Freshman and transfer student orientation sessions for Northwestern Oklahoma State University are just around the corner. Northwestern-Alva also has several welcome-back activities planned for the following week after orientation.

Freshman Orientation activities will take place on Saturday, Aug. 19. from 8:30 a.m. to noon on the Alva campus. Registration begins at 8 a.m. in Herod Hall. The session is required for all freshmen.

Transfer Student Orientation for the Alva campus will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday in the Education Center, room 109.

(PICTURED RIGHT: Last year’s freshman class pose for the tradition group photo in front of the Ranger statue at Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Alva location.)

Transfer Student Orientation for Woodward and Enid campuses will take place on Thursday, Aug. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Woodward campus orientation will take place in the Phillips conference room, while the Enid campus orientation will take place in the Enid commons area.

At the orientation, students will learn how to receive and utilize their new Ranger Card through Northwestern’s newest identification and debit card system with step-by-step help from staff.

After the traditional freshman group picture is taken at the Alva campus at about noon on Saturday, Northwestern’s Registry Office will be open from noon to 1:30 p.m. to provide copies of class schedules and answer questions. They will not be able to process enrollments or drop/add on that day. The Financial Aid Office will be open to accept paperwork and answer questions. The Business Office will be open to accept payments, Residence Hall deposits, and answer any questions. The Bookstore will be open to purchase books or Northwestern gear or students can visit the Northwestern homepage and purchase their books online.

All first-time freshmen must enroll in a Ranger Connection class, but “Freshman Frenzy” on Aug. 28 starting at 8 p.m. will replace the second week of Ranger Connection classes. Freshman Frenzy, a required event for all incoming freshmen, helps these students bond through team-building exercises at the beginning of the school year. Ranger Connection classes are listed under University Studies in the fall schedule and serve as an orientation to the university and college life.

Northwestern's classes begin Monday, Aug. 21. The last day to add a 16-week course at Northwestern is Aug. 29. Course schedules can be found online at www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules.

Northwestern’s Student Government Association will sponsor a week of fun events for students at the Alva campus.

The Monday following student orientations will kick off the Alva campus Howdy Week excitement with “Aloha Northwestern” for all Northwestern students. At 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21, on the Intramural Field will be a cookout, slip n’ slide, dunk tank, volleyball tournament, music and fun.

Day two of Howdy Week will be “Movie Night” at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22. Just south of Coronado Café will be a movie playing for students, topped off with free corndogs and popcorn. Students are encouraged to bring a blanket to sit on.

Northwestern’s SGA is bringing the party to the students with a “Block Party” for day Howdy Week on Thursday, Aug. 24, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. On Monroe Street, between South Hall and Coronado Hall the block party will take place with plenty of free food, music, dancing for the students and overall socializing event for Rangers to get to know other students on campus.

On the last day of Howdy Week, SGA will host two events Friday, Aug. 24. The first will take place in downtown Alva for “Bingo on the Square” starting at 4 p.m. on with food from local trucks for purchase, and discounts to be announced closer to the event. Students can meet at the stage on the courthouse lawn anytime from 4 to 5:30 p.m. to pick up a bingo card; bingo winners will be announced at 5:30 p.m.

The second event on Friday will be a free concert on Alva’s Downtown Square called, “Night in the Northwest,” starting at 6 p.m. students can join the Northwest Oklahoma Leadership Class for a night of musical talent and food from local food trucks for purchase until 10 p.m. Students are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

For more details on Freshman or Transfer Student Orientation please visit www.nwosu.edu.

Additional questions should be directed to Calleb Mosburg, dean of student affairs and enrollment management, at (580) 327-8415 or cnmosburg@nwosu.edu; Dr. Deena Fisher, dean of the Northwestern-Woodward campus, (580) 256-0047 or dkfisher@nwosu.edu; or Candace Reim, Enid student services coordinator, at (580) 213-3147 or cmreim@nwosu.edu.

For those attending the University Center at Ponca City, please contact Ellan Edwards at (580)718-5600.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Events have been set for Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s annual homecoming celebration, and the organizing committee looks forward to seeing many familiar, and some new, faces in Alva.

(PICTURED RIGHT: Winner of the Miss Cinderella 2016 pageant, Grace Meinders of Woodward (center), waves to the crowd during Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Homecoming Parade, last year. She was accompanied by flower girl Taylor Kline (right) and crown bearer Rowan Walter (left) through the parade.)

The Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association helped Northwestern’s homecoming committee narrow down a theme that reflected genuine Ranger pride for current students, faculty, employees and alumni. This year’s theme – “Come Back, Give Back, Continue the Legacy…” – emphasizes Northwestern’s belief that alumni play a critical role as partners in supporting current and future students achieve their long-term educational and professional goals.

“Northwestern wants you here. Come back and give back your time to play your part in this year’s Homecoming event at Northwestern,” Dr. David Pecha, general chairman, said. “Whether you graduated last year, or 50 years ago, we hope you will return to campus and share in the legacy you helped build. All alumni families, community members and friends are invited to join the celebration.”

(PICTURED LEFT: Northwestern’s Ranger Cheer squad psyching up the crowd at the homecoming parade before the Ranger football game last year.)

Student and community groups are encouraged to create floats that incorporate this theme for Homecoming, which is set for Sept. 28-30.

Leading the parade on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 10 a.m. in downtown Alva will be the parade marshal Dr. Peggy Wisdom, a 1968 graduate of Northwestern. Wisdom has developed a distinguished career in medicine and teaching. She currently is a professor of neurology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center as well as chief of neurology and rehabilitation at the Oklahoma City Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. Her commitment to education at Northwestern led to the establishment of the Wisdom Family Foundation to support education in the arts, agriculture and health/medicine.

Homecoming button sales and design will be announced at a later date.

To keep up-to-date with Homecoming events, look for the homecoming link on our homepage at www.nwosu.edu. The web page will be updated as events are finalized.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Fifteen incoming freshmen at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will begin their year-long adventure as members of the President’s Leadership Class (PLC) by heading to Boston, Mass., for their annual outing to “The Cradle of Liberty.”

PLC is a leadership development program led by Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. The program seeks to develop leadership skills in students who have compiled exemplary records of academic success and participation in high school activities. Graduates of the program are expected to assume leadership roles on campus during their time at Northwestern.

“The trip to Boston provides a once-in-a-lifetime experience to learn more about the events and persons who played a role in our independence,” Cunningham said. “It also provide time for the class to bond and begin working together as a group.”

Activities during the four-day trip that begins Aug. 5 include walking the Freedom Trail, a trip to the theatre, and of course, a Boston Red Sox game at historic Fenway Park.

Students selected for this year’s President’s Leadership Class include:

• Kassidy Batt – Carnegie, Okla.
• Tyler Berryhill – Venus, Texas
• Duncan Brown – Gate, Okla.
• Katelyn Butler – Oak Grove, Mo.
• Sean Doherty – Branson, Colo.
• Wacey Dorenkamp – Bristol, Colo.
• Aleysa Franz – Alva, Okla.
• Bailie Gooch – Stroud, Okla.
• Kailey Hamilton– Douglass, Kan.
• Samuel Meek – Waynoka, Okla.
• Ben Ryerson – Alva, Okla.
• Ethan Sacket – Aline, Okla.
• Lexie Shafer – Alva, Okla.
• Jaxon Spady – Las Animas, Colo.
• Kayla Wilson – Quincy, Ill.

Selection to the PLC is through a competitive process including applications, letters of recommendation and an on-campus interview.

The PLC program was established in 2001 with assistance from the President’s Association, an annual giving program that includes alumni and other donors.

Class members participate in leadership activities and assist the president and her staff in hosting dignitaries on campus and in selected recruitment activities.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Steve Valencia, Associate Vice President for University Relations
sjvalencia@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8478

Summer hours at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will end on July 28, meaning offices will return to regular hours, beginning Monday, July 31.

The Alva and Woodward campuses will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Enid campus will be open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday.

Each summer the university opts for extended daily hours Monday through Thursday so that employees have Fridays off.

Employees return to normal business hours in preparation for faculty and students to return to campus to begin the fall semester, which starts Monday, Aug 21.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

The second group of members from the Oklahoma Association of Student Councils (OASC) gathered on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva campus for BASIC, a leadership workshop, July 9-14. Overall the university welcomed 322 high school students. Seventeen are high school graduates who came to Northwestern prior to the camp’s start so they could prepare for their roles as junior counselors during the workshop.

Students attending for the week included high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. During the workshop, students were divided into 12 councils where they had to come up with a school name, mascot, colors and a school song and chant. Students in each council also were given real life problems to solve and then act out their resolutions using skits. They also participated in breakout sessions that included leadership styles, team building, etiquette, school spirit and activities.

Junior Counselors, members of OASC for July who have graduated high school, were assigned to each of the 12 councils. Those counselors included Ana Teresa Atiles, Briana Daugherty, Rachel Disler, Kayla Dunn, Jayde Freitas, Grace Kramer, Marc Lamanque, Nicole Lowry, Elaine McDaniel, Keegan Myers, Connor Olson, Hannah Perry, Emily Poindexter, Cade Shaw, Hailee Thompson, Makenzie Wilson and Ben Watson.

Students used various buildings around campus and stayed in university housing along with the directors: Karen Koehn of Alva, workshop director for junior counselors and state officers; Kristi Neerman of Tulsa, director of facilities; Martha Embry of Tulsa, director of curriculum and adult staff; and Janet Carter of Sulphur, director of registration.

Koehn added she is very thankful to Northwestern and the Alva community for their support in playing host to the event.

High school graduates preparing to be junior counselors attending the July OASC Basic workshop are (front row, left to right) Grace Kramer, Jayde Freitas, Kayla Dunn, Cade Shaw, Ana Teresa Atiles, Hannah Perry, Hailee Thompson and Makenzie Wilson; (back row, left to right) Briana Daugherty, Marc Lamanque, Ben Watson, Emily Poindexter, Nicole Lowry, Elaine McDaniel, Keegan Myers, Rachel Disler and Connor Olson.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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A cut of more than $500,000 in state funding for Northwestern Oklahoma State University will lead to a reduction in the number of employees and increases in tuition and fees.

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education gave final approval to the 2018 fiscal year budget for Northwestern at its meeting today. Last week, the Regional University System of Oklahoma affirmed the budget proposal.

“Crafting a budget that protected the academic mission of the University and provides students with the necessary support services they require was extremely difficult,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “You can fight your way through a year or two of budget cuts, but year after year of declining state support, especially on the heels of last year’s unprecedented 16 percent cut, has created an almost unsustainable situation.”

In the past four years the state legislature has cut nearly $2.5 million dollars in state funding to Northwestern. During that time, state funding as a percentage of Northwestern’s general budget has dropped from 40.1 to 30.3 percent.

Northwestern will raise undergraduate tuition and fees by $10.50 per credit hour to help offset the cut in funding beginning with the fall semester of 2018. The University plans to invest an additional $170,000 in student scholarships to help offset tuition and fee increases, and is working with the Northwestern Foundation to aggressively seek additional private dollars for endowed and annual scholarship support.

“The ramifications of raising tuition and fees are not lost on anyone,” Cunningham said. “We know some students may not be able to continue working toward a degree. There are real consequences to the cuts in state funding. We are losing the potential of a generation.”

Northwestern will eliminate two staff and one faculty positions for FY18. In the past two years, 17 positions have been eliminated through attrition.

An increase in the cost of employee health insurance and absorbing the cost of debt service on bond projects, an expense previously paid for by the State of Oklahoma but not covered this year, will place a further strain on the budget.

Cunningham said the budget reflects a commitment to place student success at the forefront of operations. More than 80 percent of expenditures are investments in instruction, scholarships, student services and academic support. Only 6.3 percent of the general budget is allocated to administration and institutional support.

Looking forward, administrators are concerned that FY18 state appropriations may be threatened by legal challenges to the state budget and by the overestimation of projected revenue generated by new taxes and fees. With this in mind, four staff positions included in the budget will remain unfilled until there is greater confidence in the revenue stream.

“The devaluing of public higher education by some in the legislature and by outside groups has created a challenging environment for both students and employees,” Cunningham said. “I am so proud of the work of our faculty and staff. They have been asked to do much more and have met every challenge.

“On behalf of our students we will continue to make the case for increased funding of higher education. It’s their future at stake.”

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Steven J. Valencia, Associate Vice President for University Relations
Phone: 580.327.8478, sjvalencia@nwosu.edu

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University organizations at Northwestern Oklahoma State University have come together to create a clothing drive to benefit education majors transitioning into their professional occupations.

The Teacher’s Closet is a clothing drive developed by Dr. Jen Oswald, assistant professor of education, and Dr. Jennifer Page, assistant professor of English, to provide free business attire to Northwestern education majors who are entering or about to enter their student teaching semesters.

Transitioning from a student’s casual clothing to a teacher candidate’s professional wardrobe can be quite challenging. The financial investment required in this sartorial transition often presents an obstacle for education majors who subsist on a student’s budget. These students must spend significant portions of their limited discretionary income on background checks and required testing, which further limits their ability to purchase appropriate clothing.

The Teacher’s Closet is looking for donations of new and gently-used professional clothing from area individuals and businesses for all sizes of men and women’s styles, shoes and accessories. Education students will be able to use the clothes for interviews, classroom observation and student teaching. The students will be able to “shop” for free workplace outfits in conjunction with the Student Oklahoma Education Association (SOEA) professionalization luncheon each semester at Northwestern-Alva.

For more information or to donate contact Oswald at (580) 327-8582 or jdoswald@nwosu.edu or Page at (580) 327-8473 or jkpage@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Nursing and psychology students have a new scholarship opportunity available to them at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. The Allen L. and Carolyn J. Wilson Scholarship was established by Alva residents, Allen and Carolyn Wilson, to provide financial assistance to Northwestern students.

Throughout his upbringing, Allen’s parents – both graduates of Northwestern – exemplified the importance of education. Allen graduated from Northwestern in 1970 with a degree in psychology. He went on to work as a vocational rehabilitator in Tulsa until his father offered him the opportunity to manage the family’s agricultural operation, bringing him back to Alva.

“I am a proud graduate of Northwestern,” said Allen. “I believe I received a fantastic education at this school as opposed to going to a larger university as a freshman. Living here and my family owning a business here, it also allowed me to help with that.”

After returning to northwest Oklahoma, Allen met his wife, Carolyn, at church in Enid. He claims this is when he began the best part of his life. Allen says Carolyn has a heart for people and it is evident in her career choice. She graduated from St. Mary’s School of Radiology and was a radiological technologist.

“We are pleased the Wilsons made the decision to invest in our students with this scholarship,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “There is a consistent need for scholarship support as nearly one third of our students are the first generation to attend college. Scholarships like the one created by the Wilsons support the aspirations of our students and impact future generations.”

The couple firmly believes education is life-changing. Through this scholarship, they hope the investment and their belief in the students will give them the opportunity to be successful in life.

“We have always wanted to be an encourager and advocate for anyone who wants to go to school,” said Carolyn. “Because of Northwestern’s values, its students are taught how to contribute and how to have a strong work ethic; these values will ultimately build a strong nation.”

Allen adds, “The university is an indescribably positive contribution to the Alva community and its sets us apart from other communities.”

The couple says they have a sense of personal desire to give back.

“Our motivation is for someone else’s benefit.”

Full-time, continuing students with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the Allen L. and Carolyn J. Wilson Scholarship. Applicants must be a nursing or psychology major. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board.

For more information on the Allen L. and Carolyn J. Wilson Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Bird at 580-327-8593 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Elementary students who have completed second through fifth grades had the opportunity to engage in hands-on math and science activities with faculty at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in June.

Elementary students were able to participate in fun and engaging activities that are designed to help build math and science skills. The academy was held during Friday mornings at Northwestern-Alva in the Student Center and Science buildings. The group finished with sail boat races in front of the J.W. Martin Library on campus.

