STATE Magazine, Fall 2018

STATE The official magazine of Oklahoma State University

THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST OSU HONORS TOP STUDENTS WITH NEW SCHOLARSHIPS

TO THE RESCUE EXTENSION RIDES TO THE AID OF WILDFIRE VICTIMS

EASING HUNGER COOKING FOR KIDS AIMS TO IMPROVE SCHOOL LUNCHES

Joe and Pete

Sizes Up to 5XL!

Stillwater • Tulsa-Woodland Hills Mall eskimojoes.com

800-256-joes

Pete says,

YOU CAN HELP MAKE AMERICA’S BRIGHTEST ORANGE EVEN BRIGHTER. Encourage the high school senior you know to apply by OSU’s November 1 Early Opportunity Scholarship Deadline!

ADMISSIONS.OKSTATE.EDU

In This Issue

96 Changes Ahead Welcome to the Fall issue of STATE magazine, your comprehensive source of Oklahoma State University information from the OSU Alumni Association, the OSU Foundation and OSU’s Office of Brand Management.

This issue is full of changes and progress, symbolized by the cover featuring the newly arriving fellows of the Oklahoma State Scholars Society. They are part of OSU’s newest scholarship program, which richly rewards our state’s own highachieving students and helps them to become the next generation of leaders.

(Photo: Phil Shockley)

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Yes to the Dress

Feeding Kids

Riding to the Rescue

If there’s one thing that teacher Haley Curfman would like to go viral, it’s kindness. And with the help of social media and her second-grade students at Blackwell Elementary, she’s making that happen.

OSU’s Cooking for Kids is helping school nutrition programs provide healthier meals for school children.

After April’s wildfire scorched northwestern Oklahoma, agencies run by OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources led the recovery effort.

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Plus...

Masterpiece Moments

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Letter from the Editor

The fundraiser by the OSU Museum of Art Advocates raised more than $110,000.

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Socially Orange

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President’s Letter

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STATEment

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McKnight Center

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Wellness with Ann Hargis

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Community Concerns

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Human Health

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Campus News

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Legacy Link

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Traveling Cowboys

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Female Philanthropy

ENDEAVOR

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Give Orange

OSU’s newest building is the home for a paradigm shift underway in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.

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Research Briefs

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Animal Health

82

Donor Impact

106

The Cowboy Way

108

Cowboy Chronicles

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Chapter News

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Alumni Update

124

Babies & Weddings

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Woods Brothers OSU’s famed Woods brothers continue to make an impact both on and off the football field.

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Courtney Elroy The OSU graduate is taking her passion for food safety to J-M Farms.

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Protecting Crops An OSU institute is joining a worldwide push to establish a global surveillance system for crop diseases.

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Stillwater Strong Author Scott Petty chronicles painful moments in OSU history in his new book.

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STATE BR A N D M A NAGEMENT

Kyle Wray || Vice President of Brand Management & Enrollment Erin Petrotta || Director of Marketing and Student Communication Megan Horton || Director of Branding and Digital Strategy Monica Roberts || Director of Media Relations Dorothy Pugh & Karolyn Moberly || Assistant Editors Paul V. Fleming, Valerie Kisling & Dave Malec || Design Phil Shockley, Gary Lawson & Brandee Cazzelle || Photography Jenny Berry || Intern Kurtis Mason || Trademarks & Licensing Pam Longan, Leslie McClurg || Administrative Support Office of Brand Management || 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078-1024 405-744-6262 || go.okstate.edu || statemagazine.okstate.edu || editor@okstate.edu osu.advertising@okstate.edu Contributors || Kim Archer, Derinda Blakeney, Kendria Cost, Trisha Gedon, Melani Hamilton, Jordan Hays, Todd Johnson, Jeff Joiner, Kane Kinion, Christy Lang, Leilana McKindra, Melissa Mourer, Sandy Pantlik, David Peters, Sara Plummer & Donald Stotts

O S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N Kent Gardner || Chair Tony LoPresto || Vice Chair Phil Kennedy || Immediate Past Chair Blaire Atkinson || Interim President and CEO Pam Davis || Vice President and Chief Programs Officer Treca Baetz, John Bartley, James Boggs, Gregg Bradshaw, Larry Briggs, Burns Hargis, Kirk Jewell, Angela Kouplen, Mel Martin, Travis Moss, Tina Parkhill, HJ Reed, Tom Ritchie & Tina Walker || Board of Directors Lacy Branson, Will Carr, Chase Carter, Tori Moore, Paula Jimenez & Jillianne Tebow || Communications and Marketing 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 Lyndon Taylor || Chair Kirk Jewell || President Donna Koeppe || Vice President of Administration & Treasurer Chris Campbell || Senior Associate Vice President of Information Strategy Shane Crawford || Senior Associate Vice President of of Philanthropy Stephen Mason || Senior Associate Vice President of Philanthropy David Mays || Senior Associate Vice President of of Philanthropy Paula Voyles || Senior Associate Vice President of of Philanthropy Blaire Atkinson || Senior Associate Vice President of Development Services Robyn Baker || Vice President and General Counsel Pam Guthrie || Senior Associate Vice President of Human Resources Deborah Adams, Mark Allen, Bryan Begley, Bryan Close, Jan Cloyde, Patrick Cobb, Ann Dyer, Joe Eastin, Jennifer Grigsby, John Groendyke, Helen Hodges, David Houston, Gary Huneryager, A.J. Jacques, Brett Jameson, Kirk Jewell, Griff Jones, Diana Laing, John Linehan, Joe Martin, Ross McKnight, Jenelle Schatz, Becky Steen, Lyndon Taylor, Phil Terry, Stephen Tuttle, Jay Wiese & Jerry Winchester || Trustees Shelly Cameron, Aimee Furrie, Jennifer Kinnard, Chris Lewis, Amanda O’Toole Mason, Michael Molholt & 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

Letters From the Editor’s Desk Dear Readers, Welcome to our new vision for your STATE magazine!

We’re building STATE magazine around the core of our beloved Oklahoma State University — the members of our Cowboy Family. In our newly redesigned pages, you’ll find comprehensive coverage of our alumni, our campuses and programs across the state of Oklahoma, and our donors, friends and students.

This project is a collaborative effort. The STATE team involves members from the OSU Foundation, OSU Alumni Association and Office of Brand Management. Our new STATE magazine will reinforce and personify the OSU brand through effective and collaborative storytelling that engages our readers and provides a consistent user experience from cover to cover.

We thank our readers who took the time to reply to our readership survey in the Spring issue of STATE. We gained valuable insights into our readership from your thoughtful responses, and we hope this magazine reflects what you want to see about OSU. We welcome your thoughts and feedback. Please let us know how we’re doing by emailing us at editor@okstate.edu.

Go Pokes!

Your STATE magazine team

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 2018 || #7482 || Copyright © 2018, STATE magazine.

All rights reserved.

Higher Education Marketing Report || 2018 Publications Silver Award Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists || 2016 Best Public Relations Magazine Oklahoma College Public Relations Association || 2016 Magazine Excellence Award Member || Council for Advancement and Support of Education

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STATE Magazine

305 WHITEHURST, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, STILLWATER OK 74078 EDITOR@OKSTATE.EDU. STATEMAGAZINE.OKSTATE.E D U

#okstate

Join the conversation on social media with the Cowboy Family.

What’s Your Orange Passion?

Mamas should let their babies grow up to be #Cowboys! #okstate

“Even though I did speak English when I got here, I was kind of scared to speak. But now that I’m better, I feel more confident when speaking to other people. That makes making friends easier. There’s a lot of people who are like me at OSU. I’ve got to meet a lot of people who have gone through a lot more than I have, and so the fact that they’re here and they can do it makes me feel a little safer.” — Ana Solis-Ruiz, #okstate Junior, Puebla, Mexico, #HumansOfOSU

Memorable Stories

Pistol Pete is enjoying the longest day of the year on the water! What are you doing on the #SummerSolstice? #okstate

On Campus Oklahoma State University @okstate @okstateu OStateTV

Where did your spring break #orangeadventure take you?

Tag us to get featured! See more amazing images from this takeover on the #orangeadventure highlight on our profile! : @nickstne, @loganrfisher, @bdonyoung

@okstateu

Another beautiful week is wrapping up here at #okstate. Have a fun and safe weekend, Cowboys! #OrangeFriday

Oklahoma State University

Visit okla.st/socialdir for more social media connections.

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From the President Thanks in large part to the generosity of donors, your Oklahoma State University works tirelessly to provide both need- and merit-based scholarships to deserving students. We would love to have more of these resources to help students earn an OSU degree.

We are pleased to announce the first recipients of a new scholarship. We continue to attract a growing number of out-of-state students, but the Oklahoma State Scholars Society is aimed to draw high-performing Oklahoma students. In this issue of STATE, we hear from some of these talented students.

As a land-grant university, Oklahoma State’s mission includes serving our communities and improving the lives of people throughout society. A few of those efforts are highlighted in the following pages.

Furthering that land-grant mission, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension serves every county of the state every day of the year. STATE profiles how Cooperative Extension provided critical assistance in April during the deadly wildfires that did more than $26 million in damage.

Extension employees worked closely with the State Office of Emergency Management and took the lead in organizing agricultural-related relief efforts. It was another example of Extension being a good neighbor.

Earlier this year, we were pleased to name Oklahoma native and longtime OSU employee Dr. Damona Doye to head Oklahoma Cooperative Extension. She is the first woman to lead the agency, and we look forward to her leadership.

This edition of STATE profiles Cooking for Kids, a collaboration between the OSU College of Human Sciences’ Department of Nutritional Sciences, Cooperative Extension and the Oklahoma State Department of Education. This culinary training program helps make healthier meals and improves food service operations for schools.

When it comes to food safety, OSU is a leader with programs and experts across numerous disciplines. Learn how recent graduate Courtney Elroy turned her passion for food safety at OSU into an exciting job at J-M Farms, an Oklahoma company and a leading producer of mushrooms.

We expect another exciting year at OSU. Our Stillwater campus is full of activity and looks beautiful. Please come visit.

First Cowgirl Ann and I wish you all the best.

Go Pokes!

Burns Hargis OSU President

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P H OTO G A RY L AW S O N

Where smiles from strangers abound, hometown spirit is a way of life, and cowboys really do ride off into the sunset.

FlyStillwaterOK.com

Experience America’s Friendliest College Town!

#FlySWO

STATEment

Enhancing the OSU brand

Dear OSU Alumni and Friends, Change and growth are a vital part of Oklahoma State University, and there has been an abundance of progress made over the past few months. With the announcement of the new Division of Enrollment and Brand Management, our teams will be working collectively to ensure our brand is stronger than ever before.

The OSU brand has risen to a remarkable level; we are now going to enhance and magnify it. The Office of Brand Management will focus on garnering statewide, national and global recognition for what we know to be true: OSU is a leader in academic excellence, research, arts, extension work and athletic prowess.

Our teams are already achieving this through the use of technology and digital advertising to reach our key audiences. As we continue to improve and increase OSU’s presence, you will begin seeing our brand in new places. By utilizing billboards, digital advertising and signs, the OSU brand will stand out among the crowd.

The OSU Alumni Association, OSU Foundation and Brand Management are also developing more user-friendly websites with more engaging content and updated designs, which are another way we are solidifying our brand and vision of our organizations. With these new websites, we will provide our key audiences and members an excellent online experience.

You also may have noticed STATE has a renewed and refreshed look. This redesign was in line with our goals to strengthen and elevate our visual identity across multiple avenues. It was a collaborative effort with our three groups to make this magazine the very best for you — our alumni, donors and friends.

We hope you enjoy this experience from cover to cover!

Blaire Atkinson

Kirk Jewell

Kyle Wray

Interim President OSU Alumni Association

President OSU Foundation

Vice President for Enrollment and Brand Management

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P H OTO G A RY L AW S O N

The Art of Classroom project teaches young students compassion as well as drawing

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f there’s one thing Haley Curfman would like to go viral, it’s kindness. And with the help of social media and her second-grade students at Blackwell Elementary, she’s making that happen.

Curfman is a 2015 elementary education graduate who grew up in Blackwell, Oklahoma.

She’s now in her second year of teaching second grade in her childhood school district.

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Like many schools, Blackwell Elementary was forced to suspend its art classes due to budget cuts.

In 2016, Curfman was searching on Pinterest for possible art projects she could do with her students when she stumbled on a post showing students drawing on a white dress. She knew immediately she wanted to give her students a similar experience.

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“I really want to help the kids and give them different ways to be kind to each other.�

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“The idea was that it would be the students’ Christmas gift to me,” Curfman said. “The dress was full of Christmas drawings like Santa Claus, presents and snowmen.”

She ended up entering the dress in the Blackwell-Kay County Street Fair, where it won first place in the open art category.

“The kids were so excited to see it up in the building all week with the blue ribbon on it,” Curfman said. “They got to show their parents and their friends who aren’t in my class.”

After the success of the first year, Curfman decided to bring back the idea for the 2017 school year. Each year, Blackwell Elementary celebrates “Kindness Week” to help teach students how to be caring and compassionate toward one another.

This past year, the week fell around Valentine’s Day as well. Curfman thought this might be the perfect time to try the project again.

“My only instruction was to draw what makes them happy and to not cross anything out,” she said.

“There were a lot of hearts, puppies and kind words — more cutesy kinds of things this year.”

Curfman posted a picture of the dress to her Facebook page, which she uses to show her family and friends all of the fun things happening in her classroom. The post went viral; with more than 345,000 shares, it has been seen by millions of people.

“I woke up one morning, and I had messages from people all around the world,” Curfman

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said. “It was really neat to hear from people from different states and overseas about how it brought back memories of their childhood when their teachers would do a similar project.”

The messages were full of different stories from different generations. One former teacher told Curfman about how he would let the kids decorate his van in washable paint.

She has said yes to the dress becoming a class tradition, and her current students began the year asking when they would get to participate in the art project.

“Some kids this year had heard about it in the past because they saw it in the fair or their siblings were in my class last year,” Curfman said. “They were really excited.”

Curfman hopes the project continues to grow and make a positive impact on her students. She plans to keep experimenting by moving when the dress gets decorated every year, allowing different lessons to be taught and different drawings to be expressed.

“I think it would be interesting to do one around New Year’s and see what they draw or the differences,” Curfman said. “Dr. Seuss Week would be really cool, too, so they could draw Dr. Seuss things. I have had a few different ideas about when to do the next one.”

In addition to the dress project, Curfman came up with the idea of “kindness shirts” for the students at Blackwell Elementary.

Haley Curfman and some of her students from Blackwell Elementary.

“I print ‘kindness’ across the front of all of the shirts and lay them out around the classroom,” she said. “The kids then go around the room and write kind things on each other’s shirts.”

The “kindness shirts” weren’t just an activity in Curfman’s classroom this year. All of the secondgrade teachers at Blackwell Elementary loved the idea and asked her if she would make shirts for their classes as well.

“I made all of the shirts for them, and they turned into our field-trip shirts,” Curfman said.

“When we went on field trips, we told all of the kids to wear their shirts. In a way, we were spreading kindness everywhere we went.”

In addition to spreading kindness, Curfman likes to use these projects to help her students find their passion. It’s an important opportunity in a school no longer able to fund art education.

“Blackwell doesn’t have an art class, so being able to do that in the school was such a creative outlet for kids who don’t otherwise get to do that in school,” she said. “I have had some amazing illustrators in my classroom who if I wouldn’t let them do projects like that, they wouldn’t get the opportunity.”

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Opportunities for her students were one of the many things Curfman and her colleagues were fighting for when they participated in the Oklahoma teacher walkout in April. Blackwell schools were closed for two weeks, and Curfman said she went to the Capitol all but two days.

“We were down there for 16-hour days,” Curfman said. “We would leave at 4 or 5 in the morning and wouldn’t get home until almost 11.

Then, we would get up and do it again the next day.

“The support we had from the community and surrounding communities was amazing,” she said.

“Still to this day, we hear parents say thank you for fighting for their child’s education. It’s really amazing to know I work in a community that is going to give back 100 percent.”

The common themes of kindness, support and pride run deep in Curfman’s classroom and extend beyond dresses, shirts and walkouts.

“I really want to help the kids and give them different ways to be kind to each other,” Curfman said. “Kindness doesn’t have to be just one week out of the year.”

A Place for Every Student The Wesley Foundation at OSU Find your people. Find your purpose. Find Jesus.

Visit our brand new building @ University & The Strip.

We’ve got a coffee shop, study space, weekly worship and a community where all people are welcome.

Building Momentum

Chamber Music Festival previews The McKnight Center

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he McKnight Center for the Performing Arts gave Oklahomans a first glimpse of its exciting programming with its inaugural Chamber Music Festival April 8-14.

The Chamber Music Festival brought renowned chamber musicians to Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Stillwater under the artistic direction of famed pianist Anne-Marie McDermott. The musicians performed five concerts, including a family and youth concert, three intimate soiree performances across central Oklahoma and

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one free community concert at the Seretean Center. Programs included selections by Mozart, Gershwin, Beethoven and Dvorak.

Oklahoma State University students also got the chance to learn alongside the chamber musicians through masterclasses. Such opportunities, which are incredibly valuable to the students, help set the educational experience at the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music apart from other institutions, said Thomas Lanners, professor of piano and keyboard area coordinator.

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“This was a great way to demonstrate the level of artistry that we’re going to bring on a consistent basis.”

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MUSICAL MEMORIES Audiences of all ages enjoyed the beautiful performances throughout the festival.

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“What we’re trying to do is have an enriched learning experience for students on OSU's campus and all of Oklahoma.”

“Anne-Marie McDermott’s piano masterclass was an inspiration to all who attended,” Lanners said. “She made an indelible impression, combining an affable personality with intense musicianship, upon performers and listeners alike.”

Mark A. Blakeman, Marilynn and Carl Thoma Executive Director, said the Chamber Music Festival illustrates how The McKnight Center will go about fostering deep and meaningful experiences moving forward.

“People can expect memorable and inspirational encounters every time they attend a McKnight Center event,” said Blakeman, who added that it is a thrilling experience to bring great art into communities.

“The core of what we’re trying to do is have an enriched learning experience for students on OSU’s campus and all of Oklahoma, which is why we performed in Oklahoma City and Tulsa,” he said. “This was a great way to demonstrate the level of artistry that we’re going to bring on a consistent basis to The McKnight Center for decades to come.”

Plans for the 2019 Chamber Music Festival are underway, with the events scheduled for Feb. 26

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through March 3. McDermott, whose career spans more than 25 years as a soloist and collaborator, has agreed to return as Artistic Director.

“The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts is physically a work in progress, but we get to create an organic momentum around music,” said McDermott, who has performed with leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Dallas Symphony and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México, among many others. “We will continue building momentum with next year’s Chamber Music Festival and build upon the anticipation for when The McKnight Center is inaugurated.”

The McKnight Center, which is currently under construction, is expected to open in early October 2019 with a residency partnership with The New York Philharmonic. The McKnight Center is expected to announce its opening-season sometime this winter.

“Our thanks go out to the many Patron donors who support The McKnight Center, OSU President Burns Hargis and the OSU administration, the OSU Foundation, and our business, corporate and individual donors who have given so much to make The McKnight Center and this inaugural Chamber Music Festival a reality,” Blakeman said. “They are ensuring we are successful in making The McKnight Center a vital, premier performing arts facility.”

LEARN MORE For the latest news about programming and other ways to get involved with The McKnight Center, visit: McKnightCenter.org.

CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL MUSICIANS

Alexander Kerr violin

Amy Schwartz Moretti violin

Roberto Diaz viola

Christopher Costanza cello

Todd Levy clarinet

Anne-Marie McDermott piano

Susanna Phillips soprano

Bruce Adolphe composer and musicologist

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Masterpiece Moments: Artists at the Table OSU Museum of Art Advocates support arts exhibits and programs

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WHO ARE THE ADVOCATES? The OSU Museum of Art Advocates support the OSU Museum of Art and its outreach to the community. The Art Advocates are dedicated to expanding participation and support the social, cultural and educational opportunities the museum offers. As an advocate, you would bring the museum to life for many. To learn more, visit museum.okstate.edu/artadvocates.

WHAT DO THEY SUPPORT? Visiting artist programming: workshops, classes and teacher development activities tied to exhibitions Public school outreach: assisting with teaching art in elementary schools, museum tours and art supplies for community organizations

asterpiece Moments: Artist at the Table combines artists’ talents and the community’s commitment to the arts in a fun-filled evening. Hosted by the OSU Museum of Art Advocates, the second Masterpiece Moments event on April 28 raised more than $110,000 to support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs.

This year’s guests were treated to a gallery of 26 elaborate tablescapes.

The decorative table settings, acting as interpretive works of art, were constructed by art advocates and supporters. Inspiration came from locally known artists such as OSU alumni Desmond Mason and international icons like Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol and Frederick Remington.

One table displayed a whimsical creation by Denise Ferrell’s third-grade class at Skyline Elementary School in Stillwater, made possible through a recent partnership involving the Art Advocates, the museum, Prairie Arts Center and Skyline.

“We believe art education is a vital component of one’s intellectual development,” said Jill Webber, who is co-chair of the Art Advocates with Judi Baker. “It is important to allow a person to be creative and to develop the functions of their right brain hemisphere through personal interaction and exposure to the arts.”

The partnership results in hands-on art experiences in the classroom — a powerful encounter that is becoming less common for many students.

