The O'Colly, Friday, June 30, 2023

Friday, June 30, 2023

New STEM Hub to serve educators and students

Oklahoma State University recently launched the STEM Education Hub. Designed to be an allinclusive center for STEM education resources and opportunities, the STEM Hub will increase awareness and expand STEM education across the OSU system.

Through collaborative efforts, the STEM Hub is intended to serve K-12 teachers and students, college and university students, professors, parents and guardians.

This innovative work provides STEM resources to the public.

“A lot of people don’t realize they are a part of STEM,” said Susan Stansberry, educational foundations professor. “They think ‘I’m not pure

science. I’m not pure mathematics. I’m not an engineer.’ Really, all disciplines touch STEM in some way. Rather than STEM being just siloed disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, it is defined more as habits of mind and ways of applying creativity, design thinking, innovation and critical thinking.”

The online hub can be personalized by users as they can create a login, search for specific resources and save their favorites. The user can filter the intended audience, ranging from Pre-K to college level students, as well as adult learners and educators. The hub also includes a variety of subjects spanning from agriculture to business and veterinary medicine to virtual reality.

See STEM on 6

New vice president and dean of OSU agriculture appointed

Agriculture.

Honoring Pride

nizing her, respecting her and getting to know her is a beautiful tribute to this Pride Month.

Born in 1955, Kaufman was raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. Survived by her parents and brother, she describes her childhood coexistence as typical, but dysfunctional, in a nuclear family.

Jayson L. Lusk was named vice president and dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources by Oklahoma State University.

Lusk has a bachelor’s degree in food technology from Texas Tech University and a doctorate in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. Lusk began his career as an assistant professor at Mississippi State University and worked his way to the top from there.

Lusk was employed by OSU from 2005 to 2017 where he worked as an agricultural economics professor and held the Willard Sparks Endowed Chair, then worked as a regents professor. During this time, in 2011, Lusk lived in Paris where he conducted research for the French National Institute for

Lusk has worked as a professor and head of the Agricultural Economics Department for Purdue University since he left OSU in 2017.

In his lifetime, Lusk has published five books and more than 270 articles in peer-reviewed journals covering agricultural research and innovation.

Lusk’s latest book, titled “Unnaturally Delicious,” explains how science and technology work with agriculture to improve worldwide food insecurity.

Lusk has also received numerous awards including the Borlaug Communication Award from the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology and the Lou Ann Aday award -- Purdue University’s most prestigious research award in the humanities and social sciences. He has served on the executive committee of the USDA National Agricultural Research, Exten-

sion, Education and Economics Advisory Board. He is also a fellow and past president of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

With renown experience and skill, Lusk is more than qualified for his upcoming position as dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at OSU, which he will begin in August.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to come home to a place where I worked for 13 years and help build on the foundation in place to move the college and our state forward,” Lusk said. “It’s an opportunity to make an impact and to make a difference. It’s also a place where the students, faculty and staff are doing good things, and OSU Agriculture is well positioned with support of alumni and stakeholders to have an even bigger impact in Oklahoma and beyond.”

See Vice president on 5

Reigning Big 12 Champion KSU returns entire offensive line

Activist, former professor and member of the LGBTQ+ community: Judith Kaufman still carries optimism on her shoulders.

The LGBTQ+ community has made monumental strides to get to where they are today, and we have various elders of the community to appreciate and thank this Pride Month.

There is no doubt that elders in the LGBTQ+ community helped pave the way for those in the community that will come after them. Homophobia and transphobia were excessively prominent in the 1900s. Their bravery and persistence deserve to be celebrated in remembrance, not only during Pride Month but all year round.

This is especially true for Judith Kaufman. As a lesbian, she has had to overcome adversity and remain persistent with her morals and beliefs. Recog-

Out of high school, she attended local Clark University to receive her bachelor’s in psychology, graduating in 1978.

Kaufman had no idea she was a lesbian throughout her adolescence and teenage years, but there was something in the back of her mind that craved adventure. She knew she needed to make it out of Worcester and fulfill the longing feeling of finding herself outside of her hometown.

“It wasn’t even a thought that I was a lesbian” Kaufman said. “It hadn’t occurred to me, you know, it’s in 1978. We’re still living in a world where you don’t see folks who make their own [sexuality] visible, so I never had that reflection.

So I think I knew that I needed to leave home to begin to figure out who I was, and I needed to go far away.”

Staff Reporter

Football season is creeping up, and the Big 12 welcomes four new teams. The O’Colly will rank position groups in the conference each week. Previously, quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers were ranked. This time, it’s the offensive line.

