FOCUS Fall 2013

FOCUS a l u m n i m a g a z i n e o f O K LA H OMA C I T Y UNI V E R S I T Y

fall 2013

inside ocu at miss america page 8 Relief from the Storm page 12

lighting the world page 4

from the president From Our Hands to Their Hearts

From top, OCU Director of Music Composition Edward Knight in Japan; senior Kelsey Griswold and Chris Harrison, BA ’93, at the Miss America pageant; and Jane Jayroe Gamble, BM ’69 and LHD ’11, Gamble’s grandniece Dita Wieser, BPA ’12, and Harrison.

Jan and I have a long-held belief that OCU has the most inspiring students and alumni of any university—and that belief is reaffirmed throughout the following pages of this issue of FOCUS. Servant leadership has been a core value of Oklahoma City University since our inception as Epworth University in 1904. Our commitment to service runs deep. It reflects our strong bond to the United Methodist Church, and the character of the students, teachers, and leaders drawn to this special place.

This issue’s feature story, “Lighting the World,” shows how OCU is building on a long tradition of global service. Students and alumni are making an important, lasting impact throughout the world and changing lives on a daily basis. I know you will feel as humbled as I do when you read about the work of our Kramer School of Nursing students in Honduras, or the Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya started by OCU alumni Stanley and Mary Gitari, BSN ’91 and ’92. The timeline on page six provides a glimpse into highlights of the important OCU global service projects during the last few years.

For more than a century, OCU has been creating students equipped to be leaders, to find creative solutions, to work with people from diverse backgrounds and change the world. This spirit we embrace and the achievements it inspires would not be possible without the opportunities provided by the generosity of our friends, alumni, and donors. It is this stewardship that ensures we continue to light the world.

As this issue goes to press, we learned seven Oklahoma City University alumni have been named to ionOklahoma’s list of 30 Under 30 including Adam Christensen, JD ’11; Armand McCoy, BA ’10; Ashleigh Arnall, BS ’06 and MLA ’11; Brian Winslow, BS ’06 and MBA ’07; John Riesenberg, BSB ’11; Matthew McCombs, JD ’12; and Michael Reel, JD ’11. This is a great honor and tribute to the caliber of our students and the rising stars that continue to grace this institution.

Of course, another OCU tradition is our propensity to graduate more Miss Americas per capita than any other university. Jan and I are so proud of our own Kelsey Griswold, Miss Oklahoma and a senior acting major, for placing 2nd runner-up in the 2014 Miss America competition. During the pageant, Kelsey shared the stage with another famous OCU graduate, Chris Harrison, BA ’93, who hosted the televised event. Also attending the pageant and mentoring Kelsey along the way was Jane Jayroe Gamble, BM ’69 and LHD ’11, who was named Miss America in 1967, and has continued to have an amazing impact on Oklahoma through her professional career and philanthropic work.

We are thankful for this year’s Oklahoma Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor inductees.

This year marks the 27th annual event, hosted by the Meinders School of Business. Honorees are Phil Busey, BA ’74 and JD ’77, Chairman’s Award; Pete Delaney, President’s Award; Leland Gourley, Lifetime Achievement Award; Dave McLaughlin, Entrepreneurial Spirit Award; and Polly Nichols, Outstanding Achievement Award.

I’m happy to provide you with a sneak preview of the 2014 Awards of Excellence recipients selected by the Oklahoma City University Societies for their volunteer and civic activities.

This year we will honor Marion Paden, Linda Whittington, Anne Gray, and Jenee Naifeh Lister. I hope you will join us to celebrate these generous and inspiring women during the 26th Annual Awards of Excellence on Feb. 27 at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club.

Jan and I are honored every day to be a part of this great university. Thank you for your support and good works.

Sincerely,

President Robert and Dr. Jan Henry

contents fall 2013

Robert Henry, President Susan Barber, Provost Administrative Cabinet Jim Abbott, Assistant Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Maggie Ball, Vice President for University Church Relations Kent Buchanan, Assistant Provost Amanda Davis, Assistant Vice President for University Development Rick Hall, Vice President for Student Affairs Mary Jenkins, General Counsel Craig Knutson, Chief of Staff Donna Nance, Chief Financial Officer Marty O’Gwynn, Vice President for University Advancement and External Relations Kevin Windholz, Vice President for Enrollment Management Cary Pirrong, BS ’87, JD ’90, Director of Alumni Relations Jeff riles, BA ’09, President, Alumni Board Editorial Staff Sandy Pantlik, Senior Director of University Communications Leslie Berger, BA ’02, Editor of FOCUS and Director of Public Relations Lechelle Calderwood, Art Director Writers BROOK ARBEITMAN, Oklahoma City University School of Law Director of Marketing & Communications Leslie Berger Rod Jones, MBA ’12, Assistant Director of Media Relations sandy pantlik Terry Phelps, Professor of English Rich Tortorelli, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Photographers Rod Jones kevin miller, Director for Art and Web Services Rebecca Yount, BA, BS ’07 Crystal Westmoreland

FOCUS Alumni Magazine

features the World: Lessons 4 Lighting

in Servant Leadership, Global

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Education Follow Students Across Continents

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OCU Star Shines in Atlantic City

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Creating a True Living Legacy

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Relief from the Storm

departments 2 letters 14 update 20 office space 21 alumni 23 giving 24 class notes 28 athletics 31 in memory

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2501 N. Blackwelder Ave. • Oklahoma City, OK 73106-1493 Focus is produced semiannually by the Communications and Alumni departments for alumni, parents and friends of Oklahoma City University. Email alumni news to alumni@okcu.edu and any story ideas to focus@okcu.edu.

Oklahoma City University pledges to recruit, select and promote diversity by providing equality of opportunity in higher education for all persons, including faculty and employees with respect to hiring, continuation, promotion and tenure, applicants for admission, enrolled students, and graduates, without discrimination or segregation on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, handicap or disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

The Vice President for Student Affairs, located in Room 205 of the Clara E. Jones Administration Building, telephone (405) 208-5831, coordinates the university’s compliance with titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

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Catch exciting extras and the latest activities at Oklahoma City University by visiting Focus Extra at www.okcu.edu/focus.

www.okcu.edu Cover: Kramer School of Nursing student Sarah Johnsen examines a patient during a medical mission trip to Honduras in March. Photo courtesy of Crystal Westmoreland.

letters Star Scholar (Editor’s Note: Alumna Emily Sanders, a recipient of the Alumni Legacy Scholarship and the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, sent the following letter to the OCU Alumni Association.)

Dear Alumni Scholarship Selection Committee, Well, it certainly has been an amazing journey, but I have finally reached the end of my undergraduate career. I am writing this letter to thank you for your generous contribution toward my education, which wouldn’t have been possible without your help, and to inform you of how my senior year of college went.

As you probably remember, I was a cell and molecular biology major. This year my course work consisted of a range of general education classes and challenging science curriculum including Biology Capstone, Western Literature II: Freaks and Monsters, Honors Junior/Senior Seminar: Medicine and Literature, Arts and Human Values, Honors Introduction to World Religions, Directed Study in Biology (Parasitology), Directed Study in Biochemistry (Embryology), Immunology/Pathogenic Microbiology, United States History Since 1876, Governance in America, and Introduction to Psychology. I am proud to inform you that I diligently studied and I received a 4.0 this year with a 4.05 cumulative GPA. This past summer, I had the privilege of working as a patient care assistant at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. The program was an internship that allowed me to rotate through the different departments of the hospital and experience what the daily life of a doctor is like. I feel extremely blessed to have been given this opportunity because it definitely solidified my decision to enter the medical field and was the inspiration for my medical acceptance essay.

Beyond the internship, my summer also included studying tirelessly for the MCAT and applying to medical schools across the country.

This made my senior year of college much different than any of my previous undergraduate years because I was focusing my attention

on getting accepted into medical school instead of on various community service projects or leadership positions on campus.

I applied and was interviewed for an MD/PhD candidate position at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The MD/PhD program is highly competitive, and I was fortunate to have made it to the interview round. The OUHSC only interviewed five candidates for the two positions they had, out of more than 70 applicants.

Unfortunately, I was not offered a position in the MD/PhD program; however, I was accepted in the medical school and will be starting at the OUHSC in August.

In addition, because of my diligent studies at OCU, I was awarded the Gold Letzeiser Medal. The certificate I received at graduation explains the medal like this: “The Letzeiser medals are given in recognition of undergraduate students who have the highest grade point averages at the university.” Receiving the first place medal is a huge honor for me, and I am thankful to be a part of such a wonderful tradition.

Also, last year I participated in a business plan competition representing a company called Moleculera Labs, which provides diagnostic testing for children who are suspected of having Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). This company officially opened to the public in May of 2013. This is extremely exciting news because a diagnosis of PANDAS comes with a prospect of potential cure.

I know without the scholarship that you have so graciously awarded to me I would not have been able to spend as much time committed to pursuing medical school. Thank you so much for all that you have already done for me. I hope that I have made you proud with my accomplishments.

Sincerely, Emily Sanders BS ’13

REV. adam hamilton, United Methodist of the Year, Promotes OCU’s Prestige (Editor’s Note: Church of the Resurrection Pastor Adam Hamilton discussed his visit to Oklahoma City University last spring for the annual Lemon Lectures in a newsletter to his 18,000-member congregation. An excerpt follows.)

Dear Resurrection Family,

outstanding smaller schools. In Kansas we have three: Baker, Southwestern, and Kansas Wesleyan. In Missouri there is Central Methodist University. In Oklahoma there is Oklahoma City University.

Most of our smaller United Methodist universities have UM pastors who serve as chaplains and teach religion courses. They offer an outstanding liberal arts education and are often among the top-rated small universities in their region. Oklahoma City University has one of the finest music and drama programs in the country. They have a host of outstanding undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

I’ve been to each of these UM schools mentioned and they are really terrific places with outstanding professors and vibrant community life.

As you read this I’m on my way home from Oklahoma City. I delivered the Lemon Lectures at Oklahoma City University and the UM Church of the Servant yesterday. I also had a chance to meet with college students who are religion majors and with some of the students and faculty of Saint Paul School of Theology at Oklahoma City University.

Adam I wanted to say a word about Oklahoma City University, particularly for those of you, or your teens, who are thinking about col(Hamilton founded Church of the Resurrection leges right now. The United Methodist Church started hundreds of in Leawood, Kan., in 1990.) colleges and universities in the last 200 years. Some are well known, like Duke, Boston, Emory, Northwestern, USC, and SMU. Others are

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letters Alumna Pays Forward Lessons in Servant Leadership (Editor’s Note: President Robert Henry and Dance and Arts Management Dean John Bedford received the following letter from the family of alumna Hayley Smith Henderson.)

Dear President Henry and Dean Bedford: Our names are Stanley and Christie Smith Stephens. We are the uncle and aunt of Oklahoma City University’s 2005 dance alumna, Hayley Smith Henderson.

We think you will be very interested and proud of the work Hayley is doing. This weekend, her dancers, some of whom are special needs, were invited to participate in the Dizzy Feet Gala in Los Angeles. They received a standing ovation from the 3,000 people in attendance, including some of the best-known dancers, actors, directors, choreographers, film makers, and producers in the world.

Mrs. Henderson co-owns ELEMENT Huntsville dance studio in Huntsville, Alabama, with OCU alumna Lindsey Beth Medlen. For several years and since the inception of the program, Hayley has been the teacher of a special needs dance program, Dance Your Dreams and Project Up, at Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center in Huntsville, owned by Debra and Alan Jenkins. The program offers dance classes and performances to children with a variety of special needs: Down Syndrome, cancer, cerebral palsy, autism, etc. One child took her first independent steps in a dance class taught by Mrs. Henderson. This program is about dance as equal opportunity, social change, acceptance and as Hayley says, “more love for all.”

Project Up along with dancers from ELEMENT performed “Change the World” to the song “Waiting for the World to Change” recently at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Articles and more information are available at Dizzy Feet Foundation, Merrimack Hall, and ELEMENT Huntsville websites.

Oklahoma City University has many reasons to be proud of the education you provide and this is certainly one of them. We are grateful for our niece’s education at OCU. We were delighted to attend her graduation. You have helped shape her career and her soul. And she is living out the mission of Oklahoma City University as an “effective leader in service.”

Gratefully, Dr. Stanley and Christie Smith Stephens

Service Minded President Henry, I really appreciate the nice letter that you sent me and the kind words. I also appreciate everything that OCU Law School did to help prepare me for my public service. I still have my picture on the wall in my office of you handing me my diploma.

Eddie Wyant District Attorney Delaware and Ottawa Counties JD ’93

A Sincere Thanks (Editor’s Note: President Henry received the following letter from beloved law professor and general counsel Bill Conger’s wife, Sherry, following Conger’s memorial service at the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel in January.)

