STATE Magazine, Winter 2023

The official magazine of Oklahoma State University

COWBOY ICON CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF FRANK EATON

Thank you to all who joined us October 10 to celebrate 10 wonderful years of Pete’s Pet Posse on World Mental Health Day! The event celebrated Oklahoma State University’s renowned pet therapy program with several interactive activities, a fun dog-themed menu and drink selection, plus recognition of Dr. Alissa Huckabay, the recipient of the inaugural Scruff Hargis Hero Award. The event was also a fundraiser for the self-funded program, and we are grateful for the generosity of our sponsors who made the evening possible. Thank you!

Pet Therapy Pioneer Sponsors

Bank of Oklahoma, Angel & Stacy Kymes Edith Kay Stritzke & Cricket Tracy Alford & Cruze Joannie Howell Hensley, in loving memory of River Hensley Janice K. Lair

Big Barker Sponsors

Martha A. Burger Ann, Burns & Scruff Hargis M&M Lumber

Hound Hero Sponsors

Amy Cline & Linda Cline Liz & Lou Cordia Dava Renee White

Diamond in the Ruff Sponsors

Allen Adams Sheryl & Bruce Benbrook Jan Jewell & Kirk Jewell Janet McGehee, in Honor of Ann Hargis Lou & Jim Morris Friends of Ann Hargis Norm & Suzanne Myers Bill & LaRue Stoller Explorer Pipeline OSU Athletics OSU Office of the President

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Furst Mate Sponsors

Dr. Lee E. Bird Pam & Paul Crawford Dr. Lee Denney Keith & Christine Garbutt Drs. Amy & Tim Hardin & Tessa Dr. Dodge & Lori Hill David Kallenburger, MD Mr. K John Lee Lynne McElroy Michaela & Stanley Moseley Dr. Ted Schupbach, DVM Scott, Kim, & Oakley Rose Sutton Denise Weaver Joe & Patti Weaver & Charlie Brown Cheyenne Wood, #10, Cowgirl Softball Chair Junkie InfinEDI, LLC The Kerr Foundation Mountain Country Foods, Oklahoma Trinity Veterinary Hospital Veterinary Eye Center of Oklahoma OSU Housing & Residential Life OSU Police Department OSU Division of Student Affairs

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PETE’S PET POSSE, VISIT:

pettherapy.okstate.edu

In T his Issue

The Year of the Cowboy Oklahoma State University celebrates the 100th anniversary of its affiliation with Frank Eaton, the reallife inspiration for Pistol Pete.

Pages 62-73 (Cover photo: Provided)

68

71

Set in Stone

Becoming Pete

Legendary sculptor Harold T. Holden said his statue of Frank Eaton — now years in the making — may be his last major piece.

2 WINTER 2023

Students try out every year for the opportunity to put on the 36-pound head and portray Pistol Pete.

14

Appreciating the Opportunity OSU Police Chief Leon Jones takes a different path to law enforcement, enjoys connecting with the community.

20

Restoring a Landmark

14

Longtime CEAT staple Engineering South reopens after undergoing massive renovation.

Plus ...

36

Still America’s Greatest Relive 2023’s Homecoming through a spread of photos from the best week of the year.

48

Culture of Caring Cowboys United for Mental Health 2023 raises almost $300,000 to expand services for students.

4

Editor’s Letter

5

Socially Orange

7

President’s Letter

96

Cowboy Chronicles

100

Campus News

107

Alumni Update

110

In Memory

111

Births

36

54

Feeding the World New Student Farm project gives area shoppers sustainably grown produce at a low price, helping the community.

85

A Strong Foundation The Innovation Foundation at OSU unites researchers and resources from OSU’s three institutes.

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Letters

OSU B R A N D M A N A G E M E N T Megan Horton | Interim Associate Vice President of Brand Management Lance Latham | Chief Communications Officer Erin Petrotta | Director of Marketing Shannon Rigsby | Associate Director of Public Information Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations Casey Cleary | Associate Director of Marketing Strategy Jeremy Davis | Associate Director of Multimedia Dave Malec | Design Coordinator Jordan Bishop | Managing Editor Codee Classen, Cody Giles, Chris Lewis, Stephen Matthews, Michael Molholt and Benton Rudd | Design Phil Gahagans and Karolyn Moberly | Advertising Gary Lawson, Elizabeth Rogers and Phil Shockley | Photography McKinzie McElroy and Meghan Robinson | Inside OSU Kurtis Mason | Trademarks and Licensing Kinsey Garcia and Kara Peters | Administrative Support Contributors: Jordan Bishop, Mack Burke, Aaron Campbell, Gail Ellis, Mandy Gross, Hayley Hagen, Samantha Hardy, Stephen Howard, Dakota Keith, David C. Peters, Sara Plummer, Grant Ramirez, Jillian Remington, Shannon Rigsby, Sydney Trainor and Mak Vandruff Department of Brand Management | 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078-1024 405-744-6262 | okstate.edu | statemagazine.okstate.edu | editor@okstate.edu | osu. advertising@okstate.edu

O S U A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N Kurt Carter | Chair Scott Eisenhauer | Vice Chair Tina Parkhill | Immediate Past Chair Dr. Ann Caine | President Jake Wilkins | Vice President of Marketing and Engagement David Parrack | Vice President of Finance and Operations Treca Baetz, Thomas Blalock, Susan Crenshaw, Benjamin Davis, Deedra Determan, Todd Hudgins, Dr. Sonja Hughes, Ginger Kollmann, Brian Krafft, Chris Moody, Aaron Owen, Joe Ray, Dr. Cecilia Robinson-Woods, Darin Schmidt, Taylor Shinn, Baloo Subramaniam and Matt Waits | Board of Directors Will Carr, Chase Carter, Bailee Kirby, Jillian Remington and Madelyn Trentham | Marketing and Communications OSU Alumni Association | 201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, Stillwater, OK 74078 | 405-744-5368 | orangeconnection.org | info@orangeconnection.org

O S U F O U N D AT I O N Bill Patterson | Chair Blaire Atkinson | President Robyn Baker | Vice President and General Counsel Donna Koeppe | Vice President of Administration and Treasurer Scott Roberts | Vice President of Development Pam Guthrie | Senior Associate Vice President of Human Resources Blaire Atkinson, Bryan Begley, Ann Caine, Brian Callahan, Bryan Close, Ann Dyer, Joe Eastin, Jennifer Grigsby, David Houston, Brett Jameson, Griff Jones, Robert Keating, Diana Laing, Shelly Lambertz, John Linehan, Greg Massey, Ross McKnight, Gail Muncrief, Bill Patterson, Jenelle Schatz, Tiffany SewellHoward, Terry Stewart, Beverly Walker-Griffea, Jay Wiese and Darton Zink | Trustees Bryanna Freer, Samantha Hardy, Jennifer Kinnard, Chris Lewis, Estefania Martinez-Vazquez, Amanda Mason, Heather Millermon, Michael Molholt, Grant Ramirez and Benton Rudd | Marketing and Communications OSU Foundation | 400 South Monroe, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076-1749 800-6224678 | OSUgiving.com | info@OSUgiving.com STATE magazine is published three times a year (fall, winter, spring) by Oklahoma State University, 305 Whitehurst, Stillwater, OK 74078. The magazine is produced by the Department of Brand Management, the OSU Alumni Association and the OSU Foundation, and is mailed to current members of the OSU Alumni Association. Magazine subscriptions are available only by membership in the OSU Alumni Association. Membership cost is $50.

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, as an equal opportunity employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. OSU is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate based on race, religion, age, sex, color, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/ expression, disability, or veteran status with regard to employment, educational programs and activities, and/or admissions. For more information, the director of equal opportunity/Title IX coordinator is located at 401 General Academic Building and can be reached at 405-744-1156 or by visiting https://eeo.okstate.edu.

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 $1.23 per issue: 35,894 | December 2023 | No. state233 | Copyright © 2023, STATE magazine.

All rights reserved.

From the Editor's Desk It’s a great time to be a Cowboy!

This fall, we celebrated a new record for highest undergraduate enrollment in school history, the renovation of Engineering South and creation of the Zink Center for Competitive Innovation (Page 20), a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility in Tulsa, the launch of The Innovation Foundation at OSU (Page 100), and, of course, a thrilling Bedlam victory for the ages at Boone Pickens Stadium.

In the fall edition of STATE, we offered a preview of OSU’s Year of the Cowboy celebration honoring the centennial of Frank Eaton’s legacy at Oklahoma State. In this issue, we take an in-depth look at the man who inspired Pistol Pete, the beloved mascot’s evolution and the many spirited Cowboys who have taken on the role, as well as a behind-the-scenes preview of renowned artist Harold T. Holden’s larger-than-life statue of Eaton, which will soon grace the Stillwater campus (Page 62).

We also acknowledge OSUPD Chief Leon Jones — who has served for nearly 30 years with the department and made a lasting and positive impact on the OSU community (Page 14) — and KOSU Executive Director Rachel Hubbard, whose leadership has opened new doors for community journalism in Oklahoma (Page 94).

In this issue, we celebrate the 25-year anniversary of the founding of OSU-Tulsa, which continues to expand educational access and OSU’s footprint in the state (Page 28), another installment of America’s Greatest Homecoming (Page 36) and exciting new projects, like the Student Farm. Launched this fall, the project has already provided over 53,000 pounds of produce to Payne County through a partnership with Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center (Page 54).

OSU’s new trio of transdisciplinary institutes continues to make progress on their efforts to improve lives across the state and bolster Oklahoma’s economy in key areas like aerospace, health and energy (Page 85), and new deans for the Ferguson College of Agriculture and Spears School of Business have shared their vision for the future (Page 8).

Here’s to The Year of the Cowboy — a year filled with milestones and triumphs — and many more to come!

Go Pokes!

Mack Burke Editor STATE Magazine

American Marketing Association Foundation | 2023 Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year Oklahoma College Public Relations Association | 2022 Magazine Grand Award

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305 WHITEHURST OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY STILLWATER, OK 74078

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

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Whether flying into or out of Stillwater, we’ll get you...

O F R E T M H O H OLIDAYS E H

Stillwater Regional Airport Use airport code “SWO” at aa.com to book your next flight.

Cowboy family, This is The Year of the Cowboy, and we celebrate a legendary figure whose story and personality still inspire us after more than a hundred years. Throughout the decades, 96 men have had the honor — and the responsibility — of bringing Frank Eaton’s legend and spirit to life as Pistol Pete.

Pete is unique among mascots … he’s an actual person. While most universities are represented by an animal or some other symbol, the fact an actual cowboy represents OSU says so much about the values of the Cowboy family. We are competitive, we have grit, we live by the Cowboy Code, and we’re always looking over the horizon for the next opportunity.

Seizing opportunities and finding solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems were in focus as we launched OSU’s We are Land-Grant strategy in 2022.

The strategy is already positioning us to compete, and the recent launch of The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University is the latest action we've taken to help OSU expand its global impact.

The foundation, headed by Executive Director Elizabeth Pollard, is focusing on advancing and maximizing new discoveries, commercializing technology and engaging partnerships to fuel OSU’s land-grant mission to serve all of Oklahoma and beyond. This mission is critical, as it combines OSU’s research and technological expertise in a drive for economic growth and job creation and prosperity for those we serve.

The foundation is also home to OSU’s dynamic transdisciplinary institutes, which are focused on energy, human performance, and aerospace invention, application and impact.

Through these advancements, OSU is blazing a trail to the future while honoring our past. If Frank Eaton were here today, I think he would be proud.

Go Pokes!

Dr. Kayse Shrum OSU President osupres@okstate.edu

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Deans’ List

New deans for OSU Agriculture, Business speak on their vision for the future

Jayson Lusk

Ferguson College of Agriculture

D

r. Jayson L. Lusk has returned to the Cowboy family as Oklahoma State University’s vice president and dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Lusk worked at OSU from 2005-17, first as an agricultural economics professor and Willard Sparks Endowed Chair and then as a regents professor. Since 2017, he served Purdue University as a distinguished professor and head of the Agricultural Economics Department.

STATE magazine sat down with Lusk to discuss his role and the upcoming move of OSU Agriculture into New Frontiers Agricultural Hall in 2024.

Given your expertise in food and crop development, what are some emerging areas of research grabbing your attention?

There are so many tremendous opportunities in the food and agriculture space. It’s hard to pick just one or two. One example is the ability to collect an incredible amount of data about farming and food production and translate it into management decisions. For example, using drones and geofencing technologies to track animal movements can help predict disease and, as a result, inform solutions. Another example is using technologies to get a more accurate picture of soil fertility and water levels, so producers can make better decisions for crop efficiencies. These technologies are not new, but they are emerging in ways that we can create tools to be used by farmers to enhance their operations.

What are some research opportunities of note here at OSU? OSU Agriculture invests in research opportunities for students, faculty and staff.

These research activities occur at more than 40 facilities across the state, taking advantage of the geographic and environmental diversity that Oklahoma offers. In Stillwater, for example, applied research takes place on the Agronomy Farm and at The Botanic Garden on the west perimeter of campus, as well as at several livestock facilities and of course, in traditional research laboratories.

For context, some of the university’s earliest research began in 1892 and continues to this day at the experimental winter wheat field plots named after A.C. Magruder, our very first professor of agriculture. It is among the oldest research of its kind in the United States. That

Oklahoma State has expertise in plant and crop breeding. Genetic knowledge and our ability to make more precise breeding decisions have evolved quickly during the last decade.

Identifying more disease-resistant crop varieties that are also drought tolerant or have better qualities for consumers — these are big wins, and we can do them much more rapidly than in the past.

8 WINTER 2023

STORY MANDY GROSS | PHOTOS MITCHELL ALCALA

speaks volumes about our commitment to agricultural research and our land-grant mission.

Whether you’re an undergraduate student or a graduate student, there’s no shortage of opportunities, but I would certainly like those to grow. One of my ambitions is to secure more resources, so we can do even bigger and better things on the research front to address society’s greatest challenges.

How do you think OSU is positioned to address its goal of helping to feed the world?

Oklahoma producers grow important, foundational crops that already help address food insecurity and hunger. For example, we are a top wheat-producing state. About half of the wheat in any given year is exported to other countries, often to places where food insecurity rates are high. Our scientists’ academic, research and Extension efforts serve Oklahoma and stretch far beyond the state. OSU is ranked seventh in the world in Zero Hunger, which addresses global food security as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

There is more work to do, but I’m confident our faculty, students and Extension educators are ready for the challenge.

How do you think New Frontiers Agricultural Hall will benefit not only OSU Agriculture but OSU as a whole?

New Frontiers Agricultural Hall is going to help us recruit the next generation of students and get them interested in food and agriculture. The new building will be a place students will walk through on their way to classes, hang out at the Dairy Bar or find a huddle room and study. This is an opportunity to showcase what we do in agriculture.

Currently, the research facilities our scientists have access to are World War II-era technology.

In some ways, it’s amazing they’ve been able to make the advances they have despite some of

Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture, tours the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall construction site with Dr. Randy Raper, assistant vice president of facilities for OSU Agriculture.

our antiquated lab space and technologies. The ability to move into state-of-the-art facilities will help us more rapidly achieve our strategic priorities and recruit talented students and faculty.

Because your life’s work has centered around food, what are your favorite things to eat? Do you have a favorite meal?

I do like to eat; that’s true. One of my favorite things to do when we travel places is to visit a grocery store or tour farmers markets and food markets.

I’m not a picky eater, which means I can be happy eating lots of different things, but if we were to have a group of people over, what would I cook? It would probably be brisket that I’ve smoked served with my wife’s spicy cheese grits.

That’s our go-to dish when we have people over.

My interest in food goes back to cooking competitions in 4-H Youth Development. When I was a kid, my mom made my three siblings and I do jobs around the house. She always had us take a turn every month for at least one week to do the cooking, and it didn’t matter whether you were one of the guys or one of the girls. I can still remember to this day that my 4-H entry was beef stroganoff. I went to the regional competition and had to present and cook the recipe for judges. So, my interest in the food side of agriculture is something my mom instilled in me and has carried on throughout my life.

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Jim Payne

Spears School of Business

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Dr. Jim E. Payne brings a distinguished record of accomplishments in research to his new role as dean of the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University.

Previously the dean of the Woody L. Hunt College of Business and holder of the Paul L. Foster and Alejandra de la Vega Foster Distinguished Chair in International Business at the University of Texas at El Paso, Payne was named the dean of Spears Business in June.

STATE magazine sat down with Payne to discuss his role.

How is Spears Business working to elevate OSU’s positive impact across the state?

I think Spears Business is helping to elevate OSU in several ways. Right off the top, I think the academic programs themselves, given that many are nationally ranked, demonstrate the value added we provide to the citizens of Oklahoma. We have noted academic programs that are providing a quality education to our students, who then contribute to the workforce needs of our state and our region. In addition, some of our research is focused on specific areas pertinent to the economic development of the state. Our faculty produces impactful research that is contributing positively to industry. Also, our centers are doing quite a bit of outreach to different stakeholder groups within the state.

So, I think those three areas show that we’re contributing and having a positive impact.

How is the Center for the Future of Work reimagining education?

At the Center for the Future of Work, they’re looking at the industry landscape 10 years down the road. We don’t know what jobs are going to look like in a decade, per se, because as technology advances, you’re going to see different types of jobs emerge and advance.

So, the center is looking ahead trying to get a sense of what the future is going to look like and what skills are needed for that workforce.

Then, the focus point is about how do we reach populations that were traditionally underserved by education at some level? So, it goes back to upskilling. I think they are adept at doing custom programs based on industry need. They also do executive coaching, and the training platforms can be face-to-face or online, and they offer different certifications that are needed in industry as well.

Why is Spears a crucial piece of the workforce pipeline in Oklahoma?

As a business school, we cut across every industry, ranging from hospitality and tourism to the oil and gas sector — really every industry sector within the state. That is exemplified by the placement of our students across all these different industries. I think the other thing we’re working on is also assisting with upskilling employees through certifications and professional development opportunities.

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STORY STEPHEN HOWARD | PHOTOS AARON MURPHY AND DEVIN FLORES

Dr. Jim Payne speaks to a group in the Keystone Lobby in the Business Building.

One of the things that sets Spears Business apart is the cocurricular activities for students.

How can they help shape the next generation of leaders in our state?

Spears Business has a student organization or competition for every student, and they all provide an avenue to leadership, team building and networking skills. I also think it’s important that they get to meet and work alongside students with different perspectives and backgrounds from their own, because that’s what happens in the real world. The cocurricular opportunities here provide a more well-rounded education for the student in those facets.

Tell us about your journey from first-generation student to dean?

For me, having an opportunity to go to college was the first step, but then having good mentors along the way made the biggest difference in my journey. I had an undergraduate advisor who I still keep in touch with. He got me started in economics. He was instrumental in sharing with me opportunities to go to grad school and how to finance it, because I had no clue. I also had fantastic guidance from faculty members along the way, which helped me take the next step.

Then, at different points in your life, you run into people that either you respect or value what they’ve accomplished, and you look at them as more of a role model, a mentor. I think that’s true for everybody, and that’s how I progressed over my career. I also had really good support from my parents, even though they didn’t go to college, and I think that was key.

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STUDENT NEWS

IMPACT Spotlight

Hometown: Woodward, Oklahoma Major: Marketing

Oklahoma State University Student Foundation The Oklahoma State University Student Foundation encourages philanthropy and strives to establish a legacy of giving among OSU students. StuFu aims to educate the OSU student body about the importance and impact of philanthropic and charitable giving.

With this goal in mind, members are given the opportunity to participate in various fundraising events and campaigns throughout the school year.

To learn more about the OSU Student Foundation or to get involved, visit: OSUgiving.com/student-foundation.

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Sawyer

Zimmerman Junior

Why did you become involved with the Student Foundation?

I got involved with the OSU Student Foundation to make an impact on students across campus. I believe that philanthropy is so important, and I have enjoyed helping advocate for it. I heard about the Student Foundation from a friend from high school, and I knew I had to join once I learned more about the values of the organization and what it does on campus.

What is your orange passion?

My orange passion is split between the Spears School of Business and the Cowboy Marching Band.

I have enjoyed being a business major. Spears has provided so many resources to help me succeed, and I want to see it help others like me. I marched with the band for two years and it changed my life. It was an incredible opportunity, and it was the first-ever organization I joined on campus. It has a great community and is a place where new students can thrive and find their place at OSU. What is most meaningful about being part of the Student Foundation?

The most meaningful part is the community that it brings together and the resources that it provides. The Student Foundation is filled with unique students who all value philanthropy and charitable donations. As a member of the Student Foundation, we have access to the OSU Foundation and all of the people there want to see us succeed.

Hometown: Edmond, Oklahoma Major: Management, Marketing and International Business

Trevor

Mackenzie

Friesen

Hometown: Archie, Missouri

Sophomore

Major: Animal Science

What is your orange passion?

My orange passion is the student organizations on the OSU campus. OSU offers such an incredible assortment of opportunities and possibilities through the various student organizations. I am thankful for personal experiences I’ve had thus far, both through giving back and wanting to continue personal opportunities.

What is the most impactful fundraising initiative you've been a part of?

The most impactful fundraising initiative I have been a part of is Give Orange. It’s an incredible opportunity as it allows students to directly contribute to what they care about and what they are involved in. It allows students to continue supporting and financially assisting diverse opportunities.

It allowed me to work alongside both Dr. [Kayse] Shrum and Darren Shrum. I am able to continually impact change, growth and support directly within my campus!

What is most meaningful about being part of the Student Foundation?

The most meaningful aspect of being part of the Student Foundation is that it offers me a platform to grow and assist countless students, organizations and educational platforms on campus through the ability to network, interview, financially support and shine a light toward all that OSU offers. The people within Student Foundation are genuine, caring and not only want to see change, but are willing to get their hands dirty to get it done.

Porter Senior

Why did you get involved with the Student Foundation?

Scholarships are the reason I get to do what I do. I got involved with the Student Foundation because from a very young age, my parents instilled the importance of philanthropy in me. When leaving home to attend OSU, I wanted to join an organization that helped me stay true to my roots and the Student Foundation did just that. I also wanted to help spread the importance of philanthropy with my peers.

What is the most impactful fundraising initiative you've been a part of?

The most impactful fundraising initiative I have been a part of was last year's Cowboys United for Mental Health campaign. It was really powerful to see the campaign's first-year success and how it's still making an impact on campus. It was really awesome to see the student body come together at our student event and lift each other up to all support the same cause. Because of this campaign, we were able to do so much for OSU students.

How has the student foundation impacted your overall OSU experience?

The Student Foundation has impacted my overall OSU experience in so many ways. I have met a community of people that I wouldn't have otherwise. StuFu is something I look forward to each week, and it has truly allowed my love for OSU to grow. It's really impactful to connect with people that are so passionate about OSU and see their love for our university spread across our members and peers.

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Chief’s

Choice

JONES TAKES ROUNDABOUT WAY TO BECOMING HEAD OF OSU POLICE DEPARTMENT

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To watch a Living the Code interview with Chief Jones, go to okla.st/chiefjones

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hen Leon Jones was growing up, he wanted to avoid two things at all costs: police and school.

