The O'Colly, Friday, May 12, 2023

Friday, May 12, 2023

Graduates of

Courtesy of Pierce Jones Pierce Jones, a 2022 graduate, is a restaurant manager. He said there are lots of unexpected costs when transitioning from college to work.

OSU alumni tells 2023 class, ‘Try not to stress’ in first year out of school

Ready to launch International students leave prepared

Oklahoma State University is a bridge between dreams and reality for many international students.

Bush Assistant Sports Editor

Alexis Vance Williams’ first job out of college kind of is rocket science.

“When you think of Apollo 13 and the scene when they say, ‘Houston, we have a problem,’ I am Houston,” she said.

Vance Williams has many duties. She’s in charge of water, oxygen, nitrogen, pres -

sure, carbon dioxide removal and other parts of human spaceflight for Johnson Space Center in Houston and does emergency management for the International Space Station. Everything that keeps a person alive in space, she said.

But first, Vance Williams was a 2022 OSU graduate.

“I joke that even though I do emergency management for the International Space Station, managing fires in space is way less stressful than being an engineer in college,” Vance Williams said.

See Advice on 5A

Senior Pete’s time: ‘I was a part of something bigger’

Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter

Pistol Pete is many things, but the man under the hat is a student and future graduate of Oklahoma State University.

Pistol Pete brings the rowdy to every field he takes to keep the students, faculty, fans and alumni’s spirits high. He attends every game and event imaginable to support the Cowboy family.

Cooper Price, one of the current Pistol Petes, has held the title for a year. He auditioned for the role multiple times after being inspired and encouraged by friends and watching them take on the mantle.

“I tried out a lot,” Price said. “I’d seen two of my good friends get it.”

During the tryouts last year, a panel of former Pistol Petes interviewed and put Price through different scenarios while in costume.

At the end of the day, the 93rd Pete was announced: his friend Traber Smithson. But the 94th Pete spot was still up for grabs.

“The nerves really sat in because it was my last chance,” Price said. “Then they called me and I don’t think I stopped smiling for a week; it was a surreal experience.”

For these eight graduat ing students, OSU was a place to grow professionally, personally and socially. Here they share their sto ries, advice for future international students and accomplishments during their time at OSU.

Salome Suarez

OSU has not disappointed Suarez.

Suarez is from Quito, Ecuador, and she came to OSU to earn her Ph.D in plant pathology.

“I think my childhood was pretty great,” Suarez said. “I really loved it.”

Suarez said aside from different majors, she had similar opportunities in Ecuador as in the US. She came to OSU because Carla Garzon, a now retired professor from Ecuador, had a program to bring Ecuadorian students to OSU.

Suarez liked the program, department and professors, so she chose OSU.

Suarez studied abroad for a year in Belgium when she was 17, so preparing to move to the US was not difficult for her.

“The beginning is always sad because you’re always going to miss your family and friends,” Suarez said. “But then you start making new friends over here and you start getting to know other people and getting involved in other activities. That makes it a lot better.”

Since high school, she has known she wants to work in a field related to biology, so she earned her bachelor’s degree in biotechnology engineering. She is interested in plant pathology because of how it can be useful to people, such as protecting plants from diseases, which in turn, increases food security.

Suarez is currently looking for a job and said she is ready for something outside academia. She wants to work in a research lab, specifically with fungal diseases, but said she would also love a job working with bacteria, viruses, nematodes or any other plant pathogen.

“Examining different toxins, peptides or metabolites that are produced by fungi, I think that that would be like my dream,” Suarez said. “I would love to have a team that does research on that. And if I get to travel around the world doing research in different parts of the world, that’s my dream.”

Rabia Ahuja

As she prepared to leave her family and home for the first time, Ahuja packed enough food, toiletries and clothes to last her a month.

Ahuja had not been aware of the resources OSU offers to its students, and she anticipated life away from home would be hard. She was living with her family in a small town in the Punjab region of India, and moving to the US was a big change for her.

“While I was boarding for my first international flight for America, I was very scared to go away from my family,” Ahuja said. “But with motivational family and supportive friends, I was able to do this.”

Ahuja came to OSU to pursue research in the field of plant biology. The land-grant research in the field of plant pathology was a specific motivator for attending OSU.

Ahuja is graduating with her master’s degree in plant biology and will pursue her Ph.D in the same field at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Once she graduates with her Ph.D, she plans to find a job in the field of molecular biology, but as of now is unsure whether she will

continue to live in the US.

“My expectations (for college in the US) were to have experience and research progress in the field of plant biology, and OSU perfectly matched my expectations,” Ahuja said.

Ahuja said she had a great experience at OSU, and she advises future international students to access the available resources.

“Since there are many WhatsApp groups and other online resources for international students, everyone should try to have access to them, because they can get answers for their questions,” Ahuja said. “Usually there are (a) tremendous number of queries and doubts, but if incoming students can pay attention to the available resources, they can easily get answers for their questions.”

Santiago Neira Neira’s nightmare became a reality on his first day in the US. He arrived a week later than planned with no SIM card and, because he enrolled late, no access to the school Wi-Fi. Neira had no way to contact his family, friends and girlfriend back in Bogotá, Colombia.

“I actually arrived right here at like 9 a.m., and by 7 p.m. still didn’t contact my family, so that was difficult,” Neira said.

Neira did not choose OSU; OSU chose him. He went to the Columbian School of Engineering Julio Garavito and his adviser told him about an opportunity OSU. He applied, interviewed and was selected for the master’s program in fire safety and explosion protection.

“In this program we don’t only focus specifically on fires and explosions,” Neira said. “We also try to prevent that (from) happening. I chose this program because I work with hazardous material team mentors, so my focus in my first thesis was to develop safety management from those materials in order to avoid or prevent tragedy in case of an incident of a fire

or an explosion.”

Neira advises international students to live the international student experience without fear and to get to know as many people as possible. Neira also wants international students to be aware they are representing their homes when they come to OSU. Being a positive representation opens the door for other students from those countries to be able to come here, Neira said.

“Don’t be afraid, (...) and in a certain way, we are representatives from our country,” Neira said.

“Every single day when I work, I want people to know Colombians can do these things.”

Jennifer Tapia

Roses provided her everything she needed as a child.

Now she is graduating with a master’s degree in plant and soil science.

Jennfier Tapia was raised in Ecuador, and her father exported roses for a living. Tapia said Ecuador is a beautiful country full of biodiversity and natural resources. When she first applied for her master’s degree, she applied to plant pathology and plant sciences.

“I have always been fascinated to work with plants,” Tapia said. “I feel like with all the problems with climate change that is happening, I think there will be a point we will need to produce more food to ensure global food security, because the population is going to increase, but the food should increase as well.”

Tapia will continue growing her love of plants; she will be working toward a PHD in plant biology in the fall at North Carolina State University.

Graphic by Sam Beebe

Bella Casey and Stephanie Landaverde

Santiago Neira

Salome Suarez

Jennifer Tapia

Braden

Rabia Ahuja

Memorable moments

Baylor Bryant Michael Clark

Rebekah Cleary

Micah McKamie

Jaycee Hampton

Isaac Terry

Bella Casey

Taylor Carroll

Emi Norton

Stephanie Landaverde

Olivia Lane

Jaycee Hampton Cassius Davis

Greek life shapes OSU students, leave a mark on their story

Norton Staff Reporter

Seniors are taking their last walks around Greek neighborhood and preparing to wrap up this chapter at OSU.

Greek life at Oklahoma State University consists of nearly 50 fraternity and sorority chapters and four governing councils that include the Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and Panhellenic Council.

With 13 National Panhellenic Conference sorority options for women, OSU states it has historically strived to promote and enable individuals to interact with other students of all ages, backgrounds and interests.

Orange gowns celebrate outstanding graduates

Olivia Lane Staff Reporter

Each semester, one graduate walks across the stage in a bright orange gown.

All semester, graduating seniors have sent out invitations, planned for their careers and acquired their cap and gown to prepare for commencement. A select few students from each college are chosen to wear an orange cap and gown for graduation.

Jessica Cortez is an outstanding senior in the College of Education and Human Sciences. She is graduating with a degree in human development and family sciences. She is also a McNair scholar and a former president of the Hispanic Student Association.

“To me, wearing an orange cap and gown at graduation not only represents the College of Education and Human Sciences but also represents the minority population at OSU,” Cortez said.

To Cortez, one of the most important parts of having an academic platform is representing students of different cultures and their impressive work ethics and academic achievements.

“In my case, I think it’s essential to showcase students like myself, a Hispanic woman, because highlighting the achievements of individuals from diverse backgrounds can promote representation and work towards creating a more

equitable and inclusive society,” Cortez said.