Dear Robert, I want to thank you and the OCU family for providing such lovely accommodations for Bill’s memorial service and reception. I appreciate all the details and care that went into organizing and planning all of it.

Please extend my sincere gratitude to all those who helped. Our family has been very blessed to be a part of this beautiful university that Bill loved so dearly.

Sherry Conger

focus fall 2013 Photo courtesy of Andy Rine

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Lighting the

World Lessons in Servant Leadership, Global Education Follow Students Across Continents

By leslie berger

Kenya

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As 25 Oklahoma City University students and faculty about,” she said. “In this era of globalization, it’s important make their way down a remote, mountain road in Pena to teach our students how to communicate with people by Blanca, Honduras, more than 100 villagers line up outside other means than direct language, and to let them see that their destination, a medical mission clinic. A Kramer not everyone has unlimited access to basic necessities.”

School of Nursing student chats with a young mother who Barnett was reminded of the advantages she often takes suffers from chronic headaches. The mother gives most of for granted. her drinking water to her children, which often leaves her “When I have a headache, I get a Tylenol out of my cabinet; but these individuals don’t have that luxury,” she said. dehydrated. Today, she finds relief at the clinic.

Barnett and several colleagues joined an effort to build a Nursing Professor Susan Barnes, PhD, examines an retaining wall at a church near one of the clinics and found 82-year-old woman who broke her hip years ago. The themselves among several elderly women picking up boulbone never healed correctly. Barnes learns the woman has ders and passing them toward the been sleeping on a piece of wall. The much younger voluncardboard every night and We get our students out teers struggled to keep up. quietly decides to purchase “And then I think about how a mattress for her patient. of their comfort zone and after doing this all day long, the It’s a slideshow of servant Honduran women will go home leadership played out a broaden their perspective and sleep on the floor,” Barnett thousand times between on what global healthcare says. “I complain when I have a March 16 and 24, 2013. little headache—it puts a lot of The Spring Break medical is all about. things in perspective.” mission trip was organized Rowland said patients at four by the Kramer School of Professor Susan Barnes, PhD open-air clinics ranged in age Nursing, Crossings Community Church, and Heart from three months to 92 years. to Honduras. The mission team included two KSN faculty Conditions treated included parasite infestation, malnutrition, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, members, Barnes and Clinical Nursing Instructor Debbie wound care, and dementia.

Barnett; one staff member, Projects Specialist Shannon Rowland; a supervising physician from Integris Health, The team also visited the Pan American Health orphanage, several preschools for marginalized children, and a Dr. Jerome Anderson; a guide, Brad Alcorn; and 20 students from varying levels of nursing school as well as other local church. Students learned about conservation and majors. political efforts initiated by local citizens in addition to Barnes, who serves as the chair of transformative and their medical work.

Global education and service has long been a part of global education for KSN, said the nurse-directed mission trip was unique because of its structure. Undergraduate OCU culture. Students and alumni make important, lasting impacts on various corners of the world. students were paired with RN-licensed graduate students to provide primary care and health counseling to families, under the direction of just one physician. Students and nurses rotated from the clinic to the pharmacy to activities with local children. Anderson helped wherever he was needed and provided consultation for the more complicated medical issues.

“We usually saw whole families at once,” Barnes explained. “We provided much-needed patient education and health promotion.”

The lines were long and the days were longer, but the team decided to stay each day until everyone was treated.

“One of our main philosophies of nursing is to have a system of caring accompanied by skill and compassion,” Barnes added. “We took time to listen to the patients and really talk to them.”

Though missions tend to be short-term, Barnes said the impact is lasting, not just for the patients, but also for participating students.

“We get our students out of their comfort zone and broaden their perspective on what global healthcare is all

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Honduras

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OCU Around the Globe 1998

2004

2005

Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management Dean John Bedford and students meet with executives of the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Ballet, the Royal Opera House Trust, and the Royal Shakespeare Company in the United Kingdom.

Meinders School of Business Professor Barbara Crandall travels to Nicaragua for a mission trip with alumnus Dr. Boyd Shook, MBA ’94, founder of Manos Juntas, a non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City and dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through healthcare and education. Subsequently, Crandall and Shook lead trips to Nicaragua in 2005 and 2006 with students who write business plans for the medical clinics they visit.

Former Law Dean Lawrence Hellman and Law School International Programs Director Ming Gu attend the Association of American Law Schools and Chinese Ministry of Education’s joint conference in Beijing, which leads to the creation of several programs including a four-week summer study aboard program at the Nankai University law school in Tianjin, China. Later, Hellman lectures at various Chinese universities including the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics, Renmin University, the China University of Political Science and Law, and the Southwest University of Nationalities.

China

2005

2007

2008

Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management Dean John Bedford and leading arts management students meet with arts, culture, and entertainment leaders of 16 organizations and government agencies in Beijing, China.

Alice Azumi Iddi-Gubbels, BA ’03 and MEd ’04, founds PAMBE Ghana to promote mother tonguebased bilingual education in northern Ghana.

Monica Storozyszyn, BA ’08, joins the Peace Corps and spends two years in Ukraine assisting students in preparing for the TOEFL exam and working on various youth development projects.

2012

2013

Costa Rica

DeEtta Cravens, BA ‘12, and Shamari Reid, BA ’12, win Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships to teach English abroad. Cravens teaches in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Reid teaches in Uruguay.

2013 Bass School of Music Professor Edward Knight attends the Japanese performance of his new composition “Peace and Light Rising,” a gift from the people of Oklahoma to the people of Japan in honor of those affected by the 2011 tsunami and earthquakes.

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China

Graduate violinist Angelica Pereira leads a music education outreach session in Costa Rica while on tour with the elite Youth Orchestra of the Americas.

2013

Honduras

Nursing student Megan Condo assists patients in Honduras. A group of 25 from the Kramer School of Nursing, led by Professor Susan Barnes, Nursing Instructor Debbie Barnett, Program Specialist Shannon Rowland, and supervising physician Dr. Jerome Anderson, set up remote clinics in the mountains of Honduras for eight days and see more than 400 patients in nurse-directed clinics. The group distributes about $50,000 in medical supplies.

While the mission team was administering aid in HonYount was eager to learn about duras, Stanley Gitari Imunya, BSN ’91, and his wife, Mary the hospital’s outreach efforts Gitari, BSN ’92, were going about their daily work 8,500 but did not expect to meet other miles away at Maua Methodist Hospital in Maua, Kenya.

OCU alumni in the middle of The hospital serves more than 90,000 patients every rural Kenya. year, providing maternity, surgery, dental, and optical “It was the biggest surprise of services, and care for people living with HIV. Stanley, the the trip,” Yount explained. “And it hospital’s coordinator of community health, administers was great because we already had preventive programs in hard-to-reach communities. Mary, a camaraderie based on our alma the hospital’s nursing officer in charge, oversees all nursing mater even though we weren’t in services. school at the same time.”

Stanley and Mary are native Kenyans whose United By the end of the day, Stanley Methodist ties led them to Oklahoma City University’s had changed into his OCU blue, Kramer School of Nursing. Before enrolling, the couple donning a Stars T-Shirt. made a spiritual commitment to return to their home Witnessing the hospital’s services first-hand was the country and assist others through the hospital. Stanley highlight of Yount’s trip. Yount worked at Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City for one spent one year in Washington, year after graduation while Mary completed her studies.

D.C., advocating for HIV and They returned to Kenya in 1992.

AIDS relief before moving to “We were eager to return to Kenya and we have never Stanley Gitari Imunya, Rebecca Yount, and Mary Gitari are shown outside Maua Denver for graduate school and regretted coming back,” Stanley explained. “We wanted Methodist Hospital in Kenya. Stanley and then becoming a consultant for to help this community that we knew had a lot of health Mary were named OCU Distinguished UMGAF. issues and social needs, including HIV and AIDS and Alumni in 2009.

“I was able to see specifically orphans and vulnerable children.” how aid is assisting people in Stanley and Mary have stayed true to their mission. that area,” Yount recalled. “They Stanley established a pre-school for orphans and vulnerable children at his local church and expanded the comnot only receive their medications, but they have a place munity health department’s programs. to come to and receive support from others, a place to “My training at OCU has greatly impacted my work,” he share their experiences and talk about how they’ve been said. “The nursing program stigmatized as well as how to care prepared me to face the diffor themselves.” ferent kinds of challenges in Yount said seeing the positive The hospital programs may Kenya where resources are impact of U.S. funding brought so constrained.” her work full circle. not change the world, but I Stanley said the most “I had worked on legislation am sure they change the lives rewarding aspect of his in Washington, D.C., and I knew work lies in bringing joy to what it meant on the lobbying of these children forever. others, and especially to the side of things, but not how it had orphans he serves. actually impacted the people that Stanley Gitari Imunya, BSN ’91 “The hospital makes such were there,” she said. “I found that a difference in the lives of the aid was impacting them in a the orphans and the guardgiant way, in a way I don’t think I ians who benefit from our shelter, education, and feeding could have imagined.” projects,” Stanley explained. “The hospital programs may Yount’s interest in social justice and travel blossomed not change the world, but I am sure they change the lives during her time at OCU. She visited Nicaragua, Russia, of these children forever.”

England, and Mexico during her studies.

Rebecca Yount, BA and BS ’07, encountered Stanley “OCU gave me the foundation to work on social justice and Mary’s work during a business trip last year. Yount issues around the world,” Yount said. “We heard about it traveled to Kenya with colleagues from the United Methso much as students, but OCU has allowed us to learn and odist Global AIDS Fund (UMGAF) to visit various HIV live out being servant leaders and world citizens, and to and AIDS programs funded by the organization. Maua have care and compassion for people around the world.”

Methodist Hospital was among the beneficiaries.

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leslie berger • lberger@okcu.edu

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OCU Star Shines in Atlantic City

By Sandy Pantlik Miss Oklahoma and senior acting major Kelsey Griswold was named second runner-up during the 2014 Miss America Pageant Sept. 15 in Atlantic City, N.J. Griswold also captured the spotlight as the preliminary winner of the Lifestyle and Fitness category. She sang “Everybody Says Don’t” in the talent portion of the pageant.

The pageant featured 53 contestants —one from each state, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—in swimsuit, evening gown, talent, and interview competitions.

“Words can’t describe how proud we are of Kelsey,” said OCU President Robert Henry. “She is a young woman of intellect, talent, and substance. Now the world knows what we at OCU have always known—she is wonderful.”

A Tulsa native and graduate of Union High School, Griswold has been performing since age five. She won the Oscar Meyer Jingle Jam Contest at the age of eight on the “Rosie O’Donnell Show,” which awarded her a $20,000 scholarship.

“I have always loved to perform,” Griswold said.

She first competed for Miss Oklahoma’s Outstanding Teen at age 13 and then competed in the program for several years, placing in the Top 5 and becoming first runner-up for the title in 2008.

Before becoming Miss Bricktown and pursuing the Miss Oklahoma title, Griswold took a four-year break from the pageant system, enjoying her time as a student at OCU. “I got to have some great life experiences during that time. I got to be a college student,” she said. “I will say this: the role OCU has played in my life is massive and I didn’t even know it. I chose OCU at the age of eight. It was my dream school for musical theatre. After I came, I switched

my focus to acting. At OCU, I saw a train of powerful women, women of character, empowered and moral. The people I have met, the faculty, President Henry who has done so much for me, have made me an advocate for OCU with or without a title.”

Miss Bricktown was the first title Griswold held before competing for Miss Oklahoma.

During the Miss Oklahoma competition, Griswold says “all the stars aligned perfectly. I had the best week of my life.”

In addition to winning Miss Oklahoma, during the competition she was awarded the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, was a Preliminary Swimsuit winner, Rookie Talent winner, and tied for an Overall Preliminary Talent Award. She was also the Rookie Interview winner and Rookie of the Year.

Griswold was the 25th Oklahoma City University student to win the title of Miss Oklahoma.

“I am blessed to have a large and abundant family, pieced together from people from the pageant system, musical theatre, and dance. I intend on pursuing a career as a performer and entertainer. OCU and my experience as Miss Oklahoma will prepare me for that,” she said.

Griswold is a member of the OCU Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta.

She is the daughter of the late Alinda Griswold and Brig. Gen. Adam Wheeler.

Oklahoma City University boasts three Miss Americas, more than any other university per capita: Jane Jayroe, BM ’69 and LHD ’11, Susan Powell, BA ’81, and Shawntel Smith, ’94-’95.

Jayroe-Gamble, a successful broadcast journalist, author, and current OCU Trustee, said she and Griswold have become friends over the past few years.

“The biggest help is that she is a person of faith. She really knows the right thing will happen for her. There is great comfort in that. She is talented enough, she has the presence, the personality, and the beauty to do anything she wants,” said JayroeGamble.