“Research shows that exposure to the arts is as important as core curriculum,” said Jeri Seefeldt, Masterpiece Moments chairperson and OSU Museum of Art Advocate. “Art may be the one thing that will keep a student in the classroom.”

Since opening almost five years ago, the OSU Museum of Art has provided art experiences for more than 25,000 visitors and hosted 35 exhibitions with a diverse range of artwork.

The fundraiser’s success also allows the Art Advocates to continue pursuing community outreach projects like the one with Skyline Elementary School or the more recent Backpack Buddies, a collaborative project providing school supplies for underserved youth in Payne County. In May, the Art Advocates contributed 1,000 boxes of crayons to Backpack Buddies, which will be supplied to local leaders of tomorrow, thanks to Altrusa International of Stillwater Inc. and Our Daily Bread.

To learn more about upcoming exhibitions and programs, visit museum.okstate.edu.

Exhibitions: guest curators, curator-related events and artist talks

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UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS Benjamin Harjo Jr.: We Are a Landscape of All We Know, through Dec. 2: More than 30 rarely seen works on paper, prints and sculpture, drawn from several private collections, explores how Benjamin Harjo Jr. (Absentee Shawnee and Seminole) creates his place in the world.

A pair of the elaborate tablescapes at the Masterpiece Moments event.

Centering Modernism: J. Jay McVicker and Postwar American Art Sept. 25-Jan. 19, 2019:Â Curated by art history professor Louise Siddons, this explores the artistry of Jesse Jay McVicker, a midcentury painter, printmaker and sculptor who spent his career at OSU.Â

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Wellness

FAPC promotes farmto-table foods, "Made in Oklahoma" products and more.

Dear Cowboy Family,

One of the things I love most about being on campus is the opportunity to visit various offices and departments.

Meeting faculty and staff and discovering the extensive work and support being done by our Cowboy Family is incredibly energizing. One “must” visit is the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center (FAPC).

This 96,000-square-foot, stateof-the-art facility is a living example of Oklahoma State University’s landgrant mission. The center exists to encourage local food and agricultural entrepreneurs to keep business within the state of Oklahoma and help stimulate the economy.

Are you a beekeeper and interested in selling your honey? Do you want to share your grandmother’s fabulous ginger snap cookies with the world?

Maybe you’ve developed an energy drink or maybe you’ve invented a new

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gadget for the grill. FAPC is the place for you! Simply take your product or idea to the experts, and they will help you with a plan from start to finish.

Many types of services are available through the center to individuals, large and small businesses, producers and entrepreneurs. Product development, blind sample testing, food labeling, food safety, networking and product marketing are just some of the services available through FAPC from a variety of experts.

A large number of statewide entrepreneurs have taken advantage of the services provided through FAPC, but I was surprised to learn that even major corporations have consulted FAPC to help with new products. The difference this center is making extends far beyond the boundaries of Oklahoma State University. The impact in local

communities and on the state of Oklahoma is real and measurable. I am so proud of the effect it is creating with its focus on “Made in Oklahoma” products.

Download the free app (FAPC Connect) to see the latest offerings, ask food safety questions, and learn more about what the center is doing in your community.

In health,

Ann Hargis OSU First Cowgirl More information can also be found at fapc.biz.

P H OTO FA P C

COMMUNIT Y CONCERNS

Strengthening Bonds

A new program created by graduate students brings families together with youth in juvenile detention to help change their lives

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teen gang member in juvenile detention broke into tears when he saw his 6-year-old brother for the first time in months.

“Seeing a 6-year-old with missing front teeth just run and jump into his older brother’s arms, it’s priceless,” OSU-Tulsa student Ashley Harvey said.

“It’s very meaningful.”

Selected as prestigious Albert Schweitzer Fellows last spring, Harvey and Brooke Tuttle have instituted the Family Strengthening Project at the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice.

Both are working on doctoral degrees in the Human Development and Family Science program at OSU-Tulsa.

They were among 14 Schweitzer Fellows in Tulsa and 260 across the country named to the 2017-18 cohort. The international fellowship was named for the late physician, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Albert Schweitzer.

As part of the fellowship, Harvey and Tuttle had to implement a yearlong service project addressing the root causes of health disparities in underserved communities. Their project focuses on strengthening young offenders’ bonds with their families.

Most of the kids ages 12-18 who pass through the Tulsa County detention center are headed to state facilities.

“These are kids who have committed crimes. They have made bad choices, but they are still just kids,” Harvey said. “I think this program helps them see that people haven’t given up on them and their families haven’t given up on them.”

Family approach

OSU-Tulsa doctoral student Brooke Tuttle leads a communications skills discussion.

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Many juvenile detention facilities across the U.S. are missing a critical part of the support net that helps teens get back on track — family relationships.

“We’re making progress across the country in how we treat juveniles. We’re less punitive now and more treatmentfocused,” Tuttle said. “As far as we know, this is the first time that a family resilience program like this has been

implemented in any juvenile detention center in the state of Oklahoma.”

Ryan Thomas, whose son Mitchell is among the first youthful offenders to graduate from the program, can attest to the power of the family element.

“Before this, Mitchell completed a nine-month rehabilitation program that didn’t work. It was nine months of wasted time,” he said. “This program did in six weeks what we couldn’t do in nine months.”

Thomas credited the element of rebuilding family relationships for providing his son with a strong foundation going forward.

“I see his smile. He has hope now. He has goals,” Thomas said. “Now he has plans for the future. And he knows he has his dad to back him up.”

Every six weeks, the facilitators welcome a new group of four or five juveniles and their families to the weekly support group program to learn such life skills as communication and problem-solving strategies. Aimed at breaking the cycle of intergenerational crime, the project helps families rebuild relationships.

Often, the juveniles haven’t seen their families in months as they await court dates and adjudication. Each week’s group begins with families sitting down to a dinner together, something many haven’t done in some time.

“What we know from family science is that family matters,” Tuttle said. “In fact, it’s among the largest protective factors for kids who are at risk for delinquency. If you change one person in the family unit, the whole family system can change for the good.”

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Better choices

Inside the Family Strengthening Project, Harvey and Tuttle have seen teens gain confidence and behave better as they learn life skills and reconnect with family.

“There is a big need for this in juvenile facilities,” said Rob Mouser, an OSU-Tulsa graduate student and the detention center’s clinical director.

“We’ve seen hard-core kids — at least on paper — get emotional when they see their family. And the commitment from many of their parents has been amazing.”

He said the program is the first time most of the kids have worked on issues with their families.

“For a lot of kids, this is a wake-up call,” he said.

One young man who rarely spoke or made eye contact when he began the program became an ambassador and mentor after he completed it.

Harvey said the teen now shares his story with families and youth during their first group meeting. He also surprised Harvey and Tuttle by comforting a young boy who was crying because his mother didn’t show up for a session.

“It’s just amazing to see where he is now compared with where he started,” Harvey said. “He has a bright future.”

Harvey and Tuttle have identified funding to keep the program going and will continue in their facilitator roles.

“These are kids who haven’t made the best decisions, but they still have a lot of time to get it right. They just need the tools, the space and the support to make that happen,” Tuttle said. “It has been so exciting to see the direction that not only Tulsa is going, but hopefully the direction the state will go.”

OSU-Tulsa doctoral students Brooke Tuttle (left) and Ashley Harvey lead the Family Strengthening Project at the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice.

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HUMAN HEALTH

Improving Rural Health Care Shrum’s vision leads OSU-CHS to join Project ECHO

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r. Kayse Shrum envisioned finding a way to improve health outcomes for Oklahomans in rural communities with limited or zero access to physicians.

Her vision led to establishing OSU Center for Health Sciences as a Project ECHO academic hub. As president of OSU Center for Health Sciences and dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, she is responsible for carrying out OSU-CHS’s mission to train physicians for rural and underserved areas of Oklahoma.

Using advanced communication technology, OSU Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Care Outcomes) is enhancing medical education for rural health care providers and connecting them with specialists at OSU-CHS. “Project ECHO is a great way for our team of specialists to share their medical knowledge with providers across our state, especially those who take care of patients in rural

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communities,” said Shrum. “Through Project ECHO, rural providers can acquire the knowledge to treat many of their patients in their hometowns without having to refer them to an urban health care facility. Patients get the right care at the right time from the right provider.”

Even before this effort began, Shrum knew mental health and addiction services were sorely needed in rural Oklahoma. When Project ECHO launched in 2016, the teleECHO™ clinic began with psychiatry, quickly followed by service lines in obesity and addiction medicine. Today, there are additional clinics in HIV/viral disorders, hepatitis C, pediatric psychiatry and teleED. There is no charge for rural providers to participate in OSU-CHS Project ECHO programs, thanks to generous support received from The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, and the Telligen Community Initiative.

“We are proud to support these initiatives that are making medical care and medical knowledge more accessible to rural Oklahoma,” said Judy Kishner, president of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation.

A total of 206 ECHO clinics have been held with 1,559 participants, affecting the lives of 15,590 patients and equaling a savings of $21,872,770 in health care costs.

Hub and spoke

The heart of the model is its huband-spoke knowledge-sharing networks.

Local clinicians are paired together with specialist teams at academic health centers in weekly virtual clinics.

Project ECHO connects a multidisciplinary team at the OSU Center for Health Sciences with community providers to discuss treatment for chronic and complex medical conditions. Primary care providers throughout Oklahoma develop specialty care knowledge via weekly video teleconferencing sessions that can be accessed via desktop computer, laptop, tablet or cellphone.

“Oklahoma State is filling a void for the state of Oklahoma that is going to be a boon for rural areas,” said Douglas Nolan, D.O. and medical director of the Cherokee Nation Diabetes Program in Tahlequah.

“A lot of times what we need in primary care is a curbside consult. We need a backup,” Nolan said about the shared knowledge gained through Project ECHO. Project ECHO builds a community of practice, learning and support, and it saves time, adds convenience and improves treatment adherence for patients.

Project ECHO was developed by the University of New Mexico and Dr. Sanjeev Arora, a liver disease doctor who was frustrated that thousands of New Mexicans with hepatitis C could not get the treatment they needed because no specialists were near them.

Project ECHO operates more than 175 hubs worldwide covering more than 70 complex conditions and problems.

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Children’s emotional health

In February, OSU-CHS launched one of its most successful lines — Pediatric Behavioral and Emotional Health ECHO: Infancy through Adolescence.

In the United States, 21 percent of children and adolescents meet diagnostic criteria for mental health disorder with impaired functioning. Up to 80 percent of children and youth who need mental health services don’t get them. In Oklahoma, the second leading cause of death for children ages 11-18 is suicide. The Pediatric Behavioral and Emotional Health ECHO provides opportunities for prevention, early detection and treatment of such problems.

“My experience is that it is not uncommon for waitlists for child and adolescent psychiatry to be several months long. Typically, these families say that their children have been struggling for years without evaluation or intervention,” said D.O. Sara Coffey, assistant clinical professor of

psychiatry at OSU-CHS. “Unfortunately, stigma continues to play a role in care of mental illness in Tulsa and across the nation. Yet, suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents. It is imperative that we talk about mental illness, so that we can appropriately diagnose and treat our children.”

“The Pediatric Behavioral and Emotional Health ECHO is a huge asset for our community as well as a tremendous resource for providers across the state and in rural Oklahoma,” said Whitney Downie, chief program officer, Children’s Mental Health and Family Support at Family & Children’s Services in Tulsa. “I think it is an important initiative, not only to be able to be part of a community clinical team, but also to see the real-life emotional and behavioral health issues that are presented through the lens of different experts. The background and knowledge that the OSU-CHS psychiatry ECHO team brings to the table is unmatched.”

Team members for OSU-CHS Project ECHO meet weekly to share their expertise with rural clinicians.

For more information about OSU-CHS Project ECHO, visit health.okstate.edu/echo.

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SCHOLARSHIPS

CAMPUS NEWS

OSU team saddles up for Cowboy Stampede The Cowboys and Cowgirls of the Oklahoma State University rodeo team, along with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, are excited to host the fifth annual Cowboy Stampede Oct. 11-13 at the Payne County Expo Center in Stillwater.

The Cowboy Stampede is a three-day event sanctioned by the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and will bring more than 500 competitors from 18 different colleges to Stillwater. The Stampede will again officially kick off “America’s Greatest Homecoming Celebration” presented by the OSU Alumni Association.

The rodeo team has been a tradition at Oklahoma State for more than 70 years, and the Cowboy Stampede was recently named the Rodeo of the Year in the Central Plains Region.

“We are excited to maintain the tradition of competitive collegiate rodeo in the community and to provide a familyfun event that people of all ages will enjoy,” said Cody Hollingsworth, rodeo program coordinator and head coach.

Past rodeos have featured special guest appearances by OSU President Burns Hargis and First Cowgirl Ann; DASNR Vice President Tom Coon and his wife, Rhonda; and the Homecoming executive team and royalty court.

OStateTV will broadcast Saturday night’s championship round. Visit rodeo.okstate.edu for more information.

OSU ALUMNA NAMED 2018 VETERINARIAN OF THE YEAR Dr. Kay Helms, a 1972 OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences alumna, is the 2018 Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year.

Helms, originally from South Dakota, came to Oklahoma to be near her sister.

“I went to vet school fully intending to be a researcher,” Helms recalled. “However, my senior year was the first year that mandatory preceptorships were instituted.

It was the first time that I really spent time in a practice, and I fell in love with it. So, when I graduated, I went to a practice in Coalgate.”

In 1972, Helms was one of only three women in her academic program. After graduation, she worked in a mostly large animal practice in southeast Oklahoma, focusing on cattle and later ended up helping start the veterinary technology program at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. She taught in the program and was its director for 20 years.

Since retiring, she has worked at low-cost spay and neuter clinics for the past decade.

“I really have a passion for spaying and neutering because we have such a tremendous pet overpopulation not only in Oklahoma, but in the whole country,” Helms said. “We kill between 5 million and 8 million animals a year in this country because nobody wants them. If I can prevent a couple hundred thousand of those from ever being born, then to me, that’s a worthy challenge.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

Ben Alexander

Jonathan Moosmiller

Josh Valentine

Cowboy Chef’s Table raises funds for OSUIT scholarships In its inaugural year, the Cowboy Chef’s Table series raised more than $16,000 for OSU Institute of Technology’s School of Culinary Arts and student scholarships.

Six guest chefs were invited to the Okmulgee campus to create a lunch menu and work with Culinary Arts students to prepare the dishes.

The guest chefs did a live cooking demonstration of that day’s meal and discussed their culinary style with ticket-holding luncheon patrons.

The series kicked off in July 2017, and the last event in the inaugural series was held in April.

Culinary Arts Dean Gene Leiterman said that of the $16,000 the series raised, close to $13,000 went directly into the scholarship fund.

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“It’s beyond my expectations,” Leiterman said. “That was the whole goal, to raise money for scholarships, and that number far exceeded what we were expecting.”

Guests chefs in the series’ inaugural year included Ryan Lopez, personal chef to Kevin Durant; Theron Jessop, OSUIT alum and executive chef of Springs at the Artesian; Josh Valentine, Top Chef finalist and resident chef at Carlton Landing; Jonathan Moosmiller, executive chef of Southern Hills Country Club; Ben Alexander, executive chef of The Tavern; and Devin Levine, executive chef of the BOK Center Arena and the Cox Business Center.

“We have had a wonderful group of chefs over the last year share their culinary point of view and create some amazing dishes with the students,” Leiterman said. “Our students have worked with the industry’s best chefs and had valuable experiences with them.”

U.S. Foods and Ben E. Keith donated $2,500 worth of food, and U.S. Foods also donated $1,000 to support the series.

Leiterman said the chefs, who work in a variety of professions in the culinary industry, presented an array of dishes and cuisine that showcased their different styles.

“We have eaten everything from beef cheeks to poke tuna to chicken and farro,” he said, and that goal of diversity will continue into the next Cowboy Chef’s Table luncheon series that begins in October. “We plan to bring a diverse group of chefs and create even more experiences for students and guests.”

For more information about the 2018-19 Cowboy Chef’s Table series, go to osuit.edu/chefstable.

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Alumni Association begins search for new president The OSU Alumni Association’s Board of Directors has begun the search for the organization’s 14th president.

For more details about the search and the application process, visit orangeconnection.org/president.

OSU recognized for supporting veterans This year, OSU ranked 40th for military veterans out of more than 200 colleges and universities across the nation.

College Consensus, a website that combines information from publishers, agencies and student reviews, determined the rankings, which are based on if a school has a full-time campus contact for veteran support, on-campus organizations and other resources.

“As the contact for veterans and their families at OSU, I’m glad to ensure those transferring from the armed services get all the help they need in making the transition to college life,” said Rick Hansen, a retired Marine captain and coordinator of OSU’s Student Veteran Academic Services. “I made that transition myself at one time and that’s why I’m especially pleased veterans who come here immediately have a place to seek academic assistance, study, and interact with other veterans at our Veterans Success Center on campus.”

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Other on-campus organizations serving veterans include the Student Veterans Organization at OSU, University Counseling, Student Disability Services, Career Services, Non-Traditional Student Services, the Writing Center and Peer Advisors for Veteran Education. Student Veteran Academic Services coordinates with campus, community, state and federal organizations and agencies to serve to veterans and military-affiliated students at OSU. Off-campus organizations frequently visit campus as well. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, Military One Source, the Oklahoma National Guard Family Programs, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans are among the many that provide services to OSU’s veteran students.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Brad Williams (center) earned his bachelor’s degree in communication, marketing and piano performance and master’s in human resources administration at Oklahoma’s East Central University, and a doctorate in educational leadership and higher education from Oklahoma State. He and his wife, Jerri, live in Edmond with their two daughters.

New OSU-OKC president shares his vision for future In January, Brad Williams became the fifth president of Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City. With a background encompassing strategic planning, development, and most recently OSU-OKC’s vice president of student services, Williams incorporates his experience with a passion for student success and personal growth to advance OSU-OKC’s impact on the region. We chatted with him. We chatted with him to learn more about his vision.

What’s your big-picture view for OSU-OKC? Three overarching themes emerged during conversations surrounding OSU-OKC’s effort to revise its mission and strategic plan: Student success, employee excellence and community relevance. These pillars guide our review of opportunities and challenges.

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How do you define student success?

OSU-OKC has an open-access admission policy that allows us to serve students at varying levels of college readiness and with an array of life experiences. We work to understand students’ needs, both academic and social, and help them develop a personal goal set that establishes milestones of progress toward degree completion.

Accordingly, success is measured in different ways for different students.

We print our semester honor roll on poster boards for public display in our campus dining area. We love watching our students take pictures by their name to post online for their friends and family to help celebrate. Degree completion is, no doubt, the ultimate success, but we celebrate the steps along the way.

What is happening on campus to inspire employee excellence?

In late January, we conducted a survey called Orange Pulse to learn what employees value most and what issues we needed to address. What we learned is communication, respect and trust are critical. These elements frame our maintenance of the OSUOKC’s campus culture and are the cornerstones of our interactions with students.

How do you envision OSU-OKC connecting with the community?

Our students are precious talent at their places of work because they are loyal, passionate and engaged. Our work is to build upon that talent and challenge students to change the world. I believe they will do just that.

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Tulsa center works to inspire creativity Contraire

OSU takes top spots at business contest For the first time in the history of the Oklahoma State entrepreneurship program, two OSU teams placed first and second in the Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup. Contraire, a team comprised of civil engineering students, placed first and received $20,000 for their idea converting a scientific process into a business idea.

Multivate, a team of engineering and business students, placed second, receiving $10,000.

Indra-Lightning Strike Mitigation, another OSU team, was one of six finalists in the competition.

The Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup is an Oklahoma collegiate business plan competition that simulates the real-world process of researching a market, formulating financial projections, writing a business plan and pitching the opportunity to potential investors.

Multivate

The Center for Poets and Writers at OSU-Tulsa, Magic City Books and the Tulsa Artist Fellowship hosted the first annual Lit.Fest in the Tulsa Arts District in April.

The event drew writers, small publishers, artists and the public and allowed local writers to collaborate and share their work through workshops, open mics and a publishing discussion panel.

Lit.Fest was devised to support the center’s efforts of promoting the craft of writing and enriching the community. The center aims to cultivate a thriving, diverse literary arts community through education, collaboration and community engagement.

P3T adds eight tail-wagging members Eight new therapy dogs joined Pete’s Pet Posse Tulsa in March.

The dogs will be greeters and campus ambassadors at OSU-Tulsa and the OSU Center for Health Sciences. They will also be available for clinical or crisis situations.

The dogs and their handlers are the third class of the P3T program, which strives to enhance the physical and emotional health of students, faculty and staff on campus. The program also contributes to the success of the America’s Healthiest Campus® initiative launched in 2014.

P3T, started in 2015, is an extension of the Pete’s Pet Posse program on the Stillwater campus.

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences has undergone several name changes in its history.

Department of Animal Science advances with new name When Oklahoma A&M College opened its doors in 1890, the College of Agriculture consisted of just two departments. Well over a century later, Oklahoma State University has grown into a major land-grant institution, and its College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources features nine strong academic departments.

Now, one of those departments, Animal Science, marked its progression when it became the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, effective July 1.

The change was made with input from departmental faculty, staff, current students and alumni.

Clint Rusk, head of the newly renamed department, said the change acknowledges the rising demand for

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expertise in the food sciences as food processing has become more prevalent in Oklahoma’s food and agriculture industries.

“As careers in food science continue to increase, it’s creating a significant demand for food science graduates,” Rusk said. “Having the food science disciplines recognized in the department’s name will draw more attention to the major we offer here at Oklahoma State and recognize the contributions of the food scientists in our department.”

