HEROIC - University of Central OklahomaLaunching Heroic Journeys UCO faculty are urged to remember...

HEADER

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA i

OLD

NO

RTH

MAG

AZIN

E O

F TH

E UN

IVER

SITY

OF

CENT

RAL O

KLAH

OM

AFA

LL 2

018

• VO

L. LV

, NO

. 2

TM

HEROIC

JOURNEYSHEROIC

JOURNEYS

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 1ii OLD NORTH • FALL 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

...a magazine published by the University ofCentral Oklahoma for its alumni and friends.

Launching Heroic JourneysUCO faculty are urged to remember that every UCO student is in the midst of a heroic journey.

One Student’s JourneyGraduate Raistland Valenzuela’s experience at UCO took him down paths he never dreamed.

Remembering, Serving, SucceedingJourneys encompass not only the individual’s experience, but also those of others along the way — sometimes amazing people.

Vaughan Family HeroSometimes, the journey of someone in the past reaches out to touch the lives of those in the here and now.

4

5

6

13

4 13

“Heroic Journeys” — the intriguing idea as a theme for this issue of Old North magazine proved to be more rich and multilayered than imagined. Readers may find validation of their own journeys or inspiration for new ones. May they all be enlightening, transformative and fun!

On the Cover

Heroes with Flaws?Alumnus and journalism professor Joe Hight voices his support for the journeys of mere mortals and their flaws.

Needing More than a RoofThe serious journeys of many start young, burdened with heavy circumstances beyond their control.

Conducting a TributeHaving announced his retirement, President Betz has been collecting honors, but perhaps none as indelible as this surprise.

Honoring Our OwnMeet UCO’s latest group of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients and learn about their journeys of distinction.

Alumni Notes / in Memory

16

18

22

24

32

18 22

UCO President Don Betz

Vice President, University

Communications Charles Johnson

Editor Gypsy Hogan (BA ’74)

Art Director Craig Beuchaw (BA ’92)

Photographic Services Daniel Smith

(BA ’77, MEd ’93)

Alumni Records Wendy Lackmeyer

Old North Staff

Old North (USPS 098-220) is published twice a year by the University of Central Oklahoma, through the office University Communications, 100 North University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034-5209. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Old North, University Communications of the University of Central Oklahoma, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034-5209. In compliance with Title VI and Title VII of The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, The Civil Rights Act of 1991, and other Federal Laws and Regulations, University of Central Oklahoma does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, handicap, disability, status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures; this includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. This publication, printed by Southwestern Stationery, Oklahoma City, OK, is issued by the University of Central Oklahoma as authorized by Title 70 OS 1981, Section 3903. 6,800 copies have been prepared or distributed at a cost of $6,200. 11/2018

Be CentralShow your UCO pride.

Member FDIC

Get the official currency of UCO today! Use your MidFirst Bank UCO Debit Card or Credit Card for everyday purchases and support the university. Every trip you make to the store; every coffee you purchase; every pizza you have delivered - it all counts. Just use the card to make your purchases and MidFirst Bank will do the rest.

Visit midfirst.com/uco for more details.

Apple Pay™, Google Pay™ and Samsung Pay

UCO0099_2017 Old North Ad.indd 1 2/19/18 11:57 AM

OLD

NO

RTH

MAG

AZIN

E O

F TH

E UN

IVER

SITY

OF

CENT

RAL O

KLAH

OM

AFA

LL 2

018

• VO

L. LV

, NO

. 2

TM

HEROIC

JOURNEYSHEROIC

JOURNEYS

HEADER

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 32 OLD NORTH • FALL 2018

FROM THE PRESiDENT

Encouraging Our Commitment to LearningHello to all! It is fall at UCO.Mother Nature treated us kindly this

summer, including rain at unexpected, but appreciated times. The campus has been green and lush thanks in large measure to the consistent efforts of our masterful Facilities team. Each day they tend the grounds and buildings, producing an environment our visitors regularly compliment as lovely and inviting.

Homecoming 2018 was punctuated by exceptional student involvement, memorable ceremonies for the Athletics Hall of Fame and the Alumni Association, honoring six distinguished alumni. It likely also will be remembered for the rainstorm almost precisely timed to cancel the parade, but not dampen the enthusiasm of our students nor the participation of alumni in the planned events.

They personify one of UCO’s enduring virtues: an indomitable spirit.

The campus landscape and skyline continues to change. Even a recent visitor will discover new facilities rising to replace 60-year-old buildings, as well as new space to enhance student learning.

In late September, the Sports Performance Center opened to rave reviews. It is designed to serve our student athletes and their coaches in pursuit of athletic and academic success. Unique among state-of-the-art sport venues, the new facility features an academic success center staffed with accessible mentors and space to focus on the athletes in pursuit of their degrees. This latest addition to UCO was completed with no state support. It will impact students for decades.

In mid-November, UCO will proudly open the STEM Research and Learning Center. This unique 56,000-square-foot facility will encourage interdisciplinary learning, guided by our student-focused UCO faculty.

It will underscore UCO’s durable commitment to undergraduate research as one of the key high impact practices in our

cultivation and pursuit of transformative, lifelong learning. STEM is an integral component of the College of Mathematics and Science, but other disciplines are actively invited into the interdisciplinary environment. From the first days of its design, STEM was created to meet the growing demand for graduates, educated and motivated to fill positions throughout the metro and the state, in the full spectrum of these sought-after areas of expertise.

There is more on the horizon. The 55,000-square-foot South Wing of the College of Liberal Arts is rising, the first substantive change in the Liberal Art’s home since the mid-1960s. The South Wing is focused on student collaboration and connection, and on creating fresh faculty office and classroom space. We will dedicate sometime in June 2019 the South Wing and its physical connection to the original Liberal Arts building.

More to follow in the next letter on the new Dining Center and the North Hamilton Annex, which creates locker rooms for UCO women’s sports and the practice area mats for our highly competitive, award-winning wrestling team. These initiatives represent UCO’s

continuing commitment to the OKC Metro, Oklahoma and to its citizens to offer personal, exceptional public higher education. We are able to continue to fulfill our responsibilities to the people of the metro in this dynamic way thanks to philanthropy, partnerships and student support.

I personally invite you to rediscover your Central this fall and spring. Come and join us as we open new facilities and prepare students for professional and personal success in a perpetually changing and challenging environment. I am confident you will find UCO and its committed faculty and dedicated staff clearly focused on student success and on building the dynamic future of the metro, state and country.

My sincere best wishes,

Don Betz

President Betz visiting with students on campus, one of his favorite things to do.

New Look. Same Central Connection.

UCO Alumni & Friendscreate your online profile at

www.centralconnection.org/register

Targeted Content Based on Your Interests and InformationBetter Ways to Connect with Alumni & Friends

Update Information and Email Preferences in Real-Time

HEADER

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 5

Launching Heroic

JourneysBy Jeff King, Ed.D.

Executive Director for UCO’s Transformative Learning

For those who are past the college years, it’s easy to forget how dramatic that time of life is, for both traditional and nontraditional students. As faculty, I think we need to be attuned to that — that this is a full life-transition for our

students, requiring more of us than teaching content and skills. We need to help our students through a time of transformation as they take their own heroic journeys, whether they are 18 or 55 years old.

We also need to be aware that as faculty, we, too, are on heroic journeys of self-discovery. The art of asking ourselves questions is something to cultivate on our heroic journeys as college professors, and it also is a shortcut to helping students experience transformative discoveries.

The classic hero’s journey has an individual leaving the security of home for an adventure into the unknown. To succeed, the individual must question old ways of thinking, explore new possibilities, then return home to share new understandings.

It’s a journey any of us can take at any time in life — if we’re willing.Penn State biology professor Chris Uhl has developed a reputation for helping each

student in his 400-person environmental science class begin their journeys. He encourages students to get over their “fear” of questions, instead taking “delight” in them. He challenges them to discover what they are “unwilling to experience” and see how it limits their lives. He also encourages journaling — “to record the story of their journey.”

One of his assignments is known as “100 Questions.” He asks students to make a list of 100 personal questions, “things about themselves that they would like to understand.” He asks that they make the list in one sitting, writing quickly, not concerned about spelling or grammar. His one requirement — ask questions that are deemed significant.

His examples range from, “How can I save money?” to “How can I have more fun?” to “What is the meaning and purpose of my existence?”

What Uhl has found is that the first 20 questions tend to be off the top of the head. As the questions continue, however, themes begin to emerge, questions from deep within come forth.

And students begin to see paths for their own heroic journey emerge.It’s a lesson — and a challenge — that we can all use to open

ourselves to heroic journeys of seeing the world in a new way.

4 OLD NORTH • FALL 2018

When Raistland Valenzuela began at UCO in 2015, a simple email inviting him to join the Hispanic Success Initiative sparked his amazing journey.

He began to see himself as capable of more than he imagined, developing leadership skills he didn’t know he had while opening up to others about his own life and struggles.

By the time he graduated in spring 2018, he had gone from being a member of the Hispanic Success Initiative to being a “peer fellow” to a “lead peer fellow” — meaning he went from being helped to significantly helping others grow.

He found that “not only do I have the grit to be a leader … but I’ve learned that being a leader is not about making all the decisions. Sometimes being a leader is about allowing other people to take the reins and lead a situation.”

Valenzuela also changed his major to meet his new goals.“Like a lot of first-generation college students, I hadn’t seen

what a professor of biology is all about,” Valenzuela said. That changed at UCO. He came to see himself as someone who

could contribute to a global community as both a scientist and a researcher and as someone with rich cultural, social and academic experiences to share.

Much of his transformation was tied to UCO’s Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR), in which he qualified in all five tenets of the program — Global and Cultural Competencies; Health and Wellness; Leadership; Research, Creative and Scholarly Activities; and Service Learning and Civic Engagement.

The STLR program, developed at UCO, has received national and international recognition for its ability to document student success with transformative learning. Students are challenged to develop a Student Transformative Learning Record that parallels their academic one.

Students like Valenzuela receive STLR credit by submitting STLR-tagged assignments and attending events, or serving in STLR-tagged student groups or out-of-class projects. They write and reflect on these experiences. Their levels of achievement are assessed and validated by a UCO faculty or staff member.

While the program helps graduates demonstrate to future employers that they have mastered more than required academic work, the program also helps students enrich their transformative journeys while at UCO.