“The qualities that get someone to the Miss America pageant level are very consistent with the values of OCU,” she said. “The whole culture of discipline and hard work and believing in yourself, your dreams, and opportunities is abundant at OCU. There is a culture of encouragement that is a motivating factor for achievement. So many Miss Oklahomas have gone on to accomplish great things after holding the title. The level of scholarship at OCU is a great stepping stone for those accomplishments.”

As Miss Oklahoma, Griswold’s platform is A.R.T.: Artists Reaching Together, a mentoring program that gives children with disabilities the opportunity to grow and develop creatively through the arts, improving their self-esteem, and quality of life.

“I wouldn’t be Miss Oklahoma without the support of this school and the people here, “ she said. “God has prepared me in so many ways. I am ready for anything.” sandy pantlik • sLpantlik@okcu.edu

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Miss New York Nina Davuluri, Miss Oklahoma Kelsey Griswold, and Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh onstage moments before Miss New York is named Miss America.

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Photo courtesy of Miss America Organization

Creating a True

Living Legacy

By Sandy Pantlik

Phyllis Bernard, OCU law professor and director of the Center on Alternative Dispute Resolution, feels a personal connection to acclaimed author and Oklahoma City native Ralph Ellison.

She grew up hearing about Ellison as a family friend. When she was a young adult living in New York City, Bernard’s family spent time with Ellison and his wife Fannie. In fact, Ellison was chosen to speak at the induction of her uncle Jimmie Stewart, a respected civil rights leader in Oklahoma City and the nation, into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.

Bernard remembers Ellison as “very dignified, very cerebral, and supremely cool.”

“I loved to visit their apartment. This man who brought our Harlem alive to the rest of the world again still lived there,” Bernard said. Going to the apartment with her Uncle Jimmie, she would see artifacts which had been featured in Time magazine, but realized they were the real thing.

“I was tongue-tied by the photographs and gifts there that were all legends in the Civil Rights Movement, like the picture of the children facing fire hoses and police dogs and all. It was like walking into a museum that just happened to be your life.”

Bernard’s personal story inspired Tracy Floreani, PhD, OCU professor of English and chair of the department of English, already an avid scholar of Ellison’s work, to find and document the stories of others who had met Ellison. Floreani shared her idea with Brooke Hessler, PhD, OCU professor of English and Carrithers Endowed Chair in writing and composition, and “Remembering Ralph: Oral Histories of Oklahoma’s Literary Legend” came to life.

The oral history project is one of several events and activities planned in Oklahoma City through April 2014 to commemorate Ellison and his world during what would 10

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have been his 100th birthday year. Ellison died in 1994.

Internationally renowned author of the 1952 National Book Award-winning novel Invisible Man, Ellison also wrote numerous short stories; essays on jazz, literature, and American culture collected in Shadow and Act (1964) and Going to the Territory (1986); and his posthumous novels Juneteenth and Three Days Before the Shooting.

His childhood in Oklahoma City was filled with exposure to classical music and learning. Later, in the city’s Deep Deuce district, he participated in a thriving jazz scene that played host to the likes of music greats Charlie Christian and Jimmy Rushing. In 1933 he hopped freight trains and made his way to Alabama to study music at the Tuskegee Institute. Ellison left the institute before finishing his degree to move to the cultural hub of New York City, where he evolved as a young writer.

Floreani has included a chapter about Ellison and his novel Invisible Man in her book Fifties Ethnicities, which is due to be released this November. The book provides a series of comparative readings that draw on novels, television programs, movie magazines, and films to cross generic boundaries and show how literature and mass media worked to mold concepts of ethnicity in the 1950s.

Floreani and Hessler have received three grants—one from C.A.I.R.S. undergraduate research council at OCU and two from the Oklahoma Humanities Council—to support their work training apprentice scholars to research and conduct oral history interviews for the Ellison project. OCU student research partners Danielle Kutner and Dakoda Smith spent the summer gathering contact information for potential interviewees, learning about Ellison, and observing formal oral history interviews at the Oklahoma History Center. Kutner’s

work continues through this fall when she will be conducting interviews based on some of the contacts made this summer and mentoring her peers in Floreani’s junior and senior Honors Seminar and Hessler’s Liberal Arts Honors Seminar.

“The name ‘Ralph Ellison’ is magical. It’s been thrilling to see how many doors open when people learn about our mission, in Oklahoma City and around the country,” Floreani said. “In addition to conducting and documenting interviews, students involved in the project will help create historical archive materials and multi-media resources to be used by researchers for generations.”

Completed interviews with people who knew Ralph Ellison will be housed in the archives at Dulaney-Browne Library on the OCU campus and at the Oklahoma History Center. Students in Hessler’s class will go through a research and creative process to develop a downloadable smart phone app for a historic walking tour of Deep Deuce. For example, an app user will be able to stand in the spot where the famous Aldridge Theatre used to be, view an old photograph of the building, and watch a YouTube video of one of the legendary musicians who performed there, such as Billie Holliday or Duke Ellington.

Hessler said students in the spring semester will continue the project by designing an augmented reality/interactive storytelling game using ARIS, an open-source mobile game design platform.

The National Collegiate Honors Council awarded Hessler a grant last year to purchase three iPod Touch devices that will be used to make sure everyone in the

Senior Danielle Kutner collects an oral history for the Ellison project from Law Professor Phyllis Bernard.

class can contribute to the process of developing and testing the game. The Digital Humanities students will invent the game’s storyline based on the materials they find most inspiring and interesting from the fall students’ work.

“Oral history research is such a wonderful way to get students directly involved in the community,” said Hessler. “My students have been doing these kinds of projects for many years, mostly through partnerships with the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum interviewing bombing survivors and responders, and periodically with the Oklahoma History Center interviewing people about culture and counter-culture during the 1950s. The ‘Remembering Ralph’ project was Tracy’s brilliant idea: interviewing people who knew Ellison personally and recording their stories for future generations. We both saw the summer project as a way to give advanced English majors an in-depth experience of the kind of longer-term research professional humanities scholars do. I love the way this project combines so many of the things we train them to do as undergraduates: scholarly detective work as well as community collaboration—making connections with people who have important stories to tell.”

Hessler said she hopes the project will have deep-down impact on her students as researchers and as listeners. “Listening is a craft that takes patience and practice and intentionality. Nowadays it’s really hard to be a good listener because there’s so much noise and distraction. As a teacher I’m hoping the legacy of this project will be

that my students will deeply and forever learn the importance of helping someone tell her story, and of truly listening to it,” she said.

Student research assistant Danielle Kutner, senior philosophy and political science major and English minor, describes her experience with the project so far: “In my studies at OCU, I’ve always had an interest in where culture, society, and politics intersect. Both Ralph Ellison’s work and the work we’ll be doing with this project speak to these interests and stretch far beyond them.

“I’m most looking forward to the opportunity to bring the history off of the page.

One thing I’ve noticed about observing these interviews is that there is a difference between reading the history and engaging with someone who experienced it. The subtleties and personal stories that might be overlooked in a textbook really come to the forefront in these interviews—we’re getting to know Ellison as the iconic writer, but also Ellison as a man—whose personality and experiences helped shape the phenomenal writing we love.”

Floreani said one of her goals for the project is to help upper-level students think about how historical artifacts are made. Another motivation for the project was to create more physical artifacts on Ellison so people who come to visit his home state can see them.

“Our work is also about creating more resources for researchers in the field,” Floreani said. “Ellison’s actual papers, including 22 boxes of his drafts—are all housed at the Library of Congress in D.C. We need more here in his hometown.”

African American novelist Ralph Waldo Ellison originally studied music and art but was drawn eventually to the world of literature. Ellison spent seven years writing Invisible Man (1952, National Book Award), and, although it was his only novel, it gained him a place as a respected American writer and remains one of the central texts of the 20th century canon.

Originally thought to have been born March 1, 1914, recent biographers have determined that he was likely to have been born on that date in 1913, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His father died when he was three, so he and his brother were raised by a single mother who supported her children through work as a custodian and domestic. After leaving Oklahoma City to study music at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he went to New York City, where he began his literary career.

He continued to write and published short excerpts of a second novel in periodicals, but the follow-up novel to Invisible Man proved a long challenge after he lost major portions of a manuscript in a fire at his summer home in Massachusetts. In addition to Invisible Man, his major works include collections of essays and interviews, Shadow and Act (1964) and Going to the Territory (1986), and the posthumous publications Flying Home (short stories, 1996), Juneteenth (1999), and Three Days Before the Shooting (2010). His posthumous works were fostered into publication by his literary executor John F. Callahan.

He won many literary awards, including a National Book Award, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969. After teaching at various universities, he became the Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities at New York University. Ralph Ellison died on April 16, 1994.

For more information on events and activities planned to honor Ellison’s 100th birthday year, go to www.ralphellisoncentennial.com.

sandy pantlik • slpantlik@okcu.edu

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Relief from the Storm

By Leslie Berger again in June to help tornado victims. Staff used volunteer time The EF5 tornado that ripped through the metro area on the to answer phones at the United Way of Central Oklahoma, help afternoon of May 20 stayed well south of the Oklahoma City homeowners dig personal belongings out of the rubble, clean up University campus. Its path, however, included more than a debris, and other tasks. dozen family homes belonging to students, faculty, staff, and Kramer School of Nursing students and OCU Kappa Sigma alumni. members collected non-perishable food, bottled water, sunJust minutes before the tornado reached Moore, Amy Shipscreen, and other items, which they delivered to the Oklahoma man, BA ’08 and MEd ’11, and her husband debated whether or Red Cross. not to pick up early their daughter from Plaza Towers ElemenArmand McCoy, BA ’10, volunteered his services during the tary. As the warnings escalated, they decided they needed to get aftermath as a public information officer for the City of Moore. daughter Kenzi to a neighbor’s underground shelter. Shipman’s McCoy is the business development director for Trifecta Comhusband, Cody, sprinted to the school from their nearby home, munications in Moore. The city is one of scooped up Kenzi in his arms and ran her Trifecta’s video production and marketing to their neighbor’s cellar. As they descendclients. McCoy helped prepare city staff for ed underground, the tornado destroyed the daily internationally televised press conferschool, killing seven students, and devastatences and oversaw hundreds of interview reing much of the surrounding area. quests from news outlets around the world In the wake of that devastation, the camincluding CNN, NBC News, and the BBC. pus community rallied to help members of He also assisted the U.S. Secret Service and the OCU family in need and reached out to other staff for visits to Moore by President thousands more. On the morning of May Barack Obama and Homeland Security 21, the university formed a disaster relief Secretary Janet Napolitano. committee, which coordinated temporary Oklahoma City University’s New York housing on campus, donation drop sites City alumni chapter joined alumni from at the university, and volunteer efforts in other Oklahoma universities to organize a Moore. benefit cabaret at New York City’s Laurie The OCU family established a tornado Beechman Theatre in June. “Oklahoma Risfund to support long-time Walker Hall ing” featured Ron Raines, BM ’75, and spehead resident “Mom Mary” Brewer and her cial guests from Broadway and raised more family. Brewer’s daughter, Terri Elizabeth First graders from Lexington, than $2,000 for the United Way of Central Long, tragically lost her life as she sought Va., mailed this letter and Oklahoma’s May Tornado Relief Fund. shelter in a Moore convenience store. handmade hearts to storm The outpouring of aid and compassion victims in OCU’s temporary from the campus community has been true housing at Cokesbury ApartLeslie Berger • LBerger@okcu.edu to OCU’s tradition of servant leadership. ments. The letter hangs in the university apartments office.

The university allowed employees to take 16 hours of paid volunteer time in May and

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Armand McCoy, BA ’10, visits with President Barack Obama during the president’s visit to Moore.

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From left, music professor Sarah Sarver, facilities staff Ryan Lavey and Kevin Thornburg, music professor Dave Easley, communications staff Rod Jones and student Jeff Cheng joined the cleanup effort in Moore on May 30.

OCU NYC helped organize a benefit cabaret that raised more than $2,000 for Oklahoma tornado relief. From left, (back row) Amanda Martinez, Drew Wutke, Lyonel Reaneau, Shannon Maloney, Keith Hines, Natasha Scearse, David Rupley, Nicole Ferguson, Erin Bowman, Jaclyn Stapp, Kyle Hines; (third row) Stage Manager Ronnie Campbell, Phillip Ramsey, Anna Stone, Emmy Potter, Heather Russell, Zach Sutton, Emily Grace Smith, Kate Cofran; (second row) Ken Lundie, Stephanie Joiner, Margaret Dietrich, Kourtni Beebe, Elise Hearden; (first row) Austin Brown, Destan Owens, Katie Martin. (Not Pictured: Jennifer Sanchez, Rachel Rhodes-Devey, Ron Raines.)

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Photo courtesy of the White House Photo Office

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Oklahoma City University Assistant Director for University Apartments Liz Harney (right), resident assistants and student volunteers sort donations from the campus community. The group spent the week of May 20 cleaning apartments and organizing donations for those in need of temporary housing.