The undergraduate food science major has been available since 2007 and offers four options in industry, meat, safety and science.

Tom Coon, vice president, OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, said the name change demonstrates the department’s strong commitment to meeting the needs of both students and industry.

“We’re in the business of preparing our students for success after graduation from Oklahoma State, and our animal science major is recognized nationwide for its excellence,” Coon said. “The Department of Animal and Food Sciences builds on that long, successful tradition with our food science major and our food safety degree option, reflecting the spirit of collaboration between the animal and food science industries in Oklahoma and across the nation.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

OSU trumpeters hit a new high note

Noah Mennenga

For each of the past five years, Oklahoma State University musicians have garnered wins at the National Trumpet Competition. This year, OSU competitors set out to conquer the world, competing at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in San Antonio.

Noah Mennenga, an OSU trumpet performance junior from Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, won the ITG Solo Competition. He was the only American competitor among the three finalists and was also the top undergraduate soloist at the NTC in March.

“To finally win the soloist is very exciting,” Mennenga said. “Then to have a great performance and win at the international competition was even more amazing. It’s really cool to see all of our hard work paying off.”

Other OSU winners in San Antonio included Ian Mertes, a music education junior from Cushing, Oklahoma, who received top honors in Orchestral Excerpts and Nick Nusser, a firstyear trumpet master’s student from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who placed third.

Ryan Gardner, associate trumpet professor in the Greenwood School of Music, has overseen the trumpet

programs since 2011. Gardner’s students have won seven championships and placed nine times in national competitions since 2014.

“It’s so inspiring to see the students succeed like this,” Gardner said. “We have done very well at the national competition over the past five years, but we had never competed at the International Trumpet Guild Conference before. To sweep both competitions is truly a remarkable achievement for these incredible young men.”

Steffi Tetzloff, a sophomore trumpet performance major from Rochester, Minnesota, and the lone woman in the large ensemble, won a scholarship to attend the ITG for the second year in a row.

The other members of the large ensemble include: Matt Daigle, a trumpet master’s student from New Orleans; Matt Herron, a trumpet performance junior from Celina, Texas; Collin Stout, a music education junior from Skiatook, Oklahoma; and Bryson Tuttle, a music education senior from Jenks, Oklahoma.

Steffi Tetzloff

OSU’s award-winning trumpeters are Noah Mennenga (from left), Matt Herron, Ian Mertes, Nick Nusser, Matt Daigle, Bryson Tuttle, Steffi Tetzloff and Collin Stout. On the far right is Ryan Gardner, associate professor of trumpet.

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Coaching Outside the Lines

The Woods brothers continue to make an impact both on and off the football field

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n football, a player can take pride in his on-the-field accomplishments.

But as OSU’s famed Woods brothers are learning, there can be even more pride for the coaches in what they’re passing on to the next generation.

Rashaun, Donovan and D’Juan Woods all donned orange and black uniforms for Cowboy football. From 2000 to 2007, at least one Woods brother was on the team. And all three are proud of their — and their brothers’ — successful Division I careers at OSU. “One of the greatest experiences I have had to date was getting to play a game that I love with the people I love,” D’Juan said. “Those are things you are blessed and lucky to have, especially at that level.”

Woods brothers D’Juan (from left), Rashaun and Donovan pose on the field while Rashaun and Donovan coach John Marshall High School’s football team.

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The Woods brothers grew up in a close-knit family. Parents Juana and Larry raised them with a drive and passion, and their father helped them focus on what they wanted to achieve in their futures.

“My mom and dad did a great job of keeping their arms around us,” Donovan said. “They didn’t let us get influenced a ton by stuff going on in the outside world.

That was most of the reason we were able to go on and stay the course that we did.”

The love for and passion to play football with each other developed early. The Woods household was competitive, and the brothers took pride in defeating one another as well as in a group effort to succeed against their older brother, Gary.

“We bred competitiveness,” Gary said. “If you get that much testosterone under one roof, there is going to be some competition. I used to just drive them, and they wanted to beat me so bad. Each of them can tell you the day they were able to beat me in a sport.”

The drive to conquer Gary even spilled over into video games, including Street Fighter.

“Gary knew about throwing the Sonic Boom, and we didn’t know how to throw it back,” D’Juan said. “So Gary being how he is, he took the book and hid it so we couldn’t learn how to beat him.”

Gary also mentored his younger brothers in football. After attending Millwood High School in Oklahoma

City, Gary went on to play football at Langston University. He was recruited as an offensive lineman but ended up playing defensive back. Gary brought what he learned from his coaches back to his brothers to teach them the right way to play the game.

“Now that I am a little older, I know there would be no Woods brothers without Gary,” D’Juan said. “The time and effort he put into showing us the ropes when it came to skill positions was important.”

The training Gary showed his younger brothers included drills and techniques to give them an upper hand against other players their age. He also brought his brothers to train at the University of Central Oklahoma while they were still in high school.

“I would take them up to UCO when they were sophomores and juniors, and I would have them go against the college guys in 7-on-7 drills at UCO because I knew some guys up there,” Gary explained. “They were gracious enough to allow Rashaun, D’Juan and Donovan to work out with them.”

This led to Rashaun, D’Juan and Donovan competing at OSU and beyond. Rashaun was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2004 and spent time in NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League. D’Juan signed as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007, but his career was ended by a spinal cord injury in 2009. Donovan entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008.

Since their time in the NFL, the drive to help others has consumed the lives of all three. For Rashaun, it turned his attention from playing to coaching. He was hired as the head

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football coach at John Marshall High School in Oklahoma City — a program that had gone winless the season before. After five years of hard work and determination, the team won the 2018 Class 3A state championship. Rashaun said it all started by changing the mentality of his players.

“I want those guys to be confident that they can achieve anything,” Rashaun said. “Being the best that they can be is something I tell them all the time.”

Rashaun also recruited his brothers to help him, continuing the legacy of conquering their goals together as a family. Donovan, in addition to his role as a development officer at OSU-OKC, has served as the defensive coordinator for the past four seasons. D’Juan, the owner of Woods Fit LLC in Los Angeles, sends the team workouts. Gary also served as the secondary coach for two seasons.

The passion to mentor the next generation flows in the blood of all of the Woods brothers. It’s something they learned from their parents and other family members, including their grandfather, Henry Langston.

“There are great people in my life who helped me be the man I am today,” Rashaun said. “It’s important I try to do the same thing for the next generation because if you don’t have that, then it’s a broken generation.”

Their willingness to help others does not end on the football field, either. At OSU-OKC, Donovan sees giving back as something that can be done through the classroom as well.

“We had an opportunity to give a young lady in our nursing program a scholarship for $1,000,” Donovan said.

“And you would have thought she won the lottery. Being a part of that and seeing the impact it made hit me pretty hard.”

The Woods brothers have come a long way from the football fields of Millwood High and OSU, and their impact can be seen from Oklahoma to Los Angeles.

“Giving back to kids and passing it down allows you to reinvent yourself and grow every single day,” D’Juan said.

Donovan (from left), D’Juan and Rashaun Woods in their playing days at OSU.

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Wildlife viewing activities include open vehicle drives, guided canoe trips, bush walks, boat safaris and fishing. Odysseys

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S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 43

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FEMALE PHILANTHROPY

Honoring an Impactful Benefactress Women for OSU names Anne Greenwood as Philanthropist of the Year

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he past year has been one of milestones and celebrations for Women for OSU, culminating on April 5 at its annual spring Symposium. More than 500 people came together at Gallagher-Iba Arena to recognize Anne Greenwood as the 2018 Women for OSU Philanthropist of the Year and to award 12 students a total of $53,190 in scholarships.

The volunteer-led group promotes a culture of giving and service that acknowledges the significant impact women have at OSU and inspires others to positively shape the future of the university through philanthropy and engagement.

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At the Symposium, the group also announced that it had surpassed its $1 million fundraising goal for its scholarship endowment. Students are selected for these prestigious scholarships based upon their philanthropic efforts.

In the coming years it will be important for the group to continue its growth, said Michal Shaw, program director, and Robin Byford, the incoming chairwoman.

“The organization has done a wonderful job being forward-thinking over the past decade, and we want to continue that momentum,” Byford said.

“The Women for OSU Council is eager to explore

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“Giving back and making a difference is how I’ve come to live my life, and I am proud of it, and I would encourage everyone to never stop supporting our university that has given us all so much.” new initiatives such as educational programming and additional opportunities for alumnae to engage and connect.”

Next year’s event has been scheduled for April 25 on OSU’s campus, and will feature a keynote address by Amy Cuddy, who among other things is a social psychologist and author of the bestselling book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges.

Cuddy’s TED Talk, “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are,” was named by The Guardian as “One of 20 Online Talks that Could Change Your Life” and has been viewed more than 46 million times, making it the second-most-viewed TED Talk.

They’ve made headlines with lead gifts to projects like The Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center, The Anne Morris Greenwood Reading Room in Edmon Low Library, the new Spears School of Business building and The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University. Most recently the couple announced a lead gift to name the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music.

They have also endowed multiple scholarships across campus and are a constant support for the OSU Marching Band and the Cowboy Strong Student Emergency Fund.

2018 Philanthropist of the Year Ten years after serving as the inaugural chair of Women for OSU, Stillwater benefactress Anne Greenwood was recognized as the 2018 Philanthropist of the Year.

Greenwood said she’s been proud of Women for OSU for the way the group celebrates philanthropy and impacts students’ lives through scholarships.

“Being able to provide scholarships for OSU students is a cause that is near and dear to my heart,” Greenwood said. “As a young woman growing up in the small town of Carnegie in southwest Oklahoma, it was my dream to be able to attend Oklahoma State University. With a big leap of faith and with the help of scholarships, I landed right here at the Oklahoma State campus.”

Greenwood said Oklahoma State offered her the perfect platform to be successful in school and in life. She studied accounting at OSU for three years before graduating from the University of Tulsa in 1979.

During her time at OSU, she was the Collegiate FFA queen, a Drummond Residence Hall officer and a member of the Dean’s Honor Roll. After a career in corporate accounting with several Fortune 500 companies, including American Electric Power, Central and South West, McDonnell Douglas and the Williams Cos., Greenwood retired to focus on philanthropic endeavors.

Over the past 10 years she has been incredibly visible on campus as she and her husband, Michael Greenwood, have been doing what they can to ensure other students have similar experiences to theirs.

P H OTO BRUCE WATERFIELD

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Twelve students were awarded a total of $53,190 in scholarships for their dedication to service and philanthropy. Read their personal stories at OSUgiving.com/Women.

In addition to her involvement in Women for OSU, Anne Greenwood has served in leadership and volunteer capacities for Friends of the OSU Library, OSU Friends of Music, OSU Athletics Council, College of Human Sciences Freshman Reading Program, OSU Performing Arts Advisory Council and the Provost’s External Advisory Council. She is also a major sponsor of the OSU Student Foundation and the Cowboy Marching Band, to which, in addition to financial support, she has provided thousands of snacks over the past decade. She is a member of the OSU Proud & Immortal Society, OSU Foundation Loyal and True Society, OSU Baseline Club, OSU Diamond Club, OSU Wrestling Club and OSU POSSE. She is also a member of Tri Delta sorority and serves as treasurer of its Housing Corp.

“Anne’s passion for OSU reaches every corner of interest, from student success in the classroom and on the court, to recital halls and study rooms at Edmon Low Library,” said Kirk Jewell, president

of the OSU Foundation, who added that she is creating a culture of philanthropy at OSU. “She is driven by her desire to share her blessings, inspiring countless others to follow in her footsteps of altruism and loyalty to OSU.” For Greenwood, it’s an honor to give to Oklahoma State and use her blessings to bless others.

“Giving back and making a difference is how I’ve come to live my life, and I am proud of it,” she said, adding that she admired everyone at the symposium who has chosen OSU as a focus of their philanthropy. “And I would encourage everyone to never stop supporting our university that has given us all so much.”

Sponsorship opportunities and ticket information will be available for the 2019 Symposium this winter at OSUgiving.com/Women.

“Anne’s passion for OSU reaches every corner of interest, from student success in the classroom and on the court, to recital halls and study rooms at Edmon Low Library.”

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P H OTO CHRIS LEWIS

MA R K YOUR CA LEN DA R S F OR THE

2019 SYMPOSIUM!

Amy Cuddy featuring

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2019 O S U G I V I N G .C O M / WO M E N

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Give Orange

1,384 gifts raise $610,277 in 1,890 minutes for OSU

F

rom student-investing faculty members to Cowboy-inspired young scholars, many things about OSU are unrivaled. But in 2018, we witnessed a match that holds true to our unmatchable DNA. On April 10-11, we invited the Cowboy Family to light up the nation with America’s Brightest Orange. When we asked you to GO for the Give Orange event, you went — filling every state in the nation (plus Australia!) with dream-chasing gifts to grow the future of OSU. In this 1,890minute event, $610,277 was raised to support 125 projects across campus, fueling student programs and enhancing tools for success.

These numbers stand on their own, proudly exhibiting the Cowboy-inspired spirit of the OSU community. But the story doesn’t stop there.

During Give Orange, 77 OSU-loving donors not only gave monetarily, but also gave inspiration.

Dollar-for-dollar matches doubled the impact of hundreds of gifts, and challenge missions unlocked additional funds for 55 campus projects.

Of the 1,384 gifts made during Give Orange, 546 were part of a match or challenge. That means that 40 percent of all contributions were inspired by the giving of fellow Cowboys and Cowgirls.

From supporting passion projects to inspiring others, these donors shared their stories of giving.

INSPIRING DONORS 30 challenge and matching gifts hit their goals during Give Orange 2018!

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S TO RY AIMEE FURRIE || P H OTO S MATT MORGAN & COURTNEY WOLFE

Pam and Steve Holton are proud supporters of OSU. Their Give Orange challenge gift provided generous funds for OSU’s highly anticipated, communitybuilding, history-making Homecoming.

“It’s an all-encompassing tradition,” said Steve, lighting up as he delved into personal memories and looked to the future. This Homecomingloving couple shared their passion for this event from pomping to parade, and why they choose to give to Homecoming each year.

“The joy of giving is tapping into what you’re passionate about,” Pam said. “Where your heart goes is where your money goes.”

Pam spoke of the incredible feeling that rushes through the community soaking up the sea of orange each year. “But there must be funding to help,” she said.

Their dollar-for-dollar match created an orange wave of inspiration. “It makes people feel better about their gift when they know it’s doubled,” Pam said.

Kenny Goodman, an attorney in Florida, proves that geography doesn’t prevent involvement in Give Orange.

“If everyone gives just a little bit, it makes a big difference. People need to find something beyond themselves to support,” he said.

His matching gift inspired 35 additional donors to join in supporting the Cowboy Call Center. He also accelerated the race to be the top college by sponsoring a leaderboard each day.

In addition to personal match and challenge gifts, some gracious givers utilized another tool, making their gift go even further.

Barry and Michelle Vandevier maximized their family’s participation in Give Orange. Not only does the couple give as matching donors, but they also have a company match through Barry’s employer.

Many companies offer matching gift programs, in which they give to charitable organizations based on the philanthropic efforts of their employees.

Barry shared the personal, emotional impact of being a matching donor during Give Orange. “It brings a lot of pride and stretches your ability to give,” he said.

For the last two years of Give Orange, the Vandeviers have chosen to inspire others to join them in supporting passion projects at OSU. Give Orange 2018 painted the map orange, declaring loud and proud that OSU is home to America’s Brightest Orange.

Join us on April 9-10, 2019, for even more record-breaking, orange-and-blackrepping, unparalleled challenges and matches — lighting a bright orange future for Oklahoma State University.

GET STARTED Can’t wait until 2019 to get started? We know the feeling.

John Grice is eagerly awaiting your call! Reach him at 405-385-0723 or find out more at giveorange.okstate.edu.

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Transforming Education

New facility becomes centerpiece for CEAT’s paradigm shift

W

alking around the new ENDEAVOR facility at the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT), it’s easy to see something’s different about Oklahoma State University’s newest building. Spacious laboratories, four of them the size of a basketball court, feature high ceilings and large windows that reveal the inner workings of technology and innovation as well as the work spaces with an entrepreneurial focus. Open space and glass dominate.

“This building surrounds you. It’s open so you see into everything,” said Brad Rowland, safety coordinator of ENDEAVOR and a clinical assistant professor of chemical engineering. “You could call it a cathedral.”

A paradigm shift is underway at OSU where ENDEAVOR is the centerpiece of a new, innovative concept to educate engineers, architects and technology undergraduates. The vision of CEAT Dean Paul Tikalsky is expanding instruction beyond the traditional classroom environment to one that increases time for interdisciplinary, hands-on and industry-aligned learning.

“We are launching a new era in engineering education that’s turning the whole model to a forward vision of innovation,” Tikalsky said.

The model, which Tikalsky called the ENDEAVOR Concept, is revolutionary and necessary to prepare a new generation of engineers. Even before coming to OSU, Tikalsky said he recognized the need for change at universities to keep pace with today’s fast-evolving industrial workplace. The vision was reinforced in listening to corporate leaders and managers to learn what they’re looking for in young engineers.

An observation repeated time and time again is that engineers can no longer work in silos. Universities must tear down the walls between disciplines and bring individual expertise into interdisciplinary teams — mechanical engineers working with chemical engineers working with computer engineers working with the business sector, and so on. That’s how growing companies work.

Rowland called it immersive education where students take the theories they learn in the classroom and apply that knowledge through hands-on, studentdeveloped and facultymentored projects. “We’re increasing the number of touches that students have with technology,” he said.

OSU is on the cutting edge of this movement. In fact, CEAT is so far ahead of the curve, it’s alone.

“No one else in the country is doing this at this scale,” Tikalsky said.

At 72,000 square feet, ENDEAVOR encompasses three floors of labs and maker spaces for innovation, assembly and fabrication. Industry-aligned labs, sponsored by corporations, are home to seniors working on interdisciplinary capstone design projects in collaboration with industry. One of those sponsors is petroleum refiner Valero, which gave $1.25 million to CEAT for the Valero Process and Transport Laboratory.

Sponsors fund labs aligned with their businesses and provide company employees to mentor students.

Other industry donors include Chesapeake Energy (currently the largest donor at $1.85 million), ExxonMobil, Devon Energy, National Instruments, Blair Stone, Shimadzu, Williams Cos., McAlpine Energy, Northstar Battery, Mark Brewer and many other individuals.

“More than half the cost of the building is paid for by donors,” Tikalsky said.

Along with corporate donors, CEAT students are contributing to the cost of building operations through a $20 per-credit-hour increase in student fees, approved by the college’s forwardlooking student council.

An artist's rendering of the new ENDEAVOR facility at OSU.

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B OT TO M P H OTO G A R Y L AW S O N

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“We are launching a new era in engineering education that’s turning the whole model to a forward vision of innovation.”

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It was Tikalsky’s inspiration that planted the seed, but the ENDEAVOR Concept took shape through input from industry, faculty, alumni and CEAT and university administration.

The college’s faculty jumped on board once plans began to take shape. In just four years, ENDEAVOR went from concept to the completion of construction.

“There was a flood of great ideas once people realized this could actually happen,” Tikalsky said.

Laboratory classes focus on areas like mechatronics, robotics, digital manufacturing, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, materials, sustainable building concepts, sensors and electronics, energy systems and radio frequency communications.

ENDEAVOR is full of more than $5 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment and instruments available to students who can be trained and certified to use them. No equipment is off limits.

“We don’t just bring students in and say, ‘Look at this sophisticated thing, but don’t touch,’” said Randy Seitsinger, CEAT associate dean for academics.

“Use it.”

ENDEAVOR features a 35-foot wind tunnel; 3D printers, including one that prints objects made of metal; and composite printers that create objects made of fiber re-inforced polymers, such as carbon fiber, Kevlar and fiber glass.

Alternative energy systems are being studied using a windmill, solar panels and ground source heat pump systems.

Drones and other autonomous systems will be tested in an indoor, three-storytall test arena surrounded on four sides by glass, providing visibility from the outside and from balconies inside. The building’s open design encourages anyone to watch students test and improve their prototypes.

ENDEAVOR is just the latest CEAT facility replacing its aging laboratories, many built before 1970. During that time, the number of CEAT students has more than doubled, making it impossible to accommodate the numbers.

“Sometimes alumni come back and see these aged facilities and say, ‘Hey, this looks exactly like it did when I was here in 1975,’” Seitsinger said. “We don’t want that.”

Engineering, architecture and technology students will also be taught to think about projects as future businesses, something new to many engineers. Working with entrepreneurship programs at Spears School of Business and expertise in the College of Human Sciences and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, CEAT students are learning how inventive products could lead to business startups.

Rowland said more than 2,000 students a week this fall will use ENDEAVOR facilities, which will service 39 courses. That number will grow to more than 3,000 by 2019 and service approximately 56 courses.

“This is a revolutionary process, not an evolutionary one,” Tikalsky said.

ENDEAVOR is center stage for experiments in more than material analysis or thermodynamics — it’s also part of retooling an education system.

On a recent tour, visitors stopped in a lab doorway to study the equation for the Law of Thermal Transport set in stainless steel in the concrete floor. This equation, and others in the entries to all ENDEAVOR labs, reminds people of the theories behind that lab. Through the doorway is where the application of those theories comes to life.

