Cameron Magazine Summer 2022

Message from the President

Dear Alumni and Friends:

Welcome to the Summer 2022 edition of Cameron Magazine. The last two years have been challenging for all of us, and I am proud of the efforts of our campus community to expand how we approach our primary mission – to provide meaningful educational opportunities for our community members. Cameron staff and faculty have developed innovative and creative approaches to provide learning opportunities for our students in a safe and supportive environment. I’m pleased to report that these efforts have allowed CU to continue its vital mission of serving southwest Oklahoma’s higher education needs as we assist our students and communities through this unprecedented time.

Cameron’s commitment to innovation and service to our students is built on a long history of providing the best educational opportunities possible, which is evident from the articles in this issue. This edition of Cameron Magazine is filled with stories about alumni who have achieved great things and who credit their time at CU with preparing them to be successful. In many areas –including business, education, science, public service, human resources and the law – CU alumni continue to shine. I hope you explore their stories in this issue and see how impactful their experiences here at CU were in preparing them for great accomplishments.

In this issue we also explore the legacy of Elizabeth Hackler, who with her husband Harold created the Harold and Elizabeth Hackler Endowed Lectureship in Teaching Excellence at Cameron, our highest teaching honor. We also take a peek into some of our most recent advancement successes, including new endowed scholarships for our students, as well as share some important tips for success from CU alumna and 2022 Commencement speaker Brigadier General Hope Rampy.

Whether it be via a traditional classroom setting, hybrid learning models, or exclusively online offerings, Cameron University continues to deliver exceptional student learning opportunities with highly qualified faculty and staff at an outstanding value. We look forward to reinforcing our connections with our students and with you during the Fall 2022 semester. In the interim, please stay safe, stay healthy, and keep learning.

Sincerely,

John McArthur President

2 Campus Update

Learn about the latest happenings at Cameron University.

6 Commencement 2022

Brig. Gen. Hope Rampy, a Cameron alumna, offers words of wisdom to the Class of 2022.

7 Cameron University Alumni Association Awards

Celebating the accomplishments of alumni and faculty.

14 Making It in the Big Leagues

How a change in his degree path led Nick Richardson to a fulfilling career with the Texas Rangers.

16 An Eye for Talent

Tom Ciskowski took the Aggie work ethic to the NFL and Dallas Cowboys.

18

Exceptional Students Start with an Exceptional Teacher

Oklahoma Teacher of the Year finalist Sheila Treadwell makes learning fun.

21 Hackler Teaching Award Founder Loved Learning

Remembering CU alumna Elizabeth Hackler.

22 Aggie Honors

Athletes, coaches, journalist and supporter honored with induction into CU Athletics Hall of Fame.

24 Holding on to the Past

Taylor Larson safeguards the legacy of historical artifacts at the Museum of the Great Plains.

26 Gaskins Family Pays It Forward

Gifts to the CU music program will benefit student learning.

27 University Advancement

New endowed scholarships will benefit students in engineering, biology and social sciences.

President: John McArthur

Director of Alumni Relations: Jonna Turner

Senior Director of Public Affairs: Keith Mitchell

Managing Editor: Janet E. Williams

Graphic Designers: John Kindred

Alex Zakharchenko

Editorial Assistant: Rhonda Young

Photographers: John Kindred

Keith Mitchell

Janet E. Williams

Alex Zakharchenko

Contributors:

Kenton Means

Tiffany Smith

Rhonda Young

Cameron Magazine is published by Cameron University’s offices of Public Affairs and Alumni Relations. For more information, call (580) 5812211 or (580) 581-2988, or email publicaffairs@cameron.edu.

All contents © 2022 Cameron University.

This publication, printed by Paragon Press, is issued by Cameron University. 2,200 copies have been prepared and distributed at a cost of $1.47 each to the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma. This institution, in compliance with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, housing, financial aid, and educational services. Accommodations on the basis of disability are available by contacting the Office of Student Development at (580) 581-2209 or by e-mail at student_development@cameron.edu. (6/2022)

28

Campus Update

Campus community celebrates grand opening of Aggie Books and Brew

On March 23, CU students, faculty and staff were joined by alumni and community members for the grand opening of Aggie Books and Brew, which serves as the new gateway to the Eugene D. McMahon Library. The addition of a coffee shop to the library was made possible by a grant from the McMahon Foundation. While construction of the addition was

underway, CU officials asked students, faculty, staff and alumni to propose names for the coffee shop, resulting in more than 500 suggestions. A closelyguarded committee reviewed the list of submissions and were tasked with winnowing it down to eight finalists.

In September 2021, the campus community – including alumni –

was again asked for input, voting for their favorite name among the eight final selections. The final tally was a closely held secret until the March 2022 grand opening of the long-awaited coffee shop, when Aggie Books and Brew was officially opened for business.

Pam Germany, a Cameron alumna who graduated in 1971 with a degree in elementary education and a member of the Cameron University Alumni Association, suggested the winning name chosen for the shop.

Partnership with OU provides engineering students with streamlined transfer path

Cameron University has entered into an agreement with the University of Oklahoma that will create a transfer pathway to help students earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Cameron offers nine associate degrees, most of which allow students to progress toward CU bachelor’s degrees in the same discipline. Although Cameron offers an Associate of Applied

CU retains designation as Certified Healthy Campus

Both campuses of CU have again been designated as Certified Healthy Campuses–the Lawton campus for the 11th consecutive year and CU-Duncan for the eighth.

Cameron University activities and policies that factor into the Certified Healthy Campus designation are

numerous. They include status as a tobacco- and vaping-free campus, workplace health and nutrition education, opportunities for physical exercise activities such as intramural sports and the Aggie Rec Center, and availability of medical and mental health services to students. Additional programs

Science degree in Engineering, it offers no comparable bachelor’s degree. The transfer pathway will allow CU engineering graduates to earn an OU bachelor’s degree through its College of Engineering.

include management support for healthy workplace environments and sharing wellness activities, such as the Cameron University Community Garden and the Aggie Mile walking trail, with the community.

Joining CU alumna Pam Germany (center) for the ribbon-cutting of Aggie Books and Brew were (left to right) Sodexo’s Joseph Worrell, Dr. Ronna Vanderslice, student Samantha Gillespie and Ole Kim.

OU Board of Regents update

The Board of Regents for the University of Oklahoma, which is the governing board of The University of Oklahoma, Cameron University, and Rogers State University, has welcomed two new members. Rick Braught, Duncan, and Bob Ross, Oklahoma City, were appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt to the governing body. Braught is the president of Investors Trust Co. in Duncan and, with his wife Barbara, owns The Territory Golf & Country Club. Ross is the chief executive officer of the Inasmuch Foundation.

Faculty and staff news

Alfred Finch honored by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Alfred Finch, CU’s VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) counselor, was named as the national VSOC Employee of the Year by the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Finch began his career with the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2017. When he came to Cameron as VSOC in 2018, it became the first university in Oklahoma to host a VSOC. In his role as VSOC counselor, Finch supports veterans, service members, and eligible dependents in their transition from military to college life.

Keith Mitchell named OCPRA Communicator of the Year

Keith Mitchell, senior director of public affairs, was presented with the Natalea Watkins Communicator of the Year Award in October 2021 during the annual fall conference of the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association (OCPRA). The award recognizes an individual whose service and leadership have set a high standard for others. The recipient demonstrates leadership that has had a positive influence for the recipient’s institution as well as for Oklahoma’s system of higher education. A 1989 graduate of Cameron University, Mitchell has twice served as president of OCPRA – first in 2002-2003 and most recently in 2020-2021. He has also twice chaired the Communicators Council, advisory group to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Renee Roach appointed Registrar

Renee Roach became CU’s registrar in January 2022 following the retirement of Linda Phillips. Roach joined the Cameron staff in October 1998 as assistant coordinator of student recruitment. In October 2002, she served as an admissions counselor in Cameron’s Fort Sill office. She was named assistant registrar in July 2004. She is the recipient of the 2021 Staff Award for Excellence in Service. She is a three-time Cameron graduate, earning an Associate in Science degree in Business, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, and a Master of Business Administration degree. She is a past president of the Oklahoma Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, where she recently served as chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee.

Rick Braught Bob Ross

Faculty and Staff members honored with awards

Six faculty members and five staff members have been honored with awards recognizing their work on behalf of the university.

Staff Awards for Excellence were presented in May to Susan Hill, Jordan Lambert and Joseph Roberts.

Hill, an administrative assistant in the Department of Communication, English and Foreign Languages, received the Staff Award for Excellence in Campus Stewardship, which recognizes significant contributions to the campus community.

Lambert, academic and financial assistance advisor at CU-Duncan, was honored with the Staff Award for Excellence in Student Success, which is presented to a staff member who promotes a studentcentered environment.

Roberts, stage technician, was recognized with the Staff Award for Excellence in Service, which honors exemplary contributions in the area of campus or community service.

In May, faculty members Dr. Susmita Hazra, Dr. Jarred Kelsey, Doris Lambert, Dr. Dana Lee, Dr. John K. Masters and Dr. Ann Nalley were honored with awards recognizing their contributions to Cameron’s academic community.