1. Kansas State Cooper Beebe is a projected first-round pick in 2024 and is one of the best offensive linemen in the country. Beebe, a first-team All-American, will lead the best line, which returns all five starters. KT Leveston, Hayden Gillum, Hadley Panzer and Christian Duffie add to the talent on the line with Beebe. The five combine for 116 starts. The line limited opponents to 21 sacks last season and helped running back Deuce Vaughn total more than 1,500 rushing yards.

2. Texas A front line anchored by second-team All-Big 12 tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. returns all five starters and looks to be one of the best fronts in college football. Banks Jr. is the leader of this core, but Hayden Connor, Jake Majors, Cole Hutson and Christian Jones all make this frontline the second-best in the conference. The front five helped Texas running back Bijan Robinson run away with the Doak Walker Award last season.

3. West Virginia West Virginia sits around the top of this list because the Mountaineers bring back all five front-line starters, led by Zach Frazier. Frazier allowed one sack in 2022 and was named a firstteam All-Big 12 lineman. Frazier was named to the way-too-early All-American 2023 team by ESPN. The line allowed 20 sacks last season and features two former freshman All-Americans in Wyatt Milum and Tomas Rimac.

Courtesy of OSU

As part of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Lusk was chosen to lead the Ferguson College of Agriculture, OSU Extension and OSU Ag Research.

Courtesy of Judith Kaufman

Judy Kaufman, left, and Jan, her wife of 33 years.

Chase Davis

All five starting offensive linemen return for the Longhorns after opening lanes for Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson last year.

Davis Cordova

Jake Sellers Staff Reporter

Lauren King Staff Reporter

Jaycee Hampton News and Lifestyle

Assistant Editor

Judith Kaufman

Kelly Maxwell hasn’t done much research on what a tourist would do in Ireland.

Ireland, more specifically Fingal-Dublin, Ireland, is where Maxwell will be spending a portion of her summer with USA Softball. She’s one of 16 women on the U.S. Women’s National Team roster that will represent the USA at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup. July 11–15 is when Group A will battle it out in Stage 1 for a chance to move on to Stage 2 next summer in the next step toward the finals. Ireland is the third country Maxwell has been to outside of the United States. She visited Japan last year with USA Softball and checked off Mexico with OSU in February.

Although she’s excited to get another stamp on her passport, her agenda other than softball is unsure.

Well, for the most part.

“I’ve heard I have to drink a Guinness beer, so I’m sure I’ll try that,” Maxwell said with a laugh.

In Group A, the USA squad will be competing against world-ranked No. 3 Chinese Taipei, No. 9 Australia, No. 16 Great Britian and No. 17 Ireland.

International softball is much different from softball in America. Much like how styles of play differ in men’s basketball and soccer internationally, other countries play different styles than the women on the USA roster are used to.

“The way they play is a lot faster, and it’s hard to believe because softball’s already a game that’s fast, but the way that Japan and Great Britain and all those teams play is crazy intense,” Maxwell said.

She also got to call her own game, which was something different for the AllAmerican. Unlike in college, where you can throw a repeated pitch throughout a game, in international play that isn’t a reality due to the knowledge of the game and scouting other teams do. So, Maxwell can call her own pitches, and switch up her tendencies and scenarios when she feels like it.

Much like how the USA team will have to approach those games differently, Maxwell is going to approach softball differently once her time with USA Softball concludes.

Maxwell dealt with a nagging injury to her pointer finger on her left hand in the back half of the season. This injury was caused by the softball leaving her hand—specifically when she threw her primary pitch, the riseball— and not getting any rest during last summer and fall ball.

OSU coach Kenny Ga-

jewski originally told Maxwell she wouldn’t be playing in the fall, which at first was fine until the ace pitcher got “antsy” and wanted to play.

“We tried to shut her down in the fall, and she got antsy and irritated, and she’s back again,” Gajewski said in April. “So, we will shut her down; it’s going to have to heal. Maybe that will help, maybe it won’t.”

Despite the extra innings and balls Maxwell would throw with USA Softball, it was an opportunity that was hard to pass up, so with her accepting the roster spot, she will be resting in the fall.

“I sat down with Coach G and John (Bargfeldt) and all

the staff, and we just talked about how this is an opportunity you’re not going to get much in your life, so you might as well do it.

“So, I think I’ll be shut down probably for the whole fall after I get back from Ireland,” Maxwell said.