Yet, for the last 29 years, he has been going through the same gray double doors on the north end of the U.S. Department of Agriculture building on the Oklahoma State University campus, first as an OSU police officer, then sergeant and since 2018 as the first Black chief of police.

“I never thought I was going to be a cop. I damn sure didn’t think I was going to finish a degree,” he said. “College just wasn’t in the plan.”

Jones has been a champion for building relationships between the police department and the university community. He’s become a model for the Cowboy Code, for doing what’s right, even when it’s hard and for finishing what he starts.

It’s been an interesting journey for the loner from little New Boston, Texas, a town of 4,600 near Texarkana.

Jones was recruited to play football for Kansas Wesleyan University with a partial scholarship.

However, three weeks before orientation, he

STORY SHANNON RIGSBY | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY AND COURTESY OF LEON JONES

backed out. Football was one thing, but more school, especially two states away, was another.

Instead, on the day of his high school graduation when he was playing basketball with his friends, a guy drove into the park and yelled that he needed two people to lay carpet. Jones took the offer and spent the next year installing flooring.

As he was walking through Walmart one day, the store manager offered him a job. Jones left the hot, back-breaking work at the carpet company and worked his way from maintenance and stocking shelves to lawn and garden manager.

There, he stopped a woman trying to sneak out while concealing a boom box stuffed under her skirt.

Not long after, he prevented a man from trying to steal a lawnmower. The district loss prevention officer happened to be in the store. Jones suddenly had a new career catching shoplifters.

A College Education

Life took Jones from New Boston to Enid, Oklahoma, and then from Enid to Stillwater, as he continued making a name for himself in loss prevention. One day, an officer who stopped Jones for speeding invited him to apply for the police department.

“He said, ‘Why don’t you join the OSU Police Department?’ When I went to pick up an application, I’ve still got my Jheri curls and my [Chicago]

Oklahoma lawmakers signed Senate Bill 1426 in May 1998, creating OSU-Tulsa in January 1999.

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Bulls pullover,” Jones said. “It took me two weeks to bring [the application] back. I just didn’t know. We didn’t deal with the police when I was growing up. In fact, we didn’t want anything to do with them. When cops would pull over my dad and brothers, they were pretty mean to them. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this, but then it’s like something would say, ‘Get in there.

Take the opportunity. You might have an opportunity to change the minds of a lot of people. Maybe you have an opportunity to make a difference, not just by arresting people and writing citations, but changing people’s minds about the police.’”

So, he applied, and in early October 1994, he was offered the position. The night before he went in to discuss the terms, he couldn’t sleep. What if he couldn’t do the job? After signing the papers, he still couldn’t sleep.

“I thought, ‘Man, I’ve got this job I have no clue about, and I’m scared I’m going to screw it up,’” he said.

When Jones was first offered the job, the chief asked his newest officer where he wanted to be in five years. Jones said he wanted to one day be sitting in the chief’s chair. The chief pointed to a college degree on the wall.

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“You’re going to have to have one of those before you become the chief here,” he said.

It was going to mean more school.

On Oct. 14, 1994, Jones walked through the gray double doors of the police department for the first time as an OSU police officer.

Jones decided if he was going to take the job, he was going to be all in, even if it meant returning to a classroom.

After finishing the police academy, he immediately started taking college courses, earning an associate degree, a bachelor’s and then a master’s degree in criminal justice.

Changing Stereotypes

Jones learned quickly that the uniform brought with it a measure of authority and prestige, but also dissension.

“I caught a lot of crap for the first couple of years amongst Black students,” he said. “They didn’t like it. They felt like I couldn’t be trusted or I was a traitor.”

He joined the OSUPD a little more than three years after the 1991 Rodney King incident where a Black man was a victim of police brutality in Los Angeles after a high-speed pursuit for driving while intoxicated. Right before Christmas, Jones was in plain clothes,

speaking to an African American fraternity on campus. When he was introduced as an OSU police officer, the tension became palpable. A Black student came up to him and asked, “Why y’all beat up Rodney King?”

It was another turning point in Jones’ career. This was the time to inspire change.

“I said, ‘Man, I’m here to do a job.

I’m here to try to protect this campus, and you’re part of it as well. Don’t be like that,’” he said. “‘Let your guard down and see. We might get along. Who knows?’”

An opportunity to bridge the gap between students and police officers arrived when Jones was offered the opportunity to start the bike patrol program. Everyone else who had been offered the chance to start the program declined. Some simply didn’t want to wear the uniform shorts. Jones didn’t mind.

“It got me out of a patrol car and while I’m riding around campus, I can visit more people,” he said. “I can talk to more people. I still do my job as a law enforcement officer, but I’m more visible and accessible. It removes the mindset that I’m only going to talk to people who are breaking the law. Now, I’m going to talk to people just walking down the

street. Then I can educate people about bicycle safety, pedestrian safety — just about the law.

“I started learning that most people will do what you ask if they know what it is you want them to do, and people break the law most of the time because they don’t know what it is.”

Afterward, Jones was asked to start the first community policing program on campus. He was given an office in Willham Hall to man several hours a day. He took existing programs like bicycle registration and Operation ID — where students wrote down serial numbers to their important possessions — and set up tables in residence halls and the library to make it more convenient for students to take part.

It was an opportunity to help the campus community have a hand in protecting themselves as well.

“I like to see the opportunity no one else wants to take. People would ask, ‘Why did you get chosen for this?’

I would tell them, ‘Because when I was asked, I didn’t turn it down,’” he said.

Since becoming chief, he’s started the Core Campus Patrol Division, which puts officers on foot and bicycles in the most populated area of campus during peak hours — locations hard to access by car like the Student Union and Edmon

Low Library. The department also has implemented the liaison program, which pairs officers with athletic teams and student groups.

Jones hasn’t looked for moments of glory. He has served, to the best of his ability, even in the toughest of days including at the site of the 2001 OSU men’s basketball plane crash in Colorado. He said it took two years to process that experience.

“People take this job thinking they’re supposed to be a hero,” he said. “That within itself is selfish. Real heroes don’t think about themselves; they’re thinking about the people.”

OSU Athletic Director Chad Weiberg, who lost his brother, Jared, in the crash, has witnessed Jones’ heart and philosophy firsthand.

“The thing about Leon is that it’s never about him. It’s about the people of OSU and what he can do to help them,” Weiberg said. “For me, it goes back to the time of the plane crash. Leon was there for all of us and made sure we knew that he would always be there for us. After I left OSU and would come back to games, Leon was always there with that big smile, waiting to say hello and give me a big ‘welcome home’ hug. I don’t think he knows how much that meant to me every time.

“Since I’ve been back, Leon has continued to be there to help me, our coaches and our student-athletes in every way that he can. I was so happy for him when he became Chief Jones.

He earned it and deserved it. We’re fortunate to have him at OSU, and I’m blessed to be able to call him a friend.”

Appreciating the Opportunity

The color of those double doors hasn’t changed, but Jones’ hair has started to match it. The kid from New Boston who couldn’t stand school has spent half his life on a college campus.

“Every day I walk through those doors, it’s a new day. It’s a new adventure. Some days I walk in knowing I’m the police chief at the OSU Police Department and I get a little overwhelmed,” he said. “I actually did this. I’m actually the chief. I love my job and what I get to do. It’s a privilege.”

Jones is quick to credit all those who helped him along the way, as well as the institution that gave him his start and now calls him “chief.”

“Oklahoma State has invested as much in me as I have in the Cowboy family. Everything about Oklahoma State University, I feel like I was born for,” he said. “I didn’t know who I was until I got here.”

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“Those stairs represent a connection to the generations of engineers who came before. Then they went out into the world and used their education to accomplish amazing things that have benefited Oklahoma, the nation and the world.”

DR. JOHN VEENSTRA, INTERIM DEAN OF CEAT

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STORY GRANT RAMIREZ AND DAKOTA KEITH | PHOTOS BRYANNA FREER

CEAT LANDMARK UNDERGOES RENOVATION, WELCOMES ZINK CENTER FOR COMPETITIVE INNOVATION

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historic building in Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology has received a much-needed upgrade.

OSU unveiled a revitalized Engineering South this fall and celebrated the launch of the new Zink Center for Competitive Innovation housed within.

The building, which originally opened in 1939, had been under construction since June 2021.

On Sept. 1, the university held a private reopening ceremony for donors and other guests that included speeches from OSU President Kayse Shrum and best-selling author, award-winning podcast host and psychotherapist Amy Morin. A public ribbon-cutting event was held the next day prior to the football season opener against Central Arkansas, giving the entire Cowboy family a chance to tour the updated space.

While Engineering South’s facade has remained the same, its interior has been completely transformed. The multi-million dollar revamp of Engineering South completely renovated the 84-year-old building, adding new classroom space as well as modern utilities and technology.

“The reopening of the remodeled Engineering South completes the modernization of the homes of all the academic units within CEAT,” said Dr. John Veenstra, interim dean of CEAT. “The transformed space provides state-of-the-art classrooms, offices and meeting areas for faculty and students which will enhance our ability to deliver high-quality instruction and mentoring of our students.”

The building now joins a host of newly renovated and constructed buildings within CEAT, including Engineering North, ENDEAVOR and the Bert Cooper Structures

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and Materials Lab. The renovation has already greatly enhanced the student learning experience, and students are excited to be in the building and utilize the new space.

New features within Engineering South include glass walls and taller ceilings that amplify the space while keeping original details intact — such as beaming and the grand central staircase — helping to maintain some of the building’s original character.

Veenstra said maintaining the original staircase was an important element of the renovation’s design.

“Those stairs represent a connection to the generations of engineers who came before,” Veenstra said. “Then they went out into the world and used their education to accomplish amazing things that have benefited Oklahoma, the nation and the world.”

Engineering South also features a new layout with CEAT Scholarships and Recruitment, Career Services and Special Programs on the first floor, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering on the second floor, and the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering on the third floor.

An addition to the east end of the building houses the 207-seat Chickasaw Nation STEM Auditorium, providing an optimal space to hold larger classes.

Architecture firm Rand Elliott Architects, led by CEAT alumnus Rand Elliott, designed the project and worked with the departments to brighten the building’s concept. Each floor of the building features its own unique architectural customizations, designed to meet the needs of the school or department occupying that floor.

Dr. Sandip Harimkar, head of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said the unit is happy to make the move to Engineering South after being housed in the General Academic Building during the renovation.

“We have felt somewhat disconnected from CEAT and the other schools within our college,” Harimkar said. “We are eager to move closer to the college community again, which will promote cross-departmental collaboration and enhance our ability to engage with our students.”

Numerous collaborative and interdisciplinary spaces will encourage students and faculty to work across departments to learn from each other. The project itself was a collaborative effort, taking countless partners and members of the Cowboy family to make it a reality.

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“Partnerships really propel our success further than if we were going at it alone — and it’s shared success. When communities, foundations and industries are engaged with the university ... we can accomplish things that larger states can only dream of.”

DR. KAYSE SHRUM, PRESIDENT OF OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

ZINK CENTER FOR COMPETITIVE INNOVATION On the east end of the building, a new space will inspire the next generation of innovators at OSU. The Zink Center for Competitive Innovation is an open, collaborative space that can be f lexibly configured for informal conversations, formal group meetings or seminar presentations.

It was funded by a major gift from the Zink Family Foundation.

“The new Zink Center for Competitive Innovation wouldn’t be possible without the visionary support of Darton and Jamie Zink,” Shrum said. “It’s not a coincidence that the Zinks and OSU have such a close partnership — we think alike. Through the Zink Center, they are committed to shaping ideal graduates who are ethical leaders with competitive spirits who help others and who get things done. Darton calls it grit, and at OSU, we call it living the Cowboy Code.”

Dr. Dan Fisher is the inaugural director of the Zink Center, which will allow for more face-toface faculty mentorship opportunities for CEAT’s competitive student teams, such as the concrete canoe, Cowboy Racing and Bullet Racing teams.

The center also will ease potential collaboration between CEAT and OSU Spears School of Business students through the Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

“I’ve seen firsthand in my life how competition and innovation lead to success,” said Darton Zink, president and CEO of Zeeco Inc. “This center will help to foster those qualities for the next generation of leaders while also providing them with lessons and experiences about the importance of grit and determination.”

The Zink Center will also play into OSU’s land-grant mission. The unique experiences and resources offered by the center will help prepare students so they enter the world ready to solve tomorrow’s challenges.

“Oklahoma State has a land-grant mission of making good communities great,” Shrum said. “As a part of that, we want our students to go out into their communities and be empowered to make a difference. By learning in the center, students gain those competencies. That really is what this is about.”

A symbol of Oklahoma ingenuity, the John Zink Trackburner Indy-style racing car will be on display in the Zink Center for Competitive Innovation.

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Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio star in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorcese.

Destiny of Her Own Design OSU alumna works through film industry, earns job in ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

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n the set of a low-budget Western horror, Amy Higdon remembered why she fell in love with the movie industry.

Although 2020’s “The Pale Door” might not stand out in the annals of film history, it will always be important to Higdon.

“You’ve been going all day and you’re in the Oklahoma heat, your job is hard,” Higdon said. “And then you watch them film a scene with an antique steam engine and you think, ‘Man, we’re making a movie.’ You Amy Higdon know nobody might see it, but those moments are really cool. They keep you going.”

Paying her dues on those indie films gave the burgeoning movie costume designer the experience she needed to become an asset on larger projects, including 2023’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

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Higdon, a 2016 graduate of Oklahoma State University, grew up in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, and loved going to the movie theater in nearby Shawnee with her family.

She knew film was going to be her career, but until an academic advisor placed her in a theatre class, Higdon didn’t know where in the industry she fit in.

Lee Brasuell, interim head of OSU’s Department of Theatre, arrived in Stillwater the same time as Higdon. In both film and theatre, the production is a machine of parts working in perfect harmony, with people expected to understand and even overlap in several behindthe-scenes areas.

OSU prepares for this, so no matter what your degree emphasis is, whether you want to be an actor, director, writer or working on set, every

STORY JORDAN BISHOP | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AMY HIGDON, COURTESY OF APPLE TV

student spends time in each area during their time on campus.

“Everybody’s got to be able to analyze a script and break it down for character, mood, time, place, setting all that. Vice versa, anybody in the performance area, they’re also taking courses in costume technology, stage technology, as part of their core curriculum,” Brasuell said. “So, they get a better understanding of what we do as a whole. … You have to have a firm base of the art form to truly be able to do your job when you’re collaborating with other artists.”

Higdon excelled in scenic production because of her welding skills, which impressed Brasuell.

“She actually fabricated this 20-foot long metal staircase for me that actually raised up and down like a drawbridge,” he said. “She was a fabulous welder. I actually tried to steal her from the costume area because she was so good.”

Higdon’s heart was set on costume design, though. She even minored in anthropology because understanding who the character is helps her decide how they would dress. Her favorite instance of this was in 2013’s “Out of the Furnace,” which takes place

in rural Appalachia. In one scene, Zoe Saldana’s character ruins her fashionable outfit by putting a jacket over it, but it made sense for the character.

“That is such a moment of truth for this character in terms of costume design,” Higdon said. “And, it is so true to the world that she lives in and who she is in this world. And it’s not cute, and it’s not pretty. But that’s what it is.”

Higdon’s versatility on set paid off in earning her first film jobs after graduation. Of course, even they took time to get, with Higdon working odd jobs for two years before she broke into the industry, including working at Disney World, her uncle’s lawn care service and selling jewelry at the Texas State Fair.

She persevered, though, and credits her parents for helping her until she started to work on a few productions here and there. Luckily, for Higdon and current OSU students, Oklahoma has become a bit of a film haven in recent years, with the state even offering incentives to studios to film their movies or TV shows in Oklahoma.

“The growing industry here in Oklahoma has been really beneficial to the students because they don’t have

“There’s a ton of indie films that a lot of Native kids grew up watching, but nobody else saw.

And now it’s like, everybody’s tuning in to ‘Rez Dogs.’

Everybody’s gonna go see ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’

So you kind of feel like we’re just getting started.”

— AMY HIGDON

“Fancy Dance” was Amy Higdon’s first feature as costume designer. It screened at Sundance Film Festival in early 2023.

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Amy Higdon shows her work at Design Showcase West, hosted by UCLA. Keynote speaker Mark Bridges, who won Academy Awards for “The Artist” and “Phantom Thread,” looks over her designs.

to then travel super far away just to get some experience, especially with movies,” Brasuell said.

Higdon paid her dues on sets of TV movies and low-budget flicks as an assistant or intern, whatever was needed that day. Her first Hollywood production where she saw what a great script and cast could accomplish came with 2020’s “Minari.”

The movie, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, had scenes filmed in Tulsa. Higdon worked as a costume supervisor on the film.

“It was really inspiring to know that really, really good stories can be told on a shoestring budget by really, really talented people,” Higdon said. “And it’s all because they come together and want to do it.”

Her first brush with fame came as a costumer on 2021’s “Stillwater,” starring Matt Damon. Although most of the film was set in France, Damon plays an Oklahoman with a few scenes shot in the state. Higdon loved working under costume designer Karen Muller Serreau, who got the look of an Oklahoma oil worker down pat.

With the spotlight on Oklahoma, more Native American stories have come to the forefront, including FX’s

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“Reservation Dogs,” which Higdon had a small part in contributing to the pilot.

As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she said it is phenomenal to see more Native representation on screen.

“There are a ton of indie films that a lot of Native kids grew up watching, but nobody else saw,” Higdon said. “And now it’s like, everybody’s tuning in to ‘Rez Dogs.’ Everybody’s gonna go see ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ So you kind of feel like we’re just getting started.”

During COVID-19, Higdon took the next step in her career and enrolled at the University of California-Los Angeles. Although she had been working on more productions and even as a lecturer at OSU, Higdon felt it was time to further her career with a master’s at UCLA, which she earned in June of this year.

“Once I got to UCLA, I had learned all the basics, and I had classmates who had done fashion degrees or something that didn’t have that strong theatrical foundation that I had,” she said. “And I feel like in a way, it almost gave me a leg up.”

During her time at UCLA, her professor knew Jacqueline West, the costume designer for “Killers of

the Flower Moon,” and arranged an interview for Higdon. She earned a job as a background fitter on the starstudded production filmed mostly in Osage County. The Martin Scorcesedirected cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro.

Despite being in the background, working on the movie — which released Oct. 20 — has already started to pay dividends for Higdon, who earned her first feature costume design role with 2023’s “Fancy Dance,” a Sundance Film Festival selection starring Lily Gladstone, the lead actress in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Brasuell said he will be extremely proud when he sees Higdon’s name in the credits, with her story an inspiration for his current theatre students. He expects Higdon to keep rising in the film industry.

“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” he said. “Knowing her, her drive and everything else that she’s done in her career so far.”

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QuarterCentury of Progress 25 YEARS OF IMPACT IN TULSA

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klahoma State UniversityTulsa’s story doesn’t begin with one university – but four.

Before 1986, there was no public four-year university presence in Tulsa. To address this, the City of Tulsa’s redevelopment arm opened the land just north of Interstate 244 to create a higher education campus, University Center at Tulsa, or UCAT. UCAT was composed of OSU, Langston University, the University of Oklahoma and Northeastern State University, providing mainly graduate-level academic programming.

The approval of Oklahoma Senate Bill 1426 in May 1998 dissolved UCAT, with NSU and OU moving their operations further south. OSU-Tulsa

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was born in place of UCAT on Jan. 1, 1999 — and since then, only OSU-Tulsa and Langston remain in downtown Tulsa.

This change meant a new focus: bring the full possibilities of OSU’s landgrant mission to the state’s secondlargest city.

In 1999, that meant duplicating courses offered in Stillwater and distance learning classrooms to simulcast lectures between campuses.

Most of OSU-Tulsa’s students were working adults trying to finish their bachelor’s degree or earn an advanced degree, so classes were offered in the evenings to accommodate them.

Through the next two decades, seismic shifts in technology and the economy saw OSU-Tulsa evolve into an interconnected hub of education, community and innovation.

One thing, however, has remained constant: the dedication to helping transfer and working adult students earn an OSU degree, however long it takes.

“That’s what we want to see in students ­— fulfilling their dreams. Some students have a lifelong dream just to graduate from OSU,” said Emonica “Nekki” Reagan-Neeley, assistant vice president for community engagement and student services. “At OSU-Tulsa, we have the flexibility and community that make it possible.”

STORY AARON CAMPBELL | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY AND OSU-TULSA ARCHIVES

COMMUNITY-FOCUSED Reagan-Neeley started her higher education career at UCAT in 1993 and has been involved in student services and engagement initiatives throughout.

“When we became OSU-Tulsa, we became more community-focused,” she said. “... We’re in the midst of the Greenwood District, so we have a hand in that community, and we have to grasp it and nurture it and take care of it.”

As Greenwood experienced renewed attention from local and national investors, Reagan-Neeley and campus leaders worked closely with the community to understand its needs, then created programming based on that feedback.

The results have brought thousands of visitors to campus. Tutoring and reading camps for young students, precollegiate conferences for high school students and life skills workshops for adults made OSU-Tulsa a welcoming place for learning at all levels. The Center for Poets and Writers hosts workshops to help participants tell their

stories, and author talks like the annual Writers on Greenwood bring nationallevel writers to campus.

Other efforts big and small — like the Back to School Bash that provides free backpacks full of school supplies and other resources to hundreds of families each year, or the community library that’s given away countless books to kids near campus, keep the idea of college visible and real to the community.

“Tulsans recognize that our campus is a gateway to quality education,” said Craig Freeman, OSU-Tulsa interim vice provost and dean of the College of Professional Studies. “We’re proud to be a ‘sticky campus’ — a place that attracts people, where people want to hang around. The more people feel comfortable coming to campus, the more likely we’ll be top of mind when Tulsans are looking for education.”

Serving at the intersection of research, education and community outreach informs several initiatives and academic centers at OSU-Tulsa.

The OSU Center for Family Resilience has provided research and program development for local nonprofit organizations for more than a decade.

OSU-Tulsa faculty lend their expertise to city community-building and public health initiatives.

The Al Carlozzi Center for Counseling has offered low-cost counseling services to thousands of

In this May 1998 file photo, former Gov. Frank Keating signs Senate Bill 1426, which launched OSU-Tulsa in 1999.

“This journey of 25 years shows the power of education to transform lives, build communities and drive economic growth. Our commitment to providing accessible, world-class education and serving as a hub for workforce development remains as strong as ever.

We’re excited to see what the next 25 years will bring.”

DR. JOHNNY STEPHENS, INTERIM PRESIDENT OF OSU-TULSA AND PRESIDENT OF OSU CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES

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By 2008, the Helmerich Research Center was up and running, educating engineering students and performing cutting-edge research with state-of-the-art equipment.

Emonica “Nekki” Reagan-Neeley, assistant vice president for community engagement and student services

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clients, reaching far into underserved communities and training counseling professionals who continue their work across the state.

“Most people can’t afford to pay $100 to $150 an hour, and most private practice clinicians don’t take insurance anymore, so there’s a huge gap in the kinds of services that are available to people, especially in the Tulsa area,” said Dr. Sarah Johnson, director of the Carlozzi Center.