Elementary students that participated were Connor Adair, Keaton Adair, Kylie Adair, Endy Barraza, Asia Blackledge, Blake Buss, Haniyya Cham, Kayla Cotton, River Cunningham, Channing Ferguson, Evan Ferguson, Drake Fuller, Sam Garrett, Jr.; Jackson Gerbine, Myah Graves, Ralston Green, Tucker Hannaford, Calder Jones, Turner Killman, Taylor Kline, Carrington Kline, Brady Lott, Lucas Maharry, Kayla Maier, Tatim Miller, Triniti Miller, Kynlee Murrow, Braxon Nairn, Cadence Nusser, Brody Pfannenstiel, Peyton Pfannenstiel, Quentin Pulver, Nathen Rogers, Payton Smith, Bo Stewart, Demy Stewart, Skyler Wickham, Pryce Williams, and Cooper Whitely.

Math & Science Academy is organized by Northwestern faculty members Dr. Tim Maharry, Dr. Sheila Brintnall, Keenan Meeker, Dr. Aaron Place, Dr. Jenny Sattler, Dr. Mary Riegel, and Dr. Steven Maier.

Northwestern students that helped were Megan Brown, Kevin Cosper, Willow Gahr, Megan Maharry, Paola Ponce-Villalobos, and Matthew Thomas.

Others who helped with the activities were Erin Place and Leah Maier.

This free program is co-sponsored by Northwestern’s Department of Mathematics and Science and the Beisel, Fellers, and Fisher Endowments as a way for Northwestern to give back to the community and support STEM development of elementary students.

For more information about the academy, contact Brintnall at (580) 327-8582 or skbrintnall@nwosu.edu.

Elementary students who participated in Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s (NWOSU) Math and Science Summer Academy were Connor Adair, Keaton Adair, Kylie Adair, Endy Barraza, Asia Blackledge, Blake Buss, Haniyya Cham, Kayla Cotton, River Cunningham, Channing Ferguson, Evan Ferguson, Drake Fuller, Sam Garrett, Jr.; Jackson Gerbine, Myah Graves, Ralston Green, Tucker Hannaford, Calder Jones, Turner Killman, Taylor Kline, Carrington Kline, Brady Lott, Lucas Maharry, Kayla Maier, Tatim Miller, Triniti Miller, Kynlee Murrow, Braxon Nairn, Cadence Nusser, Brody Pfannenstiel, Peyton Pfannenstiel, Quentin Pulver, Nathen Rogers, Payton Smith, Bo Stewart, Demy Stewart, Skyler Wickham, Pryce Williams, and Cooper Whitely.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will be closed Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4, to celebrate the Independence Day holiday.

All offices will be closed, and no classes will be in session during this time. Normal summer business hours will resume on Wednesday, July 5.

Summer hours of 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. will officially end on Thursday, July 27. Normal Monday-Friday business hours will start Monday, Aug 1, at all campus locations.

Freshman Funday, a fun event for incoming freshmen to take care of paperwork prior to the start of school, is Saturday, July 15, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Students who bring a friend who has not yet enrolled at Northwestern will qualify both students to receive a $100 scholarship for the fall 2017 semester, which begins Monday, Aug. 21. Students can also take part in the Northwestern Bookstore “selfie challenge” for a chance to win $250 gift card to the bookstore.

Find more details and to register online at www.nwosu.edu/freshman-funday.

For a list of classes please visit www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules or contact the Office of Recruitment at (580) 327-8546 or recruit@nwosu.edu to learn how to become a Ranger.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Members of the Oklahoma Association of Student Councils (OASC) gathered on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva campus for BASIC, a leadership workshop, June 11-16. The university welcomed 322 high school students. Seventeen are high school graduates who came to Northwestern prior to the camp’s start so they could prepare for their roles as junior counselors during the workshop.

Students attending for the week included high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. During the workshop, students were divided into 12 councils where they had to come up with a school name, mascot, colors and a school song and chant. Students in each council also were given real life problems to solve and then act out their resolutions using skits. They also participated in breakout sessions that included leadership styles, team building, etiquette, school spirit and activities.

Junior Counselors, members of OASC who have graduated high school, were assigned to each of the 12 councils. Those counselors included Alejandra Cruz, Destinee Dickson, Trey Gooch, Chloe Kanelopoulas, Libby King, Chris Lowder, Nicole Lowry, Lauren Lucas, Keegan Myers, Ashylyn Nossaman, Sophie Parker, Riley Raynor, Ashton Romines, Hunter Smith, Jaycie Srunk, Makenzie Wilson and Joey Wood.

Students used various buildings around campus and stayed in university housing along with the directors: Karen Koehn of Alva, workshop director for junior counselors and state officers; Kristi Neerman of Tulsa, director of facilities; Martha Embry of Tulsa, director of curriculum and adult staff; and Janet Carter of Sulphur, director of registration.

Koehn added she is very thankful to Northwestern and the Alva community for their support in playing host to the event.

A second BASIC workshop will take place on Northwestern’s campus July 9-14.

High school graduates preparing to be junior counselors attending the June OASC Basic workshop are (back row, left to right) Libby King, Trey Gooch, Chris Lowder, Joey Wood, Keegan Myers, Hunter Smith, Nicole Lowry; (front row) Alejandra Cruz, Destinee Dickson, Ashton Romines, Lauren Lucas, Chloe Kanelopoulas, Sophie Parker, Jaycie Srunk, Ashylyn Nossaman, Makenzie Wilson and Riley Raynor.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu

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Metta Kay Wenzel of Mulvane, Kan., and Sara Jane Wieker of Oak Brook, Ill., recently established a scholarship at Northwestern Oklahoma State University to assist student-athletes who have an interest in the field of agriculture and/or education. The Wes Wenzel Scholarship honors the memory of husband and brother, Joe Wesley Wenzel, a 1965 graduate of Northwestern.

Pictured is Joe Wesley Wenzel. Photo courtesy of Metta Kay Wenzel.

“This scholarship represents a deep family commitment to Northwestern and will serve as lasting legacy to Joe Wenzel and his family,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “We are grateful for the family’s support of our students and we look forward to awarding this scholarship to one of our deserving students.”

Metta Kay, Wenzel’s wife, and Wieker, Wenzel’s sister, say their family legacy at Northwestern is more than 100 years old.

“Grandparents and many family members, along with Wes, hold diplomas from this school. Wes was an active alum until his death, and his passion for higher education was set as a child. He held on to these principles as a father of two – each of his children holding degrees in higher education.”

After completing his degree in biology and chemistry, Wes Wenzel served in the United States Army and quickly advanced to First Lieutenant in Vietnam. He received a Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars and other awards for his valor and meritorious service. Afterwards, he married, helped raise his children and played a role in his community. Wes Wenzel served on many boards in the Methodist Church and managed his own companies in real estate and financing. He spent his free time hunting, fishing, golfing and biking. At age 62, he biked across Kansas. Ten years later he hiked the Sierra Mountains. Respect of the land and preservation of the country were passions of his that lasted a lifetime.

“Words will never capture the boy, student, athlete, decorated Army officer, husband, father, family member, church member, business man and community leader he was,” said Metta Kay Wenzel and Wieker. “This scholarship is proper and fitting as a living memorial.”

Full-time, continuing students with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the Wes Wenzel Scholarship. Applicants must be student-athletes majoring in agriculture or education. To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must complete the scholarship application form through the Financial Aid Office on any Northwestern campus. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books and room and board.

For more information on the Wes Wenzel Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO, at 580-327-8593 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Dr. Kylene Rehder, an associate professor, director of the Social Work Program and chair of the Department of Social Work at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, has been chosen as one of 100 honorees in the field of social work from the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work at the University of Oklahoma during the school’s 100 for the 100^th anniversary celebration.

Rehder has worked at Northwestern since 2005 and is credited with leading the social work program to external accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Northwestern’s social work program is only one of five CSWE accredited universities in the state and is the only one in western Oklahoma. With the development of a social work program in the region, the landscape of social services in Northwest Oklahoma has been transformed.

The honorees are social workers, former faculty, directors, alumni and other friends and supporters of the school. The anniversary celebration will culminate with a very special dinner event: “An Evening of Celebration: 100 Years of Social Work” on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in the University of Oklahoma Molly Shi Boren Ballroom.

Rehder is beyond thrilled to be included as one of the 100 for the 100^th anniversary celebration, particularly because she understands the brilliant and dedicated social workers this state encompasses.

“I am truly humbled by this honor because our state encompasses so many brilliant and dedicated social workers who work tirelessly to enhance human well-being,” Rehder said. “It is a dream come true to chair the Department of Social Work at Northwestern as it is where I originally developed my passion in social work and my commitment to help meet the basic needs of all people. It is a privilege to work as a professional social worker, and having your contributions recognized by the University of Oklahoma's Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work and your alma mater is a wonderful professional experience.”

The 100 selected individuals will be honored in two main ways. The first includes a year-long tribute on the school’s website that will showcase those selected with a photo and short biography. The second will be at the 100th anniversary event in September.

Rehder obtained a bachelor’s degree in social work from Northwestern (2001) and a Master of Social Work from the University of Oklahoma (2003), graduating summa cum laude. In 2013, she completed a doctorate degree from North Central University, where her dissertation research focused on the use of technology in social work education and practice.

Rehder is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Board Approved Clinical Supervisor by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers. She has a rich history of involvement in the National Association of Social Workers Oklahoma chapter (NASW-OK), holding key roles such as Northwest Branch Chair, Chapter Committee on Leadership Identification (CCNLI), steering committee for the Social Work Public Education Campaign, and a member of the Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) committee.

Her research efforts on licensure laws, titles and requirements provided the necessary foundation for legislative changes, bringing the Oklahoma’s Social Work Practice Act in alignment with other jurisdictions and the Social Work National Model Act. In 2015, Rehder was appointed by the governor to serve on the State Board of Licensed Social Workers and is currently the board’s secretary. She is an advisory board member for the Child Welfare Professional Enhancement Program (CWPEP), which focuses on strengthening child welfare services in Oklahoma. In addition, she is a board member of Freedom West Community Development Corporation, a non-profit development entity in Northwest Oklahoma that works to revitalize rural communities to increase community sustainability through proactive social and economic change efforts. Freedom West CDC was awarded Social Services Organization of the Year in 2015 by NASW-OK.

Rehder serves as a clinical consultant to many Northwest Oklahoma agencies and is a member of the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC), where she serves as a disaster mental health responder. She is the Jake and Jayne Lindsay Endowed Chair in Social Work at Northwestern and was awarded the university’s Distinguished Service Award in 2012. In 2013, she was named the prestigious John Barton Distinguished Teaching and Service Award recipient.

To learn more about Northwestern’s Department of Social Work, please contact Rehder at (580) 327-8135 or kdrehder@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Dr. Shelly Wells, associate professor of nursing and chair to Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Division of Nursing, is one of 14 distinguished nurse educators to be selected for the 11th class of fellows who will be inducted into the prestigious Academy of Nursing Education, the National League for Nursing (NLN).

The new class members bring the total academy membership to 248 leaders in nursing education, from nursing programs across the academic spectrum and from other organizations committed to advancing the quality of health care in the U.S. and around the world. Following tradition, the induction ceremony will take place at the NLN Honors Convocation on Saturday, Sept. 16, during the 2017 Education Summit in San Diego, California.

Wells is thrilled to be recognized as one among a select few in the nation for this award.

“To be recognized for one's work is always rewarding, but to be named in the top 248 visionary nursing educators in the nation is very humbling - especially when looking at the other 247 people and knowing their body of work in nursing education over the years.”

In a competitive application process, the Academy of Nursing Education Review Panel has a great deal to consider before recommending fellowship candidates to the NLN Board of Governors, the oversight body for the academy. Evaluations take into account applicants’ contributions to innovative teaching and/or learning strategies; nursing education research; faculty development activities; academic leadership; promotion of public policy that advances nursing education; and/or collaborative educational, practice, or community partnerships.

“The profession of nursing is a wonderful career choice,” she said. “It has taken me all over the world from my beginnings in Kansas City to other areas in the United States including Washington D.C., to Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia and Singapore. One can engage in nursing wherever you find yourself. Nursing is not just about hospitals like so many people think. Nurses are engaged in work in communities, corporations, government, education and non-profit agencies. The great thing about nursing is that you can always find something very interesting to do.”

Wells, who began working at Northwestern in 2012, has years of experience in the field of health care. She’s been active in health care for almost 40 years in such areas as a unit secretary in a Kansas City Hospital, a pharmacy technician, a nursing assistant while in nursing school and as a registered nurse. Wells’ mother was a nurse, too, so it seems as if health care has always been a part of her life.

“I enjoy doing what I can to make things the best that they can be for my patients and the nurses that I have worked with and supervised throughout my career.

“My inspiration to enter into health care has ultimately been my faith. I have received many blessings in my life, and one of those is the gift to be able to share my skills and talents to help and care about people. There is not another career field that is more about caring and helping than nursing.”

Wells served to bring Northwestern’s first doctorate program to help northwest Oklahoma get ahead in the medical field.

“I am proud to be a part of Northwestern as they have accomplished great things for the people in the state. Being able to address the basic and advanced health care needs of the citizens in northwest Oklahoma and throughout the country by educating nurses at all levels at Northwestern really meets a need for the state. The mission at Northwestern is a natural fit when educating nurses as nurses must be critical thinkers dedicated to service of people of many different cultures and must deliver that service in a fiscally responsible manner.”

Dr. Bo Hannaford, vice president for academic affairs, said Wells has been a tremendous asset as the chair to the Division of nursing and as a faculty member at Northwestern.

“Dr. Wells is well-deserving of this national honor,” he said. “Not only is she a great leader for Northwestern, but is an important leader for the state of Oklahoma. She provides great insight for our nursing students and her leadership in implementing our first doctoral program is a great example of the impact she has here at Northwestern. I am very proud to have Dr. Wells as a colleague.”

The NLN established the Academy of Nursing Education to foster excellence in nursing education by recognizing and capitalizing on the wisdom of outstanding nurse educators.

"The Board of Governors takes its responsibility in the selection process very seriously,” said Anne R. Bavier, PhD, RN, FAAN, NLN president and dean and professor of the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at the University of Texas at Arlington. “We look forward to personally congratulating each of these outstanding individuals. They are a wonderful reflection of the enterprise, creativity, and drive that motivate excellence in nursing education."

"Fellows support the mission and core values of the NLN and assist in the work required to prepare graduates from all types of nursing programs,” NLN CEO Beverly Malone said (PhD, RN, FAAN). “They serve as mentors and resources for new educators and those in clinical practice who hope to someday enter the ranks of nurse faculty."

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu

-NW-

Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Northwest Technology Center (NWTC) partnered to offer the annual MASH (Medical Avenues in Service and Health) Camp. The camp was held on the campuses of both NWTC and Northwestern-Alva on May 30 through June 1.

Forty-three students from northwest Oklahoma who will be entering the seventh grade learned many different skills including CPR training, first aid skills, wellness assessments and leadership skills.

Students enjoyed three days of learning and fun. Day one included the students engaging in team building and leadership exercises. The group also toured Northwestern’s Athletic Training Facility and the Nursing Simulation Lab. Day two included learning CPR and recreating a forensic investigation in the BioMedical Sciences facilities at NWTC. The last day culminated in a tour of Share Medical Center’s emergency room, laboratory, nursing facilities, physical therapy facilities and clinic.

“Northwestern is proud to be a partner in this camp with Northwest Technology Center and wants to thank the Wisdom Foundation for their continued support,” Dr. Bo Hannaford, vice president for academic affairs at Northwestern, said. “We wanted to provide opportunities to showcase the different types of careers in the medical field while instilling the importance of math and science related to these careers, and I believe the students received that. We look forward to adding more opportunities to the camp in the future.”