In the fall, the Cowgirls will be without Bargfeldt, their pitching coach, for the first time in four seasons. The former Tulsa head coach decided to retire earlier this month to spend more time with his family. This will also be an adjustment for Maxwell.

“John, I couldn’t give enough thanks and praise too; he’s a great guy on the field,” she said. “I think he’s just pre -

pared me for this opportunity in the best way possible.

“He always thinks that he could be replaced, but I don’t think John could be replaceable.” Despite the fact that he may not be able to be replaced in Maxwell’s eyes, he will have to be. With this position opening looming over the Cowgirls’ offseason, Gajewski sought the opinions of his two aces before diving into a coaching search, asking Maxwell and Lexi Kilfoyl what they’d want in a pitching coach.

Maxwell cited that she wanted a coach who would be consistent, extensively knowledgeable and always keep their health and bodies in mind,

much like Bargfeldt did. Although the offseason won’t contain much downtime for Maxwell, she’s looking forward to the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue on an international stage. That’s what she always wants—to play on the biggest stage.

“I think it’s everything a little girl can dream of,” Maxwell said. “It’s been a goal of mine ever since I’ve been little to play on the biggest stage; fortunate enough, I got to play at the (Women’s College) World Series, but to go play internationally and play different countries is an incredible experience that I could forever be grateful for.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Maxwell talks USA Softball, not playing this fall, Bargfeldt’s retirement

Chase Davis

Kelly Maxwell will be spending her summer with USA Softball for the second straight year. “I think it’s everything a little girl can dream of,” Maxwell said.

Ashton Slaughter Assistant

Sports Editor

4. Kansas The Jayhawks return four of five starters and add a former five-star recruit via the transfer portal. Mike Novitsky is the anchor in the middle for the line. Novitsky received second-team All-Big 12 honors last year and has 44 career starts. Dominick Puni, Kobe Baynes and Michael Ford Jr. return to the line after all three started most of last season. Kansas added Logan Brown, a Wisconsin transfer who was a five-star recruit. Brown started 20 games for the Badgers. The Jayhawks allowed a conference-low 12 sacks last season.

5. BYU

The Cougars lost one of their best linemen to the portal and will look to repeat production like last season. Starters Connor Pay and Kingsley Suamataia return to a line that helped the Cougars rank 11th nationally in rushing yards per game. Paul Maile, transfer from Utah, and Caleb Etienne, transfer from OSU, both are expected to start this season. Both were season-long starters at their programs.

6. Texas Tech Texas Tech found success in transfers Monroe Mills and Dennis Wilburn last season and added two starters from 2021’s best offense nationally. Mills and Wilburn transferred in and started the season for the Red Raiders. Mills didn’t see much playing time at OSU in two years while Wilburn wasn’t on scholarship until the end of the season. The Red Raiders get Cole Spencer back from injury and get Rusty Staats from the portal to fill in on the line. Both are from Western Kentucky and started in 2021 for the best offense that season. Texas Tech allowed a conference-worst 41 sacks last year.

7. Oklahoma

The Sooners’ line took a hit from last season but brought in more talent to beef up the front. Walter Rouse started 39 games at Stanford and Caleb Shaffer started 35 games at Miami (Ohio). Both are expected to start for the Sooners. Andrew Raym is the lone season-long starter to return with Savion Byrd and Tyler Guyton expected to take over the starting roles left.

8. Houston Houston doesn’t need to look outside the program to fill two spots left on the line, but the Cougars also return one of the best linemen in the Big 12. Tank Jenkins and Reuben Unjie didn’t play much last season but are expected to start for the Cougars this fall. Patrick Paul is a two-time first-team All-AAC selection and has 32 starts for Houston. The two other expected starters, Tyler Johnson and Jack Freeman, both started last season and combined to allow just three sacks.

9. Baylor

Baylor lost four of its five

starting lineman from last season but brought in one of the best offensive lineman transfers in the offseason. Clark Barrington, a BYU transfer, joins the Bears and instantly makes the front line better. Barrington started 40 games for the Cougars and was named an All-American. Barrington’s brother, Campbell, joins him in Waco. Campbell was named a freshman All-American two seasons ago.

10. UCF

UCF has reloaded its offensive line to help the transition into the Big 12. Alabama transfer Amari Kight, Fresno State transfer Bula Schmidt and Kent State transfer Marcellus Marshall are expected to start for UCF this fall. Schmidt and Marshall received firstteam all-conference honors last

season in their conferences. UCF also returns first-team All-AAC lineman Lokahi Pauole alongside Tylan Grable.