Valenzuela went from a “skeptical participant to an engaged one during his first year,” wrote Liliana Renteria-Mendoza, UCO’s director of OKC Cultural Outreach and Diversity Strategies. She also was one who assessed and approved Valenzuela’s work for two of his STLR credits — Leadership, and Global and Cultural Competencies. “His identity flourished … he discovered that he has a passion for teaching and engaging students to become better versions of themselves, just as he has done.”

Camille Farrell is one of UCO’s assistant directors of STLR and another of Valenzuela’s STLR evaluators.

What impressed her about Valenzuela’s growth was his transformation into a “servant-focused leader” whose ability to voice his own vulnerabilities encourages others to follow his lead.

“Raistland has grown profoundly in his being comfortable in his own skin,” she wrote, noting that he had “struggled substantially with support in his personal life.”

However, his ability to share the difficulties of his own journey “helps create an environment where these students can be themselves and feel like they can be vulnerable and open up, too.”

Meaning, she said, that not only did he begin a journey for himself, but he found ways to bring others along with him.

To see a video of Raistland Valenzuela talking about his UCO experience, visit https://youtu.be/Ot1kqnbuPAs.

One Student’s Journey

From left to right, Camille Farrell and Liliana Renteria-Mendoza present cords to Raistland Velenzuela in spring 2018.

The Hispanic Success Initiative (HSI) at UCO is a program designed to promote a sense of belonging in the UCO and Oklahoma City communities and aims to positively impact the academic success and career possibilities for Central’s Hispanic student population. HSI includes faculty and staff mentorships, as well as peer mentorships, community events and activities, and service learning projects.=

HEADER


Remembering, Serving,

SucceedingBy Jarrett Jobe, Ph.D.

Sometimes, being able to get close to the heroic journeys of others gives insight into future possibilities. For UCO’s Jarrett Jobe, Ph.D., his tragic journey with a high school friend led him to take UCO students to Uganda for the last eight years. There, they’ve had the privilege of working with an internationally recognized humanitarian and seeing tangible results — including building and stocking a school library.

The journey that led me to Sister Rosemary’s work and Uganda started on a football field more than 20 years ago. I was fortunate enough to play alongside some

outstanding athletes and young men at Westmoore High School. One of those teammates was an imposing offensive lineman named Brandon Whitten. He was physically gifted, maintained a tremendous work ethic, and everyone who knew him admired his outgoing and caring personality. I was a year younger than Brandon, and I still remember the words of encouragement and support he provided me as an underclassman trying to earn my position on the team.

Brandon’s talents led him to play football at the collegiate level and, like many high school friends and teammates, we all watched each other from a distance, proud of each other’s accomplishments and successes. Yet, when watching from afar, the reality of any person’s situation is difficult to understand. Brandon was struggling with prescription drug abuse, which began during his time in college. In 2002, at the age of 25, Brandon died in a motorcycle accident related to this abuse.

In the years following his death, Brandon’s father, Reggie, still devastated by the loss of his son, was encouraged by several friends to travel to Uganda to experience the work they were doing and meet some individuals who were emerging from life’s most difficult and challenging circumstances.

Enter Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and the women of St. Monica’s. After hearing their story and witnessing their determination, Reggie reignited his passion for serving others. He left Uganda committed to supporting Sister Rosemary and northern Uganda, but also to telling the story of Brandon and the risk of prescription drug abuse. This passion led him to create Pros for Africa and FATE (Fighting Addiction Through Education), two nonprofits based in Oklahoma.

It was through FATE that I was able to initially connect with Reggie. Reggie was visiting UCO through a partnership with our College of Education and Professional Studies, and I noticed several high school friends were involved in the program. After the program concluded, I had a brief conversation with Reggie. When he learned about my involvement with the Leadership program at UCO and my doctorate degree in international relations,

UCO student Lauren Clay visits with children at St.

Monica’s Tailoring School in northern Uganda.



he said, “You need to get involved with Pros for Africa — if you want to see a real leader, an international leader, you need to meet Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe.”

Over the next 48 hours, I read and watched everything I could about Sister Rosemary and her work in northern Uganda. There is not enough space to write about Rosemary’s efforts and experiences in supporting some of the most marginalized people in the world during the civil wars in Uganda and Sudan. Persistence, patience, innovation, grace, forgiveness and love are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Rosemary.

I learned more about Pros for Africa and the development of international trips to support Sister Rosemary. I also discovered a childhood friend, Jeff Hargrave, was working as the director of the program in Oklahoma. There were too many stars aligning to ignore the opportunity to engage with their work.

Working in leadership development the past 10 years has taught me an important lesson. Authentic leadership — the type of leadership which inspires, teaches and

changes the world — is difficult to find. When you see this type of leader, you gravitate towards this person; you look forward to your next opportunity to work

and learn from them; and, they change your perspective. Sister Rosemary is this type of leader. The other sisters at St. Monica’s, I have discovered, are, too. I wanted our students to experience and learn from these women.

During my time at UCO in the Leadership office, I have continually searched for opportunities to provide our students with international experiences focused on service, leadership and global competencies. This is a difficult proposition, as you want to be sure to provide worthy work and support, as well as avoid the exploitation of communities you are visiting. St. Monica’s in Uganda provided the perfect opportunity to potentially develop a sustainable, short-term, international experience.

I have been fortunate to travel to a number of countries across the world and experience some amazing cultures and people. Yet, when we began our first visit to Uganda with UCO students and staff, I felt a nervousness I had not felt for some time. Much of this nervousness was born out of the hope of a sustainable and meaningful partnership with Rosemary

and St. Monica’s. Rosemary is a global figure, her accomplishments imposing, and I was not sure how we would be able to support her work effectively.

With our first visit, our focus was to help with some construction projects in Atiak, a town about 43 miles north of Gulu, where St. Monica’s and the Sisters of the Sacred Heart were building residence facilities for women and children attending their school. Our work did not change the world those two weeks — we sanded, painted and tiled. However, the relationships that developed during this time created an opportunity.

One evening during our visit, Rosemary invited me to sit down with all of the sisters to discuss future opportunities for UCO and St. Monica’s. Listening to the needs and requests of the sisters was daunting, if not overwhelming. A litany of needs were covered — funds to hire teachers and medical personnel, facilities for children and women staying at different locations across north and northwest Uganda, educational materials including books, and medical supplies to provide sound health care. With UCO’s great history in education and teaching, I gravitated toward the literacy and learning aspects of the conversation. What if we could support a library? The decision was quickly made — yes.

Over the next two years, students from UCO and East Central University worked toward this goal. Books were collected; funds were raised; and construction support — including sanding, painting and tiling again — culminated in the children and adult literacy library in St. Monica’s opening in summer of 2017. More

than $20,000 was raised by students, UCO faculty and staff, and supporters of St. Monica’s for this project. This past year, through the work of engaged students and our second Sister Rosemary Gala, another $10,000 was raised to begin construction of a maternal health clinic and primary school, another growing need of the Atiak community. Our most recent trip required brickmaking and foundation work for these projects.

Our progress has been sustained by the continuous efforts and work of numerous individuals. These efforts have required patience,

UCO’s Jarrett Jobe, Ph.D., and Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe pose at St. Monica’s compound in northern Uganda, founded by her to shelter women and their children, victims of war.

UCO students, who made the journey to Uganda in May 2018, surround the brick-making machine that they used to prepare ma-terials for new projects of St. Monica’s. With them are Ugandan contractors, as well as Sister Rosemary, fourth from right.

UCO students who made their first journey to Uganda in spring 2018. Second row, first from left, is UCO professor Jessica Appleby, Ph.D., who also made her first trip.The students completed UCO’s fifth trip to support Sister Rosemary’s work.

In 2014, Sister Rosemary was named one of Time

magazine’s 100 most influential people. For the last 30

years, she and the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

have worked to shelter, educate and provide job training

for the women and children caught in the violent civil wars

in northern Uganda and South Sudan. Many were victims

of Joseph Kony and the infamous Lord Resistance Army.

These women — and their children — became social

outcasts, but not at St. Monica’s. To learn more about Sister

Rosemary and her work, visit www.sewinghopefoundation.

com or www.fate.org.


UCO’s newest building has been named the Donald Betz STEM Research and Learning Center, in honor of UCO President Don Betz, who will be retiring June 30.

The Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) board of regents approved the naming in September, recognizing Betz’s 48 years of contributions to higher education and his service to UCO as president since 2011.

The STEM building added 56,000 square feet of learning space for the campus and for the highly-sought STEM majors. The new space is expected to allow increased STEM enrollment, following its recent opening in November.

In August, President Betz received the Oklahoma Political Science Association’s lifetime achievement award in honor of his lasting contributions in leadership, research and mentorship – specifically his outstanding contributions to political science and his distinguished record of public service.

RUSO is currently conducting a national search for the university’s next president.

planning and an unwavering commitment to working through uncertainty and various challenges. Yet the thread that holds all of this together, the center of the success, is a woman who through improbable odds has made achieving success a habit. She’s a woman with few peers, who displays what I call a tenacious, unbounded love of others — Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe.

All journeys have a beginning and end — the nature of a journey. We often don’t know when a particular journey commences or when the final steps will be taken. All we can do is take each step toward an unknown future, while recognizing the people and places that have been a part of this journey and the memories shared with each one. My hope is to continue the legacy of some of the most inspired and authentic leaders I have ever met. To work alongside individuals who have committed to serve others, with no prejudice or judgment. To continue to provide support for Sister Rosemary and St. Monica’s, to encourage students and our communities to recognize authentic leadership and aspire to provide the same.

Jarrett Jobe, Ph.D., UCO’s assistant vice president of Public Affairs, has taken about 50

UCO students to work with Sister Rosemary.

What UCO Students Said

Every effort UCO provides in partnership with Sister Rosemary grows

into something even more remarkable than originally imagined. Sister

Rosemary is a one-of-a-kind leader to work alongside, and she shares

immense wisdom with everyone she encounters. Through my experiences

in Uganda, I have learned about the power one individual has to

contribute to solving a world issue. The student interest at St. Monica’s

has become exponential, and it is so encouraging to see this opportunity

continue.

— Katie Richard (BS ‘18, BBA ‘18) of Quincy, Illinois

My time spent in Uganda was incredible — the kind of experience that

changes your life forever. I cannot even put into words the impact that

the country, and the people who inhabit it, had on my heart, my life and

my future. My passion for people living in underdeveloped countries was

further ignited as I got to spend my days living life the way the people

in Gulu do; each day I spent in the country, and each soul that I met,

inspired me to pursue my vision and spend the rest of my life alongside

others who are promoting the support and advancement of this country

that is so dear to me.