During their three-day stint the students were housed in Northwestern’s dormitories and supervised by NWTC’s Daren Slater, Jennifer Shaw, Andrea Long, Tara Thomas, Melinda Barton and Tammy Mustard. Along with Northwestern personnel Dr. Chandler Mead, Dr. Leslie Collins, Isilei Ofiu and Hannaford.

“These middle school students received a great introduction to medical careers,” Daren Slater, NWTC assistant superintendent, said. “They learned so much from our partners who provided tours and activities for these students. We also look forward to partnering in the future with Northwestern and the Wisdom Foundation to help students learn more about career possibilities in northwest Oklahoma.”

I loved MASH Camp,” said Ryleigh Orcutt, Alva seventh grader. “CPR training was my favorite part. I know that if I have to use it, I will know what to do. I learned a lot about the different opportunities in the medical field.”

The Wisdom Foundation, along with NWTC and Northwestern, funded the camp.

Area seventh grade students participating in the MASH Camp held at Northwest Technology Center and Northwestern included: (standing left to right) Anna Italiano, Trinity Tindall, Avery Sanborn, Norah Scarbrough, Hunter Miller, Jeovanni Williams, Alaina Pierce, Dylan Wickham, Taryn Brawley, Jor’dyn Luster, Thedric Darr, Karlie Snow, Clyce Graves, Ethan Dowty, Jaxon Jones, Warren Walborn, Kaden Pettus, Jaedyn Williams, Ryleigh Orcutt, Laura Anton, Austin Ramey, Thomas Anderson, Mason Boger, Ashlei Cosper, Gabriella Herrera, Korey Dooley, Alexus Shields, Andrew Barton, Drake Johnson and Aiden Sanborn (kneeling left to right) Peyton Rauch, Matt Robinson, A.J. Minjares, Kelsie Doane, Austin Littrell, Huston Lane, Cole Richter, Omarian Carter, Abby Guffy, Lexi Williams, Jocie Shelton, Madysen Ryel and Michelle Penoyer.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE

Ali Gavitt
University Relations Specialist, Northwestern Oklahoma State University
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

-NW-

Amy Pottinger found Northwestern Oklahoma State University when her husband Patrick was attending pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid. The 2010 graduate is now spreading her own wings as one of 12 finalists on the competition television series “Food Network Star.”

Pottinger, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education, will begin appearing on the program Sunday, June 4, at 8 p.m. on the Food Network.

The Seattle, Washington, native said she has always enjoyed cooking for friends and family but when she was about 19, she started to realize how creative and meaningful food could be. She has worked in a number of restaurants through the years and started a food blog – www.caviarandcrayons.com – in 2014.

Pottinger, an avid reader and painter to go along with her love of cooking, explained that she had applied to Food Network Star a few times, never dreaming they would actually pick her for the show. She said the process was different for some as a few were contacted by the Food Network and others, such as herself, applied through casting. She said they all went through a series of interviews until they decided on the 12 competitors for the Season 13 cast.

Taping for the show ended earlier this year, so the Star hopeful has had a few secrets to keep including how well she did on the show.

“The suspense of who gets their own TV show at the end is part of the appeal, but it was an amazing experience,” Pottinger said. “There were some incredible guest judges, and we did some crazy stuff. I will say, it is not as easy as it looks. I went in thinking, ‘I cook well and am used to multi-tasking.’ It is tougher than it looks, for sure.”

The description for the June 4 season premiere notes that the 12 Stars will arrive at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles hoping for their big break. The group is greeted by the show’s hosts to learn they have to pass one more audition before officially being considered as finalists. They also learn that the winner of “Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen” will be joining the competition.

Others in the TV show contest include individuals with culinary school backgrounds, other food bloggers, a school cafeteria cooking manager, the King of Louisiana seafood and a winner from the network’s program “Cutthroat Kitchen.”

Pottinger has provided more information about herself on her blog, including various links to interviews and articles prepared by the Food Network and magazine about each contestant including the fact her dream show would be named “Amy’s Crazy Kitchen,” where food bloggers and home cooks would join her in the kitchen while she makes delectable dishes.

The stay-at-home mom of two young children explained that her cooking style comes from the bits of pieces of who she is, the places their family has lived and the people they have met through the years. She said by visiting her food blog one hopefully can see those influences through the variety of the recipes she shares.

Currently living in Honolulu, Hawaii, where her husband now flies the F22 Raptor, Pottinger explained that right after her graduation from Northwestern, she moved with her family to Florida where she was offered multiple job positions in the Bay County School District. She accepted a position teaching kindergarten.

“Halfway through the year, the assistant principal told me she was so impressed she wanted to move me to fifth grade,” Pottinger said. “Unfortunately, we were moving that coming summer to Alaska.”

She did some substitute teaching in Alaska while waiting on the arrival of their first child.

“I was fortunate to have some amazing professors (at Northwestern),” she added about her experiences while taking classes at the Enid location. “Elementary education also has equipped me to understand my children better, how to teach them and their social/psychological development.”

Pottinger isn’t finished with her education, although this time she’s continuing with her passion of cooking by attending the Gros Bonnet Culinary Academy in Honolulu – a dream only strengthened by her experiences on Food Network Star.

“It’s something I have thought about in the past, but when someone like Bobby Flay or Giada De Laurentiis compliments your food and tells you that you belong with this group of people – people who have restaurants, national awards and a culinary pedigree – you want to do whatever you can to keep that ball rolling,” Pottinger said. “Star may launch a public career for me, it may not, but know that I want to do something with food. And although I have an incredible natural ability, formal training is important for the type of job I would hope to have.”

-NW-

Contact for Release
Valarie Case, University Relations Specialist
vcase@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8486ve

Honor rolls for the spring semester at Northwestern Oklahoma State University have been announced by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Those on the President’s Honor Roll earned all A’s, or a 4.0 grade point average (GPA), in a minimum of 12 undergraduate or nine graduate hours. Those on the Vice President’s list had grade point averages of 3.5 or better in a minimum of 12 undergraduate or nine graduate hours.

Undergraduate students on the honorable mention lists had 4.0 or 3.5 GPAs, respectively, in a minimum of three to a maximum of 11 semester hours. Graduate students on those rolls were enrolled in a minimum of three to a maximum of eight semester hours.

To be listed on any of the rolls, students could not have any incomplete work.

Listed by hometowns, those students on the various honor rolls are as follows:

PRESIDENT’S HONOR ROLL

Graduate & Post-Graduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Jordan Franz, Jessica Ortiz

BLACKWELL – Rachel Brown

CALUMENT – Morgan Renbarger

ENID – Melissa Crawford, Angela Goodman, Joshua Guinn, Minjung Kang, Jason Ogg, Sarah Otto

FREEDOM – Ashley Wilson

HELENA – Whitney Cotton

JET – Keela Worman

LAWTON – Rhonda Worthen

PONCA CITY – Michael Degan, Sydney Greenwood, Elise Quiroz

PAWNEE – Whitney Wolf

STILLWATER – Luke Kruse

CALIFORNIA

LIVERMORE – Katie Draschner

ILLINOIS

SHIRLEY – Ann Abbey

SPRINGFIELD – Megan Middleton

LOUISIANA

BELLE CHASSE – Rebecca Appelt

MISSISSIPPI

COLUMBUS – Brittany Earhart

TEXAS

DENISON – Ryan Shumaker

MIDLOTHIAN – Chelsie Wood

ROWLETT– Danielle Williams

SPRINGTOWN – Rebecca Ellis

ASIA

MAKASSAR, INDONESIA – Riskariyan Amin

CANADA

BURLINGTON, ONTARIO – Jason Barlett

Undergraduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Jonathan Allotey, Cheney Bird, Tilly Braddock, Julia Buckingham, Rylan Castleberry, Emmarae Cook, Christopher Dickson, Cecely Franz, Kamaree Hatfield, Ty Hooper, Megan Maharry, Brooke Ortiz, Aaron Pierce, Jacque Ruhl

ANADARKO – Kelsey Schumpert

BALKO – Ryann Blackburn, Rylee Stockton

BARTLESVILLE – Brianna Wellman

BEAVER – Shalyn Farrington, Savannah Tillman

BURLINGTON – Heather Armbruster, Alysson Stewart

CHEROKEE – Colby Locke, Brianna Wilhite

CHESTER – Morgan Marks

CLAREMORE – Rebecca Punto

CLEO SPRINGS – Kristina Schmidt

CLEVELAND – Alanna Negelein

DEWEY – Carson Hannaford

EL RENO – Kandi Hughart, James Person

ELMORE CITY – Morgan Lewis

ENID – Elizabeth Bullard, Joana Lyn Camacho, Ty Dutton, Joshua Frazier, Ryan Gantt, Whitney Hake, George Holmes, Kayla Jantz, Madeline Leathers, Annie Moss, Lauren Nightingale, Dlonra “Dee Dee” Nolan, Erin Norrie, Molly Payne, Riley Pearce, Daniel Perez, Christen Rogers, Chandler Steckbeck, Ashley Warren, Devin Watson, Jarett Webb, Alexxis Wright

FAIRVIEW – Levi Nichols, Rylee Rankin, Katie Welch

FORGAN – Danea Swenke

FORT GIBSON – Brittany Palmer

FREEDOM – Hilda Craig, Alondra Galindo

GOLTRY – Levi Sanders

GREENFIELD – Patricia West

HENNESSEY – Eli Vaverka

HINTON – Kaci Hansen, Logan Lindley, Danyelle Seurer

HOBART – Jessi Neal

HUNTER – Braden Peck

KINGFISHER – Elizabeth Kadavy

LAHOMA – Courtney McCartney

LAVERNE – Priscilla Avalos, Nyki Casillas, Elizabeth Fox-Shipley, Alicia James, Catelyn Smith

LAWTON – Jackson Gardner

LEEDEY – Elli Price

LUCIEN – Trenton Harmon

MARSHALL – Tricia Franke

MEDFORD – Kaitlyn Kilian

MUSTANG – Cynthia Conrad

MUTUAL – Timothy Legg

OKEENE – Ashlyn Long

OOLOGAH – Nick Villalobos

PONCA CITY – Angela Buller, Riley Dilbeck, Jennifer Heitman, Teresa Jones, Timothy MacPherson-Lesnick, Shelby Pittser, Kassandra Roberts, Jacqueline Robison

POND CREEK – Devan McKee

RINGWOOD – Kelsey Conaway, Mary Shaffer

SHATTUCK – Brandin Spady, Diana Valle Ramirez, Cierra Willyard

SHAWNEE – Brandy Chambers

SEILING – Margo Marks, Bobbie Perron, Darci Sander

STIGLER – Elizabeth Mouser

STROUD – John Godwin

TEXHOMA – Julieta Chaparro

TONKAWA – Elise Foss

TULSA – Audrey Estes

VICI – Katelyn Cutsinger

WATONGA – Tyler Bernhardt

WAUKOMIS – Codi Harding

WAYNOKA – Nikki Gates, Patricia Pixler, Sarah Stinson

WEATHERFORD – Taylor Brinkley

WOODWARD – Amber Acosta, Haylee Bates, Angela Clem, Matt Day, Olivia Denney, Macey Ford, Toni Fowler, Cole Reynolds, Lindsey Smith, Jordan Webb

WINFIELD – Conner Whitley

ARKANSAS

CABOT – Carrie Pendleton

FAYETTEVILLE – Ashlye Pool

CALIFORNIA

LANCASTER – Sarah Van Drew

COLORADO

DENVER – Jose Granados Rascon

LAMAR – Jacqueline Parker

IOWA

SHEFFIELD – Tori Hurley

KANSAS

CONWAY SPRINGS – Tiffany Willson

DERBY – Rebekah Preston

HARPER – Kelci Hill

HAVEN – Taige Trent

KIOWA – Richard Fischer, Taylor McCullough

MCPHERSON – Nicole Marema

WICHITA – Elizabeth Dwyer

NEVADA

LAS VEGAS – Kylee Wallace

NEW YORK

FRANKLIN SQUARE – Jason Mari

TEXAS

AMARILLO – Heather Bettencourt

ARLINGTON – William Ward

BROWNSVILLE – Adrian Ibarra

EDNA – Madison Garza

FORTH WORTH – Shelby Boxberger, Alexa Moses

FARWELL – Chanel Martin

KELLER – Madison Hopper

LEWISVILLE – Daschal Johnson

HOUSTON – Cydni Phelps

MONTGOMERY – Cori Hoffman

PAMPA – Tristen Morgan, Alexis Stuart

PARIS – Macy Madewell

SHERMAN – Kennedy Jewell

AFRICA

ACCRA, GHANA – Abubakar-Sadik Malik, Fiifi Neizer-Ashun, Rosina Quaicoe

KIGALI, RWANDA – Jean Nshimiyimana

NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA – Simisola Olatunji

SOUTH AFRICA – Joshua Calder

ASIA

INDIA

GUJARAT – Smit Patel

NEPAL – Biraj Aryal, Dipankar Bajracharya, Astha Budhathoki, Davison Chaudhary, Anjali Chhetri, Sagarika KC, Lahana Maharjan, Sagma Prajapati, Angphurba Sherpa, Gaurav Shrestha, Sanjita Shrestha

TURKMENISTAN

ASHGABAT – Selbi Kurbanova

CANADA

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Gregory Carrington

WATERDOWN, ONTARIO – Gregory Marco

SOUTH AMERICA

SAO JOSE DO RIO PRETO, BRAZIL – Bruno Miguel

VICE PRESIDENT’S HONOR ROLL

Graduate & Post-Graduate Students

OKLAHOMA

DRUMMOND – Madison Welch

ENID – Olga Copeland, Jessica Taylor, Jennifer Thompson, Erin Willis

MULHALL – Jordan McLemore

PERRY – Nancy Crow

PONCA CITY – Abby Hand

WAYNOKA – Rachael Cunningham

Undergraduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ANADARKO – Josh Parton

ANTLERS – Jalena Arthur

ALINE – Oakleigh Nickel, Brittany Wallace

ALVA – Teirna Adair, Megan Brown, Riley Bryant, Rachel Carter, Connor Dimmick, Blake Garnett, Megan Garnett, Clayton Hill, Mercedes Kirkhart, Enoch Quansah, Sarah Smart, Shelby Smith, Alissa Stelling, Tasha Swallow, Christina Porter

ARDMORE – Katelyn Lackey

ARNETT – Mandy Ball, Bailey New

BARTLESVILLE – Jack Armstrong, Isabella Hardester, Michael Rude

BEAVER – Austin Anderson, Kalen Gabel, Alejandria Kasparie

BEGGS – Sara Bynum

BLACKWELL – Aleasha Rowe, Christopher Soto

BRISTOW – Clarissa Wiley

BUFFALO – Macendrew Brown, Kimberly Drew, Alexis Finn, Lorene McGhee

CARMEN – Willow Gahr

CHEROKEE – Cassandra Berry, Connie Bryant, Alex Castro, Courtney Hiller, Connor McGee, Derek McKinnon

CHESTER – Buster Horn

CLEO SPRINGS – Kevin Cosper, Jessica Richardson

COALGATE – Preston Sims

CORDELL – Tyler Beasley

COVINGTON – Kandis Gorman, Jeran Jones

DACOMA – Jaida Williams

EDMOND – Cassidy Hackett, Kaitlyn Martin

ELK CITY – Chloe Nutley, Abbie Tillman

ELMORE CITY – David Collins

ENID – Shasta Alcorn, Katlyn Anderson, Derrick Bentz, Kayla Brooks, Haleigh Brown, Ashley Carter, Janae Coleman, Caitlin Evans, Sierra Gable, Jennifer Gilbreath, Alicia Green, Tina Green, Kelsey Hammock, Stephen Herbert, Dana Kausek, Caleb Lang, Sierra Miller, Hal Oberlender, Cristina Perez-Macias, Ashley Porter, Denise Tyrell