11. Oklahoma State

The Cowboys added a big transfer in the offseason to expand the depth of the line. Dalton Cooper transferred from Texas State after four years. Cooper is a two-time first-team All-Sun Belt selection. Cooper joins a line with experience, but he’s the most experienced with 36 career starts. The rest of the line includes Preston Wilson, Jake Springfield and Joe Michalski, who were part of the injury-riddled line last year that allowed 27 sacks and blocked for the ninth-ranked rushing attack in the conference.

12. TCU TCU lost a lot after its

championship game appearance and will need to fill holes left on its line. Brandon Coleman and Andrew Coker are the returning starters from last season. Both players earned honorable mention for All-Big

12. To fill the void is Garrett Hayes, John Lanz and Jackson State transfer Willis Patrick. Patrick is the only one of the three to start in a game last season.

13. Iowa State Iowa State doesn’t use the transfer portal often and it didn’t use it to fill its offensive line this fall. Tyler Miller, Jarrod Hufford and Darrell Simmons Jr. all started for the Cyclones last season and are expected to do so this fall. Brady Petersen and Jake Remsburg are considered to be starters for Iowa State. The

duo combined for just six starts last season. The Cyclones had a stellar passing attack last season, but the rush was last in the Big 12 with 108 yards per game.

14. Cincinnati The Bearcats return one starter from last season and need big contributions from their transfers. Gavin Gerhart is the lone starter to return, he started all season at center. Cincinnati brought in Penn transfer Trevor Radosevich, Louisville transfer Luke Kandra and Kentucky transfer Deondre Buford. Radosevich is the only one who started all season last year. He earned All-Ivy League first-team honors in 2022.

Courtesy of Mackenzie Janish Kansas State returns its entire offensive line from last year’s Big 12 Championship team, including first-team All-American Cooper Beebe.

From South Carolina to Hungary, Dailey Jr.’s bond with Mike Boynton goes beyond OSU

Braden Bush

Editor

Mike Boynton began scouting Eric Dailey Jr. long before Dailey knew it.

At least, that’s the joke between them.

Dailey’s mother was on the women’s basketball staff at South Carolina when Boynton, now OSU’s coach, was a player for the Gamecocks’ men’s basketball team. Boynton got to know the family through those interactions and had followed Eric from afar since.

“I knew him before he knew him,” Boynton jokingly tells Dailey.

Dailey is set to join the Cowboys this season but first is representing USA Basketball at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary, along Boynton, who is serving as an assistant coach on the team.

Dailey is no stranger to the international stage. It’s his fourth tournament with Team USA, and he’s been part of the program since his sophomore year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. This tournament, Dailey is averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per game for the 4-0 USA squad.

“Each time I put on this jersey, it brings joy to me,” Dailey said in a Zoom call from Hungary. “Seeing my people smile and making the country proud is the best part.”

He and Boynton have crossed paths with USA Basketball before. Last year, they won a gold medal together at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship. Boynton has learned more about Dailey through

those experiences. “He’s obviously a kid who’s worked himself into being a really good basketball player,” Boynton said in the Zoom. “But the thing I feel more confident and looking forward to is being around him as a person. He’s a tremendous ambassador. He’s got a sense of maturity about himself that’ll give him a chance to have a major impact on our program from Day 1.”

Dailey, a 6-foot-8 forward, never worried about where he would play basketball after high school. To him, it was about the coach and who would be best suited to take him to the next level. For Dailey, that was Boynton.

Having graduated in 2022, Dailey took a postgraduate season at IMG and didn’t have graduation ahead of him after the season. Dailey wanted to get to work and begin his adjustment right away.

So, he called Boynton and asked when was the earliest he could come to Stillwater and start training. Boynton told him May.

“I was on the first thing, flying out there to Stillwater. And I was by myself, and it gave me just a feeling of how it would be. Just being up there without my teammates and being up there in the summer, it gave me time to really just hone in on my skills and lock in and just grind.”

For four weeks, Dailey went to the gym without missing a day and would often text Boynton from the gym, saying he was working on his game and getting acclimated. Dailey began to meet the staff and work with strength coaches.

Just one month in, Dailey said he’s already seen big improvements. And other than the lack of a beach, the adjustment to Stillwater has been smooth. He isn’t worried about

anything but basketball.

“Stillwater, it’s a good place to be when you’re trying to focus,” Dailey said. “There’s not many distractions there, and I feel like that’s what you need for a year if you’re trying to get to the bigger goal –which is the next level.”

