56 minute read
Campus News
OSU sees record month for grant funding
Oklahoma State University set a new monthly record for research funding in September with more than $10 million in grant funding awarded across campus.
“These grants are critical to pursuing our work as a modern land grant institution, and I encourage our faculty and staff to keep up this mission-critical endeavor,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said.
Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU vice president for research, said grant proposals from faculty to federal agencies are becoming more ambitious, and the research funding boost serves as a clear indicator of OSU’s rapidly growing breadth of expertise.
“OSU research leaders have been stepping up their game for several years now,” Sewell said. “But somehow, these trying times we have been enduring as a society in recent months seem to be energizing our faculty to form larger, more ambitious interdisciplinary teams to tackle bigger problems.
“Of course, it’s great to see this energy and ambition. But it’s even greater to see these proposals get funded at a high rate — a sure sign that OSU researchers have the expertise and innovative ideas our society needs.”
A large portion of the $10 million came from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology — which broke its own monthly record in September with $7.8 million in grants awarded.
These grants are used to advance many academic fields, Sewell said, but they can do more than that.
“These funds also involve and engage OSU students — and often, K-12 students — in ways that energize their own ambitions and passions,” Sewell said.
There will always be month-tomonth fluctuations in these metrics but if OSU keeps setting new records, the university’s overall trajectory will continue to rise, Sewell said.
“OSU students I talk to seem to truly love the research culture at our university, and K-12 students who are exposed to OSU research often have their horizons broadened and begin planning exciting careers that involve college degrees,” Sewell said.
OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology awarded top DoD STEM grant
Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT) has been awarded the largest university grant in the National Defense Education Program from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
The $6 million grant, which will be administered over the next four years by the DoD, is for the development and implementation of additional STEM education programs for schools with economically disadvantaged or underrepresented students
The goal is to create a pathway for successful careers in engineering and innovation.
At a special announcement ceremony in November at OSU DISCOVERY in Oklahoma City, OSU President Kayse Shrum welcomed Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK3), Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Sean McDaniel, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex Director Wade Wolfe, as well as representatives for Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford and Rep. Stephanie Bice.
Dr. Shrum said it was fitting to make the announcement on National STEM Day.
“As the former Secretary of Science and Innovation, I know the value of a strong STEM workforce to the state of Oklahoma,” she said. “As I served, I had the opportunity to go around and visit with many CEOs and I heard repeatedly that the most important thing they are looking for when expanding their businesses or relocating is a qualified workforce. … Having a qualified STEM workforce means early engagement with our young students.”
OSU is one of only seven universities across the nation to receive funding from the DoD for the purpose of educating the next generation of STEM workforce employees and creating a relationship with defense industry partners who can leverage the knowledge gained by those students as a means to support their national initiatives.
Together these universities and nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $43 million over three- or fouryear periods, depending on the award. OSU and Harvard University each received the largest university grants in the program at $6 million each.
Awardees, consisting of a local education agency, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits, are focused on activities related to STEM. The award aims to engage students and educators through STEM education, outreach and workforce initiatives from early childhood through postsecondary education.
Dr. Paul Tikalsky, dean of the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, said OSU DISCOVERY, located in the heart of Oklahoma City’s Innovation District, will be the hub of activity for CEAT, OSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences, and its partners. DISCOVERY will scale up its K-8 grade STEM summer and transdisciplinary teacher training at three school districts adjacent to Tinker Air Force Base, the state’s largest military base. The student programs will prepare thousands of students for engineering career pathways and opportunities to earn scholarships to pursue engineering careers at OSU.
Lou Watkins named to CEHS Hall of Fame
Lou Watkins is a two-time graduate of Oklahoma State University, a past member and chair of the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents and even met her husband of 57 years, former state senator and U.S. Rep. Wes Watkins, at the OSU library. Most recently, Lou Watkins was inducted into the 2021 OSU College of Education and Human Sciences Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed by the college.
The recognition celebrates her lifelong commitment to empowering others through education and public service and honors her significant contributions to the college and the university.
“As a student, alumna, donor and regent, Lou Watkins has touched Oklahoma State University in a variety of ways and made an incredible impact,” said former OSU President Burns Hargis. “I particularly appreciate her vision and support as a member of the OSU Board of Regents during my time as president. There is no finer example of ‘loyal and true’ than Lou and her husband, Wes.”
LEARN MORE about Lou Watkins here: okla.st/louw.
OSU joins Catholic Charities to resettle Afghan refugees
Oklahoma State University is partnering with Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma (CCEOK) to help with the relocation and settlement of up to 40 Afghan families who were evacuated by the U.S. government after the fall of the Afghan government.
The first group of Afghan refugees arrived on campus in early November and are housed in approximately 25 unoccupied Residential Life units. Although the full needs of the families are still being determined, CCEOK and OSU are working on providing English as a second language training through the English Language and Intercultural Center, transportation through the OSU community bus network, adult and child programming through the Family Resource Center, assistance with food and furniture drives and volunteer translation services offered by international and other student groups at OSU.
These families, many with young children, are arriving with nothing but the clothes on their backs. CCEOK is seeking household items, monetary donations and gift cards to provide long-term assistance for these families.
A website has been created to provide ongoing updates, answer frequently asked questions and coordinate assistance needed for this project. You can learn more at okla.st/ afghan. Questions about the project can be directed to Dr. Randy Kluver, dean of the School of Global Studies and Partnerships, at sgsp@okstate.edu or at 405-744-6606.
New, free streaming app covers all things OSU
Oklahoma State University is joining the streaming revolution.
Inside OSU is available on desktop and mobile at insideosu.com. An Inside OSU app is available to download for Amazon Fire, Apple TV and Roku. There is no charge to download or access Inside OSU apps or content.
Inside OSU will feature live coverage of events on campus such as homecoming, commencement, guest speakers and performances from OSU’s Greenwood School of Music. Users will also find content about OSU athletics, academic programs and student life. Archived footage and original programming will also be featured on Inside OSU, which will replace OStateTV.
Study Abroad Office celebrates 25 years
The Oklahoma State University Study Abroad and National Student Exchange Office celebrated its 25th anniversary with a reception as part of OSU’s 100th Homecoming Celebration.
In addition to recognizing 25 years of education abroad programming, the office announced the expansion of its current iteration into the Center for Global Learning as part of strategic efforts across campus to increase accessibility for more OSU students in study abroad programs, global internships, research and service learning projects.