FAIRFAX – Taylor Kennedy, Codey Yandell

FAIRVIEW – Dalton Pannell

FORT SUPPLY – Braxton Kornele

FREEDOM – Brianna Louthan, Alexandria Shepherd, Harley Wares

GARBER – Caylen Enfield, Jada, Lafosse, Austin Mount

GLENCO – John Lazenby

GUTHRIE – Ashley Watkins

GUYMON – Graciela Gutierrez

HINTON – Karly Murray

HOLDENVILLE – Matthew Cowart

HOOKER – Jordan Koehn

HUNTER – Rochelle Wright

INDIANOLA – Ruth Bullard

JET – Brock Buller

KANSAS – Rhianna Chesser

KINGFISHER – Terra Henderson, Alexus Patterson

KREMLIN – Kassidy Bittle, Madeline Bonine

LAHOMA – Cody Carpenter

LAVERNE – Cordell Burlingham, Jacob Marr, Jess Wells

LAWTON – Davida Carr

LUTHER – Jessica Vails

MANNFORD – Amanda Harding

MCLOUD – Erica Hostetter

MOORELAND – Kaslin Baros, Kent Callison, Nelva Gomez, Jessica Goodballet, Wade Shelton

MUSTANG – Bailey Cook

NEWKIRK – Tanner Bergman, Anastassiya Shvilko, Baylie Wilson

NORMAN – Baylea Sims, Samantha Wilson

OKLAHOMA CITY – Candace Moore, Drew Slovak

OWASSO – Bailey Jarvis

PAWNEE – Melissa Pipestem

PERRY – Ty Stout

PIEDMONT – Bethany Morphis

PONCA CITY – Melissa Bell, Jacquelynn Blackwell, Todd Burlie, Sarah Dysart, Dacia Hudelson, Karrie McLain, Ashley Putman, Bryanna Ross, Jordan Snyder, Jeffrey Spaulding, Brittany Westervelt

POND CREEK – Carly Farmer

RINGWOOD – Grant Glover, Alexis Hayes, Kimberly Wheeler

SEILING – Brady Fields, Julisa Mojica, Thomas Sander

SHATTUCK – Jenna Castor, Karly Gillispie, Rebecca Kelln, Barbara Zumalt

SHAWNEE – Rebecca Little

SILO – Katelind Wright

SNYDER – Tobi-Rae Barker

STILLWATER – Kayla Eaton, Kelsey Henneha, Natalie Noles, Shannon Wooten

TONKAWA – McKayla Branson, Cinthia Rodriguez, Shania Street

TULSA – Parker Rehorn, Emmet Spencer

TUTTLE – Sarah Altemeier, Hallie Ward

TYRONE – Amber Andrews

WANN – Taylor Johnson

WATONGA – Ethan Kennedy

WAYNOKA – Colton Budy, Rachel Kincade

WAUKOMIS – Kaitlin Kokojan, Mackenna Mack, Shaelee Roberts

WEATHERFORD – Brandon Kirk, Megan Sanders

WOODWARD – Jason Alexander, Beth Baker, Mirissa Branine, Clarissa Coleman, Robert Comstock, Amy English, Kyler Ferguson, David Gutierrez, Chandra Hitchcock, Isnelia Lares, Olivia Little, Zachary Louden, Candyce Marmolejo, Marsellia Rael, Carlos Salgado-Merino, Kelly Stinnett, Cesar Valenzuela, Jonathan Wales, Clarence Wilson

YUKON – Kaitlin Bell

ARIZONA

AVONDALE – Renee Contreras

ARKANSAS

SPRINGDALE – Melissa Couture

CALIFORNIA

ALTA LOMA – Alyssa Casey

ANAHEIM – Karla Lopez

FONTANA – Ashanti Banks

ORLAND – Scott Batchelder

HAWAII

PEARL CITY – Tiana Young-Mauchly

WAIPAHU – Jordan Gomes

ILLINOIS 

ALEDO – Savannah Martin

COAL VALLEY – Dylan Schulenberg

IOWA

BENTON – Ashton Johnson

BURLINGTON – Kelsi Conner

KANSAS

ARKANSAS CITY – Matthew McGrew

ATTICA – Morgan Grigsby

BAXTER SPRINGS – Colton Krokroskia

BEL AIRE – Mackenzie Malone

BENTLEY – Angela Hasenbank

CHERRYVALE – Kaleb Keplinger

COLDWATER – Lindsay Haas

FOWLER – Kaitlynn Jones

INDEPENDENCE – Aubrey Clark

KIOWA – Brooke Murphy, Carter Stewart

MAPLE HILL – Jordan Haya

MEDICINE LODGE – Shanndi Boor

PRATT – Samantha Rojas

SALINA – Trenton Earley, Blake Jones

WINFIELD – Karlie Linden

KENTUCKY

LOUISVILLE – Greg Minor

MINNESOTA

MINNEAPOLIS – Kyle Satek

PINE RIVER – Samantha McGuire

MISSOURI

HARRISONVILLE – Mattie Moore

MONTANA

ULM – Rachel Burk

NEBRASKA

SIDNEY – Hayden Graham

SOUTH DAKOTA

FAITH – Katy Miller

TENNESSEE

CLARKSVILLE – Stanford Rozar

TRENTON – Felicia Wedley

TEXAS

BREMOND – Harrison Hull

CONROE – Ashley Wintersteen

CORPUS CHRISTI – Thomas Kassner

COPPERAS COVE – Cedric Collinge

CYPRESS – Faith Sanders

DALLAS – Ashley Pride

EL PASO – Mario Perez

FRIENDSWOOD – Amber Mills

FRISCO – Alec Jamar

GRAND PRAIRIE – Jared Jenkins, Nissi Jordan

HAWKINS – Allison Smith

HOUSTON – Arthur Eze, Brooke Wright

IOWA PARK – Mickey Jordan

IRVING – Pranaya Shrestha

KENNEDALE – Joah Mitchell

KINGWOOD – Sean Rydell

MANSFIELD – Sarah Williams

MESQUITE – Kylee Loustaunau Labandera

PANHANDLE – Kendra Reining

RED OAK – Aharon Barnes

THE COLONY – Logan Jones

WHITESBORO – Aaron Dobbs

VIRGINIA

BEAVERDAM – Jaclyn Burke

WISCONSIN

MADISON – Jamar Morris

AFRICA

ACCRA, GHANA – Betty Abbey

NIGERIA, WEST AFRICA – Princess Adenuga, Oluwatoyosi Kaffi, Precious Okeke

ASIA

NEPAL – Raksha Adhikari, Nayan Awale, Samichin Bista, Gaurav Dhungana, Puja Dhungana, Sabin Gurung, Pawana Itani, Sitaram Kandel, Devid Karki, Bishamata Manandhar, Kriti Pahari, Ayushree Shrestha, Rijan Shrestha, Shreha Shrestha, Pabitra Tamang, Sushil Thapa

TOKYO, JAPAN – Osamu Sakamoto

AUSTRALIA

WANNIASSA – Petar Stosic

CANADA

PONOKA, ALBERTA – Jennifer Massing

PRESIDENT’S HONORABLE MENTION HONOR ROLL

Graduate & Post-Graduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Rance Castleberry, Alica Hall, Frederick Jungman, Elizabeth Smith

BROKEN ARROW – Lisa Johnston

CHANDLER – Krista Smith

CHEROKEE – Dirk Allen, Shannon Leaper

DACOMA – Gladys Bradford

DRUMMOND – Lisa Norris

EDMOND – Joyce Thomas

ENID – Brandon Beichler, Catherine Breyley, Richard Burdick, Whitney Edens, Matthew Harmon, Jaime Hays, Emily Hladik, Robert Kappus, Starla Reed, Brent Schiesser, Lizette White, Angelina Wills

GARBER – Gerrett Spears

GUTHRIE – Jay Benson

GUYMON – Cassandra Hegwood, Anita Landess, Zachary McIntyre, Krista Prince

HELENA – Clifford Smith

HENNESSEY – Kimberly Stafford

HOOKER – Arthur Bohlmann

KINSLEY – Tabitha Carothers

LAHOMA – Amanda Barrett, Brittany Sharp

LAWTON – Juliet Nnaji

MCLOUD – Jennifer Caswell

MEDFORD – Michelle Penner

MENO – Kelly Pecha

MIDWEST CITY – Carlton Hall

MORRISON – Terri Watters

NEWKIRK – Colton Smith

OKLAHOMA CITY – Stephanie Hayes, Bradley Pemberton

PIEDMONT – Kylie Franz

PONCA CITY – Brandie Choate, Barbara Wright

OCTAVIA – Sarah Brown

SHATTUCK – Roderick Calder, Hilarie Laverty

TEXHOMA – Charly Salamanca

TONKAWA – Kimberly Coffey, Monica Grein

TULSA – Michael Prokopis

WISTER – Susan Hill

WAYNOKA – Shonda Russell, Shelly Wingo, Zachary Zook

WOODWARD – Marsha Bowers, Christopher Lauderdale, Natalie Rose, Delon Starkey, Milissa Sturgill

FLORIDA

ST. CLOUD – Tracy Meza

ILLINOIS

GENEVA – Lydia Scalise

IOWA

AURELIA – Ryan Wilkinson

KANSAS

ANTHONY – Monica Holden

MANHATTAN – Anthony Andrade

PRATT – Benjamyn Eastes

NEBRASKA

WALLACE – Josi Dwamena

PENNSYLVANIA

PALMYRA – Chasity Enck

TENNESSEE

MEMPHIS – Nancy Pierce

TEXAS

COLLEYVILLE – Aaron Gilbreath

KATY – Andrew Stewart

LEWISVILLE – Denise Rangel

WISCONSIN

MOUNT HOREB – Lance Gordon

ASIA

CHINA

BEIJING – Wei Zhou

Undergraduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ADAIR – Dillon Day

ALVA – Alana Adams, Thomas Beiswanger, Callie Duncan, Mattie Duncan, Aleysa Franz, Alyjea Gerloff, Colton Hadwiger, Kirsten Harrison, Ethan Harzman, Alaina Hurst, Brayden Jeffries, Kaylynn Kovat, Cathy Mapes, Daresa Moser, Shannon Nesseralla, Shadelyn Nettles, Noah Place, Lexie Shafer, Jordan Shiever, Trenton Starkey, Emily Swenn

AMES – Jessica Weidner

ARDMORE – Tara Qualls

ARNETT – Peyton Eastep, Ashley Smith

BEAVER – Emilie Kemp

BLACKWELL – Chad Woods

BROKEN BOW – Natorrie Morris

BURBANK – Sharon Klinger

CASHION – Alexis Martin

CHEROKEE – Heather Holden, Trevor Lohrding, Cameron McGee, Sonja Williams

COVINGTON – Terri Chitwood, Crystal Gillett

DRUMMOND – Taylor Black

EDMOND – Jeffrey Holden

ENID – Penny Bice, Victoria Binder, Raeshaan Finley, Kathy Gabelsberg, Michael Hart, Lacie Jankey, Zachary Jones, Kelli Patterson, Bailey Phillips, Matthew Reed, Misty Skinner, Mallory Stubbs, Lacasa Taylor, Hayden Vasquez, Ramsey Williams

FAIRVIEW – Kimberly Miller

FORGAN – Rhett Radcliff

GOLTRY – Jennifer Pekrul

GORE – Brandy Moore

HARRAH – Jarod Medved

HELENA – Stanley Armstrong, Michael Gilbert, Johnnie Pyle, Kenneth Shannon

HENNESSEY – Noemi Gonzalez

HENRYETTA – Mary Fish Allred

JET – Kylee Campbell, Taryn Campbell

LAHOMA – Darrell Ring

LAVERNE – Devon Duvall, Kimberly Terry

LEXINGTON – Kenneth Calhoun

MADILL – Buddy Deal

MCLOUD – Chasity Choate, Toc’Quianna Culver, Chandler Kardaras, Leigh Zaepfel

MEDFORD – Serena Kilian

MOORELAND – Lauren Burrow, Dax Covalt, Trace Ham, Seth Lintner, Jaden Marker, Brogan Sears, Jakob Snider, James Tate

MUTUAL – Andrea Hopper

MUSKOGEE – Peggy Tyler

MUSTANG – Amber Sexton

NORMAN – Ashley Epperson, Debbie Whitaker

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sara Belmir, Abiebatou Chatman, Leona Hawke, Tonya Murrow, Colin Smith, David Young

PERKINS – Conner Burnett

PONCA CITY – Mary Abernathy, Andy Brown, Tiffany McClaskey, Ryan Sullivan, Holly Ware

POND CREEK – Kamber Leforce, Jevan Overton, Johnathan Regier, Bailey White

PURCELL – Tara Wilson

RINGWOOD – Madison Anderson

SAPULPA – Chelsea Gore

SCHULTER – Dana Murrow

SHAWNEE – Micaela Yu

TISHOMINGO – Emilie Ann Dean

TONKAWA – McKenzie Simpson

TURPIN – Hannah Weber

WOODWARD – Mikayla Rae Aquino, Nyomi Barrick, Treyla Bence, Joshua Bouse, Branson Brewer, Hattie Brittain, Junior Brown, Britney Brzoticky, Faith Burling, Kurstyn Ciancio, Audrey Cooper, Krishna Gandhi, Rilee Hacker, Anja Harrison, Braydon Hay, Daniel Keeton, Logan Long, Jayme Luthi, Grace Meinders, Stefanie Meuer, Shayla Miller, Wyatt Poer, Zac Quinby, Addison Rowley, Morgan Sanders, Natalie Semmel, Christopher Short, Seth Sims, Cale Steadman, Pennye Stephens, Alexander Von Biedenfeld, Aaron Whitten, William Yadon, Kameron Zollinger

YUKON – Jessica Gibson

CALIFORNIA

ORANGE – Lena Jordan

ILLINOIS

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Micheal Shrum

IOWA

BEMOND – Jackie Burden

KANSAS

ASHLAND – Whitney Randall

TEXAS

LEFORS – Keenan Santacruz

UTAH

SPRINGVILLE – Rosalinda Rumpsa

SOUTH AMERICA

VENEZUELA – Ana Parra-Concha

VICE PRESIDENT’S HONORABLE MENTION HONOR ROLL

Graduate & Post-Graduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ADA – Lindsay Riddel

ALVA – Eric Pruitt, RaLyssa Taylor, Jillian Webb

BEAVER – Kristy Noble

BLACKWELL – Julia Bonewell

BLANCHARD – Bailey Trammell

CLINTON – Jeanna King

ENID – Melissa Bell, Kristina Bernitsky, Eric Carnes

FAIRFAX – Rhonda Pitts

LAMONT – Jill Green

MENO – Alexandra Kirtley-Gavitt

PONCA CITY – Derra Bishop, Jamie Wohletz

WEATHERFORD – Ryan Felder

COLORADO

DENVER – Shawn Dirden

KANSAS

CHENEY – Alisha Cox

KIOWA – Timothy Rector

OHIO

ENGLEWOOD – Rachel Gillespie

TEXAS

ROWLETT – Clayton Garcia

CANADA

BRAMPTON – Christian Hammerl

CALGARY – Ashly Duin

Undergraduate Students

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Taylor Dowling, Shalee Shafer, Jessica Summars, Emerald Walborn

BLACKWELL – Ashley Nelson

BOISE CITY – Victoria Schnaufer

BROKEN ARROW – Madison McGraw

CHEROKEE – Jessica Unruh, Joseph Wagner

CLEVELAND – Tristan Harzman

COVINGTON – Savannah Hill

ENID – Stephanie Cantrell, Ashley Decker, Hannah Nicholas, Keri Ramirez, Krista Ryel, Reina Torres, Tania Vargas, Cassandra Venable, William Ward

FAIRFAX – Torri Miller

FORGAN – Kaci Hall

FREEDOM – Mikala Hodgson

KINGFISHER – Sara Eccard

LAVERNE – Elise DeWitt

MOORELAND – Aaron Mackey, Rowdy Mars

MORRIS – Jennifer Clark

MUTUAL – Whitney Oji

OKLAHOMA CITY – Joeann King

PONCA CITY – Thaddeus Ball, Tommie Beard, Randal Bishop, Kirstie Coffman, Elizabeth Dixon, Annalisa Rouse

POND CREEK – Kalanne McKee

RIPLEY – Kathryn Nicholson

SHAWNEE – Courtney Green

TUTTLE – Peyton Garrett

VALLIANT – Shami Fowler

WAYNOKA – Jack Nickelson

WOODWARD – Maria Aceves, Desiree Best, Adam Frazier, Christian Lares, Chyanne Smith, Wynter Standridge, Kourtney Winter

YUKON – Shelly Scott, Cecelia Shattan

CALIFORNIA

STOCKTON – Donell Gray

KANSAS

MOUND CITY – Maxwell Archer

MASSACHUSETTS

HOLYOKE – Jessica Cummins

NEW YORK

BRONX – Xyruse Martinez

TEXAS

BOOKER – Jamie Garcia

HIDALGO – Melissa Brown

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Mark your calendars for Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Freshman Funday set for Saturday, July 15, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. All incoming freshmen are invited to the Alva campus to complete paperwork, have a chance to earn a scholarship, win a gift card and have some fun for Freshman Funday!