Dailey chose OSU over name-brand programs such as Florida, Michigan and Texas, and the USA Basketball tournaments have only helped support a connection that goes back to Boynton’s college years. This summer is just another chance for Boynton and Dailey to get closer before the

real work begins.

“I chose Oklahoma State because of Coach (Boynton),” Dailey said. “I see how he did other guys before me, and I feel like he has what I need, and the school has what I need.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of FIBA

Eric Dailey Jr. and OSU coach Mike Boynton were part of a USA Basketball squad last summer that won gold at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship.

Sports

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

The benefits of group fitness

individuals?”

Oklahoma State University introduces the group fitness initiative Stay Strong, Stay Healthy for the first time.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy (SSSH) is an eight-week exercise program based on extensive scientific evidence. Research has shown that SSSH participants improve their strength, flexibility, balance and enhanced sleep quality. For older and less active, middle-aged adults show a collective reduction in fall risk as well as increased independence.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is a national program model originally developed by Steve Ball of University of Missouri in 2005.

Bree Baker – assistant professor and MAAX Lab director in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation – is enriched with the ins and outs of SSSH from her time as a postdoctoral researcher alongside Ball and continues to be involved with the program.

“We were watching the program work firsthand, but we didn’t have the research to back it at the time,” Baker said. “We had to sit down and ask the questions: Does it work? How much does it work? Does it work for a wide range of

Since Stay Strong, Stay Healthy has made it out of the lab, it has shown real growth since becoming an extension program. It has allowed for the program to disperse across many different counties, reaching nearly 15,000 individuals across the U.S. Now, utilizing extension agency networks is standard for the program.

Individuals who participated in the study were not avid partakers in exercise when the program first began. Although, after eight weeks attending classes and practicing a variety of movements, participants found themselves to be stronger and more capable than they thought they were.

“We saw unexpected results beyond the findings we had hoped for,” Baker said.

When contacting the first group of participants one year after their program had ended, many were still resistance training and proclaimed themselves as more confident which had encouraged them to keep trying new activities.

“Not many doctors prescribe weight lifting as a way to reduce fall risk,” Baker said. “The reality is that we have research that proves the efficacy of weight training for increased balance and mobility. This program model will positively impact Okla-

homans’ lives. It’s absolutely not necessary to be in shape or regularly active to join the program.”

“We are trying to break down barriers to accessibility and educate and educate folks on the benefits of strength training, safely and independently, that can be carried on even after the 8-week session to sustain activity,” she added.

OSU searched for candidates from all over the nation to fill the position.

OSU Provost Jeanette Mendez said this thorough search reached a strong pool of candidates, including Lusk.

“I am delighted that Dr. Lusk, a member of the Cowboy family, has chosen to return and lead the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources,” Dr. Mendez said.

“Oklahoma State University is a national leader in agriculture, and I believe Dr. Lusk will continue to build on the strong foundation of retiring vice president and dean Dr. Tom Coon.

academic programs, OSU Extension and all agricultural research efforts on campus and statewide.

Lusk will also lead the move-in and transition to the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall, the $115 million state-of-the-art teaching, research and Extension facility. The new building will focus on experiential learning, collaboration between students and faculty, adaptive research and encourage innovation. The building was launched in January of 2020 and is set to be completed in the summer of 2024.

The OSU/A&M Board of Regents approved appointing Lusk into the position.

The current session at OSU is progressive in activity and training level. For the first two weeks, participants may not even utilize weights but will instead focus on executing proper form and movements before they work their way up to resistance training. Nutritional facts and strategies will also be included in the curriculum.

Baker and her team are actively working to bring this program to extension agenciesthroughout the state, with the goal of Stay Strong, Stay Healthy having a presence in all 77 counties.

“As part of the systemwide strategy OSU unveiled in October 2022, the university has a focus on fighting food insecurity with the concept of using research to help ‘nourish the world.’ Dr. Lusk’s background in partnering technology and agriculture dovetails perfectly with OSU’s commitment to leveraging research and innovation to improve the world’s food shortage issues.”

There are no requirements to enroll in the program and walkers and wheelchairs are welcome. Visit the Department of Wellness website to stay up to date on upcoming sessions. For more information or to become certified as an instructor for future sessions, contact Bree Baker at bree.baker@okstate.edu.

As part of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Lusk was chosen to lead the Ferguson College of Agriculture, OSU Extension and OSU Ag Research.

