FROM OKLAHOMA TO ALASKA

PHOTO BY KELLY WILLETT

CENTRAL ALUMNA KELLY WILLETT HAS MADE A HOME outside of the Lower 48. An Alaska resident since 2012, Willett works as an environmental compliance specialist for NorthStar Energy, a group of companies that provides fuel to remote and challenging terrains, such as Hawaii and Alaska. She started her life, however, in a drastically different environment.

After growing up on a small Oklahoma farm, Willett graduated from UCO in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She planned to continue her education, eventually attending graduate school to become a veterinarian. Along the way, her interests diverted. Willett took an internship with a landscape architecture firm in Alaska and never looked back.

Willett’s Alaskan life is anything but one-dimensional. She serves as a member of the Alaska Air National Guard, in addition to her career at NorthStar, and has her pilot’s license. An airman first class, Willett works in public affairs for the 176th Wing, also known as the Arctic Guardians, where she takes photos and videos of training exercises, community outreach and other unit operations.

In her personal time, Willett is an avid cyclist, cycling 28 miles in 2020 at more than 2,500 feet of elevation gain. Similarly in the vein of adventure, she attempted to climb the summit of Mount Denali in 2019, climbing more than 18,600 feet up the mountain.

Although she no longer lives in Oklahoma, Willett uses the foundations of her UCO biology degree throughout her profession. Whether it be through her career, her work in the Air National Guard or her passion for cycling, she continues to display Central’s mission of being a productive, creative, ethical and engaged citizen.

Alumni Notes

’87 Tammie Strobel, Ed.D. (MEd ’87) was named the new superintendent and chief executive officer of Tri County Technology Center in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Strobel originally joined Tri County Tech in 2000.

’93 Jay Cline (BS ’93) is the new athletic director of North Lamar Independent School District (ISD) in Paris, Texas. Previously, Cline served as an athletic coordinator at Creekview High School in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, where he also served as head football coach, defensive coordinator and outside linebacker coach.

’95 Vincent Bridges, Ph.D. (BS ’94, MEd ’95), became the new vice president for Academic Affairs at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC). Prior to his role as vice president, Bridges served as dean of the OCCC Department of Health Professions.

’95 Clay Callicoat (BBA ’95) was named the chief financial officer for RSource, a provider of revenue cycle management (RCM) services to hospitals and health systems. Callicoat has more than 25 years of experience in various operational finance roles and has previously served as CFO of two health care RCM companies.

’96 Jeremy Oller, J.D., Ph.D. (BBA ’96), now serves as the new dean of the UCO College of Business, after serving as its interim dean since January 2020. Oller previously served as the chairperson of the Department of Economics from 2012-20.

’96 Stacy Reeder, Ph.D. (MEd ’96), was named dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma. Reeder served as a faculty member and administrator in the college for the past 16 years. She led as the interim dean of the college from February 2020 until April 2021, when she was named dean. Reeder also served as the chairperson of the college’s Department of Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum.

’98 Darolyn Seay, Ed.D. (BS ’89, MEd ’98), recently was recognized as a recipient of the 2020 Teaching Excellence Award at the spring 2021 commencement ceremony for Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska. Seay is an associate professor of education at Peru State and teaches courses in educational psychology, teacher education and teaching science in elementary and middle schools.

’99 Jeremy Hise (BA ’99) was named vice president for Northern Oklahoma College (NOC) in Enid, Oklahoma. Prior to his new role, Hise served as Enid High School’s assistant softball coach, after working for NOC for 20 years.

’03 Drew Montgomery (MEd ’03) became the new human resources director for the Manhattan-Ogden School District in Kansas. Montgomery previously served as the human resources director for the South Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative in Pratt, Kansas.

’07 Melissa Barlow (MEd ’07), principal of Yukon High School in Yukon, Oklahoma, was named the Oklahoma High School Principal of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals. Barlow has served as principal at Yukon High for eight years.

’07 Heather Rouba (BFA ’07) was named the preconstruction director for Smith & Pickel Construction. She will lead business development initiatives, as well as focus on community relations. Rouba also serves as president for Brink Model Management, LLC.