Students are encouraged to bring a friend who has not enrolled at Northwestern. If the student’s friend enrolls, both will receive a $100 scholarship for the fall 2017 semester. To be eligible for the scholarship both students must be enrolled full-time for the fall 2017 semester.

Students also are encouraged to take part in the “selfie-photo” challenge for a chance to win a $250 gift card to the Northwestern bookstore. All photos must be taken at the bookstore in the Bookstore Selfie Booth, then posted on social media (Twitter, Facebook or Instagram) with the bookstore’s displayed hashtag to be entered. No purchase necessary to enter. Only one gift card will be awarded, chosen randomly by bookstore staff. Students are not required to be present to win. All photos must be posted and tagged by 1 p.m. on Freshman Funday.

After the paperwork sessions are finished at noon, students are invited to meet other freshmen, enjoy free hotdogs, music and play sandpit volleyball near Coronado Hall.

Register online at www.nwosu.edu/freshman-funday.

For more information contact Kaylyn Hansen, director of student life and counseling, at (580) 327-8439 or klhansen@nwosu.edu.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 29, as all University locations will close this day.

New or current students are encouraged to enroll for summer courses as soon as possible. Eight-week and first four-week classes begin June 5. The fall semester starts Monday, Aug. 21. A list of courses for summer and fall is available online by visiting www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules.

Students with enrollment questions may call the Alva Registrar’s office at (580) 327-8550, the Enid Registrar at (580) 213-3102 and the main office in Woodward at (580) 256-0047 or (580) 254-2500.

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu

Dr. Cornelia Mihai, professor of chemistry for 13 years at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, recently was named the John Sheffield Teacher of the Year.

“I was emotionally touched learning that my students appreciated my teaching efforts, and they felt they have to share with me their appreciation,” Mihai said about receiving the award. “It is a confirmation that my activity as an educator resonates with my students in a positive way.”

Mihai was born in Bucharest, Romania. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering (Technology of Organic Compounds) from Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest, Romania. Mihai also has a master’s degree in chemistry and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

She taught undergraduate-level classes including general chemistry, organic chemistry, principles of drug action and therapeutics, and medicinal chemistry graduate-level classes for more than four years at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Prior coming to Northwestern, Mihai was working as a research associate at Albany Molecular Research, Inc., as a research scientist at Integrated DNA Technologies in Coralville, Iowa, and as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. She has more than 10 years of research experience and a proven record in synthetic medicinal chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, biocatalysis, and mechanistic and synthetic enzymology.

“I have always enjoyed sharing my knowledge in science and my passion for chemistry by tutoring students, and after spending years in research, I have decided to pursue a career as an educator,” she said. “A full-time teaching position at a small university such as Northwestern has allowed me to fulfill both my passions to teach chemistry and to mentor students through research.”

At Northwestern, she teaches general and organic chemistry. Mihai’s passion is overall promoting science, organic and medicinal chemistry, and she hopes to convey her passion to her students at Northwestern and help promote them to pursue careers in chemistry, pharmacy and other pre-health fields.

Her favorite part of being an educator includes seeing the students growing and thriving professionally and that she is able to help students reach their career goals and to prepare them to become productive citizens. She enjoys working at Northwestern because of the friendly and supportive atmosphere and the narrowed class sizes that allow for better interaction between her students, herself and her colleagues.

When not teaching, Mihai enjoys reading good books, watching movies and listening to Classical and New Age music.

Recent Northwestern Oklahoma State University graduate and Student Government Association president Nick Villalobos (left) presented Dr. Cornelia Mihai (right) with the John Sheffield Teacher of the Year award during an annual ceremony.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Division of Business recently welcomed 14 undergraduate students and two faculty to its honors society, Delta Mu Delta. The students have completed more than 60 credit hours and maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.

This year’s business administration majors and invitees to the Mu Xi chapter at Northwestern are student inductees: Cassandra Berry, Cherokee senior, accounting; Desiree Best, Woodward senior; Madeline Bonine, Woodward junior; Brittani Casement, junior, Wichita, Kansas, accounting; Sarah Dysart, Ponca City senior; Clinton Muret, Blackwell senior, accounting; Precious Okeke, Lagos, Nigeria, Africa, junior, accounting; Aleasha Rowe, Blackwell senior; Dylan Schulenberg, Coal Valley, Illinois, junior; Rijan Shrestha, Kathmandu, Nepal, junior; Brianna Wilhite, Cherokee junior; Ramsey Williams, Enid senior; Tara Wilson, Purcell junior; and David Young, Oklahoma City senior.

Honorary faculty inductees are Dr. James Bell, associate vice president for academics and dean of faculty, and Dr. Bo Hannaford, vice president for academic affairs.

Society membership offers multiple benefits including recognition for outstanding academic achievement, networking opportunities, scholarships and more.

Chelsey Kleinvachter, post-graduate student of Lacrosse, Wisconsin, received the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants – Outstanding Accounting Student Award.

The 2016-17 Division of Business Student Advisory Council Awards went to Bonine; Natalie Fahey, San Jose, California senior; Muret, Rowe, and Manda Wheeler.

Karly Gillispie, Shattuck sophomore, majoring in business administration in accounting received the 2016-17 W.W. Starr Business Scholarship.

The 2016-17 Division of Business Scholarship Awards include:

• Baird, Kurtz, and Dobson Scholarship to Kleinvachter
• Robert R. Brown Scholarship to Gillispie
• Wilma A. Ernest Scholarship to Casement
• Darr B. Sims Memorial Scholarship to Ian Deges of Dodge City, Kansas, fall 2016 graduate majoring in technical management
• Norman Jean Smith Scholarship to Delisa Deges of Dodge City, Kansas, fall 2016 graduate majoring in business administration
• Helen Vore Sutter Memorial Scholarship to Shrestha

For more information about Delta Mu Delta, contact Dr. Wei Zhou, assistant professor of business and Delta Mu Delta faculty adviser, at (580) 327-8505 or wzhou@nwosu.edu. For more information on academic scholarships and department scholarships visit https://my.nwfoundation.com/scholarships. And for more information on Northwestern’s Division of Business contact Dr. W. David Hawkins, assistant professor of business and chair of the Division of Business, at (580) 327-8440 or wdhawkins@nwosu.edu.

Karly Gillispie (left) receives the W.W. Starr Business Scholarship from Richard Ryerson (right) during Northwestern’s Division of business honor society of Delta Mu Delta’s induction ceremony. Sixteen individuals were inducted into the honor society and many received scholarships.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Charles and Clara Jackson, Coppell, Texas, established the Clara Haack R.N. Scholarship at Northwestern Oklahoma State University to provide financial assistance to students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Charles also established this scholarship to honor his wife and her career.

“Through several phone conversations with the Jacksons, I have enjoyed many great stories of their time spent at Northwestern in the 1960s,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “We are truly honored they made the choice to reach back and invest in current Northwestern students with this scholarship.”

Both alumni of Northwestern, Charles graduated in 1963 with a degree in history and Clara graduated in 1964 with a degree in home economics and a minor in business.

The Jacksons said they have always remained interested in the college and enjoyed being students at Northwestern.

“As a young person I really liked the social life,” said Clara. “I remember every weekend they would have dances and it was a way to really get to know everyone. It was a small enough campus that you got to know everyone.”

Following graduation, Clara taught for a few years but became more interested in nursing. She returned to school in 1972 to obtain her nursing degree and then worked as a staff nurse on medical surgical oncology units in different hospitals over the years. When the couple moved to Dallas, Clara went to work for the Texas Medical Foundation and traveled to hospitals in the Dallas area reviewing Medicare and Medicaid charts in the medical records departments. She took an early retirement to make more frequent trips to Oregon where their daughter, Michelle, and their three grandsons live.

Charles earned a Doctor of Public Health from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 1972 and spent the rest of his career working in the for-profit hospital industry. He retired in 2004.

“I think everyone should give back,” said Clara. “We’ve always been interested in education and have given scholarships through our personal foundation. We were helped along the way and feel it’s important to help others also.”

Full-time, continuing students with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the Clara Haack R.N. Scholarship. Applicants must be a nursing major. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board.

For more information on the Clara Haack R.N. Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Bird at 580-327-8593 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

Pictured are Charles and Clara Jackson while Northwestern students in 1963.

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Twenty-two students were pinned Saturday, May 6, during Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s first Division of Education pinning ceremony prior to Spring Commencement.

The ceremony recognized the students, individually, who have completed the teacher preparation program. Each student chose a person who was especially supportive during the educational process to "pin" him or her, signifying the student is now ready to be a teacher who, in turn, is supportive to others.

Students who were pinned and their area of focus included: Scott Batchelder of Orland, California, agriculture education; Brock Buller of Jet, agriculture education; Kent Callison of Mooreland, health and sports science education; Rachael Cunningham of Waynoka, undecided post-graduate; Cecely Franz of Alva, early childhood education; Joshua Frazier of Enid, elementary education; Nikki Gates of Waynoka, elementary education; Tina Green of Enid, elementary education; Kaci Hansen of Hinton, early childhood education; Angela Hasenbank of Bentley, Kansas, early childhood education; Dacia Hudelson of Ponca City, elementary education; Elizabeth Kadavy of Kingfisher, elementary education; John Lazenby III of Glencoe, natural science; Mattie Moore of Harrisonville, Missouri, agriculture; Elizabeth Mouser of Stigler, early childhood education; Lauren Nightingale of Enid, elementary education; Ashlye Pool of Fayetteville, Arkansas, agriculture education; Ashley Porter of Enid, elementary education; Cinthia Rodriguez of Tonkawa, elementary education; Sarah Smart of Alva, elementary education; Alexxis Wright of Enid, elementary education; and Codey Yandell of Fairfax, agriculture education.

More photos from the education pinning can be found at: http://bit.ly/2qW9L46

Dacia Hudelson, (left) is pinned by her husband, Patrick (right) during Northwestern’s Division of Education’s first pinning ceremony. Education students chose individuals who they felt gave them the most support during their education process to signify their service as teachers to, in turn, support others.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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All Northwestern Oklahoma State University locations will begin summer work hours starting Monday, May 22, through Thursday, July 27. A majority of employees will work four, 10-hour days from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with Fridays off.

In an effort to better serve Northwestern’s prospective students during these adjusted summer work weeks, the following Northwestern-Alva offices will remain open on Fridays:

• Recruitment

• Business Office

• Financial Aid

• Registry

In addition, one senior level administrator will work each Friday at Northwestern-Alva.

Northwestern-Woodward and Enid will take on summer hours as well with no offices opened on Fridays.

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

For individuals looking to further their higher education, Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Graduate Studies master’s degree programs will continue to accept applications for summer until June 5 and fall enrollment until Monday, Aug. 21.

Master degree programs open to enroll in include: Master of American Studies, Master of Counseling Psychology and Master of Education. Final days to register for classes in the summer are June 6 for June only classes; July 6 for July only classes, and June 8 for classes held in both June and July. Fall enrollment will remain open until Aug. 29.

Summer classes begin June 5 for June only classes and classes held in both June and July; July only classes begin July 5. Fall classes begin Aug. 21. Northwestern’s first doctoral program will begin classes this coming fall. Enrollment for the BSN to DNP program opens again in March 2018.

For a list of all available classes, visit www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules.

To see degree program breakdowns visit the online graduate catalog at www.nwosu.edu/graduate-catalog.

Northwestern’s Graduate Studies office will recognize summer hours starting May 22 and will be open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and closed on Fridays. Summer hours end on July 27.

To get started on a graduate degree program contact Lydia Campbell, coordinator of graduate studies, at (580) 327-8410 or lrcampbell@nwosu.edu. An application for admission form, admission requirements and additional information may be found at www.nwosu.edu/graduate-studies.

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Already preparing for next year’s “Primp for Prom” event, local business owner Nicki Chaffee of “The Elegant Toad” has donated 108 dresses.

Chaffee’s donations include dresses in every size, color, style and length for local students to be able to use for their prom. Each year Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of Social Work and Woodward High School Key Club co-sponsor the event and gather dress and shoe donations providing them to high school students at no charge.

Dr. Kylene Rehder, associate professor and program director of social work and chair of Northwestern’s Department of Social Work, said the department contacted Chaffee after hearing about her available dress selection, and she enthusiastically donated the dresses she had. Chaffee commented that Primp for Prom was a great program, and she was happy to donate to this project.

“This gracious donation from Alva’s ‘Elegant Toad’ ensures that Primp for Prom will take place next year,” Rehder said. “We are so grateful to [Nikki] Chaffee and her generous heart. The impact of her donation will guarantee young women in northwest Oklahoma the opportunity to attend prom and other important benchmark events in the future. As we always say, this event is about so much more than dresses. It is about community, opportunity, service and social justice.

“As the event grows, we are always in search of additional clothing racks to display the dresses. We would also like to thank McKenzie Pshigoda, executive director of Shattuck’s Chamber of Commerce and owner of Shattuck All Stars Gym, for her donation of a clothing rack.”

The annual Primp for Prom event was held in March, and this year approximately 250 donated dresses and more than 50 pairs of shoes went home to students in more than 10 different schools and two states.

For more information on the annual Primp for Prom event or how to donate dresses, shoes or accessories contact Rehder at kdrehder@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8135.

The Elegant Toad donated 108 dresses to Northwestern’s annual “Primp for Prom” event in March 2018. The dresses are free for students in area schools to wear for their prom.

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu; 580-327-8480

Thirty-eight nursing students at Northwestern Oklahoma State University were honored with a traditional pinning ceremony on May 5, the day before their graduation.

Keynote speaker was Rachelle Burleson, chief nursing officer at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Shelly Wells, associate professor of nursing and chair to Northwestern’s Division of Nursing, presented each graduate with a pin. Dr. Leslie Collins, assistant professor of nursing and assistant chair for Division of Nursing, and Dr. Ramona Bartlow, assistant professor of nursing, gave each student their ceremonial nursing cord and recognition for completion of the nursing program.

The new nurses and their families also were guests at a reception in the ballroom following the ceremony.