In the 25 years since founding the office, OSU has sent more than 15,000 students on global learning programs. Restructuring the office allows OSU to increase critical international partnerships and serve a larger population of students with branded programming abroad and courses designed to prepare students as tomorrow’s global leaders. One of the center’s goals is to increase student participation in global academic programs to 25 percent of the total OSU student population by 2027.
Training simulator gives OSUPD help for stressful scenarios
Every day a law enforcement officer puts on the uniform, there’s a chance they could be faced with a life-or-death decision. These split-second decisions are difficult to train for unless officers are subjected to high-stress situations that replicate the conditions.
The Oklahoma State University Police Department now has a new tool that can do just that, thanks to the Division of Institutional Diversity, which purchased a training simulator with privately raised funds.
Dr. Jason F. Kirksey, vice president for institutional diversity and OSU chief diversity officer, took part in the OSUPD’s Citizens Academy in 2019, a 20-hour course covering everything from officer training requirements to crime scene evidence preservation. Participants also spent time on the Stillwater Police Department’s training simulator.
The opportunity to step into an officer’s shoes with the simulator truly opened Kirksey’s eyes. The more scenarios he experienced, the more calm and focused he became, he said.
“This was essentially the motivation behind the decision to purchase the simulator for OSUPD,” he said. “The benefit of our officers having the opportunity to regularly use this type of simulator is immeasurable. In a few hours, it helped an ordinary citizen be better equipped, both physically and mentally, to engage in both calm and intense law enforcement situations.
OSUPD Chief Leon Jones is grateful the Division of Institutional Diversity invested in the officers and community with the purchase.
“The value of this training tool is beyond measure,” he said. “It will better prepare our officers and can be used as an educational resource for giving our community members a glimpse into the types of split-second decision-making our officers are asked to be prepared for every day.”
MBA program celebrates 60 years
Oklahoma State University’s awardwinning MBA program celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021. The program graduated its first student in 1961 and over the past 60 years has graduated more than 4,500 individuals.
The OSU MBA has been recognized over the years in the “U.S. News & World Report” rankings, including the part-time MBA program jumping to No. 52 in the 2022 rankings of 273 college and universities surveyed. The part-time MBA ranks second best in the Big 12 Conference. The OSU online MBA is ranked No. 32 overall by “U.S. News & World Report.”
“We are proud of the tradition of excellence established by our MBA program and its many outstanding graduates,” said Dr. Ken Eastman, dean of the Spears School of Business. “The program has evolved over time to meet the needs of our students. It began as a traditional program in Stillwater, began offering a part-time program in Tulsa and then a fully online program available to students across Oklahoma, the nation and the world. Our rankings show that we have maintained a highquality educational experience for our students regardless of how they are earning their degree.”
LEARN MORE by visiting mba.okstate.edu.
OSU’s Singh to lead EPSCoR research program
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education has named Dr. Raman P. Singh as director of the Oklahoma Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (OK EPSCoR).
“I hope to support growth in all areas of research relevant to the state of Oklahoma,” said Singh, an associate dean and Helmerich Family Endowed Chair of Engineering at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. “Concurrently, I hope to support diversity and inclusion for traditionally underrepresented groups. My overarching goal is to help foster an innovative economy by leveraging science and technology for the benefit of all residents of our state.”
Singh, who is also the director of the Helmerich Research Center, said OSU has a vast amount of research in energy, health care, aerospace, manufacturing, clean water and agriculture.
“We are lucky to have recruited such an accomplished scholar who also has the extraordinary people skills needed for this role,” said Dr. Kenneth Sewell, OSU vice president for research and member of the Oklahoma EPSCoR Advisory Committee. “Dr. Singh seems ideally suited.”
In the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, Singh holds joint appointments as a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Singh also serves as the vice president of the Society of Experimental Mechanics. In 2020, Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed him to the Governor’s Science and Innovation Council.
Tulsa Veterans Hospital celebrates groundbreaking
Leaders from across government, academia, health care and philanthropy came together Oct. 15 to celebrate the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Veterans Hospital in downtown Tulsa.
The new hospital, which will be housed on the expanded OSU Medical Center campus, will convert the existing Kerr-Edmondson buildings into a modern 275,000-square-foot, 58-bed medical-surgical hospital for veterans.
The project is a collaboration involving the federal government, state of Oklahoma, Tulsa County, city of Tulsa, private philanthropy and Oklahoma State University.
“The new Veterans Hospital in Tulsa will be transformative in many ways, and Oklahoma State University is proud to be a part of this visionary project, said OSU President Kayse Shrum. “All of the partners involved in the new hospital owe a debt of gratitude to Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford for their commitment to see this project funded at the federal level, as well as other state, city and county leaders who have provided resources to ensure that this modern health care facility for our veterans could become a reality.
“Expanding the OSU Medicine academic health care campus is a win for our medical school and our veterans in northeast Oklahoma by providing them the best care possible in an exceptional medical facility. We appreciate the tireless support and effort of The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation for their leadership on this project from the very beginning.”
The facility is slated to open to patients in late 2024.
TRADITIONS GALORE
We asked Oklahoma State University fans and alumni to vote for their favorite Cowboy traditions. After receiving more than 80,000 votes on social media, we’re ready to share our Top 5.
Pistol Pete
Michael Albright remembers the first time he saw Pistol Pete, he thought he was seeing a superhero.
“He was this gun-toting Cowboy who was rough and tough and going around the field showing who was boss,” said Albright, an accounting senior from Stillwater. “I saw him and thought, ‘That is a superhero.’ So I would dress up as a Cowboy and walk around, spin my gun, and I wanted to be Pistol Pete.”
Albright got his wish — he and Parker Wilson are the two current Pistol Petes. They take the job seriously. Everyone who has ever portrayed the OSU mascot is a member of a larger fraternity where everyone knows everyone else on the list and the years they were Pete.
Wilson knows this firsthand — his father, Rick, portrayed Pete from 1984-86.
“I think that is really cool that when we all get together, we all have thousands of stories,” said Parker Wilson, a fifth-year finance major from Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
When they put on the head and costume, they both know they are representing more than the university — they’re also portraying the namesake of the character they play: Frank Eaton.
A legendary U.S. marshal, Eaton became famous for getting revenge on six men who shot his father down in cold blood before embarking on his career working for “hanging Judge” Isaac Parker.
Eaton appeared in a 1923 Armistice Day parade in Stillwater. Students who saw him decided his Old West Cowboy appearance was much more suitable for their university than the Tigers, which they had been previously. Pistol Pete became the official mascot in 1958.
“Yeah, I am a mascot, but I am playing a real person, and that plays a lot into the way that Pete carries himself,” Wilson said.