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update [ [ FOCUS extra

For more news updates from across campus, visit Focus Extra.

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Freshman Class Fast Facts Average GPA: 3.57 Average ACT: 25.49 64% female and 36% male 40% from Oklahoma 37 states represented

Class of 2017 Matriculates

World Scholars Three Oklahoma City University students have earned prestigious scholarships to study overseas.

Mariah Nonnemacher, an acting major and Chinese minor, was selected to spend 10 weeks in Shanghai, China, this summer to study Mandarin and work as an intern with the award-winning filmmaking company, Lost Pensivos. Nonnemacher received an $8,000 Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, the highest award level available to students through the program.

MaryAnn Grover received a scholarship valued at approximately $1,500 from the University of Exeter’s international summer school for the International Relations: Conflict, Security, and Peace program. Grover is majoring in economics and finance with minors in history and Spanish.

She also received a $200 travel scholarship from STA Travel, a student travel agency, which offered Grover the scholarship upon learning that her family’s home was damaged by the May 20 tornado in Moore. Grover is a member of the University Honors program, the Oikos Scholars program, and is a Chesapeake Scholar in the Meinders School of Business.

Kelsey Ricks, a history and political science major with a minor in Spanish, is spending this semester at the Pablo de Olavide University in Seville, Spain. Ricks was awarded a $1,000 study abroad scholarship from Phi Kappa Phi, the oldest, largest, and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines in the U.S. Fifty scholarships are awarded to students from across the U.S. Oklahoma City University’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter was chartered in 2004.

Ricks also received a $1,000 Affiliate Scholarship from Academic Programs International, the university’s program provider for the Pablo de Olavide University program.

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Students in Professor Lisa Wolfe’s Readings in Biblical Hebrew class are studying one of the Dead Sea Scrolls this semester.

Their studies are part of the Green Scholars Initiative (GSI), a program associated with the massive collection of biblical manuscripts and related artifacts that have recently been acquired by the Green family, owners of Hobby Lobby.

The program pairs artifacts from the collection with professors and students not only to shed light on the items, but also to give students the rare opportunity to study biblical manuscripts.

Plans are in the works to build a museum on the Mall in Washington, D.C., to house the 40,000 artifacts.

Part of the Green collection was displayed as the “Passages” exhibit in 2011 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The exhibit drew an estimated 63,000 people.

Participating students previously took Biblical Hebrew I and II. As a class, they will work to determine what part of the Bible is represented in a particular item and investigate what other known scrolls might be closely related to it. They will visit the scroll in person, and then later use special photographic records in class to do their work.

Allison Bevers, one of Wolfe’s Hebrew students, received an award from the GSI program to study in Oxford last June. Wolfe attended as her mentor. Prominent Oxford scholars lectured for the event, titled “Logos in Oxford: A Summer Workshop on Biblical Texts, Vocation, and the Christian Mind.”

Bevers is a religion major and a Bishop’s Scholar at OCU. She plans to attend seminary and prepare for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. She works as a youth ministry intern at Nichols Hills United Methodist Church.

Rockette Launch Jess Palu, BPA ’12, joined the Radio City Rockettes this summer, becoming the 47th OCU alumna to join the worldclass precision dance company.

Jess Palu Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management Dean John Bedford and Dance Chair Jo Rowan pioneered U.S. professional dance instruction at the collegiate level, creating the first university program to emphasize the American art forms of tap, jazz, and music theater dance.

update Business, Community Leaders Selected for Hall of Honor The Meinders School of Business will honor five business and community leaders during the 27th annual Oklahoma Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor luncheon Oct. 23 at the Cox Center.

This year’s inductees are Phil Busey, recipient of the Chairman’s Award; Pete Delaney with the President’s Award; Leland Gourley with the Lifetime Achievement Award; Dave McLaughlin with the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award; and Polly Nichols with the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Busey, BA ’74 and JD ’77, is the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Busey Group of Companies and Delaware Resource Group.

Delaney is chairman, president, and CEO of OGE Energy Corp., the parent company of the electric utility provider OG&E and a general partner of the $11 billion Enogex-CNP Energy Natural Gas Midstream Partnership.

Gourley and his wife, Vicki, are the publishers of OKC FRIDAY, an award-winning weekly newspaper he founded in 1974 that covers northwest Oklahoma County.

McLaughlin is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Advance Food, a global company. Founded in 1973 by Paul Allen and

Phil Busey

Pete Delaney

Leland Gourley

McLaughlin in Enid, Advance Food manufactures beef, pork, veal, chicken, and turkey products.

Later they created Advance Brands, a joint venture formed in 2001 with Cargill Meat Solutions. In 2010, the two firms merged with Pierre Foods. The firm is now known as Advance Pierre Foods, Inc. Nichols is a community volunteer and philanthropist who has served Oklahoma nonprofits most of her life. Born in McAlester, she has been involved with more than 20 organizations since moving to Oklahoma City in 1971. A survivor of the Oklahoma City bombing, she co-chaired the $29.1

Dave McLaughlin

Polly Nichols

million fundraising drive to build the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum and continues to volunteer for the memorial. She has served as chairwoman of the Memorial Foundation, Oklahoma City Junior League, Science Museum Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, where she has worked to build a coalition of nonprofits throughout the state.

In addition to recognizing members of the business community, the Oklahoma Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor luncheon benefits the Meinders School of Business scholarship program.

Pianist In Tune with Classical Composers Bass School of Music Piano Director and Steinway Artist Sergio Montiero will continue the 2013-2014 Distinguished Artists Series with a salute to 19th century titans of the piano. The Mae Ruth Swanson Memorial Concert, scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 3 in the Petree Recital Hall, will feature Montiero’s interpretations of key works by four Romantic composers including Frank Liszt, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn, and Frederic Chopin.

The Brazilian-born Montiero has performed as a soloist around the globe in venues ranging from the John F. Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage to the Kremlin.

For information on other Distinguished Artist Concerts, go to www. okcu.edu/music/documen ts/2013DistinguishedArti stSeries.pdf.

Sergio Montiero

Nursing Construction Completion Celebrated

The Kramer School of Nursing dedicated the third floor of the Nursing School East building after construction culminated in April. The dedication honored former Dean Marvel Williamson for bringing the project and the many successes of the school to fruition. Pictured, from left, are President Robert Henry, LaDonna Meinders, Interim Dean Lois Salmeron, Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby, Provost Susan Barber, and Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Ambassador Jimmy Le. The Marvel L. Williamson Center for Excellence in Nursing Education and the Marvel L. Williamson Endowed Scholarship focuswere fallboth 2013unveiled 15 at the ceremony.

Physics Professor in Harmony with the Spheres

By Terry Phelps, OCU Professor of English Klaus remembers food rationing, sirens interrupting sleep Lecturing about human dependence on technology, OCU and school, newspaper lists of local soldiers killed at the front, physics professor Klaus Rossberg, PhD, asked his class, “What and numerous American “Flying Fortresses” humming above. would happen if we had no electricity?” Suddenly, the lights in “Hunger drove hundreds of people to the fields to gather the Dawson-Loeffler Building went out. After laughter, a serious potatoes and ears of grain after the farmers had harvested the discussion ensued about how we take technology for granted. crop,” he says. “We were glad when we had found five potatoes Interesting coincidence. Psychologist Carl Jung would likely on one such excursion. In fall, we walked to the nearby forests to have it called synchronicity—a concept he based on Albert search for mushrooms. Every evening, electricity was cut off for Einstein’s theory of relativity. Coincidentally, there are parallels a few hours. Firewood between Einstein and and coal was available Rossberg: both physito heat just one room.” cists and professors Klaus’s family lived of physics, emigrants next to the river that from Germany, violinbecame the first dividists, and sons of taling line between East ented pianist mothers. and West Germany af“The greatest ter the war. He recalls scientists are artists daily seeing refugees as well,” said Einstein, traveling west, Ruswho suggested, “If I sian prisoners of war were not a physicist, I being marched east, would probably be a and freed prisoners musician.” Likewise, brought on trucks by Rossberg as a youth American soldiers considered a career in across a bridge a half conducting music. mile from his house.

He points out that He met American GIs Pythagoras 2,600 years Klaus Rossberg, of all races for the first ago recognized the second from left, time. GIs traded their daily rations for wine. “Chewmusic-math connection, and the ancient Greeks plays the oboe while ing gum was a special treat!” he says. combined math and music with astronomy performing with His mother, who’d had ambitions to be a concert (music of the spheres). fellow music pianist, instilled in him the love of music, and he beOCU Dean of Arts and Sciences Mark Davies students. gan violin at age 10 and the oboe a few years later. After remembers Rossberg’s incorporating music and returning from war, his father practiced medicine for two other arts in his Evolution of Science and Technolyears, fostering Klaus’s drive to explore nature. Then his father ogy class, in which Davies was a student about 30 years ago. “He connected periods of history and culture and the arts to died from a combination of overwork, government-induced stress, and lack of food. scientific developments,” said Davies.

Klaus attended one of the top high schools in East Germany Rossberg’s history would be an interesting book. The name with a broad range of subjects. Of the 33 members of his graduRossberg means “castle made of rocks,” and his family tree can ating class, 30 earned advanced academic degrees and became be traced back to the 15th century. He was born and raised in physicians, scientists, engineers, lawyers, teachers, and profesGermany during the Nazi era and the early Communist years. sors. Despite some political differences, they developed a bond, His father, a doctor, was drafted into the military and was rarely resulting in a reunion every two years, which Rossberg attends. home for those seven years.

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OCU physics professor Klaus Rossberg, PhD His excellent grades in high school would have made university a sure bet, but nearing graduation, he refused to join the East German Army. Consequently, his overall score was lowered by one grade, thanks to his principal, and Klaus was denied immediate acceptance at a university.

He had learned from his hardships that “only consistent work and effort will lead to success.” So he worked a year as an assistant in a research laboratory, then was admitted to the University of Greifswald, where he took 25 to 29 hours per semester to convince himself and others that he was “qualified enough.”

“There was still time left to play the violin and oboe in the student orchestra,” he says, “and to discuss scientific, political, and philosophical issues with my friends during long walks on weekends.”

For political reasons, after he earned his degree, getting a research assistantship in an East Germany university was impossible, so he continued his studies at the Free University in West Berlin. There he met a professor who, after the Berlin Crisis of 1961, took a position at the University of Arizona and invited Rossberg to join him.

After earning his doctorate, Rossberg took a teaching position at Michigan Technological University, then came to OCU in 1969. He became physics chair in 1978 and then mathematics chair. He has taught 35 different subject areas, including acoustics, astronomy, physics, and math. He published a textbook, First Course in Analytical Mechanics, in 1982, but his focus is teaching.

“Teaching new generations keeps me young,” he says. “I wish to continue in my profession as long as my mental and bodily strength allow. I still remember many good students who attended my classes, and some of them have become friends.”

He is happily married to Dagmar, also from Germany, who teaches English at the University of Central Oklahoma, and they regularly attend OCU music, theatre, and dance performances.

They travel, visit museums and old castles, eat organic gourmet food, and exercise regularly. “To keep the grey cells active,” he likes to read, work on mathematics problems, and play chess.

Rossberg became a U.S. citizen in 2000 but considers himself “a citizen of the world—free from prejudices of any kind regarding people, races, and countries, tolerant to all religions and belief systems, helping all those who wish to learn from my experience.”

He agrees with scientist/mathematician/poet/inventor Jacob Bronowski’s idea that human values are the result of conflict between the need to be free and the need to be a member of the society with its restrictions and safeguards. Consequently, protecting the society necessitates imposing restrictions on all excessive claims of individual rights. “American society is proud of its freedom,” Rossberg says, “but it has to learn that too much freedom may lead to anarchy as too much control may cause dictatorship. The problem is to find a just and proper middle ground.”

Rossberg seems to have a proper middle ground in his classes.

While his expectations of students are high, he is flexible and has a good sense of humor. In one class he mentioned the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” On an exam paper, an inter-

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tant—lesson I learned as a college professor: Always be well national student wrote, “Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.” prepared.”

Klaus’s response was “To your health! Skål! Na zdorovie! Prosit!”

Of course, circumstances sometimes interfere with preparaHe laughs about an anonymous Christmas gift from a student, tion. In 1987, OCU’s astronomy professor left. Rossberg found accompanied by a card reading, “Nuts for the Nutty Professor.” a replacement but found out on the afternoon of the first class Klaus says his funniest classroom experience was in General that the replacement had declined. With one hour to prepare, Physics one evening when only half the students were present. he taught the course, which he’d never taught before. His physics “After about 20 minutes the missing students walked in with knowledge enabled him to stay one day ahead of the students wigs resembling my receding hair line. I could not stop laughing the rest of the semester. for several minutes. I do not remember how well I finished the His sense of humor is a fond memory for alumnus Eric lecture.”