Those completing their studies are Shasta Alcorn of Enid; Jonathan Allotey of Alva; Shanndi Boor of Medicine Lodge, Kansas; Taylor Brinkley of Weatherford; Riley Bryant of Alva; Julieta Carrillo-Chaparro of Texhoma; Nyki Casillas of Laverne; Aubrey Clark of Independence, Kansas; Rebecca Ellis of Springtown, Texas; Amy English of Woodward; Toni Fowler of Woodward; Angela Goodman of Enid; Kelsey Hammock of Enid; Abby Hand of Ponca City; Lindsay Haas of Coldwater, Kansas; George Holmes of Enid; Kayla Jantz of Enid; Nissi Jordan of Grand Prairie, Texas; Whitney LeGrand-Wolf of Pawnee; Lorene McGhee of Buffalo; Megan Middleton of Springfield, Illinois; Brooke Ortiz of Alva; Molly Payne of Enid; Cristina Perez-Macias of Enid; Cydni Phelps of Clearlake, Texas; Rebecca Punto of Claremore; Kassy Roberts of Ponca City; Jacquline Robison of Ponca City; Bryanna Ross of Ponca City; Kristina Schmidt of Cleo Springs; Lane Smith of Laverne; Shelby Smith of Alva; Harley Wares of Freedom; Ashley Watkins of Guthrie; Katie Welch of Fairview; Danielle Williams of Rowlett, Texas; Ashley Wintersteen of Conroe, Texas; and Shannon Wooten of Stillwater.

Rebecca Ellis (left) waves to her family as Dr. Shelly Wells (right) pins her during Northwestern’s Nursing Pinning Ceremony. Ellis gave the invocation and was one of 38 students from the program who was be pinned.

Northwestern nursing students who received their pins are (front row, left to right) Harley Wares, Abby Hand, Jacqueline Robison, Danielle Williams, Shannon Wooten, Cristina Perez-Macias, Julieta Carrillo-Chaparro, Taylor Brinkley and Shasta Alcorn; second row (from left to right) Bryanna Ross, Kelsey Hammock, Kayla Jantz, Kassy Roberts, Kristina Schmidt, Nyki Casillas; third row (from left to right) Lorene McGhee, Rebecca Ellis, Lane Smith, Shelby Smith, Ashley Watkins, Rebecca Punto, Cydni Phelps, Toni Fowler, Riley Bryant, Jonathan Allotey; back row (from left to right) Megan Middleton, Amy English, Nissi Jordan, Aubrey Clark, Lindsay Haas, Shanndi Boor, Whitney LeGrand-Wolf, Katie Welch, Molly Pain, Brooke Ortiz and Ashley Wintersteen.

For more pictures from the event go to: http://bit.ly/NursingPinning2017

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-848

Stacy Berman, Ponca City senior and political science major, was chosen to be inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha political science honor society at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Honor Society for political science, founded in 1920. Membership recognizes outstanding academic achievement in political science and promotes excellence in political awareness and civic engagement.

“[Stacy] Bergman is a good student and has taken the majority of her coursework at the UC in Ponca City,” Dr. Kay Decker, Social Sciences department chair and professor of sociology, said. “She is a non-traditional student with children, and she has worked while attending college. Bergman is a bright and dedicated student with a bright future.”

To be a member in Pi Sigma Alpha students must have a 3.0 GPA in political science along with 12 hours of political sciences courses completed. Students must also be within the top third of their senior class.

For more information on honor societies within Northwestern’s Social Sciences Department, contact Decker at (580) 327-8521 or kldecker@nwosu.edu.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

The Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association is pleased to announce the launch of its text-to-donate technology for the Imagine Northwestern comprehensive campaign. Powered by @Pay, this integration allows supporters to quickly donate to Northwestern Oklahoma State University via text messaging.

The Foundation’s integration with @Pay drastically simplifies the mobile donation process without sacrificing security. Users simply text a preset word or amount to the organization’s designated @Pay number, where first-time subscribers will go through a one-time process to enter donation information. For all future donations, supporters can quickly contribute from their phone using their payment information already stored with @Pay, resulting in a one-click mobile giving method.

“When a person makes the decision to invest in Northwestern, our goal is to make the process as simple and easy as possible,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “It is a continuous challenge to stay connected and relevant to our constituents. This new online program is yet another method of making it easier for our alums and donors to stay invested in our University.”

According to @Pay, mobile giving donations nation-wide have increased 205% in the past year and 51% of people visiting a nonprofit’s website are doing so on mobile devices. Additionally, the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association saw a 37.8% increase in online donations between the 2014-15 and 2015-16 fiscal years. With the continued growth in technology, this new feature will better allow the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association to satisfy more donors’ needs.

Those interested in supporting Northwestern students via mobile device should text IMAGINE to 580-297-7358 to complete their donation. For questions or more information, call Bird at 580-327-8593 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Each year the faculty in the Mathematics and Computer Science department at Northwestern Oklahoma State University select outstanding students in the math and computer science programs.

This year’s recipients are graduating seniors Kalen Gabel of Beaver, mathematics major; Matt Day of Woodward, computer science major; and Bruno Miguel of San Palo, Brazil, computer science major.

Gabel plans to attend Oklahoma State University in the fall to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

Day, who also minored in computer science, will be working full-time with the IT department at Pioneer in Kingfisher.

Miguel has been accepted to various graduate schools in Europe and plans to continue his education in computer science in the fall.

For more information about Northwestern’s Mathematics and Computer Science Department contact Dr. Tim Maharry, professor of mathematics and chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, at (580) 327-8583 or tjmaharry@nwosu.edu.

Students who were recognized for their outstanding achievements in Northwestern’s Math and Computer Science Department are (from left to right) Kalen Gabel, Matt Day and Bruno Miguel.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Two Northwestern Oklahoma State University students have been inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta, Mu-Lambda chapter, honor society.

History majors inducted are Jeran Jones, Enid senior, and Brittany Westervelt, Ponca City junior.

The purpose of Phi Alpha Theta is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning and ideas.

Dr. Roger Hardaway, professor of history, has been the adviser to Northwestern’s Phi Alpha Theta chapter since 2004.

Hardaway explained that membership is open to only a few students each year.

“Members do not have to be history majors, but they do have to take several courses in the discipline and also have excellent grades,” Hardaway said. “By being selective in its membership, Phi Alpha Theta ensures that being inducted into the organization is truly an honor.”

Phi Alpha Theta was organized in 1921 at the University of Arkansas and has more than 850 chapters throughout the United States. Currently, more than 900,000 people, including several Northwestern professors, are members.

“These two students are to be commended for maintaining good grades and for upholding the lofty goals of Phi Alpha Theta,” Hardaway said.

The Society’s membership requirements are that undergraduate students must have a 3.0 overall grade point average, at least a 3.1 average in their history courses and have completed 12 credits of history classes. Graduate students need to have a 3.5 grade point average in their graduate courses. Students enrolled at an online university are not eligible for membership. Students need not major in history, but must have taken at least four history courses at the university level. Specific universities may develop higher qualifications as well at their discretion.

All new members will: 1) receive a membership certificate and a one-year subscription to the Society’s quarterly historical journal, “The Historian”; and 2) have their names published in the publication approximately six months after becoming a member.

This journal has more than 12,500 individual subscribers and 1,000 library subscribers. The society's national headquarters and the journal's editorial offices are located at the University of South Florida. “The Historian” splits the space in its quarterly issues between articles and book reviews. The book review section of the journal has been based at Ohio Wesleyan University since 1994.

For more information on the Phi Alpha Theta organization contact Hardaway at (580) 327-8520 or rdhardaway@nwosu.edu. To learn more about Northwestern’s Social Sciences programs contact Dr. Kay Decker, professor of sociology and chair of Northwestern’s Department of Social Sciences, at (580) 327-8521 or kldecker@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Game Programming teams participated in the University of Tulsa’s annual Heartland Gaming Exposition in early April for the fifth time, placing in several categories.

Students from across Oklahoma compete in high school, collegiate and independent developer categories along with competition for the Code Jam Challenge.

Computer science majors who attended included Ashley Carter, Enid sophomore; Matt Day, Woodward senior; Richard Fischer, Kiowa, Kansas, junior; Jackson Gardner, Lawton freshman; Dakota Jantz, Helena junior; Bryce Larkey, Fargo junior; Bruno Miguel, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil, South America, senior; Jacob Marr, Laverne sophomore; Austin Mount, Garber junior; and Chris Dickenson, Alva senior. Also in attendance was Justin Dobbs, Cleo Springs freshman, business administration major.

Sponsors attending the event included Northwestern instructors of computer science Mark Bagley and Evan Vaverka, as well as Northwestern alumnus Charles Boldes.

The Code Jam Challenge gives participants five days, before the expo, to complete their interpretation of the given topic by designing, developing and implementing an original game. Northwestern’s Code Jam Team consisted of Day, Mount, Larkey and Gardner. The team was awarded “Best Graphics” and “Most Ambitious” for their game, “Glitch,” which was designed to “glorify” the programming bug. Sponsors said the team impressed the spectators by the game play and the overall look of their game along with the kind manner in which they articulated their explanations to show the game was great for all ages to play.

Gardner enjoys being a computer science major and looks forward to the gaming expo and other work that fuels his passion and interests.

“Having the chance to do something like [the expo], to get your mind off of the craziness that is college sometimes, is nice to me,” he said.

Miguel competed as a solo entry for the collegiate level Game Showcase and placed second overall for his game “Garuna War,” which also placed second for the People’s Choice Award.

At last year’s competition, Miguel won best overall for his work. This year, he created the Oklahoma Research Day app that was used for the annual Oklahoma Research Day in March. He will graduate this spring and has been accepted to graduate schools in Europe to continue his education. Miguel believes Northwestern and its Computer Science Program have helped prepare him for his future.

“The competition itself helped me a lot because I could apply many of the studies that we did in class to the game itself,” Miguel said. “Northwestern helped me a lot, especially the faculty because they provided me with the facility and the resources…they could assist me and boost my ambition to not only join competitions like the Heartland expo but other aspects of life as well…I’m really pleased with everything here and all of the time I’ve spent here.”

Carter and Fischer also competed in the Game Showcase category and placed third for their game, “Arcane Towers.”

Bagley was impressed with all of his students’ abilities to not only create the games but to market and promote the games to others, for instance with Carter and Fischer’s project.

“This was their first time to compete and they made a great showing not only in the functionality of their game but also in their showmanship and articulate explanations of the game concepts and mechanics of how to play,” Bagley said. “Carter and Fischer are both juniors and will be back to Northwestern to continue their studies in the fall. We have great hopes of them winning it all at some point in the future.”

Jantz and Marr also showed their game concept of “Shrapnel” in the Game Contest category. Other participants for the expo include Dickenson with his game concept “Floofaloof” that was made for elementary and middle school-aged audiences.

For more information on Northwestern’s Computer Science program contact Bagley at (580) 327-8604 or mabagley@nwosu.edu or Vaverka at (580) 327-8587 or epvaverka@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Ashley Carter (left) and Richard Fischer (right) showing their third place award for their game, “Arcane Towers.”

Bruno Miguel went home from the Heartland Gaming Expo with second place overall in the Game Showcase category and the People’s Choice Award for his game, “Garuna War.”

The Code Jam Challenge team was awarded “Best Graphics” and “Most Ambitious” for their game “Glitch.” Team members are (from left to right) Matt Day, Bryce Larkey and Jackson Gardner. Not pictured is Austin Mount.

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One group of 24 students from Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Fine Arts Department will soon be on their way for a performing tour in Europe.

Gary Adams, owner and operator of Sonic Drive-In of Alva, and the Marvin and Barbara Jirous Foundation, donated $1,500 to the choir groups to aid their upcoming trip to Europe. The University Chorale and University Singers will visit Austria, Prague, Czech Republic, Munich, Germany, and other locations along the way.

The groups have worked hard through multiple fundraisers for the trip’s expenses. Karsten Longhurst, instructor of music and director of Northwestern’s Choral Studies, is proud of his students for their dedication and thankful for support from the community.

“The community and friends of NWOSU choirs have responded tremendously, and we’re so grateful for the community and their support,” Longhurst said.

For the second time Adams, a long-time supporter of the choir groups, specifically gave to the University Chorale to benefit the students and program.

For more information on the Europe trip or the choral and vocial studies program contact Longhurst at (580) 327-8692 or krlonghurst@nwosu.edu.

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Gary Adams (second left) presents the donation for University Chorale and University Singers to students (left) Charlotte Wilczek, Katelyn Cutsinger (right) with director of vocal studies Karsten Longhurst (far left).

In association with the Leviathan Society of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Department of Social Sciences and Institute for Citizenship Studies, Dr. Aaron Mason, professor of political science, and Dr. Eric Schmaltz, professor of history, accompanied two students one day during the recent spring break to the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri.

Students included Jacque Ruhl, Alva sophomore, and Aly Gerloff, Freedom sophomore.

“Harry Truman served as our country’s 33rd president from 1945 to 1953,” Mason said. “Replacing Franklin D. Roosevelt, who died after 12 years in office, Truman led the country during a difficult political transition in the last months of the Second World War and the rising Cold War against Communist Russia.”

Besides a tour through the museum, they had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Sam Rushay, the Supervisory Archivist at this site. Rushay also has been a longstanding advisory board member of the NWOSU Institute.

Before departing Independence, the group paid a brief visit to the Truman family home located near the museum.

In early fall 2009, Mason and Schmaltz established the Leviathan Society at Northwestern. This informal group in the Department of Social Sciences encourages students interested in topics on government, politics and history to participate in campus-sponsored activities, events and trips. It mostly consists of students majoring in political science and history, though membership is open to students of all majors.

For more information about the Leviathan Society or the Institute, contact Mason at mason@nwosu.edu or Schmaltz at ejschmaltz@nwosu.edu.

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu

Northwestern students and professors toured the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri, over Spring Break. Pictured are (from left) Aly Gerloff, Jacque Ruhl, Dr. Aaron Mason and Dr. Eric Schmaltz.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University announced an ambitious $28 million comprehensive campaign on Saturday, April 29, renewing its commitment to students and faculty, and a continued promise to the state of Oklahoma.

At its annual Spring Alumni Reunion, Northwestern also announced it has raised nearly $24 million to date in support of the Imagine Northwestern campaign, the first comprehensive campaign in the University’s history.

“One hundred and 20 years ago, the pioneers that settled northwest Oklahoma imagined a school that would serve as the cornerstone for education and opportunity in a new land,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, president of Northwestern. “Their dreams built a university that has forever changed the landscape of northwest Oklahoma. Today, we honor their legacy and show the world why we believe in Northwestern.”

The Imagine Northwestern campaign will support three major areas across the university, including:

• Creation of scholarship endowments that will increase the number of students receiving financial assistance to 70 percent;
• Increasing direct support for academic programs and faculty through the creation of new endowed chairs, professorships and lectureships, along with new initiatives and programs; and
• Renovation of several existing campus facilities, including the central mall area, Herod Hall Auditorium and the Fine Arts Building, the oldest academic building on campus.

“This campaign comes at a critical time for Northwestern,” Cunningham said. “The collapse of state funding for public higher education places the University at a crossroads. Private support of Northwestern will be the catalyst that allows the University to thrive, and fulfill its mission and promise to the people of Oklahoma. Our alumni and supporters have spoken with transformational gifts during the early phase of the campaign.”

The University began working with the Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association in 2012 in preparation for the campaign.

“Throughout its history, the Northwestern Foundation has worked hand-in-hand with the University to secure private support and transform the passion of our donors into life-changing opportunities for students,” Cunningham said. “The current volunteer leadership of the Foundation, along with the staff, has devoted countless hours preparing for this moment.”

Skeeter Bird, chief executive officer of the Foundation, echoed her comments.

“Our first comprehensive campaign has been successful because of the people involved,” Bird said. “Our volunteers, our donors, as well as the staffs of both the University and the Foundation and Alumni Association have never worked as well together in my 12 years here. The work has been challenging and simultaneously uplifting. Everyone is focused on the support and the success of the students and the University.”

To date, the campaign has resulted in the establishment of 23 new endowed scholarships, 25 endowed faculty chairs, one endowed professorship and nine endowed lectureships. Funding for the establishment of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program also was secured.

Academic infrastructure improvements as a result of campaign funding include construction of the R. Deane and Esther M. Wymer Nursing Lab, and a design and build lab for robotics. A $1 million gift has been made to renovate the Fine Arts Building.