Albright, who has visited Eaton’s homestead in Perkins, Oklahoma, many times, said every potential Pistol Pete is required to read a book titled “Veteran of the Old West” before they try out.
“I think it is phenomenal. It really makes us unique and something that we can tie ourselves to as part of the Cowboy family,” Albright said. “It is so close to us. This guy was an OSU fan, he represented our university. The tradition is really great. You can’t find it anywhere else.”
For almost half a century, Eskimo Joe’s has been synonomous with Stillwater and OSU.
Although it is a global brand, it will forever be home at the corner of Elm Avenue and West Street. Founder Stan Clark is proud to this day, that no matter how far away someone moves after college, they will always be able to get cheese fries when they come back to OSU.
“It is the highest honor,” Clark said. “I poured my heart and soul into it for the last 47 football seasons, so there is nothing more exciting or humbling than to see people coming back to talk about the great time they had at Joe’s.”
Since its opening on July 21, 1975, Joe’s has gone from a little bar hosting “the coldest beer in town” to the twostory establishment that still has the homey feeling of “Stillwater’s Jumpin’ Little Juke Joint.”
“People always tell me they met their wife there or met their husband there,” Clark said. “They had their first date there. Literally, thousands of love stories have started there over the last 47 years. I hear that all the time. It is kind of amazing just to be a part of somebody’s life.”
Clark is proud of his partnership with OSU. Over the years, coming to Joe’s whenever you are back in town or after Walkaround during Homecoming week has become a time-honored tradition.
Clark was even the grand marshal of the Sea of Orange Parade one year, an experience that he will remember forever. Joe’s also participates every year during the parade and has had a collaborative Homecoming cup for years.
What has kept Joe’s the same experience as it was 20 or 30 years ago? Clark thinks it is how the employees always treat customers like they are family.
“Our mission statement is very simple, it is ‘To delight every guest by giving my best,’” Clark said.
“We didn’t ever plan to be the biggest, but we did plan to be the most special. We wanted to mean something to this community.”
Eskimo Joe’s
Tailgating
Brian Campbell, Harry Clawson and Robin Herrod like to get out early to start setting up their tailgate tents.
The trio have been tailgating for the last eight years at their spot right next to the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts. It is prime real estate as it has become a stop for friends and family.
“It is like a big orange picnic, it really is,” Campbell said.
Queso is always on the menu at their tailgate and entrees depend on the weather and time of day.
“We’ve done breakfast, lunch and dinner here,” Campbell said. “You name it, we have done it. Burgers, dogs, Robin makes unbelievable sliders. Today, we are doing tacos. We will do chili when it gets a little cooler.”
As for what makes OSU’s tailgating special, the participants say it is a combination of things. First off, there is more land to tailgate on compared with other Big 12 Conference schools they have visited. The fact that Eskimo Joe’s, Hideaway and The Strip are so close to campus helps, as well.
But the main thing everyone points to is the friendly atmosphere.
“It is really the perfect meshing of community and university because all the people who come here are pretty respectful,” Campbell said. “Where we sit at the football games, some of the people we see every year are coming back, and we have friends who are right over there. There is definitely a family feel to it, and there is camaraderie and it’s almost like a big pep rally before the game.”
The University of Georgia fans who followed their team to Stillwater in 2009 were especially complimentary of OSU’s tailgating setup, Campbell said.
“We are the brightest orange, that is for sure,” Campbell said. “We have had other people from other schools who have come here and told us how great our tailgating was.
“All the other colleges need to come here and see how it is done.”
No matter where you go, the “Pistols Firing” hand gesture and yelling “Go Pokes” at the top of your lungs have become one way everyone knows you root for America’s Brightest Orange.
No one seems to know where the saying came from, per se. David Peters, head of the Archives Department at OSU’s Library, said the saying probably came when Oklahoma A&M changed its name to Oklahoma State University.
Although OSU was initially known as the Tigers because of its reputation as the “Princeton of the Prairie” not many were fans of the moniker. It eventually changed to the Aggies, but there was still a growing call to change the mascot to the Cowboys.
Reporters covering the team even started referring to the team as the A&M Cowboys with nicknames like the Waddies, Cowpunchers and Cowpokes. Pokes is apparently what stuck, and now it’s everywhere.
When the Cowboys and Cowgirls are playing, “Go Pokes” is often heard. But what about when you are ending a phone call with a friend? You got an A on your chemistry test? You have to say “Go Pokes,” of course.
It is something that never leaves you, either. A few years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders was back in town at Boone Pickens Stadium and of course, he had to say “Go Pokes” when the camera found him on the sideline.
Even back in May, when former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch at O’Brate Stadium, he learned how to do the Pistols Firing gesture and got wild applause for it.
“Go Pokes” is part of the everyday lexicon of an OSU fan. Along with the Pistols Firing hand symbol and words, which you can hear play-byplay announcer Dave Hunziker say for every touchdown, they are true OSU traditions.
Homecoming
This fall saw the triumphant return of America’s Greatest Homecoming after a 2020 cancellation because of the pandemic, and for everyone at OSU and in Stillwater, it was huge.
Chase Carter and the rest of the OSU Alumni Association staff had been waiting for this moment for two years.
Carter, director of marketing and engagement systems for the Alumni Association, said it was a hard decision to postpone the 100th Homecoming celebration last year, but it was the right thing to do.
“Nobody wanted to have a centennial celebration where we weren’t able to have the house decorations or the Sea of Orange Parade like we remember,” Carter said. “We wanted to celebrate it like it should be celebrated.”
Homecoming is what truly separates OSU from other universities when it comes to traditions, Carter said. While others can claim to be older or more historic, OSU’s claims of the greatest are hard to argue with.
Walkaround alone averages about 80,000 people looking at the different Greek house and residential hall decorations, and it has become a can’tmiss affair for many cowboys.
“We hear from people all the time who come to it for the first time and are really blown away by the magnitude of it all,” Carter said. “It is a really great showcase of the Cowboy spirit and that family mentality of bringing everyone together for this one fantastic event.”
What makes Carter and the Alumni Association most proud is that while it has been around for a century, a family can come and feel like they are seeing Homecoming at the magnitude it was 30 or 40 years ago.
Homecoming hasn’t dwindled down or faded away, but it has remained a crucial stitch in the fabric of OSU.
“I think it is a testament to the students who for so many years have viewed this as a celebration of welcoming alumni back to campus, and they recognize the significance of that. I don’t think they want to be part of losing that tradition; they love that tradition,” he said.
There is a reason Homecoming was picked No. 1 by so many fans and alumni — all of the events and dedication put into it can’t be found anywhere else.