The orange gown signifies outstanding academic achievements and involvement.

“I don’t think this achievement is about being the smartest; it’s about having the work ethic and drive to constantly do better and grow,” Cortez said.

Sarah Bishop is an outstanding senior in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. She is graduating with a degree in industrial engineering and management. She is also an officer in the Institute of Industrial and System Engineers.

“It is an honor to represent CEAT and the School of Industrial Engineering and Management as the Orange Gown Graduate,” Bishop said. “I was humbled to be selected because of the many other equally deserving engineering students.”

Bishop believes that you don’t have to be a genius in order to stand out and work hard.

“As with everything in life, you have to put forth the effort if you want to achieve your goals,” Bishop said. “I realize I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I do try extraordinarily hard to prepare for class and prepare for examinations.”

Jackie Harsha is an outstanding senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is graduating with three degrees in geospatial science information system, geography and Spanish, with honors in Spanish.

“My biggest accomplishments include receiving and maintaining a 4-year AFROTC scholarship, the General Carl Spaatz Award through the Civil Air Patrol, being one of the OSU Alumni Association Outstanding Seniors and receiving a Humphrey’s Long Term Travel Grant to study abroad in Granada, Spain in spring 2023,” Harsha said.

Along with her majors, Harsha is graduating with three minors. She maintained a high GPA and stayed involved in extracurriculars during her four years at OSU. However, she acknowledges the help she had along the way.

“I am humbled by this honor because the only way I achieved the orange gown was through my friends, family and mentors that guided me through my time at OSU,” Harsha said.

Being chosen to don an orange cap and gown at the commencement ceremony is an immense honor, meant to highlight only the most hardworking and outstanding students.

“When I first began applying for various awards this semester, it felt very unhumble and I had a lot of inner struggles with putting my name forward,” Harsha said. “[One of my professors] then told me that it is important to highlight student achievements, not because of the student receiving the award, but to inspire other students by showing them what is possible.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Hannah Gonzalez, an agribusiness pre-law major and marketing and environmental sciences minor, is grateful for the opportunities that the Delta Sigma chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has granted her as she reflects on the past four years involved in Greek life.

“Inside this house I have found a community of women who share similar values, goals and aspirations,” Gonzalez said. “Since joining I have participated in intramural sports, shows, was chairman for one of our fall parent weekends and even had the opportunity to lead the potential new members through recruitment as a Gamma Chi my junior year. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing women across campus.”

From leadership opportunities, homecoming events and seasonal performances, Greek life fills the event calendar each semester. Gonzalez reflected on her favorite events.

“From watching our members play in BPS (Boone Pickens Stadium) for Frenzy my junior year and getting to do my final walk around my senior year, it has been the most special and unique Cowboy experience,” Gonzalez said.

Greek life offers an environment in which sisters surround and accompany each other throughout their daily affairs.

Nica Simmons, a biology major, is

proud of the person that sorority life as a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma has made her into in the last four years.

“Kappa has shaped me in amazing ways that I didn’t know was possible,” Simmons said. “I am sure of myself, happy and on my way to make a difference in the world by following my dreams of going into the dental field.”

OSU’s sororities have brought people from all over the country to be involved in the sisterhood and find relief in a home away from home. Greek life spirit looks like getting involved with communities that are in need and showing the women in the sororities how to give back to those who need it most.

Alli Harper, a political science major and member of Alpha Chi Omega, recalls her favorite experiences have been these events, such as fundraising and supporting different nonprofit organizations.

“My favorite part of Greek life at OSU had been the philanthropic opportunities and my Greek family,” Harper said. “Shows such as Follies, VR and Spring Sing are how I met my big and the rest of my family. We got to build our relationships while also raising money and utilizing our time to support amazing causes such as Hearts for Hearing and the Eddie Sutton Foundation. Being able to create a real difference while doing something I love is an experience I’ll carry with me forever.”

Gonzalez offered advice as she reflects on her involvement in Greek life.

“One of the greatest lessons that I have learned from it is that it is hard to be presented with opportunities if you do not vocalize your interest,” Gonzalez said. “There’s so many unique connections that we make all the time that we are not even always aware of. Prior to this semester I would’ve never vocalized my aspirations to be a part of the Peace Corps, from fear of rejection. The connections we already have and have yet to make are already out there, simply waiting on us to give it the opportunity to present itself.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Hannah Gonzalez

Greek life seniors (from left to right) Hannah Gonzalez, Kenna Lam, Emily Scorsone, reflected on their time at OSU.

Courtesy of OSU

Sarah Bishop is an outstanding senior in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology who is graduating with a degree in industrial engineering and management.

Emi

Tapia will continue growing her love of plants; she will be working toward a Ph.D. in plant biology in the fall at North Carolina State University.

Tapia said coming to a new country is hard, but she suggests finding emotional support, in international or domestic students, as well as academic support, in advisers, faculty and departments.

“I think that the school is hard, but if you have the right adviser, department or people that care about you and are willing to support you, you will be fine,” Tapia said. “I think you’ll find you have to choose very well who is going to be your adviser or what research that you’re going to work on. I think that’s very important because it’s hard, you have to find a way to make it easier for you to go to grad school.”

Abhishek Tikar

It’s 90 degrees outside, and Tikar has no phone, no car and no ride home.

Tikar just moved to Stillwa ter from India to attend OSU and is strug gling to move into his new apartment at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With no car of his own and public transpor tation shut down across the country, Tikar walked to Walmart to buy sup plies for his new apart ment.

Tikar is waiting to get a phone and cannot call Uber or Lift to drive him home. Each of his hands are holding as many grocery bags as he can carry, and the Oklahoma heat made him feel like he was going to faint.

As he pushed forward, Tikar saw someone who could help him: a police officer. Tikar approached the car and asked for a ride, and the officer joked he was not Tikar’s Uber.

“Then, I was like, ‘If I’m going to try and walk, if I fall, call the Indian Embassy,’” Tikar said.

Tikar’s boldness to ask the officer for a ride paid off, and the officer drove him home. Since then, Tikar has purchased a phone and a car, as well as earned a master’s in mechanical engineering.

Tikar dreams of being an entrepreneur after he graduates. He left India to attend college in an area where he could learn the most about current software and technology.

Although Tikar has made many friends at OSU, not all international students share this experience. Tikar, a member of the Student Union Ac tivities Board, advised incoming international stu dents to explore what OSU has to offer by joining a club or organization.

Noninternation al students can contribute to the interna tional experience too. Tikar encouraged students to reach out to international peers.

“I feel like undergrad

specifically should try to communicate more,”

Tikar said. “If you see an international student, they are shy. Don’t be shy. Go and talk to them, say ‘Hi.’

They’re really sweet.”

Tikar suggested all students study abroad, but said students need to stop fantasizing about common study abroad locations such as Eu rope, and consider traveling to other locations. Speaking from experience, Tikar said traveling to unfamiliar places pushes one’s linguistic and cultural boundaries.

“That’s exactly what we’ve [international students] been through, and it only helps you grow out of your comfort zone,” Tikar said.

Abdulla Karjikar

Many students’ parents push them to pursue a certain major at college.

Karjikar, a senior gradu ate student studying computer science, said his parents assured him they would support

pact on them.

an im-

Karjikar’s passion for others has shone through at OSU during his time as a graduate teaching assistant. Karjikar’s job is to advise campus organizations, but he has also created computer automations that allow his co-workers to do less computer work manually.

Outside of his computer science work, Karjikar said he always wanted to learn how to dance. He joined the Latin American Student Association at OSU and performed at campus events such as the Miss Hispanic pageant.

“It’s been really great,” Karjikar said.

“I would say I feel like I did something by being here apart from studies as well.”

Reflecting on his experiences at college, Karjikar said he will miss OSU but is ready to graduate.

“It has been an integral part of

at TCC recommended she transfer to OSU for its graphic design program. Lee took her professor’s advice and found success in her projects at Lee’s photography was selected for the “Being and Belonging” collection displayed in the Student Union, which gave students the chance to showcase what finding a community or sense of belonging means to them.

Lee’s photo was displayed

After graduation, Lee plans to build her graphic design portfolio in hopes of finding a job. Lee works as a graphic designer for Edmon Low Library, which she described as one of her favorite experiences at OSU.

Lee’s parents are traveling to Oklahoma from South Korea to watch Lee graduate this week. She said she is excited to show them her graphic design projects.

Lee’s favorite project she’s done at OSU is her junior year graphic design project, which showed she can clearly express her ideas to others.

“I’m really proud,” Lee said.

Ashish Gupta

Few students start their dream job straight out of college: Gupta will.