Lusk’s duties consist of overseeing

“I’m excited to welcome Dr. Lusk back to OSU as the new vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture,” said Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture and member of the OSU/A&M Board of Regents. “Dr. Lusk is well-known across the country and will bring a unique perspective and passion to this position. The work of OSU Agriculture faculty and staff, along with the leadership team, is essential to the success of the Oklahoma agriculture industry. I am looking forward to his return to Stillwater and seeing how Dr. Lusk’s vision helps further Oklahoma agriculture.” news.ed@ocolly.com

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy is a national program model originally developed by Steve Ball of University of Missouri in 2005.

Emi Norton Staff Reporter

STEM...

Continued from 1

Additional filters include sorting the opportunity type from after-school program or camp to scholarships and

online learning. Educators and researchers can specifically search for grants and funded projects, lesson plans or professional development resources. Resources and opportunities can also be filtered by the affiliated organization or institution and their location across the OSU system.

“I wanted to create an outward facing resource to serve STEM educa-

tion,” Stansberry said. “I wanted it to function like Netflix where a teacher can go and filter through resources and save what they like or find helpful. Educators don’t have time to go to multiple places to find resources.”

By serving a wide audience, the hub can benefit faculty members in maximizing the impact of research grants, but it can also help parents find

Courtesy of OSU

opportunities for their child.

Stansberry emphasized the importance of making information, opportunities and resources available and accessible. Throughout the next year she will be engaging with STEM education collaborators across the OSU system to stay aware of all K-12 STEM opportunities and continue to grow the hub. news.ed@ocolly.com

Through collaborative efforts, the STEM Hub is intended to serve K-12 teachers and students, college and university students, professors, parents and guardians.

After graduating from Clark, Kaufman and a group of her college friends packed up and headed on a six-week cross-country road trip that eventually ended in Concord, California. Experiencing new things for the first time, she was able to learn things about herself she never knew and comfortably lived a “hippie” lifestyle. She started off working in a liquor store in Concord and eventually began working at an abortion clinic with her first girlfriend and friends. She was exposed to a new world of politically active women—some of whom happened to identify as lesbians.

“I think my political evolution around being queer was gradual, you know?” Kaufman said. “I was immersing myself in the abortion movement, sort of post-Roe v. Wade, and the women’s health movement, women taking control of their bodies. I’m in a network of women who are focused on women’s health and I think at that point in time being a lesbian was kind of beside the point; I was kind of struggling with, you know, am I a lesbian? Or am I just a woman who’s attracted to other women?

And what does it mean to be a lesbian?”

In November of 1978, not far from Concord, the mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone, and supervisor, Harvey Milk, were assassinated. The former supervisor, Dan White, was enraged his position was to be filled and made his way into city hall and shot the two men fatally.

This struck close to home for numerous LGBTQ+ members as Milk was openly gay and Moscone, a straight man, was in support of gay rights and honorably considered ahead of his time politically.

Kaufman recalls this particular tragedy as a turning point for her when she imme -

diately felt deeply connected to the situation. Unsure why that connection was there at the time, soon after Kaufman fully came to terms with who she is as a lesbian woman.

After a few years in California, Kaufman returned to the east coast to receive her doctorate. Studying at State University of New York (SUNY) in Albany, she dove into a new kind of activism.

Activism has always been important to Kaufman; being able to join forces with someone who has similar ideals and the urge to make change is undoubtedly powerful to her and she knew from the start it is the only way to make change. Diving into activism and seeking help when it is needed is just the first step in creating a new narrative.

“You come together with other people who are going through the same struggles,” Kaufman said. “You talk about it, you begin to think politically about ‘how do we turn this around?’ I mean, that’s the only way to deal with it. I think coming together as a group of people and talking about it, and then figuring out how to educate other people about what you’re talking about. That’s the way change happens.”

In the 80s, the AIDS epidemic hit hard and homophobia was at an all-time high in the United States. Kaufman was quick to become involved with ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). Not entirely sure how she got into the group initially, she stated that as soon as she knew of the organization she began attending meetings.

“The focus is on educating ourselves about what it is,” Kaufman said. “What I did with ACT UP was attending meetings, getting information out to the community, the protests have all been demonstration marches. It’s about an effort to turn this [AIDS] around.”

At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, Kaufman stated President Ronald Reagan did not make it a top priority at first. The general public was first made aware of AIDS in

the summer of 1981, but U.S. leaders, such as Reagan, were silent for many years. Kaufman knew ACT UP and members of the community would have to take things into their own hands and raise awareness.

On Sept. 17, 1985, the former president finally mentioned AIDS publicly.