’08 Bucky Dodd, Ph.D. (BA ’06, MEd ’08), became the assistant vice president for education strategy and innovation at UCO. Dodd began at Central in 2009 and has previously served as executive director of the UCO Center for eLearning and Connected Environments and as Central’s chief learning innovation officer.

’10 Brad Schatzel (MBA ’10) earned the title of Faculty Member of the Year at Seminole State College in Seminole,

Oklahoma. He has worked at Seminole State for nine years and is an assistant professor of business.

’11 Jeremy Frazier (MPA ’11) was named the new city manager of Fort Scott, Kansas. Frazier most recently served as the city manager for El Reno, Oklahoma.

’13 Sache Primeaux-Shaw (MPA ’13), a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, is the first Black president of the Young Democrats of Oklahoma chapter, the official youth chapter of the Oklahoma Democratic Party.

’14 Katie Brown (MS ’14) received the Emerging Dietetic Leader award from the Oklahoma Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Brown currently works at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic as a diabetes prevention dietitian.

’16 McKenzie Hodge (BSEd ’16) was named the 2020-21 Oklahoma City Public Schools Teacher of the Year. Hodge teaches at the district’s Wheeler Middle School.

’18 Aunj Braggs (BFA ’18) is a featured artist in the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her paintings “Inseparable” and “Resilience.” Her work “Inseparable” also was featured as the cover image for Tulsa People magazine. Braggs is part of the Black Moon Collective, a group of Black creatives in Tulsa.

’18 Denny MedicineBird (BS ’18) was featured in President Joe Biden’s inauguration virtual parade, performing in traditional Native dress on Oklahoma City’s Skydance Bridge.

’19 Hanna Pavao (BEd ’19), a special education teacher at Edmond Public Schools’ (EPS) Heritage Elementary, was named the 2020-21 EPS Rookie Teacher of the Year. Outside of her work as a teacher, Pavao volunteers at the Regional Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity.

Future Bronchos

In Memory

ALUMNI

Scott Cornelius (BBA ’84)

Danniel Parker (BA ’14)

Faculty And Staff

Gene ‘Al’ Allen Daily

James Alvin Bryan

Kathe Regina Eastman

Upton Bruce Henderson

Gavyn Clare (BS ’14) and Maegan Clare welcomed their

Jace, in December 2020. As a strength and conditioning coach, Gavyn is getting Jace started early with his first baby dumbbell.

Robert “Bob” Louis Terrell Jr., Ed.D., UCO faculty emeritus, died April 12, 2020. Terrell taught at Central for 35 years in the College of Business as an accounting professor. He was beloved by his students, who lovingly referred to him as “Dr. Bob.” His classes were always full, as students fought to take him as a professor. Word of mouth among students over the years told of Terrell’s sense of humor and philosophy that “learning was fun.”

David Noel

Kathy Pritchard

David von Minden, Ph.D.

Danny Whitley

Laura Butler, Central’s legislative liaison, welcomed her daughter, Alexandra Vaughn Claussen, with her husband Lane Claussen, in December 2020. Alexandra is full of smiles and giggles and is already working on becoming a strong leading lady.

In 2008, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education named Terrell as the Oklahoma Professor of the Year for his extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching. Throughout his time at Central, Terrell served alongside his wife, Katherene Terrell, Ed.D., professor emeritus of accounting, who chaired the UCO Department of Accounting and taught accounting at Central for more than 30 years. Following his retirement from UCO, Terrell spent time traveling with his family.

Sarah Neese writes Alumni Notes/In Memory. Want to highlight a birth, wedding, achievement or other important life event of Central alumni? Please send Alumni/In Memory notes, along with any accompanying photos, to University Communications, ucomm@uco.edu, with “Alumni Note” in the subject line.

Parting Shot

UCO President Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar prepares to distribute diplomas to graduates during one of Central’s three spring 2021 commencement ceremonies in Wantland Stadium.