After earning his Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering, Gupta will move to Arkansas to work for Big River Steel. He will be tailoring the hardness and strength of materials so they can be used for

path of his choice. While in his home country of India, Karjikar explored his options, taking a variety of engineering courses in high school.

“I even took classes in arts and crafts, but I suck,” Karjikar said. “I know that now.”

One option continued to stand out: computer science.

“Everything about it is interesting,” Karjikar said. “The moment you log onto your computer, like, even when you use your phone, your applications, everything. Everything is computer science.”

Karjikar may not have a specific company he hopes to work for in the future, but he has one specific priority: help others.

“I would like to make a difference in someone’s life by work

life,” Karjikar said. “So coming here, like learning all those different things and experiencing those things, that will always stay with you forever.”

Minjung Lee

Lee has been a creative person her whole life.

Lee, a senior getting her bachelor’s degree in graphic design, came to OSU from South Korea. She said she’s always enjoyed creating things, whether that be making music or a knitting project.

In South Korea, Lee studied music composition, not graphic design.

“One day, my parents said, ‘What about going to America?’” Lee said. Lee traveled to Oklahoma, although she wasn’t sure what to expect. Lee’s story began as a student at Tulsa Community College.

One of Lee’s professors

“My expertise will be studying the alloy at the nanoscale,” Gupta

Gupta grew up in India, where he said the high population density made for limited resources. He graduated from the College Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur before coming to OSU, and he said reserving and obtaining an instrument like an electron microscope would take about a week there as opposed

“It is saving my time, and with more experiments, you have some good statistical data to work upon,” Gupta said. “And whatever size you are proposing, that can be a good match because you are doing a lot of experiments.”

Gupta said he came to OSU because of the research work of Ritesh Sachan, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. He said Sachan is one of the pioneer professors in his field and he has great understanding of the field. His work was aligned to the work Gupta was doing, so that brought him to earn his Ph.D. at OSU.

Gupta said the first semester as an international student is tricky, but once adjusted he advises exploring the organizations offered at OSU.

“Be passionate,” Gupta said. “America is a country which gives you dream(s). (...) You have to just dream and work hard.

Minjung Lee

Abdulla Karjikar

Abhishek Tikar

Ashish Gupta

Continued from 1A

In the year that followed, Price set out to the best Pete he could, from bringing together 60,000 fans to making every band kid jump when he shot off the shotgun; game days were a highlight for the man in the orange hat.

“Shooting your shotgun for the first time on the field, that’s an awesome experience, getting to hear 50,000 people in the stands following your lead,” Price said.

The fans make every game day worthwhile for Price.

“Seeing how much Pete means to Oklahoma State fans is awesome,” Price said.

One experience Price will never forget is his trip to Los Angeles to film the Nissan Heisman House commercial. Barry Sanders wanted Pete on set, so Price and Smithson answered the call. The Petes traveled over 1,392 miles for five days to be part of the shoot.

“We were on set shooting the Heisman House commercials, and then we go to hang out with all the people there,” Price said.

LA was the experience of a lifetime. However, the smaller moments are what made being Pistol Pete worth it. Price appeared at a truck reveal for a young cancer patient who had overcome his disease. He got to watch the patient receive his new truck while supporting and cheering him on as Pete.

“They had me go out there, and they lifted up the garage door to his surprise,” Price said. “I really thought I was a part of something bigger”

After discovering the young boy relapsed, Price, his fellow Pete, the pom and cheer squad got together to send messages to the boy.

“Traber and I made a little video to send him,” Price said. “That really put into perspective how it is a much bigger deal than just ourselves.”

The last Price heard, the boy was 95% cancer-free and recovering quickly.

The collaboration between the Petes and the OSU pom and cheer squads was a regular team-up.

“I consider them our teammates,” Price said. “I think that a lot of them would say the same.”

Pete is a big deal to the Cowboy family, and Price has witnessed the true weight his position holds and the lasting impact his time as Pete, and all those past and present, have.

“Definitely changed my perspective once I got to be behind the head,” Price said. “One of the best parts of being Pete is just seeing the joy and happiness you bring to people.”

Not only has Pete taught Price the impact the mascot has on others, but it has impacted him.

“Personally, it’s changed my life in more ways than I can count, and it’s opened doors for me,” Price said. “It’s made me love OSU more than I ever did before. I really couldn’t put a finger on how it’s changed me and my life for the better in every way.”

As his time as Pistol Pete ends, Price is excited for the next chapter.

“It’s bittersweet; I’m going to miss everything I do with it,” Price said. “ I’m definitely going to miss all the people and getting to see the smiles of little kids, messing with them, taking pictures with people.”

Price is graduating with a degree in biosystems engineering. He is headed to Tulsa to work for Halliburton as a petroleum engineer. Before he walks across the stage, he has one last piece of advice for the future Pistol Pete.

“Don’t take any of it for granted,” Price said. “It’s a one-in-a-lifetime experience and it goes by before you know it.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

After 15 years since enrolling, Cornell to graduate college

Desert — delaying her degree progress again.

Continued from 1A

A lot can change in a year. So, The O’Colly caught up with OSU alumni wrapping up their first year out of school to see what life is like as a recent grad and get some advice for OSU’s spring 2023 class.

Vance Williams knew what she wanted to do after college. As a sophomore, she was part of Johnson Space Center’s co-op program, where she spent two semesters and a summer working. That guaranteed her a job after graduation.

But for some grads, plans change. Cadlyn Smith, an ag leadership alumna, thought she would spend her first year at an office job but instead is running her own business.

“Nobody tells you what it’s like when you graduate college and what to expect,” Smith said.

Smith spent her summers helping teach children swimming lessons with her mom, while working toward her ag leadership degree, which was focused on psychology and teaching. So, after graduation, Smith decided to get certi-

fied, find a building and combine her side job and degree to create her own business teaching children swimming lessons.

“I have not stopped, I feel like, since graduation,” Smith said. “Owning and running my own business is never something I thought I would do, and I’m doing it, which is crazy.”

There are other, more basic things that students might not think of after graduation. Pierce Jones, a hospitality and tourism management alumnus, found instant success as a manager for Vandelay Hospitality, a growing restaurant company in Dallas.

Jones found a little more than just a new job, though.

“There’s a lot of stuff that is unexpected,” he said. “Unexpected costs of stuff and making sure that I’m taking care of stuff as an adult now, you know, taxes and jury duty and stuff like that (that) you don’t really think about in college that you’re not worried about.”

Devin Griffith, an ag communications and animal science alumna, is a territory sales manager for Merck Animal Health in Oregon and northern California. Covering a big region means she is always traveling. It also

Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor

Three years ago, Jennifer Cornell lived at the brink of civilization.

On Saturday, after a deployment with the U.S. Air Force, getting married, raising two children and 15 years off-and-on in college, she will graduate from Oklahoma State University.

Cornell began college at Northern Oklahoma College after obtaining her GED at 17 in 2008 while working in a cash office at a grocery store and living on her own, when she met her husband, Eric. They had two children, Eli and Jonah, so Cornell stepped away from school and work to focus on her family.

In 2015, Cornell returned to college, and began working toward a degree in management information systems while taking a few classes per semester. Later, at 28, she joined the Air Force as a cyber security officer and technician and deployed to Agada, Niger, the last town before the Sahara

means learning to manage time and prioritize.

It also presents other challenges.

After a nearly two-month stint away from home, Griffith returned to find a sign on her P.O. Box that said “closed.” She didn’t realize a six-month term on the box was expiring, and she wasn’t home to fix it.

Just another thing to balance with life fresh out of college.

“I’ve had to learn a lot of patience with transitioning out of school,” Griffith said. “I’ve had to remind myself to have a lot of patience and understanding that Rome wasn’t built in a day… There’s been a lot of growing pains, and definitely in a good way.”

Advice to 2023 grads:

“Try not to stress out if you don’t know exactly what you’re going to do. You might picture things to look a certain way, and just because they don’t, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. We have to get out of our mindset. Just because a lot of people are doing a certain thing – and it worked for them, like, it’s good that they’re doing the things that work for them – doesn’t mean it has to work for you.” - Devin Griffith “Don’t be afraid to take a risk. For me, I took a risk with the company

“It was incredibly hot; 120 degrees in the shade,” Cornell said. “There were sandstorms every day, and working in a tent during a sandstorm is not a good time. It’s pretty scary. It was challenging, a very, dry dusty environment. The equipment was getting dust in it and it was overheating. The place itself, though, was very pretty.”

After a six month deployment, Cornell returned to Oklahoma with two goals — to see her family and;

“I wanted pizza so bad,” Cornell said.

Since returning, she’s continued to work in the Air Force as her unit’s deployment manager, and she continued her degree path. Now, a decadeand-a-half since beginning college, she will cross the stage, with an unwavering mindset.