Masters, associate professor in the Department of Business, received the 2021-22 Harold and Elizabeth Hackler Award for Teaching Excellence. Masters noted that he developed his teaching style by observing his own teachers, stating, “learning comes, in part, from making the topics come alive for the students.”

Kelsey, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, Physics and Engineering, was selected to receive the Bhattacharya Research Excellence Award.

"Through research, I have been able to see my students grow and think about chemistry and themselves differently,” Kelsey said.

Hazra, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, Physics and Engineering, received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Student Research. The award recognizes a faculty member who has an excellent, sustained record of mentoring student research and scholarship.

Lambert is the honoree for the Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching, which recognizes an adjunct faculty member who performs superbly in the classroom. She teaches vocal classes in the music program.

Lee, associate professor in the Department of Agriculture, Biology and Health Sciences, was selected to receive the Faculty Award for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching, which recognizes a full-time faculty member who performs superbly in the classroom.

Nalley was honored with the Faculty Award for Excellence in Service, which recognizes a faculty member who has applied his/her professional expertise beyond the classroom to advance the university and its constituents.

In December 2021, staff members Amy Cintora and Cody Flood were the recipients of the Pickaxe Award, presented annually to recognize full-time Cameron employees whose performance is above and beyond expectations. Cintora is an administrative assistant in the Athletics Department, and Flood is the university’s concurrent enrollment coordinator.

Amy Cintora

Cody Flood

Commencement 2022

Cameron’s Class of 2022 had the pleasure of hearing from Brig. Gen. Hope Rampy, who delivered the keynote address at both Commencement ceremonies.

The 1996 CU alumna, who serves as the 62nd Adjutant General of the Army, encouraged graduates to take pride in their accomplishments and to reflect on their success in earning a degree.

“Be a doer,” she urged. “Do something. Be something. Believe in something. The ticket you are about to receive is your ticket to the next ride. You have to be willing to stand in line, punch your ticket, and take that ride.”

She also advised the Class of 2022 to challenge themselves by being willing to try new things – at the same time cautioning, “Be willing to fail. Almost every successful entrepreneur has

failed at least once. Failure teaches us that we do not have to have it figured out.”

Citing her own experience as a CU graduate, Rampy said, “Your plans and your goals will change. Life will happen. Sometimes the path that we did not choose is the path we were supposed to take. As you set out on this next journey, reflect. Do. Pay it forward.”

When emphasizing the importance of being a teammate and a leader, she reminded graduates to continue to be a learner, to go forward with competence, to know how to juggle to find the right work and life balance and to change their perspective when they encounter a challenge.

“You have a world of opportunities,” she concluded. “You just have to be willing to take the trip.”

member into the Faculty Hall of Fame.

In December 2009, Dr. Joanni Sailor shuttered her successful practice as a Licensed Marital & Family Therapist and joined the Cameron faculty. The decision to step away from private practice and start teaching future therapists was one to which she gave grave consideration – and one from which she has reaped great satisfaction.

“Being able to train students to become mental health professionals is even more rewarding than I had hoped,” Sailor told Cameron Magazine in 2010. “I have found that my graduate students share the same passion for healing others as I do. They too want to make a difference in the lives of others.”

"Dr. Sailor's passion for developing Cameron University’s Master of Science in Behavioral Sciences students into competent, proficient, empathetic, outstanding therapists seems to give her boundless energy to achieve her goals," her colleague Dr. Mary Dzindolet wrote in nominating her for the Hackler Award in 2012. "First and foremost, Dr. Sailor is a content expert … she is in a unique position in that she is outstanding in both her knowledge of the theories, methods and findings in marriage and family therapy and in her ability to apply this knowledge in the ‘real world’ therapy setting ... Although all great teachers are

content experts, not all content experts are great teachers. Dr. Sailor not only knows her area, but she is skilled in communicating the concepts to her students in innovative and effective ways.”

As the director of the Cameron Psychology Clinic since its opening in 2015, Sailor oversees experiential learning for CU graduate students in psychology. She ensures that they have the opportunity to work with real-life clients in a clinical setting.

In addition to the commitment to Cameron students, Sailor’s service to her chosen field has extended beyond the Lawton/Fort Sill community to the state and national stage. She is a an approved supervisor for the State of Oklahoma and a Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), as well as an AAMFT approved supervisor.

Sailor is the past chair of the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Licensure and served as a member of the Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure for 11 1/2 years. She is a past president of the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board and served for five years as a member of the national board.

Comanche tribal member George Tahdooahnippah might be considered something of a miracle worker. When he took the reins of Comanche Nation Construction in September 2019, he was faced with a tribal division that was $1.6 million in debt as it faced default on a federal contract due to the loss of the company’s construction bond. In 12 months, Tahdooahnippah completely reversed the division’s bleak financial statement, showing a profit of $1.6 million. It’s only natural that in June 2021, the CU alumnus was named Acting CEO of Comanche Nation Enterprises.

Tahdooahnippah’s initial notoriety didn’t come from his business acumen, though. An all-around athlete, he first found success on the wrestling mat. At age 23, he took up kickboxing and won the North Texas Light Heavyweight title and was runnerup at the 2002 Sansho-Kickboxing World Championships. He then switched gears, finding more success in the boxing arena. “Comanche Boy,” as he was known, won 34 bouts with only three losses and three draws during his professional career.

He was crowned WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Champion as well as the Native American Boxing Council Super Middleweight Championship.

During his boxing career, Tahdooahnippah enrolled at Cameron, completing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2010.

“Having a business degree was very important to me,” he says. “My mother was a business person. It just came natural.”

He has fond – and lasting – memories of Dr. Robert Yuyuenyongwatana (aka Dr. Y), a professor of business.

“I remember in Dr. Y's class, he was so confident about finance,” Tahdooahnippah says. “He was so confident about credit. I will always remember his ‘laughing all the way from the bank’ statement. I knew what he was talking about, but I really didn't get it. Now, as I am older, it is making sense. He said, ‘Use the bank's money and not yours. Good credit is a must.’ Now, I can laugh all the way from the bank. Sometimes,” he concludes with a laugh.

His initial position with the Comanche Nation was as a diabetes educator.

“At that point in my life, it was the right position for me,” he says. “I was ‘Comanche Boy,’ the professional boxer. I was out trying to make a name for my people. I was exercising and training very heavily. It was the perfect fit. I could inspire by my fit lifestyle and help educate and motivate my people to live better.”

Since then, he’s held several positions within the tribe.

“I started working under our Comanche Nation Enterprise's umbrella in 2014 with Comanche Nation Construction. I have always had a passion for construction because there is so much to learn. I am still learning. I also wanted to diversify our portfolio, so we started Numunu Staffing. This is the first company I have been a part of creating and again, so much to learn. Our goal is go after federal contracts and get our company into the 8(a) program (sole-source government program). What's better than being able to staff people and return profits to the tribe? That is my mission for all our entities under the Comanche Nation Enterprises umbrella. My goal is to create multiple companies under the CNE umbrella and generate millions. Employ our people and community, and your return profits back to the Comanche Nation.”

GEORGE TAHDOOAHNIPPAH

MAJ. (RET.) ED PULIDO

On August 17, 2004, Cameron alumnus Ed Pulido’s life changed forever. A major in the U.S. Army, he was serving with the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team when he hit a roadside bomb in Baquobah, Iraq. Due to extensive injuries to his knee, his left leg was amputated six weeks later. For his heroism and valor, he received the Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, and Joint Service Commendation and Achievement Medals. Following a 19-year career, he was medically retired from the United States Army.

Pulido’s journey since that August day includes 38 operations, numerous hospital stays, rehabilitative sessions, a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. He emerged from those challenges with a compelling desire to reach out to other wounded veterans and their families who were seeking help for their injuries and post-war obstacles.

Pulido’s journey to the Armed Forces began at Cameron University, where he graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Military Science.

“Cameron is where everything got started,” he says. “It is where I doubted my abilities to succeed, but is also where I was inspired to be the best that I can be. That propelled me to have a distinguished career in the United States Army and it also inspired me to professionally seek out my work in philanthropy. Because of that education, we have raised over $200 million for military charities. Charities like Folds of Honor Foundation, Warriors for Freedom Foundation and the John Daly-Major Ed Heart of a Lion Foundation have benefitted.

Pulido says that his injury changed his perspective of who he is as a person.

“My injury gave me purpose, passion, and commitment on behalf of a grateful nation and on behalf of those that I serve. My biggest success came when I was nominated for the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom. Because of that nomination, I was honored in 2020 for my work on behalf of veterans when President Trump visited Oklahoma. My life changing injury has enabled me to change the lives and trajectory of many veterans needing hope, purpose, and passion in their lives. It has also enabled me to be a catalyst for change in prosthetic technology advancements for the war fighter community and for citizens needing peer-to-peer support as they start their journey as a new amputee.”

Pulido says that he has experienced great personal fulfillment since he began his journey on behalf of veterans and their families.