— Lauren Clay, a 2018-19 senior from Blanchard, Oklahoma

Shown above are, from left, RUSO Regents Susan Winchester and Mark Stansberry, President Betz, and Regent Amy Ford at approval of UCO’s STEM building being named in honor of retiring President Betz.

New STEM Building Honors Betz

UCO students from a 2017 trip to Uganda stand outside the completed library that they helped build and supply with books for St. Monica’s Tailoring School in Gulu, Uganda.


Who’s Reading What on CampusFor the fall semester, the

Department Chairs’ book group

is reading “The Undergraduate

Experience.” The E4E (Empowerment

for Excellence) book clubs have been

reading “Big Magic” and “The Influential

Mind.” Members of the 21st Century

Pedagogy Institute (all faculty) have been studying all the

books shown except “Big Magic” and “The Undergraduate

Experience.”


By Gypsy Hogan

Some heroic journeys are the stuff of family history, told around the holiday table or talked about late at night among those who still grieve, heard by those who will

always wonder.

Melville Vaughan, Ph.D., a biology professor at UCO for 15 years, grew up in such a family. His grandfather, although not Native American, is counted among the

Osage murders of the 1920s in Oklahoma’s Osage County. It was a time when Osage tribal members, by virtue of large deposits of oil found beneath their land in northeastern Oklahoma, were among the nation’s wealthiest per capita — and the world’s most murdered.

Last year, David Grann, staff writer for The New Yorker, released his book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.” Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio now are developing a film adaptation of the best seller, which tells not only about the deadly schemes of non-Osage to gain access to Osage wealth, but also how the development of the FBI played into the scenario.

In 1994, another book — “The Deaths of Sybil Bolton” — was released, written by Dennis McAuliffe Jr., a reporter for The Washington Post. The book followed his efforts to find out how his Osage grandmother died in 1925 and who killed her — questions never answered for many Osage families about their relatives.

Both books detail the corruption of attorneys, law enforcement officers, court-appointed guardians — even spouses and parents — all people expected to protect the Osage, but who instead stole their money, even if it required murder.

Both books also tell about the death of a 54-year-old Pawhuska, Oklahoma, attorney named W. W. Vaughan, although McAuliffe mistakenly left out the second “a” in the name Vaughan. Attorney W. W. Vaughan is professor Vaughan’s grandfather.

***

VaughanFamily

Hero

UCO Professor Melville “Mel” Vaughan became friends with author David Grann, with whom Vaughan shared part of his family history, now included in the best seller, soon to be a movie.



and friend. Would he please come immediately? Vaughan caught the next train.Earlier that month, Vaughan told his wife, Rosa, that if anything should happen to him, she

was to go to a certain hiding place, where he had placed money for her and the children, along with incriminating evidence that she should give to authorities, according to family members.

In researching his book, Grann gained access to FBI investigative files, including statements from informants and grand jury records that were inside other files Grann requested.

According to Grann’s research, there were others in the hospital room when Vaughan arrived, but Bigheart asked them to leave. He then gave Vaughan incriminating information and documents. Vaughan remained with Bigheart until he died a few hours later. As Vaughan prepared to return to Pawhuska, he called the new Osage County sheriff to say he was returning with enough information to convict the murderers of Bigheart and others.

According to newspaper accounts, Vaughan was joined at the train by a business associate, H.G. Burt, who said, “I got on the train with him, but he wasn’t there when I got off.” Burt, a Pawhuska bank president, said the two parted ways on the train, each off to a sleeper car. However, Vaughan’s sleeper car later showed no evidence of being used.

Newspaper accounts tell how the Boy Scouts and bloodhounds were used to search for Vaughan along the train route. Thirty-six hours after the search began, his naked body was found along the train tracks. However, no notes or incriminating documents were found.

And, when Vaughan’s widow, Rosa Vaughan, went to the hiding place, there was nothing there — neither evidence nor money. She was left alone to support 10 children. Before her husband’s death, the couple had been planning for their four oldest children to attend college. Instead, the oldest went to work as a stenographer to help support the family. Another child went to live with an Osage family who were friends of the Vaughans. Another went to live with an aunt and uncle in Varden, professor Vaughan said.

As for banker Burt, Grann’s research linked him to several schemes to defraud and murder Osage tribal members, including his probable involvement in the death of Bigheart and attorney Vaughan.

“He certainly makes a compelling case,” professor Vaughan said of Grann’s account.

***For professor Vaughan, a highlight of his personal research is a family photo he found while

going through boxes of family photos belonging to an uncle and a cousin.“There was a photo of both my grandmother and grandfather with some of their kids,” the

professor said. His father was in his grandmother’s lap with his twin sister standing between her parents. “All my aunts and uncles were amazed — they had never seen a photo with my grandfather in it. He always took the photos.”

For Vaughan’s family, the fear they experienced following the unresolved death of his grandfather and the hard days that followed were diminished with the discovery of this photo. And, now, it’s in a national best seller — page 95 of Grann’s book.

“Really, my grandfather was collateral damage. I wasn’t sure he would be in the book — still not sure he would be in a movie,” he said recently. “I feel good that my participation helped him (Grann) make a good book and now, hopefully, a good movie.”

He also feels good about helping his family and others know more about his grandfather.“I often wonder if anyone ever tried to bribe him and get him to be in on the take. I never

heard any of that,” Vaughan said. “There were lawyers who were, but knowing my family, they all have been interested in serving others, being truthful and just. My dad was a lawyer, and he was very much like that — always erred on the side of being truthful, doing the right thing.”

In a recent interview with Grann, he said his research makes him think W.W. Vaughan was trying to do the right thing and was murdered for it. Most convincing to him, he said, is the fact that Osage families were willing to help with the Vaughan children after their father’s murder.

For Melville Vaughan, there still are other unanswered family mysteries.He looks forward to a time when he can do more research on his grandfather. “I’d like to

research why he left Kentucky, what that was about.”

Growing up, the professor knew little about his grandfather. “All I had ever heard was about him dying and his body being found near Tryon,” Vaughan said, referring to a small town about 60 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. “Anytime I’d hear the name Tryon, I’d get a bad feeling, just knowing that’s where they found him.”

Like many, Vaughan became more interested in family history with the birth of his first child. So, before graduate school, he spent parts of 1989-91 researching — and finding more than he imagined.

Before coming to Oklahoma, his grandfather’s early practice of law involved personal injury cases in Kentucky, where the young lawyer evidently found himself going against bigger forces. “The family story is that he was going to be killed if he stayed in Kentucky,” Vaughan said. “His boss was killed.”

So, the Kentucky lawyer came to Anadarko, Oklahoma, in 1903, to continue his practice of personal injury law. He was elected district attorney a couple of times, Vaughan said, and he met and married a young woman who was also from Kentucky.

By 1913, however, reality hit.“According to my Uncle Bill, they moved

from Anadarko to Pawhuska because my grandfather couldn’t make enough money in Anadarko. He was told he could make a lot of money in Pawhuska. That was too bad,” Vaughan said, knowing that 10 years after landing in Pawhuska to work for an oil company, his grandfather would be murdered.

The professor researched newspaper and courthouse files, in addition to interviewing family members and collecting bits and pieces of information they had.

Then, in 2010, he got a call from a cousin.

“All that stuff you’ve been gathering? Bring it,” she said. “He wants to see.”

“He” was the author Grann, who was doing research for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Grann and Vaughan, both researchers at heart, messaged back and forth and met several more times from 2010-14.

Meeting the first time in the historic Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City, Vaughan showed Grann newspaper articles about his grandfather’s body being found, a copy

of his death certificate and an informant’s statement to the FBI. The informant maintained that the attorney Vaughan had claimed to have enough evidence to put Osage County businessman and rancher Bill Hale “in the electric chair.” Hale was later convicted of another murder. No one was ever charged or convicted of attorney Vaughan’s murder.

Thanks to Grann, however, professor Vaughan thinks he has a better idea of what

happened on June 28, 1923, when his grandfather was murdered.

***

On that day, lawyer Vaughan received a call saying that a well-known Osage tribal member — George Bigheart — was in an Oklahoma City hospital, poisoned and facing death. He had information that he would trust only to Vaughan, his attorney

Bigger QuestionsMelville “Mel” Vaughan, Ph.D.,

besides teaching biology, runs a

research lab at UCO where students

help him study a rare condition called

Dupuytren’s contracture. Dupuytren’s

cause is unknown, but those who

have it lose the ability to straighten

their fingers, most often the ring and

pinky fingers, which contract toward

the palm of the hand.

Vaughan began researching

Dupuytren’s while working on his

doctorate degree. Because it’s so

rare, the big research centers don’t

look at it because there’s no funding,

he said. That frees Vaughan to do

research, involving undergraduate

and graduate biology majors.

“The students use lab protocols,

all the techniques they learn in

class. It also helps them learn

creative problem-solving and critical

thinking,” he said.

And, some day, they may crack the

mystery.

Above is a family photo that UCO’s professor Vaughan discovered during his research. Seated are his grandparents and five of their 10 children, including Vaughan’s father, seated in his mother’s lap. Most significant, none of the Vaughan children had a photo of their father until this was discovered in a box of photos now owned by a cousin.

HEADER


By Joe Hight

I usually find that the most heroic characters in books are the most flawed, too.I made that statement to author Constance Squires, who teaches

creative writing at UCO, during a recent lunch to discuss her upcoming book. I shared my belief that characters of books are a refreshing contrast to the barrage of advertising, social media, TV and other messages that we receive daily about perfect people pushing their perfect ways to be accepted, successful, physically fit or beautiful.

That’s when she made a statement I’ll never forget: “The act of trying to be perfect introduces the most gaping of imperfections.”

As I read her latest novel, “Live from Medicine Park,” I find proof of what she said in the character Ray Wheeler, a filmmaker striving to make a documentary about an aging Oklahoma singer named Lena Wells. However, his imperfections are vast: He doesn’t really care about Wells. He’s being sued. He’s been fired as a college adjunct. He’s awkward at small talk. And he makes a horrible first impression on Wells at a reception she throws in his honor.