The Dean Linder Press Box headlines improvements to athletic facilities, along with a new artificial turf playing surface at Ranger Field, construction of the Dunning Performance Center, and improvements at the Campbell Rodeo Complex.

The volunteer leadership of the campaign steering committee includes co-chairs Joe Shirley and Pat Headlee of Alva. Shirley is a 1970 graduate of Northwestern and owner of Shirley Farms. Headlee is a 1970 graduate and is a retired bank executive from BancCentral in Alva.

Other volunteer members include Kenneth Fellers (’63) of Byron; Warren and Beverly (’67) Little of Alva; and Sen. Roland (’72) and Terry (’73) Pederson.

Northwestern representatives include Cunningham (’76) and Steve Valencia (’84).

Foundation representatives include Bird (’85), John Allen, Shane Engelken (’14) and Melissa Jenlink.

More details about the campaign, including giving options, are available on the Imagine Northwestern campaign website at www.imaginenorthwestern.com.

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Contact for Release
Steve Valencia, Associate Vice President for University Relations
(580) 430-1571, sjvalencia@nwosu.edu

Jack Nickelson of Mooreland, senior political science major from Northwestern Oklahoma State University who was awarded the Newman Civic Fellow Award at the university, was recognized during the recent Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education meeting.

Nickelson has excelled in his coursework while helping with his family’s farming and ranching operation. He coaches youth soccer and serves as a recreation assistant for his church. He plans to pursue a doctorate in political science and teach at the collegiate level, where he will guide students through the rewards of civic engagement.

Chancellor Glen D. Johnson spoke on behalf of the Regents, praising the students who worked hard to receive this award.

“The State Regents commend these student leaders for making a difference in their communities,” Johnson said. “Their civic involvement demonstrates their dedication to making the world a better place. We wish them continued success as they complete their degrees and continue to serve their fellow Oklahomans.”

Northwestern’s Department of Social Sciences provides many opportunities for its students to learn and develop skills for their field outside of the classroom with the Civic Education Fellowship Program being a prime example. The program was established six years ago to support departmental students who wish to pursue a career in public service. Each year, qualified applicants may submit a completed application with transcript to Dr. Kay Decker, professor of sociology and chair of the Department of Social Sciences. Applicants are reviewed by departmental faculty, and the selection is determined based on GPA, essay and applicant knowledge of public service.

Civic Education Fellows are provided with a stipend to intern at the Oklahoma State Capitol during the final weeks of the legislative session or may choose to pursue an internship in Congress with one of Oklahoma’s elected officials. Students can spend anywhere from one week to three months working in the Oklahoma State Capitol or the United States Capitol learning about legislative- and budget-setting processes.

For more information on Northwestern’s Social Sciences program contact Decker at (580) 327-8521 or kldecker@nwosu.edu.

Contact for Release 
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist 
apgavitt@nwosu.edu; 580-327-8480

The 2017-18 Newman Civic Fellows were recognized during the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education meeting Thursday. Pictured from left to right are: Jack Nickelson, Northwestern Oklahoma State University; Devin Smoot, Southwestern Oklahoma State University; Ashton Shepler, Rose State College; Jessica Villar, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City; State Regents Chair John Massey; Chancellor Glen D. Johnson; Jayton Thomas, University of Central Oklahoma; Shelbi Gambrell, OSU; Rebecka Snyder, Tulsa Community College; and Katherine Davis, Northern Oklahoma College.

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The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Jazz Ensemble, Symphony Band and Community Band will present their spring band concert “Emblems” on Friday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in Herod Hall auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

The Jazz Ensemble will perform music pieces such as: “Hit the Bricks” by Gordon Goodwin; “Tank!” by Yoko Kanno; and “Embraceable You” by George and Ira Gershwin, which will feature vocal music major Katelyn Cutsinger, Vici junior, as a vocalist.

The Community Band comprised of Northwestern students, 10 community members including Alva High School band members. They will perform music pieces such as: “Medieval Legend” by Michael Story, which will be directed by instrumental music major Amanda Metcalf, Enid junior; and “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by J.S. Bach, which will be directed by music major Daniel Pacula, Hennessey senior.

The Community Band will also perform “March of the Belgian Paratroopers” by Pierre Leemans and “Falling Rain” by James Swearingen.

The Symphony Band will perform: “Cenotaph” by Jack Stamp; “Amazing Grace” arranged by Ticheli; and “Pageant” by Vincent Persichetti.

The community band program promotes involvement with both the community and the band students. This organization is open to anyone in the community who can play an instrument including college students not currently enrolled in band.

The band members have met Tuesday evenings throughout the semester to prepare for the concert.

“I was overjoyed to see the level of support and in this year’s community band,” Marc Decker, assistant professor of fine arts and director of instrumental music and music education said. “The community band was a great success this year. It is a tradition we plan to continue into April of 2018.”

For more information about the Fine Arts department at Northwestern or the Community Band Program, contact Decker at (580) 327-8521 or email mddecker@nwosu.edu.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu

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Six senior visual arts minors at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will exhibit the work they have created during their spring 2017 Advanced Studio painting course on Friday, May 5, at the Graceful Arts Center. A reception will take place from 6-8 p.m. during the First Friday Art Walk events.

This exhibition represents the culmination of a semester-long exploration of individual themes and methods.

The exhibition will be on display through the month of May.

Students displaying artwork, their hometowns and majors include: Clayton Hill, Alva, psychology; Megan Garnett, Alva, mass communication; Princess Adenuga, Nigeria, biology; Mickey Jordan, Iowa Park, Texas, speech/theatre; Abbie Haskins, Nash, psychology; and Audrey Amissah, Ghana, Africa, biology.

For more information on classes within the visual arts program at Northwestern, contact Kyle Larson, director of the visual arts program, at (580) 327-8108 or krlarson@nwosu.edu

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Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu; 580-327-8480

(Pictured above) Northwestern visual art student Princess Adenuga preparing artwork for the upcoming art exhibit which will be Friday, May 5 from 6-8 p.m. at the First-Friday-Artwalk festivities at the Graceful Arts Center.

(PICTURED ABOVE) Megan Garnett, visual art student, will also be one of the seniors to display their artwork at the upcoming senior exhibit for the First Friday Artwalk.

Spring commencement exercises at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at Ranger Field.

Retired educator Mary Elaine Williams Nichols, who graduated from Northwestern in 1970, will be speaking at commencement.

In case of inclement weather the spring commencement exercises will be held in Percefull Fieldhouse.

Music will be provided by the Ranger Band under the direction of Dr. Marc Decker, assistant professor of Fine Arts and director of instrumental music and music education.

A reception honoring the graduates will immediately follow the ceremony and be held in the Student Center Ballroom.

A total of 226 candidates will receive bachelor’s degrees, 15 will receive Master of Education degrees, 10 will receive Master of Counseling Psychology degrees and one will receive a Master of Arts in American Studies degree.

Forty-nine of those receiving bachelor’s degrees will graduate with honors. Students with cumulative grade point averages between 3.70 and 3.79 are designated cum laude, those with GPAs between 3.80-3.89 are magna cum laude and those above 3.90 are summa cum laude.

A live internet stream of the graduation can be found at: http://riderangersride.com/watch.

The graduates, their degrees and their hometowns are as follows:

CUM LAUDE
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Lydia Hoffman, Bachelor of Science in agriculture

BUFFALO – Lorene McGhee, Bachelor of Science in nursing

CHEROKEE – Jessica Unruh, Bachelor of Science in agriculture

ENID – Angela Goodman, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Kelsey Hammock, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Molly Payne, Bachelor of Science in nursing

LAVERNE – Nyki Casillas, Bachelor of Science in nursing

MOORELAND – Jack Nickelson, Bachelor of Arts in political science

PONCA CITY – Jacqueline Robison, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Kassandra Roberts, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Aleasha Rowe, Bachelor of Business Administration in business administration

WOODWARD – Desiree Best, Bachelor of Business Administration in business administration; Toni Fowler, Bachelor of Science in nursing

WAYNOKA – Nikki Gates, Bachelor of Science Education in elementary education

TEXAS

AUSTIN – Amy Mayer-Miller, Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting

CANADA

WATERDOWN, ONTARIO – Gregory Marco, Bachelor of Science, criminal justice-law enforcement option

MAGNA CUM LAUDE
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Riley Bryant, Bachelor of Science in nursing

ELK CITY – Abbie Tillman, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

ENID – Janae Coleman, Bachelor of Science in psychology; Rachel Emerson, Bachelor of Science in mass communication; Kathy Gabelsberg, Bachelor of Arts in general studies

FORGAN – Danae Swenke, Bachelor of Science in chemistry

GLENCOE – John Lazenby, III, Bachelor of Science Education in natural science-biology option

HOBART – Jessi Neal, Bachelor of Social Work

LAVERNE – Catelyn Smith, Bachelor of Science in nursing

OOLOGAH – Nick Villalobos, Jr., Bachelor of Science in mass communication

SHAWNEE – Micaela Yu, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

WAYNOKA – Michaela McGhee, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

WOODWARD – Aubrey Clark, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Amy English, Bachelor of Science in nursing

ARKANSAS

FAYETTEVILLE – Ashlye Pool, Bachelor of Science Education in agriculture education

ILLINOIS

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Micheal Shrum, Bachelor of Arts in general studies

AFRICA

ACCRA, GHANA – Abubakar-Sadik Malik, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option; Fiifi Neizer-Ashun, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

IKENNE, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA – Princess Adenuga, Bachelor of Arts in English

BRAZIL

SAO JOSE DO RIO PRETO, BRAZIL – Bruno Miguel, Bachelor of Science in computer science

SUMMA CUM LAUDE
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Cecely Franz, Bachelor of Science Education in elementary education and Bachelor of Science Education in early childhood education

ENID – Dlonra (Dee Dee) Nolan, Bachelor of Social Work; Chandler Steckbeck, Bachelor of Arts in English

EL RENO – Kandi Hughart, Bachelor of Science in health and sports science education, Bachelor of Science in psychology

HINTON – Kaci Hansen, Bachelor of Science in early childhood education

SEILING – Thomas Sander, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

STIGLER – Elizabeth Mouser, Bachelor of Science Education in early childhood education

WOODWARD – Haylee Bates, Bachelor of Science in mass communication

KANSAS

MAPLE HILL – Jordan Haya, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

TEXAS

MONTGOMERY – Cori Hoffman, Bachelor of Science in chemistry

ASIA

KATHMANDU, NEPAL – Puja Dhungana, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option

MASTER OF AMERICAN STUDIES 
OKLAHOMA 

ENID – Eric Carnes

MASTER OF COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Alishia Marie Jamison, Trenton Penner, Bailey Trammell

ENID – Nelson Rodriguez-Guerrero, Erin Willis

GOODWELL – Ashly Duin

JET – Keela Worman

PONCA CITY – Michael Degan, Sydney Greenwood

TEXAS

EL PASO – Rhonda Jo Pitts

MASTER OF EDUCATION
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Tabitha Carothers, reading specialist; Rachel Gillespie, adult education management and administration; Chasity Gingrich, school counseling; Kyle Ward, adult education management and administration

CHEROKEE – Shannon Leaper, adult education management and administration; Bryce Schanbacher, educational leadership

DRUMMOND – Lisa Norris, school counseling

GLENCOE – Luke Kruse, adult education management and administration

MENO – Alexandra Kirtley-Gavitt, adult education management and administration; Kelly Pecha, school counseling

NEWKIRK – Colton Smith, educational leadership

PURCELL – Dylan Painter, adult education management and administration

TEXHOMA – Charly Salamanca, school counseling

WOODWARD – Cherielynn Moss, educational leadership

TEXAS

LEWISVILLE – Denise Rangel, adult education management and administration

BACHELOR OF ARTS
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Bobbie Hoover, English

ENID – Jeran Jones, history; Bailey Phillips, general studies; Wade Phillips, general studies; Christen Rogers, general studies; Tania Vargas-Gonzalez, history

FAIRVIEW – Amanda Day, general studies

GARBER – Derrick Bentz, political science; Hope McGehee, general studies

PONCA CITY – Stacy Bergman, political science; Jennifer Jones, general studies; Taelor Turner, general studies

WAGONER – Erin Jordan, general studies

IOWA 

MANNING – Mallory Stanley, general studies

KANSAS 

ANTHONY – Thia Kerr, general studies

MASSACHUSETTS

BRAINTREE – Patrick Delano, general studies

HOLYOKE – Jessica Cummins, general studies

MISSOURI

NORWOOD – Rachael Cooper, general studies

TEXAS

FORT WORTH – Krystal Owens, English

HIDALGO – Melissa Brown, history

LEWISVILLE – Rachel Lugendo, general studies

UTAH

SPRINGVILLE – Rosalinda Rumpsa, general studies

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
OKLAHOMA

ADA – Nicole Gurry, business administration

BUFFALO – Juan Rivera Rios, business administration

COVINGTON – Jessi Heddleson, accounting

ENID – Rebecca Douglass, business administration; Dakota Martin, business administration; Roman Gabriel Mercado, business administration

FORT COBB – Cheyenne Pierce, accounting

PONCA CITY – Hillary McKee-Condon, business administration; Karen Gooch, business administration; Teresa Stout, business administration

TEXHOMA – Ranee Harland, accounting

WOODWARD – James Ruble, accounting

KANSAS

WICHITA – Sterlin Broomfield, business administration

MINNESOTA

GOLDEN VALLEY – Kleme Yarh, accounting

BACHELOR OF MUSIC
OKLAHOMA

HENNESSEY – Daniel Pacula, instrumental

PRYOR – Ashley Litke, vocal

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Jennetta Murry, psychology; Lane Skinner, agriculture

ARNETT – Cortney New, psychology

BEAVER – Austin Anderson, chemistry; Kalen Gabel, mathematics; Savannah Tillman, mass communication

BLACKWELL – Taylor Riddle, criminal justice-law enforcement option

BOISE CITY – Victoria Schnaufer, mass communication

CHEROKEE – Trevor Lohrding, computer science

DRUMMOND – Jayln Boedeker, agriculture; Amanda Lemley, psychology

EDMOND – Jesse Oberlander, agriculture

ENID – Breonna Collier, psychology; Lawson King, health and sports science education

ELMORE CITY – Morgan Lewis, chemistry

FAIRVIEW – Dalton Pannell, biology-health science option and chemistry

FORGAN – Kaci Hall, chemistry; Rhett Radcliff, health and sports science education; Ryan Radcliff, agriculture

FREEDOM – Kalea DeVine, agriculture

GAGE – Jalen Gaines, criminal justice-law enforcement option

HARMON – Shayna Hamilton, psychology

HOMINY – Samuel DeRoin

HOOKER – Christopher Punto, health and sports science education

KINGFISHER – Rachel Schaefer, health and sports science education

LEEDEY – Elli Price, chemistry

MOORE – Sheyna Routon, health and sports science education

MOORELAND – Trenton Walters, agriculture

MUTUAL – Timothy Legg, biology-health science option; Berk Long, agriculture

NASH – Abbie Haskins, psychology

OCHELATA – Connor Swenke, chemistry

OKEENE – Katelyn Hart, mass communication

OLIVE – Mackenzie Wood, agriculture

PONCA CITY – Michelle Breazzeal, psychology; Monique Canaday, psychology; Mahmoud Taleb, computer science

RINGWOOD – Alexis Hayes, chemistry

SEILING – Brady Fields, biology-health science option and chemistry; Zachery Helterbrake, psychology

SKIATOOK – Caitlin Dreadfulwater, mass communication

STRATFORD – Nicholas Cosby, agriculture

TEXHOMA – Walter Allard, agriculture

TULSA – Evan Wilson, agriculture

TURPIN – Trae Watson, agriculture

WAUKOMIS – Codi Harding, psychology

WEATHERFORD – Megan Sanders, health and sports science education

WOODWARD – Matt Day, computer science; Chris Short, computer science; Tanner Smith, biology-natural history