“All of our community mental health centers are inundated with people, so we regularly get people who say, ‘This is the first time I’ve been able to get counseling because I just haven’t been able to afford it,’ even though they’ve been struggling for years.”

Last year alone, the center recorded over 2,000 hours of direct client service, with most sessions only costing $5.

“When someone in the community sees a need, they’re now saying, ‘Talk to OSU,’” Reagan-Neeley said. “We’re living our mission and demonstrating that our campus is not a barrier, but rather a place of opportunity.”

WORKFORCE-FOCUSED Over the last quarter-century, OSUTulsa has developed into a hub for initiatives invested in transforming

the lives of students and the Tulsa-area economy.

What started as just one building — Main Hall — has evolved into a connected urban campus with strong ties to its neighbors and ongoing efforts to invest in the lives of the people around it.

The Helmerich Research Center, home to the OSU School of Materials Science and Engineering, houses research, development and testing for industry partners and government agencies including NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense. Faculty researchers embrace a “lab-tomarketplace” ethos, developing materials for diverse industries including hydrogen fuel tanks for the U.S. Army and shark bite resistant swimwear for an Australian water sports company. The impact of the research is worldwide — but the business often stays in Oklahoma with alumni-led businesses including Infinite Composites and MITO Materials.

This hub of research and commercialization activity was taken to a new level with the recent addition of the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility, a partnership between OSU’s Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education,

Tulsa Innovation Labs and other local partners to develop and commercialize new technology in unmanned aerial vehicles.

OSU-Tulsa continues to expand its focus on STEM education for students and the community. More than 1,000 students in grades K-12 have attended free STEM camps on campus in the past year. The camps dovetail with OSUTulsa’s community engagement efforts to create a pipeline of future STEM professionals for Oklahoma.

“Kids can’t be what they can’t see,” Freeman said. “If we want our students to choose STEM majors in college, they need to be curious about science and math instead of intimidated. Building Oklahoma’s professional technological workforce of the future starts with nurturing an interest in STEM from a young age.”

Engineering was also added as a degree path to the College Park partnership with Tulsa Community College, which provides students who want to stay in Tulsa with a seamless four-year university experience on the OSU-Tulsa campus. The groundbreaking program is part of broader efforts to increase access to OSU System degree and certificate programs in Tulsa.

To that end, OSU Institute of Technology began offering courses toward degrees in engineering technologies and environmental safety on the OSU-Tulsa campus in response to demand from Tulsa-area employers.

A popular grant-funded non-credit fiber optic technician training course also expanded to Tulsa, producing graduates with the knowledge and skills to land high-paying, high-demand jobs in the state.

“The collaboration between OSUTulsa and OSUIT shows the power of the OSU System,” said Dr. Johnny Stephens, interim president of OSUTulsa and president of OSU Center for Health Sciences. “We’re using our resources to make these hands-on programs available where they are most needed. The possibilities are endless and will benefit Tulsa businesses and residents.”

FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE Keeping with the pace of change in workforce demands, OSU-Tulsa continues to respond and innovate.

The OSU College of Professional Studies, an academic college dedicated to workforce-focused degree and noncredit programs, was created in 2021.

Housed at OSU-Tulsa, the college aims to equip mid-career professionals with the education and tools they need to advance at their workplace or change careers. Flexible programs accommodate diverse academic backgrounds and are designed with employer input to build leadership, strategic planning and industry-specific skills.

“The College of Professional Studies is a win-win for students and employers,” Freeman said.

“Companies who come to us want to keep their employees and promote from within, and our students want to stay competitive and earn a higher salary. Our programs make it possible to earn an OSU degree without taking extra classes or needing to leave the workforce.”

OSU-Tulsa has also strengthened its partnership with Cherokee Nation Film, creating an industry-grade film lab, film production courses and public workshops taught by award-winning

professionals. With the continued growth in film production in Oklahoma, students and workshop participants have been in high demand on the sets of “Reservation Dogs” and other nationally recognized productions.

Looking toward the future, OSUTulsa seeks to create more of these opportunities that have the power to change lives and build community.

“This journey of 25 years shows the power of education to transform lives, build communities and drive economic growth,” Stephens said. “Our commitment to providing accessible, world-class education and serving as a hub for workforce development remains as strong as ever. We’re excited to see what the next 25 years will bring.”

As OSU-Tulsa’s focus has shifted to match the times, longtime employees like Reagan-Neeley have kept their sights locked on what has remained at the heart of the campus’s mission: student success.

“When you see those graduates that you have worked with so long to help them get to that next level, seeing them walk across the stage — that’s how I know I’m in the right place,” she said.

Oklahoma State University-Tulsa celebrates its 25th anniversary on Jan. 1, 2024.

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Event chair Cheryl Clerico speaks at the Stately Affair gala in Tulsa.

Donations for Dreams Millions raised for students at 2023 A Stately Affair Gala

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Stately Affair: It’s a summer night of glitz, glam and plenty of orange in downtown Tulsa, with the mission to raise money for Oklahoma State University’s presence in the city.

This year, the biennial fundraising event at the Cox Business Center raised $2 million for scholarships to benefit OSU-Tulsa and OSU Center for Health Sciences students.

Thanks to record attendance for the event and the tremendous generosity of donors, including the premier sponsor, the Cherokee Nation, and event chairs John and Cheryl Clerico, the future for OSU students in Tulsa is brighter — and more orange — than ever.

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A TRANSFORMATIVE GIFT “There has never been a better time to be a Cowboy in Tulsa,” said Dr. Johnny Stephens, president of OSUCHS and interim president of OSUTulsa. “We have so much to be proud of here and have momentum in this town like we’ve never seen before.”

OSU’s presence in Tulsa has been swelling in recent years, leading in workforce responsive investments and initiatives. In just the last year, OSU has established a new accounting program, new degrees and programming in the Tulsa-exclusive College of Professional Studies, and an industry-grade film lab in partnership with the Cherokee Nation. The Helmerich Research Center at OSU-Tulsa has also added the new

LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility, in partnership with OSU’s Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education and Tulsa Innovation Labs.

OSU-CHS is the only institution in the state to experience enrollment growth every year for the last decade, and in 2023, it earned top spots in the annual “U.S. News & World Report” medical school rankings. OSUCHS earned the No. 1 ranking in the percentage of graduates practicing medicine in health professional shortage areas, and No. 10 ranking in graduates practicing medicine in rural areas, which underscores its mission to educate physicians for rural and underserved areas.

The largest health care investment in downtown Tulsa is under development — the new OSU Academic Medical District. The district is a bold vision of treatment and research, which will include a new Veterans Hospital in Tulsa, the Oklahoma Psychiatric Care Center and a new biomedical research facility. OSU Medical Center also will undergo multiple phases of improvements and expansions in the coming years.

STORY AARON CAMPBELL | PHOTOS TOM GILBERT

“It’s truly an amazing package of investments,” the Clericos said in a message to the A Stately Affair crowd.

“Thank you to [OSU President] Dr. Kayse Shrum and Dr. Johnny Stephens in developing a brand new health care strategy for OSU in Tulsa.”

One of the institution’s momentous health care initiatives is the new OSU nursing bachelor’s degree program, which launched this fall. At the event, the Clericos pledged to match the first $1 million in donations to OSU scholarship programs, with their contributions going to the nursing program.

“There are lots of things to be happy about and support,” John Clerico said.

“I encourage everyone to look at the package of new activities, new services, new facilities, decide where you think you have a particular interest, and let’s get behind this in a big way.”

A DEDICATED PARTNERSHIP The Cherokee Nation, the event’s premier sponsor and recipient of the 2023 Icon Award, illustrated its generosity and continued its strategic OSU collaboration with a gift of $100,000.

“It’s not just a relationship, this is a partnership with the Cherokee Nation,” Stephens said.

The nation has proven to be a special partner for OSU in Tulsa and beyond, working closely with OSU-Tulsa on film education scholarships and initiatives, and partnering with OSU-CHS to build the only tribally affiliated medical school in the United States — the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation. Their collaborative efforts in recent years have already improved the lives of hundreds of students in the Tulsa area.

“It’s always been my dream since I was like 9 years old, making little films with my cousins back in Shawnee,” said Josiah Jones, a film workshop participant at OSU-Tulsa who has gone on to find work on local film sets. “I couldn’t have done it without the class and the scholarship that the Cherokee Nation and OSU-Tulsa provided.”

The Cherokee Nation scholarships have also benefited many of its young citizens, particularly student doctors at OSU-COM in Tahlequah. Four years

“In order for dreams to come true there has to be hard work and opportunity. A Stately Affair is a huge part of providing opportunities for people to realize their dreams.”

— KAYSE SHRUM, OSU PRESIDENT

after opening the Tahlequah campus, 160 students attend school there. The inaugural class will graduate in May 2024.

“We so much appreciate the partnership with the Cherokee Nation,” Shrum said. “I thank the Cherokee Nation for their vision, trust and what they do for Oklahoma State University and the state of Oklahoma.”

GENEROUS DONATIONS Many other guests also graciously donated to help Tulsa students.

The George Kaiser Family Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and Ralph and Frances McGill each

supported A Stately Affair this year with gifts of $50,000. Bank of Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Nation, Scott and Sarah Shepherd, Saint Francis Health System, OSU Office of the President and the John Steele Zink Foundation were all $25,000 sponsors for the event.

Impactful donations like these are what light the path for future generations in and around Tulsa to earn the skills they need to pursue their dreams.

If you would like to donate to provide scholarships to OSU students in Tulsa, contact the OSU Foundation in Tulsa at osuintulsa@osugiving.com or 918-594-8500.

From left: OSU-CHS and OSU-Tulsa President Johnny Stephens, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskins Jr. and OSU President Kayse Shrum pose at A Stately Affair in recognition of the Cherokee Nation’s Icon Award.

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WHERE DO EMPLOYERS TURN FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS? ORANGE IS THE ANSWER. Oklahoma State University is committed to quality continuing education for working professionals.

As part of that commitment, the College of Professional Studies at OSU-Tulsa is building partnerships with employers to recruit, retain, retrain and promote their employees. The innovative degree, certificate and micro-badge programs from these collaborations are tailored to our economy’s demands.

With flexible, employer-driven education options for today’s workforce, OSU is advancing economic development, developing talent and preparing the next generation of leaders for our city and state.

professionalstudies.okstate.edu

ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N

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The theme of the 2023 edition of America’s Greatest Homecoming was “THE YEAR of the COWBOY,” a celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of Frank Eaton's spirited connection to Oklahoma State University.

The Eaton Family served as grand marshals of this year’s festivities, which were held from Oct. 20-28 and included many OSU traditions. As thousands of members of the Cowboy family filled campus, the Cowboy spirit was amplified. A Cowboy football victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats concluded the celebration on a high note.

Along with our sponsor, Love’s Travel Stops, the OSU Alumni Association invites you to relive this unforgettable week and celebrate our contest winners in the following pages. You can also watch the highlight video online at okla.st/hc23 and learn about supporting OSU’s most beloved tradition, America’s Greatest Homecoming.

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PHOTO GARY LAWSON

PHOTO MARCUS CONRAD

PHOTO GENESEE PHOTO SYSTEMS

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PHOTO GARY LAWSON

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

HOMECOMING KING & QUEEN

Stephen Pulliam and Makinley Kennedy

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

SEA OF ORANGE PARADE

Love’s Fan Favorite | CEHS Student Council

PHOTO BRUCE WATERFIELD

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

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PHOTO GARY LAWSON

HOUSE DECORATIONS

Alumni Assoc. Chairman's Cup | Zeta Tau Alpha/FarmHouse 2nd | Kappa Kappa Gamma/Alpha Gamma Rho 3rd | Kappa Delta/Phi Delta Theta 4th | Chi Omega/Phi Gamma Delta 5th | Gamma Phi Beta/Sigma Nu Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Gamma Phi Beta/Sigma Nu ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD Zeta Tau Alpha/FarmHouse SAFETY AWARD Kappa Kappa Gamma/Alpha Gamma Rho

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

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PHOTO GARY LAWSON

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

PHOTO OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

SIGN COMPETITION

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 1st - Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Butter Churning Club 2nd | Best Buddies 3rd | CEHS Student Council

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

RESIDENTIAL LIFE 1st - Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | University Commons 2nd | Stout Hall 3rd | Patchin/Jones Halls FRATERNITY AND SORORITY 1st | Alpha Omicron Pi/Delta Tau Delta 2nd | Chi Omega/Phi Gamma Delta 3rd | Zeta Tau Alpha/FarmHouse Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Chi Omega/Phi Gamma Delta PHOTO GARY LAWSON

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 41

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

CHILI COOK-OFF

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 1st - Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Horseman’s and Ranch Team 2nd | Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow 3rd | American Fisheries Society PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

PHOTO OSU AL

RESIDENTIAL LIFE 1st | Love’s Fan Favorite - Zink/Allen Halls and North Monroe 2nd | Kamm/Peterson/Friend Halls 3rd | Patchin/Jones Halls

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

PHOTO OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

BASKETBALL BONANZA

1st | Chi Omega/Phi Gamma Delta 2nd | Alpha Chi Omega/Sigma Chi 3rd | Zeta Tau Alpha/FarmHouse

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PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

LUMNI ASSOCIATION

HARVEST CARNIVAL

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 1st - Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Butter Churning Club 2nd | CEHS STUCO 3rd | Business Student Council

HARVEST 2 PHILANTHROPIC AWARD Fraternity and Sorority - Phi Mu/Kappa Sigma

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PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

FRATERNITY AND SORORITY 1st | Kappa Kappa Gamma/Alpha Gamma Rho 2nd | Kappa Delta/Phi Delta Theta 3rd | Kappa Alpha Theta/Beta Theta Pi Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Kappa Alpha Theta/Beta Theta Pi

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

SWEEPSTAKES

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 1st | Butter Churning Club 2nd | CEHS Student Council 3rd | Pre-Vet Medicine RESIDENTIAL LIFE 1st | Zink/Allen Halls and North Monroe 2nd | Stout Hall 3rd | University Commons FRATERNITY AND SORORITY 1st | Zeta Tau Alpha/FarmHouse 2nd | Kappa Kappa Gamma/Alpha Gamma Rho 3rd | Kappa Delta/Phi Delta Theta JERRY GILL SPIRIT AWARD Zeta Tau Alpha/FarmHouse MOST SPIRITED COLLEGE Ferguson College of Agriculture

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PHOTO BRUCE WATERFIELD

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

PHOTO GARY LAWSON

PHOTO BRUCE WATERFIELD

ORANGE REFLECTION

1st | Stout Hall 2nd | Parker/Wentz Halls 3rd | Zink/Allen Halls and North Monroe Love’s Travel Stops Fan Favorite | Parker/Wentz Halls

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FUELED AND READY TO RIDE PROUD SPONSOR OF AMERICA’S GREATEST HOMECOMING

ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N

1800-OK-LOVES // loves.com

POWERING OKC’S WORKFORCE Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma City is a top-tier institution that combines a first-class education with the conveniences of an advantageous location and tremendous degree affordability.

Through innovative programs, OSUOKC directly addresses workforce needs in Oklahoma and nationwide industries including health care, public safety and STEM. Meeting the needs of students with a variety of backgrounds, there are abundant resources available including programs for first-generation students, single parents, and veteran and military students.

OSU-OKC is powering Oklahoma’s workforce through its commitment and dedication to its students.

Visit osuokc.edu to learn more.

When Cowboys are United, we can accomplish great things!

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STORY SAMANTHA HARDY AND GRANT RAMIREZ | PHOTOS ESTEFANIA MARTINEZ AND SAMANTHA HARDY

Cowboys United for Mental Health 2023 raises more than $275,000 to expand mental health services for all OSU students his fall, the Cowboy family did what it does best — supported each other.

To honor World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, Oklahoma State University launched Cowboys United for Mental Health 2023.

The five-day campaign aimed to increase mental health services for students across the OSU system.

For the second year, the campaign was an incredible success, raising $278,037 from 611 donors. Thanks to the generosity of the Merrick Foundation, along with a 1959 psychology alumnus and a Tulsabased foundation who wished to remain anonymous, the first $150,000 was matched dollar-for-dollar.

Last year’s inaugural campaign allowed the university to offer more counseling sessions and hire more staff to increase access and decrease wait times. This year’s campaign will make an even greater impact, said Adrian Matthys, assistant vice president of annual giving at the OSU Foundation.

“Cowboys United for Mental Health 2023 was a huge success largely because of the tangible impact of last year’s campaign,”

he said. “Thanks to the generosity of our donors, more than 400 students benefited from additional mental health services. OSU was able to increase the number of free counseling sessions from four to six. That’s incredible. This year’s campaign provides the university with the financial resources to expand on that success.”

The more than $275,000 raised in 2023 will fund the hiring of more graduate students to continue to meet students’ needs as well as offer more virtual counseling options and referral support services.

“Cowboys United for Mental Health has shown the true culture of care here at OSU,” said Dr. Doug Hallenbeck, OSU vice president of student affairs. “Through their generosity, we have increased access to mental health support across the OSU System. We not only improve students’ lives, we may very well have saved some, too.”

On World Mental Health Day, more than 10 student organizations participated in the Cowboy Carnival, an event focused on raising mental health awareness and education at OSU. The evening’s festivities also featured

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“When I think back to my darkest times, I wish someone could have told me that they made it through so I can, too. Now years later, I have made it my life ’s mission to help at least one person see the beauty and light that tomorrow brings.”

Garrin Morlan

OSU alumna & current graduate assistant in the Department of Wellness

games, free snow cones and popcorn as well as $10 mechanical bull rides with all proceeds supporting Cowboys United for Mental Health.

“We are humbled by the generosity of the Cowboy family,” said Rebecca Nievar, director of annual giving at the OSU Foundation. “It’s a remarkable achievement to see the entire OSU community galvanized by this cause and inspired to support each other. We all want OSU students to be successful, and this campaign makes it possible for the university to support students so they can reach their full potential.”

Garrin Morlan, OSU alumna and current graduate assistant in the Department of Wellness, is passionate about mental health.

As an undergraduate, she helped launch OSU’s chapter of Active Minds, a student organization that focuses on increasing mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Her own mental health struggles, including suicide attempts and healing, ignited her advocacy.

“I found myself struggling in silence for a really long time,” Morlan said. “At the age of 16, I thought dying might be easier than living. Fortunately, I had an amazing family who got me the services I needed, and to this day, I want others to know there are people out there who have made it and they can make it, too.”

Morlan’s journey demonstrates that she not only survived her bout with mental illness, but she is thriving.

“When I think back to my darkest times, I wish someone could have told me that they made it through so I can, too. Now years later, I have made it my life’s mission to help at

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least one person see the beauty and light that tomorrow brings,” she said.

Hallenbeck said OSU offers an array of services and resources to address students’ mental health needs.

“We provide a comprehensive approach to mental health and mental well-being,” Hallenbeck said. “Our services are geared toward increasing prevention resources and support, intervention support and care, and follow-up support. Cowboys United for Mental Health has been a huge catalyst in our ability to improve the lives of our students.”

Cowboys United for Mental Health 2023 concluded on Oct. 14, the same day as the Cowboys’ home football game against Kansas. In concert with the campaign, OSU Athletics focused on mental health on game day and amplified the message that OSU cares about the mental wellness of all its students.

“Without a doubt, the Cowboy family looks out for each other,” Nievar said. “It’s been inspiring to experience the amazing collaboration and partnerships across the OSU System to ensure our students’ mental health is a priority.”

For more information on how you can support mental health services at OSU, contact Annie Wells at awells@OSUgiving.com or 918-282-0422.

DON’T STRUGGLE ALONE Visit okla.st/talk to learn about available mental health resources.

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

The Cowboy family takes care of each other, and the university offers a wide-range of mental health resources for its students. Cowboys United for Mental Health is a campaign that directly supports OSU students in need. Six students have shared their story to let their peers know they don’t have to struggle alone.

RanDea Bryant Sophomore, Sociology

RanDea Bryant didn’t see much promotion for mental health services while going on college visits. At least not until she toured OSU. As she walked around campus, she noticed numerous signs and advertisements for mental health resources and received even more information from her tour guide.

OSU wants its students to know it is here to support them, and that ultimately played a role in Bryant’s college decision.

“Coming here, I have heard about so many different resources,” Bryant said. “I feel like OSU actually cares about their students and pushes for mental health. We hear it in everyday conversations around campus.”

Throughout her time at OSU, Bryant has found therapy extremely helpful for managing her mental wellness. She has taken advantage of the counseling services on campus, including the free sessions offered to every student.

Last year’s Cowboys United for Mental Health campaign provided funding that allowed OSU to increase the number of free counseling sessions per student from four to six.

“Students should utilize the free counseling sessions and the other great resources we have, whether they are struggling or not,” Bryant said. “I tell people all the time, use those up. Not every college has those opportunities. So if we are given these resources, take them.”

Dylan Prater

Sophomore, Music Industry

Dylan Prater’s problems were right in front of him, but he couldn’t find a way past them.

As someone with general anxiety disorder, worries can feel insurmountable. But, therapy has helped him through some of his lowest points. Along with learning to recognize bad habits, he was given strategies to combat his issues.

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“I was thinking about these things that I was running into and problems I was having that I could probably fix, but there was no plan — it was only pain,” Prater said. “Therapy taught me lessons about how to cope in a healthy way.”

At OSU, Prater has also used the Reboot Center in the Student Union as a way to recharge. It’s designed to be a calming place where students, faculty and staff can listen to music, do relaxing activities and even take a nap.

The Reboot Center was critical in helping Prater to destress in between his two jobs he worked last year.

“The message I would provide to students struggling with their mental well-being is to seek out help not because it will fix you, but so that it can help you fix yourself,” Prater said. “Secondly, don’t wait until it gets extremely dire to reach out, that just makes it 10 times harder.”

Jaycee Mathews Sophomore, Creative Writing

Jaycee Mathews has had to learn to say no.

A Tuttle, Oklahoma, native, Mathews quickly found success at OSU. In just her freshman year, she was an honors student, a freshman research scholar and submitted a Wentz research proposal.

But she didn’t realize she had severely overextended herself. It culminated into a massive case of burnout that resulted in a major depressive episode. She also faced financial difficulties and an uncooperative family that led to her becoming food insecure.

“To me, there’s this glorification of giving everything you absolutely can — even to the detriment of yourself,” Mathews said. “I think in general there’s become a bit of a culture where you just do what you have to do in college, and you make whatever compromises with yourself that you have to. That’s kind of a really horrible mindset to have.”

With the guidance of a professor, Mathews found her way to OSU Case Management, which is housed within the Office of Student Support and Conduct. It’s a resource that connects students with case managers who serve as path-clearers and problem-solvers for issues related to mental health, academic, relationship, food insecurity and other stressful crises.

Mathews has had three case managers while at OSU, and her experience with them has been life-changing.

“All three of my case managers have been the most empathetic and sweet people,” Mathews said. “It’s just been a really cool experience, especially for students who don’t have a large support system.”

Mathews has since been diagnosed with ADHD and receives medication from University Health Services. While she still has her fair share of struggles, her improvement allowed her to move into this year optimistically.

“OSU fosters an especially caring group of people, and students need to understand that there are people here specifically to help them,” Mathews said.

