re not alone in their struggles. That peer-to-peer instruction is incredibly powerful.”
The feedback has been consistently positive, with comments like, “I did better than I expected and feel more confident for my final exam”; “I realized I need to ask for help sooner”; and “I didn’t think math competitions could be fun!”
The event appeal is more than intellectual. Thanks to support from the TCC Foundation, winners receive gift cards, a motivating factor for some students who might not otherwise participate.
“We also provide food donated by Student Life,” Gregory says. “The prizes and atmosphere make students more likely to try something new, even if they’re unsure at first.”
Quick to thank the donors who make that support possible, Gregory says, “Community in STEM is beyond important to our future. Funding from the TCC Foundation provides a safe, low-risk environment for students to improve their understanding and build relationships that could change the world.”
Looking ahead, Gregory hopes to expand the Integration Bee to twice a year and eventually lead a regional competition involving nearby universities. He also wants to grow participation through stronger promotion and word-of-mouth from past competitors.
No matter how the event evolves, Gregory’s goals remain the same: helping students find confidence in math and community in each other.
“Whether they gain self-assurance, motivation from peers, or simply see the value of a math community, I hope every participant walks away believing they can succeed in STEM.”
City Hall College Boardroom
With a father who served as a firefighter for 32 years and a mother and grandmother who both worked for the Tulsa Police Department, public service comes naturally to TCC’s newest regent, Michael Spurgeon. It’s no surprise he has more than three decades of experience in local government management.
Appointed to the TCC Board of Regents earlier this summer, Spurgeon sees his new role in higher education as a meaningful opportunity to give back to the state he proudly calls home.
Raised in Tulsa, Spurgeon attended Tulsa Public Schools until his family moved to Joplin, Missouri, when he was in high school. Still, Tulsa remained his home base, with regular visits to see extended family and a deep-rooted connection that eventually brought him back.
He attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for a year and Crowder College on a baseball scholarship on his way to earning a four-year degree, gaining the flexibility and support that make two-year colleges such a vital part of the higher education system.
“I know the value of going to a community college and what it can do,” Spurgeon says. “It set a really good foundation.”
That perspective gives him a deep appreciation for TCC’s mission and the students it serves, including many in his own city. As Broken Arrow’s city manager, Spurgeon sees the College’s impact firsthand as nearly 20 percent of TCC students and employees live in Broken Arrow.
“I wasn’t surprised when I saw those numbers,” he says. “TCC provides such an affordable, accessible path to higher education. It’s no wonder so many from our city choose to start their journey there.”
Spurgeon’s career spans local government and military service in Oklahoma, Missouri, and New Jersey. A graduate of the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School, he was named Distinguished Honor Graduate and commissioned as an officer, launching a citizen-soldier career in the Army National Guard that shaped his disciplined leadership style.
Returning to Oklahoma in the late ‘90s, he has led the City of Broken Arrow since 2015.
As a new regent, Spurgeon is committed to community engagement and student opportunity. He’s especially focused on workforce development and wants to help strengthen the pipeline from higher education into city careers.
“Municipal government offers incredible opportunities in public safety, water treatment, engineering, planning, and more,” he says. “I want students to see those roles not just as jobs, but as meaningful, long-term careers.”
He’s also no stranger to public communication. Spurgeon is the voice behind the “BA Breakdown,” a weekly KRMG radio segment where he keeps residents informed and engaged. His philosophy: be transparent, be accessible, and always try to get to “yes.”
“Sometimes ‘yes’ is all someone needs to solve an issue; sometimes it’s only half,” he says. “But we work very hard to try to get to ‘yes’. And believe me, it’s a heck of a lot harder to get to ‘yes’ than it is to say ‘no’.”
Be transparent, be accessible, and always try to get to “yes.”
Spurgeon says a major challenge facing northeast Oklahoma is retaining young talent.
“Too many of our graduates leave the state and, often, their parents follow,” he says. “I want to help create the kind of opportunities that make people want to stay in places like Broken Arrow and Tulsa.”
With his blend of disciplined leadership, municipal experience, and firsthand understanding of the power of community colleges, Spurgeon brings both insight and passion to the TCC Board of Regents.
“This is an opportunity to give back at a higher level,” he says. “And I’m honored to serve.”
Vision Dinner 2025 Sponsors 2025
Distinguished Graduate $25,000
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
George Kaiser Family Foundation
Saint Francis Health System
Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation
University Transfer $15,000
Cherokee Nation Businesses
Caron and Shawn Lawhorn
TTCU Federal Credit Union
Associate Degree $10,000
AAON, Inc.
