Alumni Update

’60s

Dan Roe, ’62 mechanical engineering technology, is retired and very proud of his grandchildren who chose OSU. One grandchild, Crystal James, graduated in 2019 and another, Davis Roe, is currently a sophomore at OSU. Go Pokes! Anthony Crawford, ’67 secondary education, has published two poetry books, “Life Shards” and “Flint Hills and Beyond,” since retiring as associate professor and curator of manuscripts in the library of Kansas State University in 2015. Crawford co-edited the “Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art at 25: People and Spaces” and edited the “Autobiography of George Washington Owens: First African American Graduate of Kansas State University,” both published by New Prairie Press. He served as president of Friends of the Beach Museum of Art, 2020-2021. In 2013, he co-edited “Generations of Success: A Photographic History of Kansas State University; 1863-2013.” Doveline Borges (Steer), ’69 physical education and health, wishes to thank the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association for acknowledging her birthday, and she acknowledges that turning 75 is a major milestone. She shares being a part of the OSU community allowed her to find the love of her life!

’70s

Anthony Noe, ’71 pre-law, is working part-time at Lockheed Martin, as well as enjoying his five grandchildren while he waits for a kidney transplant. Jerry Sherrer, ’71 physical science, and his wife, Pamela, ’68 elementary education, have their first grandchild attending OSU as a freshman. Right now, they have two nieces, three nephews and one grandchild attending OSU. They also have one niece who is planning to attend OSU next year. The legacy continues! Jim Surjaatmadja, ’72 master’s in mechanical engineering, ’76 doctorate in mechanical engineering, is happily retired in Kansas City after a 44-yearlong career with Halliburton. He is now working on a textbook on ultra-high pressure fluid mechanics. Birda C. Worth, ’72 business education, retired 11 years ago after 37 years with Oklahoma City Public Schools as a teacher and administrator. Sharon S. Ward, ’74 sociology, retired from Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, in January 2016. She returned to her family home in Fairview, Oklahoma, to live with her mother.

Doug White, ’74 industrial engineering and management, dedicates his education, skills and wonderful career in the oil and gas industry to Oklahoma State University, the industrial engineering program and his brothers in the Sigma Nu Fraternity. White visited much of the world with his family and will forever be grateful to OSU and all it provided him to succeed in his life and career. He is now enjoying retirement and volunteering so much he may have to go back to work to rest up! Pam Street (Stewart), ’75 elementary education, and her husband, John, ’76 chemical engineering, reside in Willis, Texas. They have now been retired for one year. Although retired, she still works as a dyslexia therapist for nine students.

Patty J. Dixon

(Fisher), ’75 recreation, served the city of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, as vice mayor for the past three years. In September 2021, at the Oklahoma Municipal League Mayor’s Breakfast in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education presented Dixon with the ArtStar Award given to mayors or vice mayors who have contributed to the arts locally and statewide. Dixon’s service on the board of the Sand Springs Community Theatre and the Oklahoma Community Theatre Association provided her with those opportunities. Dixon has Andrea Campfield to thank for the nomination. Campfield has two daughters who attend OSU, so they are all into the brightest orange! Go Pokes!

Jody Furnas-

Wright, ’76 theatre, and late husband, Jimmie, ’75 theatre, dedicated the 20th anniversary show of the Good Works Community Theater in Wayzata, Minnesota. David Delker, ’78 technical education, ’79 master’s degree in electrical engineering, recently retired from being a professor and associate dean emeritus at Kansas State University-Salina. Robert J. Jones, ’79 zoology secondary education, is halfretired after working as an athletic trainer and high school science teacher in California, Oklahoma and Texas for 33 years. He is now teaching parttime at Denton Guyer High School.

’80s

Micki Canfield (Wright), ’80 political science, shared that her older son, Jared Canfield, graduated from OSU in May 2021. He moved to Liechtenstein and works for Hilti Corporation. He majored in German. Glen L. Snyder, ’81 trade and industry education, wrote and self-published a book and sold 2,000 copies. He has put this book with two others! It is 90 years of his memories with 417 pages.

Angela Shipley

(Davidson), ’85 clothing textiles and merchandising, is launching her own experiential training business after her career evolved into learning and development during her seven years in Alaska. Reimagining Adult Education (RAE) Training Solutions is based in Ranger, Texas. The business will also encompass Maxwell Leadership curriculum, writing business and recreational books, public speaking and conference facilitation.

Michael Gresham, ’87 speech communication, was recently named the chief wellness officer for the Virginia Beach Police Department where his focus is on mental wellness and resiliency. Diane Dross, ’88 doctorate in educational studies, is a retired principal and the president of Tulsa Metro. She is a part of the Volunteers Assistance League and is currently traveling in a Prevost motorhome.

’90s

Betty Nantz, ’90 elementary education, has enjoyed sharing her memories and coming back to campus as her daughter, a freshman, makes her own OSU memories this year. Tracy Simmons, ’93 marketing, was named president of business development by Crossroads Hospice and Palliative Care. Simmons will help lead a team to strategize and build action plans for one of the country’s largest hospice and palliative care companies. Before coming to Crossroads in February, he served in several hospice care leadership roles including regional market executive for Compassus Hospice/Ascension at Home Hospice, hospice program manager for Encompass Home Health & Hospice and general manager for Vitas Innovative Hospice. Prior to committing his career to health care, he was a high school teacher and coach. L. Michelle Sutton, ’94 political science, was recently elected president of the OSU Political Science Advisory Board. This board was created in 2022 to support the Department of Political Science in the College of Arts & Sciences.

BJ Haines, ’95 finance, has returned to the United States after 20 years living in Europe (Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin) and India, making his home in Stillwater. Haines has had a 24-year-long career in international finance with Capgemini.

Amy Beams

(Chastain), ’97 communication sciences and disorders, ’99 master’s degree, serves as the executive director of special services for Yukon Public Schools. She was recently honored by the Oklahoma Directors of Special Services as Oklahoma’s 2022 Director of the Year. Jennifer Sternberg, ’97 Spanish, ’04 master’s in business administration, was recently promoted to senior learning manager for the Global Advanced Industries Practice (encompassing automotive and assembly, aerospace and defense, and advanced electronics/semiconductors) at McKinsey & Company.

’00s

Benjamin

Simmons, ’00, architecture, was promoted to associate principal at Pickard Chilton architecture studio in New Haven, Connecticut. Duc Le, ’04 architecture, joins AECOM with over 15 years of experience leading project creation and development and serving as a primary client liaison. In addition to serving government and privatesector clients, he has led the design work of major projects for professional and high-level intercollegiate sports clients. His portfolio includes the 6,500-seat United Soccer League Pro Iowa Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa; the Auburn University Athletics men’s basketball operations renovation in Auburn, Alabama; and the 60,000-square foot University of Maryland men’s basketball performance center in College Park, Maryland. David Brown, ’05 architecture, was promoted to associate principal at Pickard Chilton architecture studio in New Haven, Connecticut.

’10s

Mary DeGuzman, ’15 fine arts, is now a high school special education teacher in the Putnam City Public Schools district. She is also one of the varsity soccer coaches.

’20s

Karstyn Cantrell, current student, was recently awarded a $30,000 scholarship to Oklahoma State University by The Sumners Foundation of Irving, Texas. Scholarships are awarded by the foundation based on academic excellence, civic engagement and a capacity for leadership. Cantrell is one of 43 students nationally to receive a Sumners scholarship in 2022.

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