Nazim, BA ’88 and MLA ’94, who once saw Rossberg and He says, “Only that person is really happy if he/she is able to now-retired math professor Bob Trail walking down the hall laugh heartily about him/herself.” He lists his likes as honor, with a thick sheaf of computer printout paper, flipping pages humor, friendship, truth, good students, and good company. and “laughing so hard you could hear them throughout His dislikes are deceit, bureaucracy, intolerance, breaking the building. When I asked what was so funny, they promises, and lack of etiquette.

Rossberg showed me a printout full of numbers, and Klaus He has concerns for the future of American considers himself “a said through the laughter that one of Dr. Trail’s society: “Americans have always been fortunate citizen of the world— free from prejudices of any students had calculated Pi to some ungodly to live in a country with abundant resources. kind regarding people, races number of decimal places. I remember that This, together with their ability to solve proband countries, tolerant to all he found that one of the funniest things ever. I lems whenever they arose, made the country religions and belief systems, guess it’s math humor.” strong. But it also made many Americans believe helping all those who Nazim recalls Rossberg starting a class mostly that the basis of their existence will never change wish to learn from my experience.” composed of international students with what and that instant gratification is a normal way of life.

Nazim thought was a joke. “It was a full-body experiOnly a few Americans have realized that resources, ence—making noises, pounding on the chalkboard, and like food, water, and oil, are finite, that our world is no longenerally making a show of it. When he finished, he looked ger clean and pristine, and that the society as a whole must begin around and saw me and maybe two other students laughing, and to look into the future. It must invest in clean energy as soon as the rest of the class furiously trying to take notes!” possible.”

Actually, Rossberg was imitating an OCU Midyear Institute Rossberg appreciates technology when used properly but says speaker who had defined music as “sound of all kinds—one just excessive use of cell phones reminds him of the saying, “Before has to listen,” and demonstrated by putting her arms and feet on the arrival of cell phones, we had friends,” which he then ties as many keys of the organ as possible, whistling, plucking strings to Einstein’s prophetic comment, “I fear the day that technolon an open grand piano, pressing a piece of paper together and ogy will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a making a noise, etc. After his imitation, Rossberg dismissed her generation of idiots.” definition of music, telling his class, “Music is organized sound “Human evolution required hundreds of thousands of years with aesthetic and logical structure and emotional content. to adapt to environmental changes,” Rossberg says. “Because Anything without structure or control is anarchy.” we are not equipped to adapt to quick changes, we react to the Alumnus Andrew Tolly, BA ’09, who worked in the Dulaneyunnatural chemicals we consume with a variety of illnesses that Browne Library, said Rossberg “loves to learn. I showed him a are mostly treated with medicine, i.e., with more (unnecessary) software program that traced star and moon patterns over time, chemicals.” Rossberg emphasizes that technology serves huand his eyes lit up.” mans best if they keep control over and not be controlled by it.

Physics colleague Saeed Shadfar sums Rossberg up nicely: The breadth and depth of his knowledge is impressive, and “I have worked with Klaus for more than 30 years. He has been Davies says, “When you’re a student, it is clear who the smartest a wonderful colleague. He is very punctual, disciplined, collabperson in the room is,” recalling his days as a Rossberg student. orative, professional, and respected by all his colleagues. I can But there is also humility, an ability to laugh at himself. For truly say it has been a pleasure working with him. In short, he is his first lecture (on Quantum Mechanics) as a college profesa wonderful person.” sor, he had prepared extensively, and it was a great success. But he neglected such preparation for his next lecture, which was “a shameful disaster.” He calls this “the first—and most imporTerry Phelps • tphelps@okcu.edu

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Innocence Project Files first Brief for

Post-Conviction Relief

BY BROOK ARBEITMAN He is slight in stature and soft-spoken, with a heavy southeastern Oklahoma drawl. When you meet him for the first time you are struck by his pleasant demeanor and perfect manners—he will call you “ma’am” even if it isn’t your preference.

Pushing 50, his salt and pepper hair is slightly unkempt and his mustache a little bushy. He is unintimidating and moreor-less alone, with no family or friends to speak of. Not quite optimistic, not quite trusting, and yet he remains a little hopeful.

Karl Fontenot is definitely not what you expect when you meet a convicted murderer. But, then again, Karl Fontenot is unyielding in his claim of innocence.

Fontenot’s case first graced the doors of the Oklahoma Innocence Project (OIP) in 2012. For a year, students participating in the OIP’s legal clinic and OIP staff have reviewed and investigated his assertion that he did not commit the crime for which he is currently serving a life sentence. It is tedious work—trying to prove that someone is innocent—and Project Director Tiffany Murphy believes she now has enough evidence to substantiate the claim in court.

THE CONFESSION

In April 1984, Donna Denice Haraway disappeared from her job as a clerk at McAnally’s convenience store in Ada, Okla. She just vanished. An investigation was conducted, but almost immediately there were issues. Leads weren’t followed.

Witness statements were ignored. There was no body.

It wasn’t until months later that investigators finally had the name of a suspect.

After hours and hours of questioning, that suspect told police about a “dream” he had where he, his friend Karl Fontenot and a third man were involved in Haraway’s disappearance and death.

Fontenot was summoned for questioning and interrogated endlessly. Finally succumbing to the intense pressure, he confessed to the crime. Both men were arrested and charged, despite the fact there were major discrepancies between their two confessions. (The third man was never arrested because police determined he could not have been involved due to an injury.)

Although he confessed, Fontenot quickly recanted and has adamantly maintained his innocence ever since.

CAUSES OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS

Why would an innocent man confess to a crime he didn’t commit? It is hard for any of us to wrap our minds around. The concept seems so foreign. And yet, according to the Innocence Project (New York), false confessions are to blame in 25% of DNA exonerations and 14% of all exonerations.

Other common causes include eyewitness misidentification (75%), invalid or improper forensic science, government misconduct, informants or snitches (15%), and bad lawyering. In many cases, more than one of the previously mentioned factors can be blamed for a wrongful conviction.

Oklahoma Innocence Project 862

Total requests as of August 2013

168 Awaiting Review 379 Closed 12 Under investigation 227 In review 76 Reviewed, awaiting assignment

RECTIFYING A WRONG

For innocent people in Oklahoma who are wrongfully convicted—who often have no resources and no one fighting for them—the Oklahoma Innocence Project at Oklahoma City University School of Law provides a shining beacon of hope and a lifeline to justice and freedom. The OIP opened August of 2011 with the goal of identifying and rectifying cases of wrongful conviction in Oklahoma. Unlike the Innocence Project (New York), which only takes DNA cases, the OIP will take any case where there is factual evidence of innocence.

The Project staff is small and their work immense. Every day, new cases are received from the imprisoned who believe they are among those who should be freed. Law students are an integral component to the

Project’s organizational structure since it would be nearly impossible for the staff of three to handle the research and investigation on every case that is submitted for review. And every case must be reviewed before the Project decides whether or not to take it on.

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

The OIP creates an environment where students can unite their knowledge, skills and passion for justice with work that is real and powerful. No matter what their future plans include—prosecutor, defense attorney, or something that doesn’t even involve the courtroom—law students receive a hands-on, real world experience at the Project that shapes them as future attorneys. They learn skills that can be of value to them in their career, while simultaneously working to change someone’s life.

The students are fully invested in their work and often struggle to walk away from their cases at the end of their semester in the Project. In fact, former clinical students, who have since graduated, continue to check in for updates on Fontenot’s case.

They want justice for a man who has been wrongfully convicted—a man who has spent more than half his life in jail.

THE LITIGATION

The Project filed its first-ever brief for post-conviction relief on behalf of Fontenot in July. A subsequent motion for discovery has also been filed and now the case is working its way through the legal process.

There are dozens and dozens of people who will have had a hand in the process if and when Fontenot is exonerated. From Murphy, to the students, to the staff, to all of the donors who have graciously given to open and sustain the Project—it has been, and continues to be, a community effort to see injustices rectified.

The Oklahoma Innocence Project does not charge for its services and receives no government funding or tuition dollars for operations. It is funded solely from private donations. If you would like to help, you can make a tax-free donation at innocence. okcu.edu.

BROOK ARBEITMAN BBARBEITMAN@okcu.edu focus fall 2013

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office space Rick Hall Vice President for Student Affairs books

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Hard Hats

Among the awards in Hall’s office is a 2008 national award for the university’s emphasis on retention from the Educational Policy Institute. OCU’s retention rate increased about 11 percent that year to 78 percent.

OCU continues to emphasize retention and currently has a rate of 81.13 percent, the highest in history.

The books on Hall’s shelves that mean the most to him are the ones he used while teaching “Insights Into Executive Leadership” from 2006 to 2011 with former President Tom McDaniel. The Corvette course brought local, state and national Models leaders together with students to Hall has always had an affinity explore civic and educational issues for sports cars and convertibles. and discuss strategies for success.

He has owned a number of older, The texts include It’s Your Ship inexpensive English sports cars and

by Capt. Michael Abrashoff remembers, “Looking at Corvettes was and Good to Great by always fun, but I never imagined I would Jim Collins. have one.” When he began his daily commute from Norman to Oklahoma City, he decided to invest in an enjoyable car. He purchased a used 1999 Corvette and has put about 95,000 miles on it.

Vice President for Student Affairs Rick Hall is in his 12th year at Oklahoma City University. He first served as vice president for enrollment management and assumed his current role in 2006. Among the programs Hall has initiated at OCU are OCULeads, the Clara Luper Scholarship program, and the American Indian Scholars program. Rick’s wife, Lee, joined the university staff in 2009 and serves as director of student life.

Awards

The remodel of OCU’s student union, now the McDaniel University Center, was one of Hall’s first major projects at the university. He keeps two Manhattan Construction hats circa 2004 in his office as a reminder of the project that improved the campus by creating functional, friendly spaces for students to gather.

Photo of OCUL eads Class I

Hall founded OCULeads: the President’s Leadership Class, in 2001. The program, for students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership potential, has since produced more than 300 campus leaders. “At the time, there were not a lot of programs that pulled students together from different colleges,” Hall explained. He enjoys the opportunity to identify student leaders early and help connect them with opportunities throughout their time at OCU and beyond. One of the enduring philosophies to rise from the Leads class is the notion that “the greatest gift we give our students is each other.”

alumni Meet the Board Alumni Leadership Elects Four

By Rod Jones The board of directors for the Alumni Association elected new leadership earlier this year, selecting Jeff Riles, BA ’09, as board president; Mary Jo Hope, BS ’06, as vice president; Kirsten Gannon BA ’11, as secretary; and Mike Slack BA ’07 and MA ’12, as treasurer.

The association works to engage alumni with the university and to positively impact recruitment, retention, and development activities.

Meet the board:

Jeff Riles

Riles is an attorney for the Phillips Murrah firm in its business department in Oklahoma City and a member of its green energy practice group.

He represents clients in a range of transactional matters, with an emphasis on the alternative energy industry.

Riles was president of the Student Government Association at OCU before graduating with a degree in justice studies.

One of the many initiatives he led was the establishment of OneGive, a campus-wide community service effort and charity fundraiser that is still held each year.

While in law school, Riles was president and community service chairman of the University of Oklahoma College of Law Student Bar Association and vice president of United Students. He was a mentor and section leader of the Dean’s Council, a member of Students for Access to Justice, and recipient of honors from the Dean Andrew Coats Fellowship for Summer Public Service. He was recognized with the Student Bar Association Award as the graduating student who rendered the most valuable and significant service to the student body.

Riles earned a 30/30 Next Gen award from iON Oklahoma magazine in 2012.

He has worked on projects such as the Oklahoma Sustainability Network’s Green Building Code grant project, funded by Oklahoma’s State Energy Program, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, where he helped train government leaders and industry representatives on green building codes and green energy efforts.

Riles was born in Florida and grew up in a military family traveling the world.

Mary Jo Hope

Hope is from Andover, Kan. She graduated from OCU with a degree in entertainment business and a minor in mass communications.

She is the manager of event presentation for the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team. She is an international volunteer for the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She is a board member of the Oklahoma Children’s Theatre and she is a Leadership OKC alumna.

Hope returned to OCU this fall to pursue a graduate degree in non-profit leadership.

Kirsten Gannon

Gannon is a web marketing professional currently working for the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. She manages all marketing, social media, and website communications for the Museum Store.

Within the first year of her museum career, Gannon doubled website sales and created and implemented their marketing plan.

Her previous work history includes marketing positions at Teleflora, LLC, and Jordan Advertising in Oklahoma City.

Gannon holds a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications with emphasis in graphic design and advertising. She earned an Excellence Award in Mass Communications from OCU. Gannon serves many community organizations including AD2OKC, Central Oklahoma Humane Society, Sunbeam Family Services, and the children’s ministry at LifeChurch.tv. Kristen plans to marry Andrew Holder, BA ’12, on Oct. 25, 2013.

Mike Slack

Slack is a two-time graduate of Oklahoma City University. In December 2007 he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in religion from the Wimberly School of Religion.