“It can be really challenging and really discouraging when you’re only able to take a credit here and there, but at the end of it, it adds up,” Cornell said. “You can keep going. I didn’t want to be one of those people who were ashamed to go back. I just thought it was important to finish.”

“I did it.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

that I was coming in to work with. They were a very new company. But, you know, I took a little bit of a risk, and I think that that paid off. And being OK with being uncomfortable in a situation. That’s how you grow.”Pierce Jones

“Don’t take yourself so serious. And I know that sounds so cliche, but when I was graduating college I felt like every other college graduate –crazy, lost, I didn’t know what I was gonna do, I did not have an internship, or any kind of job really secured other than going back home and working with my mom. And so, just don’t be afraid to look around and see what’s out there. But also, don’t take yourself too serious. Have a lot of fun.” - Cadlyn

Smith

“Being a senior in your final year can be a very stressful experience. And once you get past that and you have time, I would recommend taking some time off to de-stress and to really start to figure out what you want to do now that you have time and you’re not in school. You can really start to explore your career and start to pick up old hobbies that you might have dropped by the wayside because you were in college.”

Alexis Vance Williams

-

Courtesy of Cooper Price

Pistol Pete, OSU’s mascot, supports the Cowboy family at every game and event imaginable.

Courtesy of Spears School of Business

Jennifer Cornell deployed in Agada, Niger, for six months with the U.S. Air Force.

Students conduct exhausting research to find fitting scholarships

Emi Norton Staff Reporter

From a low-income family with almost no familial education, Sarah Teeman did not let her background stop her from chasing her dreams of going to college.

Teeman knew she could not go to college without the help of scholarships and after endless hours of research, she found the ones that would change her life.

Teeman, a sophomore microbiology major, spoke at the OSU Top 10 Freshmen panel where she was awarded the title of Top 10 Freshman. She said she felt obligated to send a message to other students who come from similar backgrounds.

“I wanted to be a person who represents people from low income, that don’t have a lot of familial education, to show that OSU still acknowledges the hard work that you’re doing, and you are just as important as any other student,” Teeman said.

Teeman said it is essential to exhaust all resources when looking for scholarships to apply for.

“I kind of get my scholarships from a mix of sources because no one is really telling me about them,” Teeman said. “I really make sure to engage in emails and whenever your department sends out applications for scholarships or recommendations, you have to dive in.”

Teeman is attending OSU without any other outside help besides scholarships. She hopes to encourage those who are at a financial disadvantage to get involved with financial aid services.

“You deserve to be here,”

Teeman said. “I know it’s hard and stressful, but it’ll pay off and OSU truly does a lot to help you get here. It is expensive but there are so many opportunities, so much money, and you just have to find it.

Always ask for help.”

The cost to attend a college the size of OSU can be a hard financial decision for many people. Institutions such as community colleges can also be thousands of dollars, leaving many incapable of affording to further their education after high school.

Applying for scholarships and financial aid can pave the way to future success.

Rob Lofton, associate director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, said he is passionate about helping students with fewer opportunities to be successful.

“As a first-generation college student, I recognize first-hand higher education’s importance in providing a path forward,” Lofton said. “Schol-

arships are critical at OSU because as a land-grant institution, we promote and foster improved access and student success.”

Lofton recognizes that researching to find scholarships can be a daunting task.

“We try to work with internal and external scholarship programs to limit eligibility restrictions,” Lofton said.

“We know the importance of reducing barriers for students. Many of our OSU scholarships have broader eligibility criteria because the fewer restrictions built into the scholarship, the better it is for everyone.”

Barriers can differ from one student’s financial situation to the next. Taylor Johnson, a sophomore mathematics and

secondary education major, comes from a middle to lowerclass background and said she is grateful to be able to attend OSU without taking out any loans because of scholarships.

Johnson said she recognizes how specific and high-maintenance scholarships can be.

“When I think about the time I’ve put into applying for and maintaining scholarships, it’s kind of like I’m clocking in hours,” Johnson said.

Though Johnson has put in an immeasurable amount of time and effort toward utilizing resources to afford an education at OSU, she recognizes what the demanding work has rewarded her.

Every spring Teeman and Johnson start the process of re -

newing their existing scholarships and meeting the criteria. The process includes essays or community service along with transcripts. Most of Teeman’s scholarships are annual, so spring is the time when she starts gathering everything to submit for renewal.

“Scholarships have allowed me to go to college without having to take out a single loan,” Johnson said. “I’m actually able to study abroad this summer thanks to the help from scholarships for paying for my undergrad. They also have helped pay for the technology I use as a student and will probably continue to use as a teacher.”

Courtesy of Taylor Johnson

Sarah Teeman (fifth from left) and Taylor Johnson (fourth from left), Top 10 Freshmen, said scholarships have allowed them to attend college.

Graduates to incoming freshmen: ‘Make as many memories as you can’ Lifestyle

current time in your life?

Brumbaugh: birth of Slick’ by Diga ble Planets. That is my jam right now.”

Q: What are your plans after gradua tion?

Abigail Brumbaugh is a graphic design major.

Q: What has been the highlight of your senior year at OSU?

Brumbaugh: “The Kansas City field trip. We got to see lots of museums and tour studios.”

Q: In what ways have you changed throughout college?

Brumbaugh: “I feel more confident in who I am and my abilities and knowledge that I gained at OSU.”

Q: Did you ever have a professor or class that has impacted you significantly during your time at OSU?

Brumbaugh: “Marty Heitz, Asian Philosophy. It didn’t count towards my major, but it changed my life

Brumbaugh: “Get a job at a design studio and travel the country in my free time.”

Q: What advice do you have for incom ing freshmen?

Brumbaugh: “Don’t be afraid to try new things. It’s better to say you tried than to have never given it a shot.”

Marche Ashford is a business management and prelaw major.

Q: What has been the highlight of your senior year at OSU?

Ashford: “The highlight of my senior year has been taking senior photos for people. Seeing the joy they get from the photos makes it

throughout your college experience?

Ashford: “I have grown more confident throughout these four years. I spent my first two years playing college football in Iowa. Going there not knowing anyone forced me to branch out of my comfort zone to meet others. These past two years at OSU I have been doing the same thing. I know people here since I am originally from here, but I did not want to piggyback off of the new friendships they had made here. So once again, I taught myself how to have the confi dence to meet new people.”

Q: Did you ever have a professor or class that has impacted you significantly during your time at OSU?

has always shown great intentionality with everyone in the class and has communicated that she does care about

Q: What song will always remind you of this current time in your life?

Ashford:

“‘Late July’ by Zach Bryan.”

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

Ashford: “I plan to attend law school at the University of Tulsa.”

Q: What advice do you have for incoming freshmen?

Ashford: “Go out of your way to make connections and build your network early.”

Dax Butler is a microbiology major with a pre-med focus.

Q: What has been the highlight of your senior year at OSU?

Butler: “The highlight of my senior year has been a bunch of moments but to summarize all of them, it would be getting to be with all of my friends for one last ride.

Q: In what

Butler: “I would say Oklahoma State has definitely made me grow in my academic ability but in that process, I have definitely grown in my maturity over the last four years. I have also grown a lot in my golf game.”

Q: Did you ever have a professor or class that has impacted you significantly during your time at OSU?

Butler: “My intro to microbiology professor Dr. Cabeen. Dr. Cabeen is an amazing teacher, and it is not hard to tell how passionate he is about what he teaches. After his class, I had the opportunity to work in his research lab for a year and a half and learned so much there.”

Q: What song will always remind you of this current time in your life?

Butler: “‘dashstar*-VIP’ by knock2.”

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

Butler: “After graduating, I will be attending Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am extremely blessed and excited for this opportunity.”

Q: What advice do you have for incoming freshmen?

Butler: “My ad

What song will always remind you of this

have you changed

Ashford: “This year I am taking a business management consulting class. I joined the class late due to my schedule getting switched around at the last minute. I went into this class thinking I am going to be behind every one else and the professor is going to be harder on me since I was admitted late to her class. However, professor Stephanie Royce treated me quite the opposite. Ever since that day she

throughout your college experience?

know that it is okay to ask for help when you need it.”

Jaycee Hampton Staff Reporter

Abigail Brumbaugh

See full senior Q&A on ocolly.com

Dax Butler

Marche Ashford

Q&A

The Best Shows on TV ‘Barry’ and ‘Succession’

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

As two of the greatest shows of the decade come to an end, now is the time to get caught up.

Somehow, HBO came up with the ingenious idea of airing its two most popular shows back-to-back every Sunday. You can enjoy “Succession,” a slow-paced yet consistently brilliant hour of television, and then have your mind blown with the action-packed twists and turns of “Barry” right after. The discussion is electric on both ends of the spectrum. If you’re looking for a sign to start either series, here it is.