“The most fulfilling part of my work is when you save a life. Suicide prevention and advocacy for our military and our first responders is a strong passion of mine. Losing many service members, veterans and family members to suicide has inspired

me to be a resilient difference-maker. It has driven me to change the way we deliver services internally and externally by creating private-public partnerships that work by bringing everyone to the table for community-based solutions. More importantly, it has showed me that living by faith, having love for our country, and understanding the importance of family are the main attributes to a healthy purpose living life.”

He says he is honored to be named as a Distinguished Alumni.

“It is an honor because I stand alongside other distinguished honorees who answered the call to duty and have represented this prestigious university with selfless service and distinction. It is a privilege because I get to represent Cameron University, my Hispanic heritage, my military service, my faith, my family, the wounded and disabled and our nation’s active service members, veterans, and their families. That, to me, is the precious gift of life. That is the gift bestowed to me from the Cameron University Alumni Association. For that, all I can say is thank you and Godspeed for the honor!”

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2007, Chase Massie has established himself as a well-organized and dedicated leader in the Lawton/Fort Sill Community. Prior to his current position as Director of Global Talent Management at Henniges Automotive in Frederick, he served as Cameron’s human resources director as well as the human resources director for the City of Lawton.

Massie firmly believes that his CU education prepared him well for a career in the business world.

“On the surface you might think this has nothing to do with Human Resources, but as HR has evolved and continues to change, it has taken on a more all encompassing role,” Massie says. “One great example of this is the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, I served as the primary contact for Henniges Automotive. This entailed communicating with the public, the employees and the health department, as well as serving on a global taskforce for my company. Many of my communication classes at Cameron prepared me for on-camera communication, and for media creation, such as flyers, posters,

As a native Lawtonian, Massie says that involvement is community service projects is important to him. He currently sits on the boards of United Way of Southwest Oklahoma, the Cameron University Foundation, and the Lawton Employment Council. He has served in varying roles with Young Professionals of Lawton and Leadership Lawton, and is past president of Southwest Oklahoma Human Resources Association.

“I think your community is what you make it. If you want your community to grow and be better, you must do your part to help it get there. With that in mind, community service and civic engagement has always been a priority for me. I love beautification projects that help the overall look of our city and love giving back via civic or community groups.

Massie is proud to be a CU alumnus.

“I look back at my time as a student at Cameron with great fondness and take pride that I am alumnus of the university. I lived what I believe is a normal college life, getting to experience fun campus activities such as the Welcome Back Week fun including the foam dance party, as well as writing articles for the school newspaper and getting to be a part of the production team for a great ‘Red Dirt’ documentary created by Cameron students. Probably one of the best decisions I made was to apply and get accepted as an Aggie Ambassador. Being a part of this organization helped open my eyes to all the benefits Cameron could provide.”

He also speaks highly about CU faculty members.

“Several professors impacted my life, starting with my first college class, Comp I, taught by Dr. Marge Kingsley. Throughout that first class, Dr. Kingsley helped me to see that just doing enough wasn’t good enough and I could do so much more. She introduced me to what I could expect in college classes. She also helped show me what I could achieve if I put the work in, and truthfully helped me grow up a little bit that first semester. Another professor that had an impact on me was Dr. Chris Keller. He showed me it was okay to think outside the box and it is okay to push the boundaries.

A magna cum laude 2005 Cameron graduate who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with a minor in Political Science, Liz George is also a 2011 summa cum laude graduate who went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from Oklahoma City University School of Law. After an eight year career at Crowe & Dunlevy, she started her own law firm, Liz George & Associates, in 2019. She has twice been designated as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, and was included in Oklahoma Magazine’s 2018 “40 Under 40” edition.

Active in both her local community and the legal industry, George serves as a board member for Blanchard Public Schools and also sits on the Board of Directors for the Young Women’s Christian Association of Oklahoma City. In addition, she is an active member of the American, Federal, Oklahoma and Oklahoma County Bar Associations. She was honored for her service to the community with the Oklahoma County Bar Association Pro Bono Award in June 2016.

George relates that participating in community service is crucial to her success.

“We live in a world and a time that makes it very easy to store up things for ourselves and our own families to the exclusion

of others,” she says. “Being part of a community – a true and active member of that community - requires a recognition that we have a moral obligation to take care of each other when and where we can. I have also been on the receiving end of that community-minded approach. Giving back to our community, whether it be financially or with our time is a big part of becoming the person I want to be.”

Her firm provides attorney services in a number of areas – bankruptcy, arbitration, trials, business litigation, banking, healthcare and more. She admits that she’s particularly fond of business litigation.

“I love being in court. It’s like a little miniperformance every time. And let’s be honest – it’s really fun to win,” she says.

All kidding aside, George likes to focus on the rewarding parts of being an attorney.

“I explain to my kids that my job is to help people whose problems have become so frustrating that they need to pay an attorney to help them find a solution,” she says. “Helping my clients navigate a difficult time in their business and come out on the other side with a solution that allows them to continue their business, provide jobs, and benefit our communities as a whole can be incredibly rewarding.”

Looking back on her time at CU, George says, “It’s hard for me to narrow down a favorite or most influential professor— mostly because the majority of the professors at Cameron (even outside my major) were so wonderful to me. It was that personal connection and investment by the professors that make Cameron such a special place, whether it was tagging along with my then-boyfriend’s (now husband) biology class to go bird watching near the baseball field or sewing costumes until midnight with the music theatre professors.”

She says she also enjoyed serving as an Aggie Ambassador. “We had lots of fun doing silly plays and meeting with incoming students to welcome them to their new adventure at CU.”

George fondly recalls an important meeting in her life that took place on campus.

“CU always had lots of great activities for the students,” she says. “I recall one in particular that a fellow music major friend invited me to attend. It was some sort of ‘music on the lawn’ event. Little did I know that the lead singer of the band playing would be the guy I married a few years later.”

Lawtonian Colin To graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. A PLUS scholar, To served in leadership roles in numerous campus organizations, including Kappa Sigma, CU’s student chapter of the American Chemical Society and Circle K International. He also participated in a STEM outreach program. Additionally, he earned induction into honor societies Phi Eta Sigma, Order of the Omega, Gamma Sigma Epsilon and Phi Kappa Phi.

“I find being involved in campus life to be essential when maturing beyond your average college student,” To says.

“Participating in organizations and campus activities will help build students into young professionals and leaders with lifelong memories and relationships along the way. There is no course for what involvement can do for students. The experience that students receive when participating in campus activities is priceless — only firsthand experience will suffice.”

To plans to continue his studies in pursuit of a doctorate degree in biochemistry. He hopes to work in the chemical industry and then transition to academia as a professor.

“The industry will help me learn new skills and become more well-rounded as a professional to help me develop into a successful chemist,” he says. “I want to then encourage students to indulge in their college experiences as well as educate the next generation of students. I want to, ultimately, become the professor my professors have been for me.”

When asked about his favorite CU memories, To prefaces his remarks by saying, “Cameron University has given me so much in four years.”

He then recounts specific moments that stand out.

“Some of my fondest memories are being awarded Who’s Who by President McArthur, as well as throwing a pie at him later that year during a fundraiser. I’ve made many memories with other inspiring and influential people, which include Jonna Turner and Vice President Albert Johnson. When we had individual meetings with our advisors, my meeting with them demonstrated the astronomical support they had for us as students. This one moment solidified the enormous support Cameron has for its students, instilling a sense of security in me — reminding me that I am where I belong.

He says that one of his favorite things was having the opportunity to execute his own leadership project.

“I was able to give back to Upward Bound as I am an alumnus of the program” he says. “I planned my whole project to help students who planned to attend college by hosting my own ‘Saturday Session’ with them. I presented two workshops with a panel of college students so Upward Bound students could ask questions. I was grateful for the experience and even more for the chance to execute it again this year.”

Ka’Tavia West, who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Strategic Communication in May, has been a shining star on the Cameron campus for the past four years. She was actively involved in a number of student organizations including the Black Student Association and Aggie Ambassadors, served as a resident assistant for the Office of Student Housing, and was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta, the national English honor society.

In addition, she reaped numerous campus awards, including RA of the Year and Outstanding Student Organization Leader for her role as president of the Black Student Association. She was also the recipient of the Leadership and Outstanding Work Ethic Award for her work on The Collegian.

West says that she “always wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself, and Cameron helped me do that. I have been a leader my entire life, and I’ve always wanted to impact people in the most meaningful ways possible and being part of organizations and staying involved on campus has helped me achieve that goal.”

With her eye on a career in public relations, she says that her Cameron experience should serve her well as she embarks on the next phase of her life.

“Networking seems to be my specialty, and it helps me get into the spaces that are not always available to me at first glance,” she says. “I will always go after what it is I feel passionate about. I strongly believe nothing is impossible. The drive that I have to achieve my goals is limitless, and I won’t stop until I get there.”

West plans to serve in some internships over the summer, with an eye toward securing a job in her chosen field. She also plans to pursue a master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Digital Strategy.

“The big goal is to own my own marketing firm,” she says. “In the near future, I hope to be a part of a great organization and help send positive and long lasting messages to those in the world. Whatever it is I do, I wish to be successful. That vision may look differently three years from now but most importantly I want to grow. Over my past couple years at Cameron University, my goals have changed but it has always worked out for me the way it was supposed to. Every year I’ve bloomed, and I would like to continue that.”