The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation
Jim and Susannah Adelson
The Chickasaw Nation
CommunityCare
Cox Communications
Jay Helm | American Residential Group
ONE Gas
ONEOK
Security Bank
Certificate of Mastery $5,000
Ascension St. John
Bank of Oklahoma
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma
Celebree School
Ralph and Julie Evans
Hall Estill | Sarah Hansel Hillcrest
Mary and Rob Martinovich
The Mervin Bovaird Foundation
Nabholz Construction
Regent Bank
River Spirit Casino Resort
Shoemaker Mechanical | Richard Shoemaker III
Tulsa Regional Chamber
President’s Honor Roll $3,000
The Bama Companies | Paula Marshall
Pat Bruner
Connect Advisors, LLC
Cyntergy
Dewberry Architects
GH2 Architects
Dr. Leigh Goodson and Mr. Mark Goodson
Flintco, LLC
Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers PLLC
HoganTaylor
ImageNet Consulting | Langdon Publishing
The Honorable Terry Kern and Mrs. Jeanette Kern
Key Construction
Knight Automotive Group
MidAmerica Industrial Park
OSU Center for Health Sciences
Jody Parker
Dr. Suzanne Reese and Mr. Fred Taylor
Rogers State University
TCC President’s Cabinet
TransFund
Williams
Dean’s List $1,500
American Bank & Trust
Barnett Family Foundation
Betheny L. Reid Consulting
Marissa Blevins
CBIZ
Commerce Bank
First Oklahoma Bank
Goodytwos Toffee Company
Greenheck Group
H2 Health Physical Therapy
Susan and Jim Harris
Hewitt Family Foundation
KKT Architects
The Leader Lab
Bill and Pat McKamey
Tom and Stacey McKeon
Meshri Family
Wes and Yolanda Mitchell
Narrate Design
Osage Casino Hotels
Price Family Properties
Reasor’s
Resolute PR
RVA Market Research & Consulting
Schnake Turnbo Frank
Dennis and Debbie Smiley
TCC Faculty Association
Tulsa Economic Development Corporation
Wallace Design Collective
G Building a Brighter Future
enerous donors ensured the future’s bright for Tulsa Community College students. Held on Sept. 4 and hosted by the TCC Foundation, Vision Dinner 2025 raised more than $415,000 and soared past the evening’s $75,000 scholarship goal!
More than 400 guests filled the Arvest Convention Center to honor three outstanding community leaders: Kirk J. Hays, Regional Executive of Arvest Bank’s Northwest Region; Roger Ramseyer, Vice President and Tulsa Market Leader of Cox Communications; and Rose Washington-Jones, CEO of TEDC Creative Capital.
Vision Dinner Chair Karl Neumaier, owner of Celebree School of Tulsa, shared the stage with emcee Alexis Hilbert, TCC Director of Public Affairs and Policy. The program showcased TCC student Sheann Stokes-Gilmore, also known as “BMC (Blind Man Can)” who shared his powerful story. TCC President and CEO Leigh B. Goodson, Ph.D., expressed her gratitude for our community’s commitment to higher education.
Guests enjoyed performances from rock band Kikchik, featuring TCC students Josh Demmons and Ashton Sims; the TCC Jazz Combo under the direction of Cheryl Lee, TCC Director of Bands;
and the TCC Concert Choir, under the direction of Laura Cowan, TCC Director of Vocal Music, and Rob Muraoka, TCC Associate Professor of Music. Additionally, the TCC Signature Quartet provided music for the reception.
“As we recognize this year’s honorees, we celebrate their commitment to expanding access to quality education and building opportunities for success,” says Goodson. “Their leadership and service have strengthened Tulsa in lasting ways and set a standard of excellence that reflects the mission of Vision Dinner.”
“This event is a chance to see, firsthand, how philanthropy changes lives,” says Kari Shults, TCC Vice President of Advancement and President of the TCC Foundation. “Every dollar raised through Vision Dinner goes directly to programs that remove barriers and open doors for TCC students.”
In the last academic year alone, the TCC Foundation awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Vision Dinner 2025 keeps this momentum strong, ensuring students across our region can pursue their dreams with fewer barriers and brighter possibilities.
Rock band Kikchik featuring TCC students Josh Demmons and Ashton Sims.
TCC True Blue Leads with Andrew Eastwood, TCC Student Life Program Coordinator, and TCC President and CEO Leigh Goodson, Ph.D.
Karl Neumaier, Vision Dinner Chair, with Alexis Hilbert, TCC Director of Public Affairs and Policy.
TCC Concert Choir, under the direction of Laura Cowan and Rob Muraoka.
Jason Mills, Tracy Mills, Kim Owens, and Dave Owens.
The Blind Man Can Deliver a Vision Dinner Speech
by Kelsey Kane
Before I met Sheann Stokes-Gilmore, I had already heard of him from coworkers. Around campus, he’s known as “BMC,” short for “Blind Man Can.” He’s often spotted at Metro and Southeast campuses with his walking stick in hand. He lost his sight about six years ago after a traumatic injury.