And that’s just the beginning of the book.It’s hard for me to relate to movie and TV reality stars, models and

celebrities with millions of social media followers. But I can sure relate to Ray Wheeler, mainly because this fictional character has flaws just like the rest of us.

As Constance said, those types of characters “make you feel more human. We are way more complicated” than those advertising messages tend to tell us.

Former UCO professor and author Sheldon Russell’s main character in his Hook Runyon series is fascinating beyond his fearlessness as a railroad detective. He’s missing an arm, smokes and sometimes drinks heavily, could be mistaken at times for a hobo, and lives in a railroad car that bulges with books that he collects. In David Baldacci’s “Memory Man,” Amos Decker is more than a private detective and FBI agent. He has a perfect memory because of a head injury he suffered during his first NFL football game, dresses and eats poorly, is awkward in any social situation, can’t sleep at night and constantly wanders into precarious situations.

Then, there’s the character Starr Carter, fascinating beyond being a black high school student with a white boyfriend. She’s the teenage heroine in Angie Thomas’ novel, “The Hate U Give,” which has been made into a movie premiering this fall. Starr, caught between two worlds, struggles

to find her voice. She acts one way in the mostly white private school where her parents send her and the other in her own mostly black neighborhood where gangs are prevalent. The worlds ultimately collide when her childhood friend is shot and killed by a police officer.

Good nonfiction books also provide good examples.Ron Chernow’s “Alexander Hamilton” was fascinating beyond a

character who was a famous American and founding father. Hamilton was brilliant, but flawed, with a bad temper, a personality that created enemies, feelings of inadequacy because of his upbringing and bad judgment, that ultimately cost him his life.

Zora Neale Hurston’s “Barracoon/The Story of the Last ‘Black Cargo,’” was fascinating beyond her main character being the last surviving African of the last American slaver. She revealed in Cudjo Lewis’ own words the struggles in his African culture that caused his slavery and the personal conflicts in his own life as a free man in this country.

Sam Anderson’s entertaining “Boomtown” reveals his main character’s many mistakes and issues, flaws that turned Oklahoma City into what Anderson calls “one of the great weirdo cities of the world” with its own NBA basketball team.

In my own personal life, while writing the upcoming RoadRunner Press book about Father Paul Hight, I found his own flaws revealed flaws in systems that he faced. Those included the Roman Catholic Church that laicized him, the mental health institutions that sought to treat him and the criminal justice system that eventually led to his death in 2000. He became much more than the older brother and Catholic priest I idolized while I was growing up.

So, if you are becoming increasingly bored and irritated by perfection messages, find a good novel or nonfiction or poetry book, including those written by our many talented Oklahoma writers. There you will find refuge in the heroic characters and the many flaws

that make them fascinating beyond a title or fame.

Joe Hight is a Pulitzer Prize-winning and Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame

editor who is UCO’s Edith Kinney Gaylord Chair of Journalism Ethics. He

also is director of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame

and president of Best of Books in Edmond,

whose own book is due for release in

February.

Question: Best Heroes Have Flaws? WINTERFEST!WINTERFEST!University of Central Oklahoma’s

WINTERFEST IS BACK!7-9 p.m.

Thursday, December 20Arctic Edge Ice Arena

14613 N Kelly Ave., Edmond, OKJoin us for a night of family fun as we

take over Arctic Edge Ice Arena!Learn more at www.centralconnection.org

U N I V E R S I T Y O F C E N T R A L O K L A H O M AA L U M N I A S S O C I A T I O N

TM


Needing More than

a RoofBy Lorene A. Roberson

At Positive Tomorrows, teachers and staff grapple with problems that stretch beyond the idea of what

a school is supposed to be. UCO students and faculty are finding ways to help.



Shoes and clothes are not usually on the list of things a

school provides students. Nor three square meals. Nor a place to sleep. Nor soap, shampoo

and toothpaste.However, the Positive Tomorrows school in Oklahoma City

tries to help students and their families with these basic needs and more. That’s its mission as the only school in Oklahoma that serves homeless children.

The school has a daily capacity of 74 students in pre-K through fifth grade, serving about 150 different students a year. Altogether, they’re a small drop in the estimated 9,500 homeless children in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and the more than 43,000 in the state. They live in hotels, parks, abandoned buildings, cars and shelters. Or, if they’re lucky, they may be crammed into an apartment, staying temporarily with relatives or family friends.

“Seeing kids and their families bounced repeatedly from shelter to shelter is heartbreaking,” said 2016 Central alumna Ericka Kennedy, the school’s extracurricular and after-school program coordinator. “You can’t build your life when you are worrying about food, shelter and other basic needs.”

Kennedy, along with students and faculty from UCO’s Department of Human Environmental Sciences (HES), are working together to make life brighter for children at Positive Tomorrows.

Why Not?Tucked into a neighborhood that’s crumbling in some parts

while also experiencing urban redevelopment, the Positive Tomorrow’s school location is confidential. The program depends heavily on other nonprofit organizations, for-profit

organizations, corporations and individuals to meet its mission of educating homeless children and their families.

Kennedy’s job is to find after-school projects for the students. She remembered seeing what she calls “awesome paper mannequins” in the halls of Central’s Human Environmental Sciences building when she was working on a degree in family life education. She wondered if her students couldn’t make paper dresses out of unconventional materials. So she turned to Susan Miller, Ed.D., UCO professor of fashion marketing, to see if she would be interested in showing the Positive Tomorrows students how to recreate the paper clothing.

Miller saw the opportunity to take the idea further. Why not turn Kennedy’s request into a professional project for all HES students — not just fashion marketing majors? So, Miller approached Phi Upsilon Omicron, a national honor society for HES students.

And thus, the idea of simply making paper dresses in Positive Tomorrow’s after-school camp became a major initiative for the

student organization. Family life education majors, nutrition majors and fashion marketing majors all took part.

Marcos Rodriguez, a fashion marketing senior and vice president of the organization, agreed to lead the effort.

“These are kids who don’t often feel they can achieve their dreams. So much of their family life revolves around survival, so dreams can seem extravagant,” Rodriguez said. “We wanted to encourage the kids to follow their dreams regardless of their circumstances. The kids are all absolutely capable of accomplishing great things.”

Unusual BeautyThe UCO students worked on the

project for more than two months, eventually deciding to create three stations, each corresponding to a learning situation:

• Fashion marketing students would help kids express creativity;

• Family life education majors would show how to cope with stress; and,

• Nutrition majors would teach healthy snack habits.

They developed a three-day camp, March 13-15, which they orchestrated during the regular after-school program at Positive Tomorrows. About 25 kids in third through fifth grades participated.

Kennedy said her young students “went to town” on the project.

At the fashion marketing station, youngsters sculpted Christmas wrapping paper into dresses, which Miller calls a form of art. “In my classes here on campus, I have students create dresses and costumes from other mediums such as vinyl banners, plastic and cardboard. It is a way of expressing creativity through the use of paper instead of fabric,” Miller said.

Family life education students showed the students how to create an emoji stress ball using a balloon and a dab of flour. They then played a game where they imitated animals displaying emotions.

Twister, a board game noted for using people as game pieces, had a different twist put on it by UCO’s nutrition students. They decided to call out food groups instead of colors. They also had their young charges plan healthy meals by placing food

— made from felt — onto plates.

“The kids were so happy. It was incredible, and it was great to see each child encouraged and supported by UCO students,” Kennedy said. “Our kids really needed this creativity — and what better opportunity to provide that than with a chance to work with college students?”

Miller, now in her tenth year of working with Phi Upsilon Omicron, said she is proud of her Central students. Funds for paper dresses and nutritional foods came from UCO’s Fashion Troupe and Nutrition Club. Central students also reached out to the on-campus Barnes & Noble, which donated 25 new books to Positive Tomorrows.

Watching the children each select a brand new book brought “tears to her eyes,” Miller said.

Positive Tomorrows staff members are looking forward to fall 2019 when they will move into a new 36,000-square-foot building just a few miles away from their current location. The school then will be able to serve 125 students from pre-K-eighth grade. The new building is the result of a $10.2 million fundraising campaign, said Susan Agel, the school’s president and principal.

Kennedy also has found a home in Positive Tomorrows.

“This was my first job out of UCO. I was fortunate to find a job that I fell in love with,” she said. “I don’t see working with these kids as a sad story or them having a sad life. I see my job as bringing smiles to the kids and their families. It’s incredible — it really is.”

— Lorene A. Roberson is a former UCO employee and now friend of UCO’s College

of Education and Professional Studies.

Positive Tomorrows is one of 58 partner agencies that receive funding from the United Way of Central Oklahoma.

Photos of children at Positive Tomorrows are courtesy of the agency.

From left are UCO faculty member Susan Miller, Ed.D.; UCO student Marcos Rodriguez; Susan Agel, president of Positive Tomorrows; and UCO alumna Ericka Kennedy, Positive Tomorrows coordinator.


And when Betz returned as UCO’s 20th university president in 2011, it was the School of Music that started the tradition of hosting an annual President’s Concert, showcasing the talents of each of its divisions, while sharing the school’s major accomplishments.

So, when the fall 2018 event opened, it was no surprise that the concert would be a poignant one, honoring a man deeply involved in the School of Music’s development, someone whose support and commitment as UCO president will be missed.

However, Brian Lamb, D.M.A., director of the School of Music, kept one surprise until the very end.

The concert series has a tradition of ending with the wind symphony performing on stage, then joined by all the other evening’s student performers. Members of the UCO Symphony Orchestra, Concert Chorale, Jazz Ensemble I, Musical Theatre, Opera, Piano and the Brisch Center for Historical Performance — they fill the front of the stage area, spilling into the aisles with clapping and singing. Audience members are pushed to their feet, joining in the fun and excitement.

This year, however, was even bigger.

Lamb, after again noting gratitude for all of President Betz’s support, described how

important it felt to give this man something like never before, something “intangible,” never to be forgotten.

“One of the biggest adrenaline rushes that any band director will ever experience is standing in front of a band playing our national march, ‘The Stars and Stripes Forever.’ The piccolo solos, the brass, the rush of the enthusiastic crowd. Tonight, this adrenaline rush will be yours,” Lamb said.

And, so it was, that on the evening of Sept. 18, President Betz found himself on stage, a conductor’s baton in hand, leading the wind symphony in John Philip Sousa’s most rousing music.

Afterward, with a big smile, President Betz was ever the gracious honoree, thanking everyone for such a wonderful evening. Those in his office the next morning, however, reported that he was still animated and thrilled, describing the incredible experience.

