STATE Magazine, Fall 2020 by Oklahoma State

The official magazine of Oklahoma State University

LEGENDARY LEGACY COACH EDDIE SUTTON FOREVER CHANGED OSU, ON AND OFF THE COURT

Haley Webster President Oklahoma State Paddle People

501 W. Elm eskimojoes.com

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT OK L A HOM A STAT E U N I V E R SI T Y

Tell the high school senior you know to complete their application before Nov. 1 to receive their scholarships and financial aid as early as possible.

In T his Issue PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

A Pillar in a Pandemic Oklahoma State University has risen to meet the challenges that COVID-19 has wrought in 2020. Pages 52-89

ON THE COVER

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Tops in Testing

A Front-Line Cowboy

Finishing Strong

OSU expands the state's COVID-19 testing capability with its diagnostic lab, set up and certified in record time.

OSU alumnus Dr. James Phillips is treating patients and offering facts to the public in media appearances.

The Class of 2020 makes it to graduation on paths never imagined.

OSU coach Eddie Sutton cuts down the net after the Cowboys' victory over Texas Tech in the championship game of the 2005 Big 12 Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Tournament. PHOTO GEORGE BULARD

The Legacy of Eddie Sutton The longtime legendary OSU coach leaves behind an impact that’s touched every area on campus. We pay homage to Coach Sutton.

Tier 1 Research

Plus...

Oklahoma State University’s four Tier 1 Research Initiatives aim for an extensive impact in Oklahoma and beyond.

Guest Message

Socially Orange

President’s Letter

Wellness with Ann Hargis

Campus News

Cowboy Chronicles

106

Legacy Link

107

Alumni Chapter Leader

110

Alumni Update

113

Weddings

114

Births

115

In Memory

Microbiome OSU scientists are at the forefront of the exciting work on and within you: the microbiomes.

100

Opioids Research aims to add sciencedriven tools to the battle against opioid addiction.

100

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STATE

Letters

BR A N D M A NAGEMENT

Lacy Branson, Codee Classen, Paul V. Fleming, Valerie Kisling, Chris Lewis, Michael Molholt & Benton Rudd | Design Phil Shockley, Gary Lawson & Brandee Cazzelle | Photography Kurtis Mason | Trademarks & Licensing Pam Longan & Leslie McClurg | Administrative Support Office of Brand Management | 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078-1024 405-744-6262 | okstate.edu | statemagazine.okstate.edu | editor@okstate.edu osu.advertising@okstate.edu Contributors | David Bitton, Derinda Blakeney, Mack Burke, Aaron Campbell, Will Carr, Chase Carter, John Helsley, Harrison Hill, Jacob Longan, Amanda O’Toole Mason, Karolyn Moberly, David C. Peters, Sara Plummer, Shannon Rigsby & Sarah Bildstein Wanzer

O S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N Tony LoPresto I Chair Tina Parkhill | Vice Chair Kent Gardner | Immediate Past Chair Robert McInturf | President Pam Davis | Vice President of Engagement and Strategies David Parrack | Vice President of Finance and Operations James Boggs, Larry Briggs, Ann Caine, Michael Carolina, Kurt Carter, Scott Eisenhauer, Becky Endicott, Kent Gardner, Angela Kouplen, Tony LoPresto, Mel Martin, Aaron Owen, Tina Parkhill, Joe Ray, Darin Schmidt & Tina Walker | Board of Directors Lacy Branson, Will Carr, Chase Carter, Lucy Hodges, Lerin Lynch & Sarah Bildstein Wanzer | Marketing and Communications OSU Alumni Association | 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater, OK 740787043 | 405-744-5368 | orangeconnection.org | info@orangeconnection.org

O S U F O U N D AT I O N Jerry Winchester | Chair Blaire Atkinson | President Donna Koeppe | Vice President of Administration & Treasurer Chris Campbell | Senior Associate Vice President of Information Strategy Shane Crawford | Senior Associate Vice President of Philanthropy, Leadership Gifts David Mays | Senior Associate Vice President of Philanthropy Robyn Baker | Vice President and General Counsel Pam Guthrie | Senior Associate Vice President of Human Resources Blaire Atkinson, Bryan Begley, Bryan Close, Jan Cloyde, Patrick Cobb, Ann Dyer, Joe Eastin, Jennifer Grigsby, Helen Hodges, David Houston, Gary Huneryager, A.J. Jacques, Brett Jameson, Griff Jones, John Keating, Diana Laing, John Linehan, Joe Martin, Robert McInturf, Ross McKnight, Bill Patterson, Jenelle Schatz, Becky Steen, Terry Stewart, Lyndon Taylor & Jerry Winchester | Trustees Jennifer Kinnard, Chris Lewis, Amanda O’Toole Mason, Heather Millermon, Karolyn Moberly, Michael Molholt, Lauren Knori, Kyle Stringer & Benton Rudd | Marketing and Communications OSU Foundation | 400 South Monroe, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076-1749 800-622-4678 | OSUgiving.com | info@OSUgiving.com STATE magazine is published three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring) by Oklahoma State University, 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078. The magazine is produced by the Office of Brand Management, the OSU Alumni Association and the OSU Foundation, and is mailed to current members of the OSU Alumni Association. Postage is paid at Stillwater, OK, and additional mailing offices. Magazine subscriptions are available only by membership in the OSU Alumni Association. Membership cost is $45. Call 405-744-5368 or mail a check to 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater OK 74078-7043. To change a mailing address, visit orangeconnection.org/update or call 405-744-5368. Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This provision includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. The Director of Equal Opportunity has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies. Contact the Director of Equal Opportunity at 408 Whitehurst, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078-1035; telephone 405-744-5371; or email eeo@okstate.edu. Any person (student, faculty, or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based on gender may discuss his or her concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with OSU’s Title IX Coordinator at 405-744-9154. This publication, issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the vice president of enrollment management and marketing, was printed by Royle Printing Co. at a cost of $0.97 per issue: 37,622 | August 2019 | #7997 | Copyright © 2019, STATE magazine. All rights reserved.

Guest Message PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

In this issue, we’re presenting a guest letter from Dr. Jason F. Kirksey, OSU vice president and chief diversity officer: Life itself is simple; we complicate it. As OSU continues working toward excellence as a university and sustaining and enriching the values of diversity and inclusion within our land-grant mission, simple is better. I try to live based on three simple things: common sense, context and culture. As vice president and chief diversity officer for OSU, I have always focused my efforts on being a fire prevention specialist rather than a firefighter to make the university a better place for everyone. Creating a significant and sustained culture of inclusion is hard, but anything worth having in life does not come easy. It is heavy lifting; however, the 10-ton barge is a whole lot lighter if everyone is down in the muck helping to lift. As someone who has taught, researched and published on race in America for more than a quarter-century, and been Black for 53 years, I am certainly not an expert, but I am a knowledgeable diversity and inclusion professional. Rather than feeling a sense of discomfort regarding conversations about race in our communities and across America, I encourage all of us to embrace this opportunity. Our advancement and success as a higher educational institution, and a society, is not predicated upon on our ability to “think outside of the box,” but instead to take advantage of everything that is already in it. The tools necessary to move forward and grow stronger as a society and become more comfortable with each other are readily accessible, and most importantly, free. In Head Start, as a poor inner-city Black kid in northeast Denver, I learned the keys to be successful in life: Work hard, do your best in whatever you do and be kind, polite, respectful and treat people the way you want to be treated. Every one of those lessons are still applicable, and frankly, more so now than ever. Go Pokes! Jason F. Kirksey, Ph.D. Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Oklahoma State University

STATE Magazine 305 WHITEHURST OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY STILLWATER, OK 74078

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EDITOR@OKSTATE.EDU STATEMAGAZINE.OKSTATE.E D U

#okstate

Join the conversation on social media with the Cowboy family.

Connections

Nation’s Best We’re all making adjustments to keep family, friends and strangers safe. We continue to be grateful for what we have and remember that the #CowboyFamily is in this together. We know how important it is to stay connected. We are here, and we are thinking of you.

@OKStateAlumni

Lab Work @OSUAthletics

Y’all ready yet? #LetsWork #GoPokes

@okstate

Mask Up!

Meet the team leading the #okstate #COVID19 diagnostics lab. This herculean effort is playing a key role in Oklahoma’s fight against #COVID19.

OSU Strong

@BeAnOSUCowboy

Pistol Pete, making masks fun and fashionable since 2020. What are your favorite mask styles?

@OSUFoundation

Many of us are adjusting to a new normal. As part of the #CowboyFamily, you are in our hearts and minds as we navigate this situation together.

Oklahoma State University

OStateTV

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Visit social.okstate.edu for more social media connections.

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Challenges and Changes OSU shines in response to historic and tumultuous events of 2020 We are excited to have students back on our Oklahoma State University campuses for the new academic year. We have numerous practices and guidelines in place to make our campuses as safe and healthy as possible in the battle against COVID-19. I must say I have never been prouder of the way the entire Oklahoma State University family responded to the global pandemic. This issue of STATE recognizes our leadership and outstanding efforts in many areas. Despite historic challenges and changes, we delivered on our land-grant mission. Our faculty and staff made sure students learned and graduated. Our researchers, with the enthusiastic support of volunteers, made OSU the state leader in processing COVID-19 tests. Extension services continued to provide Oklahomans with resources related to health, food safety, finances and more. Dr. Kayse Shrum, the president of OSU Center for Health Sciences and Oklahoma’s former secretary of science and innovation, was front and center in the state’s response as a member of Gov. (and OSU grad) Kevin Stitt’s COVID-19 task force. OSU’s Center for Health Sciences responded to the crisis with patient care, mobile testing, expanded telehealth services, video clinics, modeling, contact tracing and more. Numerous departments and groups collected and distributed protective gear. Engineering faculty and students used 3D

printing at our world-class ENDEAVOR facility to create face shields for health care workers. We launched the Cowboy Family initiative to support students during the uncertainty brought by the pandemic and thank the many donors who stepped up to help. OSU is committed to helping find solutions to the systemic racial injustice and inequality that has been the focus of protests across our nation. In this issue, Dr. Jason F. Kirksey, head of diversity at OSU, offers his thoughts on Oklahoma State’s ongoing work to create inclusive campus environments centered around justice, equality and respect for each other (Page 4). Our cover story spotlights Eddie Sutton (Page 20). In April, the Cowboy Nation was delighted with his longoverdue selection to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, then saddened in May by his death at age 84. Eddie brought basketball thrills and glory back to his beloved alma mater. John Helsley, from our School of Media and Strategic Communications, offers a loving tribute to an OSU legend. The First Cowgirl, Ann, and I wish you all the best. Stay safe and healthy.

Go Pokes! Burns Hargis OSU President

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The State We’re In Water: constructing a sense of place in the hydrosphere

Aug. 24, 2020 through

May 29, 2021

An Interdisciplinary Art Experience

by Marguerite Perret and Robin Lasser and Bruce Scherting The State We’re In Water: Constructing a Sense of Place in the Hydrosphere is an interdisciplinary arts-based research project, offering many opportunities for all to engage in workshops and experiences connecting art and science. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and by the OSU Museum of Art Advocates. The National Endowment for the Arts also granted funding to the OSU Museum of Art through the CARES Act, supporting the expansion of programming for The State We’re in Water.

PARTNERS Jason Aamodt, Attorney, Environmental & Social Justice, professor, University of Tulsa, College of Law • City of Stillwater, Oklahoma: Lou Ann Fisher, Director of Compliance • City of Tulsa Water Protection • Great Salt Plains Lake • Sara Hill, Cherokee Nation, Attorney General, Formerly Secretary of Natural Resources • Lake Carl Blackwell • The Lake McMurtry Foundation • Ashley Nealis, Regional Supervisor, Fish Division Kaw Lake, Ponca City • Oka’ Yanahli Preserve: Nature Conservancy (Blue River), Stillwell • Paddlefish Research Center, Kaw Lake • Port of Catoosa • Save the Illinois River, Inc. • Source Water Protection Manager, City of Tulsa • Jason Tyler, Superintendent, Wastewater Treatment OSU Allied Arts • Center for Sovereign Nations • Department of Art, Graphic Design, and Art History • Department of Entomology • Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture • Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management • Edmon Low Library-Science Café • Environmental Engineering • Environmental Science • Freshmen in Transition/ Ferguson College of Agriculture • Integrated Biology • The Office of the Vice Present of Research • Oklahoma Water Resource Center • The Prairie Arts Center, Stillwater • School of Architecture • School of Media and Strategic Communications • Science Education • Unmanned Systems Research Institute

720 S Husband St • 405.744.2780

OSUMuseumofArt

WELLNESS

Dear Cowboy Family, COVID-19 has impacted our Cowboy family in countless ways, and the spring 2020 semester saw many changes to our traditional way of learning and working. Transitioning to online classes, closing campus to visitors and moving employees to virtual workspaces presented a variety of challenges. However, Cowboys are resilient and quickly adapted to the new environment, helping each other along the way. In addition to students and employees, another important group was affected by the transition to a virtual format. Pete’s Pet Posse, the nation’s most comprehensive pet therapy program, was thrust into an unfamiliar world. These dogs and their handlers are a consistent and physical presence on campus. Serving in their offices, making appearances at OSU-sponsored events and providing a calming presence to all who interact with them, the manner in which they serve has looked different since March. Just like their humans, these dogs have found a way to still serve campus. Virtually attending OSU staff meetings, partnering with the OSU Museum of Art for reading programs and even a surprise virtual visit with the NSpace program has been part of the new pet therapy programming. It looks different, but we are still making an impact. We are all eager to return to the campus, but we are doing all we can to promote America’s Healthiest Campus® and still have a positive effect on the emotional health of our campus population. As we go to print, we are actively planning a return to campus with new guidelines that follow OSU’s COVID-19 protocol.

Ann Hargis OSU First Cowgirl

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Your new home for the performing arts From Broadway to ballet, world-class symphonies to fascinating films, we guarantee you’ll be entertained.

Explore The McKnight Center online to learn more about upcoming events and buy tickets.

BOX OFFICE HOURS: MON-FRI 9 A.M. – 4 P.M. AND TWO HOURS BEFORE SHOW TIME.

McKnightCenter.org | Box Office (405) 744-9999 705 W UNIVERSITY AVE, STILLWATER, OK 74074

Rising to the Top OSU students rack up prestigious national and international scholarships this year

SU’s 2019-2020 academic year was one for the books. Earlier this year, OSU’s Cole Replogle was named a Gates Cambridge Scholar, widely known as one of the most prestigious undergraduate awards in the world. Adrienne Blakey was named a Truman Scholar, and Josh Anadu and Blake Bartlett were named Goldwater Scholars. Oklahoma State University students continue to earn national and international scholarships thanks in part to the programs and services offered by the Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research. “While there is no magic formula when it comes to student success in scholarship competitions, the 2019-20 academic year demonstrates what can happen when promising students are identified early, have access to unique programs, and receive effective guidance and mentorship — not just from faculty and staff, but from their fellow students as well,” said Jessica Sullins, director of the Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research. Since becoming director in 2016, Sullins has put extensive effort into outreach, recruitment and collaboration with faculty members and departments to generate support for the office and the students it serves.

“They [students] come to the university with motivation, academic talent and natural potential, and these are fostered by the culture of mentorship provided by our supportive faculty,” Sullins said. Students can get help with applications, mock interviews, personal guidance and expertise in particular disciplines. As a land-grant institution, OSU is heavily invested in undergraduate research that offers several scholarship opportunities. The Freshman Research Scholars Program provides first-year students with a $1,000 scholarship funded by the Robberson Trust, and the Lew Wentz Foundation provides approximately 40 annual awards of $4,500 for undergraduate research as well as significant funding for the Cambridge Scholars Program. The Cambridge program takes 15-20 students to the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom for two weeks during the summer, where they take part in a unique course taught by OSU faculty. Additional campus resources such as OSU’s Honors College, the Niblack Research Scholars Program, the Study Abroad Office, the OK-LSAMP Scholars Program, the Center for Sovereign Nations and the Department of Leadership and Campus Life provide students with experiences beyond the classroom that contribute to their academic and professional development. All of

OSU HONOREES Gates Cambridge Scholar Winner: Cole Replogle Finalist: Dillon Johnson

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Truman Scholar

Goldwater Scholar

Udall Scholar

Winner: Adrienne Blakey

Winners: Josh Anadu Blake Bartlett

Honorable mentions: Josh Anadu Alexis Coles

Finalist: Kayla Dunn

STORY DAVID BITTON | PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

Cole Replogle, Adrienne Blakey, Josh Anadu and Blake Bartlett all won prestigious scholarships.

these help students compete for highly prestigious awards. “I always encourage my students to seek out experiences that they find exciting, inspiring, and rewarding,” Sullins said. “While many of these occur in the classroom, there are a multitude of others to explore and your time as an undergraduate passes quickly. This is the time to study abroad, initiate a service project, take on a leadership role, engage in research or take part in an internship.” Sullins mentioned one student is considering doing research on COVID-19 because of her interest in zoonotic diseases. Another is looking at volunteer options in testing labs. “Getting to know OSU faculty and staff is critical, too, as we are more than happy to provide guidance and support to help you achieve your goals,” Sullins said. “This may include a major scholarship or fellowship, but if not, these experiences and skills will help prepare you for graduate or professional school or for the job market.” Recent graduate Cole Replogle, a mechanical and aerospace engineering major from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was one of 28 U.S. students selected this year for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

He plans to pursue a master’s degree in research in future propulsion and power at the University of Cambridge. Replogle’s research focus at OSU had been on hybrid gas-electric aircraft propulsion and developing systems that are less taxing on the environment. “I look forward to representing my home state and OSU as part of a global community at Cambridge,” Replogle said. Replogle also served as a mentor during the Writers’ Workshop at OSU’s Doel Reed Center for the Arts in Taos, New Mexico, earlier this year, helping students nominated for the Truman, Goldwater and Udall Scholarships craft and revise their applications. “Students have the opportunity to be surrounded by highly motivated peers from areas outside their discipline, and they not only benefit from one another’s energy, but they also challenge and support each other — despite the fact that they’re often the competition,” Sullins said. “While we always hope our students will earn the national or international recognition they deserve, we also want the experience not to be purely award-driven. This process, we hope, provides them with skills that will contribute to their academic, professional and personal development for many years to come.”

LEARN MORE about the Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research okla.st/schol.

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SCHOLARSHIPS

Bella Baker

Makinley Kennedy

William Miller

New Top Scholars

Five freshmen receive Oklahoma State Scholars Society honors

klahoma State University has named five new fellows of the Oklahoma State Scholars Society, the university’s prestigious scholar development program that offers major financial support and scholarly mentorship to the state’s top students. “Members of this society are some of Oklahoma’s best and brightest students,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “They are Oklahoma’s next generation of leaders, innovators and visionaries. We are honored to have them join our university.” The fellows are Bella Baker, Makinley Kennedy, William Miller, Meg Jackson and Sarah Short. Each fellow receives up to $74,500 in scholarship support — the full cost of attending four years — including a study-abroad stipend. The fellows were selected based on a review of their essays and résumés, a phone interview and an in-person interview with a faculty committee. President Hargis and First Cowgirl Ann Hargis hosted a lunch for the finalists. Students selected for this award embody the legacy of OSU’s land-grant

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history, according to Ben Hagan, assistant director of undergraduate admissions. The committee selects students who have an outward focus and are deeply aware of the world around them. THE NEW FELLOWS At 15, Bella Baker had metal rods and screws implanted to fix her crooked spine. She had to learn to walk all over again but said the experience helped her understand what really matters in life. “I am honored and humbled to be recognized for this scholarship,” she said. “This comes with the responsibility of making the committee’s selection worthwhile and doing the absolute most with my education.” Baker, who attended Del City’s Christian Heritage Academy, is looking forward to studying industrial engineering and management at OSU. She plans to attend law school and become a patent attorney. Eventually studying abroad is also something Baker is excited about.

“The amazing program for studying abroad is actually a big reason why I wanted to go to OSU in the first place,” she said. “I think it is so important to experience different cultures, and OSSS recognized study abroad as an important part of one’s education as well.” Makinley Kennedy is thrilled to join the Cowboy family. Both her parents and sisters attended OSU, and her family “bleeds orange.” “I have always had little doubts in the back of my head that my dreams were greater than my capabilities,” she said. “However, after receiving this scholarship, I have realized that no matter where you come from, as long as you have the drive and work ethic, you can be an impactful and accomplished person in the world.” Kennedy, who attended Lawton’s MacArthur Senior High School, plans to major in political science and sports media and hopes to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. “While at Oklahoma State, I hope to experience and create long-lasting, meaningful relationships,” Kennedy

STORY DAVID BITTON | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON

OSSS CRITERIA Students met the following criteria for membership in the society: ■ Minimum 3.8 high school unweighted GPA ■ Minimum ACT score of 27 or equivalent ■ Admitted to OSU and the Honors College Meg Jackson

Sarah Short

■ Demonstrated maturity and potential through outstanding résumés and essay responses ■ In-person interview with faculty committees on a variety of topics

said. “I believe people are the key factor in what truly makes life wonderful!” Bullied as a youngster for his involuntary movements and sounds, William Miller struggled with tics brought on by Tourette syndrome. But he didn’t let it define him. “I have been able to be very successful despite my condition, and I want kids out there who are getting bullied in the same way I did to know that they are more than their disorder,” he said. “My struggle is very small compared to what so many people around the world go through, and I am thankful that I was able to overcome it.” The Norman North High School graduate is majoring in mechanical and aerospace engineering with the goal of positively impacting the world as an engineering researcher. Miller is grateful for all the help he has had along the way. “It makes me so happy to know that all of the time and energy my parents and mentors put into my development as a man helped me reach a point that I never thought I could,” he said.

Often underestimated due to her 4’9” frame, Meg Jackson has learned to use her voice to advocate for herself, which taught her the importance of advocating for others. The third-generation Cowboy hopes to attend law school and become a constitutional lawyer. But before that, the Edmond North High School graduate will be majoring in political science and music (cello) at OSU. “During my time at OSU I hope to not only grow academically, but also broaden my worldview,” Jackson said. “I am stoked about OSU’s brand-new music school, where I will study with worldclass musicians and get a chance to play in a beautiful new hall. I am also ready to experience first-hand ‘America’s Greatest Homecoming,’ go to football games, and become a member of the Cowboy family. Oklahoma State offers both the academic rigor I am seeking as well as the fun of a big-time university!”

The Edmond Santa Fe High School graduate plans to major in plant biology to become a field botanist. “I love the aspect of hands-on work and getting my hands dirty as well as the side of the job in the lab,” Short said. She is looking forward to her time in Stillwater. “While I’m at OSU I hope I will be able to experience the many academic and scientific resources on campus,” she said. “I also hope I will get to see the close-knit OSU sense of family and make new friends.” Short is grateful to be recognized as an OSSS fellow. “This scholarship will provide me with the freedom of being able to worry less about finances when leaving college,” Short said. “I will have the ability to go out into the world and focus on my career.”

First-generation college student Sarah Short has learned to overcome difficulties surrounding ADHD to succeed academically.

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Historical Perspective OSU-Tulsa’s first Black Wall Street history course benefits from students with ties to the subject

a chance to discuss the city’s history and future with Tulsa-area teenagers. “I could see the benefit of sharing perspectives and knew it would make a great community event,” Lansana said.

Captola Dunn

ollege history classes can be abstract for students as they learn about events that happened long ago or far away. But in Oklahoma State University-Tulsa’s first Black Wall Street History course, the majority of the students had direct ties to their subject and had even met some of the figures they researched. “Most of the students in our class were over the age of 60,” said instructor Quraysh Ali Lansana, writer-in-residence at OSU-Tulsa. “Many of them had family who lived in and around the city during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.” When the course launched in the fall of 2019, it was opened to non-credit-seeking community members along with credit-seeking students. The result was an atypical classroom, bonded by a desire to discover more about Tulsa’s historic Greenwood district from 1850 to present, including the massacre on May 31-June 1, 1921. “It was a pleasure to have elder students in class, who brought personal insight to the course,” said Lansana. With so many elder students engaged and interested in the history alongside traditional students, Lansana knew this was an opportunity for in-depth, intergenerational discussion. The opportunity came to fruition in May during the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation’s 2020 national virtual symposium, where elders had

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A DEEP DIVE Carolyn Ellis signed up for the class to bring context to the stories her father told her growing up. “I know about the massacre only because my father was alive then,” Ellis said. “Growing up in Preston, Oklahoma, I would have never known otherwise.” Her family was not in the Greenwood District during the massacre, but Ellis sought to explore what Tulsans in her father’s generation experienced. “I wanted to find out what happened,” she said. “Everything I could learn.” For the final project of the class, students were asked to dive deep into researching the lesserknown aspects of Black Wall Street. Ellis focused on business owner Simon Berry for her project. Berry owned and operated a Tulsa bus line for African Americans, a hotel and a charter plane service. “I wanted to uncover the history of someone who held such a big influence at the time,” Ellis said. Captola Dunn, a 1948 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, focused her project on Ellis Walker Woods. Woods was the first principal of her alma mater, famed for walking 500 miles from Tennessee to Oklahoma to answer the call for more Black educators. During the massacre, he sheltered children and people looking for refuge in the school and let the Red Cross treat the injured there. Dunn had spearheaded the committee to build the recently dedicated memorial to Woods on the OSU-Tulsa campus. “When you got the chance to see him and he was kind enough to say ‘Hello, how are you doing?’ — that was special,” Dunn said. “He oversaw the moves and expansions of Booker T. as they outgrew school buildings. He would help students get admitted to universities and secure jobs after their education. He even provided opportunities for housing.”

STORY AND PHOTOS AARON CAMPBELL

Quraysh Ali Lansana (left) teaches OSU-Tulsa’s class on Black Wall Street history. The Ellis Walker Woods Memorial (above) honors the first principal of Tulsa’s Booker T. Washington High School.

GENERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Dunn and Ellis were asked after the class to share their takeaways and personal stories with a younger audience in an “inter-generational dialogue” as part of the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation’s 2020 national virtual symposium. The online conversation, moderated by Lansana and livestreamed to the public, put Dunn and Ellis in a video chat room with two Tulsa Community College students on May 28, in the midst of national discourse surrounding the police officer-involved deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The timing for this conversation about Black lives was directly addressed. “I would be remiss if I did not mention this discussion comes as we are dealing with tragedy in

Minneapolis, and tragedy with Breonna Taylor, all on top of a pandemic,” Lansana said at the beginning of the webcast. “It’s especially important that we have these young men represented with us today.” “In school, I wish we discussed more about the history of things people don’t like to talk about,” one of the students told Dunn. “I appreciate hearing this now. It’s helping me understand the events and attitudes that still influence life today.” Dunn and Ellis expressed a sense of pride in the two young men, saying they were happy to see initiative in the students of Tulsa. “Just as young people want us to understand them, we want young people to understand us,” Dunn said. “In understanding our experience, they may be able to better navigate their own.”