“Succession” has been creating a ton of buzz online based on its subversive characters, clever writing and consistently twisting narrative. At this point in time, the show really could end in a million ways, and the best is yet to come. Jeremy Strong, the show’s creator, promises the

next episodes will be some of the most shocking in the series. The plot about three rich siblings fighting for CEO may sound boring, but their witty banter and shocking betrayals make for riveting television.

On the other hand, “Barry” provides some muchneeded levity, yet doubles down on the emotional turmoil.

Nearly every episode of Bill Hader’s magnum opus features insane plot twists, genre-defying storylines and top-notch cinematography. The most recent episode, “Tricky Legacy,” turns the entire story on its head and runs in a completely different direction than anyone could have expected. It’s a controversial decision, but the boldness makes every following episode even more enticing. There hasn’t been a show quite as risky and fast paced as “Barry,” and there may never be another show so willing to put their characters through the mud like this. What started as a simple story about an assassin turned actor has grown into some -

thing unprecedented in television.

Despite their differences, both shows have one thing in common: absolutely incredible performances across the board. It’s hard to say whether Sarah Snook and Tom Macfadyen or Sarah Goldberg and Hader are the best, and most toxic, couple on TV as both deliver incredible performances every week. Watching Shiv Roy and her husband Tom argue on a balcony is one of the most captivating couples fights in television history, and watching Barry and Sally destroy each other mere moments later is the kind of whiplash we haven’t had in a long time. This isn’t mentioning Anthony Carrigan, Henry Winkler, Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong and so many other fantastic actors who take the spotlight so magnificently. This truly is primetime television.

Once finals are over and you’re relaxed at home, the best thing you can do is binge through these two shows just in time to catch their grand finales.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Survivor’ is not up to par

halfway through a combo, but it feels much tighter overall. There are several ways to wield your lightsabers which make for varied and immersive gameplay.

One of the best new features about “Jedi Survivor” is just how big it is. The planets Cal visits feel so alive and fun to explore, if not a bit overwhelming.

I’ll be the first to say it, I was not the biggest fan of 2019’s “Jedi: Fallen Order.” It was a fun, yet fundamentally flawed game with clunky level design, unresponsive combat and one of the worst user interfaces I have seen in a game. Thankfully, Respawn’s 2023 follow up, “Jedi Survivor” is a fantastic sequel in just about every way. The gameplay is faster, the world is bigger, the graphics are stunning.

Despite that, I cannot recommend this game. The story of the game is miles better than the cookie cutter set of the original. The game continues the story of Cal Kestis and his crew adventuring across the galaxy, fighting off the Empire. It continues certain themes from “Fallen Order” such as survivor’s guilt and conquering one’s inner darkness. These themes are portrayed in much more compelling and emotional ways, making for a far more engaging story with some really heavy hitting moments.

While the gameplay still feels a little unresponsive, sometimes an enemy will do an attack you can’t dodge because of being

While the game still suffers from poor map design and frustrating puzzles, these moments aren’t half as bad as they were in “Jedi: Fallen Order.” The game is a delight to play.

With all of that in mind, I just cannot say that this game is great. Despite everything it does right, this game suffers from some of the worst performance issues I have ever seen. It’s been about a week since the game’s release and there are still no fixes from Electronic Arts. The frame rate is atrocious, the graphics stutter and textures do not render properly. Enemies won’t spawn into the world until you’re a certain distance away from them, shattering the immersion.

Worst of all, the game crashes like crazy, killing your hard-earned progress. This ruins the game for obvious reasons. It’s an unacceptable release and should not run this bad on the PS5, let alone PC.

All in all, “Jedi Survivor” will be a fantastic game in about 6 months. However, as of now, it is an unfinished and disappointing release. Something that is far too common in 2023.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Creative Commons

“Jedi Survivor,” which was released on April 28, faces issues with frame rate, graphics and rendering textures.

‘Jedi

Courtesy of Tribune

HBO’s “Barry” releases episodes of the fourth and final season every Sunday at 9 p.m. CT.

Column

Michael Clark Staff Reporter Review

Barnard’s transition from player to student assistiant

Coming out of Stillwater High School, Barnard’s plan was always to eventually transition to a student assistant role. It’s why the safety didn’t pursue opportunities at smaller colleges and walked-on at OSU. He spent two seasons primarily on the scout team and appeared in two games last season.

Becker Bats

Cowgirls’ leadoff hitter enters record books in first season

had done almost everything at Purdue in her four years…individually. Despite Becker batting .394 across her career, the Boilermakers never made so much as an NCAA Regional.

Perhaps the Cowgirls can thank a forgetful janitor for their star second baseman.

When Vanessa ShippyFletcher drove Rachel Becker to Will Rogers airport in Oklahoma City, they pulled over to make a special stop.

Shippy-Fletcher, an OSU softball assistant coach, was completing Becker’s recruiting visit to Stillwater. Becker

So when the two approached the exit for USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, they decided to stop in. And then, when they discovered a gate left ajar on their walk around the home of the Women’s College World Series, they went inside and walked onto the outfield.

“I said, wouldn’t it be great to be back here in June?” Fletcher said.

Not a bad way to end a recruiting visit.

Becker eventually committed to OSU and has become

a stupendous, everyday leadoff batter. She has the ninth best on base percentage in the nation (.560) and is 11th in hits (71). If the Cowgirls do make it to the WCWS in June, Becker will play an integral part in it.

“I’ve just done my best to come in here and try to make an impact and do my best to help the team any way I could,” Becker said. “And, you know, at my previous school, like I’ve always kind of been that catalyst or whatever at the top of lineup, who like gets on base scores, a lot of runs. And I really just wanted to continue that as best I could here.”

Former Cowboys headline LIV Golf event in Tulsa

their beginnings as pro golfers began long before arriving in Stillwater, but the program is what shaped them into becoming pros.

Last winter, Carter Barnard stood in a coat on the sideline of the chilly Sherman E. Smith Training Center and watched his friends line up to run sprints.

The chirps were expected.

“Oh, you’re not in line today?” they said. “What are you doing on the sideline? You’re not going to run these with us?”

Nope, Barnard isn’t going to run them. He did the last two football seasons as a player, but this season, Barnard is a student assistant, and sprints aren’t part of the job description.

“You got to run them and that’s not my job anymore,” Barnard tells the players. “You have fun with your stuff.”

Prior to this season, Barnard made the switch. He said it’s been a little difficult giving up playing football, but worth it because it starts him on the path of the goal to become a college football coach. He gave up playing to begin his career in football.

Instead of catching footballs and tackling, Barnard is throwing footballs in coach Dan Hammerschmidt’s line drills, drawing cards for drills and data inputting after practice.

“(He does) kind of anything that the assistant coaches need or don’t want to do themselves, probably,” Carter’s dad, Tucker Barnard, Stillwater High’s football coach, said.

Born conquered broken feet in running career

She will return in the fall for a final year of eligibility.

“This is so much more special to be with your team,” she said. “The sacrifices make it all worth it. Doing well make the sacrifices all worth it.”

Cordova Staff Reporter

BROKEN ARROW —

The new and controversial golf tour will showcase with five former Cowboys.

Starting Friday, Cedar Ridge Country Club is hosting the LIV Golf Tour, a new golf tour with a controversial beginning. In the field of 48 golfers are Charles Howell III, Talor Gooch, Matthew Wolff, Peter Uihlein and Eugenio Chacarra – all former OSU Cowboy golfers.

For the five from OSU,

Howell III, OSU golfer from 1998-2000, said he thinks they chose to play in Stillwater because of the legacy of OSU golf.

“I think all of us went to OSU because of the people that played there before us,” Howell III said. “I looked up to Bob Tway and Scott Verplank and Willie Wood and that whole generation.

“I think we all chose to go to Oklahoma State for one reason, and that’s golf.”

Uihlein said he chose OSU because his dad told him the program holds up to a certain college basketball blue blood.

“I grew up a pretty big Duke basketball fan, and I remember sitting around the couch asking my dad, what the equivalent to Duke basketball for college golf was, and he said Okie State,” Uihlein said. “At that point I kind of became a fan, and that’s where I wanted to go. Love the tradition, love the history, love the excellence that OSU brings.”

This is the first LIV Tour event in Oklahoma. Nobody thought the LIV Tour with events in cities like Singapore, London and Chicago would find its way in Oklahoma.

more LIV Tour coverage, visit www.ocolly.com

Molly Born trampled across the track, her feet grew wearier with each step as the pain became inevitable. She endured this chronic pain — navicular stress fractures in her left foot for the early part of her college career. She continued to work through the injuries because she said she loves competing. She wants to win and become one of the best in her cross country and distance running events.

