www.thevistaonline.corn Hear NFL player and stroke survivor Tedy Bruschi present "Stroke of Courage: Surviving a Setback" at 6:30 p.m. tonight in Hamilton Fieldhouse.
Feb. 26, 2009
Soldier's legacy lives on through art A fallen patriot lived with his "war," and his family honored his battle Kory Oswald Correspon let II
Renee Wood-Vincent, the mother of a young soldier, said her son was both a contradiction and a patriot, knowing the necessity of his job but using his art as therapy for what he went through. She describes her son, Sgt. Ryan Wood, as many things: a rebel, a brother, a son, and an artist. He was also a soldier that was killed in action in Baghdad on June 21, 2007, a week and a half after being accepted to UCO. "A Salute to Ryan Wood," an exhibit featuring Wood's artwork, opens today in the Donna Nigh Gallery exhibit Hall, on the third floor of the Nigh University Center, to honor Ryan's work and memory. While serving his second tour in Iraq, Vincent said Wood was "stop-lossed," which is an extension of a service member's active duty. After the initial extension, his tour was to end on June 20, 2007, but he was given an additional three months of service. Wood died along with four other soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter, the day after he was supposed to leave Iraq, when his Bradley vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. At the end of his tour Wood was to return to Oklahoma on Dec. 1, 2007, following five years of continuous service. He planned to begin his freshman year at UCO in January 2008, where he was going to study art and political science. "He was ready, he had done his part...he was ready to come home and get started on the second chapter of his life," Vincent said. Wood started drawing at the age of three and did not stop, even through two tours of duty. Although he will never have the chance to furtherdevelop his craft at UCO, by creating The Ryan Wood Freedom Art Scholarship, his family has ensured that his legacy and memory will continue to serve others and help them receive an education from the University. "The Vincent-Wood families are inspiring in so many ways," said Lori Alspaugh, the development director for the College of Arts, Media & Design, "they are committed to each other and Ryan's legacy. Together their efforts will allow Ryan's memory to live on through the lives of UCO students pursuing the dream of a degree in the arts." Due to the combined efforts of his family, friends and other contributors the scholarship fund already exceeds $29,000 and is endowed through the UCO Foundation. Vincent said her family is always busy raising money for the scholarships, which helps other students receive see WOOD, page 5
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Photo Provided
My War i@ among the artwork that will be on display when t'A Salute to Ryan Wood" open@ with a recep= tion from 4=0 p:m„ Feb: 26 in the Donna Nigh Ci@ll@ry Exhibit Hall at tiCO% Nigh Uniyer@ity Center: Wood was killed in Iraq week@ before he was to begin hi@ fre@hman year at the Uniyer@ify of Central Oklahoma: The exhibit will be on di@play through March 26: "
[1551-cor Excerpts from Ryan Wood's MySpace page
anothor portiOti i sell a friend has boon killod,„,brutally, and yot fOf s@lti h MUM§ i suppose, i still maw to march on, through all this blood, swoat and a countloss numbor of tours, I still Imago to fight anothor fight, and !Ivo another day, Photo by Matt Danner you see, the army has a way with taking a sledgehammer and smashing dreams and relationships you were sure you could cement in stone if you were there, but the truth of all of it is....im not. not that im worried, well, not really more or less frustrated with the hand ive been dealt. 9 9
46 so I write this more or less for me.....im comin home.....lm comm home,9
Full entries on page 5
Extra money from learning center to renovate Old North Caleb McWilliams ,s'u■fp /yr,. Extra money from the construction of the newest building on campus will go towards renovating UCO's oldest building. The Center for Transformative Learning, funded by a bond issue passed in 2005, is expected to be completed with a $2 million surplus, which will go to furthering the renovation of Old North. "[The] $2 million will not complete the building but will support the construction of the annex," said Dr. William Radke, provost and executive vice-president for Academic Affairs. The building has been under renovation for several years and was originally supposed to be completed in August 2008, but "we still need approximately $6 million to
complete the actual interior," Steve Kreidler, executive vice-president for Administration and Finance, said. "As soon as it is raised we will get to work on the inside," Kreidler said. Renovations encompass a new annex, that "will include all elevators, mechanicals, ADA access, restrooms, etc.," said Kreidler. Additionally, the building will have 56 offices, several classrooms and also space for a future office of the president, Radke said. Faculty currently in cubicles in the library will also have space to relocate. Old North was first occupied in January 1893. At that time, the Territorial Normal School operated with two years of college work and a complete prepatory school in training teachers.