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Building a Brighter Future

Scholarships help OSU-Tulsa student achieve her dream of a college degree

eredith Pierson, an OSU-Tulsa student and recipient of endowed scholarships, is already changing the world around her through her actions and determination. “My passion is helping others in my community,” she said. “I organize a prayer walk, The Freedom Walk, every year to raise awareness for the Nowata community’s drug epidemic.” Meredith knew she wanted to make a better life for her children, Shaun and Liam, by pursuing higher education. “I knew I wanted to do something different. I didn’t want to be stuck,” she explained. Scholarships — and the accessibility of online courses — helped the single mother of two navigate her educational journey.

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“One of my biggest fears is proudly earning a college degree only to have a mountain of debt after graduation,” she said. “I just broke down and cried when I got the Mary Jo Webb scholarship in the middle of this semester. It made such a difference for me.” In addition to the Mary Jo Webb scholarship, Meredith also received the Hunter Stone scholarship and the J. Roy Thompson Endowed scholarship — both of which were created utilizing a charitable bequest. A charitable bequest is when the OSU Foundation is designated the beneficiary of a will, living trust or other estate plan document. The families worked closely with their financial planners and the Gift Planning team at the OSU

STORY KAROLYN MOBERLY | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MEREDITH PIERSON

Foundation to ensure their giving created a lasting impact by supporting students like Meredith. “These scholarships are just the biggest blessings,” Meredith said. She graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies in spring 2020. But her time at OSU provided more than a degree — it also gave her the opportunity to learn about herself. “Because of the financial help I received, I was able to home-school my kids. Through that process, I’ve discovered I really like teaching,” she said. Meredith plans to continue her academic journey and obtain a master’s degree in online teaching so she can help others access education and the freedom that a degree brings. You can help support students like Meredith through the Brighter Orange, Brighter Future campaign.

“I just broke down and cried when I got the Mary Jo Webb scholarship in the middle of this semester. It made such a difference for me.” MEREDITH PIERSON

WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS The Brighter Orange, Brighter Future scholarship campaign gives hope to students and families who believe they can’t afford higher education or the lifechanging opportunities at OSU. Here are three reasons this campaign is vital to our students: ■ More than 82 percent

of OSU’s student body rely on financial assistance.

■ Many of those

students receiving financial assistance come from households with incomes of around $50,000 annually. ■ The cost of attending

OSU is pricing some students out, with one year here now estimated at more than $22,000 (excluding additional personal expenses). Visit OSUgiving.com to learn how you can make a difference for students at OSU.

Meredith Pierson, endowed scholarships recipient, poses with her children, Shaun and Liam.

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Joining the New Frontiers Campaign

BancFirst and Oklahoma Farm Credit Associations pledge donations

handful of Oklahoma financial institutions have joined the effort to replace the aging Agricultural Hall with significant commitments to the New Frontiers campaign. The $50 million fundraising initiative will help create a modern teaching, Extension and research facility for OSU Agriculture. The $100 million project was announced in January alongside a lead gift from alumni Kayleen and Larry Ferguson. The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has been renamed the Ferguson College of Agriculture in recognition of their historic gift, which was split evenly between an endowment for the college and the New Frontiers campaign. The campaign has raised about $33 million in private support, including donations from early contributors BancFirst and Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma. “Seeing leaders such as the Farm Credit Associations who serve Oklahoma and a strong community-centered bank like BancFirst step up to support this project helps to send the message that the future depends on continued excellence in recruiting students and faculty to our college,” said Dr. Thomas G. Coon, OSU’s vice president for agricultural programs and dean of the Ferguson College of Agriculture.

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The campaign’s focus on feeding the world and investing in Oklahoma State University fit well with BancFirst’s loyalty to Oklahoma and the communities it serves, said Pat Zimmerman, BancFirst president and a 1983 agricultural economics and computer science graduate. “We want to help communities grow and prosper,” he said. “This is a commitment to the community, Oklahoma State and the Ferguson College of Agriculture. This is an investment into the roots of education.” The new facility will directly benefit farmers and ranchers across the state who rely on research and Extension conducted through OSU Agriculture to improve their day-to-day operations. “We feel this is a wise investment for rural Oklahoma and our producers,” said Kyle Hohman, a 1984 agricultural economics graduate and CEO of Farm Credit of Enid, one of five affiliates that comprise Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma. “One of the things our board considered with this gift is how it will impact agriculture overall in our state. We’re excited to be a part of it.” The five affiliates — AgPreference, American AgCredit, Farm Credit of Enid, Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma and Oklahoma AgCredit — committed a combined total of $500,000 to New Frontiers.

Architectural planning and programming continues on the new teaching, Extension and research facility for OSU Agriculture (artistic rendering above), which is set to open between fall 2022 and winter 2023.

S TO RY AMANDA O'TOOLE MASON | P H OTO S GARY LAWSON

“It's very important we have cutting-edge research to maximize our productive efficiency.” H.E. "GENE" RAINBOLT BANCFIRST CHAIRMAN EMERITUS AND FOUNDER

Executives from Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma (left) and BancFirst (above) attended the Jan. 15 launch of the New Frontiers campaign. Also pictured are Larry and Kayleen Ferguson (far left) and Thomas G. Coon (above, center).

In addition to OSU Agriculture's research and Extension efforts statewide, the Ferguson College of Agriculture also generates a knowledgeable workforce, said AgCredit CEO Patrick Zeka. “Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative with a sole mission of providing reliable, consistent credit to farmers and ranchers,” he said. “Staff who are knowledgeable about both agriculture and credit are crucial to being a strong financial partner to Oklahoma’s agricultural community.” Farm Credit has long partnered with OSU. The Farm Credit Association of Oklahoma and its funding bank, CoBank, also partnered with OSU in 2013 to endow the Oklahoma Farm Credit Chair in Agricultural Economics and awards annual scholarship programs to support OSU students. “Like OSU, Farm Credit has been supporting agriculture for more than a century,” Zeka said. “We’re in this together for the next hundred years and beyond.” BancFirst is the largest state chartered bank in Oklahoma, and more than half of the presidents responsible for its 108 banking locations have degrees from Oklahoma State. BancFirst chairman emeritus and founder Gene Rainbolt said OSU’s agricultural economics program produces outstanding graduates with skills necessary to lead.

“We want to help communities grow and prosper. This is a commitment to the community and to Oklahoma State and the Ferguson College of Agriculture. This is an investment into the roots of education.” PAT ZIMMERMAN, BANCFIRST PRESIDENT

“These graduates also tend to identify with being a part of communities,” he said. “That’s who we are. Our role is to help people grow their businesses and families.” Part of accomplishing that goal is made through investing in programs like Oklahoma State and the New Frontiers campaign, he said. Rainbolt and the bank have supported many OSU efforts, including numerous scholarships, athletics, the new Spears Business building and the creation of the H.E. “Gene” Rainbolt Endowed Chair of Agricultural Finance, to name a few. Rainbolt said he believes that one of the bank's most important responsibilities is to invest in rural Oklahoma to help those communities and the local farmers and ranchers grow and prosper. “Agriculture is like all other fields,” he said. “It’s dynamic and only to the extent that we are cutting edge in practices will we be competitive in a world market. It’s very important we have cutting-edge research to maximize our productive efficiency."

LEARN MORE Visit OSUgiving. com/New-Frontiers or contact Heidi Williams at hwilliams@ OSUgiving.com or 405-385-5656.

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T HE SU T TON LEGACY

LIGHT. LOVE. SUCCESS. GENEROSITY. OPTIMISM. GROWTH.

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STORY JOHN HELSLEY | PHOTOS OSU ATHLETICS

OSU’S LEGENDARY COACH LED A BASKETBALL REVIVAL — AND SO MUCH MORE — AT HIS BELOVED UNIVERSITY.

endria Cost glanced out from her fishbowl office at Career Services inside the Student Union, taken aback by the man lighting up the lobby beyond her window. Eddie Sutton had that effect on folks, especially Oklahoma State folks. “I looked up, and Coach Sutton was at the front desk,” said Cost, now the executive assistant for First Cowgirl Ann Hargis. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, Coach is here.’” It was March 2002, 14 months after the plane crash that claimed 10 lives, eight associated with the men’s basketball team led by Coach Sutton, in a tragedy that crippled the community and resonated nationally. The program and the school were changed forever, yet the games went on, as they do, and the Cowboys were leaving that day for the NCAA Tournament in Syracuse, New York. But first, Coach Sutton had a surprise stop to make, prompted by a letter from Cost’s father, simply tipping the coach off to one of his fans. “I watched and a few minutes later they started pointing to me, and he started walking toward my office,” Cost said. “And he came into my office and he introduced himself — like the man needed an introduction — but he introduced himself, said he heard I was a fan and said he wanted to come and thank me. And he handed me a picture he had signed. “In my brain I’m thinking, ‘This is a man who’s been through a terrible tragedy. He has

left his office, he came to the Student Union, he found a parking place in the garage, he tracked me down, and he hand-delivered this to me.’” That was Eddie Sutton. And he will be missed. Coach Sutton died May 23 at his home in Tulsa at the age of 84, leaving behind an adoring family with both immediate and extended members, including the OSU family who embraced the man for his greatness and despite his weaknesses. A native of Bucklin, Kansas, who journeyed to OSU to play for the legendary Henry P. Iba in the 1950s, Coach Sutton emerged as a legend himself in the years following his return to coach the Cowboys in 1990. Coach Sutton won — immediately and a lot — yet success alone wouldn’t define his robust legacy at OSU. That emerges from how he impacted people, from players to fans, young and old, through an overflowing generosity of time and friendship. And it’s reasonable to suggest the legacy grows still, every time a new stadium or business building or arts center rises on campus, considering the timing of the coach’s return to OSU and its people in need of a revival. Connect the dots, and it’s easy to link Coach Sutton as the force that jolted to life the thriving Oklahoma State landscape that exists today — all across campus.

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EDDIE THE BUILDER

“HE HAD THE DEMEANOR OF A PERSON WHO WAS GENUINE TO THE CORE.” HARRY BIRDWELL

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Eddie Sutton earned a degree from Oklahoma State in 1958, worked one year as an assistant under Iba, his mentor, then embarked on his own career, amassing successes all along the way. By the time he returned to coach the Cowboys in April 1990, the program offered little resemblance to the powerhouse he’d left more than three decades before. During the 20 years that Coach Sutton piled up wins and accolades at Creighton, Arkansas and Kentucky, OSU spun through five coaches, managed only six winning seasons, finished in the top half of the Big Eight Conference only three times and appeared in the NCAA Tournament only once. And basketball wasn’t alone in the athletic darkness. Football was on probation and soon to endure a winless season, leaving the school’s highest profile — and most financially important sports — irrelevant nationally. Even the proud wrestling program was shackled with NCAA probation. Interest was down. Attendance was falling. Confidence was gone. Athletics, and the entire university, needed something, someone, to believe in. Enter Eddie. The overhaul was swift. In Coach Sutton’s first season, 1990-91, the Cowboys went 24-8, won the Big Eight regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA’s Sweet 16. Soon, Gallagher-Iba was selling out. And it was only the beginning. In 16 years as the Cowboys’ head coach, Coach Sutton won 368 games — second only to Iba in OSU history — and led his teams to 13 NCAA appearances, two Final Fours, two regular-season conference titles and three league tournament titles. Coach Sutton pumped life into the program. Into the university. Into Oklahoma State people. And he pumped optimism into the future.

“We were in need of an infusion,” said Harry Birdwell, a former OSU vice president and athletic director. “When Eddie came, the facilities were an awful issue. Finances were an awful issue. And confidence needed a boost. He came at the perfect time.” In many ways, Coach Sutton was the perfect fit. Oklahoma State pedigree. Confident. Caring. Uniting. Columnist Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman wrote that Coach Sutton stood as OSU’s John Wayne. If the boots fit … “He had the demeanor of a person who was genuine to the core,” Birdwell said. “He was a guy from Bucklin, Kansas, for cryin’ out loud, who had no airs and was just as kind to the greatest and the least of fans. He really cared about people.” And the people cared about Coach Sutton and what he was accomplishing, responding to his pitches at frat houses and community gatherings, anywhere folks would lend an ear, in an effort to stir up interest in his squad. The success and revived optimism raised the roof on Gallagher-Iba literally, leading to a 2000 expansion that more than doubled seating capacity, from 6,381 to 13,611. The name was still Gallagher-Iba, but the new addition was the house that Eddie built, featuring an atmosphere so charged it was dubbed “The Rowdiest Arena in the Country.” Students hoping to claim the best seats pitched tents outside in an area they dubbed “Camp Sutton,” and their hero often personally delivered pizzas to help them through cold nights. All that spurred more hope and more building. And brought boosters — big boosters — including Boone Pickens and others. The vision for an Athletic Village, which seemed like a pipe dream back then, now stands nearly complete, with prominent names attached. Boone Pickens Stadium. Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center. O’Brate

Stadium. Neal Patterson Stadium. Sherman E. Smith Training Center. “When I became vice president at OSU, it was a fairly rare thing for a donor to OSU academics or athletics to give a million dollars or more to the institution,” Birdwell said. “As a matter of fact, back then you could count on one hand the number of people who gave a million dollars or more. “Look at what has happened in the 25 years since.” And not just with athletics. The campus profile has changed dramatically, with state-of-the-art buildings offering the latest in comforts and enhanced learning for students. Oklahoma State needed a movement in the early 1990s. Eddie Sutton provided a shove. Question: What might have, or might have not, happened if OSU had hired yet another middling basketball coach in 1990? Burns Hargis considers athletics the “front door” for giving. Bring a potential donor to a game, let them experience the excitement and the fun and explain to them how they can be a part of it all.

“My flippant line always is, ‘It’s hard to get 60,000 people to show up for a math contest,’” Hargis said. “But time and time again, we’ve seen where the alums come back, they get excited going to the games. And maybe even start out supporting athletics. “But slowly they’ll gravitate back to their roots, academy or leadership activities on campus.” And they have gravitated, by the score. “I’m so proud, because I’ve worked in athletics all these years, of the fact that the difference-making fundraising started with athletics,” said Larry Reece, a senior associate athletic director for development. “And it filtered over to campus and you see what has happened there. You see Burns Hargis able to have a successful billion-dollar campaign — at Oklahoma State. That’s unbelievable. “And it all started in athletics. And I don’t believe it would have started if we didn’t have Eddie Sutton here, and we needed to double the capacity of Gallagher-Iba Arena. It made our people realize, ‘Wow, we can do it here. We can build great things here.’”

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EDDIE THE HE ALER

Above: Eddie Sutton helps present a check for the funds raised by the Remember the Ten run. Below: Pistol Pete greets Remember the Ten runners.

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During the renovation of GallagherIba Arena, the basketball coaches’ offices were transplanted to old Cordell Hall, just west of then Lewis Field. It was there, on the chilling night of Jan. 27, 2001, a small group huddled in the northwest corner of the first floor, trying to grasp what to do next in the aftermath of tragedy. Not only had they lost dear friends when a plane went down in a Colorado field, creating unbearable grief, but families had to be notified. There were offers to help with the calls, but Coach Sutton insisted on being the one to deliver the news. “Eddie wanted to be the one who told moms and dads and wives,” said Birdwell, who was there that night. “And it was excruciating. But he knew it had to be done. And he had to do it out of relationship and respect and love for those guys. “I’ll never forget the night. He was sensitive. He was honest. Sometimes in tragedies, it happens in such a blur that you may not sort of recognize the gravity. I think from the first instant, Coach understood that this was major news nationally, but it was a watershed moment for OSU.” Not only that night, but in the days and weeks following, Coach Sutton seemed to hoist the school and the state on his shoulders, playing the John Wayne role to the fullest in navigating the tragedy.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of him than I was through that whole process,” said Eddie’s son Sean, then an assistant on his father’s staff. “It was inspiring. I was in awe of his strength and courage to meet that head-on. “And, really, his ability to pick himself up every morning and do whatever it took that day to help the people around him, was pretty amazing to watch.” Sean said the crash took a toll on his dad. Those were his friends and his players, and he felt a responsibility as the man in charge. Eddie would say there wasn’t a day that went by in which he didn’t think of those lost. Amid it all, he still had a team to coach. And he somehow managed to direct a grieving young team on through the schedule, even earning an NCAA berth, where another round of cameras and microphones focused on him as the face of the program. Eddie held up well. And he held up OSU with him. “I think he knew that he needed to be strong and let the OSU family lean on him,” Reece said. “I think that took a toll on him, but I think that was something he wanted and was willing to do. “I don’t know if we could have gotten through it if Eddie hadn’t been so strong.”

“IT WAS INSPIRING. I WAS IN AWE OF HIS STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO MEET THAT HEAD-ON.” SEAN SUTTON

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 25

EDDIE THE GIV ER The Spady family was returning to Hinton from OU Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, where 11-year-old Caleb had endured an MRI and a checklist of meetings in another round of treatments for a brain tumor. On his birthday, no less. Nearing home, dad Ken Spady’s phone rang from the front seat. It was Eddie Sutton. He wanted to speak to Caleb. The two chatted a bit, then the entire car was stunned at what happened next: Eddie broke out in song, maybe a little hoarse and gruff, but the best “Happy Birthday” Caleb ever heard. “It was so perfect,” said mom Kim Spady. “It took his mind away from all the medical stuff we did that day, on his birthday. It was a hard day. And it brought his focus back to the things that he loved. And that’s what he loved the most, sports and OSU sports. “We were all in the car together, and we all got to enjoy it and be a part of it.” And the Spadys, who lost Caleb to that cancer in 2009, have never forgotten. “The legacy that Coach Sutton left … just five minutes of his day, what an impact it had,” Kim said. “Think of all the five-minute gifts he did over his life, because I know there are many other stories.” Eddie and Caleb first met through Coaches vs. Cancer, a program Coach Sutton helped launch in 1993 after Missouri coach Norm Stewart was

diagnosed with the disease and the two sought to inspire a cause to help. Since its inception, coaches have helped raise more than $100 million for the American Cancer Society. Beyond the fundraising, and spurred by Coach Sutton, OSU hosts young people dealing with cancer throughout the school year, with parties and inside access to the Cowboys and Cowgirls and their teams. The events provide a needed distraction for kids dealing with cancer. Those involved say the encounters benefit both the patients and the athletes. And again, it all started with Coach Sutton. Cost couldn’t have known that day in her office at Career Services that she’d one day work closely with Eddie Sutton, but when given the opportunity to join OSU’s Coaches vs. Cancer group, she jumped, serving first as the co-chair and now as chair. Eddie was so committed to the cause that he’d show up in Cost’s office with a legal pad, ready to take notes. “He would say, ‘How can I help you and what would you like for me to do?’” she said. Then Coach Sutton would go do it. “He would always call me before the season and give me a report. And it was kind of surreal, kind of like I was his boss or something.” Coach Sutton always took time to connect with patients and survivors,

Coach Sutton helped launch Coaches vs. Cancer in 1993 and remained active in it for many years.

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writing notes or posing for pictures or even offering a song. “I think really, I saw a side of him a lot of people didn’t see on the bench, with the scowl,” Cost said. “But he was really engaged.” That was Coach Sutton’s secret, engaging with folks. Fans. Donors. The guy at the gas pump. A mother standing in line at the donut shop. And he connected with his players, sometimes with tough love, yet love that almost without fail was recognized. Upon Coach Sutton’s death, players from throughout his coaching stops offered a flow of tributes about what he meant in their lives, most hailing his role in molding them into men. When Daniel Bobik transferred from BYU to OSU, with a wife and newborn son and no scholarship, Coach Sutton pointed him to local business owners who might be able to offer a job to help pay the bills. The coach, recognizing Bobik’s strong LDS background, also connected him with longtime OSU professor Lee Manzer, who shares the faith. “I think the biggest thing that anyone would say is that they knew Coach cared about them,” said Bobik, adding that he’s now carrying on that legacy as a high school coach in Arizona. “He had a genuine love for people. And most of all he had a special love for us as players. And we could feel that.”

EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE!

“AND MOST OF ALL HE HAD A SPECIAL LOVE FOR US AS PLAYERS. AND WE COULD FEEL THAT.”

During the height of his popularity at OSU and well after, faithful fans of all ages chant his name. That treatment, reserved solely for him in school lore, hints at Eddie Sutton’s legacy. “I can never chant it,” Cost said, “and here’s why: I had so much respect for him I could never call him by his first name. I couldn’t do it. He was Coach. “And he loved that. He told me once, ‘I just love it when they do that, it pumps me up.’ He was authentic.” Authentically Cowboy. And his legacy endures, in the trophies and the snapshots of him cutting down nets displayed inside Heritage Hall, and in all the shiny new facilities that may not feature his name but were clearly fueled by his impact. “When it comes to the most beloved figures in OSU athletic history, he’s certainly on Mount Rushmore. And he may be the most beloved,” Birdwell said. “I describe him as a guy who was disguised as a basketball coach, but he was a healer, he was a psychologist, he was a sociologist who brought people of all generations and ethnicities to believe beyond their wildest expectations. “Eddie caused people to want to dream about things that they may have thought were ridiculous before he showed up. And he helped people make memories that they’ll never forget.”

DANIEL BOBIK

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 27

Rob McInturf poses with wife Emily and daughter Cora outside the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.

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Introducing Rob McInturf

New Alumni Association president details the route he’s taken to OSU

n April 30, Rob McInturf began his tenure as the 15th president of the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association. McInturf brings an extensive background in alumni relations and university advancement to OSU, including a six-year stint as executive director for alumni relations at the University of North Texas. He recently sat down with STATE Magazine for a Q&A to introduce himself. Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood? I grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, which is about 2½ hours east of Chicago. I was raised in a musicand sports-loving family. My sister and I both played everything we could and had really great family support. Our nights and weekends were filled with practices, games and concerts. When it was time for me to go to college, I wanted to play baseball in warmer weather and ended up at the University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama. Where did life take you after college? My senior year, I took an internship in the university’s advancement office. It turned out to be a pivotal experience. After I finished my master’s degree at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, I was invited to come back and work for West Alabama as the alumni director. I got to wear a lot of hats. I worked in alumni engagement, managed the university’s annual fund and handled UWA’s public relations and marketing efforts. Where did you head next after receiving all of that experience in Alabama? There was an opportunity at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, which is on the southern coast of the state. It’s a beautiful community and campus. It is only a five-minute drive from the ocean. I met my wife, Emily, there and had a wonderful experience. In 2014, we moved to Dallas-Fort Worth for a role at the University of North Texas. There are a lot of

STORY WILL CARR | PHOTO GARY LAWSON

OSU alumni in Texas, and it was easy to hear about the great things happening in Stillwater. I thought if I ever got the opportunity to be a part of that, it would definitely be something to explore. What made OSU stand out to you? Several things stood out to me. The OSU brand and the Cowboy Code are what hit me first. The passion and pride of alumni in what they stand for and how they treat others is the best amplifier of what it means to be a Cowboy. The word family gets used a lot, too, and it’s accurate. People here are genuinely interested in others’ success and look out for each other. It’s a very welcoming community. What are you looking forward to the most in your new role? Getting to know our alumni and learning what’s important to all of our constituents, which is challenging in this COVID-19 environment. The OSU Alumni Association represents more than 260,000 graduates and more than 100 chapters and affinity groups. I look forward to working with each to develop the vision and strategic plan for the future of the association. What do you like to do for fun outside of the office? Emily and I spend all our “free time” chasing our 3-year-old daughter, Cora. She’s our world. It’s so much fun to watch her grow and develop. It seems like each new stage is our favorite. On the rare occasion that we can get a babysitter, Emily and I like to go to a nice dinner for date night.

Watch an OStateTV video interview with Rob McInturf at okla.st/robmc.

Do you have a fun story about you to tell our alumni? My first collegiate at-bat was against Mark Buehrle. His Major League Baseball career (with the Chicago White Sox, Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays) included a no-hitter, a perfect game, five All-Star Game appearances and a World Series title. You can guess how that at-bat turned out.

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CONNECTING COWBOYS FOR LIFE New membership model credits past support and opens opportunities for a lifetime of engagement

ince the OSU Alumni Association initiated annual membership dues for $1 in 1907, not too much has changed except the price and the options. Countless membership campaigns have been held since those early days. While many drove an initial increase in annual memberships, all too often a percentage of those members would eventually lapse — even after life memberships were added in 1915.

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“The renewal cycle has been a challenge to many alumni associations since membership programs began,” said Melisa Parkerson, who took over the Alumni Association’s membership program in 2019 after 11 years in student programs. “We have been looking at updating our membership model for many years to try to overcome that problem. After two years of planning, we’re thrilled to

roll out this new model we believe is the first of its kind in the country.” CREDITING THE DUES The Alumni Association’s board of directors approved the new membership model Aug. 23, 2019, and it went into effect June 30, 2020. The most notable change is an emphasis on life membership and the recognition of previous support through annual dues.

STORY CHASE CARTER | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY

“Alumni who have been paying annual dues for years have been essential to our organization, but they haven’t been making any progress toward a life membership,” Parkerson said. “That all changed June 30.” Any annual dues paid by members in the past now count toward a life membership, along with any dues paid in the future. A member who has paid the $45 annual dues for five years, totaling $225, will receive a credit for that amount toward a life membership, which today costs $1,000. Additionally, the Alumni Association has created new payment schedules and methods to lower the barriers to becoming a life member. New monthly and quarterly payment plans are available for as little as $10 and $25, respectively. A new payment processor also brought online now accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay and electronic fund transfers, or EFTs, from a personal checking or savings account. “While the term ‘annual dues’ has been phased out, members can still pay once per year to maintain their active status,” Parkerson said. “But instead of paying to ‘rent’ their member benefits for a few years, their payment is now investing in their future life membership — and investing more in OSU.” TAKING THE NEXT STEP The new model includes a four-step progression for all Cowboys. Anyone whose dues meet the minimum annual requirement of $50 will be considered a Member. Previous annual members who continue to make yearly payments will fall into this category. Cowboys who set up a recurring payment plan on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis will fall into a new Member Plus category. Automated payments reduce the chance of memberships lapsing and help the Alumni Association save on printed renewal statements. “Our new payment form is quick and easy to use, plus it’s now accessible on both our website and mobile app,” Parkerson said. “We hope members will take this opportunity to set up a payment plan at the amount of their

ENHANCEMENTS AT A GLANCE

NEW MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

Previous annual dues paid now count toward life membership

MEMBER Yearly payment of $50 or more

New monthly and quarterly payment options

MEMBER PLUS Paying $50 or more annually with an active payment plan

New payment options through Apple Pay, Google Pay and EFT New dues minimums of $10/month, $25/quarter and $50/year All memberships are now individual

LIFE MEMBER Status after lifetime dues payments equal the current life membership rate LIFE MEMBER PLUS Life member who continues dues payments of $50 or more annually

REMEMBER Anyone can be a member of the Alumni Association — not just graduates!