“OSU is a relatively young school compared with a lot of institutions,” Carter said. “We don’t have a lot of traditions we can point to and say, ‘Yes, this is something that is specific to Oklahoma State.’
“But that is really something that our students and alumni get to do with Homecoming.”
OSU’s first Homecoming was unofficially held as part of the Harvest Carnival in the fall of 1913, but it wasn’t until seven years later that the Former Students Association (now the OSU Alumni Association) hosted its first official Homecoming celebration.
On Oct. 30, 1920, 90 Oklahoma A&M alumni returned to Stillwater for the festivities, including the OAMC football game against Texas A&M, plus a dance and a dinner hosted by Alumni Association President Monroe Otey.
The following decades saw the addition of many special events that still take place today as alumni celebrate the university they once called home. Some of these traditions include the Harvest Carnival, the Sea of Orange Parade and the house decorations, which led to what is undoubtedly Homecoming’s most famous event, Walkaround.
OSU Homecoming is an award-winning, nationally recognized alumni event. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) has recognized OSU’s Homecoming as a Circle of Excellence Award recipient. This is CASE’s highest honor in alumni relations and is given only to programs that serve as models for others. OSU was recognized for the widespread participation and outstanding organization of its student-led Homecoming program.
Over the years, tens of thousands of Cowboys and Cowgirls have contributed their talents and their time to support OSU’s most revered tradition. This look back through the first 100 years of Homecoming is dedicated to their efforts and the course they have set for the next 100 years.
Homecoming Homecoming
1913 Years Years
Oklahoma A&M hosts the first Harvest Carnival, a precursor to official Homecoming events. Each class nominated a Harvest Queen candidate, and the queen’s coronation kicked off the Homecoming festivities that included a parade and night carnival. Campus organizations created moneymaking booths at the carnival that helped fund the college yearbook.
1920
The Former Students Association (now the OSU Alumni Association) hosts the first official Homecoming events with 90 attendees.
1928
For the first time, more than 1,000 attendees are recorded at the 1928 Homecoming events.
1916
The first class reunion is held on campus.
1920s
Sororities begin decorating the doors of their houses for Homecoming, which evolved into the tradition of house decorations.
1930
The first Homecoming parade is held. Entries stretch more than a mile long.
1931
The Great Depression threatens to scale back Homecoming decorations and activities, but traditional festivities are held following a large student debate.
1938
Lois Falkenburg is crowned by the O-Club as Oklahoma A&M’s first Homecoming queen.
1946
The first Homecoming Parade following the war had a record number of entries and a record attendance of 20,000.
1958
A caricature of Pistol Pete is introduced as the university’s mascot following the death of Frank Eaton.
1936
A push for a separate Board of Regents to be created for Oklahoma A&M triples Homecoming attendance as alumni turn out to advocate for their alma mater.
1940
The Homecoming Parade stretched more than two miles.
1942-44
Due to World War II, Homecoming events are combined with Mom’s and Dad’s Days on campus.
1956
The first honorees of the new Alumni Hall of Fame — Edward C. Gallagher, George H.C. Green, Thomas M. Lumly, Gerald McCullough and Clarence McElroy — are named at Homecoming.
1988
1964
President Lyndon Johnson’s daughter, Lynda Bird, rides in the Homecoming Parade. Watch this historic event at okla.st/1964.
1969
For the first time, house decorations are judged by a group put together by the Alumni Association, and the best entries win awards. A new student volleyball tournament is introduced, which would ultimately turn into today’s Football Frenzy and Basketball Bonanza events. OSU basketball’s first 7-footer, Bob Kurland, served as Homecoming grand marshal, and the Alumni Association recorded 20,000 attending Walkaround and 26,000 at the parade.
1966
As house decorations became more elaborate, the streets around campus would become clogged with cars as returning alumni drove around to see them. This was the first year streets were closed — an experiment so attendees could “walk around,” and a new tradition was born.
1977
Three members of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity are tragically killed while working on their house decoration. The accident leads to new safety regulations that are still used.
1986
Legendary OSU athlete Allie P. Reynolds serves as the Homecoming Grand Marshal, and fans attend the first game under new permanent lights at Lewis Field.
1990
The Homecoming theme “Cowboy Cheers for 100 Years” honors the university’s centennial year. At the time, OSU’s Homecoming events were considered the second-largest in the nation.
2009
Garth Brooks, Barry Sanders and Robin Ventura are inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame during a special ceremony at halftime during the Homecoming game. The three also served as grand marshals of the Sea of Orange Parade.
2015
Four Sea of Orange Parade attendees are tragically killed when a vehicle runs through several barricades into the crowd. A memorial at the corner of Main Street and Hall of Fame Avenue now stands in their honor.
1999
To kickoff Homecoming week, a new tradition of dyeing the Edmon Low Library fountain orange is created. It takes only 72 ounces of dye to turn the 5,000-gallon fountain America’s Brightest Orange.
The Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awards its highest honor — the Circle of Excellence Award — to the Alumni Association for OSU’s Homecoming celebration. The award is the impetus for the America’s Greatest Homecoming motto.
2010
As part of the Campaign for OSU, the Homecoming endowment is created with alumni and students alike beginning to donate to support the future of OSU’s greatest tradition. The fund surpassed $1 million in 2014 and helps offset costs incurred by participating student groups on campus.
2021
Following a one-year postponement, the centennial edition of America’s Greatest Homecoming is hosted by the Alumni Association with Love’s Travel Stops signing on as the new sponsor for OSU’s greatest tradition.
PHOTOS GARY LAWSON
Thousands of Cowboys filled Library Lawn for the first outdoor Homecoming pep rally in decades.
ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION
PHIL SHOCKLEY PHOTO Homecoming sponsor Love’s Travel Stops featured its OSU-branded tanker in the Sea of Orange Parade.
PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY
Future Cowboys and Cowgirls enjoyed games at the Harvest Carnival, including a cup-stacking competition with Eskimo Joe’s cups.
GARY LAWSON PHOTO Austin Green rides a bucking horse in this year’s Cowboy Stampede Rodeo.
GARY LAWSON PHOTOS
PHOTO PROVIDED
PHIL SHOCKLEY PHOTO Incredible signs filled Library Lawn, including the Stout Hall entry that won first place in the residential life category.
From left: Homecoming Executives Madelyn Gerken, Natalie Evans, Lauren Monroe, Aubrey Buckmaster, Ariel Scholten, Caroline Raschen, Ryan Shannon, Audrey Ochsner and Kaylee Holt pose in the Edmon Low Library fountain after dyeing it America’s Brightest Orange.
PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY
PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY PHOTO GARY LAWSON
PHOTO BRUCE WATERFIELD
PHIL SHOCKLEY PHOTO
PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY
Warren Clay had the crowd on its feet with his OSU cheer during the Homecoming game.
PHIL SHOCKLEY PHOTO
The Chili Cookoff is always a highlight of Homecoming week with participants competing for the top honor.
CAULEN SPENCER PHOTO
PHIL SHOCKLEY PHOTO
BRUCE WATERFIELD PHOTO
From left: Love’s Spencer Haines, Ann Hargis, Burns Hargis, Darren Shrum, President Kayse Shrum, Rob McInturf, Tina Walker and Love’s Shane Wharton prepare to present the final Homecoming awards at halftime.
OSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PHOTOS
This year’s Football Frenzy winners included RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) in the open bracket and Alpha Chi Omega/ Alpha Gamma Rho in the Greek bracket.
Kappa Kappa Gamma and FarmHouse took first place in this year’s house decoration competition.
PHOTO GARY LAWSON
PHOTO GARY LAWSON
PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY
Parker Smith and Amarie Griffeth celebrate with Pistol Pete and OSU President Kayse Shrum after being crowned 2021 Homecoming King and Queen.
CAULEN SPENCER PHOTO BRUCE WATERFIELD PHOTO
GARY LAWSON PHOTOS
Attendees at the tailgate got to play games for prizes throughout the night.
Queen fit for a
For a full century now, America’s Greatest Homecoming has served as a bridge between generations of Cowboys. A prime example of this connection is Gaytra Harris Coggins and her family of OSU alumni.
Coggins, a 1961 family relations and child development graduate and life member of the Alumni Association, now lives in Poteau, Oklahoma, but her OSU story began long before she settled in the eastern part of the state. Coggins was named Homecoming queen in 1959, and her journey through the application process helps tell an even deeper story about her family’s OSU roots.
“They asked me why I wanted to be Homecoming queen,” Coggins said. “I told them the story about how my grandfather was a member of the [Oklahoma A&M] football team. I wanted to be out there on that field for my grandfather, and he was there watching at the Homecoming game in 1959.”
Coggins’ grandfather, Burt Lyle, was also roommates with an important figure in OSU’s history.
“My grandfather had a special friendship with Ed Gallagher (A&M’s famed athletic director and wrestling coach) while they were in school together,” Coggins said.
The announcement that Coggins had been named Homecoming queen was a unique experience — members of the OSU marching band spelled her initials on the field during the announcement. She also remembers the reactions that continued after Homecoming week, and how it illustrates the family feeling she experienced across campus.
“I remember the day after Homecoming, my sociology professor, Dr. Duncan, walked in and said there was special royalty in the class,” Coggins said. “I loved that a professor would even say something about it. I kept in touch with some of them long after I graduated. They really made me feel at home.”
Multiple generations of Coggins’ family continue to attend the university she is so proud to have attended. Her grandson, Nicholas Gootos, a junior studying management information systems with a double minor in information assurance and data science, is the latest addition to a family tradition that now spans five decades.
“OSU is a part of our family,” Gootos said. “We wouldn’t be the people we are without Oklahoma State shaping us. I am beyond thankful that I am even a part of this.”
That connection can be felt throughout the year, but it strengthens when Homecoming comes around. While Gootos says Coggins is too humble to regularly bring up that she was named Homecoming queen, he knows the honor means a lot to her.
“She only brings it up when people start to bring up football or OSU,” Gootos said. “She doesn’t like to boast about it too often, but she definitely wears it with a lot of pride.”
Coggins participated in the 2017 Sea of Orange Parade as a former Homecoming queen and again this year at the centennial. While riding in the parade was definitely a high point for her, Coggins mentions 2017 as her favorite Homecoming memory because all of her family was in attendance.
“My son and his children came up from Grapevine, Texas, and my youngest son brought his two sons,” Coggins said. “We all met up for Homecoming. That really meant a lot to me to have my whole family around.”
Both Coggins and Gootos realize how special OSU’s Homecoming is to not only their relatives, but also the entire Cowboy family. Gootos sees how the events throughout the week truly embody the Cowboy spirit that runs deep in Stillwater.
“It is the environment and the culture we have at Oklahoma State,” Gootos said. “Everyone buys into the idea of making it America’s Greatest Homecoming. When you have all those facets and parts coming together as one, you know it is going to be the best.”
Coggins is proud of the fact her family has attended OSU for many generations. She looks back on the commitment to the university and appreciates the impact it has had on her family throughout the decades.
“I almost get teary just thinking about it,” She said. “I can’t believe it. Just to think that everyone in my family has been so loyal to Oklahoma State. It’s a memory I shall always cherish and treasure.”
As a former Homecoming queen, Gaytra Coggins participated in the 2017 Sea of Orange Parade.
IN HER WORDS
Watch Gaytra Harris Coggins tell her OSU story at okla.st/59queen.
Hard Work Hard Work behind the scenes
Thousands of alumni and fans flock to Stillwater every year for America’s Greatest Homecoming, but many may not realize the amount of work done behind the scenes to pull off the largest student-run homecoming celebration in the nation.
Each year, students work tirelessly to ensure an unforgettable week of events for members of the
Cowboy family. Members of the Executive, Steering and Big committees help plan and execute all of the major Homecoming events, including Walkaround,
Harvest Carnival, Sea of Orange Parade and more.
The Big Committee has approximately 125 students who assist the Steering Committee with each event. The Steering Committee is made up of eight groups who handle many different aspects of
Homecoming week. The groups include athletic pride, campus outreach, communications, Harvest Carnival,
Sea of Orange Parade, public relations, university spirit and Walkaround.
After serving on the Steering Committee, students are eligible to run for one of the nine positions on the Executive Committee. Each position oversees a specific aspect of Homecoming and the Steering Committee and is responsible for that element or event.
This year’s Executive Committee is led by Executive Director Ariel Scholten, an agricultural communications major from Sebastopol, California. Scholten has a special place in her heart for the Homecoming tradition.
“I accidentally did my campus tour on Sunday and Monday of Homecoming week,” Scholten said. “The orange fountain dyeing was my first experience on OSU’s campus. I always think that happened for a reason.”
Scholten and the rest of the team are continuing a tradition of leadership that dates back decades on the OSU campus. During Walkaround, attendees can see the hard work the fraternities and sororities put into the house decorations to celebrate the week. However, many opportunities are available for students not affiliated with Greek life.