After completing her Ph.D. (1989) in educational psychology and statistics from SUNY, her soon-to-be wife, Jan, hired her on at Union College. After a radical dissertation topic was given to the psychology department, things turned quickly, but not necessarily for the worse.

In 1991, Jan encouraged Kaufman to accept a professorship at Oklahoma State University in the Department of Applied Behavioral Studies in Education.

Knowing she only wanted to be hired if the school was aware of her being a lesbian, she said OSU saw no problem with her identity and welcomed her in. She became an adviser for OSU’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Community Association (GLBCA), and eventually in 1993, she accompanied some students and faculty to the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation.

Before her time in Stillwater, she did not expect to fall in love with the campus and town. But she did immediately, and as the years went on, Jan would eventually move to Enid and they would visit each other. Today, they have been together for 33 years.

Kaufman also created a group in Stillwater called the Acadykes.

The group, targeted explicitly toward lesbians who were academics, would host monthly dinner parties and attend retreats. Kaufman had the desire to be around other lesbians in the community and she eventually published an ad printed in the Oklahoma City lesbian newspaper. This brought attention to the Acadykes and the group continued throughout her time in Stillwater.

In 1996, Kaufman left Oklahoma and became a professor and director for the doctoral program in Learning and Teaching at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Her continuous drive to teach and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights is inspiring, even after her recent retirement in August 2022.

“I take the long view,” Kaufman said. “Knowing full well, that you may die before there’s significant change. If you hadn’t taken those steps, then the change won’t happen. So whether the change is going to be immediate or whether the changes are in the distant future; if you don’t move forward, if you don’t educate, if you’re not talking to people, if you’re not engaging in activism, then you’re not making at least the possibility [for change]. I’ve always told my students, the first women who fought for women’s rights, it took 150 years. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was long dead by the time women got the vote. That’s what keeps me going. You have to live a life that’s responsive to the issues that are happening in the community that you live in. And if you

aren’t doing that, you’re a part of the problem.”

Many LGBTQ+ elders have had experiences since the 1950s. Kaufman herself has lived through an excruciating time for those in the community, and all they have been striving for is equal rights. In recent years, elders are getting to live in peace as they have always deserved. There is still a long way to go, but their perseverance has given them rights and respect outside of the closet.

“I’m an essential optimist, and I don’t think that the U.S. population is stupid,” Kaufman said. “I think many people are getting very angry at their freedoms being taken. Parents, who no longer can make decisions about whether children can read or not read. Legislators are making those decisions for them. It’s all a piece of taking away freedom, and I think when we look at it that way, people are getting really pissed. If we can continue to hammer home the idea that this is about everybody’s freedom. This is not about trans folks, this is not about banning books, this is not about abortion. It’s about freedom.”

Courtesy of Judith Kaufman Activism has always been important to Kaufman; being able to join forces with someone who has similar ideals and the urge to make change is undoubtedly powerful to her and she knew from the start it is the only way to make change.

Empowering minds

A comprehensive guide for men navigating mental health

Tanner Kenyon Staff Reporter

Amid the hustle and stress of university existence, men can cultivate healthy mental habits by embracing a gradual approach to self-improvement.

University life can be a rollercoaster ride, with the excitement of independence, the stress of academic demands and the navigation of new social landscapes. For men in particular, societal expectations can often lead to the neglect of mental health.

This article intends to be a guide of sorts and is comprised of practical tips and strategies, emphasizing the significance of small, consistent changes. This guide advocates for changes in various aspects of life such as fostering positive self-talk to incorporating exercise into one’s daily routines. Young men are empowered to go on a transformative journey toward enhancing one’s mental well-being, one manageable step at a time.

Mental health in general is a delicate subject as we never know who is struggling. However, it is common for men to have misconceptions and negative stigmas surrounding that aspect of life. Over 6 million men struggle with depression every year and 2.3 million Americans are affected by bipolar disorder, according to an article published by Mental Health America, a leading mental health nonprofit.

The goal is to always be better than you were yesterday, whether it be a small or large change. That has been my personal mantra for as long as I can remember. I have struggled with mental health throughout my life, and have become more aware about the importance of

mental health. Now saying that, these are tips and strategies that I have incorporated into my own daily routine that I believe to be beneficial.

Positive Self Talk: Positive self-talk and optimism can be powerful tools for managing stress and improving overall health. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through our minds 24/7. If these thoughts are mostly positive, they can contribute to an optimistic outlook on life, which can be beneficial to mental health.

Self-affirmations, or uplifting statements to oneself, can be powerful tools to foster self-confidence and reduce stress. An example of self-affirmation would be “I am constantly growing and evolving into a better person.