RESEARCH BRIEFS

International Space Station welcomes OSU instrument An instrument developed at Oklahoma State University to measure radiation exposure has arrived on the International Space Station (ISS). The Active Tissue Equivalent Dosimeter (ATED) was launched May 21 on a supply mission and is now one of hundreds of experiments on board the ISS that observe and record the various effects of space travel on astronauts, other life forms and the station itself.

Developed by associate physics professor Eric Benton and doctoral student Oliver Causey, the instrument collects data on the amount and types of radiation the ISS crew is exposed to. According to Benton, to keep the weight of the station as low as possible, ISS has no shielding, which means astronauts are constantly bombarded by radiation.

“We asked (that the ATED) be placed next to where the astronauts spend a lot of time,” Benton said. “They ended up putting it next to the toilet.”

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT TAKES HER AROUND THE WORLD Oklahoma State University political scientist Farida Jalalzai says the #MeToo movement in the United States is important because it shows the empowerment of women. She also noted that similar movements have been going on around the world for some time.

“The U.S. is at a moment in time when different marginalized groups, including women, are being more outspoken and this is something that speaks to people who would not have normally taken on an activist hat,” she said.

Jalalzai is the Hannah Atkins Endowed Chair and Professor of Political Science and an internationally known scholar who examines the representation and behavior of women and minorities in politics. She has traveled the world interviewing women in positions of political power including the presidents of Liberia and Costa Rica.

She recently co-edited a book of essays with collaborators that explore the political empowerment of women.

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Oklahoma needs doctors like YOU.

Choose a career in medicine and make a difference.

OSU-trained physicians work and live in every county in Oklahoma, providing excellent patient care to generations of Oklahoma families. Learn how the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the OSU Center for Health Sciences 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

RESEARCH BRIEFS

Center for Pediatric Psychology launches to help children and families

‘Hearing’ tornadoes even before they form There’s an early sound that a tornado is forming, but you can’t hear it. Oklahoma State University assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering Brian Elbing and his research team have shown that developing tornadoes emit an “infrasound” that humans can’t hear.

Elbing has developed a way to use microphones to detect this infrasound before a tornado forms, which could tell where it’s forming and even how large it is. Once he and his students further develop the technology, the system could be used to warn people in a tornado’s path earlier, he said.

Elbing and his collaborators report that a storm system emits an infrasound up to two hours before a tornado forms.

His research has garnered much attention, and he has been interviewed by Wired, National Public Radio and Newsweek.

The new Center for Pediatric Psychology at Oklahoma State University serves as a hub for coordinated research and training and a way to use state and national collaborations to make a difference in the health of children and their families.

“There are over 20 million children in the U.S. living with chronic health conditions,” says Larry Mullins, center director and the Vaughn Vennerberg II Chair of Psychology. “Through pediatric psychology, we seek to understand the factors that put youths with chronic illnesses and their families at risk.”

The center’s mission is to engage in cuttingedge scientific discovery related to all aspects of children’s health, as well as their families, and to foster integrated research, training and clinical service delivery.

HIBAR research aims to address society’s ills Oklahoma State University will provide more than $1.5 million annually to fund a new research initiative known as Highly Integrative Basic and Responsive (HIBAR) Research. The HIBAR concept will develop multidisciplinary and multiinstitutional collaboration to build practical solutions to societal problems.

A research idea competition for faculty is now underway to select major research themes to fund.

“OSU research has been positively impacting Oklahoma and the nation since the very first scientific study was conducted here more than a century ago,” said Kenneth Sewell, OSU’s vice president for research. “Our investments in the OSU HIBAR Research themes will magnify that legacy of relevance.”

Learn more at research.okstate.edu/hibar/index.html.

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2018 Doel Reed Center for the Arts Fall Leisure Learning Classes October 4-6 | Taos, New Mexico

Oklahoma State University’s Doel Reed Center for the Arts invites you to participate this fall in an educational experience in beautiful Taos, New Mexico. These classes, designed by expert instructors for inquiring adults, invite you to explore the art, culture and recreational experiences that multicultural Northern New Mexico offers.

Classes may combine lectures, discussion, hands-on activities and visits to local sites and galleries. To enroll now, visit: drca.okstate.edu Course cost: $400

The Art of Metal Work

Plein Air Printing

The Art of Fused Glass

taught by metal sculptor Lisa Regan, owner of Garden Deva Sculpture Company

taught by Taos artist Suzanne Wiggin

taught by Taos artist Diane Harris

Join us for a three-day printmaking workshop at the lovely Doel Reed Center for the Arts where we will take our easels outside to get inspiration from the beautiful Taos scenery. Using Doel Reed’s studio as our base, we will create monoprints, study color theory and discuss art history. All skill levels welcome.

Create beautiful glass pendants, bracelets, night lights and ornaments. Learn the science of glass and methods for cutting and fusing glass. Experiment with color, shape and types of glass.

This is a great opportunity to create your own distinctive works.

This workshop will cover the basic use of a plasma torch in the design and fabrication of metal art pieces.

Students will create their own project, based on either the culture or scenery of Taos. There will be field trips to local galleries and parks to explore possible inspirations.

For further information on courses, logistics or opportunities to teach courses, contact: Carol Moder | carol.moder@okstate.edu | 405-612-8295 Hollye Goddard | hollyesue@cox.net | 602-465-1644

RESEARCH BRIEFS

High school pitchers face increased risk of injury High school baseball pitchers are experiencing dramatic increases in the rate of elbow injuries requiring “Tommy John” reconstructive surgery that now rivals injury rates among Major League Baseball pitchers.

Nathaniel D.M. Jenkins, co-director of the OSU Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory and associate professor of exercise physiology, studied with his team of students the pitching biomechanics of high school and Major League pitchers and found that the relative physical immaturity of high school pitchers increases their risk for elbow injuries. The amount of pitching done by the young players and how hard they throw also affect their risk factor.

Jenkins used a motion analysis system to record the pitching mechanics of pitchers throwing fastballs. The research suggests that loads placed on a young pitcher’s elbow are higher than on pro players and increases injury risk. Jenkins reports that players from 15 to 19 years old suffer the highest number of injuries requiring Tommy John surgeries, which repair torn ligaments in arms.

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Above: Dr. Martin Furr, then interim hospital director (center left), and Dr. Bob Shoup, alumnus and major donor, cut the ribbon to celebrate the new 64-slice CT scanner at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. Holding the ribbon for them to cut are Chris Sitz (left) and Heidi Griswold.

CVHS Dean Carlos Risco is to the right of Sitz, and donors John and Marla Palovik are next to Risco in the crowd of employees and students.

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S TO RY D E R I N DA B L A K E N E Y, A P R || P H OTO S PHIL SHOCKLEY

ANIMAL HEALTH

A New Look

Veterinary hospital’s upgraded CT scanner provides sharper images and better diagnoses

W

hen your patients can’t speak, more options are vital for determining what’s wrong with them. And none of the patients at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital can speak.

But the hospital recently got more help in this area when it upgraded its CT scanner from a fourslice model to a 64-slice unit.

Dr. Carrie Kuzma, a clinical instructor in radiology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, detailed the benefits of the new scanner.

“This machine provides shorter scan times, less anesthesia, less anesthetic time and better image quality,” she said. “The four-slice scanner was much slower with its scanning time and was more susceptible to artifacts or distortions and motion from the patients. This required nearly all patients to be under general anesthesia for their scans.”

Today is different: “We get our scans done in half the time or even less. We are capable of doing more patients under heavy sedation versus complete general anesthesia. Also, the new machine is less susceptible to motion and artifacts.”

OSU’s hospital takes referrals from veterinarians across Oklahoma and the region.

“It’s important that our referring veterinarians know that we have the 64-slice CT scanner,” she said. “It is up and running and available. We have it for small animals, large animals and exotic animals.”

According to Kuzma, the radiology team is now getting patients into surgery sooner.

“If a patient needs surgery, we can scan them in a quarter of the time compared to the four-slice CT scanner. Then they are off to surgery, which allows the surgeons to get things done quicker because the patient is ready faster. We can also deliver patients quicker to ultrasound for fine needle aspirations that help with medicine cases.

“I think one of the biggest things that we are able to do now is look at more coronary arteries around the heart. We are able to see them in better definition. With the 64-slice we see a lot of those little, finer structures a bit better. Having the

64-slice CT scanner just helps overall with the diagnosis of patients.”

Drs. Bob Shoup and Steve Weir of Catoosa Small Animal Clinic were among the supporters of this project.

“We gave in recognition of the wonderful career and work that Dr. Mark Neer (who recently retired) did for the profession and the university,” Shoup said. “Plus, advanced imaging is a must for referral centers. The 64-slice CT will improve imaging and diagnostic capabilities.

“However, machines are just machines unless you have people who can run the test, interpret the results correctly, and then give treatment options.

OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital has the people in place who can utilize the new CT to its fullest capacity. Obviously, CT scanners are too expensive for the average veterinary clinic. That is why it is important that we have them easily accessible for our clients.”

As with any new piece of equipment, the 64-slice CT scanner comes with a learning curve.

“It’s a more complicated system because it is a 64-slice versus a four-slice machine,” Kuzma explained. “Once you learn the system and the machine, it becomes easier and faster to run. The technicians become more efficient and more proficient the more they use it.”

Kuzma estimated that maybe one or two other veterinary practices in Oklahoma have a 64-slice CT scanner.

“That’s going to depend on how many specialty practices there are, their caseload and what they have decided to use for equipment,” Kuzma said. “I would say about 30 percent of veterinary colleges in the country have a 64-slice CT scanner. Some are still using either an eight-slice or a 16-slice. Once their equipment comes to end of life, their upgrade will more likely be to a 64-slice.”

Marla and John Palovik are grateful clients of OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital who were referred by Dr. Shoup.

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EQUIPMENT DONORS Generous gifts from these donors made the 64-slice CT scanner possible: Mary and John Bowles Catoosa Small Animal Clinic Peter and Kimberly Erdoes Dr. Jack Hoopes Nichols Hills Veterinary Clinic Merkel Family Foundation Dr. David Mitchell Vicki Palmer John and Marla Palovik Charitable Trust

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 64-SLICE CT SCANNER okla.st/ctscan

To support OSU’s veterinary medicine program, contact Chris Sitz, senior director of development/team lead with the OSU Foundation, at 405-385-5170 or csitz@osugiving.com.

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Dr. Martin Furr expresses the center’s gratitude for the donors who made the new CT scanner possible.

“Our beloved Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Mattie and Alice, had mitral valve heart disease, as many Cavaliers do,” Marla Palovik said. “Dr. Shoup had done and tried all he knew to do with medications and treatment. He referred us to OSU’s veterinary cardiologist, Dr. Ryan Baumwart, in late 2016 for his expertise. Despite seeing some improvement in their health, we had to let the girls ‘go’ in December 2016. Due to the care and concern given us, we decided to make a first-time donation in memory of Mattie and Alice shortly after they passed away.

“Months later, Dr. Shoup mentioned the 64-slice CT scanner the hospital was trying to acquire. We decided to make a second donation earmarked specifically for the CT, knowing the advanced technology of the new 64-slice CT would benefit both small and large animals and meet critical medical needs of many more patients in a shorter period of time than with the original, older CT machine. We were honored

to attend the Center’s Open House and dedication of the new CT scanner earlier this spring.

“We would not hesitate to bring our future pets to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital again, or to refer others as well. If lives can be saved or medically improved, this is the place to be.”

“If we want OSU to be a great referral center, it is critical that we make sure they have the best equipment available,” Shoup said. “It is also important to train tomorrow’s veterinarians on the latest technology so they can be their best when they graduate.”

“On behalf of the entire radiology department, thank you to everyone who supported the purchase of this machine and helped us upgrade our technology,” Kuzma said.

AN ESTATE-PLANNING TIP FROM

Pistol Pete

Any account with a beneficiary designation (such as retirement funds, life insurance policies and annuities) can be used to support OSU.

» Easy to do » Easy to give to OSU » Easy on your heirs » Easy to learn To discover more, visit OSUgiving.com/estateplanning or call the OSU Foundation Gift Planning Office at 800-622-4678.

ed children fe r e tt e b ls o cho aims to help s s id K r fo g in Cook

G

rowing, learning and even just playing are difficult when your stomach is growling with hunger and you don’t know when or where or what your next meal will be.

That’s the reality of life for thousands of children throughout Oklahoma.

And it’s why public-school nutrition programs are so important.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a “lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.”

Food insecurity touches many Oklahoma families.

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, more than 692,000 — about 61 percent of children here — were eligible for free or reduced-cost school lunches in 2016-17.

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Lunches have changed, too. From 2012’s USDA standards to 2015’s amended Healthy and HungerFree Kids Act, schools now must offer more fruits and vegetables and less fat, sugar and salt. In addition, school nutrition programs have had to increase whole grains and to follow specific calorie ranges for different age groups. Combined, these changes have challenged schools operating on limited budgets.

“Schools have about $3 [per meal] to produce school lunches, including labor, food and other direct costs,” nutritional sciences associate professor Deana Hildebrand said. “[Each lunch] must include an entrée, fruit, vegetable, whole grain and a halfpint carton of milk.”

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That’s where Oklahoma State University is helping out.

The Cooking for Kids program is helping school nutrition programs provide healthier meals for school children. Developed from scratch at OSU, Cooking for Kids is a collaboration with OSU’s Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Human Sciences, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension and the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The program is funded by a grant from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Child Nutrition.

Cooking for Kids invests in school nutrition programs and the individuals who oversee and deliver them in order to increase the availability of freshly prepared foods, feed more children and expand public support for child nutrition programs.

Cooking for Kids offers training, consultations and resources at no cost to the schools. School nutrition professionals participate in culinary skill development training and management training.

The aim is to offer more healthy and delicious fromscratch food options that will entice kids.

P H OTO S CO L L E G E O F H U M A N S C I E N C E S

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

Each summer, Cooking for Kids offers a series of three-day training opportunities for school nutrition professionals across Oklahoma. A rotating group of chefs, all with culinary industry training and teaching and education backgrounds, teach such subjects as knife skills, flavoring food, cooking whole grains and using herbs and spices.

Participants review and taste new recipes.

“School nutrition professionals say the program has given them skills and confidence to try to new things,” Cooking for Kids education outreach coordinator Cass Ring said. “After they receive training, they are more comfortable with cooking recipes from scratch.”

The second option is a one-day culinary management training during the summer for those responsible for menu planning and purchasing, including child nutrition directors, managers and school administrators. Cooking for Kids leaders cover advanced menu planning with an emphasis on variety, food purchases, local sourcing and emerging trends for school nutrition directors and decision makers.

(

Completion of the first two training sessions prepares a school or a district to apply for a chef consultation. During the school year, an industrytrained chef partners with the school nutrition staff to assess needs and develop a personalized action plan for the school district. Through a series of on-site visits, the consulting chef helps develop menus and create schedules and a marketing plan. The chef also assesses available equipment and how to best use it in addition to making recommendations about equipment needs and purchases.

“Schools have about $3 [per meal] to produce school lunches, including labor, food and other direct costs.”

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S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 69

“It’s about building capacity, skills and selfefficacy,” Hildebrand said. “We want participants to believe, ‘I can do this.’ How can we build your capacity to take it to the next level?”

The program also engages K-12 students.

Consulting chefs have hosted Junior Chef CookOffs at school sites, showing children that they can cook and teaching them basic skills. Junior chefs have even developed recipes that are now used in their school cafeterias.

To date, Cooking for Kids has served 169 school districts and 850 school nutrition professionals to provide healthier meals for more than 133,000 Oklahoma school children over the last five years.

For the past three summers, members of the nutrition staff at Sapulpa Public Schools have attended Cooking for Kids trainings. Sapulpa Nutrition Director Nancy Sitler said the program has reinforced the important work of child nutrition professionals. While all of her participating employees have returned with new knowledge, Sitler has seen a major change in at least one employee.

“[This employee] didn’t necessarily buy into the importance of child nutrition. After going to classes and a visitation with a [consulting chef], she has gone out of her way to experiment with seasonings.

She has been really good about tasting and trying new things and adding flavor without raising sodium. She has fixed some of our recipes. She is a lot more invested in her job now.”

A true example of OSU’s land-grant mission, the team at OSU has used their expertise and experience to develop Cooking for Kids to meet the needs of Oklahoma public school nutrition programs.

A former director of nutrition for Edmond Public Schools, Hildebrand also worked at the State Department of Education in child nutrition for

Deana Hildebrand

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B OT TO M L E F T P H OTO G A RY L AW S O N

10 years before joining the faculty at OSU. She is proud of the Cooking for Kids team and the work it is doing.

“The thing that stands out is that Cooking for Kids is meeting a need. It is helping schools better implement the Healthy and Hunger Free Kids Act. It is better equipping school nutrition professionals to do more scratch cooking, and (in turn) students want less processed food,” Hildebrand said.

In a survey of schools that worked with a consultant chef through Cooking for Kids, child nutrition directors noted that the “amazing and dynamic program helps bring together students, staff and child nutrition.” School nutrition staff are becoming more comfortable with cooking healthy recipes from scratch and emphasizing vegetables in a “new, appealing, appetizing way.”

School nutrition programs also cited new ideas to help with the cafeteria flow, service and overall atmosphere.

“I am proud that we can say, conservatively, that over $600,000 have gone back to the schools in the

(

form of small equipment grants, chef consultations, and developing action plans,” Hildebrand said.

“When kids eat healthier food and are better nourished, they perform better academically, fulfilling the primary mission of the school.”

LEARN MORE Want to know more about Cooking for Kids and access the resources, training videos and recipes?

Visit cookingforkids.ok.gov.

“When kids eat healthier food and are better nourished, they perform better academically.”

P H OTO S CO L L E G E O F H U M A N S C I E N C E S

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“They really want to learn, and to apply what they are learning immediately.”

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S TO RY CHRISTY LANG || P H OTO S BARBARA BROWN

Have Knowledge, Will Travel

Barbara Brown shares her food preservation expertise around the world

B

arbara Brown loves a good challenge.

Since 1981, through her work as a family and consumer sciences food specialist at Oklahoma State University, Barbara Brown has shared her knowledge and expertise about food preservation and consumer food issues with Oklahomans and residents around the world.

An associate professor in the College of Human Sciences’ Department of Nutrition Sciences, Brown was selected as a volunteer for projects sponsored by Partners of the Americas’ Farmer-toFarmer project.

Brown has trained residents and farmers on food preservation in making jams and jellies, food dehydration and food safety during two to three-week visits in Nicaragua, Haiti, Mozambique and Ecuador.

Each project is different. And Brown has learned to be patient and prepared for anything.

“I try not to have preconceived ideas,” Brown said. “You may go into the country with a general idea of what you’re going to be doing but on the first day that will change. And it will change every day thereafter. You deal with changing wants and needs and have to use what is available.”

Partners of the Americas is a nonprofit organization that connects people and organizations to implement programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Programs span such areas as combating child labor, promoting youth leadership and improving agriculture and food security. The Mozambique trip came about through her work with Cultivating New Frontiers in

Agriculture. Both Farmer-to-Farm and CNFA are funded by USAID. Each project addresses local needs.

In Ecuador, Brown focused on teaching fruit processing and preservations in food-insecure communities. Forty-four people participated in workshops where she taught participants to freeze fruit pulp from strawberries, tree tomatoes and blackberries and to make fruit jam using golden berries and strawberries.

“We didn’t have some of the things I’d generally tell people were essential for good results, like freezer-grade storage bags for frozen pulp,” Brown explained.

“They had a lighter-weight product, so we used (what they had) and talked about how that would impact storage time and quality.”

In Mozambique, Brown couldn’t make jams and jellies, so she instead worked to teach and develop ways to dehydrate food. She worked with her students to create a unit for dehydration out of plastic sheeting, cardboard and insect screens. They poked holes for airflow and painted it black to absorb more sun.

The challenge is part of what Brown enjoys most about the work. “That need to think on your feet, listen to what is really important, adapt to locations and situations is very exciting,” she said.

The people she meets and the opportunity to visit new places and experience new things also keep her coming back to Partners of the Americas.

“The people are awesome,” Brown said.

“They are beautiful inside and out. They are kind and generous and they give back more than I could possibly give in return.

They really want to learn, and to apply what they are learning immediately.”

And Brown is happy to teach.

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Above: Courtney Elroy graduated from OSU in May. Left: She Inspects mushrooms for J-M Farms in Miami, Oklahoma.

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S TO RY J E N N Y B E R RY, A P R || P H OTO S PHIL SHOCKLEY

A Taste for Food Science

OSU alumna channels her passion into nutritional safety

L

ike many students before her, Courtney Elroy was unsure about the path she wanted to take when she arrived in Stillwater in 2014.

The Marlow, Oklahoma, native had a passion for food, but she didn’t know where that might lead.

Culinary school didn’t appeal to her, but there was another option.

“My brother was at OSU, and he heard about food science,” Elroy said. “He thought it would be something I was interested in.”

She met with Dr. Ranjith Ramanathan, an assistant professor in Oklahoma State University’s Department of Animal and Food Science, to get an overview of the program and ended up declaring her major in food science with an option in food industry.

Ramanathan became one of Elroy’s advisers and biggest sources of support. She said he was always willing to help her and answer any questions she had about her classes or even her future.

Ramanathan wasn’t the only professor who guided Elroy. Dr. Ravi Jadeja, an assistant professor and food safety specialist in the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC), also played a big role in Elroy’s journey at OSU. “Dr. Jadeja has been there for me from the beginning,” Elroy said. “Anytime I didn’t know what to do or didn’t know if I was doing the right thing, I knew I could call him and he would guide me through it.” Jadeja came to OSU in spring 2015, just in time for the food safety option.