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“It has never been easier to become an Alumni Association life member.” UM

NI ASSO

C IA

ROB MCINTURF, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

OSU

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EMBER UM

NI ASSO

OSU

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LIF

MEMB

The OSU Alumni Association also launched a new brand in May. With it came a new design to the famous orange ball car decal that now features Pistol Pete. All life members were mailed new decals in July. Annual members will receive them with their renewal or upgrade.

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choosing, so they don’t even have to remember to make a payment.” Once an active member has paid the equivalent to the current life membership rate, they will be considered a Life Member. Their member benefits will be locked in for life with additional exclusive benefits including unique event and discount opportunities. Most Cowboys do not become life members and cease their university support. In fact, 64 percent of current OSU donors were members first. For this reason, the Alumni Association has created a new level called Life Member Plus, which is reserved for life members who continue their contributions to the organization. “Some of our alumni will recognize this new level as our Traditions Fund,” Parkerson said. “These dues will be used where they’re needed the most, whether that’s for Homecoming, chapter or student programming, or a new initiative. “The important thing to remember is your connection for life never ends. We believe this new membership level will offer life members an easy way to continue giving back to support OSU traditions and the Cowboy culture.” BIG REWARD, BIG IMPACT “It has never been easier to become an Alumni Association life member,” said Rob McInturf, Alumni Association president. “More importantly, there have never been more reasons to be an active member — both for our members and for the institution.” The Alumni Association has increased its member benefits and programming over the past decade with the addition of Alumni Career Services, the reintroduction of Traveling Cowboys, the implementation of virtual programming and more. “We have also stepped up our support of the university and campus partners by serving as a brand amplifier that connects the colleges and departments with smaller and more targeted groups of alumni,” McInturf said. “It’s our job to keep Cowboys connected to each other and the university, and membership dues make that happen.”

From July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, Cowboys who become life members or existing life members who transition to the new Life Member Plus level will receive a one-of-a-kind kit that includes a custom life member tumbler and socks, OSU stationery and stickers, plus several unique items to remind them of Stillwater. “All of these items are being custommade for life members and won’t be available anywhere else,” Parkerson said. The kit also will include the latest design of the orange ball car decal, which received an update following the launch of the new Alumni Association brand in May. The decal now features everyone’s favorite mascot, Pistol Pete, along with bold text highlighting their Member or Life Member status. CLAIM YOUR CREDIT Today, the Alumni Association has just over 30,000 active members — but nearly three times that number have been previous members and are now lapsed with a credit that can be applied toward a life membership. To make the renewal and upgrade process as simple as possible, the Alumni Association also has built a new online profile where anyone in the OSU database can see how much they have paid in dues and how much they have left to reach life member status. A visual progression easily shows which membership level they are on and which steps remain to become a Life Member Plus. Cowboys can visit the Alumni Association’s website to learn more about the new membership model and log in to access their portal and any life membership credit. The nine-digit ID required to register and log in is printed above the mailing label on the front of this magazine. Cowboys can also call the Alumni Association to request a customized payment link with their credit included.

BECOME A LIFE MEMBER ORANGECONNECTION.org/join 405-744-2066 membership@orangeconnection.org

OKLAHOMA NEEDS DOCTORS LIKE YOU Choose a career in medicine and make a difference.

OSU-trained physicians work and live across the state providing excellent patient care to generations of Oklahoma families. Learn how the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine can help you achieve your dream of becoming a doctor. Learn more about applying to medical school at health.okstate.edu. 1111 West 17th Street | Tulsa, OK 74107-1898 | 918-582-1972

CONNECTIONS Members find a variety of ways to strengthen their OSU bonds with the Alumni Association

DR. CHARLES QUALLS “There is just a different dynamic when it is just grandparents and their grandchildren.”

Becoming a member of the Cowboy family can happen well before a student steps foot on the OSU campus in Stillwater. One of the best traits about OSU is the connection the university can have across generations. Dr. Charles Qualls has helped spread his love for OSU to his two grandchildren, Davis and Dane Villanueva. Qualls graduated from OSU in 1971 and 1973 with degrees in preveterinary sciences and veterinary medicine, respectively. He would eventually serve as a faculty member in the OSU School of Veterinary Medicine for 19 years. His membership in the Alumni Association allows his grandsons to participate in the Legacy program. The OSU Alumni Association’s Legacy program is designed to educate future Cowboys and Cowgirls about

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OSU by providing age-specific gifts throughout their childhood. A legacy is classified as any child between the ages of birth and 18 with a parent or grandparent who is an active member of the OSU Alumni Association. The program also includes fun events for legacies to attend throughout the year. The headlining event each summer is Grandparent University (GPU). This unique, intergenerational learning experience, held twice every June, is a fun-filled experience that engages kids in majors available at OSU while creating memories for both generations. Qualls, who now resides in California, has attended GPU for four years, saying he loves getting to spend time and make memories with his grandsons. The thing that appealed to most to him was the opportunity the

program provides to bridge the gap between two generations. “Not having the parental influence there is probably a good thing,” Qualls joked. “There is just a different dynamic when it is just grandparents and their grandchildren.” Qualls and his grandsons have enjoyed their time at GPU and participated in several science-based majors. Their shared love for science also helped strengthen their bond. “The boys really enjoyed the science programs and that type thing,” Qualls said. “They enjoyed the overall experience, and it was great to see how they really got into the classes and learning new things.”

STORY WILL CARR | PHOTOS OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

MADY HENDRYX “I think it is a really great time to bring people together and to celebrate the university that has brought us all together in so many different ways.”

By name only, the OSU Alumni Association may seem like an organization focused on those who have already graduated from OSU, but there are many opportunities for current students to get involved before they receive their diploma. One student who has taken advantage of those experiences is Mady Hendryx. She is a senior majoring in music from Edmond, Oklahoma. Her involvement with the Alumni Association started when she joined the Homecoming Steering Committee. “I just love Homecoming,” Hendryx said. “I think it is a really great time to bring people together and to celebrate the university that has brought us all together in many different ways. I especially love the parade because

it not only brings together students and faculty, but also the Stillwater community.” After serving on the Homecoming Steering Committee, Hendryx was chosen to have an even greater impact on her favorite aspect of the tradition. In 2019, she served as one of the nine Homecoming directors, planning and executing last year’s Sea of Orange Parade. In addition to her involvement in Homecoming, Hendryx is also a member of the Student Alumni Board, and she was named member of the year in 2019. The Alumni Association recently made some exciting changes to its student membership and engagement programming. Now known as the Student Network and Alumni Ambassadors programs, these organizations provide students with new opportunities to get connected with the Alumni Association.

Those involved in the Student Network can take part in several different and unique events to help expand their experience at OSU. For Hendryx, it was an opportunity to learn more about what the university has to offer beyond her major. “We were able to tour the food plant that is under the Ferguson College of Agriculture,” she said. “We saw giant cuts of meat and learned more about the effects of agriculture. I had never seen anything like that before. It blew my mind.” The Student Network’s programming is designed to enhance the experience of each student member and help them find their place on campus. “It is a great home for people to express themselves and really get to know different people from unique walks of life,” Hendryx said.

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BIANCA COLE “I will never forget it. That is when I knew that I wanted to get further involved with the chapter.” A Cowboy or Cowgirl’s connection to OSU does not end when they graduate. No matter where an alumnus moves after graduation, chances are a local Alumni Association chapter is nearby.

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Bianca Cole, a 2010 zoology graduate, learned this after she completed her collegiate career on the Stillwater campus. After a brief stop in Tulsa, she moved to Houston, where she works as a senior provider relations manager for United Health Care. Cole is involved with the Houston OSU Alumni Chapter, which she credits for helping her find her place in Houston, a city where she only knew a handful of people. “One of my first events was the OSU Night at the Houston Astros,” Cole said. “I will never forget it. That is when I knew that I wanted to get further involved with the chapter.” Since then, Cole has stayed connected for more than five years and volunteers as a chapter leader, serving as an ambassador for the Alumni Association and helping connect alumni in the area. One of Cole’s favorite aspects of chapter involvement is getting to have an impact on future

Cowboys before they head to OSU. In Houston, students are surrounded by several different options for college, both in Texas and beyond. Cole loves to tell students about OSU and how great her entire experience was throughout her time in Stillwater. In addition, she helps make a difference in those students’ lives by raising money for the chapter’s scholarship fund. “I’m always pushing forward for those kids who may not necessarily get the chance to go to OSU without a scholarship,” Cole said. “I know how it feels to go to college and not be financially stable. That is what keeps me going.” In addition to scholarship fundraisers, Cole loves to get to know fellow OSU graduates and Alumni Association members at events throughout the city. “Houston is such a big city,” Cole said. “It is crazy the number of different events that I get to go to and the different people that I get to meet.” Whether alumni stay in Stillwater, find a home in another state or move abroad, staying involved with the Alumni Association through a local or regional chapter is a great way to keep a connection with the Cowboy family.

JULIE AND DON SAXTON “You have a lot of good conversations. It is just enjoyable to have that camaraderie.” The Alumni Association’s reach across the United States and beyond helps members of the Cowboy family in everyday life. Alumni also have numerous options to see the world through the Traveling Cowboys program. Whether by land or by sea, traveling with the Alumni Association ensures Cowboys get to explore alongside fellow OSU alumni and friends. A couple of the 606 travelers who have chosen to take their journeys with the Traveling Cowboys program are Julie and Don Saxton. Julie graduated from OSU in 1975 with a degree in elementary education, and her husband, Don, earned his degree from Kansas State University. Since taking their first trip in 2017, the Saxtons have gone on a total of four trips through the Traveling Cowboys program. A planned fifth trip to Egypt is now temporarily on hold due to the

COVID-19 pandemic. “Initially, just receiving the brochures in the mail was intriguing to us,” Julie Saxton said. “The trips offered appealed to us, and we had heard good things from other people who had taken trips through the Traveling Cowboys.” In addition to the exciting trips offered, the program offers a carefree experience as the Alumni Association staff and travel partners take care of all of the arrangements for the attendees on the trip. This simple process is part of the reason the Saxtons have returned to the program multiple times. “I think it is the ease of booking everything through the Traveling Cowboys that keeps us coming back,” Julie Saxton said. “It’s a very reasonable price for the service.” Another major reason alumni and friends travel with the Alumni Association is to connect with other

members of the Cowboy Family. On many of the trips, there are welcome receptions and events to help traveling groups get to know each other a little better. “It’s always fun to have a big group of people who you can go to happy hour or dinner with,” Don Saxton said. “You have a lot of good conversations. It is just enjoyable to have that camaraderie.” In addition to the fellow OSU travelers, there are also guests from other Big 12 schools and universities from around the country on these trips. “Everybody we have met on all of our trips have been super nice people,” Don Saxton said. “We have some school rivalry on the trips, but it is all goodnatured fun.”

LEARN MORE Membership in the OSU Alumni Association supports all of these programs and provides members unique opportunities for engagement with the Cowboy Family. Visit ORANGECONNECTION.org to learn more about programs and membership.

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STUDENT NEWS

IMPACT Spotlight

Occupation: Coordinator for Inclusion Learning Program

Promoting Diversity, Leadership & Accountability The Inclusion Learning Program (ILP) was started in 2006 as part of the newly formed Diversity Academic Support Department. The program started with sophomores at Oklahoma State University mentoring high school juniors and seniors to encourage them to go to college. Now the mentor/mentee students work together to host a spring conference about coming to college for 50 to 100 high school students. The workshops demystify the journey of coming to college for an audience of mainly firstgeneration students.

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Chris

Bingham

How would you quantify the positive impact this program has on its participants? You can see the positive impact in the retention and graduation rate of the students who have gone through the program. It is typically higher than the general OSU population. As for the high school participants, we see that many of them are more prepared for attending college and getting enrolled in programs to help them succeed. Are there ways that you hope to grow the program to even further increase its impact? Ideally we would be able to increase the amount of students served. We also want to create additional elements of the program to address personal and professional development. We're hoping to give students the opportunity to access enrichment activities such as plays, musicals and museums. How would you describe the importance of promoting inclusion and the way it positively advances society? Inclusion is important in all aspects of life. It brings different views and life experiences into conversations and decisions. It is important to promote it because sometimes it is overlooked. We have to make sure that people feel welcome and their opinions matter. It can positively advance society because it allows individuals from different backgrounds the chance to express themselves. It gives others the chance to take in their knowledge and experience and hopefully move forward from there. It helps shine light on topics that are sometimes hard to understand if you have never lived them.

Hometown: Oklahoma City Major: Mechanical Engineering

Daniel Salinas Class of '21

What impact has this program had on you both academically and personally? Fall semester of my sophomore year was my worst academic semester. I put too much on my plate and that ultimately had an effect on my grades. The program coordinator at the time, Ms. Rosenburr, helped me get over this hurdle by consistently keeping me accountable and simply being someone I could talk to. I did better in the spring, but I do not think I would have done well if Ms. Rosenburr was not in my corner helping me out. What inspired you to be a mentor and what was that experience like? To be honest, what initially got me interested in participating in the program was the $1,000 stipend awarded for completion. It wasn't until I met my mentee, Diego Alvarado, that I started to change my mindset. Diego consistently asked me questions, and it felt good to share with him what I have learned through my experiences. I didn't always make the best decisions so I did not want Diego to go through what I went through. How would you describe the benefit and importance of this program to someone who's interested in it? There are so many benefits. It helps develop presentation and organizational skills and being involved in the program also opened up doors to other on-campus opportunities for me. Most importantly, it allowed me to meet Diego. The best part of being a mentor is watching your mentee become the best version of themselves. I definitely recommend this program and if I could, I would do it again!

Jessica

Hometown: Oklahoma City

Adkins

Major: Health care Administration Graduate Student

Class of '22

How did you get connected with the program and when did you go through it? I got connected with the program through Retention in Student Excellence (R.I.S.E.), which was my freshman year. ILP was kind of the sophomore-level program in my eyes. The students who were in the program would come and talk to us about the program, and most of them had also gone through RISE as well. Are there any key things that you took away from the program and have used in your everyday life? Key things that I still use in my life today are my leadership and planning skills. I am more organized than before I came to college, and I take the time out to plan things. I used my planning and leadership skills to be coordinator of pageants and events. I want to become a CEO of a hospital so that will involve me having leadership skills. Planning is something that I will always use, to also stay on top of things. How important was having access to a program like this to you? It's really important and impactful to have a program like ILP. It allows people to come out of their comfort zone but also have a support system behind them. The directors are not only there during the program but continue to be there even after you have finished. Sometimes when coming to college and being away from family, we may feel alone and feel like our support system is not there. This program takes it all away because they go out of their way to make sure you feel supported and reach your goals.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Greenwood School of Music holds beam signing

Michael and Anne Greenwood

The Oklahoma State University Greenwood School of Music hosted a socially distant beam signing to celebrate the progress being made on the building. While it wasn’t the event originally intended, President Burns Hargis, OSU First Cowgirl Ann Hargis, Michael and Anne Greenwood, and Director Jeff Loeffert still gathered on April 27 to celebrate an important milestone for the Greenwood School. “It was a great day, even if very private, to celebrate the beautiful new building,” said Anne Greenwood. “Right now, we also think it is so important to keep positive as we approach next year. This gave all of us something happy to celebrate — a great new building for the students and something very exciting to look forward to!” With new pens and staggered times for each person, the group added their names, a quote or a thoughtful message on the orange beam. “Despite the restrictions, as we all try to keep safe and well, it was very important to Anne and me to be able to have the beam signing event to show our appreciation to the construction

staff who continued to work during the pandemic,” Michael Greenwood said. “Without their efforts there would be no place at this time to install a beam! We cannot thank them enough for their perseverance during these difficult times to make our dream a reality.” The Greenwood School of Music is set to open in 2021 and will offer a premier teaching and learning experience for the more than 2,100 students who participate in various music programs at OSU. The university has raised more than 75 percent of the $15 million goal for the project. About $3.4 million in private support is still needed.

LEARN MORE For more information about the Greenwood School of Music, visit OSUgiving.com/Greenwood.

OSU-Tulsa graduate wins national award for police research Tulsa Police Department senior officer and Oklahoma State UniversityTulsa graduate Jesse Guardiola received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 3, 2019. He was one of 19 officers from more than 700 state, local and national police agencies to be recognized. Guardiola has served as TPD’s director of community recruitment since 2005. After years of outreach efforts and data collection, he decided to pursue a master’s degree in Teaching, Learning and Leadership at OSUTulsa in 2013 to refine his research on community policing.

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For his capstone project, Guardiola created a data-driven community policing model that could be implemented by enforcement agencies across the country. Guardiola is also interested in recruiting more minority officers to TPD to help build relationships in the communities they serve. According to Guardiola, TPD’s requirement that all officers hold a bachelor’s degree can be a deterrent for minority candidates, who face many systemic barriers to earning a degree. He is exploring initiatives with OSUTulsa to help address those barriers. Jesse Guardiola and U.S. Attorney for Northern Oklahoma Trent Shores at the medal ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Spears Business names inclusion officer

Alexis Smith Washington

The Spears School of Business has named Dr. Alexis Smith Washington, an associate professor of management, as its new senior inclusion officer to lead a new initiative to support and prioritize diversity and inclusion in educational programs, resources and opportunities for all business students, faculty and staff. Dr. Ken Eastman, dean of Spears Business, approached Washington in 2019 with the idea for an inclusion and diversity effort at Spears. After years of celebrating progress in diversity, Eastman said he became concerned that the school had become too comfortable. “I think we need to do more,” he said. “We have gotten complacent.” Washington, a nationally recognized teacher, researcher and speaker on issues

of gender, diversity, inclusion and bias in the workplace and the classroom, joined the Spears faculty in 2012 after earning her doctorate from Tulane University. She said she has seen the school’s momentum, but what’s needed now is the “centering” of inclusion in Spears’ educational mission, activities and messaging. “Through this position, Spears is taking ownership of the process of including all of the different people represented in the school and making the effort to create the kind of educational community where people can be their best selves,” Washington said. “I believe we can be having more meaningful conversations about inclusion.”

Museum of Art wins $50,000 grant The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art has received a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts through the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security). The funds will go toward expanding and retooling educational programming and events to reach audiences in new and innovative ways. To make programming accessible to the community during the pandemic, the OSU Museum of Art offered online educational videos, a 360° Virtual Tour, and curbside pick-up bags including art activities. The exhibition, The State We’re In Water: Constructing a Sense of Space in the Hydrosphere will open Aug. 24, when the museum reopens. “Although challenged by limited access and developing new ways of delivering programming, our partners on this project have been very creative and resilient,” said museum Director Vicky Berry. “We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the museum and into our exploration of the world of water through the artist’s eyes.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

Regents unanimously approve removing Murray name The Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents unanimously voted June 19 to remove the name “Murray” from Murray Hall and North Murray Hall on Oklahoma State University’s campus. The buildings were named after Oklahoma’s ninth governor, William H. “Alfalfa Bill” Murray, who had a record of advocacy for racist policies including segregation and the promotion of Jim Crow laws, which in effect stripped many Black Oklahomans of their right to vote. “Today’s decision to remove Murray’s name from our campus is an important step to eliminate any actual or symbol of racism on OSU’s campus,” OSU President Burns Hargis said after the vote.

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“The extreme racist views Murray held, including his support for segregation, contradict our values of equality and justice,” Regent Chair Tucker Link said. “The Regents’ unanimous decision to un-name the buildings reflects our recognition that removing this symbol of racism is overdue. We embrace our responsibility to dismantle systemic racism.” OSU senior Kaitlyn Kirksey, former president of the Student Government Association, initiated the action leading to the resolution during the fall 2019 semester. “This moment is over two decades in the making. I’m proud to have been part of the final push in the un-naming of Murray, but I am only one of many

Cowboys to have fought for this change,” she said. “Removing the name is about learning from our past, not rewriting it. “As a Cowboy family, we aspire to achieve inclusive excellence in our community, both personally and physically. And as we chart our course for the future, we will continue to fight for each other and for every member of our family to feel included, valued, and loved here at Oklahoma State. Removing Murray’s name is just another step on our journey to make OSU the best it can be.”

View a video of the name removal at okla.st/murrayhall.

Botanic Garden is making changes The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University is adding a paved road to make it easer to get from the parking lot to the garden. “With more than 40,000 people visiting the garden annually, we want to make this space the best it can be,” Garden Director Lou Anella said. Parking at the garden was somewhat limited, especially during events such as the Concerts in the Garden series, open houses and the annual GardenFest. As a result, Anella said overflow parking was in the grass, and vendor vehicles often had to drive on unpaved paths to reach the staging areas.

“The new road will eliminate both of these issues while creating a safer entrance for our garden guests,” he said. About three-fourths of the $425,000 cost of the road is being covered by the university, as well as OSU’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. The remaining 25 percent is being funded through donations. Another new feature at the garden will be especially exciting for kids. With the help of a Recreational Trails Grant from the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, the first part

of the new Treewalk Village has been installed. Anella said this structure is a series of ramps and platforms in the pin oak trees just south of the labyrinth and is partially disability accessible. “The platforms are connected by rope bridges. We’ve applied for another Recreational Trails Grant and hopefully we can expand Treewalk Village to include even more fun elements,” Anella said. To make a tax-deductible donation, email Heidi Williams, senior director of principal gifts with the OSU Foundation, at hwilliams@osugiving.com.

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WELLNESS

Battling RSV

OSU associate professor is working to help develop a vaccine against early childhood affliction

Tom Oomens

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STORY DERINDA BLAKENEY | PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

“If we make some breakthroughs and they contribute to a vaccine, the impact on worldwide health is enormous. That’s an important driving factor for me.” — DR. TOM OOMENS

n Oklahoma State University associate professor is working on a vaccine to battle a very common virus: the respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. “Worldwide, an estimated 44 million cases of acute respiratory illness afflict children from age 0 to 5,” said Tom Oomens, Ph.D., an associate veterinary pathobiology professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Of those 44 million cases, 3 million to 4 million are hospitalized with severe bronchiolitis and/or pneumonia. Of those, 70,000 to 200,000 children die every year. In the U.S., when you look at hospitalizations in that age group, 20 percent are due to this one virus. So it’s a very significant respiratory virus, and there is no vaccine.” In addition, Dr. Oomens said the virus has a huge impact on the elderly. “It is a virus that is very cunning in blocking the ability of its host, which in this case is us, to make a good immune response. This virus keeps pestering us throughout our lives. As a result, you get RSVassociated respiratory disease throughout your life, although healthy adults typically experience only cold-like symptoms. It’s recently been realized that up to 10,000 elderly people die every year from RSV in the U.S. alone. “The potential impact my research can have on human health is probably the biggest overall excitement for me. If we make some breakthroughs and they contribute to a vaccine, the impact on worldwide health is enormous. That’s an important driving factor for me.” In Oomens’ research lab, the RSV work takes two directions. “Viruses have a coat, so to speak,” he explained. “There’s a layer on the outside that virologists call an envelope. In the envelope, proteins are embedded, which we have studied for a long time. We study the role that these proteins play in virus replication, how the virus goes in and out of cells, and also how these proteins impact the immune response. The second big area we focus on is how to translate all of that knowledge that we gain into vaccines.” Developing that vaccine may be getting closer. Oomens is working with Robert Welliver Sr., M.D.,

a professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, who has developed a baboon model for RSV. “There are no good animal models, so this is a big asset,” Oomens said. “Dr. Welliver has been looking into some of my vaccines, and recently he received a National Institutes of Health grant to investigate how to best deliver the vaccines to the lungs of animals. “So far we have been funded to do mostly liveattenuated (using a weakened form of the RSV virus) vaccine work. However, it’s not clear which vaccine approach is going to be the best approach, nor whether different ages need different vaccines. Therefore, we are also looking into different approaches that may help us to tailor vaccines to different age groups. Recently, we obtained new NIH funding to do work on viruses that are not live but are inactive. “Research careers are very exciting. They do require dedication, a critical mind and stamina,” he said. “One of the best things is you are sort of like a detective. It’s a never-ending detective story of finding new leads that take you to the next step. “If there were one thing I could tell people about biomedical research, I would like to make the public more aware of how long it takes in the biomedical world to come up with a safe cure, how dedicated many of my research colleagues are in trying to find cures for a disease, and also how much funding it takes to get to that point. In the U.S., most infectious disease research is funded by the National Institutes of Health. “In Oklahoma, we also have the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, which helps a lot of budding scientists tackle important problems and technologies. These funding sources are extremely important to keep biomedical research pushing forward to actually discover cures for medical problems such as RSV.” To support research at the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, contact Ashley Hesser, assistant director of development with the OSU Foundation, at ahesser@osugiving. com or 405-385-0715.

LEARN MORE about Dr. Tom Oomens’ research okla.st/oomens.

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ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N FILL 2021 WITH

TRAVEL MEMORIES Enjoy this overview of the 28 trips the Traveling Cowboys program is offering in 2021. Book your vacation today at ORANGECONNECTION.org/travel.