So, that’s why she will spend this weekend celebrating her newly obtained horticulture degree on the track, vying for a 10K conference title in the Big 12 Track & Field Championships. Not in a packed Gallagher-Iba Arena with an hours-long ceremony. She said she likes spending time outdoors and working with nature. Fitting response for a trackster.

The sacrifices like her consistent foot injuries. Her absences in competition span from November 2021 to January 2023 thanks to left foot surgery for navicular stress fractures. She became a cheerleader for her teammates when the Cowgirls won a Big 12 Cross Country title in the fall. Same deal in the OSU-hosted NCAA Championships where the Cowgirls’ fourth-place finish became a program-best.

Dave Smith, OSU’s cross country and track coach understood her condition toward the beginning of her career. Born dealt with the issue on her right foot in high school and the pain carried to her right foot later in college. So, Smith presented Born with two options.

Davis

Molly Jolliff

In her only season at OSU, Rachel Becker broke the consecutive-game on-base streak for a Cowgirl.

Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter See Becker on 2B

Adam Engel Editor-in-Chief

Ironically, ShippyFletcher helped recruit the person who would break her record. Becker reached base in 49 straight games as a Cowgirl, starting with the opening game against Oregon in Mexico and ending unceremoniously in an 8-0 win at Texas Tech.

It broke Shippy-Fletcher’s record of (48)

“I think what’s cool is obviously anytime someone breaks a record, fans can go, ‘Wow, she must be good’. And she is. But I don’t think a causal fan has any grasp of how good Rachel Becker is,”

Shippy-Fletcher said.

Becker said she has been a leadoff batter as far back as she can remember, even going back through high school. And while she slotted into that role nicely at OSU, she had to make sacrifices.

The Cowgirls already had a shortstop. Senior Kiley Naomi was a staple in OSU’s lineup. Coach Kenny Gajewski said Becker, who played shortstop at Purdue, amiably resolved the logjam.

“In order to be elite you have to have kids like this who aren’t worried about losing the position they’ve played their whole life,” Gajewski said. “She got here right away, saw Kiley in per-

son and migrated to second base. Like, hey, ‘We’ll be better if we’re both on the field here. This middle could be incredible.’”

Naomi has reaped the rewards of playing with Becker.

“As a leadoff batter, you already have so much pressure on you,” Naomi said. “To be able to get on base like that and share knowledge from what you’ve seen from the pitcher to your teammates, it’s just a really good job…she’s been really good for us.”

The Cowgirls started Big 12 Tournament play Thursday, then likely host a regional. It’s unfamiliar territory for Becker. She said she still gets nervous sometimes when leading off games. Especially the big ones. But that is why she chose to attend a team that has made three consecutive WCWS appearances. She wants to prove she belongs with the best.

“If she didn’t feel comfortable in Stillwater she probably would have gone down south to OU or Texas,”

Shippy-Fletcher said. “She’s that caliber of a player. So we’re very fortunate that this was a good fit for her and I’ve just been very thankful. I wish we could have had her for even like a COVID fifth year instead of just one, but it’s special.”

Increased leadership is vital for OSU postseason success

ing the win-loss column this season, especially in the last 12 games, where the Cowgirls have a 2-10 record.

This isn’t to say none of them are good leaders, but having one central voice in the locker room is paramount for postseason success.

“I think we walked into that ballpark and said, ‘We can probably play at a seven today and win,’” Gajewski said. “We have to play (at a) 10, we have to be trying to exceed a 10, and if you don’t, we’re going to get beat (in the postseason).”

Taylor Tuck and Morgyn Wynne paused at the question.

On Tuesday afternoon, two days before the first round of the Big 12 Softball Tournament, the two OSU fifth-year players stood before the media scrum in the lobby of the Cowgirl Stadium clubhouse. With the “third season” as they called it on the horizon, they were asked who the leaders of the locker room are, and who would be leaned on during their path to a national championship.

“The fifth-years,” Wynne said.

“People that have been there before,” Tuck said. “(But) everybody has a voice and we’re gonna listen to the freshmen just as they listen to us.”

These comments are fair, considering five of the six Cowgirl fifth-year players (Tuck, Wynne, Chyenne Factor, Kiley Naomi and Kelly Maxwell) were on the Cowgirls’ Women’s College World Series semifinal team last season, which came up just short of making the title series. Despite the postseason experience these five girls have, their leadership hasn’t always been apparent when observ-

Factor is known for being understated; Naomi isn’t as understated, but still sticks to herself for the most part; Maxwell hardly shows emotion on the field, let alone off; Tuck and Wynne weren’t quick to say themselves, but maybe they didn’t want to be boastful.

The other fifth-year, Rachel Becker, transferred to OSU for her final collegiate season after not making the NCAA Tournament once in four seasons at Purdue. Although she’s an All-Big 12 First Team member this season, she’s never sniffed the postseason. Who knows how she’ll handle it?

Although the “everybody has a voice” comment is in good taste and shows the inclusivity of coach Kenny Gajewski’s program, it doesn’t come off as well when discussing “season three.”

Lapse of leadership in the locker room was apparent during the 2-10 stretch, primarily earlier in the month against North Texas. The Cowgirls made a midweek trip to Denton following a 2-6 skid, and the game was seen as a warmup for the Bedlam series starting days later.

The cold streak continued. The Cowgirls fell 5-1 against a team that currently sits at No. 64 in the NCAA Softball RPI rankings (OSU is No. 5).

Is this loss exclusively on the fifth-year players? No. Is the poor ending to the season only the girls’ fault? Of course not. But, when a low point in the season is happening, a coach can only do so much. Gajewski can show his players the film, continue to tell his squad how talented they are (rightfully so), but it comes down to the nine players on the field and the other 16 in the dugout to take a stand and speak up.

This doesn’t mean they need to give a Denzel Washington-esque monologue in the locker room, but it does mean they need to hold themselves accountable.

The pause from Tuck and Wynne was momentary but spoke volumes. There hasn’t been a central leader on this team yet, which is fine, but if they want to avoid a repeat of last season’s semifinal collapse, someone will need to step up.

Time is running out for a leader to emerge.

“I think the people that will take charge during “season three” are going to be the people who’ve been there and know what the postseason is like and what it takes to get to the world series,” Wynne said.

Molly Jolliff

Through 54 games so far this season, Becker is batting .449 with 24 extra base hits as the Cowgirls’ leadoff batter

Cassius Davis

“Everybody has a voice,” in the Cowgirl locker room, but someone needs to be prepared to speak up when a leader is required.

Ashton Slaughter Staff Reporter

Column

OSU honors late Rogalski

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

As Rob Rogalski glanced at the baseball he held in his right hand, he realized his purpose.

A tear rolled down his eye once reality struck. He struggled to withhold his emotions.

Rob wasn’t the first Rogalski to throw a pitch at O’Brate Stadium. His son, Nate, had been an OSU commit. On Jan. 23, 2022, the Rogalski’s dream came to a standstill when Nate died from bacterial meningitis.

Fifteen months later, Rob and April, Nate’s mother, took the mound to throw the first pitch at OSU’s game against East Tennessee State on May 2. He wore a black NR21 shirt, paying homage to his son’s initials and jersey number.

Friends and family members remember Nate as a quirky, fun-loving kid.

He was often one of the first to offer help to those in need. His joyful outlook, regardless of the situation, made him a mainstay in many people’s lives. Even when someone had a bad day, Nate made it pleasant.

“His laughter and joy, they were contagious,” said Roland Baza, Nate’s baseball coach at Deer Creek High School. “It’s like you could feel it from miles away, much less if you were right next

to him.”

Nate committed to OSU in the summer of 2020. In Rob’s mind, the stage had been set for a career in a sport his son loved.

In late 2021, Nate was scheduled to pitch in a showcase tournament in Houston. Days prior, he felt ill but thought nothing of it.

But a casual flu diagnosis from doctors soon became meningitis. Nearly two months later, Nate died.

“It was shocking,” said OSU coach Josh Holliday. “I found out during our (first pitch banquet in 2022) that (Nate) was gone. It took a while to don on me. I was shocked.”

Rob stepped onto the rubber of the pitcher’s mound as Holliday squatted into a catcher’s stance in front of home plate.

Holliday has caught multiple ceremonial first pitches. But this one held more sentimental value. It was different.

Rob envisioned his son firing a pitch, striking out an opposing batter, then prancing around the mound as his infielders threw the ball around the horn.

It took a bit, but it soon resonated with Rob, April and Holliday as they met in front of the mound and exchanged hugs after the pitch.

Tears rolled down their eyes as they approached the home

dugout. “That was tough,” Holliday said. “Yeah, I don’t really know how else to put it.”