The first time I met BMC, he broke into song in the middle of the Southeast Campus Academic Building. His voice stopped many in their tracks; it’s soulful and raw.
“Music was born in me through my mother. She used to lead the choir in our Pentecostal church,” he tells me. “I’d watch her
command the room, and that’s why I ever got on stage , because of her. Even now, when I sing, it’s in memory of her.”
I learned that behind BMC’s character and charisma, his story is one of hardship and perseverance.
Struggle and Survival
BMC wasn’t born blind. He grew up in Houston, Texas, entering the foster care system after losing his mother as a young teenager. By his count, he attended nearly 20 schools.
At 18, BMC took a Greyhound bus to Tulsa in search of a fresh start. Instead, he faced addiction and homelessness, often sleeping under the Meadow Gold Pavilion at 11th and Peoria.
“I lived a life where you had to be strong just to survive,” he says. “You don’t get soft in a life like that. You either get strong, or you don’t make it.”
In 2019, BMC was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and was critically injured in a shooting. A bullet tore through four organs and left him in a coma for two months. He woke up paralyzed, with a trach in his throat, and had to relearn to walk, talk, and breathe.
But he says the worst part came after. He eventually went blind because of the shooting.
“Doctors told me I’d never see again,” he says. “I didn’t want to live like that. I felt broken.”
But as BMC slowly began to reframe his life, he started challenging himself to stay positive instead of thinking about things he couldn’t do anymore.
“I asked myself ‘What can a blind man do?’ A blind man can wash dishes. A blind man can cook. A blind man can keep moving forward.”
That phrase eventually became his moniker—The Blind Man Can.
Finding Community at TCC
By the time BMC arrived at TCC, he had already survived more than most people face in a lifetime. Although he didn’t know if he would belong at first, he says TCC has become a place of community.
“I came to TCC to build skills and to prove I could still build a future,” he says. “This place gave me more than an education. It gave me people who believed in me.”
BMC is majoring in Communications and quickly got involved in campus life. He serves as a New Student Orientation leader and vice president for both TRIO and the African American Student Association, where he’s made numerous connections.
No matter where we met to work on his Vision Dinner speech, friends, classmates, and TCC staff would stop to greet him.
“When I came here, people didn’t see me as broken. They saw me as capable. That changed everything. TCC gave me people who believed in me, and that belief gave me strength.”
Center Stage at Vision Dinner
Even during sound check for Vision Dinner at the Arvest Convention Center in September, a former coworker recognized him immediately and embraced him. BMC had previously worked in the kitchen there, back when the building was the Cox Convention Center.
Now he was preparing to deliver his speech on stage as a featured speaker in front of nearly 400 Vision Dinner guests.
Because he couldn’t read a written speech, we developed what he calls a “dance.” I stood on the other side of the room, reading his words into his ear through a headset as he delivered them aloud. We practiced this routine for a week leading up to the dinner.
In just five minutes, BMC shared his life story and the impact TCC has had on him. The speech ended with a standing ovation, and afterward, several guests approached to tell him how his words had moved them. He says he hopes to keep sharing his story to help others overcome obstacles in their own lives.
Working with BMC taught me that resilience is a choice. He isn’t letting his loss of sight affect the vision he has for his life.
“It doesn’t matter what I’ve lost,” he tells me. “Blind Man Can. And if I can, then anybody can.”
Helping Students in Practical Ways
“She would give you anything that she could – she was a cheerful giver and gave a lot of herself.”
Loving words from a loving mom. Wanda Wolfkill remembers her daughter, Karen Wolfkill-Buffington, as always looking to help people in practical ways.
“Karen heard about a family from church whose washing machine stopped working,” says Wanda with a smile. “She had a new one delivered to the family, anonymously—‘from the church’—very typical of Karen.”
For Wanda and her late husband, Ken, and their son John, establishing a scholarship at TCC in Karen’s memory was the perfect way to remember their daughter and sister.
“We got to tell [Karen’s daughter] Mollie we had done this for her mom, and that ‘By doing this, your mom lives on. Every student she can help—that’s her way of living on in them. She’s still helping every little bit she can.’”
“To honor Karen, someone who loved to give so much, it made a lot of sense for Mom and Dad to give this gift to help other people,” says John. “The beauty of an endowed scholarship is that it keeps giving, serving as a big light in the community—just like Karen was.”
After earning her cosmetology license through Vo-Tech while attending Broken Arrow High School, Karen attended TCC before finishing her bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma State University, majoring in molecular cellular biology.
Wanda and John credit Karen’s organic chemistry class at TCC with piquing her interest in her eventual major—and career.