Morgyn Wynne

“You come here and it’s like a fresh slate,” Lamb said. “In many ways, that’s good. But in other ways, it’s very intimidating. It can be really lonely trying to find yourself, and on top of that there’s also a lot of pressure on you to know what you want to do with your life.”

Lamb struggled with various social situations and, she encountered an intense bout of seasonal depression toward the end of the fall semester of her freshman year. Her grades slipped to an all-time low.

But with the help of her therapist, who she has been seeing since high school, her mental health is now on a steep, positive incline.

Through time and experience, Lamb has learned a lot about herself and how to work through her negative experiences.

“Just know that no feeling truly lasts forever,” Lamb said. “It does get better, especially once you can find some motivation to be happier and be better. I think that’s attainable for everyone.

Help is out there, and once you get it, the world really is a much brighter place.”

Graduate Student, Higher Education and Student Affairs As a five-year student-athlete and current graduate student, juggling responsibilities has become second nature to Morgyn Wynne.

She was named a Senior of Significance for her work in and out of the classroom and was a staple in the lineup for the Cowgirl softball team in last year’s Women’s College World Series. Despite her achievements, it hasn’t always been easy.

When Wynne transferred to OSU following her junior season, she didn’t realize she was still battling depression. Being in a new environment as well as the pressures of playing for a high-level program weighed on her and caused her to spiral. This time, her depression came on much more aggressively.

“At first, I was trying to muscle through it and deal with it all on my own,” Wynne said. “I guess part of me thought I was strong enough … that I’ve recovered before so I could do it again.”

It boiled over to a point that Wynne knew she needed to ask for help. She approached her trainer, who had her meet with a psychiatrist and sports psychologist in the athletic department. From there, she was set up with a therapist through University Health Services.

In the past year, Wynne said she has been at her healthiest.

“Everything gets easier when you realize you don’t have to fight through it alone,” Wynne said. “Take that huge step and ask for help. There are so many resources for you at OSU to get you the help you need and make your experience as a student what it should be.”

Hayleigh Lamb Junior, Psychology

Corinne Kissel

Senior, Nonprofit & Sports Management Corinne Kissel’s mental health has been a roller coaster during her OSU career.

She has been incredibly involved on campus, including initiation into Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, spending three years in the Cowboy Marching Band, serving as a tour guide and currently working in the OSU Athletics department. These activities have brought her some of her favorite memories.

But it’s also a lot to manage, especially while struggling with issues such as imposter syndrome, financial anxiety and body image issues.

“I’ve had to learn to place value and worth in myself before I place value in my schoolwork, friendships, accomplishments and social status,” Kissel said “Those are all worldly, fluid things and don’t make me who I am.”

Kissel has utilized Therapy Assistance Online (TAO), a resource offered free to every OSU student to help her learn how to handle her anxiety and other issues. It’s an online library of interactive programs that are tailored to a wide range of problems students may face.

Kissel said it’s a great resource that more people should use, especially for those who are hesitant to try in-person therapy.

“I find using traditional therapy to be a bit overwhelming,” Kissel said. “Just walking into that room … it feels a bit sterile for me. So just going online and using TAO and then being able to process it on my own time has been very useful for me.

“Healing is so joyful. It’s not always fun, and it is so hard, but being able to see yourself for who you are is such a beautiful thing.

Life is wonderful. We should all experience it together.”

To many, starting college is one of the most exciting times of their life. For others, the transition can be challenging.

Hayleigh Lamb, who moved to Stillwater from Tulsa, didn’t expect to feel so isolated when she arrived at OSU.

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Planting Seeds,

Growing Dreams Student Farm is an outdoor classroom with a service-minded mission

In the height of a sweltering summer as the mid-day hours march on, a small group of Oklahoma State University students bend over rows of bright green watermelons, ripe for the picking. It’s above 100 degrees, and their breaks under a nearby shade tree offer little respite from the relentless heat, but they’re happy.

They asked to be a part of this.

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Sweat running down their backs, soil under their fingernails, they have all become great friends as they work alongside each other on the OSU Student Farm. In early 2023, the commercial garden began growing fruits and vegetables that are delivered to Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center in Stillwater.

The endeavor is rooted in an idea proposed by Darren Shrum, First Cowboy and husband of OSU President Kayse Shrum.

“The plans for this project reach more than just agriculture,” Darren Shrum said. “All colleges can be involved, from engineering to human sciences, and it ties into the university’s focus on One Health initiative that promotes a healthy lifestyle.”

West of campus on Highway 51, the red brick barn and acreage formerly known as OSU’s Swine Research and Education Center has taken on new life as the Student Farm. In its first year of operation, the site has produced more than 54,000 pounds of produce for Payne County residents on about three acres of land. Last fall, student workers planted cover crops, installed an irrigation system and built a tall, metal deer fence around another three acres the crew will use for planting this spring.

Seven OSU student employees, two managers and several eager volunteers maintain the operation. From cool-season crops to common summer varieties, the team planted many vegetables last year to learn what grew best in the soil. Cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, okra, sweet corn, cabbage, kohlrabi, cauliflower, spinach, summer and winter squash, cantaloupes and watermelons were harvested daily.

Through hands-on trial-and-error gardening, the crew determined its planting strategy for 2024, which will include new items like potatoes and asparagus.

STORY GAIL ELLIS | PHOTOS MITCHELL ALCALA

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 55

“Growing produce encompasses many learning opportunities that are related to agriculture, nutrition, soil health, irrigation and the agribusiness sector,” said Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “This unique experience will benefit students far beyond the classroom.”

Doubling the Student Farm’s acreage this year will increase supplies at Our Daily Bread, providing more nutritious food items many residents need but too often can’t afford.

To view an Inside OSU feature on the Student Farm project, go to okla.st/ studentfarmvideo

“

TAKE WHAT YOU NEED Inside the food bank, guests push carts down aisles of canned goods, boxed items and freezers of food. The building’s intercom system softly plays upbeat music as shoppers make their selections.

Signs taped throughout the room read, “Take what you need,” and a group of people congregate around plastic crates full of fresh vegetables on large tables.

Cushing resident Jacqueline Chappell and her husband visit Our Daily Bread once a month to shop for groceries. As senior citizens on a set income, they must stretch their budget, and that’s difficult with so many medical bills to pay. Chappell has a chronic autoimmune disease, and her husband is battling stage 4 cancer. She is grateful for such an open and giving resource center where she can select the best produce options for their health.

“With the rise in grocery prices, we just can’t make it, and we’re on a fixed diet for our illnesses, so we have to eat a lot of vegetables,” Chappell said.

“Canned items have too much salt or sugar. We tried growing a garden, but we’re limited in what we can do. The produce is just a great thing to see. We love the spaghetti squash, peppers and beets, and I made a pie with the pumpkin.”

Previously, other produce that was donated to Our Daily Bread was often near the end of its shelf life, but daily deliveries from the Student Farm guarantee fresh items that support a well-rounded diet.

Before this partnership, we had very little fresh produce to offer our guests. The accessibility to more vegetables helps guests eat more nutrientdense foods, and they’re so proud of the meals they’re able to provide their families.”

RACHEL CONDLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OUR DAILY BREAD

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“Before this partnership, we had very little fresh produce to offer our guests,” said Rachael Condley, executive director of Our Daily Bread. “The accessibility to more vegetables helps guests eat more nutrient-dense foods, and they’re so proud of the meals they’re able to provide their families.”

Our Daily Bread hosts shopping days three days a week featuring the Student Farm’s fresh vegetables and other local donations. Items are also available at other satellite sites: Lincoln Academy, a part of Stillwater Public Schools, and Pete’s Pantry, which serves college students on OSU’s campus.

EMBODYING THE LAND-GRANT MISSION The Student Farm’s purpose integrates all areas of OSU’s land-grant mission. The project offers valuable teaching opportunities and research projects while embracing the Extension mission, which is deeply rooted in service.

Many of the student workers reached out to Dr. Justin Quetone Moss, head of the OSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in the Ferguson College of Agriculture, to ask how they could get involved. Moss advertised the student roles through OSU Career Services and its parttime job fair.

“The OSU Student Farm gives us this wonderful opportunity to give our students hands-on experience in a real-world production environment,” Moss said. “In addition, they are getting involved in the community as they harvest the vegetables daily and directly deliver them to Our Daily Bread each morning.”

One of those students who contacted Moss was Samantha Buie, an agriculture education sophomore from Paso Robles, California, who plans to minor in horticulture.

“He offered me an actual job to provide food for the community,” she said. “I never knew I enjoyed plants or gardening this much until I got the job.

I want to be a professor, maybe a horticulture professor, so this definitely has shaped my career path.”

Fellow student employee Samantha Pratt had gained experience in high school working on a family farm in her hometown of Medicine Park, Oklahoma. The public horticulture senior hopes to earn a master’s degree from OSU and eventually teach others about sustainable gardening through botanic illustration.

“It’s great to hear about the impact of the farm,” Pratt said. “I really enjoy the work. I’m a physical person, so being able to put forth my effort toward something that means a lot to people brings me joy.”

Clad in blue jeans, sturdy shoes and gloves, the Student Farm crew is prepared for anything during their shift, and it thrives on the camaraderie developed over the past few months. Buie helped weld the deer fence for the garden’s phase 1 acreage, and it was all hands on deck when setting up the irrigation system. The students run tractors, fix equipment, hoe weeds, drive deliveries to Our Daily Bread and learn the basic steps of establishing and operating a commercial garden.

Agriculture education sophomore Rylee Smith from Oologah, Oklahoma, plans to become a high school agriculture teacher, and she believes her Student Farm experience will benefit her students in the future.

“I want to teach students in-depth if they love horticulture,” she said. “If they want to work in it, I can give them that extra knowledge that I’ve learned here.”

Parker Lastovica of Garfield, Arkansas, is a horticulture business senior who knew he was not destined for a career with traditional 8-to-5 hours, tied to a desk. Physical work outdoors for a cause larger than himself changed his perspective.

“Facts I’ve learned in class I can take out here and see them in action,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot of practical information on the day-to-day function of the farm. This is what I want to do — grow vegetables, preferably in a community garden.”

The farm’s co-managers, Lynda Carrier and Matt Beartrack, are wise student mentors. Their combined expertise in research and community gardening is valuable to young students with big dreams of fighting food insecurity, conserving natural resources and promoting public health through physical activity, healthy food and ecological sustainability.

Carrier has 20 years of experience conducting vegetable research at OSU. “A lot of the plants we did research on over the years were variety trials,” she said. “I looked back through the trials, and we figured out the best varieties to try and grow out here. We had great success with everything we grew.”

Beartrack is an alumnus of the OSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and served as the garden manager at Skyline Urban Ministry.

“I have always been a backyard gardener and working here allows me to do what I love while helping out the community,” Beartrack said.

As the Student Farm begins its second year of vegetable production, its dedicated student team is preparing for a busy spring and summer. The seeds and plants they place in the soil, carefully tend and harvest at peak time will nourish thousands of Oklahomans, and that’s not a job they take lightly.

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Squashing Stigmas It’s noon on a Thursday and almost every chair is occupied in the lobby of Stillwater’s Our Daily Bread Resource Center. Guests sit patiently waiting to hear their assigned number called, prompting them to the back of the facility for a grocery shopping session of donated food items and produce.

In the corner of the room, Dea Rash, the OSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences educator for Payne County, stands beside a table with free samples of spaghetti squash cooked with bacon and cheese. Glossy recipe cards and information sheets are stacked next to the food with notes on how to prepare spaghetti squash and use it in meals. OSU’s Student Farm had an abundance of spaghetti squash this summer, so the goal is to demonstrate how to incorporate it into flavorful meals.

“The main thing is making sure people know how to cook it,” Rash explained. “That’s the disconnect — OSU brought all of this spaghetti squash here, but if someone doesn’t know what to do with it, we want to make sure they go home with instructions on how to cook it several different ways.”

Rash regularly visits Our Daily Bread on shopping days to represent OSU Extension as an extra layer of community support. She hosts educational programs for residents that promote eating nutrient-dense foods and healthy lifestyles.

Every method and concept is backed by research, and nutritional information is available with the recipes.

“We’ve taught classes on cooking with cast iron skillets, STEM programming, jam making, pressure cooking and air fryers,” Rash said. “People might be interested in a class like that here, so it’s good to be a presence and promote the classes we offer.”

Rash plans to continue coordinating demonstrations with Our Daily Bread and the Student Farm; the produce harvested later this year will help Payne County Extension determine what recipes and cooking methods to share with the community.

OSU Extension offices are in all 77 Oklahoma counties. To connect with local educators like Rash, visit extension.okstate.edu.

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The OSU Student Farm’s produce includes: Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Green Beans, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Okra, Potato, Spinach, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Tomato, Watermelon

We really support agriculture and OSU. The New Frontiers campaign seemed like a good place to donate money. I was really impressed with Larry and Kay Ferguson’s vision to feed the world.

When you are impressed with someone, it makes you want to donate to their cause.”

Kristen Hart, OSU Agricultural Engineering, ‘79 Greg Hart, OSU Mechanized Agriculture, ‘79 New Frontiers Major Gift Donors

Conceptual rendering of Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar

Got Milk?

Dairy Bar set to open in fall 2024 in New Frontiers Agricultural Hall

F

or decades, the Dairy Bar was a place for Oklahoma State University students to eat, socialize and spend time between classes.

Housed in the old Dairy Building, which was built in 1928, students would frequent the campus eatery for a variety of foods and dairy products, including cinnamon rolls, ice cream and ice-cold milk.

The Dairy Building was demolished in 2006 to create space for the Henry Bellmon Research Center, but the OSU family will soon experience Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar on the ground level of the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall that opens next fall.

“During the early planning stages of the building, it became clear to us that we had an opportunity to bring back the student-favorite Dairy Bar for future generations of Cowboys to enjoy,” said Dr. Randy Raper, assistant vice president of facilities for OSU Agriculture.

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The re-envisioned Dairy Bar is named after New Frontiers Cornerstone Donors Larry and Kayleen Ferguson. They made the lead gift that launched the $50 million campaign to build a state-of-the-art facility for OSU Agriculture and rebranded the Ferguson College of Agriculture.

The Fergusons met as OSU students in the mid1970s and have revitalized the dairy program and facilities through their generosity, inspiring others to invest in OSU Agriculture’s future with a vision to feed the world.

Motivated by their faith, belief in education and love for the OSU family, the couple has given to numerous causes, including schools, churches, Christian organizations, United Way, Make-aWish Foundation and others through the Ferguson Family Foundation.

For many alumni, memories of campus are anchored to the Dairy Bar.

STORY MANDY GROSS | PHOTOS TODD JOHNSON

Barry and Dana Bessinger, New Frontiers major gift donors, attended OSU in the mid1970s and visited the Dairy Bar regularly while on campus. They remember getting a small paper cup of fresh milk for a nickel and a doughnut or ice cream bar for a dime.

“I hope the new Dairy Bar brings some nostalgia to current students and creates memories that connect them to the Ferguson College of Agriculture forever,” Dana Bessinger said. “I’m looking forward to taking all my grandsons to the Dairy Bar for a sweet treat.”

Dr. Damona Doye, associate vice president of OSU Extension and regents professor in OSU’s Department of Agricultural Economics, visited the Dairy Bar while she was in graduate school in the early 1980s.

“I have fond memories from going over fairly regularly with grad school colleagues to get a container of cottage cheese and some crackers for lunch that we ate while we were racing to see who could finish the crossword in the ‘O’Colly’ the fastest,” she said.

Doye is looking forward to the prospect of a nice eating space that will enhance opportunities for informal collaboration among students, faculty and staff.

The reimagined venue will provide an environment to build relationships and bring back a tradition that has been missing for 18 years.

“We want to bring back some of the history that made the Dairy Bar so special,” Raper said.

“The popular eatery was iconic with its white walls decorated with black spots resembling those of a dairy cow. You’ll find similar features in Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar.”

A delicious grilled cheese sandwich will be a staple on the Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar menu.

The space will include a Dairy Bar seating area, which is an available naming opportunity.

Managed by University Dining Services, Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar will feature a variety of menu items like grilled cheese sandwiches, frozen custard, baked goods, grab-and-go items, and coffee and beverages.

“University Dining Services is always happy to support campus diners in any way, so providing another dining option with a historical flair is a great opportunity to do that,” said Vedda Hsu, director of University Dining Services. “This will also help reduce foot traffic to other nearby dining concepts and provide students within the Ferguson College of Agriculture an in-house dining option.”

Although the new Dairy Bar will be a place to eat, study and socialize, the space will also encourage curriculum development.

Dr. Roy Escoubas, director of OSU’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, said the center would be an ideal place to investigate different formulations and flavors through product development to include on the Dairy Bar’s menu.

The potential collaboration could involve small start-up businesses in Oklahoma.

“This work could be engaged within the teaching program — for example, the dairy products processing class,” he said. “It could teach students how to make commercial custards and other dairy products. It’s an opportunity to expand not only food science at Oklahoma State University but also what FAPC does.”

Escoubas said many alumni remember the blue cheese spread available at the old Dairy Bar. “That blue cheese spread was developed at FAPC, made by the Food Science Club and sold at the Dairy Bar when they made it,” he said. “There’s an opportunity for FAPC to provide some kind of signature item, such as snack sticks, to the Dairy Bar and bring back the application side of food science.”

The Dairy Bar was a popular place for students to socialize until it was razed in 2006. Alumni fondly remember favorite menu items including ice cream and cold milk.

LEARN MORE For more information about Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar or how you can get involved in the New Frontiers campaign, visit OSUgiving.com/new-frontiers.

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STORY SYDNEY TRAINOR | PHOTOS BRUCE WATERFIELD AND PROVIDED

University pays tribute to the inspiration behind its mascot

C O M M E M O R A T I N G

OUR COWBOY If he wasn’t spending time at his blacksmith shop telling stories and handing lollipops to kids, riding his horse from town to town, hosting visitors from faraway lands and nations, picking up hot coals with his frostbitten feet or teaching bison to play with tennis balls, Frank Eaton could usually be found playing the fiddle.

He had learned to play it later in life, after his second wife, Anna, convinced him to join her when she played piano. He would play for his grandchildren and area kids at their homestead on Highway 33 near Perkins, Oklahoma, with his favorite tune being “Pop Goes the Weasel.”

At the end of every verse, the old cowboy would tap a kid on the head with the fiddle bow.

Eaton was ornery and liked to have fun, something that 100 years later persists in the Oklahoma State University mascot modeled after the famed Western scout: Pistol Pete.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 63

1958

The original 1958 Pete head — on display in the Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar Cultural Center in downtown Stillwater — was made of papier-mâché.

In 1970, a Disney Imagineer created a Pete head and a spare out of fiberglass weighing 45 pounds. In 1977, Lillie Solomon — a milliner, costumer and puppeteer — began repairing and occasionally redesigning the heads.

In 2019, the fiberglass heads were retired and replaced with ones made of carbon fiber.

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In 1923, a few years following the end of World War I, Eaton traveled 11 miles north of Perkins to Stillwater to ride his horse in the Armistice Day Parade — now known as Veterans Day. Stillwater had grown exponentially since the founding of Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1890. The college was young at the time and initially modeled itself after Princeton University, even up to the colors — orange and black — and mascot — the Tigers. But once OAMC students saw Eaton in that parade, they felt his Old West feel embodied their characteristics better than an Ivy League university in New Jersey.

“I think people relate to Grandad because he was such a real person,” said Jewel Himes, Eaton’s granddaughter. “He was an honest-to-goodness cowboy back in the days when you rode horses everywhere. He was still riding horses in his 90s. That was just who he was. He was a law man, the deputy U.S. Marshal. What he represents is something that’s very identifiable.”

Eaton was born in Connecticut on the eve of the Civil War. His family moved more than 1,300 miles — about half the width of the U.S. — west to Kansas, where his father was shot. Legend has it that Eaton later brought the men responsible to justice.

Growing up on the plains, Eaton learned the ways of the Old West. One story placed him at the Army base in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, where at 15 he sharpened his marksmanship skills and out shot some of the Army’s best sharpshooters, earning him the nickname “Pistol Pete” from Col. John Joseph Coppinger.

The legend had been firmly established, and Eaton continued to evolve into a significant figure in Oklahoma’s formative history.

Paying Tribute Eaton lived to see the campus grow throughout his time, and eventually change its name, from OAMC to Oklahoma State University in 1957. At 97, the bowlegged cowboy still rode his horse around stadiums. However, a little less than a year later, Eaton and the frontier image OAMC once had passed away on April 8, 1958.

The following November, student Charles Lester appeared at one of the Cowboys’ football games wearing a papier-mâché head resembling Eaton. A tradition was born. From that game on, the students embraced the Pete mascot and the university quickly adopted it as the official mascot.

The 95 men who have portrayed Pete since Lester have formed an unofficial fraternity that not only represents the university but also pays tribute to the man who inspired them.

Each person who tries out to be Pete must know about Eaton, through studying his history and reading his books. The Eaton family still maintains a strong relationship with the university and both Pete and Pete alumni attend the Eaton family reunion each year at the historical homestead, which was moved to midtown Perkins.

Steven Vekony grew up in a family of University of Oklahoma fans and never thought he would be Pete. In fact, he tried out twice starting in 2015 and wasn’t selected, but the third time was the charm and he was selected in 2017, becoming the 88th man to portray Eaton — an experience that forever changed his life.

“Being Pete affected everything in my life,” Vekony said. “Iron sharpens iron. It affected my core group of men that I associated myself with, it affected the way I looked at this university with more pride. Being able to encompass something that everybody associates themselves with and finds joy in, was a super humbling experience.”

Vekony’s first tryout introduced him to Mike Martin, the 20th man to be Pete. Martin served as the mascot from 1972-73 but knows from personal experience that being Pete is a lifetime commitment.

“My grandkids don’t know my real name,” Martin said. “They call me Pete. For the rest of our lives, we are Pete. So, we better behave.”

It’s an honor, one Martin moved back to Stillwater to be more involved in even after he had hung up his spurs.

As ambassadors for the university, Petes and Pete alumni take the responsibility of being positive representatives of the university and the Eaton family seriously.

“I think having a personal relationship with the Eaton family, and the uniqueness of our mascot being based off of a real person who settled down in Oklahoma, who embodied what the state’s about, who had a work ethic, being able to have that relationship with the Eaton family, is huge,” Vekony said.

Lance Millis served as the 43rd Pete from 1987-88 at a special time in OSU athletics. Future NFL stars Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders played at Lewis Field; future Golden Glove winner Robin Ventura was setting records at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium; and John Starks and Liz Brown dominated the hardwood at Gallagher-Iba Arena, with Cowboy legend John Smith becoming possibly the best wrestler the dynasty had ever seen.

In other words, it was a phenomenal time to be the university’s mascot and watch all these star athletes. Reflecting on his time as Pete, Millis noted his change in perspective on the role now.

“I learned that being Pistol Pete, as the person who’s a college student, and experiencing being Pete is one thing, and then thinking back with an adult’s perspective on representing a reallife human being who has descendants who have opinions about what you do is another,” Millis said.