When UCO President Don Betz announced in June that he would be retiring at the end of the 2018-19 academic year, the College of Fine Arts and Design was especially touched. Betz, UCO’s provost from 1999-05, was the top academic person who helped shepherd the college into being in 2001.

Conducting a Lasting Tribute


Since its inception, UCO’s Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR) has earned accolades across state and national borders. Most recently, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) named Central one of its 2018 Excellence and Innovation Award winners, highlighting the UCO STLR program and its role in student success and retention.

For its work with STLR, UCO received the Student Success and College Completion Award. A reflection of student success though the program was captured among a group of first-time, first-year students, comprised of low-income, first-generation and/or underrepresented students – all of whom participated and completed STLR. The group’s students began at UCO in fall 2015, with retention among the group increasing 13 percent. Additionally, student grade point averages within the group had an average increase of 0.56 points.

Many Spring 2019 graduates will comprise the first group of students who will leave Central with four years of STLR experiences alongside their earned bachelor degrees.

A Legacy of ExcellenceMore than one AASCU award has Central connections this year,

as Central alumnus Lane Perry, Ph.D., (BS ’05 MEd ’06) accepted one of the 2018 Excellence and Innovation Awards on behalf of Western Carolina University (WCU). Perry currently serves as the director for WCU’s Center for Service Learning, which helps facili-tate the university’s Student Democracy Coalition – an organization focused on increasing student civic engagement. The coalition reg-istered more than 3,100 students to vote, established a campus early voting poll that raised WCU’s voter turnout rate by 16 percent and held an election watch program with nearly 500 attendees. For their work, Perry and WCU earned the Civic Learning and Community Engagement Award.

A Record of Excellence

UCO accepted the Student Success and College Completion Award for its STLR program during AASCU’s 2018 Excellence and Innovation Awards ceremony. Pictured from left are Dana G. Hoyt, Ph.D., president of Sam Houston State University and past-chair of the AASCU Board of Directors; UCO President Don Betz; Jeff King, Ed.D., Central’s executive director of the Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching and Learning; and AASCU President Mildred García, Ed.D.

Pictured from left are Dana G. Hoyt, Ph.D., past-chair of the AASCU Board of Directors; Western Carolina University Interim Chancellor Alison Morrison-Shetlar; Lane Perry, Ph.D.; and AASCU President Mildred García, Ed.D.


For more than 50 years, UCO has honored its most outstanding alumni with the Distinguished Alumni Award. This prestigious, annual award recognizes alumni who have become world-class ambassadors of UCO. Distinguished Alumni Award recipients have demonstrated distinctive and notable accomplishments in their careers and professional lives, as well as service to their communities and to the university.

Each of the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients received recognition during the annual awards ceremony, Oct. 5, 2018, part of Central’s Homecoming Week.

This year’s six Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are Marjorie Bennett (BS ‘39); Mike Collison (BA ‘91); Alisa Green (BS ‘08); Bill Pink, Ph.D. (M.Ed. ‘94); Joli Sanders (MFA Interior Design); and J. Michael Steffen (BS ‘72). Read more about the honorees in the following pages.

Honoring Our Own


Marjorie Bennett(BS ’39)

At 101 years old, Marjorie Bennett has

spent nearly half a century devoted to

being a public educator.

Born Aug. 17, 1917, in Hennessey,

Oklahoma, Bennett’s career involved 43

years teaching English, Latin, literature,

debate and speech in high schools and

colleges in Oklahoma, Colorado and

Pennsylvania.

She graduated from UCO in 1939 with a

Bachelor of Arts in speech. She received

a master’s degree from Colorado

State University in 1944, followed by a

fellowship at Syracuse University.

During her career, she received

numerous accolades. In 1972, she was

named Forensic Coach of the Year in the

Greater Philadelphia Area. Oklahoma

Gov. Frank Keating recognized her

efforts as a literacy tutor in Oklahoma.

In a 1988 oral history interview

conducted by the UCO Chambers

Library, Bennett fondly recalled her

Central educators, “real women of the

strong professional type,” whom she

admired.

Bennett is proud of the education she

received at UCO and believes she has

done her best to represent her alma

mater throughout her long career, just

like the UCO educators who inspired her.

In addition to educating others,

Bennett has tirelessly served her

community through participation in

several civic organizations. She is a past

president for both the United Methodist

Women and the American Association of

University Women.

Bennett has three children — Beth, Ben

and Debbie — with six grandchildren and

two great-grandchildren. She resides in

her hometown of Hennessey.

Mike Collison(BS ’91)

Mike Collison credits his accounting

degree from Central with launching him on

a career he never imagined as a student.

Collison serves as the vice president and

chief financial officer of The Oklahoma

Publishing Company – OPUBCO, which is

a subsidiary of The Anschutz Group, based

in Denver, Colorado. The Anschutz Group

has businesses throughout the world

and employs more than 50,000 people.

OPUBCO was locally known for owning

The Oklahoman, until late September

when the paper was sold to Gatehouse

Media. OPUBCO, however, always has

been a diversified holding company

with varied interests. Current holdings

include hotels, water rights, real estate,

recreational railroads and breakfast food

manufacturing. OPUBCO’s largest and

most well-known asset is The Broadmoor

Hotel in Colorado Springs.

Collison began his career in 1989 as an

auditor with the accounting firm Arthur

Andersen. He became a Certified Public

Accountant in 1993, joining OPUBCO in

1995.

Today, Collison serves on the board of

trustees for the Oklahoma City Community

Foundation and is an honorary trustee of

the UCO Foundation Board of Trustees,

both of which facilitate charitable funding

and support to the Oklahoma City and

UCO communities, respectively.

He and his wife, Stephanie, enjoy

volunteering at Heritage Hall High School

in Oklahoma City where their youngest

daughter, Tori, is a senior. Sydney, their

oldest daughter, is a UCO nursing student,

and middle daughter, Macy, is a childhood

education junior at Oklahoma State

University.

Collison encourages UCO students

and alumni alike to get involved with the

university, however that may be.

“You never know when a five-minute

phone call will provide you an opportunity

to serve the university in ways you did not

think possible!”

2 0 1 8 D I S T I N G U I S H E D A L U M N I A W A R D 2 0 1 8 D I S T I N G U I S H E D A L U M N I A W A R D


Alisa Green(BS ’08)

Alisa Green is not one to remain idle

when it comes to helping others. At

UCO, she was involved with 26 student

organizations and mentored inner-city

school students in her spare time.

She shows no sign of stopping since

graduation.

Green received a bachelor’s degree in

corporate communications from UCO in

2008; however, she found herself drawn to

the nonprofit sector.

“Why work to make others rich, when

you can enrich others,” Green says.

“Sometimes people measure success

through money. I’ve found that if by

working toward that you find yourself

unhappy and unfulfilled, maybe you can

work to enrich the lives of others instead.”

In 2015, Green founded the Oklahoma

City affiliate of Dress for Success, a national

nonprofit organization that provides

professional workwear to disadvantaged

women who are rebuilding their lives and

getting back into the workforce.

Raised as the daughter of Vietnamese

immigrants, Green understands the

importance of community to overcome

hardship. As a former Miss Asian UCO

and a fourth runner-up for Miss Vietnam

USA, she learned how to use her platform

to empower others and address key issues

in her community.

In addition to Dress for Success, Green

also helps with a wheelchair-adaptable

summer camp for individuals with

disabilities and neuromuscular diseases.

Green stays active and fulfilled through

ministry, traveling, reading and writing.

She and her husband, film director Brent

Ryan Green, live in Oklahoma City.

Bill Pink, Ph.D.(M.Ed. ’95)

Bill Pink’s journey is one filled with a lifetime of commitment

to education.

Having served more than 25 years as an educator, Pink was

named the 10th president of Grand Rapids Community College

(GRCC) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in May 2017.

A native of Abilene, Texas, Pink received an associate’s

degree from York College in Nebraska and a bachelor’s degree

from Oklahoma Christian University. In 1995, he graduated with

his M.Ed. in secondary education from UCO before receiving

his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.

Pink was the associate dean for the UCO College of

Education and Professional Studies from 2007 to 2011 before

serving as vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma

State University-Oklahoma City.

In 2015, Pink joined GRCC as vice president and dean of

workforce development before being named its president.

He is a member of the board of directors for the Goodwill of

Greater Grand Rapids, the Boys and Girls Club of Grand Rapids

and the Heart of West Michigan United Way.

Pink travels the country speaking on topics of faith, diversity,

leadership, and economic and workforce development. As a

former student-athlete, he maintains his body and soul through

exercise, golfing, fishing and spending time with his family.



Joli Sanders(MFA Interior Design)

Houston native Joli Sanders has always been drawn to the

interconnectedness of design and the psychology behind how

environments impact people.

In 2014, Sanders established Focus on Home, an Oklahoma

City-based nonprofit that works to provide design services,

furnishings and home essentials free of charge to families who

need assistance.

A single mother while in college, Sanders experienced

firsthand the struggles of creating a warm home environment

on limited resources. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree

in psychology from the University of Texas-Austin, she moved

to Oklahoma City.

She then completed 40 hours of post-graduate coursework

in Central’s interior design program. In 2000, she passed her

qualifying exams to become a licensed interior designer.

Before Focus on Home, Sanders practiced commercial

interior design in Oklahoma City for 11 years, primarily with

the VanStavern Design Group. While running Focus on Home,

Sanders continues to work as a design consultant.

Sanders and her husband, Cam, live in Oklahoma City with

their children Remy, Cade and Sayer. Their two oldest children,

Josselyn and Cole, also live in Oklahoma.

Since starting Focus on Home, Sanders has kept the following

philosophy close to her heart.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember,

you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion

to reach for the stars to change the world.”

J. Michael Steffen(BS ’72)

Retired Oklahoma orthodontist J.

Michael Steffen, DDS, MS, has helped

spread smiles across the state since 1974.

Steffen (BS ’72) has given the gifts

of confidence and orthodontics relief

for thousands of patients through The

Brace Place, the Edmond and Clinton,

Oklahoma-based orthodontics practices

he opened in 1974 and 1975, respectively.

After graduating from UCO with his

bachelor’s in biology, Steffen obtained

a degree from the University of Iowa

College of Dentistry.

