COVID-19 days action Monday, October 4, 2021
Teyte Holcomb Staff Reporter
containing information about the “key demands” as well as instructions for joining the event were shared through various group chats. Hannah Rath, a psychology major, said the movement was supposed to impact students and faculty. “We were hoping to get a return to spring 2021 social distancing,” Rath said. Additionally, she said the lack of COVID-19 response is putting some students in tough situations. “Many faculty, staff and students have expressed that OSU’s lack of COVID response is making them actively consider leaving OSU, despite never considering leaving prior to the pandemic,” Rath said. “Part of the reason these COVID advocate groups exist on campus is because we want OSU’s environment to be safe enough for students, staff and faculty to feel comfortable coming to school/work without needing to fear for their health and safety.” When it comes to a campus response, Rath said she hopes the administration will show the amount of appreciation and empathy the students deserve.
Oklahoma State students participated in a campus wide event last week to bring awareness to COVID-19 regulations. Last Monday and Tuesday, some OSU students led a movement called COVID Days of Action, which aimed to draw attention to the university’s COVID-19 regulations, and how those students feel the university relaxed its measures too early. The studentled initiative encouraged students to attend classes virtually and professors to hold online meetings rather than in-person instruction. Dr. Kristin Olofsson, assistant professor in the department of political science, said one of her students emailed her, demonstrating their concerns with COVID-19 regulations. “The student described goals of and expressed their dissatisfaction towards the administration’s handling of the COVID-19 situation this fall,” Olofsson said. Infographics were shared via OSU COVID Action Advocates’ social media to give information regarding the event. Posts news.ed@ocolly.com
File Photo The student-led initiative encouraged students to attend classes virtually and professors to hold online meetings rather than in-person instruction.
The queens been crowned Lydia Watkins Staff Reporter
Ali Isabell Millie Bryant smiling after winning Miss OSU 2022.
a law in Oklahoma that was passed in November 2015. Thomison said she wants to utilize college students in particular and partnered with Oklahoma State University to organize a marketing PSA camp for educating college students on the negative effects of texting and driving. “I want college students to know it’s about what they can do rather than what not to do when it comes to texting and driving,” Thomison said. Looking back, Thomison said she has become a better person and has seen a lot of growth within herself after being crowned Miss Oklahoma State University. Thomison said it has taken perseverance and pushing herself to get where she is now; her advice to young girls who are thinking about competing is to go for it. “This organization has taught me to be passionate and to put myself out there; I would have never met the women I have met if I wasn’t a part of this organization,” Thomison said. As for Kayla Loper, the director of the Miss Oklahoma State University pageant, meeting the girls and building relationships with them is the most rewarding part of her job. “The women I see entering this pageant are some of OSU’s brightest; I enjoy being a part of the recruitment process,” Loper said. Loper is originally from Kansas, but has lived in Stillwater and has been the manager of Arts, Culture and Entertainment for five years.
When talking to Miss Oklahoma State University title holders and contestants, bravery and perseverance describes the pageant journey. Julianne Thomison, Miss Oklahoma State University 2020 and 2021, proves this to be true. Thomison is from Tulsa, OK and attended Oklahoma State University to earn her masters in communications. Her love for pageants began when she was 13 years old. “I’ve been competing in pageants since I was 13, so for a decade now,” Thomison said. Thomison said she didn’t grow up in the pageant world, she wasn’t introduced to pageants until one of her friends competed in Miss Oklahoma’s Most Outstanding Teen. In 2012, Thomison was named Tulsa’s Most Outstanding Teen. “My first pageant was a disaster, but from that moment on I fell in love,” Thomison said. In 2020, Thomison was crowned Miss Oklahoma State University, as well as 2021 when the pageant was postponed due to COVID-19. Thomison said it has been a “crazy” two years, and a lot of preparations go into the pageant. “It takes a team; having an opinion on politics and being aware of what is going on around you and translating it to others is extremely important,” Thomison said. “It takes having a servant’s heart and being prepared to give back.” Thomison chose to give back by advocating for anti-texting and driving for nine years and lobbied for See Queens on 2