LEGENDS OF THE NILE

Discover ancient Egypt along the Nile River. This 10-night adventure features four nights on a first-class ship, five nights in Cairo and one night in Luxor. The Great Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings and the tomb of King Tut come to life with an expert licensed Egyptologist during all excursions. Stroll the burial grounds at the Temple of Karnak, witness the fold burial mask and sarcophagus of Tutankhamen and learn how ancient treasures are restored with special access at the Oriental Institute’s Chicago House of Luxor. Witness the Great Temple of Ramses II carved out of a mountain, seek out fantastic treasures in Cairo’s old bazaar and visit venerable mosques and Coptic Christian churches. AHI

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ISRAEL – LAND OF CULTURAL TREASURES M a rch 6- 1 5, 2 02 1

LEGENDS TO LAGOONS M a rch 1 5 - 2 5 , 2 0 2 1

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Explore Israel’s diverse religious heritage, architecture, dramatic landscapes, culinary traditions and more in a rich cultural journey. This eight-night program begins in cosmopolitan Tel Aviv. Visit a colorful market and artist’s studio in nearby Jaffa, the second-oldest port city in the world, then cruise the Sea of Galilee. Explore Akko’s Crusader fort, an ancient fishing village and the scenic Mount of Beatitudes. Savor local olive oils, wine at a Golan Heights winery and a traditional Druze lunch with a family in their home. Tour Old Jerusalem, including the Mount of Olives, the Western Wall and the Davidson Center. Spend time at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial, and speak with a Holocaust survivor. Gaze upon the Dead Sea and witness six UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Western Galilee. AHI

Settle into island life as you encounter the South Pacific’s beaches and glittering lagoons aboard the luxurious Regatta. Spend a day exploring Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia. The island’s volcanic peaks overlook a lush rain forest, black sand beaches and cascading waterfalls. Next, sail to Moorea, a heart-shaped island with eight mountain peaks rising from its lagoon. In Fakarava, explore the coral church or spot wildlife teeming in the atoll’s rectangular reef, designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Travel to Nuku Hiva to see one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, Vaipo Falls, then continue to Rangiroa. Stay for two days in Bora Bora, commonly referred to as the most romantic island in the world. Before returning to Papeete, spend a languorous day in Raitea relaxing on beaches skirted by vanilla plantations and jungle landscapes. Go Next

STORY WILL CARR | PHOTOS OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

CHARM OF THE AMALFI COAST A pril 7 - 1 5, 2 02 1

Italy’s Amalfi Coast has been luring travelers, artists and romantics for centuries. Treat yourself to the region’s scenic splendor during a seven-night adventure based in Vietri sul Mare. We’ll encounter the magnificent coastline with its colorful villages and towering cliffs as we visit Ravello and Amalfi. Then enjoy a nautical perspective of the region during a cruise to lovely Salerno. Discover the Isle of Capri, a celebrated resort since the time of the Roman Republic and take a fascinating historical tour of Herculaneum and Pompeii, frozen in time by the mudflows of Mount Vesuvius. Relax amid lemon-scented breezes in beautiful, cliffside Sorrento, see Paestum’s fascinating Greek ruins and explore the medieval streets and wonders of Old Naples, including the National Archaeological Museum. Plus, indulge in the region’s culinary heritage during an authentic pizza lunch. AHI

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Travel along the Atlantic coast of the South aboard Victory Cruise Lines’ M/V Victory I. Your adventure begins with an included one-night hotel stay before you embark your ship and sail to Fernandina Beach, Florida. In Brunswick, Georgia, enjoy antique shops and Victorian-era architecture. Make a stop in Savannah, Georgia, and head to Charleston, South Carolina, to explore its wealth of museums or perhaps sate your palate with fresh oysters pulled straight from the harbor. In Beaufort, visit the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. Enjoy Jacksonville’s 22 miles of sandy beaches in Florida, which also act as your gateway to St. Augustine, a historic city filled with Spanish flavors. Then head to Freeport, a beachfront haven on the isle of Grand Bahama. Before ending your cruise in Fernandina Beach, stop in West Palm Beach to take in some art or dine al fresco in a small café. Go Next

DUTCH WATERWAYS

From the thatched farmhouses and footpaths of fairy-tale Giethoorn to the medieval landmarks of Antwerp, fall in love with the Netherlands and Belgium via their intimate waterways. See bygone eras take shape aboard a first-class river ship for seven nights. In Amsterdam, get a close-up look at 17th-century canals and landmarks on a river cruiser, then choose to dive into acres of colorful tulips at Keukenhof Gardens, bike through charming villages, or gaze at masterpieces by Rembrandt and other Dutch artists at the Rijksmuseum. Explore The Hague and the art of the Mauritshuis, or watch an artisan paint porcelain at the Royal Delft factory. Tour Bruges’ Old Town, then savor its chocolate, discover its beer culture, or visit the Groeninge Museum. Immerse yourself in the seaport of Antwerp with its quaint architecture and café-filled lanes. AHI

SPRINGTIME COASTS OF THE SOUTH

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Explore exotic landscapes and cultures cruising Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean on an 18-night journey aboard Oceania Cruises’ Regatta. Embark in San Francisco and sail to Catalina Island to explore the great outdoors in this vacationer’s wonderland. Visit the celebrated Valle de Guadalupe wine region outside of Ensenada. Enjoy an invigorating mix of art and entertainment along Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón esplanade. Sail on to new discoveries along the tropical coasts of Central America. From Puerto Quetzal, head to UNESCO-listed Antigua. In San Juan del Sur, take in surfers and sunset views from the Nicaraguan coast. And in Costa Rica, discover a painter’s palette of exotic flora and fauna. Cross the Panama Canal off your bucket list as you head toward the Caribbean Sea. Stop in Cartagena, and sail to the Cayman Islands for a day in the beach lover’s paradise of George Town. Go Next

Join us for a spectacular 12-night voyage through Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Italy aboard Oceania Cruises’ Marina. Embark in Athens, and cruise to Mykonos. Stop off in Kuşadasi with access to the legendary ruins of Ephesus. See tranquil Patmos, a pilgrimage site echoing with the bells of more than 300 churches and take in the beach resort of Marmaris. Witness the romance of Chania’s 14th-century Venetian Harbour. Visit Katakolon, showcasing Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic games. And uncover the layered history hidden in Corfu’s monasteries, palaces, and mountain towns. Visit the fortresses and sacred sites of the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik. Admire Ravenna’s unique mosaics and frescos and catch a glimpse of grand Habsburg style along Rijeka’s Korzo promenade. Spend a day in the timeless city of Venice to explore flower-strewn canals and marble palaces. Go Next

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CLASSIC EUROPE GRAD TRIP

Explore the storied legacies and dynamic cultures of coastal Portugal, Spain, France and England and commemorate the historic D-Day landings. Cruise for eight nights from Lisbon aboard the chartered five-star small ship Le Boréal. Visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites, and conclude with a memorable cruise up the legendary River Thames to spend one night aboard ship a stone’s throw from London’s illustrious Tower Bridge. Special guest speaker Dwight D. Eisenhower II, grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, accompanies you to the hallowed beaches of Normandy. Cruise along Spain’s ruggedly beautiful Costa Verde, explore Oporto in Portugal’s renowned port wine country and walk in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims on the Way of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. Observe the intriguing juxtaposition of old and new in Bilbao. Tour Mont-Saint-Michel’s astounding abbey. Gohagan

Send your graduates on the trip of a lifetime as a reward for all their hard work. Have them join us on this unforgettable voyage through England, France, Italy and Vatican City. In London, see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. Visit the Eiffel Tower and explore the best museums of Paris, then ride the high-speed train to the French Riviera. Discover Rome, where the Colosseum and Forum remind us of its dramatic past. The beauty of this journey is the balance of fun excursions, time at leisure and fascinating looks into history, architecture and breathtaking European landscapes. Unleash your inner adventurer and make memories and new friends to last a lifetime. AESU

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Glimpse a primeval world on this 14-day safari through some of southern Africa’s great wildlife sanctuaries in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia. On this small group tour limited to 24 travelers, encounter the African savannah, one of the planet’s last unspoiled natural refuges. The adventure begins with sightseeing in Johannesburg’s renowned Soweto district. Leaving urban life behind, spend three nights near Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls. A “Sundowner” Zambezi dinner cruise offers another opportunity to observe wildlife. For a window on local life, visit Victoria Falls town and a local grade school. Continuing on to Botswana’s Chobe National Park, embark on boat safaris and game drives. Then take a chartered flight to Zambia for unparalleled wildlife viewing at Lower Zambezi National Park. Finish your trip with a relaxing three-night stay at the intimate Royal Zambezi Lodge. Odysseys

FLAVORS OF CHIANTI

Meander through Tuscany’s colorful cities, cypress-studded hilltop towns, classic cucinas and idyllic vineyards during this small-group journey. Enjoy seven nights of deluxe accommodations in the luxurious hilltop Castello La Leccia in Castellina featuring exceptional views of the lush Tuscan landscape. Visit the childhood home of Lisa Gherardini — immortalized as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci — at villa Vignamaggio. And work side by side with Italian chefs during a cooking class and wine tasting in Greve. Enjoy a stroll through spectacular Siena with its celebrated Duomo and bustling Piazza del Campo. Admire the Etruscan ruins and Roman center at Volterra before visiting charming San Gimignano, which is completely encircled by medieval walls. See a cheese-making demonstration at Podere Il Casale. Orbridge

AFRICA’S WILDLIFE

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Discover captivating destinations in Scandinavia and the Baltics on this journey aboard Oceania Cruises’ Marina. Begin your adventure in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, where the statue of the Little Mermaid greets visitors to its shores, then sail to Visby. In Stockholm, discover Sweden’s rich history at Gamla Stan, where tradition lives in the crooked maze of cobblestone streets. Next, cruise to Helsinki and stroll spacious parks and open-air markets, or perhaps tour Suomenlinna, a ruined fortification spanning six islands. Spend two days exploring St. Petersburg. Uncover the treasures of Tallinn and stroll through Riga. Before your voyage ends in Oslo, travel to Gothenburg and experience its incredible seafood restaurants, cozy cafés and plentiful green spaces. Go Next

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Embark in the cultural powerhouse of Rome and set sail for sunny Sorrento, where the nearby island of Capri and access to the ruins of Pompeii invite discovery. Then sail to see distinctive islands of the Mediterranean. On the island of Sicily, explore Mount Etna or travel to Taormina. And on the island of Malta, discover the rich legacy of the Knights of St. John. Sail to Florence to seek out Renaissance masterpieces or discover the hilltop towns of the Tuscan countryside. Then cruise to the French Riviera for a glimpse of the good life. Spot the beautiful people at Saint-Tropez’s glittering beach clubs and see glamorous icons in Monte Carlo. And in Marseille, find the fashionable boutiques of the République quarter, or venture to the famed lavender blooms of Provence. Before bidding adieu to Riviera in Barcelona, stop in Palamós for a beach day. Go Next

Discover England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland on this spectacular 10-night cruise. Embark in London and cruise to Falmouth, showcasing a beachy, bohemian spirit. Spend a day in Waterford, home to the famed crystal maker. Stop in Holyhead, where St. Cybi’s Church and the celebrated Welsh countryside invite exploration. Then take a day in Liverpool with its Beatles history. Discover Douglas on the quirky Isle of Man, and stop in Glasgow to explore the stylish galleries and restaurants. Sail on to the Shetland and Orkney islands to walk the moors and meadows outside of Lerwick and ramble Kirkwall’s craggy palace ruins. In Stornoway, take in neo-Gothic Lews Castle and the An Lanntair arts center. Port overnight in Edinburgh and tour the looming Edinburgh Castle or hike to Arthur’s Seat for panoramic views. Go Next

Join this well-paced sojourn through Canada’s glorious Rocky Mountains — highlighted by two days traveling aboard the Rocky Mountaineer in GoldLeaf Service — with visits to the stunning areas of Banff and Lake Louise. En route, embrace the dynamic changes in scenery as you wind through lush green ranchlands and flowing river canyons surrounded by mountain peaks. On board Rocky Mountaineer’s all-dome fleet, travel through otherwise inaccessible terrain to unlock the unparalleled beauty of the Canadian Rockies. Each day offers exciting sightseeing opportunities, and the evenings are highlighted by relaxing stays at thoughtfully selected hotels. Additionally, enjoy a guided tour through Yoho National Park, and take advantage of leisure time to explore the small hamlets as well as Banff National Park. Orbridge

Fascinating history, architectural treasures and scenic splendor await you on this 10-night journey in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. Delve into Scottish and Welsh lore at Edinburgh Castle and the imposing fortress castles of Conwy and Caernarfon. See remnants of Britain’s Roman past along Hadrian’s Wall. Be inspired by the marvelous pastoral beauty of Scotland’s Loch Lomond, the English Lake District’s glacier-carved valleys and the rugged mountains of Wales’ Snowdonia National Park. Explore Welsh gems from Llandudno, a Victorian-era seaside resort, to the woodland village of Betws y Coed. Ferry across the Irish Sea and cap off your adventure with two nights in Dublin. Unforgettable treats include special performances by Scottish and Welsh musicians, plus a themed dinner and talk about Lake District author Beatrix Potter. AHI

Discover the majesty of Alaska’s natural wonders on this 10-night luxury cruise with Oceania Cruises. Embark in Seattle and set sail for the Inside Passage. Continue to Ketchikan, where you can see the area’s renowned totem poles, or journey to nearby Tongass National Forest for a day exploring old-growth rain forest. Experience the history of Wrangell’s gold rush history at the local museum or pay a visit to the traditional Tlingit tribal house. Stop in Icy Strait Point, where the beautifully restored salmon cannery showcases local arts and crafts, then cruise Hubbard Glacier, the longest tidewater glacier in North America. Indulge in upscale shopping among Juneau’s authentic totems and art. Visit Sitka’s historic attractions, like the Sitka National Historical Park’s totem-lined forest trails and authentic artisan exhibits. Spend a day in Victoria, rich with British heritage and overflowing with cosmopolitan charm. Go Next

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MAJESTIC GREAT LAKES

Embark on the M/V Victory II and sail to Mackinac Island to take in the history of the island aboard a horse-drawn carriage. In Sault Ste. Marie, check out New Fort Brady or visit the Soo Locks, one of the world’s largest and busiest set of locks. Next, set sail for Little Current and tour Manitoulin Island, which thrives with Ojibwe culture. Take a scenic sailing of Lake Huron and stop in Windsor en route to Detroit. Seek out new players in the craft beer scene and the attractive parks, plazas, and public spaces of the RiverWalk. In Cleveland, perhaps browse the West Side Market, which offers fares from more than 100 unique local vendors. Your journey will end in Toronto, but first, pay a visit to Niagara Falls and witness the thunderous power of the American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe Falls. Go Next

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GRANDEUR OF ICELAND

Discovers mountain villages and European cities, ride the famed Glacier Express, cruise on glassine lakes, and ascend snowcapped summits. Board the legendary Glacier Express, following the fabled Rhône to Zermatt. Ride the Gornergratbahn to the Gornergrat’s summit for spectacular views of the majestic Matterhorn. Visit Stresa along lovely Lake Maggiore’s shores. Explore Switzerland’s Ticino region, including medieval Bellinzona and its Castelgrande castle. Take a leisurely cruise around Lake Lugano. Travel to Austria by way of Liechtenstein, stop in Maienfeld and enjoy a tasting at Schloss Salenegg, Europe’s oldest winery. With a two-night stay in charming Seefeld, tour Innsbruck and ascend the Nordkette mountains by cable car. Reach Austria’s riverside jewel of Salzburg, attend an intimate Mozart concert in the famed Mirabell Palace and visit Hohensalzburg. In nearby Berchtesgaden, tour the Nazis’ Eagle’s Nest retreat. Odysseys

Behold the inspiring landscapes of Iceland during this seven-night adventure. From the cultural capital of Reykjavik, encounter unique land formations, waterfalls, hot springs and charming villages on your journey. Watch as fascinating history and culture are brought to life at a storytelling performance, learn how the country has become a world leader in sustainability and green living, and honor the memory of Iceland’s greatest medieval writer. During an ocean cruise, scan the horizon for magnificent breaching whales and thrill to darling puffins as they glide on gentle sea breezes. At the mystical Golden Circle, gaze at bubbling mud pools and geysers, followed by a visit to a familyrun farm to indulge in a traditional feast. AHI

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Northern Italy’s fabled Lake District beckons with sublime landscapes of shimmering glacial waters, soaring Alpine peaks and bijou towns. Immerse yourself in the distinct bella figura Italian style that has inspired artists for centuries. Stay for one week in the heart of the quintessentially Italian città di Como, at the lakeside, belle-époque Palace Hotel. Cruise by private boat on Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. Visit Bellagio, Villa del Balbianello, Stresa, Isola Bella, San Giulio and Sacro Monte di Orta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Milan, visit the Duomo and Teatro alla Scala, and enjoy a specially arranged viewing of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Enriching lectures and the exclusive Village Life® Forum with local Lombardy residents provide personal perspectives of daily life and cultural heritage. Gohagan

Embark in Porto and admire the rolling hills of the Douro Valley as you cruise to Régua. Travel to Lamego to take in Portuguese culture at the town’s hilltop sanctuary and the Lamego Museum. Spend a full day with the Vinhateiro wine and a day in Salamanca to explore Spain’s “Golden City” before a delicious lunch and flamenco performance. Stop in Pocinho to tour the award-winning Côa Valley Museum or visit Casa Painova to taste Portuguese agricultural products. Travel to Provesende for an exclusive scenic cruise experience featuring a glimpse of the Portugal of yesteryear. Attend a private concert at the exquisite São Francisco Church. Before bidding farewell to the Scenic Azure, spend a day in Porto. Go Next

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ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FESTIVAL

Head to the Amalfi Coast for a three-night stay featuring a cruise along the coastline, a visit to Pompeii’s exquisite ruins, and a thrilling Amalfi Coast drive. Lodging in Rome for the next three nights, tour the heart of ancient Rome. A three-night stay in Orvieto, dramatically set in Italy’s “green heart” of Umbria, follows. Attend an Italian cooking demonstration and explore Parco delle Grotte’s labyrinth of underground caves. On an excursion to beloved Assisi, stroll through the fountain-splashed piazzas, and visit the renowned Basilica di San Francesco. Journeying to alluring Tuscany, tour Siena, which boasts one of Europe’s greatest public squares. Discover Florence, a living monument to the Renaissance, and its famed Galleria dell’Accademia; and the classic Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano. Sample a local winery’s offerings. In wondrous Venice, get acquainted with vast St. Mark’s Square. Odysseys

Hear the thrilling roar of hundreds of burners simultaneously igniting, turning the Balloon Fiesta Park into a remarkable site —hundreds of thousands of smiling, upturned faces, awestruck by the spectacular beauty of hot air balloons filling the New Mexico sky. Enjoy deluxe hotel accommodations at the Hotel Chaco and free time in Old Town Albuquerque, exploring museums, shops and galleries. Sit front and center at the Chasers’ Club hospitality patio for two morning and one evening session featuring Dawn Patrol and Evening Glow. Join us for special access to experience the world-renowned attraction, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. SET

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Embark in New York City and set sail for Newport, Rhode Island. Cruise to Boston and explore the colonial Georgian elegance of Beacon Hill and the landmarks along the Freedom Trail. Continue to Portland, Maine — walk the cobbled streets of the Old Port or dine in a waterfront café featuring Maine’s fresh-caught seafood. Then cross the border for the Canadian leg of your journey. Experience Saint John’s Reversing Falls, a tidal phenomenon reversing the flow of the Saint John River. See Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, infused with British military flavor and Scottish traditions. Discover Sydney’s landmarks dating back to the 1700s, and marvel at Saguenay’s unique fjord. Before your voyage concludes in Montréal, spend a day in Québec City and find the joie de vivre and old-world European charm that emanates from its elegant squares and winding cobbled streets. Go Next

RAMBLAS & THE RIVIERAS

Begin your voyage in Barcelona, an influential center for art and architecture. Set sail for Palma de Mallorca, where the Palma Cathedral and Bellver Castle dominate the harbor. Stroll nearly four miles of beachfront at Playa de Palma or explore the city’s Gothic and Moorish architecture. See the beautiful Cathédrale de Marseille Notre Dame de Major as you cruise into Marseille. Travel to Monte Carlo and visit the site of the famed Grand Prix or the glamorous Monte Carlo Casino. In Antibes, pitch a sun umbrella at the best beaches on the French Riviera or head further afield on an adventure to sip local wine in Nice or discover medieval Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Before ending your journey in Rome, view masterpieces of the Renaissance in Florence, discover the nearby monument-rich city of Pisa, or take in the vineyards and olive groves of the Tuscan countryside. Go Next

PRISMATIC FALL COLORS OF CANADA & NEW ENGLAND

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INDIA

Join us for a unique immersion into the depths of India’s history, traditions and nature. This multifaceted journey of the Golden Triangle and beyond will transport you through the rise and fall of empires and dynasties while surveying architectural grandeur that reflects the history, culture and religions of an amazing past. Visit a variety of significant structures, including Humayun’s Tomb, the Taj Mahal, Amer Fort, Agra For, and Hawa Mahal. Experience a rickshaw ride through Delhi. Watch the craft of marble inlay, learn how gems are processed into jewelry, and browse handmade goods at various markets. No in-depth exploration of India would be complete without nature and wildlife. Orbridge

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S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 51

COVID-19 has touched nearly every aspect of our lives. But the dominant storyline of 2020 is about more than just the pandemic itself.

WHEN CHALLENGES ARISE, COWBOYS RISE TO MEET THEM.

It’s also about how ordinary people rallied in extraordinary ways to support their fellow Cowboys, the Stillwater community, the state of Oklahoma and beyond. From the diagnostic lab to the digital classroom, students, faculty and staff exhibited strength and character and showed once again that the Cowboy code isn’t just a collection of well-meaning ideas — it’s who we are.

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In the Time of COVID-19

INSIDE THIS PACKAGE 54

Oklahoma State leads testing efforts — and more

Volunteers form the backbone of testing response

Medical arm answers the call

Mending a broken supply chain

The Cowboy family unites

A Cowboy on the front lines

Cowboy Way: Dr. Akhilesh Ramachandran

A lab like no other

Bringing the abstract into reality

Class of 2020 finishes — and finishes strong

Cowboy Chronicles: This isn’t OSU’s first pandemic

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As the pandemic spreads acroos Oklahoma, OSU battles the virus with a multitude of record responses

STORY SHANNON G. RIGSBY | PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

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AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW YEAR, THE WORLD WATCHED A NOVEL CORONAVIRUS GAIN A FOOTHOLD IN WUHAN, CHINA, BEFORE WEBBING ITS WAY AROUND THE GLOBE. COVID-19’s rapid advance was measured in days and weeks, not months and years. On New Year’s Eve, the World Health Organization reported a mysterious pneumonia was sickening dozens of people in China. Three weeks later, the virus was first observed in the United States. And on March 7, COVID-19 arrived in Oklahoma. Two weeks later, there were 53 confirmed cases. By the end of March, that number would swell to 565 and continue to grow exponentially. On the forefront of Oklahoma’s response was Oklahoma State University, leading from the governor’s office and offering an increased testing capacity to diagnose patients, protect health care workers and create an accurate picture of the spread of the virus. Dr. Kayse Shrum, president of the OSU Center for Health Sciences and the dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, was already involved as a leader with the state government before the arrival of the virus. In March 2019, Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed her to his cabinet as the secretary for science and innovation. On March 13, 2020, he asked her to be part of the COVID-19 Solution Task Force — the only physician on his cabinet. Every day beginning in mid-March, the group pored over the number of confirmed positive cases and the number of hospital beds occupied. They kept a running inventory of resources statewide, from personal protective equipment to hospital capacity and ventilators. “It’s a huge undertaking to begin to understand what resources we have available in Oklahoma,” Shrum said. “How do we predict what we are going to need and how do we build a plan? If we were to have a catastrophic event like we watched play out in New York, how would we handle that as a state?” Late nights, early mornings and many 18-hour days followed. The decision-making had to consider the needs of the state’s most populous areas as well as its most rural. “We were limited on our testing capability and had to prioritize testing for hospitalized patients and health care workers,” Shrum said. “We were getting a really high number of positives, as well as seeing a very high number of positives in hospitals because we were only testing the very ill.” In the early stages of COVID-19’s spread, Oklahoma ranked in the bottom five states for testing. The lack of testing created a misleading picture of COVID-19 in Oklahoma and made forecasting future conditions nearly impossible. Without data, making plans was an educated guess at best — or worse, a shot in the dark.

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Shrum knew that much more testing was needed and wondered if OSU might be able to help. Little did she know that Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice president for research, was already taking inventory of testing equipment and expertise across the Stillwater campus that might contribute to COVID19 diagnostic testing, and had discovered most of the critical ingredients in the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (OADDL). “We had faculty literally from all over the campus wondering aloud, emailing each other and including me in the conversation, asking if their laboratory, their equipment or their own expertise

could be relevant to the COVID19 crisis,” Sewell said. “We quickly discovered the highest concentration of the tools directly applicable to human diagnostic testing was at OADDL.” Sewell teamed up with Shrum and OSU Medicine’s chief operating officer Dr. Johnny Stephens to add the necessary human medicine expertise to the mix, gain CLIA certification, add more testing equipment and stand up the COVID19 diagnostic lab within the OADDL facilities in Stillwater. The perfect storm of conditions and ideas made it possible for Oklahoma State to introduce a human testing lab for COVID-19 in days.

“[This lab] showed the impact we are always ready to make for the state. Even past this pandemic, we want to see how we can play a part in readiness for the future.” KENNETH SEWELL OSU vice president for research

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

Stephens called the creation of the COVID-19 lab “innovation at its best.” “It’s the Cowboy way,” he said. “We have a public health crisis on our hands. Lives are at stake. How do we collaborate and bring together the vast resources across the OSU System to get this job done? It’s a leave-the-ego-at-the-door, roll-up-your-sleeves, think-out-of-thebox mentality. That’s unique. That’s the OSU spirit.” One key to the lab’s success was the solid foundation already in place. OADDL is one of only 19 Level 1 laboratories in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Accredited for all animal species by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics since 1976, the lab processed more than 18,500 cases in 2019, consisting of about 100,000 tests. Dr. Jerry Saliki took over as the director for OADDL in the middle of the pandemic. With a degree in veterinary medicine and a doctorate in virology, Saliki returned to OSU on April 30 after serving for 15 years as a lab director at the University of Georgia. He was not surprised to discover OADDL was selected to provide COVID-19 testing for humans. “Humans are just an additional species to us,” he said. “It’s the same test, the same quality system.” Human testing certification came with stipulations, though. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, or CLIA, certification from the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) is required. It normally takes at least four weeks to earn CLIA certification. OSU did it in six days. OSU Medicine in Tulsa already had a lab CLIA certified for human testing. OADDL had the most machines and the largest staff able to run the tests. In a new partnership between the two campuses, the lab director at OSU Medicine, Dr. Anil Kaul, agreed to serve as the Stillwater lab’s clinical director, which helped secure the rapid certification.