With a commitment to community

service, Steffen served from 2014-15

as president of the Oklahoma Dental

Foundation, a branch of the Oklahoma

Dental Association focused on

eliminating barriers to oral health care.

He also has been a board member with

both the Oklahoma City Rescue Mission

and Reaching our City.

With gratitude to his alma mater,

he has been a UCO supporter for

more than 40 years. Steffen and his

wife of 47 years, Kathryn, generously

contribute to the university through

philanthropy, scholarships, mentorship

and volunteerism. He also serves on the

UCO Foundation Board of Trustees.

In his retirement, Steffen is writing a

book, “Survival of Old Age,” and through

this, he has had time to reflect on his life

and his journey.

“It is important to share the knowledge

you’ve gained before you are no longer

able to,” Steffen says. “If you have a

chance to make a difference in a lot of

people’s lives, why not?”


ALUMNi NOTESALUMNi NOTES


ALUMNi NOTES

’70 Bill Archer (BBA ’70) this

summer had his fourth novel

hit the market, “Terminal Mortality.” A

fifth work is autobiographical, “My Nine

Year Hike with the Marines.” To view and/

or purchase Archer’s work, visit www.lulu.

com/spotlight/billarcher.

’79 Joe Siano (MEd ’79) is now

associate executive director

of the Oklahoma State School Boards

Association. Siano served as superintendent

of Norman Public Schools from 2000

to 2017. He also previously served as an

assistant superintendent in Oklahoma City

Public Schools and Putnam City Public

Schools.

’82 Steve Bradshaw (BBA ’82) was

inaugurated as the 2018 chair of

the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce.

He has served as the president and CEO of

BOK Financial since 2014.

’83 Greg Reber (BBA ’83) recently

was promoted to senior vice

president, chief distribution officer of the

life insurance division for Pacific Life. He

is now responsible for setting the strategic

direction and management for distribution,

sales and marketing functions.

’84 Randall Stephenson (BS ’84)

was the featured speaker for

the 103rd all-university commencement

ceremony for Southern Methodist

University. He is chair and chief executive

officer of AT&T.

’90 Chris Rush (MEd ’90) has

been named regional publisher

and revenue director of the East Oregonian,

Hermiston Herald, Blue Mountain Eagle

and Wallowa County Chieftan. He is a 25-

year veteran of the journalism industry.

’92 Lt. Col. Keith Varner (BBA

’92) recently retired after more

than 30 years of service to the Oklahoma

Army National Guard. He served in

various leadership and staff positions,

including national vice chair of the strength

maintenance advisory group. He is an active

member of the Society of Human Resources

and the Oklahoma City Human Resources

Society. He also serves as scoutmaster for

the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 79, in

Edmond.

’92 John Shawareb (BA ’92) has

joined Berkshire Hathaway

HomeServices Anderson Properties as a

residential real estate agent in Piedmont,

Oklahoma. Earning his real estate license

last year, he previously worked as a licensed

insurance broker.

’95 Gena Beeson (BAEd ’95) was

named 2017-18 Deer Creek

School District Teacher of the Year. She

has taught at Deer Creek High School for

seven years. Prior, she taught at Putnam

City North High School for 15 years and

Crescent Academy for one year.

’01 Justin Coffelt (BSEd ’01,

MEd ’10) has been named

chief operating officer for the Edmond

Public Schools board of education. He was

formerly the director of facilities and district

operations. He has worked in education for

15 years, all in Edmond.

’02 Jacqueline Pereira-McDaniel

(BA ’02) has joined Price

Lang Consulting as senior project director.

She currently serves the Oklahoma

Commission on Children and Youth, as

well as the Oklahoma City Homeless Youth

Alliance. She also has been involved with

AmeriCorps since 2001.

’02 Jennifer Griffin (BSEd ’02)

was named 2017-18 Teacher of

the Year at Spring Creek Elementary in the

Deer Creek Public Schools district. Prior

to teaching in the Deer Creek district, she

taught for five years in Moore Public Schools.

’04 Stacy Jones (BS ’04) has joined

Berkshire Hathaway Anderson

Properties as a residential real estate sales

agent. He has been a real estate investor

for two years. Prior, he worked in aircraft

maintenance, supervision and engineering

capacities at Tinker Air Force Base.

’04 Jacob Winkler, CPA (BS ’04,

MBA ’07), was named a 2018

Trailblazer for The Oklahoma Society of

Certified Public Accountants. Only 20

CPAs are selected for the honor each year.

’05 April Perry (BA ’05, MEd

’07)in August was named

interim associate dean of Western Carolina

University’s graduate school.

’06 Kari Hoffhines (BBA ’06)

recently was promoted a

director with Crowe & Dunlevy. She is a

member of the firm’s banking and financial

institutions, bankruptcy and creditor’s

rights, real estate, and wind and renewable

energy practice groups.

’09 Kali Pulliam (BSEd ’09) was

named 2017-18 Teacher of the

Year for Rose Union Elementary School

in the Deer Creek School District. She is a

kindergarten teacher.

’11 Jarod Conrady (BS ’11) has

been appointed physical security

solutions manager at United Systems. He has

20 years of experience in physical security,

most recently specializing in proactive video

analytics detection and monitoring.

’11 Joy Parduhn (BS ’11) recently

joined Heritage Trust Co. as a

senior trust associate and office manager.

She will maintain the vendor management

program and serve as the primary liaison

between audit and staff. Prior, she served

as chief operations officer/chief compliance

officer at an independent registered

investment adviser firm.

’12 Heather Zacarias (MEd ’12)

was named the new director of

elementary education at John Rex Charter

School. She has been involved in education

for more than two decades, most recently

serving as principal of Adams Elementary

School in Oklahoma City.

’12 Andrew Akufo (BFA ’12) has

joined Healdsburg Center for

the Arts as its first executive director. Prior,

he served as executive director for the Lea

County Commission for the Arts in Hobbs,

New Mexico.

’13 Austin Foust, CPA, (BBA ’13,

BS ’13), recently was selected as

a 2018 Trailblazer for the Oklahoma Society

of Certified Public Accountants. Only 20

CPAs are selected for the honor each year.

’14 Mike Johnston (BS ’14)

recently joined Edmond Public

Schools as district safety coordinator. He

will work closely with building principals

and school safety committees in the

coordination of safety programs. He also

serves as a liaison with municipal authorities

that include police and fire departments.

’15 Shy Griffin (BS ’15) has been

promoted to senior associate

at BKD LLP. She is a member of the audit

and assurance team, serving primarily

financial institutions. She also has more

than five years of previous experience with

an Oklahoma-based community bank.

’16 Joey Harbert (BM ’16)

performed in the Painted Sky

Opera’s production of “Souvenir: A Fantasia

on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins.” He

played the part of Cosme´ McMoon in the

Oklahoma City production.

’17 Stephanie Robberson (MS

’17) was named an associate

at Stinnett & Associates, a professional

advisory firm. She has experience with

several systems for use in digital evidence.

FACULTY/STAFFNicole Willard (BA ’92, MA ’94), assistant

executive director for the Chambers Library

at Central, was appointed by Gov. Mary

Fallin as chair of the Archives and Records

Commission for the state of Oklahoma.

Created in 1947, the commission is part of

the Oklahoma Department of Libraries and

has a five-member statutory board.

Kevin J. Hayes, UCO professor emeritus,

has won the George Washington Prize, one

of the nation’s largest and most prestigious

literary awards, for his book George

Washington: A Life in Books. The annual

award recognizes the past year’s best written

works on the nation’s founding era. He was

announced as the winner in May at George

Washington’s Mount Vernon.


Coley, Sunderland, New Hall of FamersIn May, the Oklahoma Athletic Trainers Association inducted Central graduate Brian

Coley (BSEd ’90), left, and UCO Athletic Training instructor Ed Sunderland into the

association’s hall of fame. Coley is a 1991 graduate of the United Sports Medicine

Academy, and he has been a certified and licensed athletic trainer for 26 years. He

currently works at Rogers State University and Catoosa High School. Sunderland has

worked at UCO since 2007. He has more than 40 years of experience as a certified

athletic trainer and is credited with helping to establish Central’s graduate athletic

training program, the first in the state.

Please send Alumni and In Memory notes to UCO, University Communications, 100 North University Drive, Box 198, Edmond, OK 73034, or email [email protected] with “Alumni Note” in the subject line.

HEADER HEADERALUMNi NOTES ALUMNi NOTES


Athletics, New FamersIn October, the UCO Athletics Hall of

Fame inducted six individuals and two

teams into its Class of 2018. From left are

inductees, Booker T. Washington (BSED

’61), who played basketball for Central

from 1959-61; Lisa (Hansen) Tolin (BSEd

’03), who led the Broncho soccer team

through a dominating stretch as she

played 1999-02; Jim Seward, Central’s

men’s basketball coach from 1987-02 with

six Lone Star Conference championships;

Willie Henderson, a four-year letterman

who played on Central’s 1982 national

football championship team; Shawn

Fleming (BS ’91), a 1989 national

championship wrestler on the Bronchos’

1987 and 1989 national championship

teams; and Brian Melchiori (BS ’95), a

two-time national wrestling champion

at 126 pounds. Also inducted into the

Class of 2018 Athletics Hall of Fame

were the 1980-81 and 1981-82 wrestling

teams, which won back-to-back national

championship titles.

Sigma Kappa Reunite, Announce House Expansion

More than 300 alumnae of the UCO chapter of Sigma Kappa sorority gathered in

August in the Nigh University Center to mark 60 years on campus. Initiation years of

the women spanned from 1959, when the university’s chapter of Pi Kappa Sigma was

absorbed into Sigma Kappa, to present.

A $1 million capital campaign was announced to renovate and expand the existing

sorority house at 920 N. Chowning Ave. More than $750,000 of the goal was raised

during the campaign’s quiet phase. Lynn Gravitt Means (BA ’89, MEd ’91) and Christa

Abbott (BS ’05, MEd ’10) are co-chairing the effort.

Stacy McNeiland (BA ’93) emceed the event’s program that featured the chapter’s

history, a video, songs, stories and prayer. Tours of the house followed.

Among those present were Sue Craig and Eva Bucke Mears (BSEd ’61), both

members of the original 1959 group. Also attending was Kathleen Henry (BA ’72), a

1969 initiate and a 1978 UCO Distinguished Alumni.

Sue Craig, left, and Eva Bucke Mears represented the 1959 class of Sigma Kappa initiates.