As Rob sat alongside April in the stands afterward, they watched the Cowboys piece together a 7-4 win. But that wasn’t so important. Amid the emotions, Rob and April couldn’t help but realize

they were carrying on their son’s legacy. “He would have loved it (at OSU),” Rob said. “It was like I was in his shoes for a day, all the while I wish (Nate) could have been in his own.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU football unveils uniform upgrade

Payton Little Staff Reporter

As OSU’s football team enters a new era for the Big 12, the uniforms will, too.

On Wednesday, OSU released a look at a new era for the uniforms. Gone are the days of the pointed numbers, paisley trim and marshal star brand logo. Instead comes something brand new, yet familiar.

OSU and Nike called back to the era of Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders, while maintaining the flashy helmets of the present. With Oklahoma State written across the chest, the past is in full swing with these new threads. Stripes returned to sleeves of the jerseys and numbers are on the shoulders. The stripes represent the legacies of Ring of Honor inductees.

Continued from 1B

Gooch and Howell III were determined to get an event in the state because of the recent success from the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa.

“Talor and I had a conversation back in October about a LIV event coming to Oklahoma,” Howell III said.

“I relied on Talor, who’s from here, who knows the golf courses in the areas better than I do, and that kind of started our conversations with those that help with scheduling, and approached a few different clubs here. I think what it boils down to is that Oklahoma are massive sports fans, and massive golf fans.

It was also important for Howell III to influence an Oklahoma LIV event because of the amount of players on tour with ties to the state.

“We have six players on LIV that played college golf here; you have Abraham Ancer at OU and then five of us at OSU. That’s one-eighth of the entire Tour that has a tie here,” Howell III said.

“I thought that was an important deal. You couldn’t write a better script with Talor winning the previous two events coming back to his home state.”

Gooch, a Midwest City native, won a combined $8 million with wins in Australia and Singapore.

A homecoming along with a rise in play for Gooch is making this Tulsa event a must-watch for all golf fans.

Gooch said he’s focusing on the opportunity to play in his home state and the rule he set for himself when he steps foot on any course.

make it a great week, not only for the players or the fans, the media, everyone in between,” Gooch said.

“This golf course is not easy. Golf is not easy. None of us want to show up and not play well, and at the end of the day, that’s the most important part. I’ve said it a few times now. I call it the rule of 67. You focus on shooting 67s, everything will take care of itself.”

This new tour is different from the PGA Tour. There are teams of four, 54 holes in three days and much more money to disperse.

The LIV Tour is a controversial topic in the golf world, because of the funding and the way the PGA Tour responded to the creation of its competitor.

The funding for the new tour is Saudi Arabian-based, which, according to Golf Monthly, The LIV Tour, “in its simplest form many believe LIV Golf to be sportswashing to cover up Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record.”

Since, there’s been a battle between the LIV and PGA, determining if the LIV Tour should count toward World Golf Rankings for major championships such as The Masters and The U.S. Open.

“The World Golf Ranking system, obviously I think it needs some tweaking. I think we’ve put together good enough fields and events that are deserving of World Ranking points,” Howell III said. “Obviously that starts a big debate and a longer one, but I think we’re deserving of World Ranking points, and if not, then I think there needs to be some other form of criteria, not just for me but for the next generation, next guys coming up to play their way into major championships.”

Fans of the old gray jerseys will be out of luck, as the four new looks include orange with white lettering, white with orange lettering, white with black lettering and black with white lettering. Most notably, this will be the first time OSU has had rotation road looks, with the different colors of lettering on the jerseys adding variety to new destination road trips. The present and future are whole heartedly represented with the helmets. In recent years, OSU mixed and matched helmet colors and decals every week, creating a tough challenge for fans attempting to predict which logo will see the field. This mystery element will remain intact.

“The next generation is here.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

“It’s a blessing to have an event here in Oklahoma as often as we can, and so I want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy Charles Laberge / LIV Golf Eugenio Chacarra is one of five former OSU golfers competing in the LIV Golf Tour in Broken Arrow this weekend.

Courtesy OSU Athletics

Rob Rogalski threw out the first pitch on May 5 in honor of his son.

All photos courtesy of OSU Athletics

On Wednesday, OSU football unveiled new jerseys.

Born...

Continued from 1B

No. 1: Limit training to protect her feet and risk future injuries.

No. 2: “On the other side, we can say screw it,” Smith said. “Let’s go for it and if it breaks it breaks.”

Oh, it broke. During the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships. She said she felt the pain in the regional race but still ran through the injury.

“Molly was like, ‘If it breaks it breaks,’” he said. “‘I want to go. I

want to train. I want to see how good I can be. I want to see how far I can go.’”

She trained when her body allowed and continued to pursue her goals after she became a cross country AllAmerican in 2019. Her feet are healed and Born said the surgeries ensure they have little chance to re-fracture.

Smith analogized Born’s resiliency to a song he sings with his 2-year-old daughter. The “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Rain washes the spider away from the drain. But the spider returns and tries again.

Same result. “That’s Molly,”

Barnard...

Continued from 1B

Carter’s time spent on the players’ side of the desk makes being a student assistant easier. Some of it because he knows the Xs and Os and also because he didn’t want to be the guy standing around who’d never done the drills or sprints the players do.

Now that he’s on the coaching side of the equation, Carter is realizing there is more to football than what he learned with

the pads on.

“Talking to my dad sometimes you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, there’s a lot of stuff I didn’t quite know,’ even though you think you got a good feel of the game,” Carter said. “(You think) I’ll have played for however many years up through high school, I know a lot about football, then you just talk to people who’ve been around it for so much longer and there’s always more stuff to learn.”

Tucker said even on the high school football field, Carter carried a consistent personality that could benefit him if he continues down a coach-

ing path. OSU football coach Mike Gundy joked he recruited Carter out of the “future assistant coach portal.” When asked how many recruiting stars Carter carried, Gundy said two-and-ahalf, but he’d consider bumping it up.

“He’s young and going to put the time in and work and so on and so forth and have at it,” Gundy said. “But he’s bright and he’s having fun. He’s smiling, having fun. I enjoy that when young guys decide that’s what they want to do.”

Smith said. “She’s incredibly resilient and it’s been I think hard at times to keep a positive view on what you’re able to do. She does and fights back every time. Struggles to get through, gets through and here we are.”

So when Born takes to the track in Norman, a new, healthy version of the graduate student will compete.

“I think she might be as good as she’s ever been right now,” Smith said. “That is coming off another set of injuries and frustrations that she went through in the fall. So pretty amazing.”

Cowgirl tennis team’s ‘roller coaster’ season comes to an end

It also meant that the Cowgirls had a question not asked in Stillwater for quite some time: who would play court one?

Geography

The Cowgirl tennis team’s season was exactly like a roller coaster.

High highs, low lows and over in an instant.

The season ended for OSU coach Chris Young and the Cowgirls after a 4-1 loss against Stanford in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They finished fourth in the Big 12 with a 16-8 record.

“I think the girls did a good job with the team that we had,” Young said. “I think there has been a lot made that we wound up playing pretty much most of the season without our top four from last year. So, for the girls that came back from last years’ team, plus the new ones, to be able to do what they did and make this a competitive season for us is good.”

Twists and Turns

A good roller coaster needs to have its fair share of shocking movements to keep the rider entertained. However, for the Cowgirls, a calmer coaster would have been preferable.

Even before the season, trouble arose regarding star player Lisa Marie Rioux and her remaining eligibility. She practiced as if she was on the team, but Rioux’s appeal to the NCAA failed in February. The season’s gameplan had to be redrawn, with doubles partners and court alignments shifted.

Usually acting as the nemesis of fourth-grade academic bowl contestants, this time it targeted the Cowgirls’ postseason lottery. With the top sixteen being hosts for the NCAA Tournament, the rest of the field of play is split and divided among the cream of the crop.

The Cowgirls, sitting 18th in the ITA rankings — two spots out from hosting — expected a competitive draw out of the final matches. Instead, a rule mandating schools within 400 miles of a host site to travel to those destinations stranded the Cowgirls in Stillwater. As a result, the Cowgirls were sent to the Stanford Regional. The Cardinal held only two losses.

“I think we just go to change it where it really goes off of your ranking,” Young said. “For us, there was nowhere within 400 miles that we could go to, so then we get sent to fly anywhere. Really what has to be done for the future is matching up teams like one versus 32. (No.) 32 goes to one as a two-seed, and it just goes on down the line.”