“This man when you’re portraying him, he’s just an old cowboy, and colorful, and you’re just trying to emulate it.”

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 65

1984

The Spirit Drum was pulled by a group of students while Pete rode on it in the 1970s until the late ’80s during touchdown celebrations.

The horse Bullet began running in 1984 and ultimately the Big 8 officials decided it was too much to have both Bullet and the Spirit Drum running and being pulled onto the field from opposite directions following a touchdown.

2002

In 2002, Scott Petty, No. 40, visited Bob Clark, a banker in Fairfax, Oklahoma.

Petty noticed spurs of cowboys from the area lined the lobby of the bank. Clark asked why Petes didn’t wear spurs.

Petty answered that the spurs would damage the floor in GallagherIba Arena. Since then, Pete has worn modified spurs sponsored by Clark’s family.

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Preserving a Legacy Eaton was a genuine cowboy in the Wild West, and his death occurred just eight years before Millis was born.

Meaning that the cowboy era and the way of life in this region was not far removed from today. When Millis began working as a university representative in 1989, he also began researching Eaton in depth.

“From 1989 to 1996, I had been researching Frank Eaton’s life with the intent of getting him inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum,” Millis said. “I submitted his name and numerous supporting documents, and the Hall of Fame chose to award him the director’s award.”

Millis was able to establish a relationship with Eaton’s youngest daughter, Elizabeth Wise, who audited a class at OSU and on March 15, 1997, she accepted the Special Director’s Award

on behalf of Eaton during the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum awards ceremony with then OSU President James Halligan.

Determined to see his grandfather inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, Dow Wise reached out to Millis and continued the research.

“I started coming to OSU pretty regularly about three years ago, because I started working on getting him inducted into the Hall of Fame,” Dow Wise said. “And they told me that it would never happen. But I said, ‘We’re trying. I don’t care what anybody else does. I won’t quit until I’m convinced it can’t happen.’”

Twenty-five years following the director’s award, on April 9, 2022, Eaton was inducted into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Hall of Great Westerners alongside

“We’re not just a fuzzy mascot on the side of a field that cheers when we score a touchdown.

This is representing a man who is part of the L A NC E M I L L I S , P E T E NO. 4 3 history of Oklahoma.”

2022

Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton Legacy Foundation The Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton Legacy Foundation was founded by grandchildren and greatgrandchildren of Eaton in November 2022. In April 2022, the foundation acquired the rights to “Pistol Pete, Veteran of the Old West” — first released in 1952 — and re-released it.

entrepreneur Gerald Timmerman; actors Burt Reynolds, Bing Russell and Kurt Russell; folklorist James Hoy; museum board member Linda Mitchell Davis; and philanthropist Foster Friess.

Dinah Wagner, Eaton’s granddaughter was joined by fellow grandchildren Dow Wise and William Wise on stage with 28 of the former Petes to accept the award from cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell and musician Red Steagall.

A century after Eaton’s initial association with the university, OSU celebrated him through numerous events, such as The Year of the Cowboy, during America’s Greatest Homecoming, along with the release of a beer and whiskey featuring his likeness.

1950s

1980s

This underscores how, 160 years after his birth and 65 years after his passing, Eaton continues to have a lasting impact.

“The most important thing is that we’re connecting it back to a real person who exemplifies the actual history of this part of the country and the history and an important piece of the history of American cowboys, western heritage,” Millis said. “Frank Eaton, the law man the grandfather, the blacksmith ... he’s this guy that we’re portraying. We’re not just a fuzzy mascot on the side of a field that cheers when we score a touchdown.

This is representing a man who is part of the history of Oklahoma.”

The foundation’s goal is to promote and preserve Eaton’s legacy and Western history, art and culture for future generations.

They are working to collect and catalog his personal items and preserve his home to display his items for public display.

The profits from the sale of the book and any donations will be used to provide scholarships to students.

“The thing is, there are so many Eatons in the family that there’s no way there’s ever going to be enough profit from the books or anything else we do individually that’s going to pay anyone any money so we thought, we’ll do something that will actually help people,” Dow Wise said.

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A L A ST I NG Renowned artist honors Eaton with larger-than-life sculpture

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STORY SYDNEY TRAINOR | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY

EDITOR’S NOTE: Harold Holden passed away just after this edition of STATE magazine was sent for publication. This story appears as originally written.

WHEN HAROLD T. HOLDEN WAS 5, HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET FRANK EATON, THE INSPIRATION FOR OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY MASCOT PISTOL PETE. Holden had ridden his pony in the Cherokee Strip parade in Enid, Oklahoma, and competed in a contest where he reared his pony in front of judges. He won first place in his age division and was awarded a $5 check.

But the real prize was getting to sit on Eaton’s lap and hold his legendary revolver.

For 35 years, Eaton served then Oklahoma A&M College as the university’s mascot. The cowboy icon made appearances across the state and left lasting impressions on Oklahomans just like Holden.

Now 83, with the memory of that pony ride fading, Holden wants to leave an impression of Eaton for all to see, so that even those who never met the old cowboy can feel like they know him.

Growing up in a Western lifestyle, Holden was drawn to horses and the

cowboy way of life. Influenced by Eaton, Holden enrolled in classes at Oklahoma State University in 1958, the same year his hero died.

Holden is a renowned artist known for his paintings and sculptures depicting Western icons. His artwork is displayed across the country. At OSU, one doesn’t have to travel far to see some of his work. Of his 24 monuments, three are on OSU’s Stillwater campus — We Will Remember inside Gallagher-Iba Arena, dedicated to the 10 men who lost their lives in the 2001 men’s basketball plane crash, along with monuments representing T. Boone Pickens and Barry Sanders outside the stadium named after former OSU benefactor Pickens where Sanders, the school’s lone Heisman Trophy winner, once played.

In 2007, Holden was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — a fatal

lung disease — leading him to close his studio in 2009. However, in July 2010 he received a single lung transplant.

The diagnosis and transplant gave Holden a new perspective, making him realize that he had the opportunity to finish the Eaton monument he had long envisioned on OSU’s campus.

It had always been a dream for Holden to sculpt his childhood hero, Eaton, on horseback for OSU. So, with the help of friends and family he set out to make his dream a reality as his 25th and final monument.

The university supported the idea of installing a monument of Eaton on campus when Holden proposed it at the We Will Remember monument dedication. Once he had the opportunity to finish the design work, funding still had to be secured for the piece.

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16-INCH LIMITED EDITION MAQUETTE $35,000+

Those who make contributions of at least $35,000 will receive a roughly 16-inch-tall reproduction (1/50) as well as recognition on a donor plaque.

9-INCH LIMITED EDITION MAQUETTE $25,000+

Those who make contributions of at least $25,000 will receive a roughly 9-inch-tall reproduction (1/75).

For more information, contact Sean McCabe at smccabe@OSUgiving.com or 405-612-0610.

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Family friend and OSU alumna Gwen Shaw began contacting OSU donors and art collectors, raising around $250,000.

“He was working on Eaton when [former OSU athletic director] Mike Holder called and said, ‘I need you to sculpt Boone Pickens,’” said Holden’s wife, Edna Mae Holden. “He was already in the middle of several projects but said, ‘OK.’” Harold Holden pushed Eaton to the side and began working on the Pickens monument, and before he could get back to Eaton, Holder persuaded him to sculpt the life-and-a-half-sized monument of Sanders, putting his dream on hold a little longer.

“The foam structure you see here that I’ve been working on, has been in this room for around seven years,” Harold Holden said. “When I was working on Boone and Barry, it was pushed to the side but now, I’m getting to finish it.”

And again, Shaw was back on the fundraising trail, now working closely with the OSU Foundation to help honor such a hero during The Year of the Cowboy celebrations recognizing the 100th anniversary of OSU’s connection with Eaton.

“The installation of Harold Holden’s Frank Eaton statue is a fantastic way to commemorate The Year of the Cowboy,” said OSU Foundation President Blaire Atkinson. “The Cowboy family is coming together to recognize an

important icon while supporting a permanent element on campus.”

The plan is to have the monument finished, cast and dedicated in April 2024 to cap off The Year of the Cowboy celebration.

Harold Holden is known for his attention to detail and sculptures of horses. This statue will be no exception as he has crafted every minute detail, down to the color of the bronze. He said it was the perfect way to tip his hat to a legend.

“It will look different in the bronze,” Harold Holden said. “I want it to be black but an opaque black and, in the voids, a bit of orange.”

The monument is designed to be approximately life-and-one-quartersize and will be placed on the plinth — the base — which is already in place on the southwest corner of Duck Street and McElroy Road, right behind the Cowgirl softball complex.

Holden also will be inducted into the OSU Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame — the highest honor bestowed upon an individual, recognizing outstanding lifetime achievement in society and professional life — in February 2024.

“I hope that this monument will call attention to the real man who is the symbol of OSU,” he said. “He was an extraordinary fellow, and I feel like it is so gratifying for that 5-year-old boy who sat in Frank’s lap to now honor him in this way. I hope he can be an inspiration for students to carry on the Cowboy Way.”

CAMP OSU students compete to earn their spurs and carry on Pistol Pete’s legacy In his signature outfit complete with boots, chaps and the eponymous firearms, Pistol Pete is one of America’s most recognizable college mascots.

Because of that, being selected as Pistol Pete is an honor and privilege that carries a lot of weight for two Oklahoma State University students each year — a 36-pound head to be exact.

Pete is not only a symbol of the university, but he is also a figure that carries on the legacy of Frank “Pistol Pete” Eaton, who personified OSU’s brand and played a major role in changing the institution’s image from Tigers to Cowboys when he became OSU’s living mascot 100 years ago.

STORY SYDNEY TRAINOR | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY AND GARY LAWSON

For 35 years with the university, Eaton symbolized the American Old West and drew OSU back to its cowboy roots while signing autographs, posing for photographs and interacting with the Cowboy family at events until his death in 1958.

Since then, 96 students have channeled their inner bowlegged cowboy and suited up to carry on Eaton’s legacy, starting in 1958 with Pete No. 1 Charles Lester.

Each year, 10 to 15 students study Eaton’s history, perfect their mime skills for different game situations and fan interactions, and consult former Petes with the hopes of carrying on the tradition.

This year was no different.

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If the ’stache fits

View multiple features from the Inside OSU team on Pistol Pete and The Year of the Cowboy at insideosu.com

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On April 16, OSU students dressed in white long-sleeved button-down shirts, jeans and cowboy boots made their way to Gallagher-Iba Arena to compete to be the next Pete.

A year’s worth of training was about to be tested.

One-by-one, they interviewed for 15 minutes in front of a panel composed of five Pete alumni and Beki Jackson, OSU spirit coordinator and pom coach, who has been part of the judging process for 11 years and has seen 14 students embody Pete.

The past Petes are trusted by the university to select the new Petes. It’s a process they take seriously, creating their own rules to ensure their standards remain high.

First, any Pete alumni must have graduated at least five years prior to tryouts and second, they must have observed tryouts in a previous year to sit on the panel.

“The three reasons why the Pete [alumni] exist: No. 1 on the list is honor the Eaton family.

The second is give back to the university, we aren’t talking money, but whatever you can do for the rest of your life. And the third one is never ever, ever lower our standards so that the university doesn’t trust us,” said Mike Martin, Pete No. 20.

The race to find someone who could get started immediately was between those who had fallen short in previous years and others who were trying out for the first time.

No matter their story, they were all competing to be the next Pete.

“In my view, wearing the head and walking with a cowboy walk is the easy part of the whole job. We’re looking for somebody who can hit the ground running fast because 30 events are already scheduled,” Martin said.

For Caden Schaufele, an agribusiness/prelaw major, it was his only shot as he was starting his senior year in the fall. He grew up watching Cowboy football games at Boone Pickens Stadium, so to prepare, he reflected on his earliest memories of Pete.

“I read ‘Veteran of the Old West’ and I’ve been reading websites about Pistol Pete trying to get all the information I can,” Schaufele said. “I’ve also been running through scenarios in my head and trying to think, ‘What can I do in this scenario?

What can I do in that scenario?’”

The tryout wasn’t the first rodeo for Bryce Coon, an ag systems and technology major, but as he was also heading into his senior year, it was his last.

“Every day since I walked out of this room last year, there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought about Pistol Pete,” Coon said.

In the year leading up to tryouts, Coon pulled out all the stops. He consulted No. 92 Michael Albright and shadowed both Traber Smithson, No. 93, and Cooper Price, No. 94. He even hit the gym to get in better shape.

Like many of the other candidates, Coon accepted or rejected outside opportunities for the next year as if he had gotten the Pete position even before tryouts.

“I gave up my position for Homecoming director for my fraternity,” Coon said. “I gave up my fraternity executive position, so my schedule was set for Pistol Pete essentially.”

Following the last interview, Smithson and Price reminisced on the last year and shared advice with candidates while the committee deliberated.

Smithson shared the words of advice he was gifted at the beginning of his year.

“It’s the most demanding job you’ll ever love,” Smithson said. “And that’s about the best way to put it into words. I mean, it is like life with the volume turned up to 1,000, but it’s your favorite song.”

No matter the outcome, the tryout ignited a spark in Noah Bratton, a kinesiology and exercise science sophomore and son of Cowboy golf coach Alan Bratton.

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“Just being in there with [the alumni] was great,” Bratton said. “They’re a great group of guys.

And seeing that family type of brotherhood, I want to be a part of that. I want to be Pete bad. If I don’t get it this year, I’ll be here next year and the year after that until they won’t let me through the door.”

As the panel called all the candidates back for results, suspense hung heavily in the air as each candidate willed their name to be called.

“I hope each candidate leaves with a new appreciation for the process and the ability to earn the title ‘Pistol Pete,’” Jackson said. “We have a very high caliber of participants. They could all potentially serve as our mascot. However, the truth can simply be that it is not their year. That is a valuable lesson in life.”

Coon and Schaufele heard their names read and they will now be known as No. 95 and No. 96, respectively. Together they will drive

former Petes make up the Pistol Pete Alumni Club,

”

which has grown, developed new traditions and deepened its involvement with the Cowboy family over the last 20 years.

Petes who have passed away (denoted with an asterisk) are honored each year with a roll call ceremony during football season.

approximately 20,000 miles and split more than 650 appearances over the next year.

It all goes to show that to the people inside the head, wearing the boots and donning the chaps, are more than just a mascot. They are a community.

And one that wouldn’t be possible without Eaton.

“When my tryout started, it became clear to me very quickly that the alumni really cared about what type of person would carry on the tradition of Pete,” Schaufele said. “They were very specific in their questions and listened to every word I said. Throughout this year, I have done numerous appearances where Pete alumni were present, and I could see the pride in their eyes and how much he means to them.

“I can see that the alumni live by the philosophy of ‘Once Pete, always Pete.’”

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WOMEN for OSU SYMPOSIUM! ◆ FE ATURING KE YNOTE SP E AKE R ◆

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2023

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association honored six deserving alumni with 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards at a ceremony on Sept. 15 in the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center. The award recognizes Cowboy family members who have distinguished themselves through their field or profession and the betterment of their community. Read more about this year’s honorees on the following pages and watch the ceremony at okla.st/daa23

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STORY JILLIAN REMINGTON | PHOTOS GENESEE PHOTO AND PROVIDED TO OSU ALUMNI

TH E H O N O R AB LE DO U G

COX, M.D.

“I owe a large part of any success that I have had to the education that I obtained at Oklahoma State University.”

— The Honorable Doug Cox, M.D.

Dr. Doug Cox graduated from OSU in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology. He then graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in 1978.

Cox served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2004-16. He was passionate about advancing legislation to elevate OSU and medical education at the OSU Medical Center.

Throughout his time as an Oklahoma lawmaker, he worked closely with then OSU Center for Health Sciences President Kayse Shrum and legislative leadership to pass legislation ensuring funding for the OSU Medical Center by establishing the OSU Hospital Authority. Cox also wrote and passed the legislation that extended SoonerCare health insurance from ages 18 to 23 for young people attending universities and colleges.

Cox has served as the medical director of the Grove Emergency Services Authority for the past

41 years and donated his services to multiple EMS and volunteer fire departments in northeast Oklahoma.

Cox served on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors, helping raise the funds necessary for the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center construction. He was also involved in organizing countywide OSU honor banquets for outstanding students and is a passionate spokesman for encouraging students to attend OSU. His passion for OSU Athletics led him to help organize and co-host the frequent Grand Lake coaches retreats over the years.

Cox currently practices medicine near Grand Lake, Oklahoma, and is serving as medical director for the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma.

He is a life plus member of the OSU Alumni Association.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 77

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

TERRY S TUART

FORST

“I have been blessed by teachers and mentors who have become friends that have inspired me to be the best I can be.”

— Terry Stuart Forst

Terry Stuart Forst graduated from OSU in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science. She then attended the ranch management program at Texas Christian University in 1992.

During her time on campus, she joined a sorority — choosing the one that had a parking lot big enough for her truck and horse trailer. Her time at OSU provided links to many friends and colleagues that helped to develop her character and commitment.

After graduation, Forst returned to Stuart Ranch to work for her father, running the horse program and helping with the cattle operation.

After her father died in 2001, Forst shouldered the responsibility of running all aspects of Stuart Ranch, including the beef cattle production, breeding and training of performance quarter horses, range and wildlife management, and a meat company.

Forst evolved the horse program to be one of the American Quarter Horse Association’s leading breeders. To honor her father and the ranch’s equine heritage, the R.T. “Bob” Stuart Jr. Operating

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Endowment was established at OSU’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences to support the operating expenses of the equine program.

She was named a Graduate of Distinction by the OSU Department of Animal Science in 2012 and was presented the Master Breeder Award by the department in 2008. Forst was also presented with the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011.

In addition to honors from her alma mater, Forst was the first female president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and its first female recipient of the Cattleman of the Year Award in 2007. She was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2007, Oklahoma Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2020. Forst was also recognized as the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry 2017 Significant Woman in Agriculture.

Alongside her two sons, Clay and Robert, Forst continues to innovate and grow Stuart Ranch.

Forst is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

LIEU R .

SMITH “OSU provided me with the skills, the dedication and the motivation to pursue new frontiers involving cutting-edge technology that I never dreamed of, as I was out plowing the fields with an old two-cylinder John Deere tractor.”

— Lieu R. Smith

Lieu R. Smith graduated from OSU in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering.

After serving two years on active duty with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he returned to OSU and earned a master’s degree in civil engineering in 1957.

Starting in the early 1960s with the design of the large rocket test facilities at Stennis Space Center for the Saturn V program, Smith spent most of his engineering career with Sverdrup Corporation in St. Louis where he rose to the rank of corporate vice president of advanced technology.

Sverdrup afforded Smith the opportunity to work on many challenging projects, including a liquid and solid rocket engine test for the space shuttle. His work on the space shuttle won several awards and was featured in Time magazine in 1984 where the project was described as the “most sophisticated military complex ever built.”

For his work as the program manager on the Space Shuttle Launch Pad Complex, Smith was awarded the Congressional Science and Technology Award for pioneering work in aerospace technology and engineering. He was also selected by Science Digest as one of America’s outstanding innovators in 1985.

Smith retired in 1993 to devote his time to work for his church where he is an ordained minister.

After his retirement from the church in 2003, he continued to serve as a hospital chaplain and on several committees and boards at the Mercy Hospital in Berryville, Arkansas.

He was recognized by the Arkansas Community Foundation of Carroll County with the 2019 Volunteer of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in developing the Loaves and Fishes Food Bank to serve those in his community.

In 2022, Smith was inducted into the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Hall of Fame and awarded the Lohmann Medal. He was also presented with the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award by the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.

Today, Smith resides in Shell Knob, Missouri, where he dedicates his time to Loaves and Fishes Food Bank.

Smith is a life plus member of the OSU Alumni Association.

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

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

K EN

STARKS “My education and training at Oklahoma State University served me very well during my working career. The professors were not only instructors, but mentors, advocates and advisors.”

— Ken Starks

Kendal W. Starks graduated from OSU in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and 1978 with a master’s degree in agricultural economics.

While on campus, Starks was a graduate research assistant and teaching assistant for the Department of Agricultural Economics.

After graduation, Starks went to work for Stillwater National Bank and Trust Company, serving in numerous leadership positions, including senior vice president. He was named president of BancFirst Stillwater in 1988 and retired as executive vice president and director of community banking with BancFirst in January 2023.

Starks is passionate about OSU and staying involved with his alma mater. He has served on the Ferguson College of Agriculture Dean’s Advisory Committee as well as the OSU Foundation’s Board

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of Governors and Board of Trustees. In 2010, Starks received the Ferguson College of Agriculture Distinguished Alumni Award.

In addition to honors and involvement with his alma mater, Starks has continued to be an active member of his community. He has served on the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, Stillwater Medical Foundation Board of Directors, the Stillwater Education Foundation Board of Directors and the OSU Athletics Council. He was recognized as the Agribusiness Person of the Year in 1989, received the Honorary State Farmer Award in 1996 from the Oklahoma FFA, and the Blue and Gold Award from Stillwater FFA in 1989.

Starks and his wife, Kathy, reside in Stillwater.

They have three children, Kendra, W. Loren and Jared — all of whom are all OSU graduates.

Starks is a life plus member of the OSU Alumni Association.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

GAUTE

VIK

“The very visible expansions on campus have gone hand-in-hand with ambitious program expansions and increased professional recognition among the top universities in U.S. It really makes me proud to be part of this fantastic journey.”

— Gaute Vik

Dr. Gaute Vik graduated from OSU in 1984 with a doctorate in statistics. He also graduated as candidatus realium in applied mathematics from the University of Bergen in Norway in 1978.

Serving as a scientist at Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, Vik received a fellowship from the Norwegian government to study at OSU in 1982. During his time on campus, he was inducted to the national dean’s list. His favorite memory of campus was the fantastic relationship between his professors and graduate students.

After graduation, Vik moved to Saudi Arabia to work as a team leader for Teleplan, a Norwegian telecom consultant company. He started to develop

Teleplan from a few consultants to 600 employees throughout several countries after 37 years. Now known as Norconsult Telematics, Vik serves as executive chairman and co-owner.

In 2017, he was inducted into the OSU College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. Four years later, his Cowboy-owned and -led company was named in the inaugural class of Cowboy100 businesses.

Vik currently resides in Oslo, Norway, with his wife, Lisbeth, where he enjoys hunting, fishing and boating.

He is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

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

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

DARTON

ZINK

“The tremendous effort that the OSU family invested in me is reflected in where I am today.

The lessons I learned on this campus set the foundation in my life of what it means to work hard.”

— Darton Zink

Darton Zink graduated from OSU in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Following graduation, Zink started his career at Zeeco, a manufacturer of custom-engineered industrial pollution control equipment located in the Tulsa area. After holding various roles, Zink became president and CEO in 2000. Under his leadership, Zeeco has become the market leader in its business with over 2,000 employees in more than 25 locations worldwide.

OSU has honored Zink and Zeeco with its Cowboy100 and Blazing10 awards, recognizing the fastest-growing and highest revenue-generating businesses owned or led by OSU graduates. In 2022, Zink was named to the OSU Foundation Board of Directors and inducted into the OSU School of Accounting Hall of Fame.