Tony LoPresto, a 2001 accounting graduate and former member of the Executive Committee, helped shape the impact residential life now has in the planning of OSU’s greatest tradition.
“The Alumni Association offers so many different events that week that it’s not just exclusively for Greek life, even though they are a huge part of it,” said LoPresto, who also served as Alumni Association board chair from 2019-2021. “I just always thought it was important to offer opportunities for everyone, no matter what type of student they are on campus.”
No year is the same for students serving in Homecoming leadership roles. Scholten has had a couple of unique experiences during her two years on the Executive Committee. The first was handling the planning process leading up to the originally scheduled centennial celebration in 2020 before it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hearing we were going to postpone it a year was not the experience I was expecting,” Scholten said. “It was so valuable, though. I learned so much last year about what it looks like to know something is out of my control, and that’s OK.”
Her other unique experience is leading the first allwoman Executive Committee in Homecoming history.
“This is something I am personally really proud of,” Scholten said. “It has been wonderful to be able to bring attention to this fact. We have a female engineer on the team and a female biochemistry major, as well. It really is a very capable team that happens to be all women.”
Volunteering time with one of the many Homecoming committees benefits the organizations and attendees as well as the students who can take what they learn to heart and have pride in what they accomplish.
“Service has been an important thing to me and my family,” LoPresto said. “I especially enjoy service to organizations I love and care about. Being able to serve the Alumni Association and OSU was an important factor. Plus, it was great to be involved in what I consider our greatest tradition.”
Scholten also sees the professional growth she has experienced because of her time being involved with Homecoming.
“I have learned things are always more complex than they seem,” Scholten said. “There are always one or two or 200 more variables than I could have ever thought of. I have learned how to sit down and really think through a problem.”
Current students who would like to be involved in the 2022 installment of America’s Great Homecoming are encouraged to learn more at ORANGECONNECTION.org/homecoming.
Ariel Scholten served as the executive director of the Homecoming centennial celebration in 2021.
Tony LoPresto served on the Homecoming Executive Team before graduating in 2001. He helped shape the residential life executive position.
There’s no denying the OSU tradition that Cowboys love the most: Homecoming.
The first 100 years have shown us how this tradition can bring the Cowboy family together, through good times and bad. It’s a tradition we all point to with pride — one we all want to endure for another 100 years and beyond.
With future generations of Cowboys in mind, the OSU Alumni Association and Love’s Travel Stops have entered into a multiyear agreement to support America’s Greatest Homecoming at OSU. The new partnership officially makes Love’s the presenting sponsor of OSU’s greatest tradition through 2023, including the centennial celebration this year.
“We’re honored to have the support of Love’s as the presenting sponsor of one of our signature programs,” said Rob McInturf, OSU Alumni Association president. “Love’s is an Oklahomabased company that shares the values of our Cowboy family nationwide, and we’re excited to share their story alongside our own through this strategic partnership.”
“Love’s is excited to partner with the OSU Alumni Association to help continue the proud tradition that is America’s Greatest Homecoming,” said Love’s President Shane Wharton, ’90 accounting. “We look forward to continuing to support Oklahoma State as it creates tomorrow’s leaders for our state and the nation.”
Love’s has been a fixture in the Sea of Orange Parade for many years with its OSU-themed fuel truck rolling down Main Street. With the new partnership, Love’s is an active participant in all aspects of Homecoming.
“OSU’s Homecoming is one of the largest student-supported celebrations in the nation, and through their work, our students develop highly soughtafter leadership skills,” McInturf said. “We’re excited to be able to bring Love’s executives together with our student leaders and facilitate new opportunities for growth among our students and future alumni.”
This fall, Love’s executives personally met with members of the Homecoming Executive Team and Steering Committee. It’s the start of what the Alumni Association hopes will be many more opportunities to connect Cowboys with one of Oklahoma’s greatest success stories.
“Hearing about Love’s growth, its journey and subsequent passion for Oklahoma State was very affirming for all of our committee members as we head into Homecoming,” said Ariel Scholten, 2021 Homecoming executive director. “Making time to spend with our students is a fantastic show of support, and it makes us excited for the future of the partnership.”
Francis and Kathleen Rooney
Donors name engineering program
With over a century of construction history in Oklahoma, the Rooney family is cementing its connection to Oklahoma State University.
Francis and Kathleen Rooney recently finalized a $3 million gift to benefit the construction engineering technology program in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The gift names the program the Francis and Kathleen Rooney Construction Engineering Technology Program and establishes an endowed chair in the name of Rooney's late father, L.F. Rooney, Jr.
“Our family company is called Manhattan Construction Company, and it was founded in Oklahoma in 1896. Oklahoma is a big part of our history and our success,” Francis Rooney said.
Manhattan Construction Co. made its first mark on campus in 1947 when it won its first contract with then-Oklahoma A&M. Over a sixyear period, the company helped build such iconic campus structures as Lewis Field, Edmon Low Library and the Student Union.
Over the years, a partnership has formed between the company and the construction engineering technology program at OSU.
“We have a lot of employees from Oklahoma generally and specifically from Oklahoma State,” Rooney said. “They have a very good construction program — one of the best in the country. We are thankful to be in the same state as such a great program. We get a lot of interns from OSU, and a lot of them end up being permanent employees.”
Rooney said those he hires from Oklahoma State University stand out.
“I’ve worked construction in many parts of the world and all over the United States,” Rooney said. “I have never worked anywhere with better, more honest, hardworking and decent individuals than the kind of people who come from Oklahoma. It's a great source of strength for our company.”
Rooney's gift has been a long time in the making. Plans to name a chair in honor of his father were drawn up in the early ’80s and were far enough along that an official plaque had been made before they were put on hold indefinitely. “The great oil boom ended, and we had this terrible “I have never worked anywhere with better, more economic bust in Oklahoma honest, hardworking and decent individuals than and Texas,” Rooney said. “Everybody was trying to the kind of people who come from Oklahoma.” survive, and there was no serious thought about trying FRANCIS ROONEY, MANHATTAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY to fund the chair.”
So when the OSU Foundation reached out last year about revisiting the gift, Rooney only had one condition: the gift had to be finalized before President Burns Hargis officially retired.
“Burns and I have been friends for many years,” Rooney said. “I’m thankful for the leadership he brought to OSU and all the great things he’s done for OSU.”
Established earlier this year, the L.F. Rooney Jr. Endowed Chair in Construction Engineering Technology will benefit faculty within the program.
“Having a named chair can help recruit and retain excellent faculty.” said Dr. Heather Yates, professor and program coordinator for the renamed Francis and Kathleen Rooney Construction Engineering Technology Program.