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“We are an academic institution but we were able to be nimble and meet the needs of our state and our communities when they needed us the most.” KAYSE SHRUM, President of the OSU Center for Health Sciences

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The Stillwater lab already had five Thermo-Fisher PCR diagnostic machines. Three more were ordered to give the lab the capacity to test 1,000 to 2,000 human specimens a day while keeping up with the needs of OADDL’s animal testing lab. The lab also needed test kits, which were in short supply due to the global pandemic. Stephens believes OADDL’s relationship with Thermo-Fisher, the maker of the machines used to run COVID-19 tests at OSU, played a significant role in securing the materials needed. “Because we had contacts on the animal health side, our sales folks at Thermo-Fisher were able to fulfill large orders of test kits on an expedited basis,” he said. “We anticipated the high demand for testing and placed an order for 10,000 test kits early on. So from the time we identified OADDL and the partnership on March 20 to six days later, we were able to procure test kits and obtain approval as a CLIA-certified lab.” Sewell knew entering the fight against COVID-19 would require more people carrying the load than the lab had available. The new human testing would mean new procedures outside the testing itself, such as sample intake and data entry. Staff members would need training in health information privacy. Testing human samples also brought a new level of risk from human diseases. An incident management team was chosen to handle logistics, planning, training and more for the COVID-19 lab. A team of more than two dozen professionals from around OSU volunteered to take on the extra duties, designing a custom courier service, setting up training for current staff, onboarding and training new staff and volunteers who signed on to help, and creating a plan to transition to a sustainable operation under the joint oversight of OSU Research, OSU College of Veterinary Medicine and OSU Medicine. To jump-start the work of the incident management team, Sewell sent out a survey to the campus on March 27, asking for volunteers to work in the lab. More than 150 responded in less than two hours. In the end, more than 50 ended up volunteering in various roles to support the lab. Sewell calls the response remarkable, with many acting as if they were honored to be chosen to contribute. “To meet the need, we had to bring in researchers from around campus who had laboratory experience, get them trained, screened, do health checks and fit them for personal protective equipment so they could add hands and minds and work alongside the OADDL personnel,” Sewell said. “Through it all, we’ve not intended for anyone to work without pay. But we’ve had people come and work in the lab, and for all they knew it was totally volunteer. That’s how willing they are to help.” The same day Sewell’s survey went out, the OSU Diagnostic Lab started running validation tests with known samples. By March 29, they knew the tests were returning with 100 percent accuracy.

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

Twelve days after the decision was made to set up the COVID-19 lab, OSU technicians processed the first 53 clinical specimens and reported the results to health care providers. Three days later, health care providers were submitting more than 1,000 specimens a day. The lab has two shifts running the tests, with many personnel working in the lab 18 hours or more a day. Fully staffed, the lab could add a third shift for around-the-clock testing, analyzing more than 2,000 specimens a day. Saliki, the OADDL director, is quick to praise the OADDL staff who stepped up as well. Some of the OADDL staff in molecular diagnostics were reassigned to the human testing side. Those remaining have maintained the animal diagnostic services for OADDL. “They took on the inherent risk of handling human specimens from a newly emerging disease,” he said. “You not only have increased work, but the increased risk. They have served unselfishly.” The lab is providing answers for sick patients and exhausted health care providers, with results being returned in one to two business days and most within 36 hours of specimen receipt. More importantly, the lab has the potential to lessen the trajectory of the disease in Oklahoma, making a difference that will be difficult to quantify. “Increased testing gives public health officials a more accurate and realistic picture of COVID-19 in Oklahoma. In the beginning of the pandemic, the state has only had the capacity to deal with the situation on the level of the patient,” Sewell said. “OSU has made it possible to reach the level of mapping the spread of the disease. That’s how you flatten the curve.” OSU’s diagnostic laboratory for COVID-19 doubled the state’s testing capacity the day it accepted the first specimens from health care providers. Other labs in Oklahoma have come online since then, but OSU continues to test around one-third of the specimens collected statewide. The lab has settled into a sustainable operation, and OSU will continue COVID-19 testing for as long as there is a need.

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

For Saliki, the COVID-19 lab has implications beyond the pandemic — it’s the marrying of animal and human health testing, known as the concept of “One Health.” “It’s always been veterinary medicine and human medicine — each one doing their own thing,” Saliki said. “But they all use the same concepts, the same machines, the same test systems. To adequately fight disease, one needs to practice One Health and recognize that humans and animals have a lot in common, and we need to work together.” Although intimately involved with the success of the lab and other measures taken by OSU to serve the state during the pandemic, leaders find the contributions difficult to adequately describe. They’re overwhelmed by the willingness to serve, from senior faculty members to undergraduate students. “There are a few other veterinary laboratories helping, but the magnitude of ours and the fact that we were the pioneers makes us the envy of nations,” Saliki said. “When I talk to other lab directors, they want to know how Oklahoma pulled this off.”

For all of them, these accomplishments are a hallmark of a land-grant university, sworn to employ its knowledge and research for the betterment of Oklahomans. “I think people here view their jobs as something bigger than earning a paycheck. They believe they’re here for the students, the state of Oklahoma and their community,” Sewell said. “[This lab] showed the impact we are always ready to make for the state. Even past this pandemic, we want to see how we can play a part in readiness for the future.” Shrum agreed. “I cannot even begin to say how proud I am of OSU,” Shrum said. “I think it really highlights the importance of our academic institutions and how they can serve our state in times of great need, not just for education but for catastrophic events. All of the OSU family should be proud of how we carried out our land grant mission. We are an academic institution but we were able to be nimble and meet the needs of our state and our communities when they needed us the most.”

OSU President Burns Hargis (second from left) poses with diagnostic lab leaders (from left) Akhilesh Ramachandran, Jerry Saliki and Dean Carlos Risco.

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Cowboys Unite

Volunteers provide the backbone for OSU’s viral testing efforts

hile the partnership between OSU Medicine in Tulsa and the OSU Diagnostic Laboratory on the Stillwater campus made COVID-19 testing possible, it was volunteers who paved OSU’s pathway into the fray. “Oklahoma State University’s ability to support the state’s COVID-19 testing efforts was made possible thanks to the eager volunteers who stepped forward in a critical time of need,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “We applaud the many volunteers for their long hours and hard work to serve their fellow Oklahomans. They represent the best of what OSU’s land-grant mission of service is all about.” Dr. Kenneth Sewell, vice president for research, knew additional personnel would be needed to meet the testing demand. On March 27, his office sent out a campuswide survey seeking individuals who were interested in working in the lab. In less than two hours, more than 150 people replied, the majority with lab experience.

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“I’m also thankful for all those who were willing to help even if we haven’t had a need for their particular skill set,” Sewell said. It has been really inspiring to see so many people who believed they could help in some way saying, ‘Please use me.’” Dr. Darren Hagen, an assistant professor in animal genomics, volunteered to work in the lab. When he’s not teaching his class of 160 students, he’s going to the university daily to keep his research going. The father of three forgoes time with his family to work in the lab four nights a week, doing intake, unwrapping and logging samples when they arrive. He’s the team leader on Sundays and Mondays. “It’s interesting because rank goes out the door,” he said. “The philosophy becomes, ‘Let’s get this done.’” For Hagen, the real heroes are the staff at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, which houses the OSU Diagnostic Laboratory, the Office of the Vice President for Research and others who did what was required. “In my opinion, the real story should be them,” he said. “We were all flying by the seat of our pants, and those crews worked nonstop for weeks. I would hope the residents of Oklahoma would look at what that crew did. I think the volunteers have taken a lot of pride in being able to give these folks evenings off. The OSU family has stepped up. People are certainly making sacrifices.” A team of logistical volunteers also supported the lab in its new mission. Sewell knew the lab would need more hands on deck to tackle obstacles. He enlisted the help of Ed Kirtley, assistant dean of engineering extension, on March 24. Kirtley, who has a military background, 24 years in the fire service and experience with the National Incident Management System, put together an incident management team. While an IMT is typically used for responding to disasters such as floods or tornadoes, Kirtley adapted the structure and protocol to support the lab. The IMT put systems and processes into place to support the operation of the lab, allowing the lab personnel to focus on testing samples. More people

STORY SHANNON G. RIGSBY | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY

Members of the Incident Management Team meet in the Emergency Operations Center.

joined as new needs were identified, with 27 serving the IMT directly. “I believe the IMT excelled at its mission,” Kirtley said. “We work in an environment in higher education that tends to be siloed. For this moment in time, Oklahoma State University acted as one team across the board. Because of that, the right people with the right skills came together — people who believed in the mission. There wasn’t one thing we were asked to do that we did not accomplish well.” When the number of samples being transported to the OSU Diagnostic Laboratory each day became too great for local commercial services, Tom Joyce, an academic advisor in the College of Education and Human Sciences, and graduate student Rodney Eksteen joined the IMT. They started planning on Friday evening, April 3. By 8 a.m. the following Monday, they launched a custom courier service using OSU transit drivers and the motor pool. Joyce came to OSU after nine years in the military. He has nothing but praise for OSU’s Transportation Services and others involved in the process. “I’ve only worked at OSU since last May. This was my first experience of OSU outside of my circle. I was honestly amazed at how everybody chipped in and how dedicated everyone was at doing a job and not worrying about everything else,” he said. “They just worried about helping the community and the state. I couldn’t be more proud to be part of OSU.”

Sewell knew the talent and skill to get the job done was available on campus; it was just a matter of coordination. “The IMT has been the coordinator,” he said. “This group was planning and putting together processes. They understood what we were trying to accomplish. We couldn’t have had the statewide impact we’re having now without them.” More than 150 people from multiple colleges and programs have volunteered to serve in all areas, from driving and intake to data entry and sample testing. When the lab settled into a sustainable operation, the IMT’s duties were transferred to others in the College of Veterinary Medicine, the office of the Vice President for Research and the university’s Emergency Operations Center. The courier service was turned over to the Oklahoma National Guard. Adjustments may need to be made as the university carries on its mission through the rest of the year amid the pandemic. Sewell isn’t worried. From the leadership to the students, OSU has already shown its willingness to do what is necessary as a land-grant and research university. “We use the term ‘Cowboy family.’ There really is a sense that when the chips are down, your family comes together,” he said. “That’s exactly what has happened.”

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THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FORCED EVERY INSTITUTION TO RETHINK HOW THEY FUNCTION AND SERVE THEIR CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY. The OSU Center for Health Sciences, OSU Medicine and OSU Medical Center were no different. Everyone from administrators and department leaders to physicians, from front-line workers to faculty and staff stepped up to meet public health care needs with innovation, technology and hard work. In April, about a month after the outbreak began in Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt designated OSU Medical Center in Tulsa as a surge hospital. That designation meant that if other hospitals in the Tulsa area reached capacity for COVID-19 patients, then OSU Medical Center would handle any additional positive COVID patients or persons suspected of having the virus. “OSU Medical Center has served Tulsa and the surrounding communities with exceptional patient care for 75 years, no matter the circumstance. Supporting the health care needs of our friends and neighbors has always been who we are, and this pandemic has heightened awareness about serving those entrusted to our care,” said Eric Polak, chief executive officer of the OSU Medical Authority and Trust. “Alongside our brave first responders, and in concert with the broader medical community, we stand ready to support and be of service to the greater Tulsa area.”

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Damon Baker, D.O.

ANSWERING THE CALL OSU’s medical arm steps up to meet health care needs in the pandemic

“Technology now allows licensed physicians to assess Oklahoma’s rural patients via enhanced telemedicine tools that help diagnose and begin a treatment plan for patients who are miles away. ” RHETT STOVER OSU Medicine Chief Executive Officer

STORY SARA PLUMMER | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY AND GARY LAWSON

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Once OSU Medical Center was designated a surge hospital, crews from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and Manhattan Construction evaluated and modified 125 patient rooms on four floors of the hospital with the necessary negative pressure rooms, updated nurse call systems, additional power outlets and cameras in each patient room so health care workers would have a constant line of sight for the patients without having to repeatedly gown up to enter the rooms. From a patient’s point of view, the rooms and hallways on the COVID floors don’t look much different than other rooms and floors throughout the hospital. What’s behind the walls is what makes these rooms and hallways different — negative pressure fans and ventilation so air flow goes directly outside instead of elsewhere in the hospital. “When asked to be the designated surge hospital for COVID patients in Tulsa, it was an easy answer for us. To be able to step in and fill a critical role within the preparedness and response effort, not only here in Tulsa but in our rural health care communities as well, is core to our mission,” Polak said. The surge hospital designation remained through July 22, but capacity at the other Tulsa area hospital systems never reached the point where OSU Medical Center was triggered as a surge hospital. The rooms on the modified floors were still used to treat COVID patients admitted to the hospital.

The nurses’ station on the COVID-19 surge unit at OSU Medical Center in Tulsa.

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TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIGHT

Over four days, OSU Center for Health Sciences’ Project ECHO team (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) developed and launched the COVID-19 Oklahoma Update ECHO to rapidly share health information. Dr. Joseph Johnson, Project ECHO medical director, said Dr. Kayse Shrum, OSU-CHS president and OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine dean, knew Project ECHO could play a vital role in flattening the curve for COVID-19 cases in the state. It all started with the formation of an expert team. The team was trained in the ECHO model. Curriculum was developed and guest speakers were arranged while remaining flexible to respond to the everchanging situation. COVID-19 sessions were held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Members of the governor’s task force, clinical experts and new interim Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye assisted in disseminating the state’s response plan. Project ECHO connects specialists and experts from OSU-CHS with health care providers in rural and underserved areas via teleconference to discuss evidence-based treatments and share the latest information about complex and chronic diseases. In addition to the COVID line, Project ECHO offers seven other health care lines and three education lines, all of which also addressed COVID-19 issues. The ECHO education line shared evidence-based practices on knowledge and distance learning with educators across the state who were working with limited resources.

The COVID-19 ECHO line launched March 20. By the end of June, more than 22,000 health people had participated in at least one session, including legislators and front-line providers, saving the state of Oklahoma millions of dollars. According to Project ECHO’s return-on-investment formula, if each participant treats one patient locally instead of sending them to a specialist or to a larger health care provider, the cost savings equates to $1,178 for the patient and the private insurer, Medicare or Medicaid. If each of the 22,000 health care providers who participated in a COVID19 ECHO session saw just one potential COVID-19 patient a month from March through June, that would mean a cost savings of more than $103 million. And many physicians participating in the ECHO sessions are seeing patients with COVID-19 symptoms weekly if not daily, Johnson said. Project ECHO also hosted 10 sessions to educate health care providers, administrators, EMS and mortuary services on the Governor’s Solution Task Force’s Health Care Surge Plan, Long Term Response Plan and PPE resource management, reaching an additional 4,000 participants. The Oxley Foundation in Tulsa made a gift to support Project ECHO during the pandemic. “Project ECHO is valuable not just to Oklahoma but to the health care industry as a whole because it shines a light on ways to help both the physician and the patient, especially in rural towns. Through Project ECHO, there are opportunities to educate and share information, empower leaders in the health care communities and simplify communications,” said Konnie Boulter, Oxley Foundation executive director.

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AN ‘EFFICIENT AND EASY PROCESS’

In April, OSU’s Telemedicine bus joined several white tents as the hub of the drive-thru “swab pod,” a COVID-19 testing site in OSU-CHS east parking lot. “When the state wanted to increase our testing capacity, OSU Medicine was ready and willing to serve our communities,” said Barrett Hunter, OSU-CHS’ director of risk management and compliance. “The Telemedicine bus has always been a valuable resource for OSU Medicine, and it allowed our staff working at the testing site to have a centralized area to store supplies, PPE, specimens and other equipment without relying on a physical building for storage.” In May, the mobile testing operations were moved to the OSU Health Care Center about a mile away before a second drive-thru testing site was opened again on the OSU-CHS campus. More than 2,500 people came through the drive-thru testing sites during their first three months of operation. Hunter called the collaboration involving several departments critical. “We tried to make it a very efficient and easy process,” he said. “People usually got from the entry point to leaving the testing site in under five minutes. And our process was optimized so patients didn’t have to leave their car at any point during the process.”

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The drive-thru testing model really went mobile in June when shortterm testing sites were set up on other Oklahoma A&M campuses including Connors State College in Warner, Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell and OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee. OSU Medicine opened a testing site on the Stillwater campus in late June and conducted 70 tests on the first day of operation. Physicians with OSU Medicine also conducted about 150 COVID-19 tests on OSU football players, coaches and staff in June.

WAITING IN YOUR LIVING ROOM

On March 15, Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a public health emergency across Oklahoma. OSU Medicine clinics transitioned traditional office visits to virtual visits and went live with a virtual visit platform in just three days. A little over a month later, the OSU Medicine clinic system had completed approximately 6,500 virtual visits, averaging about 1,000 per week. OSU Medicine Chief Executive Officer Rhett Stover said physicians and patients were pleased with the service. “COVID-19 has ushered in a rebalancing of how we approach health care delivery,” he said. “Telemedicine

has legitimized its position as a key and critical component of the future of health care across our system. Virtual visits and the comprehensive delivery of telemedicine services is here to stay.” Stover said virtual visits are not designed to completely replace in-office consultation and treatment, but rather strengthen care management for less acute patients. This allows for those with more complex conditions who do require traditional office visits the ability to see health care providers more quickly. “Virtual visits have the benefit of enhanced convenience, safety and accessibility of care by helping patients receive consultations in the comfort of their own home as opposed to commingling with other sick patients in waiting rooms, emergency rooms or urgent care settings,” he said. “Virtual visits often come with less financial obligation to patients. The economic and clinical value of telemedicine and virtual care will only strengthen as technology and patient demand for these services continues to grow.”

THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU — ON SCREEN

As part of Oklahoma’s COVID-19 Task Force response, OSU Medicine ramped up its telemedicine capability across the state through OSU’s TeleHealth Solution technology. The program will serve 30 rural hospitals by the end of the summer. “The COVID-19 crisis is reaching into all areas of Oklahoma, adding a strain to rural hospitals that are trying to bring patients the best care possible right in their hometowns,” Stover said. “Technology now allows licensed physicians to assess Oklahoma’s rural patients via enhanced telemedicine tools that help diagnose and begin a treatment plan for patients who are miles away. Rural health care providers can keep patients in their communities without having to transport them long distances for a hospital admission.” The process activates when nurses in partner communities engage the OSU TeleHealth Solution cart service at the patient’s bedside, often during an urgent medical need situation, typically in the emergency room. The hospital nurse uses the telemedicine technology to monitor the patient’s vital signs and other electronic assessments, which are digitally transmitted to the distant physician who assesses the patient’s condition and makes treatment recommendations. By the end of June, TeleHealth Solution carts were located at Carnegie Tri-County Municipal Hospital, Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center in Poteau, Fairfax Community Hospital, Mangum Regional Medical Center, McCurtain Memorial Hospital in Idabel, Memorial Hospital of Texas County in Guymon, Pawhuska Hospital, Physicians’ Hospital in Anadarko, Prague Community Hospital, Seiling Regional Medical Center,Stilwell Memorial Hospital and Stroud Regional Medical Center. Other hospitals in the process of getting the carts include Atoka County Medical Center, Choctaw Memorial Hospital in Hugo, Coal County General Hospital in Coalgate and Pushmataha Hospital in Antlers. “The recent rapid adoption of telemedicine services, accelerated by our nation’s COVID-19 emergency response measures, has created additional access to care in order to accommodate corresponding increases in patient demand for health care services across all health care communities,” Stover said.

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Mending a Broken Supply Chain

OSU-born efforts boost equipment — and spirits — at Stillwater Medical Center

t Stillwater Medical Center, CEO Denise Webber first started noticing supply chain issues in late February. Shortly thereafter, the scope of the national shortage of personal protective equipment came into brutal focus. “The prices were almost incomprehensible,” she said. Disposable gowns skyrocketed from less than a dollar to $25 apiece. Even if hospital administrators were lucky enough to find a stock of N95 respirators, masks and face shields — a challenge in itself — the best price they could find was often five times higher than before. “All of the sudden, our supply chain was completely locked up,” she said. “Pretty much overnight, we hit a supply chain crisis.” It wasn’t a crisis they would face alone, however. Starting in March, at least a dozen OSU-born efforts were launched to help combat the virus in the Stillwater community and beyond. A group of students from OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology’s ENDEAVOR lab began prototyping personal protective equipment (PPE) to donate to Stillwater Medical Center and other facilities. Led by senior engineering student Killian Bussey, the group has since donated more than 3,000 face shields, 20,000 replacement sheets and hundreds of ear savers and masks. They also released the prototype design files and instructions for the face shields and protective masks to anyone to download and use. Bussey said social media posts emerging from Italy inspired him. With the death toll rising there and PPE in short supply, he saw an opportunity to make a difference. “I saw where people in Italy were making equipment with the tools we have here in ENDEAVOR,” he said. “I saw the potential need that Oklahoma could have, so I decided to run test prints on our Craftbot 3D printers. Once we realized that we had the capability of doing this, it was full steam ahead.” The masks and shields Bussey’s team donated to Stillwater Medical Center were joined by

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STORY MACK BURKE | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON

“The other thing we need from the OSU community is for people to wear the mask. If everybody wore a mask, we would not have the spread that we’ve had.” — DENISE WEBBER, STILLWATER MEDICAL CENTER CEO countless other donations from independent facets of the OSU community. The OSU Chinese Faculty & Staff Association led an effort that resulted in thousands of donated masks. The College of Engineering Architecture and Technology’s professional development office donated protective suits and gloves, the School of Architecture donated safety glasses, and Facilities Management donated shoe covers, gloves, goggles, safety glasses, masks, protective suits and disinfectant wipes. And that’s just a small sample of the effort and care Cowboys brought to the table. Stillwater Medical Foundation Executive Director Scott Petty, a 1988 OSU graduate and former Pistol Pete, said the donations made an immediate impact. They also served as a reassuring reminder of the connection between OSU and Stillwater. “The unselfish response from Oklahoma State was not surprising in the least,” he said. “We have a terrific working relationship and a long-standing mutual respect for Stillwater’s residents. So, especially during those early days of this pandemic, multiple university departments wanted to know how they could help.” Webber said the donations did more than solidify Stillwater Medical Center’s supplies. “I don’t even know if words can express what that meant to us,” she said. “One of my biggest fears was to have to supply our team with things that were not designed to take care of patients. There was an example that we saw at another hospital in Oklahoma City where they fashioned a face shield out of a donut box (as well as) trash bags used for gowns. OSU and all the creativity, the innovation, the neighborly help — it just did so much to give us hope.” Webber said she anticipates the hospital will continue to face shortages of face shields, earsavers and masks. The fight is far from finished, but Bussey said his team is staying in. “At this point, we are continuing to do research on PPE and pushing the limits on 3D printing to

Face shields were among the protective equipment produced at OSU’s ENDEAVOR lab.

enhance and improve PPE gear and make it more widely available,” he said. Maria Ma, associate professor of food safety and biosecurity, said the CFSA is prepared to answer the call again, too. “We are very grateful that we were able to contribute to our community’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “Stillwater is the place we all call home!” Webber said she hopes everyone in the OSU community will do their part. “We really value what OSU means to this community,” she said. “They are the heart and soul of Stillwater, and we want to work together. “The other thing we need from the OSU community is for people to wear the mask. If everybody wore a mask, we would not have the spread that we’ve had. There’s been study after study, example after example. We encourage everyone to wear a mask, follow CDC recommendations and protect your neighbor.”

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Together We Can

The Cowboy family comes together to support each other during COVID-19 pandemic

owboys always come together to support each other in times of need. As the novel coronavirus pandemic began to affect the OSU community, the Cowboy family stepped up once again. The OSU Alumni Association and the OSU Foundation joined forces to create a resource website for those in need and those who wanted to support fellow Cowboys. The website included news updates from OSU leadership; resources for parents, teachers and incoming freshmen; COVID19 related announcements and OSU-focused podcasts and videos. The 20 for ’20 initiative encouraged alumni and friends to submit 20 words of encouragement and congratulations for the Class of 2020 to help celebrate once commencement ceremonies were postponed. Alumni could also contribute $20 to the campaign to provide complimentary one-year memberships to the Alumni Association for the Class of 2020.

TO HELP

Students, faculty and staff are still facing significant challenges, especially in need-based scholarships and individual emergency funding. Visit www.Cowboy.Family to learn more.

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“I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to go to a university with the spirit of comradery that shines bright orange during these difficult times,” said Reed Aldridge, who completed his junior year studying finance from his home in Perkins, Oklahoma. “The Cowboy spirit is still very much alive and well, and it is very evident that we can absolutely make it through these times together. I am excited and very ready to return back to campus, but until then, I know I am supported by my fellow Cowboys.” Several virtual event programs helped connect, inform and entertain Cowboys everywhere. The Alumni Association hosted Fridays with the Family livestreams on social media, which featured informal interviews with OSU representatives on COVID-19, OSU topics and their personal experiences. “It’s good to check in on each other, and Fridays with the Family allowed alumni to stay connected during this unprecedented time,” said Julia Benbrook, OStateTV reporter and host of Fridays with the Family. “We got updates on athletics from OSU athletic director, Mike Holder; discussed how OSU is embracing diversity and inclusion with Dr. Jason Kirksey; and checked in with President Hargis, Ann and Scruff to talk about the quiet campus. Each interview gave us a unique look at what members of the Cowboy family were doing.” Social media was used to virtually bring everyone to favorite campus spots, like Old Central and Theta Pond, through Campus Spotlight. The Alumni Association’s Student Network also hosted weekly webinars for incoming freshmen to introduce them to the Alumni Association’s student programs. GLOBAL DAY OF GIVING As COVID-19 continued to take hold of the country in the spring, it became apparent students would need additional emergency assistance to help with groceries, rent, utilities and other basic necessities. A demand for coronavirus testing across the state developed, and OSU stepped up in several

STORY KAROLYN MOBERLY | PHOTOS OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

To help connect virtually, Cowboys were invited to share how they were sporting their orange, whether it was in their home office or with their family pet.

Lumos

Boone

Aspen

Eddie the Cat

G.I.A.

submitted by Heather Orr

submitted by Erica Danielle Leppert

submitted by Whitney Michael

submitted by Ashley Douglas

submitted by Amanda Goldstein

ways. OSU’s Center for Health Sciences and several front-line health care workers provided emergency medical support through testing, technology and information sharing with rural physicians and providers. Giving Tuesday Now, a global day of giving and unity in response to the emergency needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic, was organized for May 5. While Giving Tuesday usually takes place in December, this day of philanthropy was held in addition to the annually scheduled event. “We are all a part of this national crisis and many of our students are faced with some of the hardest decisions they are ever going to have to

make on whether they can continue school and or meet the financial needs that they have,” said Dr. Doug Hallenbeck, vice president of student affairs. During Giving Tuesday Now, the Cowboy family came together from 24 states to raise more than $33,000 in just 24 hours. Over $93,000 has since been donated to help Cowboys in need. “The care for one another makes me incredibly proud to be a student who walks this campus and to call myself a Cowboy for life,” said Clarissa Ratzlaff, agribusiness junior. “Thank you so much for your generosity toward Oklahoma State, as it helps students like myself with scholarships and emergency support.”