While Elroy did not pursue an option in food safety, the subject still intrigued her. In the fall of her sophomore year, she enrolled in her first food safety course.

“Courtney has taken seven of my classes,” Jadeja said. “She is hardworking, she has an interest in food safety, and she has experience through her internship with Clemens Food Group, so she always asked relevant questions in class.”

In one of Jadeja’s classes, students visited food processing companies and met with industry professionals. This class often has a magical effect on students, he said.

“It allows them to meet with professionals, connect and understand” where they could be in the future, Jadeja said. The class often piques students’ interest in food safety and motivation to pursue their goals.

Elroy was no exception. In addition to bolstering her interest in food safety, the class gave her a better understanding of the industry and a clearer vision of her future, she said.

“Before that class, none of us had any idea what we were getting into,” Elroy said. “Dr. Jadeja’s class helped us to understand the jobs we would be doing in the future.”

A new beginning

Elroy is passionate about giving back to the community and making sure Oklahoma families are consuming only the safest food available. That is why she began working in the quality assurance department at J-M Farms in Miami, Oklahoma, in June.

“I’m really excited to be working for J-M Farms because everyone is so friendly there,” Elroy said.

“They value family over everything. I couldn’t imagine a better environment to start out my career.”

J-M Farms has been an important member of the Oklahoma agricultural community for many years.

Founded in 1979 by Darrell McLain and Virgil and Joe Jurgensmeyer, J-M Farms distributes roughly a half-million pounds of mushrooms each week across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, New Mexico and Mississippi.

Citing its concern for its customers’ and employees’ safety and wellbeing, J-M Farms strives to provide quality products from clean, safe environments. It employs nearly 500 people from Miami and the surrounding area.

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Hands-on experience

The company works to ensure the safety of the mushrooms it produces as well as create a better quality of life for its employees and community. By hosting an annual charity golf tournament and a United Way drive, J-M helps raise funds to create a stronger community.

Sandra Banks, director of quality assurance at J-M Farms, said the company also encourages its employees to donate their time, money and efforts to help the region thrive.

“There are roots in this community,” Banks said.

“The better we can make the vicinity, the more satisfied people are.”

Banks said the company has given advice and guidance to small Oklahoma farmers who want to start selling their produce.

J-M Farms seeks reliable, detail-oriented candidates who are curious about the mushroomgrowing process. Banks said she believes OSU graduates fill that bill and said J-M Farms offers a great career path for Oklahomans who want to stay local.

Elroy fits that description of a great job candidate, she said: “She pays a lot of attention to what’s going on. She demonstrated an understanding of the layout of the food safety program.”

Elroy credits that understanding to the experiences she had in FAPC at OSU. While working with the Department of Animal and Food Sciences Research Scholars Program during her freshman year, she conducted research in FAPC on different products and baked goods.

“Getting to work inside … FAPC really helped me understand the industry,” Elroy said. “All of the different things they offer teach students valuable lessons.”

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Students get hands-on experience in FAPC that prepares them for careers in food science. The processing floor, housed on the second level of the building, allows students to work with industry professionals on everything from meat and dairy processing to product and recipe development.

“They come here and get experience while they’re students,” said Mandy Gross, FAPC communications services manager. “When they’re ready to graduate and get a job, they already have that real-world experience.”

Virgil Jurgensmeyer, one of the founders and the chief executive officer of J-M Farms, is closely involved with FAPC. As one of the original members of FAPC’s Industry Advisory Committee (IAC), he helped start the food safety program at the university.

The program began in April 2015, after an initial IAC donation of $1 million.

It is one of few food safety programs in the United States. The program combines knowledge of food science with critical issues relating to food safety, government regulations and food safety programs and certifications.

Students in the program earn certificates in the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and Global Food Safety Initiatives programs, giving OSU students an advantage that few other graduates have.

Graduates are ready to enter the workforce as food safety specialists, quality assurance supervisors or food safety and quality auditors.

Through her food safety courses with Jadeja, Elroy earned a handful of these certifications that helped her land the position at J-M Farms.

FAPC has a long-term relationship with J-M Farms, serving as a valuable resource for the company, providing food safety assistance and researching and developing new products.

“I feel honored to work for an Oklahoma company like J-M Farms,” Elroy said. “I think it’s really neat that I will have a part in making sure people’s food is safe. This is the food people are feeding their families.”

Elroy is ready to give back to Oklahoma and its people. And while she will always have her OSU family in Stillwater, she is eager to learn and grow with her new J-M Farms family.

AVIATION

Crop Whisperers

OSU joins effort to create a global monitoring system for crop diseases

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S TO RY L E I L A N A M C K I N D R A || P H OTO S TO D D J O H N S O N A N D M O N I C A C A R VA JA L

T

hese days, the journey our food takes from farms and fields to our forks often draws a lot of attention. But just like the family vacation that doesn’t go quite the way we mapped it out, sometimes crops run into roadblocks on the way to the dinner table.

For instance, what happens when a potentially devastating crop or plant disease hopscotches around the world and, without warning, lands at our doorstep in Oklahoma or elsewhere in the United States?

Consider that a crop disease caused the mid-19th century Irish Potato Famine, which led to about 1 million deaths in Ireland.

It’s a frightening question with no easy answers. But that isn’t stopping Oklahoma State University’s National Institute for Microbial Forensics and Food and Agricultural Biosecurity from taking on the challenge.

The institute is joining other universities, agencies and organizations worldwide in a strong push to establish a global surveillance system for crop diseases.

While the U.S. is capable of tracking various ongoing outbreaks in any given year, the organization and emphasis on biosecurity isn’t as strong elsewhere, and that’s where possible gaps exist, said institute director Kitty Cardwell. The institute is the only one in the nation dedicated to microbial forensics in agriculture, a discipline that focuses on unusual or unexpected food or agricultural crop disease outbreaks.

“If we don’t know what’s going on in other countries, what happens in any part of the world can happen here. It’ll come either on the air or in an airplane, in trade goods or in wood packing materials,” she said. “If we don’t know what things are out there, we don’t know to look for them here.”

Cardwell joined a slate of global experts representing nearly 20 organizations in Lake Como, Italy, in February to hammer out a proposal for a monitoring system that would work through the 15 already established independent, nonprofit research centers affiliated under the Consultative Group for International Agriculture Research.

These research centers, based everywhere from the Philippines to Lebanon to Peru to Mexico, represent regional key crop systems. Each would be responsible for gathering crop disease data for its region, then uploading that data into a platform to create a global picture of where pests and diseases are causing trouble.

The initial focus would fall on crops with strong international importance such as wheat, corn and rice, but as the surveillance system evolves, local crops could be added.

“As you’re watching a system like this and you see a disease is spreading, one thing we can do is work with the governments in countries at risk to help them develop a management and recovery plan,” Cardwell said. “You can plan and at least not be caught flat-footed or completely unaware.”

Kitty Cardwell, director of Oklahoma State University’s National Institute for Microbial Forensics and Food and Agricultural Biosecurity.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 79

A real need

Important crops such as wheat, corn and soybeans would be monitored as part of a proposed global surveillance system for crop diseases.

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With no funding yet, the proposed surveillance system remains a concept, but the need for it is real.

Crop diseases affect growers, of course, but also can inflict pain on residents, consumers and local economies. Last year, wheat blast, a quick-striking fungal disease that can shrivel and deform the grain within days of the first symptoms, infected 100 percent of the crop in Bangladesh, significantly affecting local wheat production.

“That crop disease was moved from Brazil. It wasn’t intentional. They were shipping food aid, and the wheat had this fungus on it,” Cardwell said. “If there had been a global system, it could have been prevented.”

Another strong argument for a global surveillance system is the reality that there’s always an outbreak or concern brewing somewhere in the world.

As an associate OSU Cooperative Extension specialist, Jennifer D. Olson educates people about emerging and invasive plant pathogens and pests threatening Oklahoma’s agriculture.

“Often the people I train are unaware that threats are all around them. Some of the most immediate include emerald ash borer, thousand cankers disease of walnut and brown marmorated stink bug,” said Olson, who also is a diagnostician with OSU’s Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory. “Personally, I am constantly pulling over on the side of the road to examine a crop or landscape plants to assess why they are in decline.”

The good news is, according to Monica Carvajal, a digital gene bank scientist with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and an organizer of the summit in Italy, plant protection networks established in some countries and regions have proven to work well.

She pointed to the National Plant Diagnostic Network in the U.S. and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization as solid examples.

But, she said in other less developed areas of the world, there’s less knowledge, expertise and infrastructure to detect and respond well to outbreaks of crop diseases.

“It is estimated that at least 10 percent of the global food production is lost due to plant diseases and with the expected increase in human population, the food demand will, consequently, increase,” Carvajal said. “Pathogens know no borders; therefore, reducing crop disease is of global concern, therefore we need a global surveillance system.”

Protecting the homeland

Launched in 2002 as part of an urgent and aggressive effort to more strongly secure American agricultural assets after 9/11, the United States’ surveillance network harnesses the expertise of diagnostic labs at landgrant universities across the nation.

As Cooperative Extension educators, growers and homeowners bring samples into these labs, diagnosticians analyze them and load that data into a national repository.

“Because the diagnosticians are networked, they talk with each other about what they’re seeing. It’s really a communications system that allows ongoing, real-time monitoring. If something unusual pops up, they may be the first to notice,” said Cardwell, who co-developed the network during a stint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

“The NPDN allows us to be very responsive. If something’s coming and we see it, the network can prepare first responders,” Cardwell said.

“Also, if something is happening in the country and we think it’s spreading, the network gives you a lot of hands and laboratories to manage a surge of diseased plant samples.”

P H OTO S CO L L E G E O F AG R I C U LT U R A L S C I E N C E S A N D N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E S

A good example of the network’s capabilities was on display when soybean rust arrived in the U.S. from South America in 2004 on the brutal winds of Hurricane Ivan. The fearsome foliar disease known to affect the leaves of the plant can cause 100 percent crop loss.

Thanks to coordinated surveillance efforts, the nation was prepared and the disease has been under control since its arrival.

“We saw it coming and were ready for it,” Cardwell said. “We would like to have that kind of capacity around the world.”

OSU’s laboratory is a national network member. Olson said the lab constantly monitors for pests or pathogens new to Oklahoma or that show atypical symptoms and has a system for confirming and reporting any new or unusual findings.

The network helped connect previously independent labs across the nation, she said, and established standard operating procedures for monitoring, reporting and confirming diagnoses when identifications were made in new areas.

From that perspective, Olson can see how a global monitoring system could be useful as the world moves an increasing quantity of plant products internationally.

“On some level, monitoring is in place for trade allowances or restrictions between countries,” she said. “However, many other countries do not have the equivalent of NPDN so their plants and plant products are not being routinely monitored for pests or plant pathogens.

There may be a gap in knowledge about pests and pathogens that we are moving internationally.”

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Looking ahead

Securing funding for the proposed global surveillance system is the next crucial step in the project. A white paper aimed at attracting backers is under development.

Some tricky diplomatic work also needs to be done before the system is fully operational.

“A lot of countries don’t want anybody to know what their crop diseases are because it could impact trade,” Cardwell said. “There has to be a global acceptance that some important diseases of important crops are going to be globally monitored. It would take pretty extensive communications to get countries to buy into it.”

Meanwhile, in anticipation of this ambitious initiative ultimately receiving a green light, OSU’s institute has submitted some concept papers to potential donors and stands ready to contribute its considerable expertise and resources.

“In a lot of ways, NIMFFAB is at the forefront and on the cutting edge of diagnostic technology,” said Cardwell, who mentioned that the institute has developed a unique web interface that could be adapted for use in this important international effort. “If people around the world were using it or something like it, they’d automatically have diagnostic data in a web platform that would allow visualization. We’ve got tools in place.”

“I am constantly pulling over on the side of the road to examine a crop or landscape plants to assess why they are in decline.”

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Experts from around the world met in Lake Como, Italy, in February to develop a proposal for a global crop disease monitoring system.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 81

STUDENT NEWS

IMPACT Spotlight

CAGLE’s study abroad trips open students’ eyes to global possibilities The Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement, more commonly known by its acronym CAGLE, is the core of all Spears School of Business international initiatives. The CAGLE provides a number of short-term, faculty-led international travel programs to achieve its mission of preparing students for positions in a global business environment. The CAGLE, which relies on the generosity of private donations, aims to make it possible for all students to travel abroad. The center is named for lead donors Roger and Cindy Cagle.

Students who have recently benefited from this generosity shared their experiences with the OSU Foundation and STATE magazine.

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Hometown: Little Elm, Texas Major: Sports Management

Garrett Sullivan Class of '19

Minor: Marketing How has participating in the CAGLE program enhanced your academic experience at OSU? It has not only opened my eyes and furthered my passion for working internationally, but it has also added a component to my résumé that, quite frankly, most job applicants do not have. The willingness to travel internationally and dive into foreign practices and principles is something many employers can and will appreciate. My trip to Japan made my college experience with Spears Business and CAGLE a unique one that I am excited to share with anyone and everyone.

How did your time in the CAGLE program influence your view of OSU? It has greatly increased my love for the university and Spears School of Business. I will never forget the faculty and friends that I went to Japan with. I am extremely grateful that OSU and CAGLE have such great programs that impact their students in amazing ways.

What advice would you give someone who is considering participating in a program like this?

Take the jump! I was extremely hesitant for many reasons.

The first being cost, but there are so many opportunities for aid within the CAGLE program. Second, I was simply intimidated. I grew up in a small town on a horse ranch in North Texas. What business did I have going to Japan?

However, it was all worth it. I have so many pictures and memories that I will carry with me forever, friends that I will have for a long time and an experience so unique I couldn't repeat it even if I tried. You will never find a more efficient way to travel abroad and see so many things in a short time while earning college credits. Do not miss out on this opportunity!

Hometown: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Major: Management, Marketing, Entrepreneurship

Aspen Schmidt Class of '19

Were there things you learned while participating in the CAGLE program that you believe you would have otherwise not encountered?

By participating in my CAGLE study abroad trips to Nicaragua and Japan, I have seen two very different parts of the world. Being submersed in each of these countries taught me the importance of culture and tradition and how they differ across the world. I also learned a lot about myself. I learned how to step outside of my comfort zone, engage with new people and places and to continuously take risks.

How has the program supplemented the knowledge you have gained in your business coursework?

Through studying abroad, I have been able to see economic, marketing, financial and entrepreneurial principles I have learned in the classroom actually being used in companies and jobs in other areas of the world. My study abroad trips have definitely given me a greater appreciation for materials I have learned in the classroom. I have also been able to apply what I have learned from my study abroad experiences to in-class discussions with my peers.

Which aspects of the program were most beneficial?

Having the opportunity to visit with businesses and schools at an international level was very eye-opening.

However, some of the best parts of the trips were the unique experiences I got to have such as taking a meditation class with a monk in Japan and zip lining down a volcano in Nicaragua. These irreplaceable experiences have taught me more about myself than a classroom setting ever could.

Hometown: Norman, Oklahoma

Carson Mulligan Class of '19

Major: Economics Minor: Chinese, International Studies, Political Science

How do you feel that being a part of the CAGLE program has impacted your overall OSU experience?

It made a huge impact on my life, personally and academically. After my first CAGLE trip, I made the decision to study abroad in China for a full semester and add Chinese as a minor. Ultimately, my decision to pursue a master’s degree after graduation was influenced by my CAGLE experience.

How has the CAGLE program complemented your academic career at OSU, specifically within SSB? During the Spring 2016 semester I participated in a CAGLE trip to Mexico with Dr. JosĂŠ Sagarnaga. During this trip, we had the opportunity to hear from the man who organized the Audi dealership established in Puebla and tour the dealership. Seeing that firsthand and learning how it all came to be gave me a different perspective and brought the concepts I learned in the classroom to life.

How has the program helped you decide which career path to pursue?

My trip with CAGLE to Hong Kong persuaded me to change my major. I had originally declared as an accounting major but after my trip to China, I realized that I wanted more flexibility and to be able to study a second language. When I returned from my trip, I switched my major to economics and added minors in Chinese and international studies.

Traveling with CAGLE helped me realize that I wanted to work with international trade economics in some capacity after graduation and prompted me to take the steps necessary to achieve this goal.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 83

WE’RE OPEN FOR

BUSIN E S S but we’re not done building our students!

The new business building is complete, but you can impact the lives of Spears Business students by supporting programs such as: Entrepreneurship Pre-Seed Fund Student Managed Investment Fund Eastin Center for Career Readiness Center for Advanced Global Leadership & Engagement

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , P L E A S E C O N TA C T Diane Crane, Sr. Director of Development & Team Lead, Spears School of Business OSU Foundation | 405.385.5665 | dcrane@OSUgiving.com

Helping in a Heartbeat OSU family offers aid to those affected by April’s massive wildfires

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ind-swept wildfires raged across northwestern Oklahoma in April, scorching nearly 350,000 acres and threatening to burn down the lives of anyone whose home and property were in their paths. Dewey and Woodward counties were hit particularly hard.

Within 24 hours of the first wildfire on April 12, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service — one of two state agencies administered

by Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources — had already been tapped by the State Office of Emergency Management to take the lead in organizing agricultural related relief efforts for affected counties.

“It made perfect sense in that Extension has a local, regional and statewide presence, plus we had coordinated the nationwide relief effort to help Oklahoma victims of the historic 2017 blaze that devastated Woodward, Harper and Beaver counties,” said Dee Cooper, OSU Cooperative Extension director for the state’s western district.

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S TO RY D O N A L D S TOT T S || P H OTO S K A N E K I N I O N AND TRISHA GEDON A N D TO D D J O H N S O N

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“This is our extended OSU family at work.”

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The agency matched up producer needs with donations of supplies such as hay, supplemental livestock feed, milk replacer for calves that lost their mothers, and fencing supplies to restore boundaries and protect wandering animals. Three telephone contact numbers were created to manage the influx of calls.

In addition, Extension, state and county websites showcased contact information, answers to frequently asked questions and recommendations to assist farm families in making key decisions, both for their own quality of life and their agribusinesses. However people got their information — through the media, meetings, reading materials, video presentations or through individual conversations — Extension experts were out in full force, helping people to get the help they needed or the information needed to help themselves.

WILDFIRE LOSSES BY THE NUMBERS In total, northwestern Oklahoma livestock operation losses from the April wildfires exceeded $26 million. Estimated cattle industry losses included:

$16.4 MILLION

for fence replacement and repair.

$1.4 MILLION

for livestock killed or destroyed as a result of the fire plus veterinary costs and reduced value of surviving injured animals.

$6.3 MILLION

for burned facilities and corrals.

$1.6 MILLION

for emergency feed.

$660 THOUSAND

for burned pasture and hay.

Mike Weber

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L E F T P H OTO K A N E K I N I O N

“Our intent was to move things along as speedily as possible given the urgent needs many people had,” Cooper said. “It wasn’t just our Extension professionals in the affected counties; county Extension educators and area, district and state subject-matter experts from across Oklahoma stepped up to help out, as they always do. The goodneighbor policy is one of our hallmarks.”

One particular challenge came in the form of national weather patterns and market forces that resulted in hay being in short supply. Livestock that had survived being burned or asphyxiated by the wildfires needed pastures, but those had been turned into a charred, blackened landscape.

“Farmers and ranchers across Oklahoma and in other states were making available what hay they could but the supply was simply less than what

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had been available in 2017,” said Dana Bay, OSU Cooperative Extension agricultural educator for Woodward County and one of the key organizers of DASNR’s 2018 wildfire recovery efforts. “A number of livestock producers who had managed to save their animals wound up having to sell part or all of their herds because they just didn’t have any way to adequately feed them.”

In addition to managing supply donations and getting them into the hands of those in need, OSU Cooperative Extension matched up individuals and groups who wanted to donate their time and efforts with producers needing help to rebuild fences, transport hay and similar activities.

“Our younger 4-H’ers believed it was important to help people that help us.”

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Down but not out

Sometimes those in need were familiar faces, including some Extension employees themselves.

Cindy Charboneau of the Woodward County Extension Office lost her home. Charboneau was at work and was left with what she had worn that day plus a gym bag in which she had tossed shorts, a top and not much else. Her husband Francis had what he was wearing plus a jacket and a fishing pole in his vehicle. The inferno that engulfed their home consumed everything else.

“It was pretty demoralizing,” Charboneau said. “We were in shock, repeatedly as we ran into situations where we realized we didn’t have this or that anymore. We were fortunate to find a local house up for sale that was empty, and we were allowed to rent it. Then we worried about whether our home would be rebuilt before somebody bought the house we were renting.”

Harmon volunteer Fire Chief Justin Barr, an Ellis County Extension agricultural educator, was out fighting wildfires when he learned his own pastureland in Dewey County was ablaze.

“It’s kind of burned into the brain: It was a Thursday when the wildfires started, we got paged around noon and were off for Woodward County,” he said. “There was a point where we got rerouted.

We went where we were needed but around 3 p.m., I was told my family’s place was in the path of an oncoming wall of fire.”

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Barr contacted his wife and started evacuating their cattle to a safer locale. His family owns what Barr calls his “personal fire truck, complete with pump” that he utilizes to manage controlled prescribed burns on the family operation. It was put to good use. The livestock were saved, except for two animals, which somehow — miraculously, Barr said — wandered in the next day.

“We didn’t lose any animals, but we did lose 1,400 acres of grassland and roughly 14 miles of fencing,” he said. “We were able to salvage about eight miles of fencing. We saved some money by doing it ourselves, but it was hard work plus the cost of supplies.”