Rooney said he hopes his gift will help amplify the program's mission and elevate its prominence within the construction industry.
“Specifically, I hope it helps OSU recruit students," he said. "When you have a named program like that, sometimes people say it gives it stability. And anything we can do to help OSU OSU's construction develop this program and get more students is engineering technology good for us and good for all our competitors in program will be named Oklahoma.” after Francis and Kathleen Rooney in recognition of their gift.
Having a named program is prestigious and will certainly set OSU apart, Yates said.
“There are not a lot of named programs in this field, and having a named program really elevates the level of our program,” she said. “It really means a lot that Mr. Rooney has enough faith in our program and the product that we are producing to put his name on it.”
As a leader in the construction industry, Rooney said he believes there’s no better place than OSU for someone looking to get their start.
“I would say if they’re interested in construction and construction engineering, there’s no place better in the United States they could go for their education,” he said. “If they aim high and do well in a curriculum like OSU’s, they're going to have opportunities to develop a career with some of the best companies in the industry, including Manhattan Construction Company.”
COWBOY OWNED COWBOY LED
The Cowboy100 is a celebration to acknowledge the business and leadership achievements of Oklahoma State University graduates. The Cowboy100 highlights the contribution of entrepreneurial graduates from across the university and their positive influence on OSU, our students, and the world.
2022 Cowboy100 Applications Open: April 2022
1. Medefy Health — Matt Scovil and Nathan Gilchrist 2. Credera Enterprises Company, LLC — Justin Bell 3. T. Scott Construction, LLC — Tim Scott 4. Glenn|Partners — Mrs. Briar Glenn and Mr. Patrick Glenn 5. Evlos Technology — Dr. James Leonard 6. Indigo Technology Group — Tammy Torkelson 7. Homes by Taber — Taber LeBlanc 8. Hood & Associates, CPAs, PC — Paul Anthony Hood 9. Sidwell Strategies — Brady J. Sidwell 10. PLENTY Mercantile and Venue — Brittney Matlock 11. Clubhouse Trailer Company — Jeff Hadley 12. IntelinAir, Inc. — Al Eisaian 13. First United Bank and Trust — Greg Massey 14. Community Escrow & Title Company — John W. Bartley and Kathleen Bays 15. Hartman Wanzor — Nick Wanzor 16. Claims Management Resources — John M. Chip Fudge 17. 46 Lab — Dan Howard 18. Zeeco, Inc. — Darton Zink 19. Payer Compass (Voltaire Health, LLC) — Greg Everett 20. ISN — Joe Eastin and Brian Callahan 21. Southwood Landscape & Garden Center, Inc — Joe Schulte 22. Stillwater Medical — Denise Webber 23. Century Martial Arts — L. Michael Dillard 24. Furniture Showcase — Robyn Davies and Randi Johnson 25. Pie Junkie — Leslie Coale-Mossman 26. Bridgecreek Investment Management — Chuck Fuller 27. Tulsa Pier Drilling — Cara Cowan Watts 28. Tri-8, Inc. — Dan Yost 29. Retirement Investment Advisors, Inc. — Mr. Randy Thurman 30. MWI Animal Health, an AmerisourceBergen Company — Mr. Mark J. Shaw 31. The Beckman Company — Will Beckman, Martin Beckman and Tom Beckman 32. Neely Insurance & Financial Services — Ryan Neely 33. HostBridge Technology — Russ Teubner and Scott Glenn 34. Lambert Construction Company — Mark William Lambert 35. Norconsult Telematics Ltd. — Gaute Vik 36. Johnston Seed Co. — Joey Meibergen 37. Educational Development Corporation — Randall White and Craig White 38. Scott Realty Company — Jeff Scott 39. SNB Bank, NA — L. Clay Stuart 40. Alert Rental Software — Kara Longmire 41. InterWorks — Behfar Jahanshahi 42. Swallowing & Neurological Rehabilitation — Tiffany Turner and Eric Turner 43. Farm Data Services — Clay Burtrum 44. Sweet Turns LLC — Connie Boone and Dr. Bryan Boone 45. Sidwell Insurance Agency — Brenda Sidwell 46. BealsCunningham Strategic Services (BCSS) — Nick Cunningham and Mike Cunningham 47. River Ranch Capital, LLC — James M. Morris II 48. Wedgewood — Gregory Geiser 49. CrossCom National — Dr. Greg Miller 50. Bedlam Law — John A. Alberts 51. OnCue — Jim Griffith 52. Webco Industries — Dave Boyer and Randy Watson 53. Radley + Co Ltd. — Justin Stead 54. Oculoplastic Surgeons of Oklahoma — Dr. Erin Holloman Scott 55. Video Game Technologies (VGT) — James Starr 56. Direct Kicks — Louis Lacarbonara 57. Whisper Intimate Apparel — Melissa Wiles 58. Mount Joy Wire Corporation — Tom R. Duff and Rick Krieger 59. Twin Eagle — Griff Jones, Chuck Watson and Jeremy Davis 60. Performance Product Technologies — Andy Logan 61. Science Museum Oklahoma — Sherry Marshall 62. Red Bluff Resources — Timothy Kirk Haddican 63. Thermal Specialties, LLC — Mitch Myers 64. AcrobatAnt — David Downing 65. Air Hygiene — Quinn Bierman 66. SageRider, Inc. — Stan Wall and Craig Smith 67. Big Elk Energy Systems — Geoff Hager 68. Pipeline Equipment, Inc. — Jack D. Lollis 69. Pinots Palette — Lisa Woodward Riley 70. Sidwell Seed — Brady J. Sidwell 71. Sidwell Farms — Brady J. Sidwell and Bambi Sidwell-Waters 72. Little River Energy — Steve Crowder 73. Schrader + Wellings Real Estate & Auction Company — C. Brent Wellings 74. Sawyer Manufacturing and Fabrication — Dave Hembree and Scott Persson 75. Harrison & Mecklenburg, Inc. — Randy Mecklenburg and Ralph Harrison 76. Lee Capital Builders — K. John Lee
The Clerico Family Education Foundation has been providing OSU students meaningful scholarship support for the past 10 years.
Paying it Forward
Clerico Family Education Foundation encourages its graduates to remain involved with younger scholars
It has been more than a decade since John Clerico and Diane Deakin set in motion an Oklahoma State University scholarship program mentoring future leaders.
Although it is still too soon to see some of the long-term effects of Clerico Scholars, the fatherdaughter team have already seen signs their program is working.