Architectural plans for the Sigma Kappa remodel and expansion are by Sam Gresham Architecture.

Chickering RestoredThatcher Hall now houses a beautifully

restored Chickering piano, circa 1936,

that once graced the fellowship area

of Murdaugh Hall. The piano was

refurbished by the UCO Museum of

Residential Life, with special funding

from alumnus Dale Reeder, who died

in August, said Randal Ice, Ph.D. Ice

has shepherded the instrument to

its new home. The piano was “quite

beat up” after a possible 80 years in

Murdaugh, Ice said, but the tiger-burled

mahogany now shines, and the ivory

keys are complete. Both Murdaugh

and Thatcher halls were completed in

1937, during peak Depression years on

campus and with funding from the Works

Progress Administration. So, it remains a

mystery how such an expensive, quality

instrument came to be on campus.

If anyone has additional information,

please contact Ice at [email protected] or

call 405-974-2157.

UCO Business professor Randal Ice, Ph.D., chaired efforts to restore the circa 1936 Chickering piano that resided in Murdaugh about 80 years.

Part of the piano’s mystery is that no one knows how such an expensive piano came to be on campus during the height of the Depression years, if that’s when the piano joined Murdaugh.

The UCO Museum of Residential Life provided funds for the piano’s restoration and placement in Thatcher Hall. The piano’s serial number denotes its manufacture around 1936.


ALUMNi NOTES ALUMNi NOTES

Honoring Recently Retired FacultySaba Bahouth, Ph.D., Professor,

Department of Information Systems &

Operations Management, 29 years of

service

Richard Bernard, Ph.D., Professor

of History and Dean of the Jackson

College of Graduate Studies, 10 years

of service

John Bowen, Ph.D., Professor,

Department of Chemistry, 18 years of

service

Donna Carlon, Ph.D., Professor,

Department of Marketing, 17 years of

service

Siegfried Heit, Ph.D., Professor,

Department of Humanities and

Philosophy, 27 years of service

William Hickman, J.D., Professor,

Department of Mass Communication,

21 years of service

Kurt Hochenauer, Ph.D., Professor,

Department of English, 25 years of

service

Donna Kearns, Ed.D., Professor,

Department of Psychology, 25 years of

service

Vaidya Sivarama Krishnan, Ph.D.,

Professor, Department of Finance,

11 years of service

Linda Steele, Ph.D., Professor,

Department of English, 23 years of

service

Richard Bernard, Ph.D., at a retirement reception given in his honor in May, retired as dean of the Joe C. Jackson College of Graduate Studies. He held the faculty distinction of having attended grade school at Central’s Laboratory School, on campus from 1901-61 as a model training program for those in the College of Education and Professional Studies.

MEN’S BASKETBALLNOV. 17 SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN 3:30 PM

NOV. 29 OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN 7 PM

DEC. 29 TABOR COLLEGE 3:30 PM

JAN. 3 MISSOURI WESTERN 7:30 PM

JAN. 5 NORTHWEST MISSOURI 3:30 PM

JAN. 17 PITTSBURG STATE 7:30 PM

JAN. 19 MISSOURI SOUTHERN 3:30 PM

JAN. 31 SOUTHWEST BAPTIST 7:30 PM

FEB. 2 CENTRAL MISSOURI 3:30 PM

FEB. 21 FORT HAYS STATE 7:30 PM

FEB. 23 NEBRASKA-KEARNEY 3:30 PM

FEB. 26 NORTHEASTERN STATE 7:30 PM

MAR. 2 EMPORIA STATE 3:30 PM

WOMEN’S BASKETBALLNOV. 15 OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN 5:30 PM

JAN. 3 MISSOURI WESTERN 5:30 PM

JAN. 5 NORTHWEST MISSOURI 1:30 PM

JAN. 17 PITTSBURG STATE 5:30 PM

JAN. 19 MISSOURI SOUTHERN 1:30 PM

JAN. 31 SOUTHWEST BAPTIST 5:30 PM

FEB. 2 CENTRAL MISSOURI 1:30 PM

FEB. 21 FORT HAYS STATE 5:30 PM

FEB. 23 NEBRASKA-KEARNEY 1:30 PM

FEB. 26 NORTHEASTERN STATE 5:30 PM

MAR. 2 EMPORIA STATE 1:30 PM

WRESTLINGNOV. 11 OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY 3 PM

DEC. 7 FORT HAYS STATE 7 PM

JAN. 9 OUACHITA BAPTIST 7 PM

JAN. 26 WESTERN STATE COLORADO 2 PM

FEB. 1 COLORADO STATE-PUEBLO 7 PM

FEB. 3 NEBRASKA KEARNEY 3 PM

Oklahoma’s 2019 Teacher of the Year

is Becky Oglesby, who is currently

pursuing UCO’s Master of Education

degree in Educational Leadership. She

is part of the Yukon/Mustang cohort that

began in summer 2018 and will finish in spring 2020.

Oglesby is a Yukon elementary school art educator, known

as the “Batman Teacher” because of all the comic book

memorabilia in her classroom.

“Batman believed that one man could make a difference and

took it upon himself to do so and, in turn, became a legend. I

want to be Batman,” Oglesby said in an interview following the

announcement of her recognition. “I want to be the ordinary

person who puts on the mask that hides the simplicity of who

I am and fights to give my students the best education that

empowers them to find their purpose.”

Oglesby remains in the classroom for the current school

year, assuming full-time teacher-of-the-year duties July 1.

These include speaking engagements and encouraging others

to become or remain teachers while serving as Oklahoma’s

goodwill ambassador for teaching.

Oklahoma’s 2019 Teacher of the Year, UCO Leadership Student

38 OLD NORTH • FALL 2018 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 39

iN MEMORY iN MEMORY

iN MEMORYCORRECTION TO LAST ISSUE:

Robert Curley, Ph.D., died Nov. 5, 2017

in Oklahoma City. He retired in 2013 after

teaching for 29 years, not 19 as previously

reported.

’52 Linda McPherson Hamm

Byrd (BSEd ’52) died Jan. 24,

2018, in Bossier City, Louisiana. She taught

for 30 years in Oklahoma City Public

Schools — at Westwood, John Adams

and Heronville elementary schools. She

retired in 1985, later moving to Shreveport,

Louisiana, to retire with her sister.

’54 Donald Abbott (BS ’54),

died Jan. 27, 2018. He served

in the U.S. Air Force, later working for

the Oklahoma Department of Public

Welfare. He also was active in the civil

rights movement and was instrumental

in the opening of Taliaferro Community

Mental Health Center. In 1977, he was

named social worker of the year by National

Association of Social Workers. He became

a board member of the University of

Oklahoma School of Social Work in 2007.

’58 Billy Long (BAEd ’58), of

Yukon, died March 7, 2018.

He was a teacher and coach at Putnam City

and Carl Albert high schools. Later, he

worked as a claims manager for Preferred

Risk Insurance Co. He ended his career as

an independent oil and gas producer under

Long Royalty Co.

’60 George Baker (BAEd ’60) died

Feb. 16, 2018, in Edmond. He

was a member of the U.S. Air Force, serving

as an airplane mechanic and prop specialist.

He also participated in the drum and bugle

corp. Along with his wife, he was a member

of various metro Baptist churches, where he

taught Sunday school and was an ordained

deacon. Most recently, he was a member of

Quail Springs Baptist Church.

’62 Billy Coy (BA ’62) died Dec.

17, 2017. He served four

years in the U.S. Air Force as an electronic

technician. He worked as a bank vice

president for almost five years before

retirement. Later, he worked with his

wife in the retail cosmetics business, then

attended real estate school and worked in

that industry for more than one year.

’63 Kathleen Longaker (BSEd

’63, MEd ’69), of Oklahoma

City, died Feb. 9, 2018. She was a teacher

in California and in Germany, later moving

back to Oklahoma City. There, she taught

until retirement and was recognized as

Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

’64 Joyce Douglas (BSEd ’64,

MEd ’77) died Jan. 6, 2018.

She was an elementary school teacher until

leaving to raise her family. She was an artist,

singer and special education volunteer.

’65 Mickey Hoy (BSEd ’65), 75,

died Sept. 9, 2018. Hoy played

on Central’s 1962 national championship

football team and was in the UCO Athletics

Hall of Fame. In 2010, he received the

UCO Distinguished Alumni Award. A

teacher, coach and principal, he served in

Tuttle, El Reno and Davis before returning

to Marlow in 1988 as high school principal.

Having won numerous state championships

as a coach, he was also a member of the

Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of

Fame.

’65 Warren Griffin (BS ’65) died

Jan. 6, 2018. From 1960-62, he

served in the U.S. Army. After graduating

from the University of Oklahoma Law

School, he started his law practice in

Midwest City and served as the city

attorney. He traveled the western half of the

United States to defend clients.

’68 George Dixon (BA ’68) died

Dec. 28, 2017. After college, he

began his career with Carpenter Paper Co.

He retired as a sergeant from the Oklahoma

City Police Department, where he worked

as a park and lake ranger for 25 years.

’72 Norma Brooks (MEd ’72)

died Dec. 31, 2017. She was

employed at North American Insurance

Co. for several years. Later, she served as

the manager of the premium department at

Reserve National Insurance Co.y. For three

years, she worked at the Norman Municipal

Court as the court clerk, then worked with

her husband at his law firm for the rest of

her career.

’72 Richard Carllson (BBA

’72) died March 15, 2018,

in Dallas. He served in the U.S. Army,

honorably discharged as a first lieutenant.

During college, he began his career selling

insurance. Later, with his wife, they started

Mutual Assurance Administrators in 1975.

’73 Edward Hedrick (BAEd ’73,

MEd ’76) died Jan. 13, 2018 in

Harve de Grace, Maryland. He joined the

U.S. Army at age 16, serving more than 21

years. During that time, he completed two

tours in Korea and two tours in Vietnam,

achieving the rank of first sergeant and

receiving several awards and decorations.

He later worked as a teacher for El Reno

Public Schools.

’74 Michael Mappes (BA ’74),

of Midwest City, died March

6, 2018. He served in the U.S. Air Force

during the Vietnam War as a crew chief

on a B-52. He later retired after 19 years

of service at the Oklahoma Department of

Welfare, where he worked as a child welfare

and adult protective services investigator.

’75 Don Gammill (BA ’75) died

Nov. 28, 2017, in Edmond.