He moved to Atlanta and attended graduate school at Emory University for one year before joining Teach for America. He was with North Atlanta High School for two years, teaching special education and freshman math.

After completing his two-year commitment, he returned to OCU and enrolled in the Master of Arts in applied sociology: nonprofit leadership in the Petree College of Arts and Sciences, which he completed in 2012.

He has worked at the United Way of Central Oklahoma since April 2012. He currently serves as director of the Combined Federal Campaign and is an account executive on the campaign staff. rod jones • rodjones@okcu.edu

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alumni Kappa Phi Turns 50 This spring the women of Kappa Phi will be celebrating their 50th anniversary on campus. If you were in Kappa Phi and would like information about the event, please contact us at (405) 208-5077 or email alumni@okcu.edu.

Lone Star Alumni Oklahoma City University hosted three reunions in Texas this summer. Alumni gathered in Houston, Austin, and Dallas June 18, 19, and 20. OCU President Robert Henry, Vice President for University Advancement Marty O’Gwynn and Alumni Relations Director Cary Pirrong met with several dozen alumni ranging from 1960s graduates to new alumni.

President Henry visits with Betty Wooden, BSB ’50, as Q. Lynn Johnson, JD ’08, looks on.

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Army of Frankensteins Features Three Alumni A trio of Oklahoma City University graduates are among the cast members of a newly completed feature film produced entirely in Oklahoma, Army of Frankensteins.

Written by Ryan Bellgardt, Josh McKamie and Andy Swanson of Boiling Point Productions, and directed by Emmy Award-winning Bellgardt, this film includes time travel, Civil War action, Abraham Lincoln, and an “army” of Frankenstein monsters.

The cast includes OCU alumni Mike (Samples) Waugh, BA ’85, as an ill-fated Union Army captain; Aaron Bushong, BM ’10, as a Union soldier who livens up a campfire scene with some down-home fiddle music; and Eric Berger (screen name Eric Gesecus), BA ’78, as the army of Frankensteins. All of them.

The production encompassed two dreams that came true for Berger, who became a lifelong fan of the Frankenstein monster when he was six.

“Boris Karloff was my first inspiration as an actor, and from the time I first covered his role as Jonathan in ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ in high school, I longed to recreate the role that made him famous,” said Berger.

“Soon after Ryan gave me the part, I learned another dream would also be coming true. While attending OCU, I worked as a cameraman at Channel 4, and the shows I ran camera for included ‘Sleepwalkers Matinee,’ starring John Ferguson as Count Gregore. It was a bittersweet assignment, because I always felt I should be acting with John, rather than being his cameraman.”

Ferguson was tabbed for the role of Dr. Finski, the mad scientist who brings Berger’s character to life. Not only did Berger’s dream of working with Ferguson come true, the scenes in which they appeared together were filmed at their former workplace, KFOR-TV. While Berger has spent most of his career in journalism and broadcasting, Waugh has become a familiar face on the local theatrical scene, as well as in television commercials and films.

“This movie was a lot of fun to work on. Everyone involved in the project brought their ‘A’ game to the set, and that includes the crew as well as the cast. Over the course of a year of filming, we became like a family, and that is often the hallmark of a really good production,” said Waugh.

Bushong helps propel one of the funnier scenes in the film as he provides some up-tempo fiddle music while one of the Union soldiers tries to show the Monster how to dance a jig.

Army of Frankensteins will make its world premiere behind the closed doors of the American Film Market in Los Angeles this November. That showing is open only to representatives of the film distribution industry.

Its public release will follow in 2014, with the public premiere planned for Oklahoma City.

giving Scholarship Established to Honor Naifeh A scholarship has been established in honor of long-time Oklahoma City University supporter Robert Z. Naifeh, who passed away July 25.

Trustees Jerry and Jane Jayroe Gamble created the Robert Z. Naifeh Endowed Scholarship in Business to benefit students in the Meinders School of Business.

President Robert Henry said that Naifeh dedicated his life to helping create jobs and enhance Oklahoma City.

“The new scholarship will allow students to learn why the Naifeh name is important in our community,” Henry said. “There is a thread of forward-looking dedication that OCU friends continue to sew into the future of this institution.

We were blessed by Bob’s friendship and we will carry forward the work of preparing future leaders.”

Ruth Statue Dedication

Robert Naifeh (fourth from left) joined in the dedication of the Robert and Jeaneen Naifeh Student Garden at the Bass School of Music last year. He is pictured with, from left, President Robert Henry, Kurt and Cathy Leichter, Jeaneen Naifeh, Ann Alspaugh, and Dean Mark Parker.

OCU alumna Bobbie Burbridge Lane and the Burbridge Foundation donated the lifesize marble statue “Ruth” to the university in June. The gift honors her long-time friend and fellow OCU alumna, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger.

The statue was part of the Burbridge Foundation’s Collection of Art. Burbridge Lane said Kauger’s friendship and strength have been paramount to her advocacy projects.

The sculpture, crafted from Italian white marble, was created by Italian sculptor Raffaelo Romanelli in Florence, Italy, in 1911. The sculpture is displayed in the lobby of OCU’s Clara E. Jones Administration Building.

The “Ruth” statue was the Burbridge Foundation’s second major donation of artwork to OCU during the 2012-13 academic year.

Burbridge Lane gave the university 13 oil paintings during Homecoming 2012. Each is a Christian-themed work. The majority of the acclaimed works are displayed in DulaneyBrowne Library. Alumni and friends are encouraged to tour the worldclass artwork during Homecoming and throughout the year.

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class notes ’27 The Lovely County Citizen did a feature

Becky Beth Meyer, BA ’63, was selected for the Spirit Award at this year’s Red Earth Festival.

story about Louise Haley Lester, BA ’27, and her efforts to promote women’s suffrage.

Doug Kemper, BA ’68, is executive director of the Medicine Park Museum of Natural Science.

’49 Edward Boydston, B.S.’49,

retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve as Navy captain after 40 years of service.

Boydston also retired from the Harper Oil Company in Oklahoma City, where he served as a vice president.

’57 Donald E. Gilbert, ’57-’58, was named the Dalhart Texas 2012 Citizen of the Year.

’71 Janice Hendryx, BA ’71, was

appointed to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Citizen Advisory Panel for Children and Family Issues.

’74 Demetra George (formerly Deb-

bie Giannopoulos), ’74 and Hon. Doctor of Music ’07, was named to the Putnam City School Wall of Fame and performed “She’s ALL That … An Evening With Debbie.”

’60 The Oklahoman ran a feature story about Herman Meinders, ’60, and his remarks at the Junior Achievement luncheon at the Meinders School of Business.

Margaret “Peggy” Nims, Poetry ’74-’75, received the Distinguished Former Faculty Award from East Central University.

’62 Bert Seabourn’s, Art Studies ’62, work is featured in “The Expressionist Paintings of Bert Seabourn” exhibit at the Oklahoma Capitol.

Ron Raines

’75 J.C. Whorton Jr., MCJ ’75, will

become chief executive officer of the combined Pangea Energy Corp. and SG Spirit Gold Inc. upon completion of the transaction.

John A. Sparlin, BS ’62, was

inducted into the Arkansas River Hall of Fame.

’63 Leonard Northcutt, BSB

Ron Raines, BM ’75, was named a permanent cast member in the role of Carl Peterson in “One Life to Live.”

Raines performed as a guest vocalist in Michael Feinstein’s MGM Movie Classics in the Pasadena POPS summer series.

’63, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce.

Herb Gilkey, BA ’75, was named

chief executive officer of Camp Fire Heart of Oklahoma.

’76 Lynda Garcia, BM ’76, performed during the annual Status of Women Awards Banquet in Marshall, Texas.

James Boring, JD ’76, was named to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Commission by Gov. Mary Fallin.

Jacque Fiegel, BS ’76, is the president of Prosperity Bank’s Central Oklahoma region.

John Herdt, MCJ ’77, marked his 30th year as director of youth services for Stephens County Inc. in Duncan.

’78 Michael Forcina, BM ’78,

returned as director of the Nichols Hills Band for a concert on the Fourth of July.

D. Scott Colbert, BS ’78, was named interim gaming commissioner for the Chickasaw Nation.

Mona Miller, BS ’78, was named director of university partner study abroad programs for GlobaLinks Learning Abroad.

’80 Donald L. Jordan, BA ’80, and

Jonathan Beck Reed, ’79-’83, worked together for the 42nd time in the Freede Little Theatre’s “Greater Tuna.”

’81 Amy Morris, JD ’81, an attorney in Punxsutawney, Pa., is raising money to help fellow law school alumni recover from the Moore tornado.

’83 D. A. Bennett, BA ’83, was the

guest speaker at the Lenten retreat for First United Methodist Church in Ada.

Steven Goetzinger, JD ’83, became mayor of Nichols Hills.

’77 Robin Stephens, BM ’77, directed ’86 John P. Camey, MBA ’86, was sea production of “Guys and Dolls” at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

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Jacque Fiegel

lected as dean of Cameron University’s School of Business.

class notes Dyton Owen, BA ’86, is the new pastor of First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Neb.

Zenetta Kendricks, MBA ’90, won the Ms. Oklahoma Senior America Pageant.

Dallas Symphony Association appointed Jenny Shepard, BM ’86, vice president of development.

Timothy Long, BM ’90, was the emcee and performed during a concert featuring Native American classical musicians in Muskogee.

’87 Royce McLarry, BM ’87, per-

formed in the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble performance “Bright Tales.”

The Ventura County Star did a feature story profile about artist Rob Impellizzeri, MBA ’87.

’88 Thomas Batista’s, MLA ’88,

work was included in an exhibit at the Goddard Center in Ardmore. His work was also part of the “Light, Landscape, and Literature” exhibit at JRB Art at The Elms.

Brig. Gen. Daniel P. Hughes, MBA ’88, was named commanding general of the Natick Soldier Systems Center and as the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command deputy commanding general.

Carl Leary, BS ’88, joined Coldwell Banker in Florida as a medical office condominiums specialist.

David D. Cook, BS ’88, was appointed pastor at D.D. Etchieson United Methodist Church in Tahlequah.

Edward L. Smith, MCJA Law ’88, was named director of public safety for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Komson Sevatasai, MLA ’88,

was appointed director of sales and marketing for Regent Phuket Cape Panwa in Thailand.

’90 Rebekah Ambrosini, MPA ’90,

was a featured soloist in the world premiere of “The Glow from That Fire” in Shawnee.

Jill Campbell, MBA ’90, was featured in Cable360’s 2013 CableFAX 100 issue.

’91 Kristin Chenoweth, BM ’91,

MM ’93, Honorary Doctorate ’13, was interviewed on “Live From Lincoln Center” for a promotion for her show “The Dames of Broadway … All of ’Em!”

Michael Lewis, MBA ’93, is the Haskell Indian Nations University acting president.

’94 Eric L. Johnson, JD ’94, was named a partner in establishing the Hudson Cook firm’s Oklahoma City office.

CBS television did a story during the NCAA basketball tournament about Buzz Williams’, BS ’94, path to coaching at Marquette.

Jane Anderson Wolfarth, BA ’91, has been appointed Mountain Sub-Area chairwoman for Area 11 of the Handbell Musicians of America.

Wolfarth oversees the handbell activities in Utah, Wyoming and northern Colorado.

Michelle Coppedge, MB ’91, was named director of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City.

Ron Duncan, MBA ’91, was named city manager of Eastland, Texas.

Robert Matson, MPA ’91, will serve as a peer facilitator for the Artist INC program in Oklahoma City this fall.

’92 Oklahoma Army National Guards-

man Col. Percy “Sonny” G. Hurtado, MCJA ’92, was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.

Rich Beveridge, ME ’92, gave a presentation titled “Gini in a Bottle – The Mathematics of Income Inequality” in Astoria, Ore. Bridget Young, BA ’92, was pro-

moted to national sales manager for KOCO television station.

’93 Lesley Jennings, BPA ’93,

was the choreographer for Children’s Musical Theatre’s “A Little Princess” in Bartlesville.

Veterans’ advocate Hugh Nisbet, JD ’93, spoke at the annual American Legion Post 297 Memorial Day service in Missouri.

Buzz Williams

’95 Jeff Black, BS ’95, became Provan Opportunity Center principal in the Pflugerville, Texas, school district.

’97 Brent Greenwood, BFA ’97,

created a commissioned painting titled “Alikchi” for the Kramer School of Nursing.

’98 Kelli O’Hara, BM ’98, was inter-

viewed by BroadwayWorld about her appearance in the New York Pops 30th birthday gala.

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class notes

Brandi Wooten and Melissa Zaremba

Melissa Handke, JD ’03, has joined the Law Firm of Massad, Evans, & Kent, Inc., as an associate.