Scholars are chosen based on financial need, and the award is renewable for up to four years. Students must maintain good grades and complete a certain number of volunteer hours each semester to remain eligible.
“It’s evolved over time, like any time you start a business — you evolve, change and adapt,” said Deakin, president of the Clerico Family Education Foundation. “Our business happens to be the business of giving out college scholarship funds — but we wanted to be a little bit more involved and helpful. We wanted to provide value. “What we didn’t want to have happen is that after we invested four to five years of our time and money, the students would still be struggling, unsure as to where they want to take their career paths. So we work closely with them. We have four years to build a relationship. Then, our goal is to expand our mentor pool to include folks who have graduated from the program to come back where possible and pay it forward.” Dr. Faith Millard Wipf was part of the first Clerico Scholar class, graduating from OSU in 2016 with a degree in animal science and in 2019 with her doctorate in veterinary medicine. The Clerico Family Education Foundation Scholarship provided opportunities and allowed Wipf to avoid student loans.
“My parents did not have money. I was able to get a part time job so I could still pay for food and random things that I needed, but the scholarship allowed me to focus on one thing — school,” said Wipf, who now works for a small veterinary practice in Oklahoma City.
Wipf still attends the annual dinners Clerico and Deakin host, talking with younger students to encourage them with their studies and networking.
And that, said Clerico, is the reward.
“The single most rewarding thing is seeing young people who are not yet particularly comfortable in their own skin — who maybe have personal issues of their own — as freshmen,” Clerico said. “But by the time they are seniors and graduate, they are transformed into bright, wellspoken young adults who look you in the eye when you speak and are just totally transformed. With our students, once they graduate, that is not the end of our relationship.”
In some ways, it is just the beginning.
As the Clerico Family Education Foundation has matured and those scholars begin to work in their chosen fields, Clerico said he is hopeful those graduates believe “it’s important to come back, participate with us and share experiences with their successors.”
Clerico said those scholars often share one trait — they are achievers. It’s a characteristic they also share with Clerico himself.
Clerico graduated from OSU in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in general business and has had an accomplished career. He is the chairman and owner of ChartMark Investments Inc., a Tulsabased independent advisory firm that manages equity funds for individuals and small pension funds. He co-founded the firm in 2000 and serves as the registered financial adviser, leading everyday portfolio management and the strategic direction of the firm.
His volunteer resume is also extensive, with
“The way they support and believe in me, that’s something that drives and motivates me.” membership on several boards and a long list of volunteer roles at his alma mater. In 2016, Clerico was inducted
SERAH REYES, CLERICO SCHOLAR into the OSU Alumni Hall of Fame. “I’ve received much more from Oklahoma State than I’m ever going to be able to give back,” he said. It’s an impressive statement considering the multitude of ways he and his family have helped transform the university. In athletics, they’ve made gifts to support OSU golf and helped fund renovations to Gallagher-Iba Arena, Boone Pickens Stadium and the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms. They’ve also supported the College of Education and Human Sciences, Spears School of Business, Academic Affairs, the OSU Alumni Association, OSU-Tulsa, Edmon Low Library and The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts. In 2012, when Clerico committed a $2.5 million endowment and annual funds to create the Clerico Family Education Foundation, he hoped to support up to four students at a time. The first cohort of scholars included seven recipients who were awarded a total of nearly $60,000. This academic year, the Clerico Family Education Foundation Scholarship awarded 30 scholars more than $250,000. In total, there have been 79 scholars. Current scholar Serah Reyes called meeting the Clericos life-changing. “I saw how much they care for us and want us to succeed in life. That was really touching to me,” said Reyes, a global studies senior. “There is a support system. The way they support and believe in me, that’s something that drives and motivates me.”
The Clericos and their scholars enjoying gameday from the suite level in Boone Pickens Stadium.
President Emeritus Burns Hargis (center) celebrates Oct. 14 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Hargis Leadership Institute.
Hargis Leadership Institute
Center’s programming aims to encourage students to explore leadership potential
OSU President Emeritus Burns Hargis is creating a legacy of leadership with the OSU Hargis Leadership Institute.
President Hargis, former First Cowgirl Ann Hargis and OSU students launched the new program with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and block party celebration Oct. 14 on the Student Union Plaza.
The Hargis Leadership Institute was initially funded by a $2 million endowed Chair for Ethical Leadership donated by OSU alumni Carol and Frank Morsani. Hargis, who will hold the endowed chair, will be a frequent guest speaker, mentor and fundraiser for the institute.
“The overarching vision of the Hargis Leadership Institute is to help every OSU student find the leader within them,” Burns Hargis said. “This institute will provide an opportunity for all of our students to explore and nourish their leadership potential.”
“OSU’s leadership programming concentrates on impacting students for a lifetime to help set them on a path to continually explore, grow and serve,” said Josh Taylor, director of the newly established institute.
The institute will support leadership programs across the university. Taylor said this new institute aims to give student organizations new tools for discovering and developing leaders at OSU.
The institute will also house three competitive leadership scholarship programs: the President’s Leadership Council, the McKnight Scholars Leadership program and the Devon Ingenuity Scholars.
The President’s Leadership Council is a competitive scholarship and leadership program for freshmen that teaches the importance of leading and serving throughout life. Hargis himself was a member of the first President’s Leadership Council at its inception in 1967.
The McKnight Scholars Leadership program provides a four-year, outof-state tuition waiver and offers an opportunity to develop essential leadership skills through exclusive coursework and seminars. The McKnight Scholars Leadership program
was founded by a $10 million endowment from Ross and Billie McKnight.
The Devon Ingenuity Leadership Program was funded by a gift from Devon and includes scholarships for sophomores and juniors in STEM fields. The program specifically develops emotional intelligence, team leadership and collaboration, and effective communication skills.
“President Emeritus Hargis is beloved by OSU alumni and donors who are eager to support important Hargis initiatives,” said Blaire Atkinson, OSU Foundation president. “Through this fall’s Hargis Legacy Celebration fundraising efforts, we have raised more than $1 million, in addition to the Morsani endowment funding, to set this program up for success. We are grateful for the many donors who stepped up to show gratitude for the transformational impact the Hargises have made at OSU and believe this institute will expand their impact for generations to come.”
The institute’s immediate programming will include leadership coaching programs, conferences, retreats and seminars. The institute is designing its academic offerings as it collaborates and partners with academic colleges, businesses and industries.
OSU students who want to lead and serve in college and beyond may learn more about the OSU Hargis Leadership Institute at leadership.okstate.edu.
BURNS HARGIS, OSU PRESIDENT EMERITUS
