Where is Buddy?? ?

Instructions: Cut Buddy out and take him wherever you go.

Take your photo with Buddy and send them to alumni@uco.edu or post on social media with #buddytravels.

’87 Kenny Liles (BA ’87) and Donna Orcutt-Liles were married Sept. 14, 2019, in a ceremony at their home in Oklahoma City, with 70 guests and family present. Their combined family includes five children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

’87 Jennifer Fowler Graham (BM ’87) recently performed at the Enid Arts Council Gala Feb. 28, 2020. During her career, Graham has performed on more than 85 movie soundtracks, including “Evita,” “Prince of Egypt,” “La La Land,” “Avatar” and “Jurassic Park.” She also has performed as a voice-over artist or vocal singer on TV productions such as “Glee,” “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” “Sex and the City” and “Boston Legal.” Her performances as a backup singer in professional recording sessions have included working alongside artists such as Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Dolly Parton, Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman. Graham recently moved back to Oklahoma, where she teaches at Oklahoma City University.

’93 D.J. Thompson (BAEd ’93) joined the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) in February 2020 as their nonprofit consultant senior manager. She previously served as a professional trainer for OKCNP from 2007-09. Thompson has a passion for helping nonprofit organizations be the best at managing their business in order to provide a product that is exceptional for the communities they serve.

’95 James Anderson (MEd ’95) was selected as a finalist in the search for superintendent of the Kuspuk School District in Aniak, Alaska. Anderson recently served as an educational consultant to the International School of Africa and the European Azerbaijan School, developing school programs, training teachers and taking the schools through accreditation. Previously, he has served as the head of Westside Academy, in Detroit, and principal of Morrison Academy, in Taiwan, both independent parochial schools.

’01 James White (BBA ’01) has been promoted to Arvest’s mortgage production center sales manager in Tulsa. White joined Arvest in 2003 and has been part of its mortgage division since 2006. In his new role, White manages the production center’s sales team and is responsible for advising on an array of products for residential loans, among other duties.

‘08 Steve Dunn (MEd ’08) has been named a Certified Master Athletic Administrator by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Dunn currently serves as the executive director of athletics for Broken Arrow Public Schools.

‘08 Timothy Hsu (BM ’08) now serves as the concertmaster of the Pueblo Symphony, as well as Colorado State University-Pueblo’s violin and viola artist-in-residence and its orchestra and chamber ensemble director. Over the course of his career, Hsu has received the Peabody Career Development Grant, the University of Iowa School of Music Travel Funds Grant and has won the Music Teachers National Association’s Young Artist Competition State Division.

‘10 Kayce Davis (BSEd ’10) was named the 2019 Teacher of the Year at Ranchwood Elementary School in Yukon, Oklahoma. She has been an educator at Ranchwood for six years, spending her first four years there as a first-grade teacher and her the past two years as a third-grade teacher.

‘10 Scott Tohlen (BS ’10) has been named director of government relations by The Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA). Prior to joining the OHA, Tohlen served as the Oklahoma government relations director for the American

Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

‘10 Alyx Picard Davis (BA ’10) was named the next executive director of deadCenter Film. She has worked as deadCenter’s director of operations since 2013, as well as worked with the organization through many phases and in multiple capacities.

‘11 Susan Contreras (MEd ’11) was named as the 2019 Teacher of the Year at Russell Dougherty Elementary School in Edmond, Oklahoma. She is the library media specialist and the technology specialist for kindergarten through fifthgrade students.

’13 Austin Foust, CPA (BBA, BS ’13) was one of 38 specialists honored as members of the 11th class of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Leadership Academy. Foust, an Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants (OSCPA) member for four years, is a tax manager with Hogan Taylor LLP. Foust serves on the OSCPA’s Young Accounting Professionals Committee and is a 2018 OSCPA Trailblazer.

‘16 Valerie Williams (BFA ’16) joined Miller Architects in 2019 and has been selected for advanced training within the company.

‘17 Kateleigh Mills (BA ’17) rejoined KOSU in December as their Special Projects reporter, following a yearlong stint at KWBU in Waco, Texas. She was previously a news assistant and All Things Considered host for KOSU in 2018.

Alumni

Mildred Irene “Millie” Estes (BSEd ’43)

Harold W. Crosley Sr. (BAEd ’55, MEd ’62)

Loretta Faye Cavett (BSEd ’57, MT ’61)

Virginia L. Minton (BSEd ’61, MT ’66)

Stanley “Stan” Lee Kelley (BS ’62)

Max Harrison (BS ’64)

Billy Ray Hoover (BS ‘64, MT ‘66)

Jane Long Rapp Scharnberg (BSEd ‘64, MS ‘68)

John Lindell Brock (BA ’65)

Ronald Lee Buckelew (BA ‘65)

Frances Marie May (BSEd ‘65)

Larry Bill Williams (BS ‘67, MBA ‘72)

Mildred Harden (BSEd ’68)

Billy H. Diggs (BS ’70)

Larry Reed (BA ’70)

Shirley Marie Brown (BA ’72)

Barbra Purtell (M.Ed. ‘72)

Bobby G. Bates (BBA ’73)

Wayne D. Epperson (BBA ‘74, MBA ‘77)

Michael B. Kaserman (BBA ‘74)

Anne Kinzer (Brown) Dougherty (MEd ‘77)

William Wayne “Buzz” Dorris (BS ‘81)

Trevlyn Anne Cross (BAEd ‘86)

Dixie Jean Day Pearson (BS ‘88)

Thomas Hedglen (MA ’89)

Marian Lee Smith (BA ‘89, MEd ‘93)

Clay Venning Tate (BS ‘89)

Wendell Allen Vandever (BS ’90)

Janice E. Day (MEd ‘92)

Carol Louise Cole-Frowe (BA ’94)

Joe Howard Hill (BS ‘94)

KristiLynn Wall (BSEd ’97)

Wanda L. Zin Foley (BS ‘99)

Thomas Denton Fox (MEd ‘06)

Jason McMurray (BFA ‘06)

Former Faculty And Staff

Hyland Delores Barber

Edward Fortenberry, Ph.D.

Lt. Shirley Lanning

Carl Reherman (BA ’69)

Jim Stewart, Ph.D.

KJ Tullis, Ph.D.

Tiffany Wise

TARYN HANSEN WRITES ALUMNI NOTES/IN MEMORY. WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A BIRTH, WEDDING, ACHIEVEMENT OR OTHER IMPORTANT LIFE EVENT OF A CENTRAL ALUMNUS? PLEASE SEND ALUMNI/IN MEMORY NOTES, ALONG WITH ANY ACCOMPANYING PHOTOS, TO UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS, UCOMM@UCO.EDU, WITH “ALUMNI NOTE” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

Remembering A Leader In Business

K.J. Tullis, Ph.D., former associate dean for the College of Business died Jan. 17, 2020. Tullis began working for Central in 1995 as a professor in the Department of Management. During his tenure, he served as chairperson for the Department of Management, assistant dean, associate dean and program director. He retired from UCO in 2018.

Honoring A Public Servant

Lt. Shirley Lanning died Friday, Feb. 14. Lanning’s career in law enforcement spanned more than 30 years, including service with the UCO Police Department from 1997-2014. In addition to Central, she worked as a public servant for the Oklahoma County Jail, U.S. Marshals, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department, and finally, for the Canadian County Sheriff’s Department.

Parting Shot

OLD NORTH was lit up in blue as a symbol of support for health care providers and essential workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Daniel Smith.