Now that she’s a full-fledged CU alumna, West reflects on her time as a Cameron Aggie.

“My favorite memory at Cameron has to be the time I spent with prospective students as an Aggie Ambassador,” she says. “I really loved meeting them. I didn’t take advantage of the

campus tours as a freshman, so I wanted to make sure incoming students have the best introduction to Cameron possible. I worked many places around campus—the Aggie Rec Center and Student Housing—and I was heavily involved in Campus Life, so I have great insight on the university. The best part is seeing those students return and enroll. It brightens my day because I love higher education, I love school and I get to use myself as an example to showcase what’s possible.”

Her advice to incoming Cameron students is to stay focused on their goals.

“The road is not easy but it’s rewarding, and that makes all the difference.”

Making it in the

Change in degree path led Richardson to fufilling career with Texas Rangers BigLeagues

Nick Richardson left Cameron University in May 2004 with a marketing degree in hand and a dream of finding a full-time job. Little did he know that when he accepted an internship with the Texas Rangers a week after Commencement, he was embarking on a path that has kept him with the baseball club for nearly two decades.

Today, Richardson is the Rangers’ Vice President for Ticket Retention and New Business Development. If you have a season ticket, been to a game as part of a group package, or watched the action from a suite in Globe Life Field, Nick played a role in getting you there.

associate degree in pre-med in 2001. He was offered an academic scholarship to Cameron to continue his studies in science, but switched his major to business a semester into his junior year.

“Needless to say, I had some catching up to do when it came to business classes,” he said. “I took classes during the day, at night, and during the summer.” And that didn’t include working his way through school. Nick worked in retail sales at a Central Mall clothing store and was a server and trainer at a Lawton restaurant. He also had a campus job opening the CU Fitness Center (now the Aggie Rec Center) at 6 a.m. each weekday; it was there that he met his future wife, Crystal, who was an Aggie cheerleader and PLUS scholar.

As if that wasn’t enough to fill up his time, Nick was very active on campus, helping restart Cameron’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and serving in the CU Student Government

“I also played flag football and coed softball through intramurals,” he recalled. “I was an Aggie Ambassador and had the pleasure of giving campus tours to prospective students and their families, presenting scholarships at local high schools, and hosting freshman orientation. We had an amazing group of students and a wonderful leader in Brenda Dally (who went on to become CU’s admissions director). I made so many

One of Nick’s fondest memories was being named one of CU’s Top 20 Students. The

Nick with wife Crystal and children Presley and Cade.

award sits on a shelf in his office. “It was such a proud moment for me. I got a call that I needed to be at a ceremony they were holding. When they announced what it was, I was shocked, honored and humbled by the recognition.”

Richardson recalls having challenging professors with enormous expectations, but who wanted the best for their students. They were willing to equip students with the tools needed for success –even against graduates of bigger universities.

“During my internship, there was an intern who graduated from Texas A&M,” Nick said. “He told me that because of where he went to school that he was basically guaranteed a job when the internship was over. That simply fueled my fire and is one thing that helped me develop a mindset of success.”

That mindset is reflected in a quote he displays in his office: “The goal is not to be successful, the goal is to be valuable. Once you are valuable, instead of chasing success, it will attract itself to you.”

But it goes deeper, he said. It is a life choice. “Grow daily, live virtuously and create value. Do something to get better and learn something new each day. Live with honor and be the same person at all times. Create value for your organization, job, friends, family, and the people around you. If you do that, you will organically create value for yourself and earn opportunities for growth, leadership, and responsibility.”

That mantra served him well during his internship.

“Nervous – and lacking experience in the business of sport – I simply smiled, worked with tenacity, hung on every word my supervisors gave me, and did anything asked with pride,” Nick said. Within three months, he was given an opportunity to join the inside sales team. With little-to-no tangible sales experience, he told the VP of Sales that if they could give him guidance, he could do it. He started that next Monday.

It was challenging. “We didn’t have a very good team and selling is not an easy job,” he recalled. “But I am a firm believer that you truly learn how to sell when times are challenging.” In 2005, he was promoted into the Rangers’ suite and premium sales department, and not long afterward, he was awarded a senior title.

By 2014, Richardson decided that management was his next challenge. He had previously declined interviews because he loved selling and cultivating relationships with customers. He earned his first management opportunity as the manager of inside sales. Going into 2019, Texas shifted its focus to developing and selling its new ballpark, Globe Life Field. With increased responsibilities and the day-to-day interaction in its sales center, Nick was named Director for New Business Development, then two years later he was elevated into his current job.

“This career has been a blessing,” he said. “To be able to do what I do for a team I grew up rooting for is a thrill. Along the way, many different skills were needed to grow from one step to the next. I always felt that I was equipped to do anything, and I was willing to do anything I was called to do. I’ve never felt like something was not my job. I believe that I have the ability to make a difference at every turn for our organization, and if I am called to do anything, it will get my best.”

Richardson firmly believes that CU helped him grow into the person he is today.

“Cameron helped me get comfortable being in front of people, thinking on my feet, problem solving, and building relationships” he said. “I truly think that there is no single class that will specifically help someone’s career, but the college experience will help you be prepared for what your career throws at you if you do the work and open yourself up for failure. Real life experience in a career will be what prepares you for that career. There are too many variables that come into play that a single college class or degree will not enable you to be fully prepared day in and day out. Yet, if you put in the work in college, give yourself as many experiences on campus through clubs, athletics, and working different jobs, you can and will be as prepared as possible.”

Richardson advises new grads to keep learning, growing, and know that they are not a product of their circumstances. They can overcome anything they experience if they make up their mind to do it.

“One of my favorite quotes is by MMA champion Frank Shamrock. He overcame so much in his life to become the best in his career. He said, ‘Every fighter, to be great, needs to have someone better to learn from, someone lesser to teach, and someone equal to challenge themselves against.’ Life is hard. Equip yourself, control the controllable, and fight for victories.”

- Keith Mitchell

Ciskowski took the Aggie work ethic to the NFL and Dallas Cowboys

familiar names. What you may not realize is that if it weren’t for a Cameron grad, they might never have worn that silver star on their helmets.

Tom Ciskowski graduated from Cameron in 1977. His plans of coaching football took him through the high school ranks and college stadiums before he was recruited to join Dallas’ scouting staff in 1992. Over the next 27 years, he found talent for the Cowboys, eventually becoming director of player personnel and then senior personnel executive. Along the way, he helped land Ware, Smith, Chris Canty, Flozell Adams, Orlando Scandrick and many others.

Raised in Medford, Okla., Ciskowski came to Cameron on a football scholarship in 1973.

“A lot of my family attended Northwestern (in Alva), but I wanted to break out on my own and go a different direction,” Ciskowski recalled. “I was a fullback, linebacker … or an H-back/slotback type of player in today’s terminology. I had good hands and could catch, but I couldn’t run,” he said, laughing.

Medford’s population was 1,100 back then; Cameron was five times that big when Tom arrived. To a guy who only had 33 classmates in his graduating class, it seemed huge. “It was overwhelming at first.”

Tom has fond memories of his time at Cameron. “Dorm life was a lot different back then,” he recalled. “We created our own fun. One time, a couple of wheelbarrows somehow wound up in Shepler Tower and we had races down the hallways.”

Ciskowski admits he wasn’t a top-of-the-line football player. “My first three years were very challenging. I developed mental toughness and discipline and I have a great appreciation of what it takes to be on a team. Everyone has a role and must accept it for the overall organization/team to be successful. I played on

Ciskowski chats with the legendary Gil Brandt, who pioneered scouting techniques for Dallas that are used today across the NFL.

the scout team early on, then got to play more my senior year. I understood my role.”

The Aggies were very good in 1974, his sophomore year. Cameron made it to the national semifinals, where it lost to Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville), the eventual national champs.

After graduating from Cameron with a degree in physical education, he coached a year at Pawhuska High School. He then moved to the college ranks during the 1980s, with stops at East Central, Arizona State and Wichita State, among others. With each one came breaks.

“When you get an opportunity, you need to take advantage of it,” Tom said. “At Arizona State, the good Lord was looking out for me. Darrell Rogers was head coach. My second year, he flew us out to a national convention; I walked in the door and I was overwhelmed. There’s Barry Switzer, there’s Bear Bryant. I walk in and Rogers waves me over. ‘There’s a guy named Jimmy Johnson who just got the job at Oklahoma State and he needs someone with an Oklahoma background. He wants to interview you.’

“That was my break. I followed Jimmy from OSU to Miami. When he went to Dallas, he and Dave Wannstedt asked me to come be a scout for the Cowboys. I had never really thought about it; I really wanted to coach. But Jimmy thought I had an eye for talent. He said, ‘Take this job, put your heart and soul into it and after two years, if you don’t like it, I’ll help you get back into coaching.’

“I missed coaching during my first year, but I evolved in my second year. I enjoyed it and started establishing relationships with other scouts and I was off and running.”

Ciskowski began as a combine scout, then moved up the ranks –area scout, national scout, director of college scouting, director of player personnel, and finally senior personnel executive.

