Center for the Humanities appoints first director

Dr. Jennifer Borland was named the first director of Oklahoma State University’s Center for the Humanities.

The Center for the Humanities, a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) initiative that formally launched in 2022, was created to increase the visibility of humanities research on campus and foster the production of new interdisciplinary projects. The center aims to increase advocacy and connections to expand the reach of the humanities.

“I am pleased to see Dr. Jennifer Borland step into this role,” said Dr. Keith Garbutt, CAS interim dean. “Dr. Borland will have a transformative impact on humanities research, and I am looking forward to witnessing the growth and engagement she will continue to promote.”

Prior to being named director, Borland served as the center’s interim director and has led several humanitiesrelated initiatives. She will continue to teach as a professor of art history in the Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History.

“I am eager to work alongside campus partners such as those working in interdisciplinary programs,” Borland said. “We provide an inclusive and collaborative environment in which we want to foster dialogue and engage communities, demonstrating the powerful impact of the humanities to address problems and impact change.”

Outside of the daily tasks of operating the center, Borland will collaborate on outreach opportunities, maintain relationships with the team of faculty on the center’s advisory committee and grow the center’s initiatives.

One initiative Borland is especially excited to expand is the Research Group Fellowship program that was launched earlier this year.

“This flagship program provides support to facilitate collaborative interdisciplinary research in areas like medical humanities and environmental humanities,” Borland said. “Very few universities have this type of program to foster new research, and I can see OSU’s ambitious and unique model becoming one that is emulated by other institutions.”

Second annual Chilly Cowboy event raises more than $50,000

Members of the Oklahoma State Athletics family took an icy plunge Feb. 6 to support Special Olympics Oklahoma during the second annual Chilly Cowboy.

After easily surpassing their goal of $30,000 in 2022, event organizers raised the bar to $50,000 this year. Once again, coaches and athletes took the plunge, and once again the Cowboy family came out in droves to support the cause, ultimately raising just over $50,000.

Former Cowgirl softball player Chelsea Alexander and First Cowboy Darren Shrum created the event last year.

“Every time Darren and I get the opportunity to support student philanthropy that goes toward making students’ lives better, we are so excited to do that,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said. “This is a great example of our student-athletes supporting our Special Olympics athletes.

“Part of the Cowboy Code is we finish what we start, and this is finishing and jumping in the water.”

The first fundraising threshold for this year’s event was $10,000, with more prominent OSU personalities to be dunked as the total climbed. At the $50,000 goal, first-year Cowgirl basketball coach Jacie Hoyt found herself in the cold seat.

Fundraising included a text-to-give raffle, an auction during the recent Cowboy men’s basketball home game against TCU and donations made to the Chilly Cowboy website. During the auction, a game-worn jersey from Detroit Lions linebacker Malcom Rodriguez, an OSU alumnus, sold for $9,500.

This year, a portion of the proceeds will go to an organization called the

OSU Unified College Program, which benefits Special Olympics studentathletes at OSU. The organization partners OSU students with Special Olympics athletes who compete against other unified university athletes.

Members and coaches from OSU baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, equestrian, football, rodeo, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, track and field, and wrestling participated. Among them was football coach Rob Glass, assistant athletic director of athlete performance, who was at the $40,000 tier.

See more, Page 120.