’04 Dallas Barrington, JD ’04,

was appointed to the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board by Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Tyrone Van Aswegan, BSB ’04, became eligible for U.S. citizenship and played in the United Leasing Championship on the Web.com Tour.

Jason Smith, JD ’04, was named to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

’98 Eddie Herrman

Eddie Herrman, BSN ’98, was named president of the Integris Bass Baptist Health Center in Enid.

Ted Cundiff, BMA ’99, was named

’99 president and CEO of AVB Bank.

David R. Fox, MBA ’99, was named president of St. Vincent North Health System in Sherwood, Ark. Michael A. Ferrara, JD ’99, conducted “The Seven Last Words of Christ” in Palm City, Fla. Stephen P. Alcorn, JD ’00,

’00 was hired as the Montrose, Colo., city attorney.

’01 Peter Markes, BM ’01, was named Edmond North High School Teacher of the Year.

Aaron Penix, MBA ’01, has joined the Acorn Growth Companies equity firm as its controller.

’02 Brandi Wooten, BPA ’02, played

’03

Missy and Melissa Zaremba Crooch, BPA ’01, was in the ensemble in “9 to 5, The Musical” at the Marriott Theatre in Illinois.

Brecken A. Wagner, JD ’03, formed a joint law practice with another McAlester attorney.

K.T. Turner, BA ’03, was named

assistant coach of the Southern Methodist University basketball team.

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T.W. Shannon, JD ’04, was listed as one of the GOP’s Rising Black Stars by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. ’07 Dobroslawa Rybinska-

’05 Nathan Siler’s, BM ’05, band, the

Johnson, BM ’07, opened Queen City Music Studio in Newtown, Ohio.

Sugar Free Allstars, performed with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic in April for the final performance of the BancFirst Discovery Family Series.

Josh Beale, MBA ’07, was promoted to general manager of Metro Appliance & More’s Oklahoma City location.

Todd Lamb, JD ’05, received an award from the Institute of Interfaith Dialog.

Joe Hager, BM ’07, played Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” in Sacramento, Calif.

’06 Todd Pauley, JD ’06, was named to the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth by Gov. Mary Fallin.

Dustin S. Phillips, JD ’07, was selected to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers list.

Andy Harlow, JD ’06, was promoted to vice president and senior trust officer of Citizens Bank and Trust in Ardmore.

William (Bill) Kennedy, JD ’07, was named as an attorney of counsel to the Zinda & Davis PLLC firm in Austin.

Hayley Hoffmeister, BM ’06 &

MM ’08, starred in “A Musical: Madame Bovary” in New York.

Osagie D. Ehigie, BPA ’07, was named head of the newly created dance education program at Black Water Middle School in South Carolina and prepared a complete show with 15 original dance pieces for the program’s first year.

Golfer Kylie Frederick, ’07-’08, made her club pro debut this summer at the Arrowsmith Golf and Country Club.

’08 Jason Tapp, JD ’08, has joined the

Willis Law Group firm as an associate in its Dallas office.

Melany Kyzer, JD ’08, was named chief academic officer at Southern Nazarene University.

T.W. Shannon

class notes Marilyn Davidson, MBA ’08, was hired as account supervisor for Saxum’s Oklahoma City office.

’09

Ryan Gibson, ’10-’13, made his first professional start for the Evansville Otters baseball team in Indiana.

Michele McCutcheon, ’11 Jordan Justice, BM ’11, played BPA ’08, recently opened a Little Rock, Balladeer in the Onstage in Bedford Ark., franchise of Pure Barre, an exercise production of “Assassins” in Texas. dance studio.

Nicole Woody, BA ’11, was hired as an assistant coach for the women's Stafford Gray, MBA ’09, won wrestling team at King University in the Fourth of July Classic at War Bristol, Tenn.

Memorial Golf Course in Arkansas.

Hailey Ford Coburn, MM ’09, directed the ACTS Theatre production of “Suessical, the Musical” in Louisiana.

Ian Patrick Gibb, BM ’09, presented a concert at Wichita Collegiate School called "Christmas in July" for their 50th anniversary.

Lindsay Zana, BFA ’09, was featured in a story in the Independent newspaper in Grand Island, Neb., about her professional theater career.

’10 Brian Shepard, BA ’10, starred in “Spamalot” in Houston.

Nathan Mickle, BA ’10, is in a new vocal group called The American Three.

Shantelle J. Turner, BSB and MS ’10, was awarded her CPA certificate at the Oklahoma Accountancy Recognition Ceremony in May. She is a former employee of the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Katherine Yacko, BFA ’10, played Dorothy in Theatre West Virginia’s production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Kacia Dimick, BPA ’10, was the director of choreography of the production “Suds” in Kenai, Alaska.

Tasha Sargent, BA ’10, was awarded the Herwin U. Roop Award for Proficiency in Reading Scriptures by the Bible faculty at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill., where she earned a master of divinity degree.

Ruben Sosa, ’11, joined the OKC RedHawks and became the first player in the history of Omaha’s Werner Park to have an inside-the-park homer.

LeeAnna Covington, JD ’11,

joined the Oklahoma Farm Bureau public policy department as the director of national affairs.

Abigail Grace Lloyd, BA ’11, graduated with her master’s degree from the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia where she worked as a graduate research assistant for the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Lloyd has accepted a fellowship as a policy analyst with the Office of Governor Nathan Deal in Atlanta.

Colin Anderson, BA ’13, played Moritz in the Crown Uptown Theatre production of “Spring Awakening” in Wichita, Kan. Brad Madore, JD ’13, joined Hartzog Conger Cason & Neville law firm.

Adenike Adebayo, JD ’13, was

recognized by BellaNaija after receiving the Oklahoma City Association of Black Lawyers Notable Student Award.

Ernie Pruneda, BM ’13, starred in “Sister Act” in San Diego.

Cody Crabaugh, ’09-’13, and Chase Jensen, ’09-’13, were

chosen in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The San Diego Padres took Jensen in the 22nd round with the 658th overall selection, while the Miami Marlins picked Crabaugh in the 32nd round with the 952nd choice.

Cody Crabaugh

Cody Ferrell, Justice Studies ’11’13, was signed to a free-agent contract by the Cleveland Indians and assigned to the Mahoning Valley (Ohio) Scrappers of the New York-Penn League.

’12 Caleb M. Gnage, JD ’12, was

sworn in as assistant district attorney in Warren County, Pa.

Glenn Kathleen Brown, JD ’12, was hired as a new associate at Helms & Underwood law firm in Oklahoma City.

Colin Waddell, BMIE ’12, has

been appointed the new orchestra director at Putnam City High School.

’13 The Edmond Sun ran a feature story

about Rich Hawkins, BS ’13, and other players from OCU in Major League Baseball.

Taylor Artman, BSB ’13, played in the OK Kids Korral Championship at the Belmar Golf Club.

Davis Good, BM ’13, wrote arrangements for the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival production of “The Comedy of Errors.”

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athletics

Compiled by Rich Tortorelli

golf Teams sWing national Titles Oklahoma City University’s Sondre Ronold captured the individual title in the NAIA Championships and led the secondranked Stars to their ninth men’s golf national championship May 17 at Creekside Golf Club in Salem, Ore.

OCU was the only team to finish under par at 280-288-289-291–1,148, four under par, on the par-72, 6,887-yard course. The Stars defeated top-ranked Texas Wesleyan by 28 strokes and No. 3 Cal State San Marcos by 33 shots.

OCU posted the widest margin of victory in the national tournament since 2005 when Johnson & Wales (Fla.) defeated Oklahoma Christian by 28.

Ronold, a senior from Stavanger, Norway, finished the tournament with a 69-69-7471–283, five under par, to become OCU’s fourth individual champion. Ronold notched five of his 17 birdies in the final round to edge Aaron Flores of Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) and Adam Loran of Cal State San Marcos by two shots.

OCU’s past individual champions are Tyrone van Aswegen in 2002, Nicholas Allain in 2003 and Daniel Mitchell in 2007.

Brent Akins finished runner-up in 2005.

Coach Kyle Blaser was named NAIA Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. OCU previously won men’s golf national titles in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2012.

New NAIA Hall of Famers OCU’s Keith Lytle and Chris Schroder were selected to the 2013-14 NAIA Hall of Fame Class.

Lytle has been recognized as one of the top hitting instructors in the nation during his 25-year tenure as OCU assistant baseball coach.

With Lytle’s aid, OCU has posted the most wins in the nation since 1991 (1,167), 12 consecutive 50-win seasons, 10 Sooner Athletic Conference titles and 12 trips to the NAIA World Series. The Stars were national runners-up three years in a row before breaking through to win the national championship in 2005. OCU set the single-season victory record in 2004 with 73. Lytle enters the NAIA Hall of Fame under the meritorious service category.

Schroder became a two-time first-team NAIA all-American pitching for the Stars. He entered the OCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 after setting OCU’s career earned run average record at 2.16 in 2000-01. As a senior, Schroder led the NAIA in victories and ranked second in ERA. Schroder was selected twice in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft. He reached the major leagues with the Washington Nationals on Aug. 8, 2006, against the Florida Marlins.

On the women’s team, OCU’s Jessica Schiele and Elia Folch finished first and second individually in the NAIA Championships to lead the Stars to their sixth women’s golf national title May 24 at Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb. The second-ranked Stars finished with a 310-305-305-304–1,224 on the par72, 5,979-yard course to defeat defending champion British Columbia by 12 strokes and seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle (Fla.) by 20. OCU tops NAIA women’s golf with six national championship titles.

Schiele became OCU’s fourth individual national champion, leading the NAIA. Emily Albrektson won the 2005 individual crown, Ashley Sholer took the 2006 title, and Sydney Cox captured the 2009 championship.

Folch is the fourth Star to finish as national runner-up, joining Bonnie Howard in 2005, Toni Pyrum in 2006, and Sholer in 2009.

OCU previously captured women’s golf national crowns in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.

Cheerful Champions: Team Wins Back-to-Back Titles OCU Cheer collected three national titles at the NCA/NDA NAIA College Nationals at Daytona Beach, Fla., in April.

The Stars took home NAIA titles in all-girl cheer and large dance and earned The National Cheerleading Association Division II championship in large co-ed cheer. OCU repeated as all-girl and large co-ed champs.

The Stars received a score of 92.40 to take the all-girl cheer title, topping Indiana Northwest (89.78).

In large co-ed, OCU turned in a final-round score of 94.53 to edge Columbus State (Ga.) by 1.45 points.

The Stars added their third national title with a score of 9.498 in large dance. OCU defeated St. Ambrose (Iowa) by 0.143 points and took the award for most innovative choreography. OCU took national runner-up in hip-hop dance and mascot categories while finishing as STUNT Division II runner-up for the second year in a row. OCU coach Brandy Corcoran was named Division II STUNT coach of the year.

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athletics Star Athletes

Fast Facts

Charlton Jones and Lauren Gober won the 2012Baseball 13 Jim Wade Awards, earning recognition as male • Hosted an NAIA Baseball Championship and female student-athletes of the year.

Opening-Round tournament for the The two fifth consecutive year. were among • Two Stars were selected in the Major the honorees League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in the eighth –Chase Jensen in the 22nd round annual Jim and Cody Crabaugh in the 32nd. OCU Wade Studenthas produced 65 players taken in the Athlete Awards MLB Draft.

Banquet on April 28 at Abe Basketball Lemons Arena.

• Earned ninth SAC men’s basketball Jim Wade tournament championship.

Award winners Charlton Jones, Jim Wade, • The women’s team went 16-0 in SAC are selected by and Lauren Gober play for the 10th undefeated season in the athletics SAC women’s basketball. department as those who best represent the Stars on • SAC women’s basketball co-player of and off the field and reflect the spirit of the award’s the year Lauren Gober was also finalist namesake, Gen. Jim Wade. for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Jones, a senior from Katy, Texas, became an Association NAIA Player of the Year honorable-mention all-American, first-team all-SAC award.

• Charlton Jones was named most and SAC Tournament most valuable player as a senior. valuable player for the SAC men’s Gober, a senior from Newcastle, has been named a basketball tournament. three-time all-American, four-time all-SAC honoree, • OCU women’s basketball coach two-time all-tournament in the NAIA Tournament, Latricia Trammell was selected as SAC Freshman of the Year, and co-SAC Player the SAC Coach of the Year. of the Year.

The OCU softball team has been recogThe university Cheer nized with the Team of Character Award. has won a national • OCU produced championship each year 64 all-Americans, the past 20 years, and owns including 22 among the spirit squads.

51 national championships.

• OCU spirit squads Since 1996-97, OCU has 12 coach Brandy top-10 finishes in the NAIA Academic Accolades Corcoran won NCA Director’s Cup standings and Division II STUNT • Fifteen OCU teams achieved a 3.0 has finished in the top Coach of the Year, or better cumulative GPA during the 13 nationally for and Jim Abbott became 2012-2013 season. Ten Stars squads 16 consecutive STUNT Athletic Director earned recognition as scholar teams years. of the Year. from the NAIA. The women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track teams led Golf the department with a 3.58 team GPA. • Captured 16th SAC men’s golf title • Two-time college-division academic all-Americans, in 17 years and 19th SAC men’s golf Michael Palmer and Shantel Wagner brought OCU’s crown overall. two-time academic all-American total to eight.