Very hard work. Parts of the Barr property feature expansive washes that drop two to four times the distance one might experience riding the largest rollercoasters. “It’s not easy putting fences in those places,” he said. “We wound up budgeting about $75,000 to get everything back up.”

Some 1,600 head of cattle were lost and more than 2,100 miles of fences were affected. The totals did not include vehicle and equipment losses or homes or other personal property the fires destroyed. There were also the significant and long-lasting financial impacts on agricultural operations and the families affected.

“You would like to take time off and take care of your own needs but being an Extension educator, you go into the office and go around the county making sure everyone else is doing what they need to be doing to be successful,” Barr said.

It was much the same for Mike Weber, Dewey County agricultural educator, whose family farm operation also was a wildfire victim of the state’s biggest blaze that lasted more than a week. “I was out meeting with some of the families and they were just overwhelmed emotionally,” he said. “But one of the things I was able to talk about was how the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation had set up a special wildfire recovery account.”

L E F T A N D R I G H T P H OTO S K A N E K I N I O N

The power of green

Oklahoma 4-H, the youth development arm of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, raised approximately $55,000 through the foundation, with applications for assistance being taken through June and disbursement of funds expected in August and September.

“There were about 20 families in Dewey County in need of the assistance,” said Jim Rhodes, Western District 4-H program specialist for OSU Cooperative Extension. “The amount of funds received varied based on what was lost: house, barn, fencing, project animals. No 4-H family in Woodward County reported losses (at) the level of those in Dewey County.”

Nor did 4-H’s involvement end there. Oklahoma club members often lend a helping hand to fulfill community needs. Club members in Custer County came together to make sack lunches for the hundreds of firefighters who were out battling the blazes.

“One of my 4-H parents is a manager at the United grocery store, and they had been contacted by the Oklahoma Forestry Services to prepare sack lunches for the firemen,” said Jordan Nel, OSU Cooperative Extension 4-H educator for Custer County. “The store contacted us to see if we could help assemble the meals.”

Consider it done. They packed some 1,225 meals. Forestry Services picked up the meals and took them to the command center that had been set up at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, where many firefighters were housed.

The 4-H youth went in after school to help prep the sacks, which included candy bars, fruit, beef jerky, cookies, silverware and whatever else was available. The sandwiches were added the next morning just prior to delivery.

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Custer County 4-H’ers assisted in other ways as well, including an agricultural-relief donation drive at Tractor Supply in Weatherford, said Radonna Sawatzky, OSU Cooperative Extension family and consumer sciences and 4-H Youth Development educator.

“We received $8,000 worth of donations that included feed, fencing supplies, milk replacement and veterinary supplies that went to Dewey County,” she said. “We also were able to donate a cattle trailer full of personal items to those who lost their homes in Vici.”

In addition, Oklahoma Home and Community Education groups in Custer, Jackson and Greer counties put together bags with shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, washcloths and other small personal necessities for the firefighters.

Liz Nicholson, 4-H educator in Canadian County, had nearly 50 club members, ranging from Cloverbuds to Teen Leaders, working on wildfire relief. They coordinated efforts to collect items to assist with cleanup and rebuilding fences: post drivers, fivegallon buckets, trash bags and gloves, and worked to provide donations of feed for horses, cattle, pigs, goats and sheep.

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“Our younger 4-H’ers believed it was important to help people that help us. They don’t really understand agricultural loss at their age, so they relate closer to the firefighters,” Nicholson said.

“The older kids have an entirely different outlook on things. They saw the damage done and immediately wanted to know how they could help.”

A community of cooperation

Not to be overlooked is another key aspect of OSU Cooperative Extension’s wildfire recovery effort — directing people to much-needed aid provided through many of its longtime cooperating partners.

“Go to an Extension meeting, and you will regularly see sponsors who feel it is important to support what we do and what we provide Oklahoma residents and communities,” Bay said. “They responded in a big way to help with wildfire relief.”

The Oklahoma Farm Credit Associations established a $200,000 fund to support those affected by the fires. CoBank contributed an additional $200,000. “As of May 9, $368,000 had already been disbursed,” said Kristin Zollinger, a 2003 OSU agricultural communications graduate and member of Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma’s Woodward office.

In addition, Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma rolled out a loan program specifically for wildfire victims. The program offered zero percent interest loans for six months to operators affected by the fires who needed immediate operating funds.

The Oklahoma Farming and Ranching Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, created a matching program to partner with Oklahoma’s 4-H clubs and FFA chapters to raise funds for rural volunteer fire departments in areas affected by the wildfires.

L E F T A N D R I G H T P H OTO S K A N E K I N I O N

“This is our extended OSU family at work,” Bay said.

OSU Cooperative Extension’s closest cooperating partner may have been the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Foundation, which had been tapped by the State Office for Emergency Management to handle monetary donations for agricultural enterprises affected by the wildfires.

“Fully 100 percent of received donations went to impacted families,” said Michael Kelsey, OCA executive vice president. “We’re proud to have done our part. I want to say Extension really stepped up, which happens so often people might take it for granted. All the ways Extension responded to the crisis was truly impressive, and everyone should take note.”

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 93

ANIMAL HEALTH

Treating the Four-Legged Victims

Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences joined the effort to help those affected by this spring’s wildfires in western Oklahoma

E

stablished in 2013, the OSU Animal Relief Fund covers veterinary medical treatment for animal victims of an Oklahoma disaster such as a tornado, flood or wildfire. Thanks to the generosity of many donors, funds were available to treat these latest victims.

“One horse came in from Woodward, Oklahoma, and two horses came from Seiling, Oklahoma,” said Dr. Todd Holbrook, equine section chief. “These horses received 24-hour care, seven days a week. Three more horses came in for evaluation and were sent home with instructions for treating very mild injuries.”

The veterinary care provided by faculty and staff members as well as fourth-year veterinary students included gentle washing daily to remove unhealthy skin, wrapping open wounds, breathing treatments to treat smoke inhalation and managing pain levels.

Medline donated silver antimicrobial wound dressings, and Kinetic Technologies donated several products to help heal burns.

After spending four weeks in the hospital, the Woodward horse went home with very minimal burn wound care required. He was his owner’s only horse to survive the fire. Despite valiant efforts by all, the Seiling horses did not survive due to the severity of injuries associated with the fires.

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One horse owner also brought in a dog for treatment. The dog’s paw pads were badly burned and required surgery to remove the dead skin before they could be wrapped. The dog stayed in the Veterinary Medical Hospital’s ICU approximately a week. After he went home, he had to return weekly for wound management.

“When disaster strikes, we are grateful that the OSU Animal Relief Fund is available to cover the cost of veterinary medical treatment for injured animals,” said Dr. Carlos Risco, dean of OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. “These owners have lost so much, sometimes their homes, their barns, everything. We are glad to lessen their burden by caring for their pets and livestock at no cost to them. We encourage people to donate year-round to help ensure that funds are available when something unexpected like this happens.”

To help animals injured in Oklahoma disasters, donate to the OSU Animal Relief Fund at okla.st/AnimalFund or contact Chris Sitz, senior director of development and team lead with the OSU Foundation, at 405-385-5170 or csitz@osugiving.com.

S TO RY D E R I N DA B L A K E N E Y, A P R || P H OTO S O S U C V H S

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 95

Setting the Standard

OSU’s newest scholarship program recognizes Oklahoma’s best and brightest students

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S TO RY KAROLYN MOBERLY || P H OTO S PHIL SHOCKLEY

Scholars.

Leaders.

Cowboys.

These words perfectly describe Amanda Bolinger, Abigail Ferrell, Killian Kane and Tiffany Swallow — the inaugural group of fellows in the new Oklahoma State Scholars Society.

The Oklahoma State Scholars Society is a premier scholar development program that was founded to recognize and reward Oklahoma’s own highachieving undergraduate students.

“The founding members of this society are Oklahoma’s next generation of leaders, innovators, and visionaries,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “We are honored to extend this scholarship and have them join the Cowboy Family.”

The program recognizes 17 students in total, with four fellows and 13 members of the Oklahoma State Scholars Society. The fellows receive up to $84,500 in scholarship and financial aid support, which is equal to the full cost of attendance for four years. The members also receive financial support up to $28,000 over four years.

“This new program makes OSU a statewide leader in supporting high-potential Oklahoma students with an outstanding scholarship and rich mentoring opportunities,” Hargis said.

Those selected for this inaugural group are already making their marks at OSU.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 97

THE OKLAHOMA STATE SCHOLARS SOCIETY Heading the list of recipients are four Oklahoma State Scholars Society fellows. They are:

“I am so impressed with this first group of scholars,” said Dr. Keith Garbutt, dean of the Honors College. “The fellows and the scholars just amaze me with the quality of what they’re doing and their passion.”

This unique initiative goes beyond being a financial scholarship and gives students an opportunity to create their own community of scholars and faculty — and they are quickly making connections.

“These other three [fellows] are absolutely fantastic, so to be able to meet them and make connections with this group of people is something really awesome,” said Killian Kane, a fellow majoring in chemical engineering. “I’m really lucky to be among a group of people like this.”

The OSSS fellows also receive a one-time study abroad stipend, giving each the opportunity to travel and extend their education well beyond the classroom.

“It [study abroad] is a very important part of modern education,” Garbutt said. “Those type of experiences make one think about the world in a broader context. But also, it will help you understand yourself and where you come from within that new context. ” An important element of the scholarship is that it upholds the holistic admissions process OSU is known for. With phone interviews, essays and in-person interviews with faculty, these students have proven they are the best and the brightest — and more than a test score.

“While the scholarship has a large academic component, it isn’t only about academics,” Garbutt said. “It’s about service.

It’s about leadership. It’s about the level of effort the students have put in their high school career.”

In fact, Abigail Ferrell, a fellow majoring in psychology, summed up the mission of the scholarship when she encouraged high school students to go after their passions — no matter what that might be.

“Don’t just focus on your AP classes or ACT scores,” she said. “Those things don’t define you. Those things aren’t predictors of your success. If you do the things that you’re passionate about and you pursue them wholeheartedly, you’ll get to where you need to be.”

The scholarship recipients must be admitted to the Honors College, which is a nationally recognized program. This is an outstanding opportunity for the fellows and scholars as Garbutt serves as their academic adviser and a key mentor.

But Garbutt plans to add a personal touch to their experience.

“One of the things we are going to do relatively early in the year is have them all over for a home-cooked meal and just sit around and chat about how things are going,” he said. “I want them to feel that the Honors College faculty, and for that matter all faculty, are there if they need anything and they can come talk to us.

“Honestly, I’m going to have a blast with it because I get to work with these amazing students for the next four years.”

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• Amanda Bolinger, Beaver High School, animal science • Abigail Ferrell, Edmond North High School, psychology • Killian Kane, Union High School, chemical engineering • Tiffany Swallow, Putnam City High School, aerospace engineering/mechanical engineering Students named members of the OSSS are as follows with their intended majors: • Garrison Allen, Perkins-Tryon High School, chemical engineering • Nathan Bales, Choctaw High school, electrical engineering • Paige Condren, Owasso High School, accounting • Breck Gillespie, Oklahoma Union High School, journalism • Ashley Howard, Purcell High School, agribusiness • Isabelle Posey, Coweta High School, biochemical engineering • Jadyn Powell, Harding Fine Arts Academy, psychology and applied sociology • Aarushi Singh, Jenks High School, computer engineering • Laney Smith, Broken Bow High School, electrical engineering • Addison Themer, Kingfisher High School, journalism • Collin Thornton, Central High School, computer and electrical engineering • Andrew Wallace, Grove High School, electrical engineering • Will Yadon, Woodward High School, entrepreneurship Interested in investing in the future of an Oklahoma State Scholar? Contact Lauren Kidd at 405-385-0724 or visit OSUgiving.com/OSSS. High school seniors can apply today to be considered for the Oklahoma State Scholars Society at admissions.okstate.edu.

“I hope to lead by example as I follow my passions and make a difference at the same time.”

AMANDA BOLINGER A love for animals and a passion for biological sciences mesh together perfectly for Amanda Bolinger, an inaugural fellow in the Oklahoma State Scholar Society.

“I love the hands-on pressure of investigation and problem solving,” she said. “I’m very passionate about using this for the benefits of agricultural communities like my own.”

A graduate of Beaver High School and a native of Beaver, Oklahoma, Bolinger had always known that Oklahoma State University was where she wanted to attend college. But the financial aspect was a weight on her shoulders.

“College, especially at OSU, would not be a possibility financially without a full scholarship,” she explained. “When I found out I got the scholarship, I was in tears because for the first time I knew I didn’t have to worry about paying for college, and that is so incredible to me.”

And while OSU has 11 times as many undergraduates as her hometown has people, Bolinger said the friendliness of campus put her at ease.

“OSU’s campus has a small-town feel to it,” she said. “Everyone I’ve met has said, ‘If you need anything, let me know,’ and that is small-town.”

Bolinger, a freshman majoring in animal science, is also looking forward to meeting other scholars and challenging herself in the process.

“I’m very excited to see what academic challenges OSU will pose for me,” she said. “I’m very excited for opportunities like the Honors College where I will have the chance to excel alongside other talented students.”

While a desire to continue learning inspires all of the members of the OSSS, Bolinger’s goes beyond an undergraduate degree. She plans to continue on to veterinary school and become an advocate for agriculture.

“Really, my biggest dream, is to be a truly exceptional veterinarian,” she said.

But Bolinger’s passion for serving others doesn’t just include the agricultural industry. She hopes to influence everyone she meets on her journey.

“I see a large sense of apathy overtaking my generation as a whole,” she said. “They seem to be under the impression that there is nothing they can do, so why try? I hope to lead by example as I follow my passions and make a difference at the same time.”

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 99

“If you do the things that you’re passionate about and you pursue them wholeheartedly, you’ll get to where you need to be.”

ABIGAIL FERRELL The ability to help others is a quality that Abigail Ferrell prides herself in. The inaugural fellow in the Oklahoma State Scholars Society volunteers to teach English as a second language. The act of service is something she hopes to continue at OSU. “I am most motivated by the hope that my academic efforts will enable me to interact with the world in such a way that I can improve the quality of life for those within and outside of my immediate community, even if only marginally,” she said.

With an interest in academics and extracurriculars, Ferrell will be looking to make connections and a difference in the campus community.

“OSU strikes a really unique balance between academic involvement and community involvement,” she said. “Having the opportunity to come into a community that not only embraces but encourages involvement will be really exciting in a lot of different ways.”

A graduate of Edmond North High School and a native of Edmond, Oklahoma, she credits the OSSS scholarship with giving her flexibility when it comes to finding her academic fit.

“Having the academic flexibility to broaden my horizons and explore different pursuits is a benefit,” Ferrell said. “I think learning about other things helps you learn what you’re doing better.

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“There are so many different fields to be explored, and I’m excited to try to explore all of them,” she said. “I don’t know if at this time I can say there is just one thing I want to learn. I’ll learn whatever people are willing to teach me, whether it is a professor or other students.”

Ferrell, a freshman majoring in psychology, also said this scholarship allows her the chance to study abroad, which fits right in with one of her hobbies.

“I’ve always had an interest and an affinity for languages, so I’m excited to explore a lot of different places,” she said.

After all, that is one of Ferrell’s lifelong goals — enabling and helping other people to be better and happier.

“I think my biggest goal in life is to enable other people,” she said. “It’s not doing something mindblowing or world-shattering but it’s world-shaking, I hope, making things a little bit better for a few people.”

And — staying true to that goal — Ferrell ended with words of wisdom.

“If you do the things that you’re passionate about and you pursue them wholeheartedly, you’ll get to where you need to be,” she said.

KILLIAN KANE Pushing the boundaries of science is a visionary goal but one that is achievable for Killian Kane, an inaugural fellow in the Oklahoma State Scholars Society.

“I would love to be able to shine a light into the darkness, per se, of where science has been and where science can go,” he said.

Kane, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, is also interested in undergraduate research and hopes to make significant discoveries during his time here.

“I was watching a STEM presentation and the lecturer said something along the lines of, ‘The great thing about research is that there will be a moment in time that you know something that no one else knows in the entire world,’” he explained.

“I would love to be able to push that boundary and discover something that no one has before.”

Kane, a graduate of Union High School in Tulsa, said the OSSS scholarship takes a weight off his shoulders.

“What I think is awesome about this scholarship is it allows me to focus completely and fully on school, which is a real privilege,” he said. “That isn’t something a lot of people get to experience and I want to make the most of that.”

Kane also plans to take his learning outside the classroom by being involved on campus and learning from others.

“I just want to widen my horizons,” he said.

“I would like to meet people who have different viewpoints and really branch out.”

Kane is already taking advantage of the many opportunities available to him through the program.

“These other three [fellows] are absolutely fantastic, so to be able to meet them and make connections with this group of people is something really awesome,” he said. “I’m really lucky to be among a group of people like this.”

No matter where Kane’s journey at OSU takes him, he is sure to make his own way.

“I strongly believe that our biggest failures are within the chances we don’t take,” he said. “I take advantage of every opportunity, educational or otherwise, to the best of my ability because I always strive to be the best I can be.”

“I would love to be able to shine a light into the darkness, per se, of where science has been and where science can go.”

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 101

“I know humanity is destined to touch the stars and colonize the solar system.”

T I F FA N Y S WA L LOW Curiosity fills Tiffany Swallow’s face as she talks about space exploration and the many aspects of it. This inaugural fellow in the Oklahoma State Scholars Society is looking to take on the challenge of discovery and exploration.

“To me, knowledge is unlimited, and I want to spend my life learning more about the world,” she said. “I am perfectly content with saying, ‘I don’t know,’ and going out to find the answer.”

A native of Oklahoma City and a graduate of Putnam City High School, Swallow has long had an interest in exploring space.

“I’ve aspired to be an astronaut since I was 10 years old,” she said. “Alongside Elon Musk, I know humanity is destined to touch the stars and colonize the solar system.”

This interest in space led to Swallow majoring in aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering. She is looking forward to establishing a solid academic foundation at OSU to prepare her for her future career.

“When you go into engineering, it’s not so much about what you learn but it gives you the ability to problem solve,” she said. “We use math as a tool for what we actually want to do, whether that is solve the problem or to make something.”

While she was considering applying to the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, Swallow knew OSU was the right choice when she saw the competitive history between the two schools.

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“I came here on a women in technology field trip, and they showed me around the aerospace department,” she said. “They showed me how many times they won first place in the Speedfest competition and beat MIT multiple times.”

The OSSS scholarship provides Swallow and her family a sense of relief when it comes to paying for college.

“I knew that I would get the tuition here paid for through Oklahoma’s Promise, but I wouldn’t get my housing, meal plan and more paid for, and that really wasn’t an option for me,” she said. “My family couldn’t pay for college for me, and I’m really glad I got a full scholarship here.”

Outside the classroom, Swallow is eager to learn about other people — both on and off campus.

“Whether it is meeting the diverse people around campus or around the world, I am the most excited about the activities available around campus and the study abroad opportunities that will enrich my experience as a person and as an OSU student,” she said.

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Words of Support

New book assisting memorial construction chronicles painful moments in OSU history

W

hen Scott Petty heard about the tragedy at Homecoming on the morning of Oct. 24, 2015, he went directly to Stillwater Medical Center to help any way he could.

As the chaos subsided, Petty, a 1988 OSU graduate and executive director of the SMC Foundation, began to visit with some of the victims and their families. That’s when he realized he could do more.

With Petty’s help, the SMC Foundation created the Stillwater Strong Fund, which ultimately secured and distributed nearly $500,000 to help offset the medical expenses of those physically affected. At the same time, SMC decided it would not bill any of the patients it treated that day, which was approximately another $250,000 in services.

“I knew there was a book about the history of the (Stillwater) hospital,” Petty said. “I thought I had a chapter here for the next book. I just started writing about what our foundation, the hospital and the doctors had done. The next thing I knew, I had interviewed over 50 people.”

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From there, it evolved into a story much larger than the Homecoming tragedy of 2015. Stillwater Strong also includes history about the 1977 Homecoming deaths of three Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity students, the 2001 and 2011 plane crashes, and the plane crash that killed Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College President Henry Bennett and his wife in 1951.

“I think these experiences have made us a stronger community and a more understanding university,” Petty said.

“It’s helped us evolve this culture of compassion that is difficult to explain to anyone outside of our world.”

Another reason Petty wanted to make sure this story was told was the requests from the victims and their families. Stories of students and alumni who played a major role in helping those in need are included, including a student who led the effort to create one of the five Stillwater Strong T-shirts.

“So many victims, survivors and family members just wanted to tell those people that supported them thank you,” Petty said. “They wanted to say a heartfelt thanks and let people know that they appreciate the love and support.”

Stillwater Strong can be purchased at Eskimo Joe’s Clothes, Hall of Fame Book Trader and the OSU University Store or on any of their online stores.

In addition, it can be found on most online bookstores including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Proceeds will go toward the construction of the Stillwater Strong Memorial on the northwest corner of Hall of Fame Avenue and Main Street.

S TO RY W I L L C A R R || P H OTO O S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N

(

“I think these experiences have made us a stronger community and a more understanding university.�

P H OTO S P H I L S H O C K L E Y A N D O S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N

)

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 105

The Cowboy Way Some may recognize LT. CURTIS BURNS as one of the police officers who help keep the OSU campus safe. Others may know him as the OK State Piper, as he’s billed on his Facebook page.