The Zink Center for Competitive Innovation is part of the renovation to OSU’s Engineering South building. The mission of the Zink Center

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is to encourage excellence in future leaders through action, innovation, grit, hard work and the competitive spirit to win, which are all attributes that resonate within the Zink family.

Zink and his wife, Jamie, serve as trustees of the John Steele Zink Foundation and the John Zink Foundation. He oversees operations at the Zink Ranch, which is used by approximately 30,000 Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, parents and volunteers annually. Zink also serves on the boards of the Indian Nations Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma as well as chairman of the Tulsa River Parks Foundation.

The Zinks have been married for 22 years and reside in Tulsa. They have two sons, Reed and Keller.

Zink is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

ACADEMIC COURSE OFFERINGS: May 20-31, 2024 and July 1-13, 2024 SUMMER LEISURE LEARNING COURSES: July 22-26, 2024 Early enrollment opens Jan. 15 Early enrollment closes March 31 Final day to enroll is June 15 FALL LEISURE LEARNING COURSES: Sept. 19-21, 2024

A PICTURE-PERFECT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY The OSU Doel Reed Center in Taos extends Oklahoma State University’s reach to culturally rich northern New Mexico and offers students a study-abroad experience without having to leave the country. The Doel Reed Center has offered a variety of academic courses, including photography, art, graphic design, English, landscape architecture, housing, clothing and textile design — plus many other diverse study topics. Your support of scholarships to the Doel Reed Center provides our students with the chance to take advantage of this incredible learning opportunity.

“Without the generous scholarship I received, I would never have been able to have this experience,” said Jahania Wright, a recent OSU graduate. “It allowed me to explore a new culture and delve into new artistic and intellectual pursuits that aided me in my understanding of my field. While learning about arborglyphs in a classroom at OSU would have been interesting, it simply does not compare to the trip to Taos and having classes at the center.”

To learn how you can help support the Doel Reed Center, contact Jayme Ferrell at jferrell@osugiving.com or visit OSUgiving.com/DoelReed. To read about all the Doel Reed Center has to offer, visit doelreed.okstate.edu.

FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATION “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.”

— Oliver Wendell Holmes

Oklahoma State University researchers have long worked together, crossing disciplines and sharing ideas, but they now have powerful new avenues to collaborate and achieve greatness together.

During President Kayse Shrum’s tenure at OSU, the university has launched three new transdisciplinary institutes specializing in key areas of its We Are Land-Grant strategy: aerospace, health and energy.

Operating under the umbrella of The Innovation Foundation at OSU, the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education, the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, and The Hamm Institute for American Energy at

OSU are uniting researchers and resources from across the Stillwater campus and the OSU System to address some of society’s most pressing challenges. The Innovation Foundation at OSU oversees and is home to this dynamic trio of transdisciplinary institutes (See Page 100) and is leading a bold vision to expand applied research and technology commercialization with a focus on maximizing new discoveries and partnerships.

STATE magazine recently sat down with institute leaders to discuss their progress, vision for the future and how their work is advancing OSU’s land-grant mission to serve the state, the nation and the world.

HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND NUTRITION RESEARCH INSTITUTE OKLAHOMA AEROSPACE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION HAMM INSTITUTE FOR AMERICAN ENERGY AT OSU

STORY MACK BURKE | PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY AND GARY LAWSON

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HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND NUTRITION RESEARCH INSTITUTE

HIGH-PERFORMANCE IN FOCUS

Q&A WITH LANCE WALKER, RICK AND GAIL MUNCRIEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HPNRI launched in December 2022 with the goal of developing preventative therapeutic strategies to combat obesity and chronic diseases and take a performance-focused mindset to Oklahoma’s health challenges.

Nearly a year later, and now under the umbrella of The Innovation Foundation at OSU, how would you assess the institute’s progress?

Student-athletes work out in a study to see how their bodies perform while exercising.

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I think we’re taking a big vision to addressing Oklahoma’s challenges, and the grandest challenges as I see it are our health challenges.

When we stepped into this a year ago we were focused on one question: How do we leverage a new way of attacking this or a different way of attacking this?

Looking at disease, we wanted to look at prevention through the performance lens. That resonates with people. It’s something that’s an “aha moment” for some folks as well. When we’re talking about performance, it’s not a dichotomous equation where you’re either sick or you’re healthy. We’re all on a continuum.

Over the last year, that conversation has been had one-on-one, in small groups and big groups, and it’s been really nice to see the “aha moments” happen.

Over the last year, I think a big part of my role has been to hear conversation, to spread conversation and to evangelize that concept.

And it’s not a hard sell at all. Everybody sees it, they get it, they want to jump in and lock arms to do it. And now it’s about taking that vision and moving it from mission into action.

Watch and listen to an Inside OSU podcast with Walker at okla.st/walkerpodcast

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

But when we’re talking about HPNRI, perhaps it should be that an ounce of perspiration is worth a pound of cure?

I like that! I think that spirit has resonated with folks. When we talk about performance, we’re linking our activities, our nutrition, our lifestyle to something that is important to an individual or to a group. We know what we eat and put into our bodies does impact our health. But let’s think about it differently. Let’s think about how it impacts our ability to meet our life goals.

The high-performance soccer athlete is focused on preparing for game day — performance, not health. But improved health is a natural byproduct of that effort.

The link is obvious when you’re talking about a high-performance athlete, but it applies to all of us.

That performance lens changes the conversation and the framework of how we communicate. … When you say “human performance,” people take that in different ways.

For many people, that will bring to mind athletes like Barry Sanders, Cade Cunningham, or Rickie Fowler. But when we talk about performance, it can be about succeeding in the classroom, or a gamer looking to beat the competition, or that CEO presentation before the board. That’s all still performance, right? There’s a physical element to performance, a mental side, a life component and a social-emotional component to that. And right in the middle of a high-performance model is the spirit that drives you. It’s the “why” behind what you do. So when you look at that holistically, through that performance lens, it’s for everyone.

It’s literally the full spectrum from cradle to grave and from optimum physical human performance at the highest levels to those that are trying to recover from a surgery or from a physical setback. When you talk about performance, you’re talking about everybody. And that’s every Oklahoman, whether they’re preparing for sport or for life.

Dr. Shane Hammer conducts a diagnostic ultrasound to monitor blood flow at the Human Performance Lab located within the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation.

HPNRI connects experts like Hammer with other faculty members and units across the OSU System to advance research through a collaborative approach that emphasizes connectivity and transdisciplinary research.

What are some key advancements that HPNRI has championed over the last year, and what are you most excited about for the future?

Over the first year, I think it’s been very helpful to understand and take inventory of all the great expertise and work happening here at OSU, where there’s some connectivity between departments and colleges, where there’s opportunity to create some of that connectivity and where we can begin to bring together the basic and applied sciences as well.

We were able to bring everybody together at the HPNRI Symposium in the spring of 2023, and we’re looking forward to the 2024 symposium and continuing to build bridges between silos and making connections so we can advance innovative solutions together. The energy in the room that day was electric, and we want to keep that momentum. When the new facility

is finished, we want that place to be buzzing with transdisciplinary problem solving, a sort of idea collider that inspires new ideas and connections and cross pollinates across the OSU System.

We’re also exploring mega trends and areas of interest for business and industry. We’ve identified some key areas of opportunity for us, areas where our research can have a big impact, and working with The Innovation Foundation at OSU will allow us to pursue those opportunities and build partnerships quickly.

Finally, we didn’t want to wait until we had everything working on the research side to begin Extension and outreach. So I think the biggest tangible win that we can see in this first year has been the launch of a new Project ECHO line on athletic training-sports medicine, the expansion of the existing pediatric obesity line and plans for a new ECHO line in 2024 on building healthy school communities.

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OKLAHOMA AEROSPACE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

LEADING FROM ABOVE Q&A WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMEY JACOB OAIRE launched in the fall of 2021 with the goal of bringing the state’s aerospace and innovation economy together to drive collaboration and innovation in Oklahoma. Now under the umbrella of The Innovation Foundation at OSU, how would you assess the institute’s momentum?

Growth has been tremendous, and we are accelerating at an exponential pace, both in terms of the projects and the organization of the institute, as we stand up the structure and acquire new capabilities and new team members to help support that.

I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made. If you look at just the growth in terms of the number of projects, the number of staff members we have on board right now, which includes both research staff and support staff, it is much larger than we anticipated, including research faculty, as well. And our physical reach is now tremendous. That includes our hub here in

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Dr. Jamey Jacob, OAIRE executive director, speaks at an aerospace event in Oklahoma City.

As an industry, why is aerospace crucial to the Oklahoma economy?

The aerospace industry in Oklahoma is the second largest industry, behind energy. The third is agriculture. But what makes aerospace unique, particularly emerging aerospace applications such as autonomous aircraft, is that it connects to and impacts energy — everything from oil and gas exploration to wind turbine inspection — and agriculture with livestock monitoring and the use of drones for autonomous crop spraying. It touches nearly everything, even health care and emergency response. And Oklahoma still has major advantages in the aerospace game because we have all of this open land.

This spring, you testified before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. What was your takeaway from that experience?

OSU President Kayse Shrum cuts the ribbon at the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility, June 30, in Tulsa. In November, OAIRE announced James E. Spencer Jr. as the new director of Advanced Air Mobility at the LaunchPad Center.

Stillwater, of course, but we’re also in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Lawton.

That helps support our landgrant mission and support the entire aerospace ecosystem across the state.

That includes supporting research and development for businesses and government agencies as well as workforce development, education and outreach, all of which will be accelerated and enhanced by The Innovation Foundation at OSU. What is one key advancement that you would point to as a significant victory for OAIRE so far?

I would point to the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility, which is being stood up on the OSU-Tulsa campus and supported by an $18 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and a similar scale of funding from the George Kaiser Family Foundation with our partners at Tulsa Innovation Labs. I think that is certainly our biggest win to date because

it demonstrates not only the immense support we’re seeing for this type of effort, both at the federal and regional level, it signals the future of not just OAIRE but of the entire aerospace landscape.

OAIRE has attracted plenty of headlines for its work in unmanned aerial systems, which includes what are commonly called drones, but OAIRE is so much more than that.

What does OAIRE encompass and why is it important for it to unite such a wide variety of disciplines and efforts?

OSU has a very rich aviation and aerospace tradition spread across a number of different fields, everything from pilot training, to aerospace outreach and education for NASA, to what we’d call traditional aerospace engineering.

The goal is to be able to leverage these unique strengths to create and foster technological innovation across the entire aerospace ecosystem.

It was very encouraging to see the bipartisan support for advanced air mobility, which includes not just UAS, or drones, but urban air mobility as well, and how unified Congress is in the support of this important technology for the nation. A particular point of emphasis was making sure the U.S. retains the lead in aerospace and autonomous aviation as well as critical applications, such as first response, weather monitoring and prediction, wildfire response and national security. Whether the question is a Chinese spy balloon or how to slow the spread of wildfires, the marriage of aerospace and aviation innovation is the technological skeleton key to our future.

We’ve seen several so-called “golden ages” in aerospace. The first of these were right after the development of the Wright Flyer, and then you saw aircraft start to really come into their own during the WWI and WWII eras. Then there was the jet age in the ’50s, and, of course, the space age in the ’60s. Now, we’re in a new “golden age” of aviation that’s really focused around electrification, the ability to take battery power and try to apply it to unique aircraft designs.

It’s made aircraft more efficient and opened the entire field up to a much broader swath of the population. In a sense, it has democratized the industry, and I love that.

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HAMM INSTITUTE FOR AMERICAN ENERGY

UNITING INDUSTRY WITH ACADEMIA IN PURSUIT OF ENERGY SECURITY Q&A WITH ELIZABETH POLLARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INNOVATION FOUNDATION AT OSU AND PRESIDENT OF COWBOY ENTERPRISES The Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University launched in December 2021 with the goal of educating the next generation of energy leaders, advancing American energy and cementing Oklahoma’s legacy as a global energy leader.

Now, nearly two years later, how would you assess the institute’s progress and momentum?

The Hamm Institute has made great strides in establishing relationships with industry, OSU faculty and other universities, setting the stage for applied research partnerships in the very near future. The Hamm Institute, leveraging The Innovation Foundation at OSU, has dedicated resources to create foundational infrastructure to ensure the success of upcoming research, development and partnering. I’m confident that those that work with the Hamm Institute will find collaboration

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that will lessen the administrative burden for faculty members, allowing them to more narrowly focus on their vitally important research.

What would you point to as key advancements for the Hamm Institute so far?

The American Energy Security Summit has been the highlight for the Hamm Institute. We gathered nearly 300 of the energy industry’s best and brightest for an invitation-only day of conversation and learning about one of the most important issues of our day — energy security. We welcomed national and global political leaders, energy and economic influencers and industry giants to speak, in addition to media outlets like CNBC and Bloomberg. It really put the institute on the map as a leader and champion of American energy.

Institutes like the Hamm Institute are major pillars in the We Are LandGrant plan unveiled by President Kayse Shrum in 2022. Are institutes the future of transdisciplinary research, and why are they so important to OSU’s effort to become the nation’s preeminent land-grant institution?

Institutes truly exemplify the landgrant mission through their reciprocal relationship with industry. In conducting research that is closely tied with industry needs, institutes are able to provide real-time solutions and help to fill the workforce pipeline for critical and in-demand roles.

I look forward to maximizing OSU’s impact in applied research and commercialization of innovation. Our institutes and research community have positioned OSU as a technology leader in aerospace, agriculture, energy and One Health, to name a few. As a Carnegie R1 Research University with a longstanding tradition of discovery, The Innovation Foundation at OSU is primed to accelerate innovation and make a significant impact on prosperity in Oklahoma and beyond.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks Sept. 25 in Oklahoma City during the inaugural American Energy Security Summit at the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University. The summit featured insights from dozens of prominent industry stakeholders and highlighted the institute’s prominent role in forging America’s energy future.

Why is the energy industry crucial to the Oklahoma economy, and what does Oklahoma’s leadership in this area mean in a national context?

The oil and gas industry has a total, annual economic impact of $64.9 billion in the state of Oklahoma, making up 27% of total statewide economic activity. This positions Oklahoma to be a national and international leader in energy exploration, production, distribution and innovation.

The recent conflicts in Ukraine are a prime example of why this is so important not only to our national security, but also to maintaining and improving quality of life both here and abroad.

What’s on the horizon for the Hamm Institute?

The American Energy Security Summit illuminated a few areas where the Hamm Institute can have the greatest impact: emissions management, advancing energy technologies for both new and traditional forms of energy production and distribution, and demandside innovations. All of these, of course, being supported with strong advocacy to help create policies that transcend political administrations.

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A top-ranked medical school in the heart of Tulsa.

And Tahlequah.

We’ve Earned a Top Spot in US News & World Report’s Best Medical Schools Rankings.

OSU Center for Health Sciences has earned the No. 1 ranking in the percentage of graduates practicing medicine in Health Professional Shortage Areas, and No. 10 in graduates practicing in rural areas from the “U.S. News & World Report’s” annual medical school rankings.

HPSAs designate areas and population groups, both rural and urban, that are experiencing a shortage of health professionals, which can also be called medical deserts. About 50% of OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine graduates are practicing in HPSAs, according to U.S. News data. Not only are we educating physicians in the heart of Tulsa, we’re also educating the next generation in rural Oklahoma at our Cherokee Nation campus in Tahlequah.

With a mission to educate physicians for rural and underserved populations in Oklahoma, this news is just another confirmation we are making good on that promise.

medicine.okstate.edu

The 2023-24 “U.S. News & World Report” rankings are from a survey of 192 accredited allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in the United States, which grant M.D. and D.O. degrees, respectively.

THE COWBOY WAY

Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, professor of rural health and director of the Center for Indigenous Health Research and Policy at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, is currently serving on two prestigious national advisory committees — one determining the country’s dietary guidelines and the other looking at how health care disparities have changed in the last 20 years.

Jernigan, a member of the Choctaw Nation who has a doctorate in public health, serves on a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine examining the current state of racial and ethnic health care disparities in the U.S. The 18-member committee is working to update the Unequal Treatment Report and examine how health care has changed since the report was first published in 2003.

“It was a huge report and a landmark study. Scientists and health professionals looked at equity in health care in the U.S.,” said Jernigan, who remembers reading the report when she was studying public health.

The report impacted medical and health care curriculum across the country and launched training programs on diversity and bias in health care.

“It was quite a change in how we were learning,” she said. “I’m a person who works and lives where those disparities are happening.

We need more equity in rural and tribal health where disparities are most significant.”

Jernigan is also serving on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee.

She is the first Indigenous person to serve on the DGA committee, which reviews current nutrition science and develops an independent report with science-based advice for the USDA and HHS to consider. The report, along with public comments and agency input, will be used to develop the next set of dietary guidelines for the United States.

“I do a lot of work and research in the field of indigenous food systems and nutrition programs. Indigenous food systems have not been represented on this committee until now,” she said. “In the past, some cultural viewpoints and backgrounds have been left out when developing these guidelines. This time around, a real effort was made to get people from a number of diverse backgrounds and cultures to serve on the committee.”

STORY SARA PLUMMER | PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

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Rachel Hubbard, KOSU executive director, and Ryan LaCroix, KOSU director of content and audience development, work on a show together at the KOSU studio in Oklahoma City.

Tuning In

Hubbard leading KOSU to new heights with culture of collaboration

F

rom growing up on an Oklahoma farm to providing news to rural communities, KOSU Executive Director Rachel Hubbard is passionate about filling news deserts in Oklahoma.

Hubbard became the executive director in February 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. Since then, she has guided the station to an online growth of more than 50%, introduced a daily news podcast and started an extensive giving program. On top of this, KOSU has seen increased fundraising success, allowing it to better meet the information needs of Oklahomans.

When she first started at KOSU as a student reporter, Hubbard already had some radio experience. She knew how to perform some technical tasks, like board operations. The first award she ever won at KOSU was the Scripps

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Howard National Journalism Foundation Award for her coverage of the 2001 plane crash that took the lives of 10 people from the Oklahoma State University men’s basketball program.

“I had the opportunity to cover a really important breaking news event and understand how to be part of a reporting team,” Hubbard said.

“So, I learned a ton because I had the opportunity to do something professionally while in tandem with my education.”

Beyond her journey as a student reporter, Hubbard has received numerous awards for her work, including the Sigma Delta Chi Award and Bronze Medallion from the Society for Professional Journalists for her reporting on the 2013 Moore tornado and the duPont-Columbia Silver Baton for her contributions in 2021 to Blindspot: Tulsa Burning, a podcast on the Tulsa Race Massacre. This project was also a finalist for

STORY M A K VA N D R U F F | PHOTOS GARY LAWSON

a Peabody Award, the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for radio.

Hubbard is a mentor for Next Generation Radio, a member of Oklahoma City Rotary Club 29, the Joint NPR Network Leadership Team, the Institute for Nonprofit News and the Online News Association.

“I think that being networked at both a local and national level helps us understand models and things that are working and to scale things in the state of Oklahoma,” Hubbard said.

Staff reductions and pervasive challenges across the news media industry have left many areas, especially rural ones, without a dedicated newspaper, radio station or television station.

Despite these challenges, KOSU has thrived under Hubbard. After graduating from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications in 2003, she returned in 2017 to get her master’s degree with an emphasis in entrepreneurship.

“I wondered how we could disrupt our industry and position it for the future,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard used her new degree to propel the station to new heights, opening up a new world of opportunities. Recently, KOSU announced it would be moving into a new building. This expansion will grow the station’s headquarters from 4,900 square feet to 5,820 square feet. The new facility will be modular enough for KOSU to continue to build and grow.

KOSU has expanded its coverage to include an agriculture and rural affairs reporter. This coverage is close to Hubbard’s heart, as her family operates a farm in Washita County.

“The 2020 census indicated that Oklahoma had the fastest diversifying neighborhoods of any state in the country, including rural areas,” Hubbard said. “The places most disproportionately affected by the shrinkage of local news are our rural areas and communities of color. So, we started thinking about the stories we heard and who we were interacting with. The first hire I made was an engagement reporter.”

KOSU also has an Indigenous affairs reporter and plans to hire a

Rachel Hubbard has been the KOSU executive director since 2020.

state government reporter to provide in-depth coverage of the Oklahoma Legislature and other state government agencies.

In support of these roles, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting commissioned a study as a first step in increasing state government coverage.

“We were pleased to see stations citing collaboration as a positive change they’ve seen in state government coverage,” said Joy Lin, CPB vice president of journalism.

“Moving forward, we hope to leverage this collaborative culture to help stations deliver robust yearlong reporting, increase investigative reporting capacity and develop formats that reach new audiences.”

Hubbard’s innovative approach doesn’t stop with expanding coverage areas. KOSU is also experimenting with new ways to deliver news and

information. For example, the station launched a text messaging service allowing users to receive news updates directly on their phones. KOSU started this service in 2016 without much luck, but it picked up after 2020.

The expansion of news deserts has left many communities without access to essential information. But Hubbard and her team are passionate about continuing to combat that trend.

“We’re at a turning point,” said Ryan LaCroix, KOSU director of content and audience development. “But I can’t say that we have all the answers. We need people to join us in this cycle of innovation as we try to figure out what the model is — not for someone in Massachusetts, but for people right here in Oklahoma.”

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COWBOY CHRONICLES

The Longest Run

Setting the facts straight about a legendary OSU football play

R

unning 99 yards from the line of scrimmage for a touchdown is an impossible record to break. It could be duplicated, but never surpassed.

Recording and compiling athletic records for individuals and teams can be a difficult and daunting task. Few athletic records are permanent, and most will be broken at some point.

Others may only exist in the fog of old memories.

This is the story of a rushing touchdown 115 years ago, reported as gaining the most yards from the line of scrimmage on a single play in the history of (Oklahoma A&M College/Oklahoma State University) football and a record

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which would never be broken. It involved an alumnus who was one of the greatest student-athletes and most successful coaches from the institution’s past with a remarkable reputation for fairness and honesty.

Some records need to be corrected, and this story is one of those.

THE SEASON In the spring of 1908, OAMC hired its first paid coach, Ed E. Parry, whose teaching responsibilities exclusively involved training OAMC studentathletes. Funding for the position came in part from the college regents and from an athletic association whose

officers were mostly college students serving as managers for various teams.

Over 100 students were members of the association and dues were 50 cents per semester or $1 per year.

Ed. E. Parry Memberships provided access to all sporting events.

They collected additional revenue from fans purchasing single game tickets.

Parry graduated from the University of Chicago, where he played football and threw the discus. He acquired coaching experience at South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts before serving as an assistant coach at the University of Kansas.

Over 6 feet tall and weighing 215 pounds, his physique was as striking as his coaching credentials. Parry coached baseball, track, football and basketball.

STORY DAVID C. PETERS | PHOTOS OSU ARCHIVES

Upon his arrival in Stillwater, Parry initially worked with the track team.

In late spring, he traveled with limited finances and a small team of six men to Austin, Texas, for the Southwest Track and Field Championships. The team included David Holmes, Bill Potter, C.A. Wood, Obie Baird, Walter Jessee and Ed Gallagher, several of whom participated on the football team in the fall. The team took top honors beating much larger squads from colleges in Texas and Oklahoma. Gallagher, considered the fastest man in the Southwest, won the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds. For several decades, he also held school track records in the 220-yard dash and 220-yard low hurdles.

