Thursday, February 15, 2024
OSU named one of America’s Best Employers in 2024 Courtesy of OSU News
Oklahoma State University was named to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Midsized Employers 2024 at No. 103 out of 400. OSU also ranked No. 23 among educational institutions on the list. Forbes and Statista Inc. presented the prestigious award based on evaluations from over 170,000 U.S. employees. The survey encompassed companies with at least 1,000 employees, categorizing those with 1,000 to 5,000 workers as midsize employers. “I am proud of the university’s place on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Midsize Employers,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said. “Thanks to the dedication and expertise of our OSU faculty, staff and researchers, OSU is on the path to becoming the nation’s preeminent land-grant institution.” The OSU Department of Human Resources is committed to fostering an environment conducive to employee success. Embracing the Cowboy Code, university employees draw upon the distinctive Cowboy Culture to cultivate servant leaders who contribute positively to society. “It’s truly an honor to learn Oklahoma State University has been named to Forbes America’s Best Employers 2024 list,” said Christa Louthan, OSU assistant vice president, chief human resources officer. “OSU has a tradition of excellence because of our committed
Gary Lawson Forbes has named OSU as Oklahoma’s No. 1 midsized educational employer.
staff and faculty. Our state-of-the-art facilities and beautiful campus — combined with our talented, friendly Cowboy family — make OSU a great place to work.” Survey respondents rated their employer across several criteria, includ-
ing working hours, gender pay equity, training and promotion opportunities, workload expectations, parental leave benefits, and management team diversity. They also indicated their likelihood to recommend their employer and evaluated other companies in their industry.
Responses came from current and former employees and individuals familiar with the company through their networks. The analysis covered data from the past three years, giving more weight to recent responses and those from current employees. news.ed@ocolly.com
‘Politics & Pastries’ Hot-topic issues with sweet treats Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter
Tribune Content Agency A video board displays logos for Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium ahead of Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Most memorable Super Bowl LVIII ads Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter
Let’s be honest: the best part of the Super Bowl isn’t football or Taylor Swift; it’s the ads. Super Bowl advertisements are famous for their over-the-top premises, trailer
drops and celebrities. Companies bring out the big bucks for their TV spot. Businesses pay about $7 million for 30 seconds of screen time, according to the Wall Street Journal. That means Temu dropped $21 million to subject everyone to their earworm of a jingle. The movie industry made waves with the new “Wicked” first look starring Ariana Grande and a teaser
“Deadpool & Wolverine.” Both had movie buffs reaching for their phones to watch again and again. There were a few classics in the building, with the Budweiser Clydesdales and M&Ms, but the standouts were the commercials that got creative, had fun and evoked emotion. Here are the best ten ads of the Super Bowl 2024 in no particular order. See Ads on 5
Discussing politics is part of a free society, but what is better? Pastries. Warm, flaky, sugary pastries. Lucky for us, we don’t need to choose. The Political Science Department, working with the Delta Kappa Kappa chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, is hosting “Politics & Pastries” every first Friday of the month. The one-hour event invites students to discuss hot-topic political issues in a discussion-based environment with professors from the Political Science Department. Holley Hanson is one of two professors who led the discussion last Feb. 2. She said she prioritizes leading with the facts and giving her students everything they need to get a complete picture of any topic. “One of our major goals is the idea of talking about news events, but from a more informative fact-based discussion,” Hanson said. “Thinking of how we can take our expertise and help students work through these ideas.” Although Hanson and her colleagues led the conversation, the members of Pi
Sigma Alpha made the event happen. “The executive board picked the topic,” Hanson said. “They’re the ones who come up with the topics, and they think of the professors who could discuss it.” Abby Morey is on Pi Sigma Alpha’s executive team and runs its social media accounts. She and her team focus on creating a place for people to learn and thrive politically. “We really, as a community, as an honor society, want to help people,” Morey said. “We’re not trying to change people’s opinions, but just give them the information they need to make informed decisions.” One of the most significant topics worldwide is the Israel-Hamas conflict, and that’s why with pastries in hand, Morey and her fellow executive members brought it to politics and pastries. “I think increasing awareness of the world, whether it be in the area of international politics or national politics,” Morey said. “People have need to have an idea of what’s going on around them.” Stephen Nemeth is an associate professor in the Political Science Department who studies conflict and terrorism. He provided multiple opportunities for healthy debates and informative answers to students. See Politics on 8