Although Tom admits that professional football has lots of pressure, he says the Cowboys made it fun. “If there was any type of pressure, it’s because I put it on myself … I wanted to do good job. I got opportunities to leave and could have made more money, but I was happy to work there. (Team owner) Jerry Jones understands loyalty. If you do a good job, the organization is very loyal to you.”

During his time at Dallas, Ciskowski had the chance to land major talent while being a part of Cowboys history. Over the years, he worked with Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett. That’s EVERY

Dallas head coach except Tom Landry and current coach Mike McCarthy.

When asked the name of his favorite player he brought to the Cowboys, Tom didn’t hesitate. It was Larry Allen.

“I was the Cowboys’ West Coast scout; Larry was at Sonoma State. There were other players that were getting more attention in the draft, like Tod Steussie from Cal Berkley,” he said. “My boss, Larry Lacewell, asked me who I liked and I picked Larry Allen. ‘Who?’ was the response. I showed him some films; he liked him, but was skeptical that he could play against Division I players. Larry was in the annual East-West game that year against players from colleges like Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame. Larry annihilated those guys, so we drafted him in the second round.”

Allen spent nearly a dozen years as a Cowboy and played in 11 Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

In 2019, Ciskowski was about to turn 65. “It had gotten to where I didn’t enjoy it as much,” he recalled. “I think people got caught up too much in the numbers. All they were looking for was size and data. That’s information gathering, not scouting. There are players who have instincts that you can’t coach into them. Finding them … to me, that’s scouting.”

With that, he retired. He’s still glad for the opportunity given him by Lacewell and the Jones family and is proud of the fact he “gave them a good day’s work every day.”

If Ciskowski has any words of wisdom for this year’s Cameron grads, it’s this: “Go for it and don’t be intimidated. To be successful, you need to know your subject matter, have the ability to get along with people, and display a great work ethic. A lot of people start work at 8 a.m. and shut it down at 5 p.m. Don’t be afraid to come in early and stay late. Trust me, upper management will notice.”

- Keith Mitchell

Ciskowski (foreground) at Cowboy Training Camp

EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS START WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL TEACHER: Sheila Tread we ll

Step into Sheila Treadwell’s Pre-K classroom in Snyder, and within minutes you’ll understand why this dynamic educator was selected as one of 12 finalists for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. The Cameron alumna leads her students with enthusiasm, ebullience and excitement, making for a classroom filled with energy and effervescence. It’s no wonder her 4-year-old students pay rapt attention to everything she says and does, whether it’s leading them in a song, helping them with an art project, or reading them a story.

“As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher,” Treadwell says. “When I was 4 years old, I would set up a classroom with all my dolls and play school. Every summer, I would play school with my siblings and cousins, and I was always the teacher. When I was in the third grade, I had my first male teacher, Mr. Prichard. He was kind, considerate, fair, a good listener, and he made learning fun. He taught us to believe in ourselves and if we worked hard enough, we could accomplish anything. I wanted to be a teacher just like him.”

As a young wife and mother, Treadwell’s dream of becoming a teacher was put on hold. After she became a substitute teacher in

Snyder, the principal at the time, Don Woody, asked if she had ever thought about being a teacher.

“I told him yes, but thought I was too old to go back to school with all those fresh-out-of-high-school students,” Treadwell says.

“I absolutely love teaching young children because they are like little sponges and so full of energy.

Fortunately, her husband Greg, a professor in Cameron’s Department of Business, also recognized her potential.

“One day, my husband loaded me up, drove me to Cameron, and introduced me to Dr. Margie McMahan (then chair of the Department of Education). He said, ‘Enroll her. She wants to be a kindergarten teacher!’”

Treadwell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1997. After graduating, she served as the early childhood lab teacher at CU’s Child Development Center, teaching at least 20 Pre-K students while mentoring CU’s Early Childhood Education students. After two years, she accepted a Pre-K teaching position with Snyder Public Schools. At the same time, she re-enrolled at Cameron and earned a Master of Education degree in 2002.

“CU offers an exceptional in-depth education program that prepares teachers for the classroom,” Treadwell says. “I felt greatly confident to step into a teaching position at the end of my education program. I enjoyed all my education classes and got to know my professors. I became involved in anything and everything happening in the education and early childhood programs.”

She singles out Dr. Margie McMahan, Dr. Marcie Blackburn and Dr. Fred Smiley as faculty members who had a profound impact on her teaching career.

“Dr. McMahan taught me more about early childhood then I can put into words,” she says. “I will never forget her talking about Developmentally Inappropriate Practices (DIP) and Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in every early childhood class. This still sticks with me when I am planning lessons for my class. I reflect and think, ‘Is this developmentally appropriate for this age child?’ She taught me how important it is to have concrete hands-on lessons versus abstract lesson with young children.”

“As a student, I did not like taking tests and was not looking forward to my Test and Measurement class. Dr. Marcie Blackburn was amazing. She taught me to love Test and Measurement class and created a desire to know more about testing. She taught it in a way that was meaningful and purposeful. She also made me understand how important and useful testing can be if done appropriately.”

“I had Dr. Fred Smiley for Intro to Teaching, my first education class. He was about 6’5” and had a habit of jumping up on a chair or table, like he was on a stage when he really wanted to get his point across. He was lecturing us one day on giving students the appropriate amount of wait time to answer a question. In his usual Dr. Smiley energy, he would ask a question standing on a chair and then very quickly go on to another. I do not know what came over me that day, but when he asked me a question and did not wait for my answer, I jumped up in my chair and told him if he would give me the ‘appropriate wait time,’ I would answer his question. He laughed and sat down ‘criss-cross applesauce’ on the floor (as we say in Pre-K) and proceeded to listen to me. From that point on, if he saw me in the hall, he would invite me into his Intro to Teaching class to tell that story. Everyone got a big laugh out of it, but we all learned a lesson that day about giving your students the appropriate wait time to answer a question.”

After 24 years teaching Pre-K, Treadwell still greets each day and each class with energy and enthusiasm.

“I absolutely love teaching young children because they are like little sponges and so full of energy. I love watching how excited they get to try new things and accomplish milestones that are huge for them. It’s important that they have a teacher who will celebrate that excitement with them. I want my students to have fun learning, feel loved, be confident, take risks and have compassion for others. When this happens, I have made an enormous impact on their learning.”

Treadwell is a staunch advocate of Developmentally Appropriate Practices, emphasizing the importance of learning centers, hands-on activities, concrete versus abstract learning activites and more. She also understands the importance of connecting with each child’s family members.

“The biggest challenge an early childhood teacher faces is the young child’s home life,” she explains. “The child does not have control of getting a healthy meal, getting to bed, getting up on time, getting themselves ready for school, getting stories read

Treadwell uses shaving cream when teaching her 4-year-old students shapes and letters.

to them every night, completing family school projects, and attending school functions. They are totally dependent on their parents or guardian for all these things mentioned. That is why it is so important to teach to the whole child, which includes the family. I always tell student teachers that parents are sending you their absolute best child. No matter what family issues they may have, learning disabilities, behavior problems, etc., you start with where that child is developmentally, emotionally and socially, then move forward and that may include working very closely with the family.”

For Treadwell, that family connection starts before the first day of class, as that day can be the hardest for Pre-K students and their families.

“I schedule private pre-visits the week before school starts,” she says. “This gives me the opportunity to meet the child, let them meet me and play in the classroom. It also gives me the opportunity to meet the parents. The parents complete the enrollment forms while the child and I tour the classroom, make an art project to put on the bulletin board, meet the class pets and play in centers. Parents get the opportunity to watch their child interact with me firsthand. This helps with the first day jitters for both parents and students.”

In addition to teaching Pre-K, Sheila Treadwell serves as the Oklahoma Region 7 coordinator for the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, the organization that provides National Board Certification for teachers. It’s a certification she herself earned in 2007.

“My beliefs about teaching are demonstrated in the fact that I personally never stop learning and go above and beyond to make learning developmentally fun,” she explains. “Robert Trammell, my principal, asked if I knew about National Board Certification. He said, ‘I think this is something you might be interested in and could do. Why don’t you check it out?’ I attended an informational recruitment meeting in Lawton, applied for the scholarship and did not look back. I was extremely impressed with the recruitment information and felt like this was something I could do. It would not only help me as a teacher professionally but would also impact my students and their learning.”

She quickly discovered there were no teachers in her district or county who had earned national certification. Although the certification process is rigorous and time-consuming, Treadwell considers it “the best personal professional development a teacher can do to learn more about their own teaching and how to improve what they are doing to impact student learning.”

She was on her own when it came to preparing for the process – until she discovered that Oklahoma’s Department of Education offered National Board mentoring groups.

“Leisa Stamper was the regional coordinator in Lawton, and her group was very welcoming, “she says. “This professional group of teachers all working towards the same goal made a significant impact on me as a teacher. I saw what collaboration could do for learning and the influence it had on my teaching and my students.”

Treadwell says that the pre-visits result in “a lot less crying from both the parents and the students” on the first day of class. “I find these pre-visits extremely rewarding not only for me, but also for the parents and especially the child. When that 4-yearold child cannot wait to come back and does not want to leave, I know in my heart I am doing something right.”