Excitement on the OAMC campus had been building all summer in anticipation of the football season.

Under a volunteer coach the previous year, the team went 1-3-1. OAMC president John H. Connell led a football rally on Sept. 10 featuring Parry and team members three weeks before the team’s first game and four weeks before its home opener with the University of Oklahoma. Articles and editorials in the college newspaper provided updates on the football team’s practices, enthusiastically supported the players and encouraged the student body to attend the games.

The football season started poorly

20-yard gain. After two plays, OAMC with losses to Central State College went into punt formation and Gallagher, in Edmond, Oklahoma; OU; and who was the team punter, either faked Northwestern College in Alva, the punt or saw an open field in front of Oklahoma. The challenging season him. He carried the ball for 85 yards and turned around in late October with the was tackled just shy of the goal line. On team winning four of its last five games. the next play, Gallagher carried the ball On Nov. 12, OAMC secured a on a halfback plunge and scored. victory at Southwestern College in Only a few minutes into the game, Winfield, Kansas, on its first trip outside OAMC was ahead 5-0. The reader might Oklahoma in the history of the program notice that the total yardage and then traveled two days later to adds up to more than 100 Manhattan, Kansas, for the first for Gallagher to make competition against Kansas this touchdown. The State Agricultural College on total yards gained, the Saturday afternoon. Gallagher decision to punt the ball was team captain and on third down and the starting halfback but missed score will be explained the first game in Winfield. He later. joined the team on Thursday The “Students Herald” evening and Friday morning, provided a more detailed they traveled to Wichita for an early Ed Gallagher account of their 40–10 victory practice at Fairmont College before published four days after the game. heading north to Manhattan.

In the opening series, Harry Bates THE GAME kicked off for Kansas State from The football game vs. the Kansas midfield, the ball traveled 40 yards and Aggies started at 3 p.m. on Nov. was returned five yards to the 20-yard 14. There were two contemporary line. Then Gallagher took the ball on versions of the events for the game the second play and ran 85 yards to the that day, one from the Kansas State 3-yard line, where it was pushed over on student newspaper, “Students Herald,” third down. OAMC led 5–0. published on Nov. 18 and a second Both accounts agreed that Gallagher version from the monthly OAMC had a long run of 85 yards, but they differ student periodical, “The Orange and slightly on the plays preceding this Black,” published later in November. run and the final touchdown sequence.

In the Oklahoma State version,

By May 1909, Gallagher’s run reached Kansas State kicked off and 90 yards when listed in the annual Gallagher returned it for a

OAMC prepares to hike the ball in a modified “T” formation with a quarterback, two halfbacks and a fullback in the backfield in a game vs the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School. Rushing the football accounted for over 90% of the plays from scrimmage and those playing the end positions were used almost exclusively for blocking. Helmets were optional.

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review of OAMC athletics. In summary, Gallagher had carried the ball over 99 yards for a touchdown, but in three plays, the longest being 85, or 90 yards.

Neither version reports any additional Gallagher touchdowns or long runs, and OAMC quarterback Albert Stebbins ran for the second, and only other touchdown the Oklahoma State team scored that afternoon.

line. Before 1912, the ball was placed at midfield for kickoffs, which would be the 55-yard line, and after 1912, it was placed on the 40-yard line.

Scoring also changed in 1912.

Touchdowns previously had been awarded five points and field goals four points with an extra point possible after a touchdown with a successful kick through the goal posts. After 1912, touchdowns were increased to six points THE ERROR and field goals reduced to three points.

The “foot” in football was the key to Kansas State outgained OAMC success at this time, either in playing that November day with 750 rushing for field position utilizing punts or in yards to only 200 yards for the visitors. the ability to kick field goals and extra Kansas State completed four passes in points. eight attempts for 85 yards with no pass Before 1912, only three downs completions by OAMC. Gallagher were allowed to gain at least punted the ball 19 times and Bates 10 yards and a new first 13 times for a combined 1,080 down. The field length yards. Pass plays totaled less was 110 yards with no than 9% of the yardage gained end zones, just a goal line on the day. at each end of the field.

When Bates initially After 1912, the number kicked the ball 40 yards from of plays for a first down midfield, Gallagher received it at increased to four and field the 15-yard line and returned it five lengths were standardized at Dorsey Gibson yards to the 20-yard line. There was 100 yards. With the increased no mention of lost yardage before use of passing plays, it had Gallagher made his 85-yard run just short become necessary to add 10-yard end of the goal line and scored within the next zones at either end of the field to allow few plays. It was certainly not a 99-yard for passing plays over the goal line but run for a touchdown on a single play from limited to 10 yards behind the goal scrimmage.

The 1908 football team and practice squad gathers for a picture. Ed Gallagher is on the back row upper left corner, Coach Ed Parry is in the upper right wearing the OAMC shirt and Clark Oursler is in the third row second from the left wearing a white shirt.

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Over time, the details for this game were lost, became cloudy or modified.

An OAMC rushing record that could never be broken did not happen.

In the 1940s and ’50s, Otis Wile, writing for the “Stillwater News Press,” mentioned the 1908 Kansas State game and referred to Gallagher’s touchdown at the beginning of the game, but no reference to the yardage.

However, on October 17, 1953, OAMC halfback Dorsey Gibson ran for a 97-yard touchdown when the team was playing an away game. Wile stated

Ed Gallagher wins the 220-yard dash in 22.2 seconds on a dirt track. He would hold the state record of 21.6 seconds for decades.

The starting lineup for the state champion 1909 OAMC football team in the “T” formation preparing for a game at the athletic grounds north of campus. It would be named Lewis Field the following year.

this play might “set a new record for a long run from scrimmage by an A&M player.”

A few weeks later, Wile revised his statement after hearing from retired Methodist minister Rev. Clark M. Oursler, who had been a sophomore member of the 1908 football team.

Oursler claimed that late in the Kansas State game, the football was on the 1-yard line and his feet were in the endzone when he hiked the ball to Gallagher, who ran the length of the field for a touchdown. The myth was born.

A few years later, the “Daily Oklahoman” published an article which reinforced the myth with the statement that Gallagher “ran the full length of the lot for a touchdown.”

Gallagher might have insisted on correcting these errors when first

published, but he had died in August 1940.

THE AFTERMATH In the late 1960s, Wile wrote a manuscript describing the history of OSU’s athletic programs. He discovered the Gallagher touchdown error, noting the touchdown occurred over three separate plays. However, Doris Dellinger, citing Wile, missed this detail in her OSU Centennial Histories book on “Intercollegiate Athletics” and stated: “Gallagher’s 99-yard run in that game still would stand as a school record.”

Other writers, OSU football media guides and the internet have replicated the error ever since.

For 70 years, Gibson unknowingly held the record for the longest rushing play from scrimmage in the history of

OSU football after running 97 yards for a touchdown in a 14-7 victory over the University of Houston.

Taking a handoff from the 3-yard line with two minutes and 19 seconds remaining in the game, he raced to the opposite end zone for his second touchdown of the day. All plays required team effort and credit should also go to Ken McCullough, who provided key blocks downfield during the second and longest touchdown run. Gibson passed away in February 2023 at the age of 91 having led a long and meaningful life, but never knowing of his grand achievement in OSU football history, thinking that he only had the second longest run.

Gibson’s uncelebrated rushing record now, however, has the possibility of being broken someday by one or two yards.

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University launches with bold vision Innovation has a new name in Oklahoma.

Officially launched this fall, The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University will focus on advancing and maximizing new discoveries, commercialization, technology transfers and partnerships to fuel OSU’s land-grant mission to serve all of Oklahoma and beyond.

Formerly named the Oklahoma State University Research Foundation, the new foundation is the home of OSU’s dynamic transdisciplinary institutes focused on human performance, energy and aerospace application and impact.

The new name reflects the momentum and purpose of the recently reframed foundation, which in the spring announced new leadership in CEO Jerome Loughridge and Executive Director and President of Cowboy Enterprises Elizabeth Pollard. Loughridge said the foundation will accelerate real-world solutions to the world’s most pressing problems by advancing technology commercialization, translating applied research into impactful products and services.

“Delivering an enterprise from concept to commercialization requires an ecosystem with substantial expertise and scalability for realworld impact. That’s what The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University provides,” said Loughridge, who also serves as OSU’s vice president of strategic operations.

“A nexus of unique and in-demand resources, The Innovation Foundation unites applied research from across the OSU system in key technology areas of energy, advanced mobility and One Health.

“Working together, our institutes are poised to magnify the impact

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The Innovation Foundation at OSU will be the home of OSU’s dynamic transdisciplinary institutes focused on human performance, energy and aerospace application and impact.

of their cutting-edge ideas, which in turn supports the university and the broader innovation landscape in Oklahoma.”

The Innovation Foundation is the leading organization for OSU’s commercialization endeavors, including those operating under the Cowboy Enterprises umbrella — Cowboy Technologies, the Office of Technology Commercialization, the OSU App Center and the Cowboy Innovation Accelerator — and OSU’s applied research institutes: the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education; Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute; and the Hamm Institute for American Energy at Oklahoma State University.

The Innovation Foundation is located within and oversees The Innovation Park at OSU — a sprawling, creative space in southwest Stillwater dedicated to ingenuity and collaboration. The park is also home to Cowboy Enterprises.

As an integral piece of the We Are Land-Grant strategy established under OSU President Kayse Shrum, The Innovation Foundation is well equipped to elevate OSU through partnerships with public and private entities, offering partners invaluable access to unique resources and subject

matter experts capable of advancing ideas and product development at speed.

“The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University is a crucial pillar of our We Are Land-Grant strategy,” Dr. Shrum said. “As we strive to solidify OSU as the nation’s preeminent land-grant university, we are empowering leaders like Elizabeth Pollard to pursue bold ideas to improve lives and spur economic growth for our state.”

With more than 25 years of executive experience driving collaboration and commercialization in the private and public sectors, Pollard’s background includes building highly specialized technologies from concept to market, securing significant venture capital investment, establishing transformative partnerships and scaling organizations.

“I look forward to maximizing OSU’s impact in applied research and commercialization of innovation,” Pollard said. “Our institutes and research community have positioned OSU as a technology leader in aerospace, agriculture, energy and One Health, to name a few. As a Carnegie R1 Research University with a longstanding tradition of discovery, OSU is primed to accelerate innovation and make a significant impact on prosperity in Oklahoma and beyond.”

The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience will be in the West End Zone complex at Boone Pickens Stadium.

OSU, Boone Pickens Foundation reveal plans for ‘Boone Pickens Legacy Experience’ The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience is slated to open in 2024, but a rolling preview tribute to the “ultimate Cowboy” was on display Oct. 28 in Stillwater: A replica of his 1955 Ford station wagon that served as his mobile office when he started his business.

The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience, which will be in the West End Zone complex at Boone Pickens Stadium, will serve as a tribute to Pickens and his unwavering commitment to Oklahoma State University. Construction on the privately funded, 10,000-square-foot installation is slated to begin in early 2024. It will feature interactive and visually rich exhibits highlighting his life and accomplishments.

One of its floors will house iconic recreations of settings significant to Pickens’ life, such as his childhood home in Holdenville, Oklahoma; his office; and a replica of his 1955 Ford station wagon.

“The Legacy Experience will be located in the house Boone built on the university’s campus in Stillwater,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said.

“This world-class exhibit will inspire

generations to come, who will learn about Mr. Pickens’ legacy and his contributions to the university and beyond.”

The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience is being created by Boston-based exhibition design firm Amaze Design, led by founder and creative director Andy Anway.

Known for his extraordinary work designing engaging visitor experiences, including the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Bob Dylan: Electric at the American Writers Museum, Ross Perot Legacy Hall and the Sue S. Bancroft Women’s Leadership Hall, Anway and his team have designed this facility to be an inspiration for current and future generations.

A titan in business, Pickens believed he learned his most important life lessons growing up in a small Oklahoma town, lessons that were honed during his time at OSU. The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience will feature stories from Pickens’ remarkable life told through an expansive collection of artifacts, gifts, awards, mementos and memorabilia amassed over Pickens’ lifetime.

“Boone Pickens was a visionary, in business and in his philanthropy,” Anway said. “He forever changed corporate governance by advocating for shareholder value. And in his philanthropy, he urged others to follow his lead and to give while you live. Nowhere was this philosophy more evident than in his gifts of over $600 million toward athletic and academic initiatives at his beloved alma mater during his lifetime.”

Bob Howard restored the station wagon, which will showcase an “independent spirit” exhibit highlighting Pickens’ decision to pursue self-employment rather than working for a big oil company. Since the vehicle served as his office while traveling across Oklahoma and Texas, the back of the vintage vehicle will serve as a de facto display case for vintage geology equipment that a geologist from the 1950s would use.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Students are encouraged to make a gift to the Senior Class Gift campaign before they walk across the graduation stage.

Senior Class Gift campaign encourages students to leave their mark at OSU A campaign from the Oklahoma State University Foundation is encouraging students to become involved with philanthropy before their time in Stillwater is over.

The Senior Class Gift campaign is designed to inspire graduating seniors to begin leaving their legacy at OSU by making a gift that will benefit all students on campus.

This year, all contributions will go to the Cowboy Strong Student Emergency Fund. It provides financial assistance to students experiencing an unforeseen hardship that could impact their ability to stay in school, such as accidents, illness or death of a family member.

Cowboy Strong funds are designed to offset short-term financial need and allow students to continue their education at OSU. Kodie Gough, an intern in annual giving at the OSU Foundation and

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member of the OSU Student Foundation, has led the charge for this year’s Senior Class Gift campaign. She decided to let the student body guide this year’s campaign by implementing a voting system.

“I wanted to get a better idea of what my fellow students are needing,” Gough said. “The entire student body had the opportunity to vote for which fund the campaign would benefit, and we got great feedback. The Cowboy Strong Student Emergency Fund won over 50% of the votes.”

Although anyone can give to the campaign, it hopes to secure gifts from 150 student donors and spark student involvement in philanthropy. Gough added her personal goal is to raise awareness about the Cowboy Strong Fund so that more students feel secure that they can receive support if they encounter a crisis.

Last year’s campaign, which supported the Food Insecurity Fund, raised more than $43,000 that has helped increase awareness and make strides toward ending food insecurity at OSU. “With the Senior Class Gift campaign, it’s been really exciting to see how willing the student body is to support future generations of students,” said Adrian Matthys, assistant vice president of annual giving. “The Cowboy family is incredibly selfless, and I hope this campaign will remain a tradition at OSU for years to come. It’s a great opportunity for students to leave their mark on campus.”

To make your contribution to the Senior Class Gift campaign, visit osugiving.com/SeniorClassGift.

The 28-month PA program at OSU-CHS consists of 13 months of education and training in classrooms and labs on campus and then 15 months of clinical rotations across Oklahoma.

Inaugural class of physician assistant students graduate The Physician Assistant Program class of 2023 at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences has gone through a lot of firsts.

They were the first accepted to the newest academic program at OSUCHS, first to take part in a PA white coat ceremony, first to learn from and train with new PA curriculum and the first to gain real-world experience with medical preceptors during their rotations.

Now they’re the first PA students from OSU-CHS to walk across a graduation stage to be hooded and handed a diploma.

“I am so excited to graduate! I really can’t believe it’s here,” said Aaron Abraham, the first PA class president, before the commencement ceremony.

“It definitely feels special being in the first class.”

A physician assistant, or PA, is a health care professional who can diagnose illness, develop and manage treatment plans and prescribe medications after completing thousands of hours of medical training.

PAs also practice in every medical setting and specialty, which is especially important in Oklahoma where all 77 counties are either entirely or partially considered a primary care Health Professional Shortage Area, according to the Rural Health Information Hub. “The mission of the PA program mirrors that of OSU-CHS, which is to increase access in rural and underserved communities in Oklahoma.

With a collaborating physician, PAs often serve as patients’ primary care providers, especially in rural Oklahoma,” said Amy Harrison, PA program director and clinical assistant professor.

Kassidy DesRoche, another inaugural class graduate, said she wanted to be a PA because it focuses on a team-based approach to medicine and allows for adaptability once in the workforce.

“The flexibility of a PA gives me the confidence that, as patients’ and communities’ health care needs change over the years, I would have the versatility to change into different

specialties to best accommodate those communities and patients within Oklahoma,” DesRoche said.

The 28-month PA program at OSUCHS consists of 13 months of education and training in classrooms and labs on campus and then 15 months of clinical rotations across Oklahoma.

Harrison said the PA program at OSU-CHS is unique because of the collaborative nature of the programs across campus.

“Our students train with other health care students such as osteopathic medicine and athletic training students during their classroom education as well as during their clinical experiences,” she said. “Our goal from the beginning was to create interprofessional relationships as students that will eventually cultivate partnership in practice. I’m excited to see PA graduates join practices with their D.O. colleagues to improve access to health care in Oklahoma.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Browzwear software allows designers to layout two-dimensional garment parts with exact dimensions for production (left) before translating the designs into a 3D rendering (right) that can be animated to visualize, validate and approve a digital twin before sewing a stitch.

Department of Design and Merchandising launches new 3D certificate series Oklahoma State University’s Department of Design and Merchandising is bringing fashion production into the digital age by piloting the nation’s first universitybased professional certificate program in 3D Digital Product Creation.

Three new certificates will teach students 3D skills and provide general knowledge of the overall 3D landscape in the fashion industry.

Launched in fall 2023, courses are offered for fashion students and industry professionals to become certified as 3D designers, 3D technical designers and 3D artists. A pathway to becoming a 3D material artist will be added to the portfolio in fall 2024.

The 3D Digital Product Creation courses are led by instructor Diane Limbaugh, who has taught at OSU for more than a decade and provides industry insight and experience as a technical designer and owner of her own fashion brand.

The certificate series was ideated through the 3D Retail Coalition (3D. RC) Education committee, which is comprised of dedicated industry

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professionals and educators who have met over the past seven years to determine the skills, skill level and knowledge needed to pursue a position in 3D Product Creation.

“I have never seen a technology adaptation in industry as fast as the major fashion entities switching to 3D technology,” said Dr. Lynn Boorady, head of OSU’s Department of Design and Merchandising.

In response to the critical industry need, leadership and faculty from the design and merchandising department developed four courses for each role and then refined them with constant feedback from industry partners to ensure that the question “Would you hire a person with these skills?” could be answered with a resounding yes from fashion companies.

“When we finally developed the skill matrices for each of the four industry positions, I knew it was time to develop something that would not only propel our students into their careers, but also be able to upskill others already in the industry,” she said. “These skills are dearly needed and these jobs pay well.”

Boorady said COVID-19 was the catalyst for moving to digital. However, many companies made the transition before the pandemic.

“It is a much more sustainable option for creating new designs, has a much faster turn-around time and allows everyone to work in a single online space to streamline the entire process from ideating through selling to the consumer,” she said.

Each certificate pathway has four courses to complete, each requiring the completion of six or more modules that include instruction, assignments and practice.

Coursework will provide knowledge in navigating Browzwear software, allowing students to learn to use bodyscanned avatars and dress forms in a 3D space as well as pattern making in 3D, along with other industry utilized software. Determining appropriate materials for use and understanding placement of seams, artwork and trims helps to translate design into a 3D garment to be used for samples, fitting and testing fabric drapes.

AN ESTATEPLANNING TIP FROM

Pistol Pete Any account with a beneficiary designation (such as IRA and 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 Visit OSUgiving.com/estateplanning or call the OSU Foundation’s Estate & Gift Planning team at 800-622-4678 to discover more.

CHAPTER LEADER PROFILE

Mikah Daughtery, Kingfisher County OSU Alumni Chapter When her three children were born, Mikah Daughtery ensured they would be members of the Cowboy family.

Daughtery, originally from Kingfisher, Oklahoma, graduated high school in 1995. As a first-generation college graduate, she chose to attend Oklahoma State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.

“My husband and I were high school sweethearts,” Daughtery said. “He loves to joke and say I went to OSU because he was there playing baseball, but that’s not really true.”

After her graduation from OSU in 2001, she returned to Kingfisher to be an educator in her community.

Daughtery and her husband, Derek,

’99 general business, have instilled their love for OSU in their children.

“Our oldest son, Cole, graduated from OSU in May with a finance and accounting degree,” Daughtery said.

“Our other son, Ian, is a current student in his junior year studying finance. He plays catcher for the Cowboy baseball team. Our daughter, Kadyn, is a junior in high school, and I am sure she will go to OSU as well.”

Daughtery said her favorite memories have been spent with her family in Stillwater. Her children have grown up attending Cowboy football, basketball and baseball games since they were little.

“I loved my time as a student on campus,” Daughtery said. “But more

than that, I love the memories my family has made in Stillwater. We have been so diligent about making sure our kids love OSU.” Daughtery serves as president of the new Kingfisher County OSU Alumni Chapter. Starting out with a scholarship, the members of the chapter realized the impact they could make by creating an alumni chapter.

Daughtery said their first event was a Kingfisher County Senior Send-Off. “We had masses of people who love OSU that wanted to help with the event,” Daughtery said. “What other university sends their students off like that? In our community, alumni came together to encourage our students.

Our alumni are loyal and true.”

From left: Mikah Daughtery, daughter Kadyn, sons Ian and Cole and husband Derek celebrate at a Cowboy baseball game.

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STORY J I L L I A N R E M I N G T O N | PHOTO PROVIDED TO THE OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

ALUMNI UPDATE

1962

1986

1973 1981 1971

Gary E. Greenwood, ’62 drafting and design, said he has been blessed with 83 wonderful years, including the four he had at Oklahoma State.

He says that God has taken him on a path that he could have only dreamed about, working for the Department of Defense, the Atomic Energy Department, F16, B1 Bomber and some of the presidential aircraft.

He has also been able to start his own business.

Throughout the years, he has remained “proud and immortal.” Now, he has a 21-year-old granddaughter, Ashlyn Greenwood, who is in her fourth year.

Steve Roush, ’71 education, and his wife, Cindy, are proud grandparents of future Cowboy Kadden Morgan.

1973

David L. East, ’73 management science and computer systems, said it has been 50 years since he graduated from OSU in 1973, and he always enjoys coming back to Stillwater. Since his grandson just became a Cowboy, he now has a reason to visit a little more often.

1980

1967

Frances A. Sparks, ’67 fashion merchandising, said she has many wonderful memories of OSU starting in 1954 when her oldest brother, Willard Sparks, ’57 agricultural economics, was the first of their family to attend OSU. The Sparks family had a caravan of family members from Dibble, Oklahoma, to Stillwater to send him off, making her realize she wanted to attend OSU as well.

Frances Sparks and her niece, Julie Simon, ’07 journalism and broadcasting, attend the Brighter Orange of North Texas annually.

Patti J. Moore (Jennings), ’73 sociology and journalism and broadcasting, said 50 years ago in December, she walked back to her apartment through a snowy campus after her last final exam. There may have been weeping involved. She is now a retired high school teacher and holds dear almost every moment of her years on campus, from the first Howdy Dance to that last snowy walk across campus.