The Thrills

The most impressive win of the season came against Texas, the defending national champions. But the Cowgirls went to Austin and slayed the giant. Texas stole one back during the Big 12 Tournament, but the win still holds as a marquee achievement the team can

carry into the offseason. As a doubles duo, Ayumi Miyamoto and Raquel Gonzalez sit as the 15th-ranked doubles duo, with a 14-2 record. When postseason subsides, they could take a crack at earning All-American status. For other athletes, this was a year of emergence and growth. Freshman Lucia Peyre had a productive first season in Stillwater. Between matchclinching sets and intense court three play, Peyre has been battle tested early into her career. This can be said regarding senior Kristina Novak, who was faced with competing on court one. Her experience showed in intense, grueling matches, no matter the outcome.

The Ending

While the rollercoaster plunged to some low places, it also elevated them to sky-high statuses. With only Alana Wolfberg and Martina Zerulo leaving, Young is optimistic about 2024.

“It will be a very competitive team and a very competitive roster,” Young said. “I think it will be one of the more talented rosters that we’ve had since I’ve been here. I think it is a team that will be able to compete for championships.”

Higgins

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

OSU graduate student Molly Born battles through navicular stress fractures in her left foot and worked through those injuries.

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

After two seasons playing safety on the OSU scout team, Carter Barnard (middle) is helping the team as a student assistant.

Payton Little Staff Reporter

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy!

Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University. Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6

Monday thru Saturday

Houses for rent

Spacious 1100 sq. ft

2 bedroom home. Recently remodeled, CH/A, wood

floors, nice yard. 2214 E. 6th Ave., Scarlett Bus Route. 405-372-7107.

Business Squares Business Squares Company Coming?

Check out “Cowboy Cabin”

550 steps east of Boone Pickens Stadium

Airbnb.com/h/cowboy-cabin

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (05/12/23). Consider the big picture this year. Realize long-term dreams with friends. Chart your best path over a peaceful springtime. Changing direc tions with a collaboration this summer benefits your autumn work Release outworn ideas and habits next winter. Build castles on well-laid plans.

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

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Notice what’s not working with a team project. Share support around an obstacle. Keep practicing. Listen and observe. Patiently clarify. Find creative solutions together.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Look for professional opportunities hiding under changes. Build and grow on strong foundations. Quietly prepare projects with growth potential. Polish a diamond in the rough.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — An exploration could take a twist. Study and investigate. Monitor conditions carefully before setting off. Discover hidden beauty nearby. Pay attention to the news.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Reinforce the basics. Monitor shared accounts to maintain positive cash flow. Coordinate with your partner for extra credit. Discover a brilliant financial solution.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Collaborative efforts could stall. Communication is key. Words can get twisted. Encourage and support your partner. Keep promises and agreements. Share from your heart.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Balance work with rest to avoid burnout. Stay flexible. Avoid controversy. Adjust physical performance with support from a trusted coach. Practice fundamental methods.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Enjoy the company of friends, even from a distance. Recharge and take it easy. Play by the rules. Restore conditions for creativity, fun and romance.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — For greater peace and ease, clean domestic messes. A surprise requires adaptation. Slow to avoid breakage. Patiently clarify misunderstandings. Restore harmony where missing.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Don’t make wild promises. Write, edit and revise. You’re especially persuasive. Solve a puzzle with patience and persistence. Follow rules closely. Look before leaping.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Manage expenses and income for positive cash flow despite changes or delays. Reduce costs. Something doesn’t work. Review and revise. Stay in communication.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Carve out special time for yourself. Release an outworn habit. Make positive changes despite complications. Look for inspiration and find it. Consider what’s most important.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 6 — Slow to enjoy the scenery. You won’t need to defer gratification forever. Creativity and innovation spark when least expected. Relax, review and recharge.

FOR RELEASE MAY 12, 2023

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

Taylor Johnson

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

sports

Best o’colly sports editions

Aug. 26, 2022: 2022 OSU football preview

Top story: “The quirky, whole-hearted, continuing career of Mike Gundy” — Gabriel Trevino

Sept. 9, 2022: 9/11 tribute edition

Top story: “Our 9/11 baby: How an OSU linebacker is forever connected to an American tragedy” — Braden Bush

Sept. 23, 2022: Four great feature stories on the front page

Top story: “Back on track: Johnson using sprinting background for breakout season” — Sam Hutchens

Oct. 21, 2022: Homecoming edition with throwback masthead

Top story: “One more chance: OSU-Texas rivalry nearing end” — Braden Bush (Editor’s note: the rivalry is now over)

Oct. 10, 2022: Top story: “Night of the Crickets: When insects invaded Lewis Field” — Ben Hutchens

HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE

0f the 2022-23 school year

Nov. 18, 2022: Bedlam football and cross country national championship preview (Editor’s note: this is sports staff’s favorite) Top stories — Sam Hutchens and Ben Hutchens

Feb. 10, 2023:

Top stories: “Heart of a lion” — Davis Cordova and “Shaken but not taken” — Braden Bush

Feb. 17, 2023: Top story: “The Tennaissance: How Taylor, staff plans to turn Cowboys into elite pros” — PJ Tikalsky

April 15, 2023: Unique front page design for top story

Top story: “League of her own: Wynne shaping path on and off the field” — Ashton Slaughter

May 5, 2023: Bedlam softball preview and second to last paper

Top story: “Strawberry Fields Forever: Kenny G’s heart behind OSU’s rise on softball” — Gabriel Trevino

OSU grad Harp earns spot at PBR World Finals

started?

with Harp earlier this week.

Q: When did you find out you were selected to bull fight in the PBR World Finals and what did that look like?

Nathan Harp saves lives while putting his at risk.

That’s the goal as a bull fighter for the Professional Bull Riders. Distract the bull and keep him from harming the participants.

Harp, a 2015 OSU graduate and Tuttle native, has spent years on the PBR circuit crisscrossing the country performing a task that could be viewed as a sick dare to some. It’s a lifestyle for Harp, who was recently voted as one of four bull fighters to work the PBR World Finals at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The competition begins Friday and runs until May 21.

The O’Colly caught up

Harp: “It was actually late Friday night and the guy that’s in charge, Frank Newsom, called and gave me and my wife the good news. It was just kinda a surreal moment to be selected to the PBR Finals. I’ve worked a long time to get to this point and for it to finally come to fruition is unreal.”

Q: Did you expect good news when Newsom called you?

Harp: “I wasn’t sure what he was calling about. I knew the votes had kinda been going on that week, so I was hopeful when he called that it was gonna be about getting the nod to the PBR Finals.”

Q: What does it mean to you to be able to bull fight at the PBR World Finals?

Harp: “It really hasn’t sunk in yet just because I

haven’t got to step foot in the dirt yet. I’m just looking forward to getting in the dirt and keeping these guys safe. For the top 40 to think that I’m one of the top four this year to keep them safe at the finals to trust essentially their life in my hands. The team that we have, it’s gonna be an awesome opportunity to work with those three great guys that are coming this year.”

Q: For those who don’t know about bull riding at all, what would you tell them about bull fighting and how does one become a bull fighter?

Harp: “Think of us as a secret service for the bull riders. If anybody is gonna take a hook in, it’s gonna be us. When they get bucked off, we are gonna do whatever it takes to distract that bull and lead him away so they can get away safely and be able to get back to their families and be able to get on the next day.”

Q: How did you get

Harp: “I went to school when I was almost 16 and kinda did it throughout the summers throughout high school. After high school, I started taking it pretty seriously. Going to practice often and surrounding myself with the right people. God just kinda kept opening door after door for me and here I am now getting to work the PBR Finals.”

Q: What was it like growing up in Oklahoma?

Harp: “I didn’t grow up in a rodeo family. I’m kinda a first-generation as far as my family goes. As a kid, I loved rodeo. I loved going and watching bull riding. I remember going to Bullnanza when it was at the Lazy E (in Guthrie). I just always had a thing for rodeo clowns, bull fighters and barrel men. As I got older, I realized that one was more funny and one was more serious. I just kinda fell in love with the selflessness with the bull fighter. It

just drew me in and been doing it since. Being here in Oklahoma, rural America is still alive and thriving here in Oklahoma. I’m just so thankful and grateful to be born and raised here in Oklahoma and to get to call this state home.”

Q: How did OSU shape your goals and career path in wanting to be a bull fighter?

Harp: “As I came into Oklahoma State, I was fighting bulls obviously at that point in my career, but I was younger. I still had events through college, but I was able to be gone on the weekends and be there for school during the week. I learned a lot about time management. I met my wife there in Stillwater. So, Stillwater always holds a special place in my heart. I’m thankful for the years I went to school there and all the experiences I had there.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Andy Watson / Bull Stock Media

Nathan Harp (left), a 2015 OSU graduate, will bull fight in the 2023 PBR World Finals which starts Friday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Adam Engel

Editor-in-Chief