After earning certification in the Generalist/ Early Childhood category, Treadwell was asked to serve as Oklahoma’s Region 7 coordinator – an opportunity she jumped at.

“I knew the growth that I had experienced, and I wanted to pay it forward and help other teachers become National Board Certified,” she says. “When I renewed my certification in 2017, I was asked to become a renewal trainer for the state, so I began mentoring other National Board teachers working towards their renewal certification. My professional growth was greatly impacted by working with all these outstanding teachers in their field. Now I feel one of my greatest contributions and accomplishments has been to mentor

Using a visual aid such as an elephant mask is par for the course in Treadwell’s classroom.

- Janet E. Williams

HacklerAwardTeaching

founder loved learning

Elizabeth Hackler was one of Cameron University’s oldest graduates

If there’s anyone who was a greater inspiration to adult learners at Cameron University than Elizabeth Hackler, we don’t know who it might be … unless it was her husband, Harold.

Elizabeth, who died Feb. 18, 2022, at age 90, earned her associate degree from Cameron University in 1993. Harold was one of her fellow graduates that spring, earning his associate degree. They were 67 and 61, making them at the time the oldest Aggies to become Cameron grads.

The Duncan couple had both been employees of Halliburton. Harold retired in 1989 and Elizabeth followed in 1991. Elizabeth was a little worried about retirement after 34 years in the workforce. “You retire and all of a sudden, you lose your identity,” she said at the time.

The couple had no children or grandchildren, so “we decided to attend Cameron to keep up with today’s world, interact with others and keep our minds alert. Cameron’s neat because it is small enough to get to know your instructors immediately, but big enough to offer fine instruction.”

Their intention was just to take a few classes, but they both enjoyed it so much, they decided to pursue degrees. Harold and Elizabeth enrolled in different courses so that they could

share with each other what they learned. The experience also offered them a chance to get to know a younger generation, sometimes providing them with sage advice … and sometimes learning things from those classmates.

After graduation, Elizabeth kept busy by volunteering as a child welfare worker, an animal rights advocate and spending time on the farm that she and Harold owned. Well known for his quick wit, Harold was a gifted pianist who shared his talents in church, civic clubs and assisted living facilities.

As alumni, the couple created the Harold and Elizabeth Hackler Endowed Lectureship in Teaching Excellence at Cameron in 1996. The endowment spawned an annual award – first presented to chemistry professor Clinton Bryan in 1999 – that honors faculty who make outstanding contributions to Aggie students. It has become Cameron’s most prestigious faculty award and has been presented to 35 individuals, most recently business professor Ken Masters.

Harold preceded Elizabeth in death in 2015, just weeks before he would have turned 90. After her death, Elizabeth was buried beside him in Ardmore.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Harold and Elizabeth Hackler Lectureship in Teaching Excellence by contacting the Cameron University Foundation.

- Keith Mitchell

HALL OF FAME CU A THLETICS

Since its inception in 2008, the Cameron University Athletics Hall of Fame has honored players, coaches, and supporters with induction.

Ten more Aggie stars were added to the Hall of Fame in 2021 and 2022.

TOMMY BELL Football (Posthumous)

Tommy Bell was a running back and defensive back for the Aggie football team from 1962-64. A member of the 1962 team known as "The Fighting Few" that went 7-2, Bell rushed for 854 yards and scored 60 points. During the 8-2 1963 season, the first team All-American rushed for 1,138 yards and scored 90 points (15 TD's).

BRITTANY (PATTERSON) BENNETT Basketball

Brittany (Patterson) Bennett was a guard for the Cameron women's basketball program from 2001-06. She is one of 12 Aggie basketball players in the 1,000-point club, scoring 1,428 points in her CU career, which is third most in program history. Bennett also ranks third in the Aggie record books in career three-pointers (156), third in career assists (305), fourth in career steals (147), and fifth in made field goals for a career (448).

STEPHANIE BOUR Softball

Stephanie Bour played shortstop for the Aggie softball team from 200507. She was named an All-American and the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year as a senior, hitting .474 with 72 hits, 64 runs, 47 RBI, and 18 homeruns. She is listed in the top five players in program history in career batting average (.366), on base percentage (.439), and doubles (38). The two-time All-LSC performer finished with 165 hits, 117 RBI, and 24 homers for her CU career. The Arizona native now resides in Haymarket, Va.

JOHN BRANDES Football, Baseball

John Brandes walked on to both Cameron football and baseball teams and played for the Aggies from 1983-87. Considered a "late bloomer" the offensive guard, center, and tight end came to CU at 5-9, 145 pounds and left at 6-3, 235 pounds. Brandes was a member of the 1986 NAIA National Championship runner-up team and went on to spend nine years in the NFL, playing for Indianapolis, Washington, New York Giants, and San Francisco. He was a member of the 1991 Super Bowl Champion Washington team. He now resides in Mansfield, Texas.

JOEY GOODMAN Journalist

Despite “retiring” from the Lawton Constitution, Joey Goodman – who has covered Cameron Athletics since 1972 – still assists in publicizing the Aggie programs to the community. He was hired in 1972 by CU Hall of Famer Herb Jacobs to work as a stringer for the Lawton Constitution and the Lawton Morning Press, going on to become a sports writer and then editor in 1986. Goodman has been key in promoting sports and athletics in the Lawton community through various events. He inducted into the Southwest Oklahoma Football Officials Association Hall of Fame and the Southwest Basketball Officials Association Hall of Fame.

Arriving from Grand Prairie, Alberta, Jenny Head-Hughes played libero for the Cameron volleyball team from 2003-05. In 2003, she was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Year, second team All-LSC and All-Region. The following year, Head claimed the Libero of the Year honor in the LSC and again was a second team allconference selection playing for head coach Kim Vinson. The Canadian claimed six LSC Player of the Week awards.

JAMES HELVEY Tennis

James Helvey served as head coach for both Cameron tennis programs from 1993-2017. He was named the ITA/NCAA National Coach of the Year in 2008, was a six-time ITA Regional Coach of the Year, and a five-time LSC Coach of the Year.

Helvey's teams made it to two National Elite 8 appearances and eight Round of 16 berths while eight of his teams earned Regional Championships (five men and three women) and four were LSC Champions. He posted a 802-392 coaching career at Cameron and coached 10 ITA All-Americans, 23 ITA Academic All-Americans and was the ITA National Chair from 2007-17.

KEITH KIMBLE Basketball

After spending a year at Panola Junior College, Keith Kimble joined the Aggie basketball team, playing from 1977-80. “Slack,” the sixth-man on the 1980 National Championship team, was named to the All-District Tournament and All-NAIA National Tournament teams and was known for playing his best in the biggest situations. He finished his Aggie career two points shy of 1,300. Kimble had a four-year professional playing career in Mexico, scoring a league record 63 points in a game. Kimble resides in Medina, Ohio.

“CU” EDDIE LARSON Fan

“CU” Eddie Larson attended Cameron in the late 1970s but has been a fan of the Aggies since childhood. His reserved seat in the Aggie Gym, Section C-Row 1-Seat 6, is rarely empty as he is at almost every Cameron sporting event, including sitting on the front row behind home plate at baseball and softball games. Larson has a vast knowledge of Aggie statistics and events and supports CU teams in wins and losses with his iconic “CU” hand signs.

THOMAS TOTH Cross Country

Thomas Toth, a native of Lakefield, Ontario, ran for the Aggies from 2013-15, earned All-LSC honors both years he was competing for the Aggies and was the LSC Individual Champion in 2014. That same year he earned All-South Central Region and All-American honors, placing 11th in the NCAA National Championship. Toth went on to represent Canada at several World Championships and was the Canadian National Hall-Marathon Champion in 2016. He resides in Plaistow, N.H.

JENNY HEAD-HUGHES Volleyball

The Museum of the Great Plains in Lawton has a new employee ready to take on the task of preserving the rich history of southwest Oklahoma. Taylor Larson, who earned her bachelor’s degree in history at Cameron University in 2015, was recently hired as the new archivist for the museum.

Taylor was fortunate to already be familiar with the Museum of the Great Plains because she interned there in 2019 while completing her master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma.

“I was excited by the opportunity this position offers because I knew a little about what to expect. I quickly learned that the museum’s collection is massive and there’s so much to learn about the area I grew up in,” stated Larson.

A typical day for Taylor involves correspondence with researchers, volunteers and donors. She also spends the bulk of her day working on projects to improve the storage conditions of the archives and photo collection as well as on strategies to increase the accessibility of the collections.

“Being able to take in donations for the collection and work with researchers has been very rewarding because I know that I am contributing to public history through my work,” she said. “I also value interactions with my colleagues. I like hearing about their research and past work experience in the museum field. The museum professional community is small, and I’m lucky to be a member of that community in my hometown.”

Landing the position of museum archivist is the perfect fit for Larson. She’s been drawn to history and artifacts since early childhood when family trips to museums, antique stores and ancient ruins as a kid really piqued her interest.