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Phillips keeps his wife, Andi, and sons, Harrison (oldest) and Jack, in mind while he battles the pandemic.

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STORY WILL CARR | PHOTOS DR. JAMES PHILLIPS

A Front-Line Cowboy

Dr. James Phillips tackles the fight against COVID-19 in D.C. and beyond

s many people across the country and the world sheltered in place to avoid the COVID-19 pandemic, a Cowboy in the U.S. capital prepared to face the outbreak head-on. Dr. James Phillips graduated from OSU in 2001 with a degree in microbiology and molecular genetics. As a first-generation college student, his time at OSU helped him lay the foundation for his successful career in medicine. He graduated from medical school at the University of Oklahoma, but his loyalty to OSU never wavered. “I was proud to say when I went to OU medical school, there were more students who completed their undergrad at Oklahoma State in my classes than the University of Oklahoma,” Phillips said. After he graduated, Phillips’ work took him to Michigan, Chicago and James Phillips is all smiles on eventually Harvard his OSU graduation day. University. He now serves as the chief of disaster medicine for George Washington University Emergency Medicine in Washington, D.C.

Phillips has always had the drive to help others in their time of need, a quality that runs in his family. “My father was an Oklahoma City firefighter for his career,” he said. “When the Oklahoma City bombing happened in 1995, not only was I in a high school close enough that the windows shook, but also my father was one of the first firefighters in the building.” Phillips’ uncle served as a New York firefighter at ground zero during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. While Phillips admits he may not have the courage to run into a burning building, he does feel the same sense of duty to help. That commitment was strengthened as the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world. George Washington University Hospital started to prepare with staff meetings well before the virus reached the United States. As cases began to surface stateside, Phillips and the team at the hospital were ready to take the necessary steps to help fight the outbreak in their community. Dr. Phillips comes face-to-face George Washington University Hospital with the COVID-19 pandemic is no stranger to disaster medicine. The at the George Washington hospital and its staff have experienced University hospital. everything from saving President Ronald Reagan after he was shot in an assassination attempt to treating people injured at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks. “Because of our experience, George Washington University Hospital was very proactive,” he said.

“I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish as a first-generation college student, and I am proud that Oklahoma State prepared me for where I am today.” DR. JAMES PHILLIPS, CHIEF OF DISASTER MEDICINE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

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In addition to his role at GWU, Dr. Phillips is also a medical analyst for CNN.

“We started cutting down elective admissions to the hospital in an effort to create space for an influx of patients. We were also the first hospital in Washington, D.C., to put up an external tent.” The tent served respiratory patients to keep them separated from patients without respiratory issues. The staff worked diligently to ensure the hospital had enough staff, medication and supplies. Phillips and his staff are full of unique individuals who use their skills in the face of danger. But that does not mean there is no fear or doubt in their minds when they enter the hospital every day. “I worry every single time I go into the hospital that I am going to get sick,” Phillips said. “I don’t want to bring this disease home to my sons or my wife. At the same time, I have a sense of responsibility, and I am trained for this as an emergency provider.” In addition to physically serving at George Washington University Hospital, Phillips wanted to help educate the general population on the effects of COVID-19 pandemic. He began to write op-ed pieces that were published throughout the country, including in The New York Times. After publication, Phillips was contacted to be a guest expert on CNN and Fox News to help inform the country about the impact of the virus. “I had the opportunity to educate the public and provide opinions from someone who is actually putting on protective equipment and coming faceto-face with COVID-19 patients,” Phillips said. “I thought it was very important for the public to have an experienced medical professional providing a first-hand look into what is going on out there.”

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Phillips wanted to ensure the information he was passing along to the public was strictly factual. He focused on removing politics and leaned heavily on the science that is helping to fight the pandemic. “Nobody out there watching television should be able to tell who I vote for or who I support politically,” Phillips said. “That is how I maintain my credibility.” Phillips says he does not feel that he deserves the title of hero. He views his current situation as something he signed up for and chose to go into because he felt an innate sense of responsibility to help when something bad happens. “It is just a sense of duty,” he said. “Those of us who become physicians choose that career path because we want to help people. We don’t go into this because we think it’s heroic, and I don’t believe that we are heroes. We have trained for this, and we believe we can be protected if we follow the right steps.” Phillips continues to help future physicians gain the same experience and training he has received over the years as he teaches a fellowship for other doctors who want to focus on disaster and operational medicine. “I chose a career in academic medicine because I want to educate medical students, residents and fellows,” he said. “More importantly, I want to educate the general public. If you get sick, we’ll be there to take care of you, but let’s remember that prevention is the best medicine.” The impact he continues to make can be seen across the country through his television appearances, his role in educating future disaster medicine physicians and his treatment of patients with COVID-19 at George Washington University Hospital. The impact he’s made throughout his life can be traced back to his time at OSU. “I relied on Oklahoma State to point me in the right direction and to encourage me to take chances and opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Phillips said. “I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish as a first-generation college student, and I am proud that Oklahoma State prepared me for where I am today.”

THE COWBOY WAY

One of the key players in creating and operating a COVID-19 lab at Oklahoma State University’s Stillwater campus is Dr. Akhilesh Ramachandran, who has been working at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for seven years. VETERINARY MEDICINE The decision to become a veterinarian was a simple one for Ramachandran — he has always liked animals. He completed veterinary school in India before coming to Oklahoma State to earn a Ph.D in molecular biology in 2003. He worked for companies associated with OSU before joining OADDL in 2013, fulfilling his dream to work in a diagnostic lab. “I like microbiology — looking through the microscope and seeing all the microbes is interesting,” he said. He oversees testing for microbiology and molecular diagnostics at OADDL. Once testing is over for the day in the COVID-19 lab, Ramachandran also helps in reporting the results of the hundreds of patient samples tested daily. FAMILY MATTERS Ramachandran met his wife, Asitha Pillai, when they were 19-year-old classmates in India. She earned a veterinary medicine degree and joined him in Oklahoma in 2001. She graduated with a master’s degree in animal science from OSU. The pair appreciate Stillwater as a safe place to raise a family. Their son, Udhav, is 16 and a student at Stillwater High School. Like his classmates, he completed his sophomore year online, which turned out to be a blessing. While Ramachandran was working long days due to the pandemic and his wife was working nights, Udhav would often have a meal ready when they came home in the middle of the night. “He’s a good son who means everything to me,” Ramachandran said. “I’m ultimately doing this for him.”

STORY SHANNON G. RIGSBY | PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

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WELLNESS

Meeting the Need

Testing teams do everything possible to get patients their answers quickly

he success of the COVID-19 testing lab at the OSU Diagnostic Laboratory was a group effort, requiring leadership support and individuals willing to work long hours to pull it off. Nowhere was that more evident than in the two shifts running the tests on the specimens. Dr. Akhilesh Ramachandran, associate professor in microbiology and molecular diagnostics at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, stays at the lab for both shifts. He said staff at the laboratory, which houses the OSU Diagnostic Laboratory, already had a philosophy that work didn’t end at 5 p.m. No night, weekend or holiday was off-limits if someone needed test results. The same has been true for COVID-19 testing. In the first few months, both shifts worked weeks at a time without a day off. “Some of them were afraid to go home in the initial days of testing when so much about the virus was unknown,” Ramachandran said. “They were ready to live on campus to test for the virus. It has been our life, basically. We are looking at the better good for society. We all have a skill and there is a need for the people in the state. We can help.” Robin Madden is the lab manager for molecular diagnostics at OADDL who supervises the day shift doing COVID-19 testing. Working from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, the crew knows a person is tied to each specimen. “We want to get as many samples tested as quickly as possible each day,” she said. “We understand that there is a very concerned person on the other end, and their health and well-being is important to us. We really want to do all we can to help.” For many weeks, they worked seven days a week. While the number of samples received remains steady approximately 1,000 to 2,000 a day, her daytime staff now get Saturdays off. The second shift is mostly volunteer graduate students from the veterinary school, microbiology and nutritional sciences. Dr. Sunil More, an assistant professor in veterinary pathobiology, works as a pathologist until 5 p.m., then leads the lab’s second shift. More and his family went to India in December. His wife and daughter stayed behind for a longer visit

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and have been unable to return because of COVID-19 restrictions. For More, working in the lab has been a gratifying way to pass time he otherwise would have spent alone at home. Graduate student Girish Patil was in the middle of preparing to defend his doctoral thesis on April 15. He took no days off to prepare. He left the lab long enough to defend his dissertation, then got back to work testing specimens. To celebrate his graduation, the evening shift presented him with a cake topped with a graduation cap. In addition to Girish, OSU College of Veterinary Medicine graduate students Sai Narayanan, Parna Ghosh and Samuel Jeyasingh signed up to be part of the original team, helping launch the evening shift of COVID-19 testing. “When we started in April, we worked until midnight or 1 a.m.,” More said. “As we did more testing, we became more efficient. The students are doing an awesome job. I don’t think we could have done this without their help.” In March, April and May, the second shift also worked seven days a week. As long as sample intake remains steady, a typical day lasts until 9 or 10 p.m. with Sundays and Mondays off. The experience has emphasized the importance of teamwork and unity for More. “(Before COVID-19), if we did 400 samples, we thought, ‘Oh, we did so much,’” More said. “Now we can do 2,000 samples. If we come together, we can conquer obstacles. Unity is strength.” COVID-19 testing will continue at Oklahoma State as long as there is a need. Leaders in the lab are quick to praise others. It has taken everyone from supportive administration to people willing to do anything they could to help. “I don’t think people understand the heroic efforts that have gone into the testing,” Madden said. “It’s not just those of us who are doing the sample analysis. It’s those involved in bringing the samples here, those who are logging the samples and getting everything into the computer, and those who are helping find protective equipment for us. It really is an OSU community effort. We can’t do what we do if we didn’t have all the other people who are part of the process.”

STORY SHANNON G. RIGSBY | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY

Morning shift lab workers are (from left) Amanda Stamm, Kaycee Forsythe, Anna Linthicum, Robin Madden, Alejandra Medellin, Brittanie Peake and Katie Gaffney. Chris Gaffney is not pictured.

Evening shift lab workers are (from left) Dr. Girish Patil, Chris Hamm, Parna Ghosh, Marni Gutman, Marisa Litherland, Dr. Akhilesh Ramachandran, Sankara Naryanan, Dr. Sunil More, Dr. Yiwei Wang, Dr. Narasaraju Teluguakula and Samuel Pushparaj.

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From Abstract to Reality

OSU modeling team helps to fight spread of COVID-19

s the state of Oklahoma fights the spread of COVID-19, a team with four Oklahoma State University faculty members is providing important information for Gov. Kevin Stitt’s plans and actions. “We are focused primarily on trying to predict hospitalizations on a continuous basis — how many hospital beds are we going to need on a given day, ICU capacity, the number of ventilators used, and fatalities,” said Jared Taylor, an associate professor and epidemiologist in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine. “As the statistician in the group, my role is to provide data analysis details and forecasting possibilities,” said Mindy McCann, a professor and department head of Statistics in the College of Arts and Sciences. “Our model is based primarily on epidemiology science, but there are parameters of the model that need to be estimated. Fine-tuning the model to predict the important metrics such as number of hospital beds needed, number of ICU beds needed, number of ventilators needed and number of deaths, requires some data analysis concepts.” This information was vital to the state’s plans to reopen the economy. The team, which also included OSU’s Goutam Chakraborty, professor of marketing and director of MS in Business Analytics and Data Science in the Spears School of Business, and Glen Krutz, Puterbaugh Foundation Chair, political science professor and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, worked with a team from the University of Oklahoma and interim state epidemiologist Aaron Wendelboe. They presented preliminary findings to the governor and members of his cabinet in Oklahoma City and continue to update their research weekly.

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“The team meets regularly to discuss the trends and modify the model as needed,” Kurtz said. “We then meet weekly with members from the OU modeling team and together we send our two models to state leaders.” Taylor anticipates continuing this work for some time. “We talk pretty much every day,” he said. “The time demand has been extraordinary. I usually put in 40 hours a week doing this alone besides my regular job of teaching and conducting research. We may very well go on beyond the summer, depending on when the second wave comes and maybe even a third wave and how prepared we are to deal with that. “Our job is to make sure we have a tool that helps decision-makers moving forward make the best decisions they can.” While Oklahoma hasn’t seen the numbers of COVID-19 cases that states like New York and California have, it hasn’t escaped the spread of the pandemic, either. And the state presents its own unique challenges. “One unique aspect of our model is that we tried to take into account the demographics of our state in terms of urban versus rural population and the age demographics of our population,” Taylor said. “We have already seen a notable shift to more cases in rural communities than proportionately we should. Obviously, they are still not big numbers — those are still associated with the cities. However, when you look at the proportion of the population that’s in the cities versus the rural areas, we are seeing disproportionately more cases in the rural areas. Our fear is that it’s just been a slower process developing. As communities reopen, we fear the rural communities are going to begin bearing an even heavier burden of disease relative to other parts of the state.”

STORY DERINDA BLAKENEY | PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

From left: Goutam Chakraborty, Jared Taylor, Mindy McCann and Glen Krutz.

“I would like the public to know that we have them in mind as we rigorously sift through the situation and the data,” Krutz said. “We are doing the best we can to provide reliable data and predictions to improve decision-making by state leaders and university leaders. This is not always an exact science. Our predictions especially require us to draw assumptions about human behavior and disease spread. So, for example, how to modify our model based on the gradual ‘re-opening’ of Oklahoma was a team meeting that took many hours.” As the state began to reopen, Taylor offered some words of advice.

“Where we go from here depends upon people and their actions and choices. We understand the economic consequences and pain caused by the shutdown,” he said. “But there will be a second wave. What that second wave looks like, I believe, is really going to depend on the choices and behaviors people engage in. … We should continue to practice social distancing as best we can. We should consider using masks, sanitation, all of those behaviors. It’s important that we keep people healthy. What happens next will depend upon the actions and behaviors of people.”

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Class of 2020 finishes strong in a year filled with uncertainties

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Every class has a story. Perhaps it’s a defining moment, a small part of a broader chapter in history. Then there’s the Class of 2020. As countless ads and talking heads have hammered home, these are unprecedented times. Nobody started the year thinking they’d finish via Zoom and have their graduation ceremonies postponed. Nobody expected a pandemic that would bring the world to a screeching halt, or perhaps more accurately, an uncertain skid. And few anticipated the rise of the most significant racial justice movement in over 50 years. But in spite of all the uncertainty, the Class of 2020 finished — and finished strong. “The Class of 2020 truly exemplifies what it means to be a Cowboy,” President Burns Hargis said. “They persevered through adversity and rallied together to help one another and to make a positive impact on the world in so many ways. They volunteered, sacrificed, adapted and used their voices to promote the values of kindness and inclusivity that we embrace as a land-grant university. We are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to all they will achieve.” OSU Vice President of Student Affairs Doug Hallenbeck said he could not be prouder of this group. “It is hard to put into words the feeling of loss that I have for the Class of 2020 for not having a ‘normal’ end to their OSU experience, but they handled it with class and dignity,” he said. “The Cowboy community came together in a big way. We had an overwhelming outpouring of people

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wanting to provide financial assistance to those that were in need. We also saw people come together to also help students, faculty, and staff deal with the emotional struggles during this time.” Some have drawn parallels to the past, 1918 and 1968 in particular. OSU assistant professor of history Holly M. Karibo said it’s not hard to see why. “The (Spanish flu) epidemic that began in 1918 coincided with — and was worsened by — another monumental event: World War I. So that generation was literally battling on multiple fronts,” she said. “Still, the convergence of the COVID19 outbreak with a period in the U.S. where millions are demanding racial justice and major social and political change is certainly momentous. It’s not coincidental that protests against systemic racism have emerged during this pandemic — a public health crisis that has disproportionately affected communities of color, particularly African American and Native communities. In this sense, the pandemic has exposed and worsened issues that were already deeply affecting the country. For many, the pandemic has made the stakes in pushing for concrete changes even higher. “One interesting parallel between 1918 and 1968 is the extent to which young people were affected by the changes sweeping the nation — and indeed, the world. The 1918 influenza outbreak was particularly deadly precisely because it affected young

adults. Likewise, many of the people on the front lines in the political battles in 1968 were young people, whether soldiers in Vietnam, student protesters or civil rights activists.” As they look to the future, these Class of 2020 graduates are united by a shared experience. The road ahead won’t be easy, but it won’t be entirely unfamiliar territory. And, when history seems to be repeating itself, Karibo said the past can offer some guidance. “We can perhaps take heart in the fact that in 2020 we can learn from the experiences and traumas brought by the 1918 outbreak. Our focus today on social distancing, ‘flattening the curve,’ wearing face masks, and so on are promoted in part because of the experiences of those who lived through the influenza pandemic over 100 years ago. It’s also on all of us to actually follow those guidelines, something they also learned in 1918. Since very few people who lived through 1918 are still alive, that historical memory is lost for the average person. “How we come out of this pandemic in the end will rely, in part, on how willing we are to follow the science and public policy. In this sense, there is a very real personal stake and responsibility for all of us. “We might also remember that changes often only come about with great upheaval and sacrifice.”

STORY MACK BURKE | PHOTOS PROVIDED

“I know as a community, a culture and a group we’re going to be stronger for this.” KAITLYN KIRKSEY

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

There will be pain, but pain won’t win. That’s the prevailing sentiment among the members of the Class of 2020 who shared their perspectives on their final semester. Stillwater native and former Student Government Association President Kaitlyn Kirksey said all of her classmates knew 2020 had turning-point potential. “We all kind of planned for that,” she said. “But nobody planned for what it ended up being.” She believes the ability to adapt is the defining characteristic of her class. The world is changing, and these major historical crossroads happen to have landed at a major crossroads in the lives of these graduates. Some changes have been positive, such as removing the name of racist Gov. William Murray from campus buildings. But even in that victory, Kirksey, a human development and family science senior graduating in December and Zeta Tau Alpha member, said there is more to be done, and future challenges will require the kind of adaptability Cowboys have shown during the pandemic. “We are on the brink of starting careers, and so many of my friends were taking jobs and making big moves. And now we can’t take an airplane. Some of my friends have had their start dates pushed back. I lost my job. All of these things on top of these big life transitions for us have shown how adaptable and resilient our class has been and how we will continue to grow as people and as a community within the Cowboy family.”

Fourth-generation OSU graduate Savannah Robisch had a similar take, describing the class of 2020 as “conditioned to adapt.” She was disappointed when she found out students wouldn’t be returning after spring break. But she said nothing could take away from her OSU experience or dampen the relationships she built here. “We were all disappointed and upset, but we’re all there for each other still,” she said. “It’s sad that we didn’t get our last month and a half, but I had 3.75 years of great friendships, classmates and teachers. It’s difficult, because we didn’t get to say goodbye to a lot of meaningful people in our lives, but I think the relationships and friendships we made here will last. “We won’t give up. We finished regardless of all the obstacles in our way, and we’re going to come out better for it.” Like Kirksey, agriculture communications and plant soil sciences graduate Adrienne Blakey will be a December graduate, which means another atypical semester for her. Though she lost some momentum, she isn’t complaining. In the spring, she found out she had been selected as OSU’s 18th Truman Scholar and last fall, she was named Homecoming Queen. She is grateful for all of the opportunities and friendships she found at OSU and said nothing can take away the bright orange sheen of her memories. If anything, she said, it makes them sweeter.

“I think the underlying takeaway from this that’s a positive is the call to action to care for others.” ADRIENNE BLAKEY

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“It’s just another thing we had to persevere through. I think I’m more prepared, no matter what the situation.” ANNAGRACE LEWIS

She’s also grateful for the university’s swift response to the pandemic. “I truly think the university did everything it could to make the right adjustments for the safety of its students,” she said. “A lot of graduating seniors needed those last credits, and, despite the circumstances, the university did everything it could with the pass/fail option to help students get through this predicament. Taking it a step further, looking at the number of students the university supported financially and the structure of those initiatives was incredibly encouraging.” She saw faculty members adjust flawlessly — moving resources online, holding regular video conference meetings and ensuring students got the most out of the online classroom experience. “The administration did a phenomenal job with the lemons they were dealt,” she said. “And our faculty adjusted accordingly.” As she looks ahead to her final semester, Blakey is also looking forward to welcoming her middle sister to the Cowboy family. As her Class of 2020 moves onward, Blakey said it will be up to those who follow to carry the OSU tradition — and they’re up to the task. “I think the underlying takeaway from this that’s a positive is the call to action to care for others,” she said. “And I think that’s come out at this time. I think the Cowboy family has lived up to its name. We care for each other deeply, and I think that’s been apparent in how students, faculty and staff have adjusted. … I think that’s something that’s always been a part of who we are, but I think it’s been reaffirmed at this time.”

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SILVER LININGS

Annagrace Lewis remembers it vividly: She finished her last final on a Wednesday. The triple major (biology, zoology and plant biology), women’s club soccer team member and president of Arts and Sciences Ambassadors had finally finished her degree. But she didn’t feel triumphant. There was no euphoric exit, no celebrating with friends, nothing. “Normally you’d ‘finish’ school on a Friday, and you’d have graduation the next day,” she said. “Finishing on that Wednesday, it was like OK, I submitted my final. … Now what? There was no big moment, it was just kind of like all right, we’re done. I kind of internalized it a little bit. I thought, OK, I’ve finished this monumental thing in my life. … I had to kind of make myself get excited for that, which was a little bit difficult. But after getting a lot of texts and posts, that definitely made it a lot more worthwhile.” While she was disappointed in not being able to return after spring break, she found relief in how it turned out. “It turned out to be different than I thought it would be, in a good way,” she said. “I felt it was the same quality education that I would’ve received in class, which is amazing. “I know it was very difficult to convert in-person labs to online. The way that all the professors came together and created a plan to ensure that we still got everything we needed from those labs — it was pretty remarkable. There was no skimping on our education. It remained at a high level, and they made sure we’re prepared for what comes next.” While the pandemic may have defined that moment, Lewis said it won’t define her entire time at OSU.

“I won’t let that taint everything that OSU means to me,” she said. “It’s just another thing we had to persevere through. I think I’m more prepared, no matter what the situation. I feel like I could be one of those people who will know what to do, how to lift people up. I don’t think it hardened me — it just made me a little bit stronger.” Veterinary students of the Class of 2020, who all graduated and took the Veterinarian’s Oath in a virtual ceremony, felt a deep familial connection before COVID-19. Fittingly, they call themselves “the kinfolk.” Brayden Routh, DVM, who some may know by her artist moniker the Blurred Bison, said the crisis enhanced their deep sense of camaraderie. While she was initially worried about how clinical and lab work would continue, Routh said she finished feeling well prepared — and especially well-prepared for the new norm of connecting virtually with patients. Josiah Dame, DVM, said faculty adaptability made the difference. “I was upset, not because the school took action — that was appropriate and needed to happen,” he said. “I was upset knowing that the end of our fourth year wasn’t going to look the way we thought it was. But once our rotations started online, a lot of good came out of it. Our clinicians were really spectacular and switched gears quickly to working through Zoom and Skype. They recorded everything that they were doing so we could see it, too. “Learning had to change. We still learned a lot. Reading journal articles became more important. Those different important aspects of medicine and

learning came to the forefront, which was nice because you don’t always get to delve into that when you’re working at the clinic. It gave us the opportunity to stretch that muscle of learning from scientific research.” Even though their college careers ended in an unusual fashion, the Class of 2020 is on to even bigger and better things. “I know as a community, a culture and a group we’re going to be stronger for this,” Kirksey said. “We did miss out on that last hurrah, but we still have the yearning and desire to live out our legacy as part of the Cowboy family. I’m excited to see how that plays out for us … even after we’ve gotten our diplomas.”

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” BRAYDEN ROUTH

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COWBOY CHRONICLES

The Boys Dormitory housed 240 members of the Student Army Training Corps in the fall of 1918.

Facing Down a Pandemic

Spanish flu hit an unprepared OAMC campus in 1918 It is surprising that so few casualties have been reported when considering the difficulty of teaching the student body the seriousness of the epidemic with which they were confronted. Not only did the students think the flu was a joke, but even the townspeople did not take the epidemic seriously until the cases began piling up out of all proportions. Orange and Black, the OAMC student newspaper, Oct. 26, 1918

OVID-19 isn’t the first pandemic Oklahoma State University has faced in its 130-year history. In 1918, an unprepared nation and Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College faced an invisible foe they never anticipated. The initial impact of the Spanish flu pandemic at the beginning of the year had been insignificant in Oklahoma. The second wave struck the

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campus that fall. This virulent H1N1 flu killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide and about 675,000 in the United States between January 1918 and December 1920. The fall semester began Friday, Sept. 6, with 1,753 students. Registrations remained strong in spite of World War I. The college served as a site for the Student Army Training Corps, which allowed young men to enlist in the army, begin their military training and take classes, often in engineering, which could help in replacing or repairing wardamaged infrastructure. The SATC soldiers resided and ate on campus. The Boys Dormitory, designed for 120 students, housed 240 soldiers and the Livestock Pavilion became a barracks for another 250. The Women’s Building, which housed the School of Home Economics and served

as the residence hall for female students, had kitchens and a communal dining hall with a capacity to serve 150. A temporary mess hall was constructed to serve another 350 men. On Sep. 21, 1918, the first hint of a problem appeared at the bottom of the “Dorm Notes” column in the weekly

STORY DAVID C. PETERS | PHOTOS OSU ARCHIVES

Not only did the students think the flu was a joke, but even the townspeople did not take the epidemic seriously until the cases began piling up out of all proportions. — ORANGE AND BLACK, THE OAMC STUDENT NEWSPAPER, OCT. 26, 1918

student newspaper, Orange and Black: “A great many of the dorm girls left their windows open during the past week on account of influenza.” That same day, the college sent a large contingent of faculty, staff and students to the Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City. An announcement five days earlier in the Oklahoma City newspapers that the “Spanish Flu May Be Rampant Here” did not deter the college migration to this annual event. At the same time, Army officers assigned to the Student Army Training Corps arrived on campus from a number of different military posts, some of which were already experiencing the flu epidemic. Lee Cochran, from Weleetka, Oklahoma, wrote OAMC President James W. Cantwell on Oct. 7, 1918, asking if “the Spanish Influenza has broken out in the college and that there was danger to students coming there.” He was recruiting college students and wanted to assure potential candidates and their families that it was safe on the Stillwater campus. Randle Perdue, secretary to the president, responded immediately: “There are not more than four or five cases and every precaution is being taken to prevent the spread of the disease. We are not alarmed in any way.” In less than two weeks, the situation at the college would change dramatically. On Oct. 6, Oklahoma City physicians expressed the opinion that “citizens were unduly alarmed” with the flu disruptions and there was “no reason for thinking that the disease will again break out.” Five days later, reports of 19 deaths there prompted a general closing order citywide. A similar situation occurred in Stillwater with more than 40 student cases reported. The city Board of Health closed all public gatherings including movie theaters and churches.