Burns started playing the bagpipes 13 years ago, teaching himself to play using a book and the internet.

LOYAL AND TRUE Burns returned to OSU 15 years ago after retiring in Perkins. He served at OSU while he looked for another chief’s job — but after nine months, he decided to stay. “At the end of that I was like, ‘I enjoy working here, I don’t want to go back to being a police chief,’”

“Thank goodness for YouTube because I can sit and

he says. “I just wanted to be a police officer. This was

listen!” he said. “It’s a lot of watching and studying and

the perfect place.”

practicing.”

While Burns plays at weddings, funerals and other off-campus events, he says his favorites are those affiliated with the university, especially freshman convocation and graduation.

“I bring them on campus and then four or five years later, I get to pipe them off campus as they graduate,” he said. “It is just so much fun and such an honor for me that I get to do both.”

MORE MUSIC Burns has a natural talent for music and also plays the saxophone, Scottish small pipes, Irish whistle and the Australian didgeridoo. He studied music education at OSU and is a lifetime member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary band fraternity. He is a member of the Stillwater Community Band and Stillwater Jazz Band.

SERVICE IN HIS BLOOD A public servant in many ways, Burns worked in emergency medical services before becoming a police officer. “There was an EMT course available on campus, so I took it,” Burns said. “After I graduated from OSU, I went back

THOSE BAGPIPES

Burns first heard the bagpipes in eighth grade. “A man who played the bagpipes came to my school,” he said. “He was dressed in the full Scottish military piping uniform, and he gave us a concert and told us about the pipes. I remember I went home and I told my mother that one of these days I was going to learn the bagpipes.”

He loves the bagpipes for their ability to set the mood of any situation. “You can play happy tunes, or you can play the marches,” he said. “I really love the classical music called pibroch. There are seven different types of music that can be expressed, from laments to celebrations. I think it releases emotions.”

COMMUNITY FIRST Burns is involved in a community policing initiative, patrolling the central part of campus,

to Anadarko and did EMS work for almost two

an area unreachable by car. The police patrol on foot,

years.”

bicycle or Segway instead.

When he decided to transition to

“Our job is getting out and meeting people, whether

Oklahoma law enforcement, Burns first worked

it’s students, faculty or staff and developing partnerships

as an officer in El Reno, then moved to Mountain

within those entities. We become the face of the police

View and Thomas as the police chief. He

department. We’re the officers now that people don’t

continued his EMS work in each of these towns,

mind coming and talking to because they see us every day,

stopping only when he became the Perkins

and they’ve heard us say hello or good morning.”

police chief.

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S TO RY J E N N Y B E R RY || P H OTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

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!

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.

If you can’t wait, check out timeline.okstate.edu for more OSU history!

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COWBOY CHRONICLES

Head & Heel

Europe got an introduction to Cowboy wrestling in 1938

Eighty years ago, four Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College student wrestlers took their winning ways to an international wrestling tournament in Europe. They missed a semester of classes, but they had an adventure of a lifetime and an educational experience that none of them would ever forget.

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S TO RY A N D P H OTO S DAV I D C . P E T E R S , O K L A H O M A S TAT E A R C H I V E S

During the 1930s, the OAMC wrestling teams under Coach Edward Clark Gallagher dominated the nation with 74 wins, two losses and two ties, eight national championships and two second-place finishes. Gallagher believed his wrestlers needed more international experience. From 1924 to 1936, 16 OAMC wrestlers competed in Olympic preliminaries and games.

His wrestlers won three gold and one silver medals, but he thought they could have won even more with additional exposure. After all, he was coaching some of the most exceptional wrestlers in the country.

The U.S. National Wrestling Team, set to compete against Sweden, Hungary and Germany at the international match, was made up of winners of each of the Olympic weight categories at the 1938 AAU championships. Joe McDaniel captured first place at 123 pounds, and his “clever wrestling” was a feature of the tournament. Stanley Henson, competing at 148 pounds, and freshman John Harrell, wrestling at 191 pounds, were also crowned champions.

Summer camp in Sulphur

During the summer of 1938, McDaniel invited Henson and Harrell to join him in his hometown of Sulphur, Oklahoma, to train for Europe. They ran five, six or more miles daily and spent hours on the wrestling mats. Although they were dramatically different physically, they all benefited from the experience. Harrell, who had just turned 19, learned many of the wrestling holds and maneuvers Henson and McDaniel had been perfecting for years, becoming one of the quickest men in the higher weight classes. McDaniel and Henson also benefited in learning how to wrestle with someone stronger than they were.

In order to maintain their weights, McDaniel and Henson followed strict and healthy diets. Harrell’s father was just happy that someone else had to feed him. At times, other Oklahoma A&M wrestlers joined their summer camp in Sulphur. That summer, Henson eloped with his college girlfriend, Thelma Burnell; they would remain married for over 75 years.

In the fall of 1938, the trio of OAMC wrestlers headed for New York City.

They drove the Harrell family’s Buick sedan and even turned the long drive into a training opportunity. Whenever they stopped for gasoline, the two passengers would use the restrooms first, then start running east along the highway. The designated driver would then use the restroom, pay for the gas, head out and pick up the two runners.

After arriving in New York City in midSeptember, they put the Buick in storage and boarded a Swedish luxury cruise ship, the MS Kungsholm, for an eightday voyage to Sweden.

Sweden’s athletic authorities covered participants’ costs, including those incurred getting to New York.

National AAU wrestling chairman George M. Pinneo traveled with the seven-member team. In addition to the Oklahoma trio, the team included Francis Millard (134 pounds), Walter Jacobs (158 pounds), Albert Crawford (174 pounds), and Clifton Gustafson (unlimited heavyweight). Millard had competed in the 1936 Games in Berlin.

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European arrival

The American wrestlers arrived in Sweden’s port city of Gothenburg before traveling by train 270 miles to Stockholm. In Stockholm, they were treated like royalty and stayed in a firstclass hotel. McDaniel, Henson and Harrell made quite the impression with their cowboy hats and cowboy boots.

The tournament was a series of dual matches between countries. In the initial dual, the United States faced Hungary. Joe McDaniel easily defeated Odon Zombori, a gold medalist in the 1936 Olympics, in the first match. Henson was also winning without difficulty when he dislocated his shoulder. A Swedish doctor in the audience reset the shoulder, and Henson continued wrestling. He was headed for victory when his shoulder was dislocated a second time, ending his competition in Europe. Harrell pinned a Hungarian wrestler. The USA defeated Hungary with five match wins and two losses before beating Germany with four match victories.

The remaining dual for the U.S. team was against the Swedes. McDaniel started with a victory over two-time Olympian Herman Tuvesson, and

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Millard completed a second victory for the Americans. The tide turned with Henson’s forfeit and two additional losses. Young John Harrell then faced Azel Cadier, 12 years older and considered to be in his wrestling prime.

He had won bronze in 1932 and gold in the 1936 Olympics. He was the current European champion in his weight class, and European wrestling enthusiasts referred to him as “the Perfect Wrestler.”

Harrell and Cadier were having an excellent match with neither man able take control. Harrell used a move he had learned from Henson known as the “Head and Heel.” It involved pulling the opponent’s head and neck down with one hand, then quickly grabbing his ankle with your other arm, placing the opposing wrestler in a potential pinning hold. Today, it would be called an ankle pick. In only a few seconds, Harrell pinned Cadier — surprising all, Cadier and Harrell included. The crowd sat in stunned silence while Harrell’s teammates swarmed around him.

Harrell had tied the dual, and it was up to heavyweight Clifton Gustafson, a Minnesotan of Scandinavian heritage to seal the team victory. The Swedish

heavyweight, Knut Fridell, had won the 1934 European Championships and gold at the 1936 Olympics. Gustafson couldn’t replicate the Harrell miracle, and Fridell won the final match. The Swedish home team took the victory four matches to three, but the lingering conversations were mostly about the Harrell-Cadier match.

The wrestlers were exhausted after back to back to back duals at the threeday match. The Americans won two out of the three duals, only losing by one match to Sweden.

After a few days of relaxation, the American team toured towns and cities around Stockholm for exhibition duals.

At every location, Azel Cadier would be there to wrestle John Harrell — and Harrell kept beating him. After three or four more victories, Cadier finally won a match. Harrell later explained: “Hell, if I hadn’t let him beat me, we’d have been there forever.”

Another Aggie joins

Immediately after Stanley Henson’s injury, a substitute was sought for the rest of the tour. Dale Scriven, the runner-up in the 158-pound class at the 1938 AAU Championship, met up with

the team in Germany. The Germans kept the wrestling team on a tight schedule of tours, matches and sightseeing.

They also introduced them to German beers and some of the better German wrestlers, many of whom were in the German army and couldn’t travel to Sweden for the tournament.

The team was also divided up; individuals went to different towns for exhibitions and stayed overnight with host families. They would ride the train to their designated location without interpreters and hope that someone would meet them at the train station. People in the towns always expected them, crowds would greet them upon arrival and take them on a tour of their communities ending up at the local gymnasium. They’d work out and participate in matches before residents would take them home and feed, entertain and house them. At this point there were no more weigh-ins, and everyone was eating all they wanted.

Not all went completely smoothly on the rest of the trip. The group bought a BB gun in Germany and shot sparrows from their hotel balcony in Frankfurt.

Somebody reported that as Americans with a gun, shooting outside the hotel.

The Gestapo responded and hauled them off to jail. George Pinneo and the local wrestling arrangements committee intervened, and the wrestlers were freed quickly without incident.

The team continued their tour of Western Europe with stops in Belgium, the Netherlands and England before returning home on the SS Europa.

Their escapades continued but these tales will need to be told in another installment later.

Joe McDaniel died Nov. 4, 2011, John Harrell a little over a year later on Dec. 1, 2012, and Stanley Henson died Jan. 30, 2018.

Author’s Note: I participated in Oral History Interviews with Joe McDaniel, John Harrell and Stanley Henson, the last known surviving Gallagher wrestlers. They wrestled for Coach Edward Clark Gallagher at the end of his career when he was physically frail due to Parkinson’s disease, but he still taught, inspired and motivated the young men he worked with. McDaniel’s daughter, Mary Jo, provided scrapbooks that contained artifacts and photographs that were of tremendous assistance in writing this article.

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Lynne McElroy (from left), Ann Hargis, Susan Potts and Denise Gore at a reception for the Cleveland/McClain Counties OSU Alumni Chapter.

CHAPTER NEWS

Leading

by Example

Chapter involvement gives alumni opportunity to find new passions at OSU

G

iving back to Oklahoma State can be as easy as joining a local chapter of the OSU Alumni Association. And as some of our local chapter leaders have found out, doing so can open the door to many other ways to support OSU. Ken Kinzer graduated from OSU in 1971. Upon graduating, he moved back to New York and ultimately lost touch with the university. It took nearly 15 years before he returned to Stillwater to show his family around his alma mater. He was

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then contacted by a fellow Cowboy to help start the New York City OSU Alumni Chapter.

“I decided I really should connect with my school,” Kinzer said. “My wife and I met Dean Stephan Wilson in the College of Human Sciences, and we were just enthralled.”

This connection created by his chapter involvement has led Kinzer and his wife to further support the College of Human Sciences, including serving on the partners board and donating to the recently opened new wing.

S TO RY WILL CARR || P H OTO S OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

In addition to supporting education, many chapter leaders go on to support other areas at OSU. Homecoming is an OSU tradition beloved by many including JJ Stevak, a member of the Houston OSU Alumni Chapter. Stevak graduated from OSU in 1983, but her heart never left Stillwater. Once she began getting involved in Houston, that led her to support Homecoming, the Spears School of Business, OSU Athletics and other scholarships including one named after her father.

“As a chapter volunteer, you really find out some of the interior workings,” Stevak said. "At some other places that might make you inclined to not want to donate, but at OSU it motivates you to contribute. Once you see where OSU is heading, that makes you want to get involved and give back.”

Not all involvement has to be via monetary donations; it can also include giving time to help improve the future of the university. Lynne McElroy, president of the Cleveland/ McClain Counties OSU Alumni Chapter, volunteers at Grandparent University.

McElroy earned OSU degrees in 1971 and 1982 and has served as a volunteer at GPU multiple times over the years.

Now, she attends the program with her grandchildren.

“I feel like GPU is one of the best ways to recruit for the university,” McElroy said. “Plus, for the older people, it is a great way to learn about stuff you didn’t have time to learn about in college.”

Janai Miller, president of the Pittsburg County OSU Alumni Chapter, donates to many different programs including Pete’s Pet Posse, Coaches vs. Cancer and the OSU POSSE. Miller graduated from OSU in 1984 and wanted to begin giving back once she got involved in the chapter based in McAlester, Oklahoma.

“I just feel like I belong to the university, and the chapter supports that connection,” Miller said. “I feel like OSU has given me so much that I feel like I need to give back.”

Joining a local chapter of the Alumni Association is a great first step toward giving back to OSU and staying connected with fellow Cowboys.

McElroy said her fellow chapter members enjoy learning about what is happening in Stillwater, which leads to them wanting to be more involved in its future.

“It’s really nice for people to meet and connect with local Cowboys,” McElroy said. “The more they know about what is going on at the university, the happier they are to do things.”

Below: Ken Kinzer (left) helps emcee an event for OSU alumni in New York City.

Below: JJ Stevak celebrates at a Houston OSU Alumni Chapter event.

Above: Janai Miller, Pittsburg County OSU Alumni Chapter, spends time with future Cowboys and Cowgirls.

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CHAPTER LEADER PROFILE

Becky McKenzie

B

ecky McKenzie may be more than 700 miles away from Stillwater, but she does not forget her Oklahoma roots.

McKenzie was born and raised in Tulsa and graduated from Will Rogers High School. She attended OSU for a year before earning her degree in management from the University of Tulsa.

One of her favorite memories from her time at Oklahoma State University was living in Willard Hall before it was renovated for the College of Education, Health & Aviation. Even though she only attended OSU for one year, she’s become a chapter volunteer in Atlanta, where she has lived since 1988.

Atlanta Becky McKenzie (center) and several members of the OSU Alumni Association Atlanta Chapter group.

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“I always knew about the OSU Alumni Association, and in 2004, I attended my first watch party,” McKenzie said.

Cowboys in the Peach State often gather at McCray’s Tavern in Atlanta where McKenzie and her husband, Brad, now help to coordinate watch parties.

McKenzie decided to become involved with the OSU Alumni Association because she wanted to stay connected with people and the university.

“We have people in all different stages of life,” McKenzie said. “It’s been fun to watch the younger members of the chapter establish their careers and families and be with others who have had similar experiences.”

When she’s not cheering on the Cowboys or following OSU news on Facebook, McKenzie works as a trademark paralegal working on branding strategies and trademark applications. She’s spent 18 years in that field, which gives her a glimpse of what products are getting introduced to consumers — and she loves that peek.

McKenzie comes back to Oklahoma each fall to visit family and friends, and she fits a Cowboy football game in during those visits. Her deep love for Oklahoma State is something she hopes future alumni will share.

“It’s important to give back by supporting the university and other alumni,” she said. “It’s easier to connect with someone when you share that interest and love for Oklahoma State.”

ATLANTA CHAPTER

BY THE NUMBERS 1,197 alumni and friends 97 members 58 current OSU students from Georgia 736 miles from Stillwater

CHAPTER NEWS

Kansas City Right: Lyn Weller (from left), Mike Richards and Teresa Shaefer Randall participate in the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Walk for Wishes in the Power & Light District for Kansas City’s Cowboys for a Cause event.

Pittsburg County Below: Betty Balkman, Janai Miller, Leanne Plaxico, Jacob Plaxico and Caroline Echelle joined this year’s Cowboys for a Cause event to pack sacks full of nutritional snacks for kids in Pittsburg County.

North Texas Above: Christie Stanley (from left), Jennifer Eitson, Dr. Kristin Kerst Folks, Brooke Hudspeth and Natalie Swartz are all smiles after packing eight pallets of food for the North Texas Food Bank at this year’s Cowboys for a Cause event in Dallas.

Kay County Below: Dondi Rowe stands by as Allison Miller donates blood during the Kay County Cowboys for a Cause event. The donations benefited the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

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CHAPTER NEWS

Oklahoma City Metro Right: The OKC Metro OSU Alumni Chapter held its first Cowboy Cuisine in June in Edmond.

The night featured a class on pairing burgers with assorted drinks to help throw the perfect summer party. Attendees at the Cowboy Cuisine had a great time participating in raffles for OSU prize packs throughout the night.

Broken Arrow The OSU Alumni Association hosted Paint Pete Nights around the country on May 2, including this large group of painters in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

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Colorado Springs Top left: OSU Alumni and Friends in Colorado Springs pose with their Pistol Pete canvases. This image was designed just for this special night!

Las Vegas Left: The OSU faithful from Las Vegas enjoyed a great night of painting with fellow Cowboys and Cowgirls. Paint Pete Night is a great way to meet fellow Cowboys, and everyone took home their canvas as a keepsake.

Austin Below: Cowgirls from South Texas gathered in Austin to paint everyone’s favorite mascot, Pistol Pete, at one of this year’s Paint Pete Nights.

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CHAPTER NEWS

Oklahoma City Metro Above: The OKC Metro OSU Alumni Chapter held the inaugural chapter Yappy Hour in June. Becky Steen and her pup, Millie, participated in the fun!

Below: The Yappy Hour was perfect for the whole family as Robin and John Byford brought Lady to the event.

Above: Dr. Billye Peterson and her dog, Jazzye, stayed cool in the shade. The Yappy Hour fun was a great way to beat the heat of the dog days of summer.

Right: John MacDonald and his dog, Riley, met Jeff and Diane McLinn’s dog, Murphy.

Each four-legged friend took home a custom Cowboy Canine collapsible water bowl.

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Centering Modernism: J. Jay McVicker and Postwar American Art SEPTEMBER 25 – JANUARY 19, 2019 // RECEPTION: SEPTEMBER 27, 5 TO 7 P.M.

Centering Modernism: J. Jay McVicker and Postwar American Art, curated by art history professor Louise Siddons, recovers the artistry of Jesse Jay McVicker (19112004), a mid-20th-century painter, printmaker and sculptor who spent his career at Oklahoma State University. Over the course of six decades, McVicker exhibited internationally, working in a wide range of modernist styles. Centering Modernism reintroduces McVicker’s contributions to international modernism.

J. Jay McVicker, Three Figures, 1950, oil on hardboard, 25.625 x 20.625 inches. Collection of Kelly Knowlton. Photography by Phil Shockley

720 South Husband Street, Stillwater OK, 74074 // 405.744.2780 // museum.okstate.edu

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding comes from Malinda and Dick Fisher, Mary Ann and Ken Fergeson, the OSU Museum of Art Advocates, the Raymond & Bessie Kravis Foundation, and the OSU Museum of Art Founding Patrons and Charter Members.

ALUMNI UPDATE

’40s Katherine Reeve, ’48 education, is 94 years old and in very good health.

Minnie Lou Bradley, ’49 animal husbandry, was the first woman to win the International Livestock Judging Contest in 1952. Not only was Minnie the first female student to major in animal husbandry at Oklahoma State, but she is also the first (and so far only) female president of the American Angus Association.

’50s Evan K. Lucas, ’50 marketing, is 90 years old and enjoys golfing. He is retired and lives in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Col. James L. Morton, ’51 accounting, and wife Marjorie have returned to Oklahoma after 54 years away. Jim retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1977 and later served as vice president of CoBank. Marjorie finished her education at the University of Maryland and taught high school business education in Tokyo. Their son, James H. Morton, ’74 accounting, and their daughter, Rebecca Morton, ’76 education, traveled to different continents during their father’s military service.

Carwin Edward “Ed” Henderson, ’52 animal science, lives on his 50-acre farm. He still has season tickets to all OSU football games. Ed lost wife Roberta two years ago.

Robert E. Walton, ’52 dairy science/master’s in animal science and biotechnology, was inducted into the Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame on Nov. 4, 2017. He recently chaired the Fund Drive for $500,000 for the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.

Ruby Moore, ’53 secondary education, lives with her grandson, Caleb. She watches all OSU games on TV and donates to the marching band. Ruby lost husband Wayne in 2014.

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John Gordon Reische, ’53 accounting, is retired and living in Charlotte, North Carolina, with wife LouAnn. Jacque Fowlery (McKenney), ’54 secondary education, resides in Tulsa. Her granddaughter, Caroline Robinson, is a freshman in design housing and merchandising at Oklahoma State University.

Stanley Patton, ’56 agronomy, recently celebrated 61 years of marriage with wife Arlene. They married July 6, 1957.

John D. Farr, ’57 agricultural economics, lives in a log home in Encampment, Wyoming, and is grateful for the experience OSU provided to him as an outof-state student.

John C. Reynolds, ’57 master’s in natural science, retired after 56 years of work at L-3 Communications.

Arthur Peter Bieri, ’58 secondary education, ’65 master’s in secondary education, retired from Stillwater Public schools and has written many children’s books, including A Squirrel’s Dilemma.

Richard Lee Berryman, ’59 geology, climbed Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina with his daughter, who is also a geologist, almost four years ago.

Charles O. Heller, ’59 civil engineering, published his third book, Ready, Fire, Aim! An Immigrant’s Tales of Entrepreneurial Terror, in 2017.

He is currently working on his fourth book, a memoir called Cowboy from Prague. He is president of the Annapolis Capital Group in Maryland.