Exercise: Physical activity is another crucial aspect of maintaining and improving mental health. It is imperative one incorporates exercise into their daily routine. It can serve as a powerful stress-reliever and could even serve as a mood booster. Making any form of exercise a part of your daily routine can significantly enhance one’s mental well-being. Whether it be a quick jog in the morning, a few minutes of yoga or even a game of basketball with friends, every single activity helps.

Exercise has been proven to improve mental health in people all around the world. This was proven by the American Psychological Association. The article goes on to advocate that exercise strengthens the mind’s muscles, boosts mental health and can even improve memory.

Utilizing Available Resources:

Universities offer numerous resources to support stu-

dents’ mental health, including counseling services and stressmanagement workshops. Don’t hesitate to make use of these resources if needed. Always remember this: seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but a provocative and aware step toward a better life.

While universities provide an array of mental health resources, it can be beneficial to seek services outside of a university setting if so desired. Therapy, in particular, can be an invaluable tool for navigating stress, anxiety and other mental health challenges. Finding a therapist that you connect with can offer you a safe space to express your feelings, gain insight into your emotions and develop effective coping strategies.

You are never alone, never forget that. Now saying that, there are hundreds of resources available to you wherever you are located. Therapy often has a negative stigmatization around it which I personally believe is unfair. I have been to therapy before, and it has helped me immensely. It is all a matter of finding the right therapist for you. You don’t even have to see them consistently if the situation is overwhelming to you, just whenever needed.

Foster Strong Relationships:

Having a strong support system is ideal as it can act as a buffer against mental health issues. You should make an effort to maintain a strong relationship with your friends and family, and don’t hesitate

to reach out for support when needed. Universities often have clubs or groups that provide opportunities for socializing and meeting new people that share similar mindsets. An example of a club at Oklahoma State would be Active Minds, which is a nonprofit organization. Remember, mental health is a journey, not a destination. It’s about making small and consistent changes to your daily routine that add up over time. No matter how big the step may be, it is important to at least always take a small one. By incorporating these tips into your life, you’ll have taken the first step to improving your mental well-being. Take it one step at a time and remember to celebrate the victories along the way.

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Physical activity is a crucial aspect of maintaining and improving mental health.

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Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (06/30/23). Pull together for victory this year. Consistent practice builds foundational skills. Beautifying spaces for autumn family celebrations leads to a winter social transition phase. Renovation or relocation takes focus this spring, before a summer lucky break propels your career. Collaborate with friends for common gain.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Explore the great mysteries. Faith and hope can seem missing with Neptune retrograde over the next five months. Practice compassion, especially with yourself.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Illusions can cloud your view. Share support and fun with friends. Reminisce with teammates over five months with Neptune retrograde. Abandon preconceptions. Connect.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate. Reaffirm old bonds with Neptune retrograde for five months. Your work reflects you well. Review and revise professional goals. Invent new possibilities.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Review your adventures and travels over five months with Neptune retrograde. Cross a body of water, maybe. Consider where you’ve been and where you’re going.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Consider how you’ve profited in the past together with Neptune retrograde. Revise arrangements. Plug any financial leaks. Conserve resources. Transition to new income sources.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Domestic comforts entice. With Neptune retrograde in Pisces for five months, you feel most comfortable with familiar friends and partners. Share nostalgic retrospection.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Balance stress or burnout with relaxation and peace. Revise physical routines to nurture your health and wellness with Neptune retrograde for five months.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — The past can seem especially romantic with Neptune retrograde. Let it inspire your art and creativity. Weave magic and dreams into your work.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Profits abound, with work. Slow and rest to avoid burnout. Release unsatisfying pursuits. Neptune retrograde inspires hiding out at home in soothing privacy.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — What was hidden gets revealed with Neptune retrograde. For the next five months, use your heightened sensitivity to support negotiations, compromise and diplomacy.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — You’re especially insightful, intuitive and sensitive with Neptune retrograde. Contemplate deep mysteries. Imagine a dreamy situation. Make inspiring plans over the next five months

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Indulge nostalgic reflection with Neptune retrograde in your sign. Resolve a personal issue. Rediscover a forgotten dream. Revise old fantasies for who you are now.

ACROSS

1 Group with a Brain Training app

6 “Mic Drop” K-pop band

9 Secure

13 Advanced HS English course

14 Minor disruption

15 Secure

16 Loudness of

Spencer Leach

Solution to Thursday’s puzzle

Complete