Public schools shut down, and the college eliminated all social functions. The first home football game of the season, against the Haskell Institute team from Lawrence, Kansas, on Oct. 5, was the last game played for a month. Northeast Kansas was one of the epicenters of the Spanish flu outbreak, but no definitive connections traced its spread to the Haskell football team. The team played again Nov. 2 against Central Normal (now the University of Central Oklahoma) from Edmond. The football team continued to practice even though more than half of the players suffered from the flu. By mid-October, the dormitories on campus were serving as hospitals. Healthy and recovered students cared for the sick. A wood-framed home, first built for the college president in 1893, served as the first hospital for the SATC men before the entire Boys Dormitory was repurposed. Women faculty, staff and seniors provided primary care at the Women’s Building under the direction of Ruth Michaels, dean of Home Economics. Classes were suspended to free teachers and students for medical duty. They delivered medicines, picked up “sick” trays in the dining hall, ran errands and even gave up their own beds to allow visiting relatives a place to stay. These nurses also cared for the SATC men. A few students moved into town to be closer to local doctors. While done with the best of intentions, many of these actions facilitated the spread of influenza. At this same time, the U.S. government and American Red Cross began promoting precautions. All were encouraged to avoid crowds, sneeze or cough into a handkerchief, wash hands regularly, use antiseptic sprays, get plenty of fresh air, drink sufficient amounts of water and eliminate useless

Ruth Michaels

Ora Black

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By mid-October, the dormitories on campus were serving as hospitals. Healthy and recovered students cared for the sick.

handshaking. Recommendations also included no sharing of cups, towels or eating utensils. The student newspaper published numerous updates on the influenza status of many students, faculty and staff and posted notes for organizations “hit by the flu,” such as the college band and Advanced Dictation Club. Announcements included the

The Womens Building became an infirmary.

The Livestock Pavilion housed 250 soldiers.

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cancellations of events such as public lecture courses and notified students and team members that football practice was continuing in spite of many players being ill. Dr. John Duke, the state health commissioner, declared a statewide quarantine on Oct. 18. All public gatherings of more than 12 people were

banned, but Oklahomans could still eat out and classes continued on campus. On Oct. 19, the college paper reported the death of James Alva Conner, the first SATC student to die of the Spanish flu, three days earlier. One week later, the death of Ora Ardell Black was announced. She was an English teaching assistant in the OAMC secondary school. When the outbreak hit in September, she volunteered as a nurse until overcome by the disease herself. More residents were infected and more deaths reported in Stillwater and elsewhere in the state. In the midst of this suffering, some students were upset that they couldn’t hold a pep rally for the football team. The Oklahoma Health Administration allowed classes but wouldn’t approve a pep assembly and discouraged cheering at the Nov. 2 football game, thinking that yelling and cheering would lead to throat irritation and increase susceptibility to influenza. Organized cheers for the game would be eliminated. The college had been proud to announce that it was the only higher education institution in the state that remained opened during the influenza pandemic. SATC persisted with drills and classes continued. Eventually, 200 SATC members were afflicted and the college received word that six former students died of the flu while serving in the military, both at home and abroad. The Red Cross provided six nurses and a temporary guard around the college “hospital” controlled the number of visitors. As new cases fell, social activities expanded. An interfraternity dance took place Nov. 9, and Stillwater churches conducted worship services beginning Nov. 10. Scattered influenza news items continued to appear in local newspapers for another year as the third wave of the pandemic didn’t end until December 1920, but the worst was over in Stillwater by mid-November 1918.

Ultimately, 500 OAMC students and SATC cadets, roughly 30 percent of the student body, suffered influenza symptoms. College employees and their families experienced the same rates of infection, and the college suffered two deaths, one student and one employee. There were additional deaths in Stillwater and surrounding communities. Ten years later, a campus hospital was built to meet the medical needs of students, in part a response to the challenges faced during the influenza pandemic of 1918. On a larger note, leaders in the United States and European countries engaged in World War I knew about the expanding influenza outbreak beginning in early 1918, but censored stories about the epidemic fearful that publication would damage morale. Some blamed the Germans, but those soldiers suffered at the same rates as the French, English and Americans. Spain was not involved in the war, and the influenza outbreak received wide coverage in that country. That coverage led many to assume it must have started in Spain, so they christened it the Spanish flu. The original source of influenza remains unconfirmed; it may have started in Kansas according to many scholars.

A temporary mess hall was built to feed 350 men.

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The Cowboy Family comes together when things get tough, and this moment in history is no different. The repercussions of COVID-19 are still building, and many OSU students and their families face financial uncertainty because of the global pandemic. Requests for emergency funding and need-based scholarships are at an all-time high. So, too, are the opportunities to make a difference through the Brighter Orange, Brighter Future scholarship campaign. Together, we can make sure the Oklahoma State University Cowboy Family stays strong.

Find out how you can help at

www.cowboy.family

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Through our new fundraising campaign, the boundaries for the future of OSU Agriculture will be limitless. Visit OSUgiving.com/New-Frontiers to learn more.

Thank you to our early investors to the New Frontiers Campaign SILENT PHASE DONORS Linda Cline Dorma Hobbs Helen Hodges Scott Sewell Ken & Kathy Starks Doug & Ranet Tippens

Susanne Wasson Dr. Dennis & Marta White AgPreference American AgCredit BancFirst Farm Credit of Enid FLCA

CORNERSTONE DONORS Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma Oklahoma AgCredit Oklahoma Farm Bureau

Larry & Kayleen Ferguson John & Virginia Groendyke Anonymous Dr. Barry Pollard/P&K Equipment Win & Kay Ingersoll Frank and Ludmila Robson The Sunderland Foundation

Seizing the Day

OSU Cowgirl wins $20,000 in MidFirst Bank sweepstakes

ife after graduation can be filled with stress and worry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. But one lucky 2020 graduate now has 20,000 reasons to smile. MidFirst Bank, the exclusive provider of the OSU Alumni Association credit card, recently hosted a “Seize the Day with 20K” sweepstakes, surprising one graduate at partner institutions with a gift of $20,000. “When MidFirst approached us with this idea, we knew we had to participate,” said Chase Carter, Alumni Association director of marketing and engagement systems. Rachel Bridenstine, a 2020 business administration graduate, was randomly selected as the winner. Carter used the premise she’d been chosen to be interviewed for STATE magazine story about graduating during the age of COVID-19 in contacting her.

“I was a nervous wreck when I talked to her on the phone, because I knew I had to convince her to be on the call under a false pretense just so she could win the sweepstakes,” Carter said. Bridenstine, who currently works at a daycare center in Yukon, Oklahoma, was reluctant but ultimately agreed. “I really didn’t think I had much to say,” Bridenstine said. “The only thing that really changed for me was not being able to walk across the stage for graduation.” The Zoom call took place on June 29 with several MidFirst employees disguised with OSU logos on the screen. Carter revealed a “special guest” on the call wanted to say hello, and MidFirst announced the surprise. “I thought she was lying to me,” Bridenstine joked. “I really couldn’t believe it. I didn’t think it was me.” After her initial shock, Bridenstine revealed the gift was needed now more

than ever following an accident that had happened just hours before. “My husband had just totaled his car that day,” Bridenstine said during the announcement. “This is such a blessing for my family, so thank you.” Bridenstine had a unique OSU experience. She completed her degree completely online while working full time and taking care of two children. “Our kids are very active, so it was easier to go online if I wanted to go back full time,” Bridenstine said. “Plus, I don’t live in Stillwater, and the degree program they offered was just what I needed.” Alumni, students and fans can show their OSU pride at retailers and restaurants while supporting the university with the Midfirst OSU credit card. To learn more or apply for a card, visit MidFirst.com/pistolpete.

Rachel Bridenstine (middle row, right) is surprised by MidFirst Bank with the help of OSU Alumni Association staff members. Below: OSU alumni and fans can get a custom OSU credit card through MidFirst Bank.

STORY WILL CARR AND CHASE CARTER | PHOTOS OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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RESEARCH BIG AND SMALL OSU AIMS TO BENEFIT OKLAHOMA AND BEYOND WITH ITS TIER 1 RESEARCH INITIATIVES

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From tiny acorns grow mighty oaks. And one of Oklahoma State University’s Tier 1 Research Initiatives is tackling the tiniest of acorns — the Microbiome Initiative is studying the community of micro-organisms found inside humans, animals and even soil in order to improve health and wellbeing. Another — the Opioid Initiative — is a macro effect: It aims to find better ways to manage pain and treat the nationwide health crisis of opioid addiction. Oklahoma State University’s four Tier 1 Research Initiatives are large-scale interdisciplinary research efforts that aim for an extensive impact. “In a typical project, we hope to answer an important scientific question and advance the field with a single — though significant — step,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice president of research. “Tier 1 Research Initiatives target important problems faced by society, identify the barriers and unknowns that are preventing that problem from being solved and bring all of our scientific training, engineering skills and human capacities to bear to generate real solutions.” This issue of STATE features two of the four initiatives: the Microbiome Initiative and the Opioid Initiative. (You can find features on the Drones Initiative and the Rural Renewal Initiative in the Spring 2020 issue of STATE.) The Microbiome Initiative brings experts together from areas such as biology, human and veterinary medicine, computer science, mathematics, behavioral and social sciences, and engineering. The Opioid Initiative is the research arm of the Center for Wellness and Recovery and is based at the OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa. This group’s long-term focus is on understanding the causes, effects and possible interventions for opioid addiction. “OSU’s Tier 1 Research Initiatives are led by some of OSU’s most productive and accomplished researchers, so I am certain that there will be quality science conducted, with results that advance human knowledge in important fields of study,” Sewell said. “I truly believe that by joining forces across disciplinary boundaries the way our faculty have done and focusing on real-world problems the way our Tier 1 efforts do … these initiatives will have palpable impact on the lives of many thousands of Oklahomans. And as the fruits of these initiatives are shared with colleagues elsewhere, the same will be true for people far beyond Oklahoma’s borders.”

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AHEAD OF THE GAME OSU’S MICROBIOME RESEARCH COULD OFFER CLUES AGAINST COVID-19 AND OTHER DISEASES

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there might not have been a better time for Oklahoma State University to put together a Tier 1 Research Initiative on the microbiome. Over the last 20 years, microbiome research has been gaining more attention in the scientific community. Over the next 10 years, OSU expects to become a national leader in the discipline, thanks to the Microbiome Initiative: Connecting the Microbiome to Health. “Microbiome” refers to the community of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses that inhabit a particular environment. They exist in places you might expect, such as your gut, and places you might not, such as clouds. The global microbiome includes millions of species, covering all Earth’s animals, plants and physical environments. It can impact every aspect of the world’s ecosystem, including human, animal and plant health.

“OSU is positioned really well to become a leader in microbiome research.” TYRRELL CONWAY HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR GENETICS

STORY JACOB LONGAN | ILLUSTRATION BENTON RUDD

Microbiome science is complex because of the interactions of interconnected communities of organisms and their hosts or other microbial communities in food, water or the created environment. Though still in its infancy, microbiome science dominates thinking in the life sciences. For example, how much of a role, if any, do microbiomes play in the effect of COVID-19 on human bodies? “Why do some individuals get sick and some don’t?” asked Jerry Malayer, one of the project’s four leaders and the College of Veterinary Medicine’s associate dean for research and graduate education. “Why do some respond to therapeutics and some don’t? It could also be some element of the microbiome is giving some people an advantage over others. That’s speculation and has to be tested, but I think that’s the direction that this may go.” Gerwald Koehler, a microbiology professor at the Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa who is another project leader added, “Considering what we know so far about COVID-19 and the coronavirus, there might be a connection with the microbiome. The obvious connection we would look for is the lung microbiome, but there also seems to be a gut microbiome connection.” OSU designated the Microbiome Initiative as a Tier 1 Research Initiative well before the pandemic began. The designation provides seed funding, laboratory equipment, new hires, student and staff support, and assistance in seeking external grants and partnerships.

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Microbiome research leaders (from left) Jerry Malayer, Gerwald Koehler, Tyrrell Conway and Brenda Smith.

The Microbiome Initiative aims to provide researchers across the university with tools to produce innovative, consistent and reproducible research that determines cause and effect. Those tools include access to experts about each area of the process, from securing samples to producing computer models that predict the effect of adjusting variables. Together, the expertise and appropriate facilities will create a pipeline to take an experiment from hypothesis to reliable results. “OSU is positioned really well to become a leader in microbiome research,” said Tyrrell Conway, another of the project’s leaders and head of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in OSU’s College of Arts and Sciences. “If you are a life science researcher of any kind, you are thinking about the microbiome. If you don’t have the capacity in your laboratory to test some of these things, you wish you did. That’s what the toolkit is for.” The other project leader is Brenda Smith, a Regents Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences within the College of Education and Human Sciences and associate dean of the Graduate College.

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“The biggest thing that this COVID19 situation does for me is to reinforce the all-important need for this research,” Smith said. “The microbiome is so integrated with our immune response. Anything we can do to enhance immunity is going to have implications on health and definitely infectious disease.” The more researchers study microbiomes and consider their effects, the more it becomes apparent there is a lot to learn. That has led the initiative to create four subject groups, with an assigned leader for each: • Bioinformatics — Pratul Agarwal, High Performance Computing Center • Microbiology and Ecology — Mostafa Elshahed, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics • Gut-Brain Axis — Gerwald Koehler, OSU-CHS Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology • Nutrition — Janeen Johnson, Department of Animal and Food Science

“Nobody is an expert in all of these things, so the formation of these groups is really important,” Conway said. “They will meet about monthly and share ideas and information, and then bring the best of that conversation to the larger meetings of the entire Microbiome Initiative.” With them so far are about 70 collaborators across OSU. “This is a great opportunity to have collaborative research,” Koehler said. “It’s going to lead to more interdisciplinary research. My vision is toward engaging more clinicians and social scientists in microbiome research.” Conway is excited about microbiology receiving increased attention from the public lately. Early in his career, he would tell people he was a biologist because most didn’t understand what a microbiologist was. Now most people know the term, and many have at least some idea about the concept of microbiomes. For example, they know antibiotics can lead to complications such as digestive issues or yeast infections. “The interest in microbiomes is a movement,” Conway said. “Microbiologists have known for many decades that microbes live in communities. But now lots of people who aren’t microbiologists are doing things like taking prebiotics to feed bacteria, stimulating growth. They are taking probiotics to introduce microbes that are beneficial. They are beginning to get that we are a cloud of our microbiomes.” Over the past decade, Koehler has increasingly focused his research on microbiomes, especially the gut-brain axis. For example, is there a connection between the composition of someone’s microbiome and whether they have severe depression or anxiety? “We see changes that correlate in humans and experimental models,”

PHOTO PROVIDED

Koehler said. “We see changes that correlate with some depressivelike behavior in animals and deep depression in humans. The question is, how do we get from correlations to mechanisms? We need to find out if depression causes changes in the microbiome, or do changes in the microbiome cause depression?” He is also excited about research into how the microbiome relates to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and gastroenterological issues such as inflammatory bowel disease. It may even play a part in causing cancer. “Microbiome science is a great opportunity to learn things that we didn’t even know that we didn’t know,” Koehler said. “There are so many areas where people haven’t even considered the trillions of microorganisms within us. When you get a physical now, they check your blood. In a couple of years, we might also get our microbiome checked to see if there is anything wrong with that.” While Koehler studies the gut-brain axis, Smith’s expertise is the gut-bone axis. She notes that bones are greatly affected by a body’s immune response, and the current understanding is that about 70 percent of a body’s immune cells reside within the gut. “You are what you eat” makes a lot of sense as it relates to the microbiome. “What we consume affects the microbiome, which in turn influences the immune cells residing within the wall of the intestine. These cells can then migrate to the bone or other tissues to either promote an inflammatory response or suppress the immune

response,” Smith said. “What we’ve learned in even the last decade is going to change the way we do nutrition.” Today, nutritional recommendations are typically based on an individual’s age, gender and if a woman is pregnant or lactating. With an increased understanding of the microbiome, a much more individualized approach to nutrition recommendations may soon be the norm. “This is a paradigm shift,” Smith said. “It’s changing the way we think in nutrition.” For example, there are some compounds that aren’t traditional nutrients, such as resveratrol in red wine and EGCG in green tea, that are known to have robust health benefits. Yet studies have shown they are poorly absorbed by the body. “If we consider the microbiome, maybe the target of their action isn’t that I drink green tea and the EGCG ends up in some tissue,” Smith said. “Maybe the action is primarily taking place in the gut, where it is metabolized by microbes that alter the immune cell response.” Malayer’s expertise is cellular communication and interaction. For him, the idea of the global microbiome is “almost perfect.” “We talk about One Health — the concept that the health of animals, humans, plants and the environment are linked,” Malayer says. “In research, the things we find in one environment can apply to another. At a basic level, processes of tissues, cells and organs are similar across species.” The goal of microbiome science is to understand which microbes are present, what they are doing and how they are

“Microbiome science is a great opportunity to learn things that we didn’t even know that we didn’t know.” GERWALD KOEHLER OSU-CHS DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MICROBIOLOGY

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

interacting. That leads to research questions about the effects of eliminating certain classes of organisms, allowing other classes to expand. “We’re talking about millions of bacteria, millions of genes they are expressing, and millions of metabolites,” Malayer said. “That’s a very complex system. With artificial intelligence machine learning and supercomputers, we think we can program a computer to model that at some scale. That will let us do predictive analysis. ‘What would happen if you eliminate an organism? What would happen if you introduced a probiotic or prebiotic?’” OSU has tremendous resources for multidisciplinary microbiome research. Through the Microbiome Initiative, Malayer says OSU is empowering researchers to “plug into a pipeline” of expertise and specialized equipment that will allow them to “build your model without having to reinvent the wheel.” They will train students, “who will become the next generation of scientists, and they will be doing a lot more of this kind of work.” He added, “There is potential to discover new processes and organisms in these various environments with commercial potential. The sky is the limit if we get everything in place. There are institutions that do things like this now, but I don’t think anywhere has the breadth of potential application that OSU does.”

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AIMING FOR NEW INSIGHTS RESEARCH ADDS SCIENCE-DRIVEN TOOLS TO HELP COMBAT OPIOID ADDICTION THE BEGINNINGS Oklahoma residents, like many people throughout the nation, are fighting a battle with a brutal enemy: opioid addiction. Boldly leading the defense for Oklahomans — and indeed the nation — is the Center for Wellness and Recovery at OSU Medicine. Opioid addiction does not discriminate; it hits people of all races, genders, education levels and economic classes. Even today, it is highly misunderstood. Addiction was once thought to be caused by choices; however, doctors now say addiction is due a combination of genetic, biological, behavioral and social factors. That finding came out of research — and further understanding addiction requires more research. “Without evidence to support our practices, we could not train providers to treat addiction,” said Julie Croff, executive director of the Center for Wellness and Recovery. “Research is necessary to inform our clinical services, training and advocacy initiatives.” That’s where this Tier 1 Research Initiative comes in. “OSU’s research has always reflected our land-grant mission to serve society,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “Our Tier 1 Research Initiatives represent a commitment to Oklahoma that we intend to use our research strengths to make a major difference.” “Addressing the opioid crisis with science-driven tools is the ultimate goal,” said Dr. Charles Amlaner, OSU Center for Health Sciences vice president for research. “And we are excited to have OSU-CHS lead this collaboration with our OSU colleagues.”

STORY HARRISON HILL | ILLUSTRATION BENTON RUDD

The Center for Wellness and Recovery was founded in November 2017 as a research arm of the Center for Health Sciences. OSUCHS President Kayse Shrum established the center to address the opioid epidemic in Oklahoma by focusing on research, advocacy and clinical services. Tier 1 Initiatives use interdisciplinary approaches, and the center is no exception. “Addiction is a brain disease that has multiple intersecting causes, so it is ideal that we work across fields to develop a comprehensive approach to treatment and prevention of addiction,” said Alicia Ford, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Partnering with other colleges, research centers and pharmaceutical companies has provided needed resources. Currently, several intersectional models of research are in use at the center.

TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH

Translation research involves using animal models to inform research on human subjects. Partnering with biomedical scientists, clinical researchers can see outcomes from research faster. Opioids cause changes in many pathways of the brain and can often lead to a decrease in cognitive function, which can improve once opioids are no longer used. Dr. Ford is collaborating with Dolores Vazquez Sanroman, assistant professor of anatomy and cell biology, on a series of studies that evaluate the level of natural brain recovery that occurs during early abstinence. Researchers are using rodents to study this effect.

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ALTERNATIVE MODELS

Randall Davis

“Our initial results indicate that when people enter inpatient treatment for opioid abuse, they are performing at one-half to one standard deviation below expectation in multiple cognitive areas,” Ford said. “After one month of abstinence, they demonstrate improvements in cognitive performance, though not yet a full recovery.” Dr. Vazquez Sanroman is working to understand if there is a pattern of biological changes that relate to this cognitive recovery. “In particular, we are looking at the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is a neural protein that plays an important role in neurogenesis and neural plasticity — the brain’s ability to form new neurons and to change in response to the environment,” she said. “Using a rodent model of place preference, animals that preferred to expend time on the opioid-associated environment showed a dysregulation on BDNF levels in brain areas involved in addiction.”

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LIFE COURSE MODEL

The center also seeks to understand the biological and behavioral impacts on addiction. One specific area being studied is the indirect and direct effect of a mother’s substance abuse on birth and the child. The HEALthy Brain and Cognitive Development study is led by Croff and Amanda Sheffield Morris. The study is gathering data focused on such factors as drug and alcohol use, environmental toxins, social interactions and nutrition. The final protocol of the study will follow the development of babies until age 10. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Medicine has thus far lacked detailed baseline standards of normative brain development in childhood, and [this study] will help produce such standards. The information gained from the study will create an invaluable reference for pediatricians, pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists.”

For many people, opioid addiction began with an injury and a prescription for the powerful pain relievers. For a patient with chronic pain, opioid use can escalate over time and lead to an addiction. One way to avoid this is to use other methods to manage pain. Osteopathic manipulative treatment is a set of techniques, including various stretches, pressure and resistance, that physicians can use to treat musculoskeletal problems. This treatment has worked with low back pain and most non-cancer pain. Ford and Vazquez Sanroman (co-principal investigators) are leading a two-year research study funded by the American Osteopathic Association to evaluate the use of manipulative treatment with patients who have both opioid addiction and chronic back pain. “Both opioid addiction and chronic pain have known effects on one’s mood, cognition and general life functioning,” Ford said. “These are accompanied by a host of neurobiological changes. We hope that by providing an effective nonmedication treatment for pain that our participants will experience improvement in multiple areas and be more successful in remaining abstinent from opioids.”

POWERING FORWARD

Research continues to be the answer. From understanding how to better train medical professionals and patient recovery processes to determining how to support families of those struggling with addiction, research is key to a better defense in battling the opioid epidemic. Using a multidisciplinary approach allows researchers to move faster and more effectively. Both those struggling with the disease of addiction and those researching how to best support them need support. The Center for Wellness and Recovery and the Tier 1 Research Initiatives are up to that challenge.

FUNDING PROGRESS AS PART OF THE LAND-GRANT MISSION, OSU IS FOCUSED ON CONDUCTING RESEARCH AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. While the university relies on grants and federal funding, private donations and corporate sponsorships are vital to supporting our research efforts. Friends and alumni like you are helping shape the future of Oklahoma State University!

To learn more about how to get involved and be a part of OSU’s impactful research, visit OSUgiving.com/research. To find out more about all the TIER 1 Research Initiatives currently active visit okla.st/tier1.

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ONCE A COWBOY, ALWAYS A COWBOY

Continue your Cowboy legacy with an online graduate degree at OSU. An OSU graduate degree is now even more affordable, even if you’re out of state. We’re now offering a special tuition rate for out-of-state online graduate students.

Learn more at osuonline.okstate.edu

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CHAPTER LEADER PROFILE

Micah Scobey, Denver Chapter Micah Scobey had narrowed her college choices down to three. But once she stepped foot on Oklahoma State University’s campus, she knew she was home. “OSU was definitely the place for me,” she said. “The people were so much nicer, and the campus was beautiful.” A first-generation college student, Scobey did not stray far from her hometown of Pryor, Oklahoma. While at OSU, when Scobey was not studying, she was hanging out with friends or at athletic events. She was on several intramural teams that won championship titles. One of Scobey’s favorite memories is a men’s basketball game when she was working the score table and calling media timeouts. “It was 2009 or 2010 when we beat Kansas and rushed the court,” Scobey

said. “I still have a little piece of the net they cut up.” After graduating in 2012 with a degree in microbiology and cell and molecular biology, Scobey moved to Denver for a job and met Jennifer Glenn, who was leading the Denver OSU Alumni Chapter. When Jennifer and her husband, Jason, decided to return to Oklahoma, Scobey stepped up to serve as the new chapter president. Scobey and the members of the Denver Chapter are heavily involved in hosting watch parties for OSU games, serving their community and bringing America’s Brightest Orange to Denver. One of her favorite events is hosting watch parties at The Dive Inn for all alumni and friends to come together and cheer the Cowboys onto victory.

“The Dive Inn is like old Strip meets new Strip,” she said. “It is a little piece of Stillwater in Denver.” As a chapter leader, Scobey connects people and helps others succeed in their personal and professional lives. Scobey’s advice to recent graduates and young alumni is to network and remember that it is an achievement to graduate from college. “Companies look to make sure you have a degree and were committed to your time [at OSU] and were successful in whatever you decided to study,” Scobey said. “I think that goes a long way.”

DENVER CHAPTER BY THE NUMBERS 2,768 alumni and friends 235 members 161 current OSU students from Colorado 501 miles from Stillwater

Micah Scobey (front) and other members of the Denver OSU Alumni Chapter enjoy a game at Coors Field for OSU Night at the Rockies.

Lance Fuller represents the Tulsa OSU Alumni Chapter at the Bedlam Run.

OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STORY LUCY HODGES | PHOTO COURTESY MICAH SCOBEY

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CHAPTER NEWS

With the OSU Alumni Association, you’re never far from a member of the Cowboy family! In fact, more than 80 percent of OSU alumni live within 50 miles of a group. These groups host more than 900 events annually for Cowboys of all ages and are supported by membership dues. The Alumni Association also has affinity chapters and alumni societies for each OSU college and campus.

ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N LEARN MORE

To find your local chapter or events happening in your area, visit ORANGECONNECTION. org/chapters.

AFFINITY GROUPS American Indian Alumni Society Army ROTC/Veteran Alumni Chapter Band Alumni Chapter Black Alumni Society

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Faculty/Staff Alumni Chapter O’Colly Alumni Chapter Pistol Pete Alumni Chapter

STORY SARAH BILDSTEIN WANZER

C AR E S Ac t o f 2020 Why is this important to me? The CARES Act has a special tax provision that is available only for the calendar year 2020. While the most attractive incentives may involve gifts of cash, gifts of appreciated assets and stocks may also provide significant tax advantages. Initiate a conversation with the OSU Foundation Gift Planning Team to learn how you may benefit. Virtual meetings are available, call our team today! The OSU Foundation Office of Gift Planning has a team ready to share its expertise related to the cares Act and your tax savings opportunities. Learn more at:

OSUgiving.com/EstatePlanning CARES Act tax provisions are only in place for 2020. Plan ahead and call our team today! OSU Foundation Office of Gift Planning giftplanning@OSUgiving.com | 800.622.4678

ALUMNI UPDATE

’40s Alfred Green, ’47 animal science, was recognized as the oldest living member at the blessing of the new Sigma Phi Epsilon facilities. As of March, Green has 25 living “siblings” in his Greek family. Morris D. Neighbors, ’49 secondary education, ’64 master’s in psychology, is 94 and enjoying his 15th greatgrandchild. He recently reunited with his WWII shipmates and visited Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

’50s

Joe Sewell Jr., ’50 animal husbandry, will be celebrating his 93rd birthday this year and wishes his wife Dee could have been here to celebrate with him. Joe is still active with First Bank & Trust Co. in Perry, Oklahoma, where he has been for over 60 years and on the board for 57 years. Richard T. Howl, ’52 business and public administration, and wife Marie recently moved to Edmond, Oklahoma, after 68 years in Tulsa to be closer to family. Larry Cassil, ’56 business and public administration, retired as an attorney and municipal judge in Warr Acres, Oklahoma. Donald Hensley, ’57 agriculture education, is enjoying retirement and living a good life. Charles Heller, ’59 civil engineering, ’60 master’s in civil engineering, serves on a number of boards and is completing his fourth memoir, Cowboy from Prague.

’60s

Douglas Welch, ’61 mechanical engineering, recently retired from volunteering as a coordinator for Meals on Wheels in Bixby, Oklahoma, and and inspector for Tulsa County Election Board. He recently lost his wife of 58 years, Julia, but he remains active with worship activities and his family.

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Jane Middleton, ’62 secondary education, and her husband Jack, ’62 secondary education, recently hosted their niece, Jenna Slattery, ’17 human resource management, ’19 master’s in health care administration, at their home in Florida. Slattery lives and works in Oklahoma City. The Middletons are enjoying warm and sunny Florida after surviving the deep freeze in Connecticut for 51 years. Janice Marie Smith, ’62 preveterinarian sciences, ’64 veterinarian medicine, turned 80 on Thanksgiving Day 2019 and has always been her own boss. Her biggest accomplishment this past year is getting out of bed each morning and going dancing every other Saturday night. Connie Virginia Sheridan, ’64 elementary education, taught school for 27 years in Texas. She is married with three children who are now married and have children of their own. Her oldest grandson is a sophomore at OSU. Connie and her husband have six children, 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Lewis Armstrong, ’65 geography, and wife Linda (Todd) Armstrong, ’63 home economics, celebrated 57 years of marriage and published a cookbook together, Todd Family and Friends Cookbook. They have two children, Michael and Melinda. Lewis retired in 1993 as an Army colonel after 28 years of Reserve and active duty. He went on to work as a librarian at Abilene Christian University and Emporia State University before retiring in 2003. He has published his autobiography, Oklahoma Boy on the Bumpy Road of Life, and a book of veterans and their life stories, Stories by an Oklahoma Boy. Ed Thomas, ’65 accounting, and his wife of 54 years, Wanda, ’65 special education, have been blessed to travel to all 50 states and 93 countries, many travels

being on missions and speaking engagements. Thomas and his two sons are partners in their family office in Houston. Bob Curtis, ’66 art, was selected for the 2020 National Art Education Association Retired Art Teacher of the Year award. Curtis retired in September 2005, after teaching art at Overholser Elementary School in Putnam City Schools for 13 years. Before teaching, he worked for World Neighbors in international development for 23 years after spending three years in India as a Peace Corps volunteer. Dr. Darlyne G. Nemeth, ’68 master’s in education, founded the Neuropsychology Center of Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she has a broad spectrum practice of clinical, medical and neuropsychology. She recently co-edited Evaluation and Treatment of Neuropsychologically Compromised Children: Understanding Clinical Applications Post Luria and Reitan, with Janna Glozman that was published in May 2020. Vaden Winfred Morgan, ’69 animal science, ’76 master’s in agricultural education, completed 11 years as an adjunct instructor in biology at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.

’70s

Ronn Cupp, ’70 journalism and broadcasting, and wife Beth, ’70 HEECS, earned the Odilia and David Dank Oklahoma County Party Builder Award from the Oklahoma County Republican Party in 2019. Cupp was first elected as an Oklahoma County state committeeman at the state convention in 2015 and is now serving his third term. He is also a member of the Oklahoma County Republican Party executive committee and state committee. David Lee Pope, ’70 agriculture engineering, ’71 master’s in agriculture engineering, recently retired after over 50 years as an agricultural engineer in various positions related to the conservation, management,

use and control of water and water courses in Kansas, as well as representing the state on Interstate River Compact issues and serving as a consultant since 2007. Grover “Bud” Adams, ’71 mech ag, retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service after 15 years. He still raises beef cattle and enjoys hunting, fishing and visiting his kids in New Mexico and Colorado. Justice Steven Taylor, ’71 political science, retired from the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in 2017 after 33 years of judicial service. At his retirement, the courthouse in McAlester was renamed the Justice Steven W. Taylor Courthouse Complex. In 2019, he was appointed to the State Regents for Higher Education by Gov. Kevin Stitt. Randy Freeland, ’72 agricultural economics, lives with his wife, Bonnie, in Stillwater and they have two married sons and five grandchildren, who are all OSU fans. They attend most sporting events, and Randy participates in Master Gardener activities after retiring from soil conservation work a few years ago. Randy Weaver, ’73 broadcasting journalism, and wife Amy are proud of their grandson, Jackson Field, who will come to OSU as a freshman this fall. Randy is celebrating 40 years as president of Texas Battery Co. Inc. Linda (Buffa) Hiette, ’74 secondary education, ’75 master’s in STE PER & GUID, is retired from St. Louis City and County Health Department as a health educator for 40 years. Her youngest daughter, Lindsey, will be attending OSU in the fall. Her oldest daughter, Taylor, is a graphic designer at Equifax in St. Louis. Her husband, Thom, will retire in January from USDA as a computer specialist for almost 40 years.

Pamela S. Remmel, ’75 social science, retired in July 2019 after leading the Heath Alliances for the Uninsured from its start in 2007. She now volunteers to drive dogs to cities that do not have enough adoptable animals, thus helping to reduce Oklahoma’s shelters kill rate. William K. Garton, ’76 journalism, ’79 master’s in mass communication, continues to operate Red Chair Press as its founding publisher and president while living in both Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and the small village of Saint Jean-aux-Bois in northern France. Nancy (Kassick) Goulding, ’77 secondary administration, and husband Curtis, ’77 agricultural economics, are forming 7C Bar Cattle to produce grassfed beef. They have added two grandsons to the family, Miles and Benjamin. Laurie Jane (Barr) Croft, ’78 history, was recently promoted to professor of gifted education at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Croft serves as the associate director of the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education. Philip Nokes, ’78 doctorate in osteopathic medicine, recently moved from Ardmore, Oklahoma, to Edmond to accept a PRN staff physician for the Premise Health Oklahoma City clinics.

’80s

Mark King, ’80 political science, successfully skied 60 miles to the South Pole (89° S to 90° S), completing the “last degree” expeditions to both poles. He is now one summit away from achieving the explorer’s grand slam. He will attempt to climb Mount Everest in the spring of 2021.

C. Kevin Morrison, ’80 RTVF, was recently appointed as a special judge in the Tulsa County District Court to handle a docket of family and domestic cases. Gregory James Quarles, ’83 mathematics, ’85 master’s in physics, ’87 doctorate in physics, is CEO and board member for Applied Energetics Inc., a publicly traded laser company in Tucson, Arizona, in May 2019. He was previously the chief scientific officer for the Optical Society and held executive positions at B.E. Myers & Co. and II-VI Inc. Malinda (Powell) Boswell, ’84 physical education, and husband Jay moved back to Stillwater following her retirement after 34 years teaching physical education in South Texas.

Catherine (Curry) Mardon, ’84 forestry management, was awarded dame commander of the Order of St. Sylvester, a papal knighthood, in Rome in November 2019. Stephen W. Case, ’85 geology, graduated from OSU 35 years ago, and it has served him well. His love for his alma mater and school pride continues to grow! Jan Curran, ’86 psychology, and Johnny Curran, ’75 math, ’76 accounting, have been married 47 years. Jan is a retired CPA. They are RVing as their new adventure in 2020.

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ALUMNI UPDATE

Eddie Johnson, ’88 finance, was recently promoted to general manager at Packaging Corporation of American in Carrollton, Texas. Don Roberts, ’88 agricultural economics, was recognized by the Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) with a Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the ACTE Hall of Fame on Dec. 4, 2019, in Anaheim, California. Martha “Michelle” Barlow, ’89 biomedical sciences, ’94 doctorate in osteopathic medicine, is working for the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Thomas A. Hill, ’89 mechanical engineering, is chief executive officer of the family company, Kimray. The Kimmell Foundation for Recovering Leadership was recently started to inspire transformational change in leadership and corporate culture. Hill also serves as board vice chair for Hope Is Alive ministry and mentors a group of men recovering from addiction. Hill and his wife, Rebecca, have been married for more than 30 years and have six children, one who has graduated from OSU and one who will be a freshman this fall. OSU is a wonderful part of the Hill family past and an integral part of their future.

’90s

Jason S. Evans, ’92 accounting, ’94 master’s in business administration, graduated from the National War College in Washington, D.C., with a master’s degree in national security strategy. Evans has over 18 years of experience with the U.S. Department of State and is headed to the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia as the senior human resources officer. He has been previously posted in

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Europe, South America, Asia, the Caribbean and Central America. Samantha Lancaster, ’95 political science, and husband Jeffrey, ’89 geography, ’97 agricultural economics, welcomed their first grandchild, Declan Brooks Monzingo. Declan and mom Addie are doing great even though dad Alex is deployed. Charles E. Fairbanks, ’96 geography, graduated from the National War College in Washington, D.C., with a master’s degree in national security strategy. Lt. Col. Fairbanks has 24 years with the U.S. Army reserves and is headed to the Office of the Chief Army Reserve at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to be a strategic communications officer. He has previously served in Iraq, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Kuwait and Qatar.

’00s

Dr. James Phillips, ’01 cell and molecular biology, is an emergency medicine physician at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Science in Washington, D.C. He is a nationally recognized disaster medicine specialist and was recently hired as a CNN medical analyst during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 18, 2020, he and his wife Andi welcomed their second son, Harrison James Phillips. Damon Nunn, ’03 finance, ’16 master’s in health care administration, has started a company, Peoria Elm Funding, that provides small businesses with working capital. Dr. Lahoma Schultz, ’05 doctorate in educational philosophy, serves as the secretary of Bacone College Board of Trustees and was recently

named Woman of the Year by the Mvskoke Women’s Leadership organization, a part of her tribe, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Lahoma’s husband, Bobby, was recognized by the Boy Scouts of America for his leadership in promoting diversity on the executive board of the Cimarron Council where he is CEO of the organization. Dr. Michael Taberski, ’06 master’s in educational leadership, has been named vice president for student and campus life at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Kathryn Peters, ‘07 environmental science, is currently working on her doctorate in anthropology at Vanderbilt University and was recently named a Fulbright Fellow. Ujiro Ogagoghene Okiomah, ’08 management, is the administrator of the division of neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. Neonatology is the secondlargest division in the department of pediatrics, with over 40 faculty members staffing over 10 neonatal intensive care units in the greater Seattle area. Okiomah is focusing on faculty retirement, research administration and operational efficiency in clinical practice management. Previously, Okiomah served as the senior operation manager of the pediatric service line at Harris Health System in Houston.

’10s Parker Owens, ’10 hotel and restaurant administration, is a proud graduate who now lives in Tulsa with the love of his life and 10-month-old future Cowboy, but a piece of his heart will always be in Stillwater. Dr. Danielle (Oliver) Jackson, ’11 doctorate in curriculum and instruction, was named the Texas Assistant Principal of the year at the 2019-20 Texas Association of Secondary School Principal meeting. She is currently at Marshall High School in Fort Bend ISD. As the Texas Assistant Principal of the Year, she will represent the state at the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ National Assistant Principal of the Year recognition program. Robbie Maples, ’13 agriculture education, has moved from Lafayette, Indiana, to Lawrence, Kansas, for his new job as assistant director for student conduct and community standards at the University of Kansas, which has moved him closer to family, friends and Kansas City barbecue. Dr. Catherine Pierce, ’15 sociology, ’19 master’s in educational leadership studies, has been with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service for almost 13 years. In her current role as frontline supervisor in the Des Moines (Iowa) District, she provides oversight and supervision to three public health veterinarians and 17 consumer safety inspectors. Her husband, Paul, is the director of regulatory services with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. They have four children and two grandchildren.

Friends

Regina Campbell, ’19 natural resources ecology and management, appreciates her time at OSU and her fight to complete her education and earn her college degree, even though it took her many decades to complete. Hannah Hendryx, ‘19 animal science, began her new career as an administrative support specialist with Washington County OSU Extension after graduating. She also got engaged after walking across the stage in December and is set to tie the knot in January 2021.

Sarah Jane (Blaisdell) Dittmer reflects back on the good memories she created at OSU and will always be grateful for the education and experience she had in Stillwater. Shirle Sue (Perry) Millstead is celebrating 63 years with her husband, whom she met at OSU. They have eight children and 16 grandchildren.

Weddings Billye (Newton) Peterson Putnam, ’68 business education, ’84 doctorate in business education, married Col. Jim Putnam on June 9, 2019. The pair share a passion for flying; Jim is a pilot and Billye is a former Flying Aggie. Emily (Curry) Martin, ’05 hotel and restaurant management, married Kevin Martin on Oct. 18, 2019, in Savannah, Georgia. Aaron Cromer, ’16 finance and management, and Allison (Thomas) Cromer, ’16 nutrition, married Aug. 31, 2019, at Rose Briar Place in Oklahoma City. The couple met at Camp Cowboy as incoming freshman in the fall of 2012 and started dating in September of that year. Dillon David Lain, ’18 aerospace administration and operations, and Mackenzie Laine (Odom) Lain, ’17 aerospace administration and operations, married April 18, 2020, in Lubbock, Texas. Both are airline pilots in Chicago. Shelby (Fritts) Roberts, ’18 human development and family science, ’20 master’s in educational leadership, and Tanner Roberts, ’17 marketing, married June 13, 2020, in a small ceremony surrounded by immediate family and a few friends.

Roberts

Lain

Martin

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ALUMNI UPDATE

DeMarco

Smith

DeWitt

Lee

Hutchins

Births Adam Walker, ’04 management information systems, and wife Adrienne welcomed Luke James Walker on Feb. 10, 2020. Luke joined older sister Clara Nicole, who is 3. Luke was named after 2nd Lt. Luke James, OSU Army ROTC class of 2002, who was lost in Iraq in 2004. Candace (Figures) Smith, ’07 marketing, and husband Darnell Smith, ’06 economics, ’08 master’s in natural and applied sciences, welcomed son Dalvin King Smith on Dec. 22, 2019. Dalvin joined older brother Darnell Smith Jr. Megan (Schroeder) Lee, ’09 nutritional science, and husband Eric Lee, ’10 biochemistry and molecular biology, welcomed daughter Madelyn Mae Lee, on March 12, 2020. Madelyn joined older sister Keira Jane, who is 2. Elizabeth (Sharp) DeMarco, ‘10 human development and family science, and husband Austin Anthony DeMarco, ‘12 landscape architecture, welcomed daughter Claire DeMarco, on May 5, 2020. The couple is excited to welcome a future OSU Cowgirl to their family. Matthew Hutchins, ’12 master’s in international studies, welcomed son Albert James Hutchins on Dec. 12, 2019. Albert is Hutchins’ first child and is named after his grandfathers. Breanna (Fuller) Yeargin, ’14 animal science, and husband Daniel welcomed daughter Harper Ann Yeargin, on April 3, 2020. Harper can’t wait to join her parents in Stillwater to cheer the Cowboys on to victory! Grant DeWitt, ’18 nutritional sciences, and wife Victoria, ’22 elementary education, welcomed son Easton Cole DeWitt on Feb. 14, 2020. The couple is very excited to welcome their son to the Cowboy family.

Yeargin

Walker

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In Memory ’40s Wanita Irene White, ’43 secondary education, ’45 master’s in mathematics, of West Lafayette, Indiana, died May 10, 2020. She was 98. Mrs. White was born to Miles and Bessie (Jewett) Robertson in Oilton, Oklahoma, and grew up in a unique oil field community called Carter Nine. After receiving both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from OSU, she taught math there and at the University of Wisconsin. White married fellow Cowboy, Joe Lloyd White, ’44 soil science, ’45 master’s in soil science, on May 29, 1945, and together they raised five children, lived in five other countries, traveled internationally and were active in mission work around the world before he died in 2005.

’50s

Dr. Donald D. Holmes, ’54 doctorate of veterinary medicine, died Jan. 13, 2020. After graduation, Dr. Holmes practiced in a mixed animal clinic in Norman, Oklahoma, until he joined the U.S. Army. In the Army, he served as chief of the experimental animal laboratory at the former Letterman Army Medical Center, where he established the surgical research unit. He later worked as a laboratory animal veterinarian at the Civil Aeromedical Research Institute in Oklahoma City and earned a master’s in veterinary pathology from OSU during that time. He went on to serve as the laboratory animal veterinarian at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Medical Center and consulted with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. Dr. Holmes taught veterinary pathology and served as an attending veterinarian at his alma mater. Dr. Holmes was the chief veterinary medicine officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., from 1986 until his retirement in 1993. He authored the reference book Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction. In 2016, the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine named him an Outstanding Alumnus. Charles H. Steele, ’58 associate in fire protection technology, died July 9, 2020, at his home in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1964, he was appointed as the first

career fire chief in Annapolis, serving until his 1987 retirement. Chief Steele is credited with laying the foundation of the modern-day Annapolis Fire Department. He was predeceased by his wife, Diane, and leaves behind two daughters and sons-in-law and two grandchildren.

’60s

Jerry Fowler, ’63 animal science, died in Quinton, Oklahoma, on Aug. 1, 2019. He was 81. He was born to George and Bessie (Reavis) Fowler in Stigler, Oklahoma, on April 27, 1938. Mr. Fowler married Carolyn Coblentz on March 22, 1959; he was a loving and devoted husband for 60 years. He was the father of two and pawpaw of six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Fowler was a 32nd degree master Mason, a member of the Quinton Lions Club, the NRA and the Quinton First United Methodist Church, and was president of Choctaw Gas Co. Dr. Jack Boyer ReVelle, ’65 master’s in industrial engineering and management, ’70 doctorate in industrial engineering and management, died Jan. 26, 2020, from MDS, a type of blood cancer. Dr. ReVelle had a long and varied career that included serving in the U.S. Air Force, as a professor at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, and as dean of the School of Business and Management at Chapman College in Orange, California, before moving on to several California aerospace companies including Aerojet, Hughes Aircraft Co. and Raytheon. After retiring from Raytheon, Dr. ReVelle started his own consulting company called ReVelle Solutions. In the Air Force, he received a Bronze Star and a Joint Service Commendation Medal, among others. Robert James Roth, ’65 business, died April 3, 2020, due to complications related to heart surgery. He was 79. After graduating from OSU, he worked for General Mills and the OSU Alumni Association. In 1975, he became a life underwriter with the New York Life Insurance Co. in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Mr. Roth ultimately earned numerous company and industry awards before retiring in 2005 and moving to Stillwater. He was a lifetime supporter of the OSU Posse Club and the OSU Foundation. Mr. Roth was also a lifetime member of the OSU Alumni Association and was honored with the Alumni Service Award in 1995. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marilyn, and two children.

Gary Bounds, ’66 history, died Dec. 2, 2019. Mr. Bounds was born in Yale, Oklahoma, and attended high school in Stillwater. After graduating from OSU in 1966, he received his active duty U.S. Army commission from the OSU ROTC program as a second lieutenant. He attended Ranger and Airborne schools, served two tours in Vietnam and received a Purple Heart after he was shot during his first tour. Lt. Col. Bounds retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years and went to work for the federal government for 15 years. In his final retirement, Mr. Bounds returned to Lawton, Oklahoma. Carroll W. Brooks, ’69 business, died July 15, 2019, at his home in Coweta, Oklahoma. After graduating from OSU, he worked with Union 76 and Cities Service until he started ICAN Energy in 1980. He is survived by his wife Lee, three children, five grandchildren, a brother and many nieces and nephews.

’90s

Jayme Leigh (Batson) Brassell, ’94 journalism and broadcasting, died Jan. 29, 2020, of brain cancer. Ms. Brassell was born in Tulsa and attended Jenks High School. She married her “favorite friend,” Chris Brassell, on Oct. 2, 1999. She owned Flatiron District Blow Dry Salon in Kansas City.

Faculty

Michael Lynn Eytcheson, a former instructor with OSU’s Fire Service Training, died Oct. 22, 2019. He was 67. He also spent 36 years as a firefighter and EMT in Gunnison, Colorado, and in Stillwater. Before retiring, he had been a captain with the Stillwater Fire Department for more than 20 years.

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IN MEMORY

Sen. Tom Coburn, a physician turned politician Dr. Tom Coburn served in the U.S. House and Senate Dr. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma State University alumnus who represented Oklahoma in Washington, D.C., for a total of 16 years, died March 28 at his home in Tulsa. He was 72. The cause was complications from prostate cancer, said a former aide, Roland Foster. Dr. Coburn had survived decades of health problems, including melanoma in his late 20s and a later bout of colon cancer. Dr. Coburn was an obstetrician who treated some 15,000 patients and delivered 4,000 babies in a maternal and family practice in Muskogee, Oklahoma, before embarking on his political career — three terms in the House of Representatives (1995-2001) and, after a four-year hiatus, two terms in the Senate (2005-15). He retired two years before the end of his second term because of deteriorating health. As if separating himself from the pack, Dr. Coburn continued to deliver babies as a member of the House. (He gave up his obstetric moonlighting only after a dispute with ethics officials when he entered the Senate.) But he won grudging respect as a political maverick and was admired by some colleagues as one of the toughest fiscal and social conservatives of his era. He caused a stir in 1997 when he protested NBC’s decision to televise, in prime time and without editing, Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning Holocaust film. He called it television’s “all-time low, with full-frontal nudity, violence and profanity,” adding, “I cringe when I realize that there were children all across this nation watching this program.” He was heavily criticized, including by the American Jewish Congress, which said: “This isn’t Melrose Place, Mr. Coburn. This is the Holocaust.” He apologized “to all those I have offended,” but insisted that the film should have been aired later in the evening.

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Keeping his campaign pledge to serve no more than three consecutive terms in the House, Dr. Coburn did not run for re-election in 2000. He resumed his medical practice, and in 2002 was appointed by President George W. Bush as a co-chairman of his advisory council on HIV and AIDS, giving him a prominent platform as he prepared to run for the Senate. Dr. Coburn also wrote a book about his experiences in Congress, Breach of Trust: How Washington Turns Outsiders Into Insiders (2003, with John Hart, his former communications director). Thomas Allen Coburn was born in Casper, Wyo., on March 14, 1948, to Orin Wesley and Anita (Allen) Coburn. In Muskogee, where the family settled, his father was an optician who founded Coburn Optical Industries, which made ophthalmic equipment and eyeglass lenses. The company was sold to Revlon for $57 million in 1975, although the elder Mr. Coburn continued as president of the subsidiary. Tom Coburn graduated from Central High School in Muskogee in 1966. In 1968, he married Carolyn Denton, the 1967 Miss Oklahoma. They had three daughters: Callie, Katie and Sarah, the operatic soprano and OSU alumna. He is survived by his wife, his daughters and nine grandchildren. At Oklahoma State University, he was an honors student, president of the student business council and a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. From 1970 to 1978, he was the manufacturing manager of the ophthalmic division of Coburn Optical Industries in Colonial Heights, Virginia. After the family business was sold, he attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma and received his medical degree with honors in 1983. He returned to Muskogee for his family and obstetrics practice. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Muskogee and more recently South Tulsa Baptist Church

and participated in medical missions to Haiti in 1985 and Iraq in 1992. Dr. Coburn wrote two books after his retirement: The Debt Bomb: A Bold Plan to Stop Washington From Bankrupting America (2012, with Mr. Hart) and Smashing the D.C. Monopoly: Using Article V to Restore Freedom and Stop Runaway Government (2017), about a plan for the states to amend the U.S. Constitution. The Washington Post and The New York Times contributed to this report.

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COWBOY CHRONICLES Ever wonder how traditions, events or buildings on campus came to be? Want to learn more about life at OSU during a specific time period? We want to answer those questions and more! Our very own history expert David Peters will be fielding your questions and providing the answers in STATE. We’ll be featuring photos and historical information that is important to you — our readers. Simply submit your questions about OSU or Cowboy history to editor@okstate.edu and look for the answer in the next issue of STATE! If you can’t wait, check out timeline.okstate.edu for more OSU history!

About David Peters As head of the Oklahoma State University Archives, David Peters takes his mission to save, secure and share the university’s story very seriously. Under the leadership of this certified archivist, the department has dramatically expanded its digital content and online presence. With his 32 years (and counting!) of experience at OSU, Peters is known on our Stillwater campus and beyond as the go-to university history expert.

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