“I had the childhood dream of becoming an archaeologist after visiting the Ruins of Puerco Pueblo in Arizona around the age of 6,” she reported. “Then I had the notion of becoming a linguistic anthropologist after seeing some Mayan ruins in Mexico and learning about the decline of the Mayan language as a teenager. I later settled on a career in museums because I knew I would

be able to collaborate with experts from different fields and learn about the past through studying museum collection objects.”

Reflecting on her time at Cameron and how it prepared her for the future, Taylor reminisced, “As a history major, I spent a lot of my time at Cameron writing papers, but I made sure to find a balance so that I wasn’t always at my computer. I spread out my elective credits so in between researching the Dutch Tulip Craze of the 17th century for Dr. Doug Catterall or military tactics of World War I for Dr. Lance Janda, I was out hiking in the Wichita Wildlife Refuge with classmates or learning to oil paint on campus.”

“During my time at CU, I interned at the Fort Sill Field Artillery Museum and participated in a study abroad trip to Berlin, Germany. These experiences helped shape the direction I chose to take my career and developed my interpersonal skills,” she elaborated.

Larson’s favorite memories of Cameron include participating in Higher Education Day representing CU at the State Capitol, participating in the History Club and the Law and Politics Club, and being challenged academically and physically.

“I thoroughly enjoyed taking golf, hiking, and swimming classes to fulfill my physical education requirements,” revealed Taylor.

When asked what about Cameron was especially important to her education, Larson replied, “The small class sizes, which allow students to get to know everyone in their program by name, connect more personally with the professors, and makes it easy to get in contact with professors and instructors when help is needed.”

Taylor remains connected to Cameron in her professional career. “Cameron has been a great resource for me. While the professors are typically busy throughout the semester, I feel I can reach out with career questions or research inquiries periodically. As a Cameron alum working at the Museum of the Great Plains, I am an advocate of welcoming students in education and history to visit the museum for research or volunteer hours,” she explained.

Given the opportunity to offer special words of advice for future Cameron students, Larson was more than happy to offer her wisdom.

“Stay persistent if you find a field that you love, even if that means continuing school and completing internships. It doesn’t have to happen all at once. Get involved in at least one volunteer project or club and take electives that bring you out of your comfort zone because it will encourage you to take on different projects with confidence in the future,” recommended Taylor.

-Rhonda Young

When father and son Don and Matt Gaskins each reflected on how full their lives have been, it was easy to see that Cameron University played a key role in the path that led their family to where they are now.

With a rich history spanning as far back as the Oklahoma land lottery, the Gaskins family have deep family ties to Lawton and Cameron. The Gaskins legacy began when great-grandfather, J.W. “Pete” Gaskins drew a quarter section of land during the Big Pasture lottery in 1906.

The Gaskins family ties also extend to Cameron.

“My grandmother, Louise, studied at Cameron State Agricultural College,” Matt says. “My grandfather, Eddie Gaskins, was captain of the boxing team in the early 1930s. My father, Don, also attended and boxed for Cameron.

I grew up in Lawton and am proud to have graduated from Cameron with a music degree in 1996.”

Since earning his degree, Matt has enjoyed a successful career in music steeped in both performance and music education. He founded the Neighbor Arts and Music School in Frisco, Texas, and is currently music director at Imagine International Academy of North Texas. He is also the music education representative Texas and Oklahoma for WURRLY.edu.

Last year, Matt and his father Don chose to take the opportunity to invest in Cameron’s music program and to advance the quality of teaching for its faculty and students. Through their generosity, the university replaced a piano with a Steinway grand piano as well as contributed to state-of-the-art practice rooms in Haggar Hall. These practice rooms allow students to record

and practice their pieces in a sound-proof environment that very closely mimics the acoustics of performing in a concert hall.

When asked how music and CU have impacted his life, Matt says, “Cameron provides a unique educational experience, boasting diversity that’s not found in other cities or universities. Music majors can immerse themselves in an array of genres. At Cameron, I discovered who I was and wanted to be at my pace. I am so thankful for that.”

Matt hopes that other individuals and foundations will be inspired to invest in the school and community, providing some motivation by saying, “We all have a responsibility to ensure our future performers and educators have access to the best instruments and facilities.”

- Tiffany Smith

(Left to right) Matt Gaskins, Dr. Hyunsoon Whang, Don Gaskins, Diane Gaskins and Pres. John McArthur flank the Steinway grand piano donated by the Gaskins family shortly before Dr. Whang performed a solo recital on the instrument.

NEW ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS

WILL BENEFIT STUDENTS IN ENGINEERING, BIOLOGY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Gifts to the Cameron University Foundation have resulted in the establishment of new endowed scholarships that will benefit CU students in perpetuity.

The late John Armstrong Beckman loved history and considered himself fortunate to be able to work in a field that he adored. In addition to serving as a registrar for the Fort Sill Museum for 27 years, he utilized his knowledge of history in the classroom, teaching at Cameron as an adjunct instructor for almost 20 years. Beckman’s love of history will continue to impact CU students through the John Armstrong Beckman Endowed Scholarship in Social Sciences.

The endowment was established by the Cameron University Foundation through generous lead donations provided by Beckman’s brother and sisterin-law, Col. (Ret.) Steven and Kathleen Beckman, and his father and stepmother, LTC (Ret.) L.A. and Neva Beckman.

Thanks to the generosity of Professor Emeritus Dr. Mickey Cooper and his wife Donna, the

Cameron University Foundation has established the Dr. Mickey Cooper Endowed Scholarship in Biology. Cooper was a member of the Cameron faculty for more than 35 years before retiring in 2000.

After joining the Cameron State Agricultural College in 1964, Cooper experienced the institution’s transition from junior college to four-year institution. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Cooper was an advocate of introducing middle school and high school students to the sciences to encourage them to pursue careers in science, technology and engineering. He was responsible for the establishment of Cameron’s herbarium, which has grown throughout the years to include the historic plant collection from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and is part of the Texas-Oklahoma Regional Consortium of Herbaria. The CU herbarium continues to be a vital resource utilized by botany and biology students.

Mike Brown, president of CDBL, Inc., has generously provided funding that has enabled the Cameron University Foundation to establish the Michael B. Brown Endowed Scholarship in Engineering. Brown’s involvement in the Fires Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator spurred him to create a pathway from CU to high-tech jobs in Lawton/Fort Sill. When he learned of Cameron’s efforts to grow engineers locally, he decided to demonstrate his support by endowing a scholarship in engineering.

Mike Brown

Mickey and Donna Cooper

ALMA MATTERS

Alumni who received more than one degree are listed by year of most recent degree. Those who attended but did not graduate are listed under the year they would have graduated; or in some cases, the last year they attended. If you have changed your address, have a new job or have other news to share, contact the CU Office of Alumni Relations, 2800 W. Gore Blvd., Lawton OK 73505, 580-581-2988; alumni@cameron.edu; or on the web at www.cameron.edu/alumni.

1960s

Capt. (Ret.) Cloyce Vann

“Chuck” Choney (AA ’65), Shawnee, has been inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. After leaving the military, he enjoyed a 25-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. From 2002-07, he was appointed a commissioner for the Native American Indian Gaming Commission in Washington, D.C.

1970s

Albert Johnson Jr. (BS ’79), Lawton, has been inducted into the Frontier Friends program at Fort Sill, which recognizes individuals who have set themselves apart in supporting soldiers and families at Fort Sill.

Kevin Potter (BS ’79), Bartlesville, and his wife Dorea were named to the Bartlesville Athletic Hall of Fame in October. As owners of Bartlesville Radio, they have broadcast hundreds of local youth, high school and college games.

1980s

Donna Schlegel (BS ’85), Lawton, received the 2022 Teacher Appreciation award from Classic Chevrolet. In May, she retired following a teaching career exceeding 35 years.

Lisa Carson (BS ’86), Lawton, was presented with the Friends of Education Award by Lawton Public Schools in May. She is the executive director of the Public Schools Foundation.

1990s

Joe Don Dunham (BBA ’86, MBA ’92), Lawton, now serves as the finance director for the City of Lawton. He previously served as the city manager for the City of Guymon.

Dan Richetts (AS ’88, BS ’94), Annapolis, Md., resigned from his position as a consultant with CACI International Inc. After retiring from the U.S. Army in 2011, he worked as a contract strategic planner-integrator for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. From 2016-21, he served as a contract strategic intelligence planner for the U.S. Cyber Command.

B.C. Gilbert (BFA ’97), Wichita Falls, Texas, was commissioned by the Lubbock Arts Alliance to create two sculptures for the Public Display of Art in Lubbock. The two works will be on display in Lubbock for two years.

Kelly Jenkins (BS ’97), Cache, was named a 2022 Ag in the Classroom Exceptional Teacher by State Representative Trey Caldwell. She teaches agriculture education at Cache Public Schools.

Melissa Monson (BS ’97), Davidson, has been named interim superintendent of the Southwest Oklahoma Juvenile Center.

Robert Mullen (BS ’98), Wooster, Ohio, has joined Heritage Cooperative as vice president of agricultural technology. He was also recently elected to serve as chairman of the Ohio Agribusiness Association.