• Won 11th SAC women’s golf championship in 13 years.

• Lauren Gober in women’s basketball and Emily • Anthony Marchesani won the Phil Krienke and Jamie Rateliff in softball became OCU’s Mickelson Award as an outstanding other CoSIDA academic all-Americans this season. freshman men’s golfer in the NAIA. OCU has the all-time most CoSIDA academic • SAC men’s golf individual champion all-Americans among NAIA institutions.

Michael Palmer became OCU’s fourth • Thirteen Stars were named CoSIDA academic four-time all-American in men’s golf. all-district. All-district picks were selected by vote • SAC women’s golf individual champion from district sports information directors among Elia Folch also finished as national nominees with 3.30 minimum GPAs. runner-up.

• Meghan McMahon was recognized as • Eighteen NAIA scholar-athlete award winners from the SAC women’s soccer Player of the OCU were honored for achieving a 3.50 or better Year and Offensive Player of the Year. cumulative grade-point average.

• OCU men’s golf coach Kyle Blaser took • OCU’s Beatrize Martinez, Brittney Roberts, and NAIA Coach of the Year for the eighth Emily Webster each earned Women’s College time, the most of any coach. Blaser Wrestling Association scholar-athlete awards by was also SAC Coach of the Year. achieving a 3.5 or better overall GPA. • OCU athletics introduced the Athletic Director’s List to honor those students who make a 3.0 GPA in a semester. About 200 Stars made the inaugural list in the fall, while 182 comprised the spring list.

• OCU women’s golf coach Marty McCauley swept the NAIA and SAC Coach of the Year awards.

Rowing • Edgars Boitmanis won the men’s collegiate single sculling event at the Dad Vail Regatta.

• Liz Mathews won the Dad Vail Regatta women’s collegiate single sculling event.

Soccer • Advanced to the NAIA women’s soccer championships for the seventh time ever.

• Won an NAIA Championship Opening-Round women’s soccer match for the third consecutive year.

• Won SAC women’s soccer tournament championship.

• Brenna Skillern was named SAC women’s soccer Defender of the Year for the third straight year.

Softball • Reached NAIA softball championships for the NAIA-high 27th time after capturing the inaugural NAIA Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket.

Track and Cross Country • Katrina Nolan finished fourth place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the NAIA track and field championships, becoming OCU’s first NAIA cross country all-American and NAIA women’s cross country championships qualifier as well as first women’s outdoor track all-American.

• OCU’s first NAIA women’s indoor track all-American, Kate O’Halloran, took fourth in the women’s 600 meters in the NAIA indoor track and field championships.

• Arya Bahreini became OCU’s first men’s all-SAC runner and NAIA cross country championships qualifier.

Wrestling • Emily Webster (101 pounds) and Joey Miller (116) won WCWA titles. Miller became a two-time national champion and four-time all-American.

• Kidd Gomez (125 pounds) and Mitchell Eichenauer (184) were NAIA Central Qualifying Group wrestling champions.

Mark Meyer finished as runner-up at 157. Gomez, Zach Skates (165), and Teagan Franco (174) became all-Americans.

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Honorary Doctors

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Oklahoma City University awarded seven honorary doctorates last spring. The honorees included former The Oklahoman Editor Ed Kelley (1); Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Oscar-winner Jonathan Tunick (2); Tony Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth (3); Trustee Martha Burger (4); Burbridge Foundation Board Chairman Bobbie Burbridge Lane (5); Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis (6); and Farglory Chairman Chao Teng-Hsiung (7).

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in memory Richard L. “Dick” Tourtellotte Richard L. “Dick” Tourtellotte of Oklahoma City died Sept. 1, 2012. He was born Dec. 4, 1931.

Tourtellotte grew up in Stillwater and graduated from Oklahoma State University with honors in 1954. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Following the military, Tourtellotte joined Continental Oil Co., and returned to Oklahoma City to become a regional supervisor while studying law at Oklahoma City University. He graduated from OCU first in his class in 1964. He was named outstanding law graduate of Oklahoma and the 10th Judicial Circuit and was among the top 10 law graduates in the U.S. He also received the Berry-Opala Award, presented by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

He and his friends were considered “pioneers” of OCU Law School.

Tourtellotte was a member of OCU’s first Moot Court Team and was among the first members of the Learned Hand Inn chapter of Phi Delta Phi. He was also instrumental in the formation of the American Law Student’s Association at OCU. He entered the legal profession while raising his family in Oklahoma City and pursuing his second professional interest, real estate development. In addition to his successful career in law and real estate, Tourtellotte worked as a legislative aide for U.S. Senators Henry Bellmon and Don Nickles and Congressman Mickey Edwards. While working for Senator Bellmon, Tourtellotte was part of an eight-member Lawyer’s Advisory Committee whose primary responsibility was saving the school’s accreditation.

Tourtellotte is survived by his son, Robert, and his daughter, Debbie.

Memorial contributions can be made to the OCU School of Law Fund, 2501 N. Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, OK 73106.

Harrold McDermott

Harrold McDermott died March 29, 2013.

He was 50 years old.

McDermott was born and raised in Abilene, Texas. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and received his MBA, with honors, from Oklahoma City University.

McDermott was the executive administrator of the Department of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. He went to UAB in February 2011 from Indiana University School of Medicine, where he worked from 2008 to 2011 and was executive associate dean for administration, operations, and finance. He was senior executive associate dean for administration, planning, and finance at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston from 2005 to 2007, and twice served the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, from 1990 to 2005 and again from 2007 to 2008, when he was executive director of finance.

McDermott was active in numerous professional organizations, including the American College of Medical Practice Executives, and held leadership positions and served on committees of the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Medical Group Management Association.

McDermott also served in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1986. In 1986 he was selected from more than 20,000 soldiers to be Soldier of the Year of the I Corps, 9th Division at Ft. Lewis, Washington.

McDermott also earned highest honors as a professional dog breeder and shower. He was the president of the Bulldog Club of America and had recently earned his American Kennel Club judge’s license. He and his wife Teresa won numerous honors with their English bulldogs in American Kennel Club events throughout the country.

Class of 1939 Orley R. Jones

Class of 1971 Dana K. Kennedy

Class of 1947 Earl N. Peterson

Class of 1972 Charles E. Watkins

Class of 1949 Hugh J. Cassidy

Class of 1975 Charles E. Rice

Class of 1951 William C. Meadows

Class of 1977 Mary L. Link

Class of 1952 Mary L. Acers Patricia J. Eddie

Class of 1978 Shirley A. Darrell Peter A. Douglas

Class of 1956 Ralph G. Gibson Paul D. Newsome

Class of 1981 Donald P. Revene

Class of 1957 James I. Pollock Class of 1958 John F. Rieger Robert K. Blood Stanley D. Jones Class of 1959 Johnny Monsour Class of 1960 Vernon Y. Swafford Doyle L. Patton

Class of 1982 Willie P. Rose Class of 1985 Tammy D. Causey Karen L. Horne Class of 1987 Charles D. Houston Class of 1991 Peggy E. Marshall Class of 1992 David L. Bowling

Class of 1962 George J. Miskovsky

Class of 1994 Larry Jobe

Class of 1963 William P. Porter

Class of 1995 James R. Wickizer

Class of 1967 Vicki S. Bartel

Class of 1999 Harrold G. McDermott

Class of 1968 Richard E. Coulson Class of 1969 Marilyn S. Kawakami

Correction: Vicki Pape was incorrectly included on this list in the spring issue of FOCUS. Vicki’s husband, David, passed away last year. David designed sets and lighting for many of OCU’s theatre productions. Vicki is an alumna of OCU, BM ’78.

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in memory Robert Naifeh Robert “Bob” Naifeh died July 25 following a brief illness. Born in Bristow, Bob was the eldest son of Lebanese immigrant Zeak Thomas, and Rose Homsey Naifeh.

Bob attended Classen High School and The Military Academy of Oklahoma City before enrolling at the University of Oklahoma. He was called to duty in 1950 and served two years in the United States Army 52nd Airborne Unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In October of 1952, Bob married Jeaneen Eddie of Oklahoma City. The longtime Oklahoma City businessman began his career at the age of 13 when he went to work for Sooner Sales, the wholesale candy and tobacco company that his father founded in 1940. But once Bob learned he could double his pay, he left to go to work for John A. Brown as a shoe salesman at the age of 15.

Bob will be remembered best as the face of Central Liquor Company, the wholesale distributing company that he and his father founded in 1959 after the repeal of prohibition. Central Liquor started in a small warehouse on West Reno with four or five vans to deliver liquor to retail customers. Bob’s older sister, Selma, was in charge of helping their father, Zeak, process orders and do the

bookkeeping while Bob generated sales and made deliveries. Later, Bob’s brother, Franklin Naifeh, would join the family business, and the two would become partners, growing the business into the state’s largest wholesale liquor distribution company. In addition to building Central Liquor, Bob was instrumental in starting other businesses, including Sooner Beer (1961), Naifco Oil (2004) and several commercial real estate companies that he ran with his longtime business partner, Jerry Gamble.

Bob traveled extensively and kept a map of the world on the wall behind his desk. It served as inspiration for the many trips that he and Jeaneen would take over the years to Cuba, South America, Asia, England, and Europe.

Bob received an honorary Doctorate Degree in Commercial Science from Oklahoma City University and was inducted into the Meinders School of Business Hall of Honor.

He was a member of the Governor’s Round Table and former board member of St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. Bob served on the Advisory Board for a recent

YWCA Capital Campaign, then in 2012, The Naifehs were Allied Arts Campaign co-chairs, reflecting a lifelong love of charitable giving to arts programs throughout the community.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Paul; and a sister, Selma Naifeh. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jeaneen; a sister, Leilah Farha, of Wichita, Kan.; a brother, Franklin, of Oklahoma City; three sons and one daughter: Bradley and Valerie Naifeh, of Oklahoma City; Stan and Bonnie Naifeh, of Oklahoma City; Greg Naifeh, of Oklahoma City; and Darren and Jenee Lister, of Oklahoma City.

He also is survived by seven grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Flowers That Do Not Whither Fund at St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, 15000 N May Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73134; or The Robert Z. Naifeh Endowed Scholarship in Business at OCU, 2501 N Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, OK 73106.

Kathy Lee (Stracner) Jackson

Richard Coulson

Kathy Jackson was born Feb. 26, 1956, in Birmingham, Ala. She died June 21, 2013.

Jackson graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in music in 1978. She attended graduate school at Oklahoma City University and majored in voice.

She met her future husband, Peter, while he was teaching music at OCU. They were married Dec. 29, 1979.

The couple relocated to Dallas in 1982. They had three children–Laura, Diana, and Peter Ryan. They lived in the Dallas area until 2002, when they moved to the New York City area. They moved to Birmingham in 2005.

Jackson taught music for K-5th grade while in Oklahoma. While in New York, she taught music at a Christian school. She later taught history in a homeschooling co-op in Alabama.

Richard E. Coulson, 70, died at home of cancer May 9, 2013.

He was born in Panhandle, Texas, to Carroll M. and Mary E. Coulson.

After clerking for District Court Judge Alfred P. Murrah, Coulson became a professor of law at Oklahoma City University School of Law from 1972 until he retired, except for a brief time when he left to practice bankruptcy law. He served as dean of the School of Law during part of his time at OCU. Coulson also practiced arbitration law. After retirement, he became very active in working with Chief District Judge Vicki Miles-LeGrange of the Western Court District on collecting an oral history on judges of the Western District of the Federal Court of Oklahoma.

Services were June 1 in the Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel at OCU.

Carveth Osterhaus Former Oklahoma City University professor Carveth Osterhaus died May 15 at the age of 75. Carveth and his wife, Kay Creed Osterhaus, developed the School of Music’s division of opera, music theater, and dance in 1973.

Both Carveth and his wife graduated from OCU in 1963. In 16 years as an associate professor of performing arts, Osterhaus shared his talent, wisdom, creativity, and passion for music and theater with thousands of students.

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Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID Permit Permit#2384 #34 Oklahoma City, OK

2501 N. Blackwelder Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73106-1493

RISE 86 percent of OCU graduates who apply to medical school are accepted

Nursing graduates boast one of the highest RN licensure exam pass rates in the nation, averaging 94 percent during the past five years.

More Rockettes have come from Oklahoma City University than any college or university in the world, currently at 47 and counting.

The margin of excellence at Oklahoma City University is due to the generosity of our alumni and friends.

To make a gift, call (405) 208-7000 or visit www.okcu.edu/advancement.