Adair C. Johnson (Caldwell), ’80 radio, television and film, ’87 mass communications, is still loyal and true and grateful to OSU for her education, which allowed her an exciting professional career. Some of her highlights include serving as editor-inchief for Standard Life Insurance and director of public relations and marketing for the United Way of Greater New Mexico; and for the commitment to volunteering inspired by her OSU peers and Kappa Delta sorority, which led her to serve as president of the Osteopathic Medical Auxiliary and chairman of the Holland Hall Auction.

She is fully retired now and dedicated to being grammie to her beloved L and E!

Tracy L. Plank, ’86 geology, retired in Cache, Oklahoma, after 11 years in oil field services and 25 years in academics.

Gregg A. Bradshaw, ’81 construction management technology, was elected president of the American Institute of Constructors on July 1, 2023, to a term through Dec. 31, 2025. AIC is a national certification organization founded in 1971, providing construction industry professionals with credentials recognized across all types of construction. Additionally, he was elected to the AIC College of Fellows in January 2022 for his contributions to AIC since 2006.

1985

Melissa L. Richier, ’85 radio, television and film, has recently been named partner at DEVENEY, a boutique public relations firm with offices in New Orleans and West Palm Beach, Florida. She specializes in tourism, media training and crisis communications.

1989

Matthew P. Ketchum, ’89 construction management, has lived in Alaska for 31 years now and owns and operates K&H Civil Constructors LLC.

1990

Deanna Pickering, ’90 political science, is starting a new position as general counsel of GlobalMeet in October.

She recently relocated within the Phoenix area and is happily married to her husband, Pick, and the two have a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Junior.

In her spare time, she is an avid reader, hiker and OSU fan.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 107

1991

1995

’50s

2000

Jerry C. Carroll, ’58 was inducted into the United States Navy Hall of Fame in 2019.

’60s 2006 Rhonda Heiser, ’91 hotel and restaurant administration, lives in Arlington, Texas, and is part of the Advisory Council of the Phi Mu sorority chapter at Texas Christian University.

She said when she introduces herself to the new members each year, she tells them she was a member of the Phi Mu chapter at OSU and how it made her college experience even more special.

Travis Battles, ’95 animal science, ’02 master’s degree in agricultural education, is entering his 23rd year of teaching and loving what he does.

1997

1991

Sonja Hughes, ’91 biological science, was recently elected to serve on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

1991

Chris Moody, ’91 journalism and broadcasting, was recently elected to serve on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

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Linda A. Smith (Mattingly), ’00 family relations and child development, ’04 master’s degree in natural and applied sciences, said it is exciting times. She had the best birthday ever; most of her kids were there to celebrate, friends too, and all six great-grandkids. She is expecting her seventh great-grand Cowboy in December.

2004 Sarah Ehrlich, ’97 health, was named the Oklahoma Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Oklahoma Health Education Teacher of the Year. Health educators like Ehrlich are a particularly vital part of communities as they work with children to establish active lifestyles from an early age. Focusing on the importance of physical activity and health helps students live longer, healthier lives.

1999

Matthew Waits, ’99 agricultural economics, was recently elected to serve on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Brian Krafft, ’06 marketing, was recently elected to serve on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

2022

William Van Vliet, ’60 forestry, is retired and enjoys watching Cowboy football!

Carol A. Taylor (Sturdevant), ’62 speech, is a watercolor artist. She has four grandchildren and still travels to Oklahoma each year to visit relatives.

Noah M. Mitchell, ’63 animal science livestock operation, was elected Oklahoma Cattleman of the Year.

Richard Cook, ’68 general business, and his former wife are remarrying in Las Vegas this fall.

Eddie Whitworth, ’69 agricultural education, was elected board chair for Community Action Development Corporation in Southwest Oklahoma.

’70s

Susan Crenshaw, ‘04 mechanical engineering, ‘13 MBA was recently elected to serve on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

2006

Adam S. Fenderson, ’06, mechanical engineering, received his professional engineering license in April 2023.

Makenzie G. Jones, ’22 human development and family science, graduated in December and has had the incredible opportunity to begin working at Perkins-Tryon Elementary School. This school has been on the top of her list for a very long time, and the only reason she feels qualified to work there is all thanks to the thorough training she received from her time in the early childhood education program on campus.

Without this program, she would never have been able to earn this role working with these amazing people.

James Liichow, ’71 general business, is glad to be alive after Hurricane Ian. He rode out the storm on Sanibel, Florida, but unfortunately lost use of his condo.

Robert D. Martin, ’73 accounting, ’97 MBA, is getting ready to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with his wife, Gloria Taylor Martin, ’73 accounting. The couple is enjoying their retirement from ConocoPhillips in Tulsa.

Cathy Dillard Byrum, ’79 fashion merchandising, is a part of a big OSU family. Her late husband, Rick Dillard was a Pistol Pete ’76 to ’78. Her son, Derick Dillard, was Pistol Pete in ’09 to ’11. With five grandsons, their family is hoping for a “three Pete!”

’90s

Marilyn Wolgamott, ’91 pre-veterinary science, ’94 doctorate in veterinary medicine, has three children. Her son, Kenny, married Lauren Kyle on Oct. 15, 2022. Her daughter,

Tyler Wolgamott, is now teaching English in South Korea. Her youngest child is in middle school and loves playing volleyball Nicolle Y. Clarke (Ware), ’92 history, retired after 20 years of dedicated service to the United States Army. She has started a new career as an executive coach working with leaders to transform their professional and personal lives.

Chrisanna Paxton McMillin, ‘92 journalism, ’04 adult and occupational education, and her small business, D3 Training Solutions, were recognized in Training magazine as a winner of its crowd-sourced vendor awards program in the custom content/program development category.

Ginger Kollmann, ’97 management science and information systems, was recently elected to serve on the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

’10s

Jacquelyn Lane, ’17 chemical engineering, completed her first book, “Becoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership and Life,” which was released on Sept. 19 and is now a Wall Street Journal bestseller.

Kaylyn Reagin, ’17 animal science, is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia and was recently recognized as a Trusted Advisor Spotlight Honoree at the June 2023 Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Plenary Meeting in St. Louis.

This recognition spotlights the work she has been doing for the last three years at UGA in row crop sustainability. Reagin has assisted upwards of 55 cotton and peanut growers, as well as several county extension agents, to dive deeper into measuring on-farm sustainability and evaluating the impacts production practices can make.

Andy Zahl, ’18 agricultural economics, recently started his position as the new executive director for the Washington FFA Association.

In Memory

David Cecil, ’60 master’s in mathematics and ’62 Ph.D. in mathematics, age 87, passed away peacefully at his home Thursday, July 5, 2023.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Betty Poe Cecil, in 2022. He was born in Tulsa in 1935 and he played the alto saxophone in high school and graduated in 1954. In 1958, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in physics from the University of Tulsa. Cecil was a retired professor of mathematics and assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas A&M UniversityKingsville (formerly Texas A&I), where he taught for 42 years. Prior to his tenure at A&MKingsville, Cecil taught for eight years at the University of North Texas in Denton and one year at Butler University in Indianapolis. After retirement, he helped out at his wife’s store, The Needle Nook, in downtown Kingsville. His hobbies included woodworking and folded paper artwork.

Walt Garrison died on Oct. 11, 2023, at the age of 79. Garrison, who won a Super Bowl as a fullback with the Dallas Cowboys in 1972 and competed as a rodeo cowboy, is an OSU legend Following his career in Stillwater, Garrison was selected by Dallas in the fifth round of the 1966 NFL Draft and played a nine-year NFL career entirely with the Cowboys, playing a vital role on the team in each year of his career.

He retired from Dallas as the third-leading rusher and fourth-leading receiver in team history.

Garrison’s rodeo career — which he called his first love — made him the ultimate cowboy. He told STATE magazine in 2006 when he was

on the cover that he “liked the people and the atmosphere of rodeo.”

He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and in 2000 he was inducted into the Oklahoma State Athletics Hall of Honor. He was also named to the Dallas Cowboys’ 25th anniversary team and was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

“People always ask why I went to OSU. When you only have one scholarship, you don’t have a choice,” Garrison told STATE magazine in 2006. “But I don’t regret it. I am a supporter of OSU and an ambassador for the university.

Everything I have is because of my time at OSU.”

Lavalius Cyrone Gordon, a 1961 Oklahoma State graduate and the school’s first Black men’s basketball player, died Nov. 4, 2023, at the age of 86.

Born June 11, 1937, in Abbeville, Mississippi, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Gordon — better known as L.C. — arrived in Stillwater in 1957. Although he scored just 114 points over three varsity seasons (1958-61), he would become one of the most impactful players in Cowboy history, helping blaze a trail for generations of Black student-athletes.

“The first guy, it’s always rough,” Gordon told the Oklahoman’s Jenni Carlson in 2013 feature story. “But going in, I knew that.”

Gordon graduated from OSU with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education and later added master’s degrees from the University of Memphis (administration and supervision) and Texas Southern University (physical education).

As a player, Gordon was often described as a coach on the floor, so it came as no surprise when he made it his livelihood. Gordon served as a head coach at the high school and collegiate levels, most notably at Texas Southern where he posted a 63-43 record over four seasons and took his team to the 1971 NAIA national tournament.

Gordon stayed connected to his alma mater, helping organize the Memphis chapter of OSU’s Alumni Association. In 2013 he served as Homecoming grand marshal, was on the cover of STATE magazine and received the OSU Black Alumni Society’s Trailblazer Award.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 109

Births James E. McDonald, ’71 construction management technology, welcomed a new namesake, grandson and future OSU alumnus, James Paul McDonald, on May 19, 2023. James’ new grandson is the son of Jay McDonald, ’96 agricultural economics, and his wife, Mary.

Ed D. Garrison, ‘82 business, and wife Nancy, ’82 business, welcomed their first grandchild, Graham Thomas Garrison, on July 24, 2023.

McDonald

Garrison

Gibson

Thompson

Tippet

Alphin

Lanker

Moton

Tracy Gibson, ’86 journalism, and wife Janice, ‘86 business, welcomed two more grandchildren to their family this summer. Mason Lee, born to London and Landon Lee on June 7, 2023, and Holland Gibson, born to Colby and Haley Gibson on July 29, 2023, are great additions to the family to go with grandson No. 1, Archer Gibson.

Nicole L. Thompson (Jarrell), ’01 merchandising, welcomed the newest addition to their family, Laney Rose Thompson, on Oct. 15, 2022.

Dylan R. Tippet, ’19 sports media, welcomed his son, Dallas Royce Tippet, on March 8, 2022. He is happy to announce the newest Cowboy to the OSU family.

Marcus L. Alphin, ’21 aerospace administration and operations, and wife Meghann A. Alphin, ’19 communication sciences and disorders, welcomed their daughter, Charlotte Rayne Alphin, in Fairbanks, Alaska, on July 19, 2023. Her parents are excited to welcome another legacy into their family.

Konnor Lanker (Smith), ’22 fine arts, and husband Caleb Lanker welcomed their daughter, Hallie Kay Lanker, into their family on March 3, 2023.

Kelcie G. Moton, ’22 business education, and her husband, Jesse Moton, welcomed their daughter, Madeline Grace Moton, on Feb. 24, 2023.

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Weddings Jayme N. Elam (Orgain), ’03 university studies, married Dustin Elam on March 4, 2023, at the First Baptist Church in Cheyenne, Oklahoma. Jayme is employed with Northern Oklahoma College as the Scholar of Excellence in Child Care coordinator and advisor.

Dustin is employed with OSU in the admissions office.

Harrison Hill, ’19 agricultural communications, married Ellie Hill (Fuksa), ’18 art history, on Oct. 15, 2023, in Wellston, Oklahoma. Harrison works in the Department of Brand Management and Ellie in the Office of the Vice President for Research, where they met.

Submit your update at ORANGECONNECTION.ORG/share.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 111

CHAPTER NEWS

NORTH TEXAS (Above) Alumni and friends from the North Texas OSU Alumni Chapter pose with Pistol Pete at OSU Night with the Texas Rangers. (Below) A new Hideaway Pizza location hosts OSU alumni and friends at a soft opening in North Texas to enjoy a slice of Stillwater for the night.

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PHOTOS PROVIDED TO OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

TULSA The Tulsa Chapter celebrates everyone’s favorite mascot, Pistol Pete, at the Tulsa Zoo. Members of the Cowboy family in attendance received an exclusive sea lion show and shared cupcakes with Pete.

OKC METRO Members of the Cowboy family enjoy a fun evening at Poketoberfest with their limited-edition Poketoberfest tankards.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 113

CHAPTER NEWS

AMERICAN INDIAN ALUMNI SOCIETY OSU alumna Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn (center) received the OSU Distinguished American Indian Alumni Society Award at a reception in October.

HOUSTON Cowboy football fans in Houston cheer on the team as it takes on the Kansas State Wildcats.

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CHEROKEE STRIP Cowboys and Cowgirls compete at the Cherokee Strip Alumni Chapter’s annual golf tournament to help raise scholarship funds for local OSU students.

LOS ANGELES WATCH CLUB Los Angeles Cowboys cheer on Cowboy football as the team defeats the Kansas Jayhawks 39-32.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 115

New Life Members

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association would like to recognize and thank the following individuals who are now connected for life to OSU through their new life memberships purchased June 1 - Sept. 30, 2023.

ALUMNI A S S O C I AT I O N

Visit ORANGECONNECTION.org/life to see how easy it is to become a life member today or call 405-744-5368.

*An asterisk designates life members who joined as OSU students.

Mike Abbas, '95, '96 Michael Afolabi, '21 Julia Amsler* Delia Anderson, '81 Nicholas Andry* Mackenzie Armstrong* Isabelle Arnold* Madison Aug, '23 Ramie Barnes, '04 Donna Barr, '57 Bob Bartlett, '71 Jack Bedingfield, '59 Anita Beesley, '72 Ashley Benjamin* Bailee Bertram, '19 Art Bieri, '58, '65 Debbie Blacklock, '97 Jill Blackwelder, '76 Jackson Bledsoe* Landry Bledsoe* Glenn Bonner, '72 Kris Bonner, '72 Tori Booker* Kate Boudreaux* Jacob Bowen Kenneth Brand, '90 Alaine Brand, '90 Tyler Brandes* Carter Brown* Marty Brown, '74 Lester Burns, '88 Shelby Bute* Johnny Carothers Jr., '98 Claire Carver* James Castleman, '15 Tyler Castonguay, '08 Alyssa Catlett Nikki Caulfield, '98 Tashia Cheves, '16 Mitchell Clark, '97 Scott Clasby, '98 Ann Clayton, '83 Carson Clift* Tyler Cloyes* Lucas Collier, '22 Rochelle Converse, '02 Kayce Cordray, '22 Donald Cothren, '64 A. C. Craig, '96 Kimberly Crawshaw, '88 Steven Cundiff, '75, '76 Abby Curlee, '21

Kelly Current, '96 Cameron Curry, '22 Shannon Custard, '85, '11 Alexa Davis* Becky Davis Regan Davis* Laura Demaree, '88 Cheyenne DeSpain* James Dobson, '76 Cynthia Downing, '73 Bill Duncan, '72 Chloe Enloe* Arlon Enmeier, '65 Gage Estes* Julie Evans, '94 Justin Evans, '94, '97 Shane Farmer* Jim Feist, '64 Troy Fields, '91 Christian Fisher* Calissa Fletcher, '22 Sonya Fox* Matthew Frantz, '19 Kate Frantz, '19 Monica Freeland, '87 Vivian Freeman, '22 Katherine Frost* Noah Frost* Hannah Fullingim, '23 Annetta Gallegos, '86 Gretchen Garrett* Ann Gasper, '68 Robert Gasper, '68 Kelly Gibson, '91 Melissa Gillock, '11 Matthew Gipson, '04 Kristal Glass* Charlene Glover Rachel Goethe, '22 Elaine Gomez, '65 Cooper Gommel* Keith Good, '65 Nicholas Gootos, '22 Laurie Graham, '98, '01 Justin Graham, '97, '01 Logan Gray Jackson Green, '23 Shae Greidanus* Sheena Grote Cecil, '01 Kathy Guetlein Madeline Haiges, '22 Emma Haley*

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Sarah Halley, '01 Grayson Hargis* Jennifer Hatcher, '06 Ashley Hearon* Lori Henderson, '02 Jake Henning, '22 Lindsey Hiette* Celia Higginbotham* Kevin Hoey, '04 Harlan Howard, '85 Danny Hoyt, '70, '75 Olivia Huffstetter, '18 Jackson Hutton* Jason James, '98 Caleigh James* Valerie Joffrion, '11 Paul Johansen, '05 Evin Johnson* Jamie Johnson, '04 Monica Kaye Johnson, '72, '74 Marissa Johnson, '23 Ethan Jones* Weston Jordan, '20 Carlee Kennedy* Douglas Kirkpatrick, '75, '77 Kaylin Klein* Katelyn Laminack* McKenzie Lammers* Macy Lane* Konnor Lanker* Ashley Lanman Matthew Laster* Linda Laubert Emily Lencioni* Erin Linton* Janice Lisko, '78, '79 Leslie Littlejohn, '90 Turner Longacre* Brenda Lyons, '67, '77, '83 Stanley Lyons, '67 Alex Mahnich, '21 Grace Maschmeier* Michael Massey, '74 Adam Matte* Lily Maxwell* Haley McCauley, '22 Brenda McCoskey, '79 Michael McCready, '22 Kai Mcgoldrick* Craig McKinley, '68

Dorothy McLaughlin, '01 Vicki McNeil, '77, '78, '81 Maleah Mendenhall* Debbie Metheny, '73 Taegan Michel* Trevor Middleton, '20 Roger Miller, '15, '16 Ebonee Miller* Nancy Miller, '88 Jack Minor, '64 Malone Mitchell Jr., '63 Jamey Mitchell, '01 Mike Mlynek, '03, '03 Layton Moore* Mason Moorman* Justin Moss, '00, '02, '05 Rollin Nash Jr., '77 Robert Nicholson, '65, '66 Jeana Nickles, '96 LouAnn Noll, '77 Dan Northey, '70 Christine Oliver, '95 Ava Olmedo* Nancy Osborn, '85 Cody Osborne* Jeffrey Paetz, '99, '02 Austin Painter* Glen Patton, '77, '80 Ginger Pebworth, '85 Erin Pekar, '04 Linda Pennington, '93 Helen Perkins, '99 Ashley Peterson* Kyle Peterson, '23, '23 Karla Pickens, '99 Gwen Piersall, '53 Mindy Pitcock, '04 Joshua Pittman* Karoline Radka, '18 Halena Ragan, '80 Helen Ramming, '58 Ronald Ramming, '58 Hannah Rauschuber* Jerry Rayburn, '82 Rick Rayson, '80 Kevin Reber, '91 Natalie Reed* Caleb Reeves* Eric Reimer, '19, '20 Eli Reinhardt* Eric Renner*

Larry Reutzel Julie Roberts, '06 Mark Robertson, '81 Victoria Robison, '78 Danny Roe, '62, '62 Reilly Roggendorff* Jarod Rupe* Bert Rutledge Teresa Ruttgen, '77 Nick Sahs* Carol Sartin, '77 Scott Sauer, '07 Korbyn Schick, '22 Mason Schmidt* David Schramme, '60 Bobby SchultzII, '86 Audrey Seymour* Mandy Sharp, '22 Crystie Shebester, '98 Cooper Shebester* Matthew Sheets, '07 Amy Shepherd, '83 Sheridan Sherrer* Robin Shirley, '78 Mike Shirley, '78 Michael Sigmon, '66 Hannah Silensky* Brittlee Simmons* Cade Sloan* Nathaniel Smith* Stacy Smith, '92, '96 Kortni Smith, '21 Michael Smith, '73 Brad Sokolosky, '92 Doug Solter, '91 Bertha Sparks Goggin, '78 Marshall Spencer* Dawayne Spradlin Mary Jo Springer Leah Stephanow, '89 Terri Stephens, '82 Ernest Steward, '76 Susan Stites, '56 Sydnei Storts, '23, '23 David Strealy, '91 Logan Stricklin* Ashley Stricklin* Michael Swanson, '01 Alyssa Tabor* Ashton Tate* Laurie Taylor, '99

Barbara Taylor-Ebmeier, '20 Derk Tenzythoff, '73 Jill Tenzythoff, '72 Russ Tharp, '69, '85 Jackson Thies* Claire Thomas* Leslie Tieszen, '96 Ryan Torres* Cindy Trevino, '79 Jana Turner David Unsell William Van Vliet, '60 Jordan Velekei, '21 Christin Vomastek, '21 Sandy von Bargen, '99 Katrina Wagner* Chauncey Wagner* Audrey Wagstaff* Jillian Walker, '21 Mike Wass, '70 Travis Webb Ashlynn Welch* Madyson Werner, '19 Sandy Westervelt, '78 Paul Westervelt, '78 Madison Whitley* Kylie Wilbur* Brad Winkler, '90, '91 Brian Winter Kenneth Wray, '76 Rylee Wyatt* Tah-Teh Yang, '57 Gregory Yoast, '15, '21 Kurtis Young, '87 Cory Young* Erik Young Frances Zerger, '69 Taylor Zerr* Jason Zheng*

VISIT okla.st/forlife to see how easy it is to become a life member today or call 405-744-5368.

S TAT E M AG A Z I N E .O K S TAT E . E D U 117

Cowboy100 The

Gala

Special Thanks to our 2024 Cowboy100 Presenting Sponsor, Twin Eagle!

Cowboy-owned, Cowboy-led: The Cowboy100 is a celebration to acknowledge the business and leadership achievements of OSU graduates as well as their positive influence on OSU, our students, and throughout the world.

For more information on the Cowboy100 and see previous year’s honorees, visit our website!

February 2024 March 29, 2024

Cowboy100 Alphabetical List Announced Cowboy100 Honoree Gala Wes Watkins Center for International Trade

OSU Online is ranked #1 “Best Online College in Oklahoma”

by Intelligent.com

Continue your Cowboy legacy at Oklahoma State University with a flexible online graduate degree. We offer graduate degrees and certificates in high-demand and rewarding careers along with all the support and services of an in-person degree.

OSU waives the application fees for our OSU alumni and has a special nonresident tuition rate, making an OSU graduate degree even more affordable.

ONCE A COWBOY, ALWAYS A COWBOY Learn more at osuonline.okstate.edu

PARTING SHOT | 11 .4. 23 Oklahoma State fans rush the field at Boone Pickens Stadium after the Cowboys beat Oklahoma 27-24 in the final in-conference edition of Bedlam.

PHOTO BRUCE WATERFIELD

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OKLAHOMA STATE. MORE THAN A UNIVERSITY. We are a promise — a promise to inspire and create.

We demand excellence from ourselves. We are cultivating tomorrow’s leaders who are destined to shine on the global stage. We are solving the most complex problems across our state and the world.

We live by the promise to forever be loyal and true, giving back to Oklahoma and the Cowboy family.

As the nation’s premier land-grant university, OSU celebrates a legacy of excellence and embraces a bold vision for the future.

ORANGE IS THE ANSWER.