“It seemed like it was combination of the right time in her life and the right instructor,” says John.
“Karen didn’t even like science, and she ended up excelling in her science career,” says Wanda. “She didn’t like needles, but taught doctors how to give Botox, how to use needleless IV pumps in the surgery theater, and spent a lot of time in surgery.”
Karen’s first experience with cancer came while she was studying for her master’s degree at the University of Kentucky.
“When Karen came home at Thanksgiving, she had a little spot on the back of her leg,” says Wanda. “It was cancer. She had surgery in January.”
It wouldn’t be the last time she was diagnosed with cancer, but her chosen career field fed her interest in finding new ways to help people through medical research.
Wanda recalls one of Karen’s passions was drug repurposing/ repositioning, the process of finding a new medical indication for a drug.
Wanda Wolfkill says TCC “made it so easy” to create the Karen Wolfkill-Buffington Memorial Scholarship. If you’re interested in honoring someone special by setting up a named scholarship or by making a gift in their honor, simply scan here. We’d love to talk to you.
“She loved the new applications and teaching people how to use equipment.”
Karen’s family believes TCC is an excellent place to invest in and support students, calling it a great starting point.
“The kids can attend TCC in high school, get their study habits formed, and get serious,” says Wanda. “We knew putting dollars here would go further and have a greater impact. The value is in what students get here—it helps them go further.”
Wanda has met two recipients of Karen’s scholarship.
“I met one young lady who is just getting started and is really interested and enthusiastic,” says Wanda. “And one young man with a molecular cellular biology degree studying to become a nurse practitioner. That’s the whole key—the gift keeps giving, and we can keep helping people. Through this scholarship, Karen is still living and doing what she loved to do.”
The Tulsa Community College Foundation provides support to Tulsa Community College and its mission by developing key relationships and financial resources.
2025 TCC Foundation Board
Executive Committee
CHAIR: Sarah Hansel, Attorney/Director, Hall Estill Attorneys at Law
VICE CHAIR: Susan Savage, CEO, Morton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc.
SECRETARY/TREASURER: Susan B. Neal, Consultant/Civic Leader
PAST CHAIR: Eleanor Payne, Ph.D., Retired Educator
Trustees
Bruce Adkins, President, Regent Bank, Tulsa Market
Scott Asbjornson, Investor
Billie T. Barnett, Civic Leader
Shelby Beil, President and CEO, Tulsa Teachers Credit Union
Caleb Bigham, Executive Vice President and Treasurer, BOK Financial
Marissa Blevins, Director of HR Operations, The Williams Companies
Konnie Boulter, Program Director, The Oxley Foundation
Leigh Goodson, Ph.D, President & CEO, TCC, and Ex Officio Board Member
Staff
Kari Shults, VP of Advancement and President of the TCC Foundation
Frank Mulhern, Chief Development Officer
Nicole Burgin, Development Officer
Austin Smith, Development Officer
Bethany Weaver, Foundation Controller
Jill Deutscher, Database Administrator
Jenny Robertson, Finance Specialist
Kayleigh Land, Coordinator
Sally Osburn, Foundation Board Liaison, part time
Legacy Society
You can play an invaluable role in the future and success of TCC. As a TCC Legacy Society member, you provide long-term financial support, allowing the College to sustain its purpose and service for the students and community. Please join the TCC Legacy Society by committing a planned gift to the TCC Foundation.
What is Legacy Giving?
Legacy giving, also known as planned giving, allows you to “leave a legacy” to your favorite cause beyond your lifetime. A legacy gift communicates your values and passions beyond your life and may allow you to make a gift larger than you thought possible.
TCC Legacy Society Members
Loren Arnoff
Jerry Baab
Roger and Susan Bey
Robert Burkett and Teresa Meinders Burkett
Rhonda S. Davis
Susan and Jim Harris
Betty Kilgore
Dr. Suzanne Reese
The Manual Arts Building Turns 100
The historic Manual Arts Building on TCC’s Metro Campus—currently home to the bookstore, YMCA@TCC, Writing Center, The Perk coffee shop, study areas, and more—has been a cornerstone of Tulsa education for a full century. Here’s a look back at its journey:
1924
Construction began on the Manual Arts Building at a cost of $164,605.
1925
Dedicated on Labor Day, September 7, to prepare high school students for industrial, mechanical, and craft-based careers.
1975
Closed as newer educational facilities were built outside downtown Tulsa.
1976
Purchased by Tulsa Junior College from Tulsa Public Schools for $225,000.
1977
Reopened as a newly remodeled student center for the Metro Campus.
A scrapbook album and architecture information for the Manual Arts Building are available at TCC Land History Guide, in addition to the campus land histories for the Metro, Northeast, and Southeast campuses.
1980
Received two national awards for creative renovation as a “recycled” building.