2000s

Sharon Burum (MED ’94), Duncan, has been inducted into the Duncan Area Arts Hall of Fame. A retired drama teacher, she has been active with the Duncan Little Theatre and the Oklahoma Community Theatre Association for more than 25 years.

Jason Hicks (BS ’97), Duncan, was appointed Commissioner representing the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council for the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth. He serves as the district attorney for Oklahoma’s Sixth Prosecutorial District.

Ann Acers-Warn (MBA ’01), Lawton, was sworn in as a member of the Great Plains technology Center Board of Education in February.

Kendall Qualls (BS ’85), Medina, Minn., is a candidate for the governorship of Minnesota.

Faron Griffin (BS ’94), Indiahoma, was named a SWOK FCA All State Coach for 2022 by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Griffin is the head football coach at Cache High School.

Misti Hiveley (BS ’97), Lawton, was honored with a $500 award from Arvest Bank’s We Love Teachers program. She teaches music and serves as choir director at MacArthur High School.

Irma Newburn (BS ’02), Memphis, Tenn., was appointed as a federal immigration judge by the U.S. Attorney General in October. She was previously a Comanche County district judge.

Monica Rhoades (AS ’03), Cyril, is an advanced practice registered nurse-adult gerontological clinical nurse specialist at the Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma.

Delois Byrd (BS ’06), Oklahoma City, was named District Teacher of the Year for Putnam City Public Schools. She is a special education teacher at Arbor Grove Elementary.

Karen Torbert (MAT ’07, MA ’07, BA ’87), Lawton, has received a grant from the Lawton Public School Foundation. She is a music teacher and band director at MacArthur Middle School.

2010s

Misty Coleman (BS ’10), Davidson, was named Teacher of the Year by Frederick Public Schools.

George Tahdooahnippah (BBA ’10), Lawton, has been named acting CEO of Comanche Nation Enterprises.

Corey Holland (MS ’12), Marlow, has been appointed superintendent of Marlow Public Schools. He was formerly assistant superintendent at Cache Public Schools.

Patty Wininger (MS ’13, BS ’11, AAS, AS ’75), Duncan, retained her seat on the Duncan City Council. She was first elected to the position in 2016.

IN MEMORIAM

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Barry Henry Adams (’73), Farmington, N.M.

Luther “D.D.” Adams (’99), Randlett

Colleen Beavers, Huntsville, Texas

John Armstrong Beckham, Lawton

JoAnn Brown (’96), Lawton

Chester Lea Buchanan (’52), Hobart

Brenda Sue Blankenship Challacombe (’75), Frederick

Wanda Jean Cavel (’56), Lawton

Wendy Jo Chamberlain (’04), Oklahoma City

Sandra Su Clifton, Frederick

Jessie Cohee, Wichita Falls, Texas

Perry Calton (’99), Lawton

Bennie Aaron Cooper Sr., Piedmont

Donald R. “Coop” Cooper Jr. (’92), Lawton

Michael Thomas Craig, Oklahoma City

Judith Elaine Melton Davis, Rockville, Md.

Kenneth Merle Dorrell (’89), Lawton

Derald Wayne Douglas Jr. (’77), Lufkin, Texas

Kevin Ebencamp (’89), Pampa, Texas

Joshua “Cam” Camuel Edgar, Comanche

Christopher La-Mar Ferguson, Tyngsborough, Mass.

Corabelle “Jean” Fields, Lawton

Roosevelt Flye Jr. (’71), Lawton

Lorren Jackson Fritts (’14), Lawton

Marlene Kay Glass, Tyler, Texas

Richard “Sandy” Olney Goldsby III, Norman

W. Richard Goss (’75), Lawton

Jack Nance Gresham (’86), Williston, Tenn.

Elizabeth Hackler (’93), Duncan

Curtis Harmon Haire Jr., Lawton

Nancy Burgess Hamilton (’77), Lawton

Christopher Hamlin (’03), Lawton

Jennifer Hancock, Lawton

Whitney Lee Tate Hanza, Cache

River Mitchell (BA ’14), and his wife Elizabeth, Fletcher, were honored with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award in November.

Shaylen Garrison (BS ’14), Elgin, received a $500 award from Arvest Bank's We Love Teachers Programs. She teaches at Elgin Lower Elementary School.

Anthony Alvarado (BS ’18), Duncan, was named Teacher of the Year by Comanche Public Schools. He teaches Spanish, and is the sponsor of the Spanish Club and the National Honor Society.

Alexandra Cunningham (ME ’18, BS ’16), Lawton, was named Teacher of the Year by Lawton Public Schools. She teaches at Crosby Park Elementary. Susan Schlecht (BACC ’18, AS ’11), Cache, has earned designation as a Certified Government Financial Manager from the Association of Government Accountants. She is an accountant for the City of Lawton.

Robert D. Harvey (’70), Hilliard, Ohio

Larry Thomas Hawthorne, Salt Lake City, Utah

Billy A. Hedrick (’08), Duncan

Maj. (Ret.) Ronald Jean Heine (’72), Fort Worth, Texas Dewayne High (’59), Walters

Capt. (Ret.) Franklin R. Hise (’82), Lawton

Hattie Jo Hisey (’76), Fair Oaks, Calif.

Janie V. Hisle Hoff (’95, ‘09), Lawton

Alonzo Horne Sr., Stantonsburg, N.C.

Maj. (Ret.) Richard Dale Joiner (’75), Carnegie

Curtis Ray Harjo Johnson, Lawton

Taft Michael Joseph Jr. (’75), Overland Park, Kan.

John G. Ketch (’79), Edmond

Carolyn Kay Kindt (’90), Lawton

Carl Glenn Kriz (’71), Irving, Texas

Diane Lang Kurtz (’79), Sweet Home, Ore.

Kendall Robert Lamb (’74), Lawton

Marie Elaine Kuntz Layton, Duncan

Sonjia Marlene Dalrymple Henderson Lowry (’77), Enid

Sandra Lee Marcel (’89), Lawton

William Edward “Bill” Martin, Lindsay

Dennis McAdoo (’90), Lawton

Royce McGee, Walters

Anita McLaughlin, Muskogee

Jesse Lowell McMasters (’60), Duncan

Ron G. Medina (’05), Cache

Rita Rozzell Metaxes, Walters

Steve Morren, Altus

Wahlella Moynihan, Rush Springs

Edward Oliver Nichols (’71), Lawton

Sandra Kay Petty (’90), Dallas, Texas

Jacques “Jay” Provost (’83), Waxahachie, Texas

Rickey “Rick” Allen Ray (’72), Ardmore

Joann Riecker (’54), Lawton

2020s

Tee Davis-Gray (MS ’21, BS '13, AS '07), Lawton, is a student success coach for Cameron's Student Enrichment Center.

Y’vonne Rose (BA ’21), Washington, D.C., is serving as an assistant at the National Theater Institute’s summer training program.

Billie Strutton (BS, AS ’21), Duncan, has been named interim director for Main Street Duncan. She has more than 20 years experience in the insurance industry and is actively involved in community service organizations throughout Stephens County.

Brayden Johnson (concurrent student), Lawton, won first place in the 12th grade division of the National 2022 Daughters of the American Revolution Junior Citizen Poetry Contest. He also earned Honorable Mention in poetry at the 2022 R. Darryl Fisher Contest of the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival.

Kay Roach, Lawton

Michelle Rae Roberts (’04), Amarillo, Texas

Erin Elizabeth Rhodes (’05), Yukon

Rebecca Jo Sahmaunt (’92), Elgin

Edith Scott (’79), Houston, Texas

Kermit Olen “K.O.” Selzer (’50), Norman

Lore Elizabeth Rusch Silkey (’80), Cache

Stacey Kay Snider, Ponca City

Will “Bill” Rogers Stephens (’65), Mustang

Mary Catherine Stuart, Edmond

Edward Royce Sutton, Loco

Nadine Hanks Clark Swindells, Louisville, Ky.

Daniel Talavera (’95), Lawton

Teresa Dawn Thomas, Broken Arrow

Mary Tyler, Webb City, Mo.

Delbert “Keith” Walker, Perkins

Sgt. (Ret.) Norman D. Windsor, Lawton

Jesse Glenn Wright (’87), Lawton

CU SUPPORTERS, FACULTY AND STAFF

Ralph J. Alexander, Lawton

Owen Samuel “Sam” Ard, Colorado Springs, Co.

Shirley Browning Woodruff Hicks, Alton, Ill.

Albert Johnson Sr., Lawton

Anna Maxine Popp, Lawton

Dawn Anita Johnson Price, Lawton

Cora Ann Scott, San Antonio, Texas

Patricia Delver Wells, Elgin

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jerry Orr, Lawton

Kurt Ward Short, Lawton

Albert Leslie Stansberry, Lawton

Krysten Jackson (BS ’14), Oklahoma City, is a dentist at El Reno Family Dentistry. She received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry in 2019.

Attention: To submit an address change, please call the CU Office of Alumni Relations at 580.581.2988, or email alumni@cameron.edu

2800 West Gore Boulevard

Lawton, Oklahoma 73505-6377

580.581.2211