Col. Gene Hollrah, ’59 agronomy, retired from the Air Force 30 years ago as of July 1, 2018. Three of his seven grandchildren have graduated from OSU. Ted D. Thorn, ’59 master’s degree in agronomy, is enjoying retirement and has five grandchildren.

’60s Ruth Ann Ball, ’61 HEECS, was recently honored as an outstanding adjunct faculty member in human environmental sciences at the University of Central Oklahoma.

David O. Chenault, ’61 geology, is 84 years old and still going strong.

He is currently promoting CEMS Inc., a startup digital technology company.

Go Pokes!

John David, ’68 radio, TV and film, has recently been recognized for the award of distinguished service to the radio industry.

Loela “Lou” Glossip, ’69 music education, retired after 34 years and now owns a business with her husband, Charlie. She enjoys gardening, supporting her church and the woman’s group with many activities and as a substitute choir director.

’70s James E. McDonald, ’71 construction management, is retired and a cow/calf producer as well as an equestrian competitor. James lost his wife, Anita Jean McDonald, ’69 elementary education, in 2016.

Wayne Lea, ’72 master’s in zoology, retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His wife, Pam Lea, ’73 master’s in health, physical education and recreation, is a retired athletic director.

Robert Spinks, ’73 music education, taught at OSU while earning his master’s and doctoral degrees.

He has worked for nonprofits in Oklahoma City, including as president and CEO of the United Way. Robert has been married to Pam Spinks, his OSU sweetheart for 45 years, and they have two children.

MCKNIGHT IS LEADING BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE BOARD

O

klahoma State University alumnus Ross McKnight, a banker, rancher, oilman and philanthropist, has been named chair of the Baylor Scott & White Holdings Board of Trustees.

McKnight, first appointed to the Baylor Scott & White Holdings Board of Trustees in 2013, served on its predecessor Scott & White Healthcare Board of Trustees for 11 years.

McKnight received his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University in 1971. In 1996, he received the OSU Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2006, he was inducted into the OSU Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2016, he and his wife, Billie, received the Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Service Award from Oklahoma State University, the university’s highest award given and the first given in 14 years.

He has chaired or co-chaired two major philanthropic campaigns at OSU, including the Stadium Campaign to rebuild Boone Pickens Stadium and the Branding Success campaign, and provided the lead gift for the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University, opening in 2019.

McKnight’s ranching and agriculture enterprises include 57,000 acres and two cattle feed yards in the Texas Panhandle. He is CEO of RoMac Gas Co. and RoMac Oil Co. as well as chairman of the board and majority shareholder of Olney BancShares of Texas, which serves 43 communities in Texas and Oklahoma.

“It is an honor to continue my service to Baylor Scott & White in this new role, working alongside a group of distinguished colleagues to provide oversight to the largest not-for-profit health care system in Texas during this time of unprecedented change in health care,” McKnight said.

The McKnights reside in Throckmorton, Texas.

John Binick, ’74 hotel and restaurant administration, retired after over 30 years with Hilton Hotels. John and his wife, Barbara, enjoy traveling and doing volunteer work. They have been married for 38 years and have two grown children, Michael and Laura.

Steven Fiser, ’74 industrial engineering and management, retired from AT&T in 2009 and has since taken up genealogy with almost 25,000 people in his family tree.

Armetta R. Johnson, ’75 elementary education, ’78 radiation and nuclear technology, worked as a certified medical assistant and was the first African-American health physics technician in 1978 at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.

Brian E. Renegar, ’76 DVM, retired to Angel Fire in New Mexico.

Curt Goulding, ’77 agricultural economics, owns Goulding and Associates, a leadership consulting and development company alongside Nancy Goulding, ’77 secondary administrations. They enjoy traveling to Jamestown, New York, to visit their grandson.

Michael Gilbert, ’78 chemical engineering, retired from Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. in Houston a year ago and now lives in Stillwater with wife Verna.

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ALUMNI UPDATE

Debbie Friend Glazner, ’78 sociology, recently sold her business after 32 years. She resides in South Kansas City, Missouri, and enjoys volunteering at church as well as community activities. Debbie has three grandsons who she enjoys hanging out with and who keep her busy.

Robert Gaddis, ’79 accounting, owns and manages Gaddis & Gaddis Wealth Management, which celebrated its 20th year in business in 2015. Robert was appointed to the board of the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System in 2012 and is serving his second term as a trustee and chairman of the Investment Committee.

’80s Mark King, ’80 political science, reached the geographic North Pole by skiing 120 kilometers from 89° N to 90° N, thus completing a “last degree” expedition on April 20, 2018. In 2019, he will attempt the South Pole, followed by Mount Everest in 2020, in hopes of completing the Explorers Grand Slam.

Tom Blackburn, ’81 agricultural economics, is living in Garden City, Kansas. He is a Southern Plains Territory manager for Kugler Co. and married to Carol Flynn Blackburn, ’82 marketing.

Kelly Strode Bradshaw, ’81 business administration, has three children and five grandkids. Kelly enjoys art and is working for the OSU Museum of Art.

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Brad Martens, ’81 business, has been in the sales and management of two companies specializing in drilling tools.

In May 2017, he partnered with three others to form Park City Drilling Technologies in Houston. He has been married to Pam for 40 years; they live in the Woodforest community near Lake Conroe, Texas. They have two daughters, Sarah, ’04 Spanish, and Staci. His sonin-law Brent, ’06 education, is a strategic accountant manager. His other son-in-law, Paul, is a pilot in the Marine Corps. Brad and Pam have one granddaughter and three grandsons.

Bill Wall, ’82, trade and industry, has been enjoying his retirement from the federal government since 2011. He did civil service and later worked as a defense contractor at Tinker Air Force Base.

Cindy Johnson, ’83 marketing, has worked at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since 1995 and was recently promoted to vice president of human resources.

Kimberly L. Jensen (Haden), ’86 doctorate in agricultural economics, has been recently recognized for her contribution to the agricultural economics profession with the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Agricultural Economics Association. Kimberly has conducted research on agri-industrial projects and environmental analyses, and she has received more than $4 million in grants to fund her research.

Jon Starr, ’86 political science, was the SGA president at OSU in 1986. He has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award

by America’s Top 100 Lawyers.

Jon is one of four attorneys in Oklahoma who holds the highest designation of “Diplomate” in the American Board of Trial Advocates. His son, William “Colby” Starr, ’18 microbiology and molecular genetics, was named an Outstanding Senior for the class of 2018.

Tammi Didlot, ’88 organizational administration, was recently named the 2018 Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year. She has been a member of Oklahoma CattleWomen for 17 years and has served in many leadership positions including treasurer, vice president and president.

Tammi is a third-generation cow-calf producer and has given her time to support charitable organizations.

Rand Wergin, ’88 marketing, ’09 doctorate in marketing, was awarded the Beacom School of Business Faculty Excellence Award at the University of South Dakota. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses, is the faculty adviser for Pi Sigma Epsilon and a chair for the Undergraduate Assurance of Learning committee. Rand and his wife, Vanessa Wergin, ’88 economics, reside in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Stacey Ford Butterfield, ’89 elementary education, ’99 master’s in curriculum and instruction, received Pi Beta Phi’s Carolyn Helman Lichtenberg Crest award for distinguished alumnae. Stacey is the superintendent of Jenks Public Schools and has been recognized for her efforts on diverse student population, literacy and cultural awareness initiatives.

Todd Whitbeck ’89 finance, has joined the Tufts Health Plan’s 14-member board of directors.

’90s Thomas Johansen, ’90 doctorate in philosophy, recently published the chapter, A Better Syllabus, in The Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder: Stories from inside the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting, which is edited by Lawrence Cunningham and Stephanie Cuba.

David Jordan, ’90 hotel and restaurant administration, has been named a co-chair of hospitality industry group for Littler, a large global employment and labor law practice.

David Myers, ’95 accounting, has been working with QuikTrip for three years as the asset accounting manager.

Roy Dean, ’94 and ’96 master’s in architectural engineering, and his wife, Debbie Dean, ’01 family relations and child development, celebrated their wedding anniversary in February; they have been married for 40 years and are expecting their fifth grandchild in August.

Janette Herren, ’96 finance, is an analyst for Phillips 66. She has two daughters, Chanley, 10, and Landry, 7.

Michael Larranaga, ’96, fire protection and safety engineering technology, was named a distinguished alumnus of the University of Houston Clear Lake and delivered the commencement address at the Spring 2018 commencement at NRG Arena in Houston.

Sarah McDonald Ehrlich, ’97 health and physical education, married a fellow OSU alumnus, and they have two children.

Thomas Hall, ’98 mechanical engineering, resides in Stillwater with his wife and children. He is a dermatologist and a regional medical director.

Kendi L. Hensen, ’98 doctorate in osteopathy, was recently chosen president-elect of the national osteopathic medical association. She is also an associate professor at the University of North Texas as well as a member of the Osteopathic Cranial Academy.

Michael Wolfe, ’98 accounting, has been named Curling Faculty Fellow of Accounting and Information Systems. He is an assistant professor at Virginia Tech, conducting research and publishing articles.

Diana Hill Lebsack, ’99 secondary education, was recently selected as the 2018 Oklahoma Middle Level Principal of the Year by the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association. Diana is the principal of Yukon Middle School. She has created programs to benefit teachers and students.

’00 Julie Polk Connelly, ’00 MBA, and Beth Wettemann Reintjes, ’01 MBA, recently traveled to western Australia and enjoyed visiting the Margaret River.

Virginia DrywaterWhitekiller, ’04 doctorate in education, received the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for her outstanding achievements academically and professionally and will be conducting research in Aboriginal Studies in Canada.

Lahoma Schultz, ’05 Ph.D., won the 2018 Excellence in Rural Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association Committee on Rural Health in recognition of her commitment to providing integrated health services to a large population of Native American tribes in western Oklahoma. She is the supervising clinical psychologist in a rural clinic in Clinton, Oklahoma.

’10 Wes Hawkins, ’16 restaurant management, is assistant service manager at a restaurant and is happy he can indulge his passion for hospitality.

Regina Campbell, ’19 natural resource ecology and management, will finish her degree in May 2019 and plans on becoming a game warden or field biologist. She has three children, and her youngest will be transferring to OSU in the Fall.

Friends Pat Bonner is a friend of OSU who is retired. Pat taught at an elementary school in Irving, Texas, for 40 years.

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ALUMNI UPDATE

Births Cheryl Sevier, ’75 elementary education, has eight grandchildren with twin boys arriving in May 2018.

Teresa Taylor, ’94 elementary education/ special education, and husband Bob welcomed their 28th grandchild in June.

They now have 15 granddaughters and 13 grandsons.

Joshua Allison, ’03 aviation sciences, and wife Caroline Allison just welcomed Peter Joseph Allison to the world. He weighed 7 pounds and 12 ounces. So far, baby Peter enjoys eating, sleeping and playing with toys.

Crystle Fisher, ’04 mathematics, ’06 master’s in teaching, learning and leadership, and husband Mark Fisher, ’08 geography, welcomed baby boy Western Hayes Fisher on March 1, 2018. Big brother Wyatt is 4 years old.

West

Emily Fuhrman Propp, ’04 design housing and merchandise, and husband James had daughter Lola Rose Simona Propp on Nov. 13, 2017.

Kristy Blosch, ’05 journalism and broadcasting and Spanish, ’07 MBA, and Cody Blosch, ’05 political science and economics, ’07 MBA, welcomed second son Judah Ezekiel on July 6, 2017. He already loves tailgating and cheering on the Cowboys!

Stevens

Propp

Natalie Gruenberg, ’05, journalism, and husband Mark welcomed Charlotte Ashby Haggard on Feb. 1, 2018. She joined her big sister, Emily, age 4.

Derek Stevens, ’06 biology, and Sara Stevens, ’06 physical education, completed their family with the birth of third daughter Raegan Elizabeth. Proud sisters Reese and Isabel welcomed baby Raegan with open arms. They will be third-generation Cowgirls!

Tate

Fisher

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Webb

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Lee

Blosch

Becker Forrest Tyler Tate, ’08 food science, and Erika Ellen Tate, ’09 education, welcomed another future Cowboy on April 10, 2018.

Tucker Lee Tate joins older brother Tripp.

Megan Lee, ’09 nutritional sciences, and Eric Lee, ’10 biochemistry and molecular biology, welcomed Keira Jane Lee to the Cowboy family on Aug. 29, 2017.

Whitney T.B. Webb, ’10 English, and husband Richard J. Webb welcomed baby girl Logan Persephone Webb on May 17, 2017.

Braden Shane West, ’11 master’s in engineering, and Tamara Nicole West, ’12 therapeutic recreation, and big sister Claire West are happy to announce the birth of sweet twins Lenora Grace and Jackson Scott West on Oct. 14, 2017.

Jared Lowmiller, ’12 secondary education, and Tracie Lowmiller, ’13 marketing, welcomed their second child and big brother to their firstborn, Jace. Baby Talon was born Jan. 31, 2018.

Jarrett Orrell, ’12 animal science, and Sierra Gangwer Orrell, ’11 animal science, ’13 international agriculture, are a thirdgeneration OSU graduate family and welcomed little Poke Reines William Orrell to the world on Sept. 23, 2017.

Weddings Pam Remmel (Mann), ’75 social sciences, married David Remmel on Dec. 24, 2017.

Thomas Daily, ’85 accounting, married Michelle Looer in Irving, Texas, on March 24, 2018.

Ashley Becker, ’06 elementary education, and Luke Becker, ’05 marketing, exchanged vows on June 17, 2017, at Theta Pond. Ashley and Luke rescued a dog and named it Theta after where they got married. These Cowboys bleed orange, and one of their children even has orange hair!

Bryan Benabe, ’12 business administration, married Jenna Benabe, ’13 sports media, in March 2016 in Frisco, Texas. Pistol Pete surprised them at their wedding after they saw a tweet about OSU couples having Pete at their wedding.

Corbin Dewitt, ’12 agricultural leadership, ’14 master’s in agricultural education, knew Brooke was the one from the moment they met.

They also knew having Pistol Pete at their wedding was a no-brainer.

Brooke Dewitt graduated from Oklahoma State in May 2018 with a degree in nursing.

Angela (Rigdon) Hurst, ’14 marketing, married Darren Hurst on Sept.

9, 2017.

Elizabeth Johnson, ’14 animal science, ’17 master’s in international agriculture, and Tylor Drake Johnson, ’17 landscape architecture, said their vows on Oct. 21, 2017, in Stillwater.

Orrell

Angela Schnell Luhman, ’14 hotel and restaurant administration, and Alex Ross Luhman, ’12 accounting, tied the knot at the Sky Loft at First Place Tower on Oct. 7, 2017 in Tulsa. Angela surprised Alex with a visit from Pistol Pete during the reception. They reside in Jenks with their pets.

Curry

Grunewald

Lowmiller

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ALUMNI UPDATE

In Memory

Sauer

Johnson

McCune

Dewitt

Meyer

Jada Hodges Grunewald, ’15 business entrepreneurship, married Daxton Byron Grunewald on Dec. 31, 2017, in Oklahoma City. Daxton and Jada grew up attending OSU events with their families; little did they know they would be husband and wife and that their love for OSU would help that connection.

Zadie Curry, ’16 agribusiness and agricultural communications, ’17 international agriculture, married alumnus Heath Allen Curry, ’16 agricultural economics, on Oct. 7, 2017.

Katie McCune, ’16 mathematics, and Braden McCune, ’15 finance, got hitched in Texas on Oct. 7, 2017. They also took their engagement pictures at Theta Pond.

Sarah Sauer, ’17 nutritional sciences, married Reilee Berger, ’16 economics, on May 27, 2018, in Austin, Texas.

Allyson Gayle Meyer, ’18 strategic communications, married Jacob Allen Meyer, ’17 finance and accounting, in Edmond, Oklahoma, on Feb. 17, 2018. The couple is now forever loyal and true to each other and to their alma mater, OSU!

Benabe

Luhman

Daily

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David William Robinson, ’52 forestry, died July 10, 2017, in Tulsa. Dave was born Jan. 4, 1929, in Oak Park, Illinois, to Albert William and Marion Tabor Robinson. Dave met his wife of 64 years, Merna Jo, at Oklahoma A&M, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army in Korea, then attended graduate school at North Carolina State University. Dave worked as a research forester in Texas and Louisiana before returning to Stillwater in 1962 to join OSU in the Department of Forestry. He earned a doctorate in education and became a professor.

Dave is survived by wife Merna Jo Hart Robinson; son Scott Robinson and wife Paula of Denton, Texas; daughter Jules (Julie) Hester and husband Walter of Waco, Texas; son Jay Robinson and wife Cathy of Tulsa, along with grandchildren Caleb, Abbey and Graham. Dave is also survived by brother Mark Tabor Robinson of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and sister-in-law Jonetta Hart Cates of Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Henry Alton Rivers Jr., ’57 art, was born Oct. 28, 1935, and died Nov. 23, 2017. Henry was the sports announcer for OSU’s radio station KVRO, a member of the Arnold Air Society, a member of the sports car club and sang in the OSU Men’s Glee Club.

Henry received his commission to the U.S. Air Force upon graduation and served for 21 years, accumulating more than 3,000 hours in fighter jets, primarily in the F-89, F-101B and F-4 Phantom. Henry was also one of the first 13 aviators assigned to the F-111 in 1967.

He served in the Vietnam War, earning the Bronze Star and Air Medals among other awards and decorations. His final assignment was deputy of the air-to-air missile testing directorate in the Technical Air Warfare center in Florida. He retired as a lieutenant colonel.

He was awarded an MPA degree from Auburn University and served as a city manager in Miami, Oklahoma, for 20 years. After retiring from city management, he wrote novels that were published by HarperCollins, St. Martin’s Press and others. Henry was preceded in death by his two sons, John Alan Rivers and Henry Alton Rivers III. He is survived by wife Constance (Conni), of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and two daughters, Sue Ann and Safia Hussain.

Pat McGuire Strong, ’58 master’s of science in business education, was born Oct. 30, 1933, and died March 16, 2018. Pat married fellow alumnus Charles Richard Strong, ’49 electrical engineering, in Stillwater in 1957.

Pat and Charles moved several times to different states and had seven children together: Thomas, Mary, John, Laura, Karl, Paul and Anne.

William Cecil Brown, ’62 zoology, ’73 master’s degree in business administration, ’75 master’s degree in natural and applied sciences, died Nov. 22, 2017. He was 77 and married to Sharon (Payne) Brown for 56 years. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant at OSU in 1962 and retired a major in 1983 after 21 years of active duty service. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal-4 Bronze Star, Republic of Vietnam Commendation, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry W Palm, and Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal.

Upon military retirement, William went into accounting.

The couple retired in 2000 and returned to Stillwater. He served as the business manager at Elite Repeat and manager of the store at First United Methodist church, a member of the OSU Emeriti Association, OSU Alumni Association and Methodist Men. He was also an Eagle Scout and served as a district officer for the Exchange Club. William is survived by wife Sharon; daughters Dana Malett (Don), and Tammi Pitts (Robert); son Danny Brown; three greatgrandsons, sister, Bobbye Amos (L.B.) and Patricia Sharp (Jim); brother, Richard Brown; sisterin-law, Sandy Winfrey (Gary); brothers-in-law Mike Payne and Pat Payne (Judy), and many nieces and nephews.

Ralph Carr Gregory Jr., ’64 architecture, was born Dec. 2, 1937. He died Nov. 14, 2017.

Ralph studied engineering for three years, then found his passion in architecture.

He finished his architecture degree at OSU and took a job with WC Kruger & Associates in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Ralph and his sweetheart, Wanda Joy Clark, married in 1959. He moved his young family to Alaska in 1966 and worked in architecture until 1981 when he started his own architectural practice. Ralph retired in 2010 and spent large amounts of professional time and energy with churches and the development of his community through local politics. He was always proud of his roots at Oklahoma State University. He also loved writing, sketching, music, photography and spending time with family.

He was a man of great faith.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 58 years, Wanda Joy, four daughters, eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and his sister Amelia Cowan of Balko, Oklahoma.

Brett Blasdel, ’72, was born June 30, 1949, and died May 14, 2018.

Brett was president of his Student Government Association freshman class and a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He was a cattleman and business owner. He was preceded in death by his wife, Suzy, and his father, Bill Blasdel. He is survived by his mother, Lois; his brother, Mark; and two children, Jake and Nina, both OSU graduates.

Janet Malone, ’79 doctorate in home economics – family relations and child development, was born Jan. 14, 1937, in Nebraska and died April 4, 2018.

Dr. Janet Malone was an educator and activist who was passionate about politics and loved traveling, country music, crafts and football.

She taught home economics in Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico and Wisconsin. Janet was awarded the Excellence in Teaching award in 1985 and named director of the Center for the Promotion of Excellence in Teaching in 1991.

She retired from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1999 and was named professor emerita upon retirement. She moved back to Nebraska in 2015. Janet was the eighth of nine children. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Maxwell, William and James Malone; sisters Helen Norris, Marian Whyman, Gwendolyn Stephenson and Winifred “Fritzie” Kurtzer; sisters-in-law Maxine Malone and Ava Nell Malone; and brothers-in-law Clyde Norris and Collins Whyman; two nephews and a niece. She is survived by brother and sister-in-law Paul “Bud” and Kip Malone of Boise, Idaho; sister-in-law Iona Belle Malone of Omaha, Neb.; brothers-in-law Louis Stephenson of Fort Collins, Colo., and Harold Kurtzer of Lincoln; 11 nephews and 12 nieces; numerous great- and great-great-nephews and nieces.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 127

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