Working for Enid Publishing Co. as a

writer, he covered northwest Oklahoma

sports. He then served as managing editor,

city editor and assistant city editor at the

Enid Daily Eagle. Later, he worked for the

Oklahoma Publishing Co. as state editor,

special projects editor, columnist and online

communities’ editor. During his journalism

career, he received many awards for his

work. He also taught News Room 101

and enjoyed helping high school students

develop their skills.

’76 Donna Vontungeln (MEd

’76), of El Reno, died April 18,

2018. Retiring in 2001, she spent 30 years

as an instructor, counselor and director

of student services at Canadian Valley

Technology Center. She was one of the

first women elected to the Oklahoma Farm

Bureau state board of directors and the first

woman president of the El Reno Chamber

of Commerce. She was active in several

organizations including Mobile Meals of El

Reno, Kappa Delta Sorority and Canadian

County Lions Club.

’80 Earl Thomas (BS ’80), of

Edmond, died March 14, 2018.

He began working for Tinker Air Force

Base in 1968 and worked there for 32 years

before retirement. He was passionate about

serving at Edmond Church of Christ, where

he was a member for more than 50 years.

’80 Bill Holyfield (BA ’80, MA

’85), of Edmond, died Jan. 22,

2018. He served as an Oklahoma highway

patrolman for 30 years, retiring as assistant

chief with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

He was also a graduate of the FBI National

Academy.

’85 Robert Bartrug (BS ’85), of

Oklahoma City, died Feb. 16,

2018. Throughout his career, he worked for

the Oklahoma Tax Commission as well as

the Internal Revenue Service.

’88 David Puente (BA ’88) died

March 26, 2018. He spent his

career working in the criminal justice field,

including as a federal correctional officer at

El Reno Federal Prison. He was an active

volunteer for many organizations and

received a lifetime achievement award from

the Oklahoma Universal Rights Alliance.

’88 Roy McNeely (BS ’88) died

April 17, 2018. He served four

years in the U.S. Army. He also operated,

with his father, B&M Farm Supply in

Oklahoma City. He worked in the farming

industry throughout his career.

’96 Joseph Beckham (BS ’96)

died Dec. 16, 2017. During

his career, he worked in technology support

at Raytheon in Wichita, Kansas. Later, he

worked as a self-employed oil/gas landman.

’97 Richard Stringfellow (BBA

’97) died April 12, 2018. He

worked at Oklahoma City Community

College for 25 years, retiring in 2017.

He began his career there as a part-time

employee, later serving as registrar and an

adjunct professor.

’00 Rodney Brown (BA ’00)

died Feb. 20, 2018. He was a

graduate of Westmoore High School where

he played on the 1994 state championship

basketball team. He earned an economics

degree from Central.

’09 Carrie Fischer (BSEd ’09)

died Nov. 20, 2017. Recently,

she was a fifth-grade teacher at Franklin

Elementary School.

’13 Memorial services for Jeffrey

London (BA ’13) were March

1, 2018, in Edmond. He served in the

Oklahoma National Guard for six years,

including an active duty tour in 2006-

07. After graduating from Central, he

embarked on a two-month solo canoe trip

down the entire Mississippi River. He also

was ordained as a wedding officiant and

performed many weddings.

’17 Devin Dymkowski (BS ’17),

died Aug. 21, 2018. With a

degree in industrial safety and management

information systems, he worked for Air

Comfort Solutions.

FACULTY/STAFFJack Beeson died Dec. 19, 2017, at age 92.

He was director of admissions and records

at Central from 1973-86.

Lillian Boland died Jan. 25, 2018, at age

99. She taught Spanish and humanities at

Central for 30 years. She joined the Central

faculty in 1958.

James Dechter, Ph.D., died Feb. 24, 2018.

He taught chemistry and was a chair of the

chemistry department during his 22 years at

Central. He retired in 2016.


iN MEMORY

Kent “Doc” Kidwell, D.M.A., died July

22, 2018. He joined UCO in 1969 and

pioneered the Jazz Studies program at

Central in 1974, helping to further the

development of jazz across Oklahoma while

developing a national and international

reputation for the UCO program. He was a

member of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

and was the principal trombonist for the

Oklahoma Philharmonic for 20 years. In

1993, he was named Oklahoma Musician

of the Year by the Oklahoma Federation of

Music Cluns. Contributions in his memory

may be made to the UCO Jazz Studies

Division Support Fund to finance student

scholarships, travel, instruments and guest

artists/ educators. Contact the UCO

Foundation.

David Martin, Ph.D., died Feb. 28, 2018.

He taught physics at Central for 34 years,

retiring in 2016.

Reeder RememberedDale Blaine Reeder (BA ‘63, MT ‘68),

80, died Aug. 22, 2018, in Hot Springs,

Arkansas. Reeder was a principal for 30

years in the Oklahoma City school system.

After retiring, he came to Central as an

adjunct faculty member working with

future teachers from January 1993 until

May 2010. An active alumnus, he helped

restore the dorm room in Thatcher Hall,

home of the UCO Museum of Residential

Life that he helped establish. The first

Central Family of the Year Award was given to the Reeder family in 2001. At that

time, they had 21 UCO college graduates dating back to the first enrolling in 1939.

(See Chickering piano photos on page 35 for more on Reeder’s work.) Above, Reeder

posed in fall 2012 for a cover of Old North magazine. He was showing young Billy

Vega how he would type letters home while a student living in Thatcher Hall. He joked

that “send money” was his No. 1 letter home.

PARTiNG SHOT

Fall Flair —

Autumn arrived at Central seemingly

all at once, leaving traces of color

across campus. UCO students Stockton

Duvall and Victoria Archer embrace the

changing weather, with a joyful walk

through Plunkett Park.

— Staff Photo by K.T. King

UCO Photographic Services

Magazine Earns State RecognitionsUCO’S Old North magazine claimed several state awards at the 2018 Oklahoma College

of Public Relations Association competition. The spring 2018 issue of Old North

claimed second place in the magazine division. Three articles in 2017-18 Old North

publications won recognition. Remembering T.C. Cannon claimed third place in the

featurette category, while Bee Curious claimed third in the full-length feature division.

Both were written by Old North editor Gypsy Hogan (BS ’74). The article “Health on

Track” by Adrienne Nobles received third place in the full-length feature, human

interest category.

HEADER

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 76 OLD NORTH • SPRING 2018

The late T.C. Cannon, recognized as one of the most significant Native American artists of the 20th century, is being remembered in several national exhibits on the 40th

anniversary of his death. Cannon died May 8, 1978, in an auto accident outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the

age of only 31, but not before giving a new voice to Native American art. He also left behind a host of people who wished they had known him better and longer.

One of those is Central emeritus faculty member Bill Wallo, one of Cannon’s art professors while he attended Central from fall 1970 to spring 1974.

As a professor, Wallo gradually learned that his “student” already had studied for two years and distinguished himself at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe. Cannon also had spent a short time at the San Francisco Art Institute before joining the Army, becoming a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne where his time in Vietnam would include two Bronze Stars for service in the 1968 Tet Offensive.

So, what brought him to Central?Wallo’s short answer is, “A woman.”With just six months left in the military, Cannon met Barbara Warner, and they soon

married. They began their marriage in Santa Fe and ended it less than two-and-a-half years later in married student housing at Central. The more practical Warner encouraged the move to Edmond, close to her family and a college that would be more affordable.

“He really came here to study literature, but ended up taking art classes, too,” Wallo said. Central’s art department recently had moved to what had been the campus’ student union (today’s Art Building). It offered relatively new studio spaces filled with south sunlight and good vibes. Art students George Oswalt (BAEd ’73, MEd ’77), Noel Torrey (BAEd ’87) and Marvin Embree (BA ’73) — who continue to be part of the Oklahoma art scene — joined Wallo and Cannon in marathon sessions of creativity, each in their own different style. A campus cartoonist dubbed the group the “Formidable Five,” Wallo said, a moniker that stuck.

“During the years I knew him, I always saw two sides of T.C.,” Wallo said recently. “One side was that of a reticent Indian/cowboy who could sing like the incarnation of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan — guitar, harmonica and all. He also had a Will Rogers style of wit and was well known as a ladies’ man.

“However, his other side was that of an amazingly serious and sober veteran, a warrior-artist aged far beyond his years and incredibly dedicated to study. In fact, I found him to

By Gypsy Hogan

T.C. Cannon used a mirror to create this self-portrait.

He gave the piece to the Wallo

family, inscribing on the back, ‘For

Michael, who was too young to know

me,’ reflective of his premonition

that he would have an early

death. Michael Wallo, M.F.A., now a graphic

designer at UCO, was 4 years old at

the time.

RememberingT.C. Cannon

HEADER


BeeCurious

The short story is that UCO’s Provost John Barthell, Ph.D.,

has had the honor of having a species of

bee named in his honor, the orchid bee

Eufriesea barthelli. And while the obvious

connection is Barthell’s extensive work in

bee research worldwide, the story of how

a new bee species like E. barthelli comes

to be is more like a scientific mystery

novel.

continued on page 16

Female, E. barthelli

By Gypsy Hogan

HEADER HEADER

Health On Track

By Adrienne Nobles

In just a few minutes of conversation, one easily gets a

sense of the kind of person Martha Brennan is. Determined and direct. Also, gregarious and kind. It’s this mix of qualities that’s helped make

her successful as the University of Central Oklahoma’s head track coach. She pushes her athletes to face challenges head-on — and expects nothing less of herself.

continued on page 8


100 North University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034

uco.edu uco.bronchos UCOBronchos

ucobronchos UCOBronchos UCOBronchos

University of Central OklahomaCollege of Fine Arts and Design Presents

2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9S E A S O N

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018MITCHELL HALL THEATRE

Holiday Revue

DECEMBER 5, 2018UCO JAZZ LAB

FEBRUARY 16, 2019MITCHELL HALL THEATRE

A I L E Y I I

JANUARY 19, 2019MITCHELL HALL THEATRE

DAVID SANBORNJUNE 1- 3 AND JUNE 8 -10, 2018

MITCHELL HALL THEATRE

TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR THE 2018-2019 SEASONFOR TICKETS CALL 405-974-3375

www.uco.edu/broadway

HEROIC - University of Central OklahomaLaunching Heroic Journeys UCO faculty are urged to remember...

Documents

Transcript of HEROIC - University of Central OklahomaLaunching Heroic Journeys UCO faculty are urged to remember...