KANSAS

ARKANSAS CITY – Matthew McGrew, health and sports science education

COLDWATER – Cole Cronin, agriculture; Robert Olson, agriculture

FREDONIA – Melissa Ashenfelter, biology-natural history

MEADE – Micalah Preedy, health and sports science education

CALIFORNIA 

FONTANA – Ashanti Banks, psychology
LOS ANGELES – Jessika Sandoval, health and sports science education

PACOIMA – Taylor Morris, mass communication

RANCHO CUCAMONGA – Asia Pipkin, biology-health science option

RIVERSIDE – Hayley Brattain, biology-health science option

COLORADO

BRIGHTON – Korina Lillard, biology-health science option

COLORADO SPRINGS – Briana Legaspi, health and sports science education

DENVER – Martin Pavicic, health and sports science education

ILLINOIS

CHICAGO – Rayfield Smith, Jr., health and sports science education

IOWA

EARLVILLE – Brock White, agriculture

LOUISIANA

MONROE – Garrett Douglas, health and sports science education

MISSOURI

ST. CHARLES – Catherine Goris, agriculture

NORTH CAROLINA

WHITEVILLE – Jacob Long, criminal justice-law enforcement option

NORTH DAKOTA 

ARTHUR – Chase Lako, agriculture

OREGON

HAINES – John McGinn, agriculture

SOUTH DAKOTA 

BLACK HAWK – Tyler Batie, agriculture

TENNESSEE

CLARKSVILLE – Stanford Rozar, Jr., computer science

TEXAS

BULLARD – Mason Bowen, agriculture

DALLAS – Ashley Pride, health and sports science education

FORT WORTH – Brody Ausfahl, health and sports science education; Shelby Boxberger, health and sports science education

HOUSTON – Anthony Bolton, health and sports science education; Adrian Motley, health and sports science education

MCKINNEY – Jonae Isaac, health and sports science education

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – Casey Dickerman, health and sports science education

PANHANDLE – Kendra Reining, agriculture

TENNESSEE COLONY – Don Holly, agriculture

AFRICA 

ACCRA, GHANA – Christian Agbola, biology-health science option

BIBIANI, GHANA – Wisdom Addae, biology-health science option

CANADA

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO – Cooper Stanley Cox, mass communication

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Jonathan Bauer, health and sports science education

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Rachael Cunningham, elementary education; Sarah Smart, elementary education

CASHION – Elizabeth Kadavy, elementary education

ENID – Joshua Frazier, elementary education; Tina Green, elementary education; Lauren Nightingale, elementary education; Ashley Porter, elementary education; Alexxis Wright, elementary education

FAIRFAX – Codey Yandell, agriculture education

JET – Brock Buller, agriculture education

LOOKEBA-SICKLES – Kent Callison, health and sports science education

PONCA CITY – Dacia Hudelson, elementary education

TONKAWA – Cinthia Rodriguez, elementary education

KANSAS

HALSTEAD – Angela Hasenbank, early childhood education

CALIFORNIA

ORLAND – Scott Batchelder, agriculture education

MISSOURI

HARRISONVILLE – Mattie Moore, agriculture education

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Brooke Ortiz, Shelby Smith

BROKEN ARROW – Lisa Johnston

BROKEN BOW – Natorrie Morris

CLAREMORE – Rebecca Punto

CLEO SPRINGS – Kristina Schmidt

ENID – Shasta Alcorn, George Holmes, Lacie Jankey, Kayla Jantz, Cristina Perez-Macias, Shalee Shafer

FAIRVIEW – Katie Welch

FREEDOM – Harley Wares

GUTHRIE – Ashley Watkins

HARRAH – Jarod Medved

MUTUAL – Taylor Brinkley

OKLAHOMA CITY – Colin Smith

PAWNEE – Whitney Wolf

PONCA CITY – Abby Hand, Bryanna Ross

STILLWATER – Shannon Wooten

TEXHOMA – Julieta Chaparro

KANSAS

COLDWATER – Lindsay Haas

MEDICINE LODGE – Shanndi Boor

CALIFORNIA

SACREMENTO – Jonathan Allotey

PENNSYLVANIA

LANCASTER – Ashley Wintersteen

TEXAS

BURLESON – Danielle Williams

GRAND PRAIRIE – Nissi Jordan

HOUSTON – Cydni Phelps

SPRINGTOWN – Rebecca Ellis

ILLINOIS

SPRINGFIELD – Megan Middleton

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK
OKLAHOMA

SHATTUCK – Cierra Willyard

WAUKOMIS – Codi Harding

KANSAS

HARPER – Kelci Hill

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu; 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Computer Science program will show off its new robotics lab during a public dedication and open house on Friday, April 28, from 1-3 p.m. The new lab is located in Room 116 of Shockley Hall.

A brief program will occur at 1:30 p.m.

Separate gifts from Bill and Billie Buckles, and Dr. Charles and Jane Tucker, all of Alva, provided funding for the department to develop both a design lab and build lab in Shockley Hall. Students will have access to high-end computers, as well as various equipment and tools to learn how to design, program and build robots.

Computer science students will be able to take various courses in programming and introductory robotics.

In addition, the robotics lab will be utilized for a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach programs through Northwestern, as well as various computer science club programs and activities.

The William R. and Billie Dean Buckles Endowed STEM Initiative for Computer Science will increase and enhance STEM educational opportunities available to students and faculty, as well as the public of northwest Oklahoma.

The Dr. Charles and Jane Tucker Computer Science Lectureship will support the computer science faculty, staff and students by providing funding for travel and training.

To learn more about these new areas within the Computer Science program, please contact Evan Vaverka, instructor of computer science, at (580) 327-8587 or epvaverka@nwosu.edu or Mark Bagley, instructor of computer science, at (580) 327-8604 or mabagley@nwosu.edu.

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Retired educator Mary Elaine Williams Nichols, Northwestern Oklahoma State University class of 1970, will be speaking at the 118^th commencement exercises on Saturday, May 6, at 10:30 a.m. at Ranger Field. In case of inclement weather, commencement will take place in Percefull Fieldhouse.

Nichols earned her elementary education major and minor in art at Northwestern and continued on to earn a Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, in elementary education with an emphasis in early childhood learning, and a minor in art.

Nichols served on the Oklahoma State Board of Education and the State Board of Career and Technology Education, retiring in 2005.

As a classroom teacher, Nichols taught in Oklahoma City Public Schools, Takoma Park Maryland and Tulsa. Nichols was a master teacher and classroom teacher of infants and toddlers for Community Action Project of Tulsa before retirement. She is a Professional Development Specialist with the Council of Professional Recognition, Washington, D. C. Nichols continues to teach as a professional network marketer in the areas of health, wellness and business.

As an artist, Nichols has exhibited in a number of galleries. She was a gallery assistant for the Smith-Mason Gallery and Museum, Washington, D. C., and is included in many private collections. Nichols’ art business, In House Gallery, produces custom paintings for interiors and hand-painted greeting cards. Nichols was Artist-in-Residence for Oklahoma City Public Schools, and Sister Cities Artist for Tulsa.

Nichols wrote articles titled, “A Crayon Workbook,” “Poor People’s Guide for Rich Language,” “Why, Why? - Questions from Below the Knee,” “Face in the Christmas Tree” and “Gambling.”

Nineteen years ago, Nichols founded Power of Prayer Penetrating Schools (POPPS), which has sponsored an annual recognition of educators and has recruited churches to adopt schools through prayer, and provide services to the schools through volunteers.

In 1968, Nichols was elected as Northwestern’s Ranger Queen making her the first black woman to win that honor at the university. She was selected from a field of 16 nominees.

A livestream link for the commencement exercises can be found at http://riderangersride.com/watch.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu; 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s visual arts program welcomed the latest Artist-In-Residence, Kerry Cottle, on April 1. She has been creating a body of work this month for an exhibition at Graceful Arts Gallery on Friday, May 5, from 6-8 p.m. during the May First Friday Art Walk.

Cottle is working on her artwork in the Jesse Dunn Art Annex, room 323, and has been providing feedback to visual arts students. Cottle will be doing an Artist Talk at Graceful Arts from 4-5 p.m. on Friday, April 28. She will be discussing her artwork, processes and influences. This event is free and open to the public.

Cottle has spent a majority of her life in northern California and currently lives and works in Sacramento. She received both her Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art from California State University.

Cottle’s interest is in the art of abstraction in painting and how it relates to the notion of spiritual feeling. She believes art is a primary source of wonder in embroidery and textiles.

“I am interested in the potential of abstract, pattern-based painting because the possibilities are truly endless, and there is so much room for the creation of meaning and depth,” Cottle said.

To view pieces of Cottle’s artwork online visit www.kerrycottle.com.

For more information on the visual arts program or how to apply for the artist-in-residence program, please contact Kyle Larson, director of the visual arts program, at (580) 327-8108 or krlarson@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern’s artist-in-residence Kerry Cottle creates a piece of art to show at the Graceful Arts Center May 5 for the First Friday Artwalk, 6 to 8 p.m. in downtown Alva.

Twelve Northwestern students will be recognized as Outstanding Seniors at this year’s Spring Alumni Reunion Awards Ceremony, Saturday, April 29, at 5:15 p.m. in the Northwestern Student Center Ranger Room.

A committee selected Walter Allard, Riley Bryant, Brady Lloyd Fields, Cecely Franz, Kaci Hansen, Timothy (Tim) Legg, Abubakar-Sadik Malik, Dlonra (DeeDee) Nolan, Sarah Otto, Thomas Sander, Chandler Steckbeck and Nick Villalobos as this year’s Outstanding Seniors.

This award honors outstanding graduating seniors and is sponsored by the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association. Recipients must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5, have completed at least 60 credit hours at Northwestern, never been subject to academic or disciplinary action, be involved in campus and/or community activities and show promise of future achievement.

Outstanding Seniors:

Walter Allard, of Texhoma, Okla., is a senior agriculture major and business minor. He was recently selected as a member of the 2017 Leadership Northwestern class and was an Aggie Club officer during both the 2013 and 2014 academic years. For three years, Allard has gained relevant agricultural industry experience while working at Northwest Feed and Seed, a local animal-feed company. He also completed an industry internship with the Oklahoma Agricultural Cooperative Council during the summer of 2016.

Riley Bryant, of Alva, Okla., is a nursing major. While at Northwestern, she was a member of the Ranger cheerleading squad and was co-captain for the 2015-2016 academic year. She also was one of 13 students selected to Northwestern’s President’s Leadership Class (PLC) in 2013 and is a member of the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society as well as the National and Oklahoma Nurses Associations. In November 2016, Bryant won first place at Ranger Research Day for her presentation on “Central Line Infections”. While pursuing her degree, she received her Certified Nursing Assistant license and works at a local nursing home.

Brady Lloyd Fields, of Seiling, Okla., will graduate in May 2017 as a double major in chemistry and biology. He was selected as a member of the President’s Leadership Class (PLC) his freshman year and as a PLC mentor his sophomore year. Fields has made the Vice President’s Honor Roll for three semesters and was a member and president of the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society for two years. He also was involved in the Chemistry Club, Northwestern Society of Physics Students, Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors and was a student researcher in the department of natural sciences. Fields plans to attend medical school and practice family medicine in a rural environment.

Cecely Franz, of Alva, Okla., is an early childhood and elementary education major. She is currently a member of the Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors, Student Government Association, Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, Student Oklahoma Education Association and the Professional Oklahoma Educators. She was a member of the President’s Leadership Class (PLC) her freshman year and then served as a sophomore PLC mentor. Franz is completing her student teaching at Alva Public Schools and is a student employee in Northwestern’s registry office. She also is a dance instructor for ages three through 18 at Studio Pro Dance and Fitness in Kiowa, Kan.

Kaci Hansen, of Hinton, Okla., is a senior early childhood education major. She currently is employed at Northwestern as a secretary in the office of student services and as a resident assistant for Fryer Hall. She is completing her student teaching at Waynoka Elementary School and has passed the Oklahoma Subject Area Test. Hansen was a member and captain of the Lady Ranger basketball team, earning female scholar athlete of the year (2014-2015) and Great American Conference all-academic team for three years. She was selected as Ranger Queen in 2015 and was a member of the Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors, Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Timothy Legg, of Mutual, Okla., is a senior biology major with a minor in psychology. As a non-traditional student, Legg had a 21-year career with the United States Air Force before coming to Northwestern. He earned nine decorations for meritorious service, was named top senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO) of the year for the 25^th Operational Weather Squadron (2008), and was named top SNCO for the Air Force Weather Agency (2009). While deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, Legg led a 12-person team in support of ground and flight operations. At Northwestern, he received both honorable mention (2014) and second place (2015) at the annual Ranger Research Day and has remained on the President’s Honor Roll throughout his college career. He recently has been accepted as a physician assistant student at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Abubakar-Sadik Malik, a student from Ghana, is a senior biology major, minoring in both chemistry and Spanish. He will graduate in May 2017 with magna cum laude honors. While at Northwestern, Malik has been involved in numerous clubs and organizations, including the University Singers. He has received several honors and awards including, “Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities & Colleges” (2016), President’s and Vice-President’s Honor Rolls, Sigma Delta Pi honors and the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society. He worked as a Certified Nurse Aid at Share Medical Center and is currently a Spanish tutor for the department of English, Foreign Languages and Humanities.

Dlonra (DeeDee) Nolan, of Enid, Okla., is a senior social work major and veteran of the United States Navy. She is a recipient of the Geraldine Burns English Award (2014) and “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges”. During her tenure in the Navy, she was awarded three Navy Achievement Medals and Sailor of the Year. In 2015, Nolan served on the board of directors for the Enid YMCA and the National Association of Social Workers in 2016. Nolan was recently named as the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers’ Undergraduate Student of the Year for 2017.

Sarah Otto, of Enid, Okla., graduated magna cum laude in December 2016 with a degree in mass communications. She was selected as an Oklahoma Academic Scholar and was involved in Northwestern’s NWTV7 news channel where she created and hosted the television segment, “The Bull Pen”. She also worked as a student journalist for Northwestern News, where she wrote weekly rodeo reports and feature stories. While working on her bachelor’s degree, Otto created her own clothing line, The Coyote Cowgirl, and used marketing and advertising to expand her business. She currently is working on her master’s in adult education administration at Northwestern.

Thomas Sander, of Seiling, Okla., is a senior biology major and psychology minor. He has received several awards and scholarships including the Master Mason of Masonic Lodge, Marvin Clayton Memorial Scholar, Duke-ConocoPhillips Midstream Scholarship and the Academic Achievement Award. At Northwestern he was a four-year member of the President’s Honor Roll and was involved in the Athletic Advisory Board, Medical Sciences Club, Ranger baseball team, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Baptist Collegiate Ministry and President’s Leadership Class. With more than 100 hours of shadowing experience, Sander plans to further his studies to become a practicing physician associate.

Chandler Steckbeck, of Enid, Okla., is a senior English major and Spanish minor. She was selected in 2015 as a Brad Henry Scholar where she studied for a semester at Swansea University in Wales. She also was selected as a Nigh Leadership Academy Scholar in 2017. While at Northwestern, Steckbeck was a member of Leadership Northwestern, Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta, Lambda Iota Tau, Sigma Delta Pi, Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors and the Honors Program. She won first place at Ranger Research Day in 2016 and has remained on the President’s Honor Roll all semesters. Steckbeck plans to pursue a master’s in English at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette this fall.

Nick Villalobos, of Oologah, Okla., will graduate in May 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of the campus newspaper, Northwestern News, as well as the president of the Student Government Association and vice-president of the Society of Professional Journalists. He has been a member of the President’s and Vice President’s Honor Rolls, the Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors and the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, and has received the Larry Hammer Mass Communication Scholarship and Ranger Connection Peer Leader Scholarship. An active member of the community, Villalobos also is a member of the First Baptist Church and Baptist Collegiate Ministries of Alva.

Other Award Recipients

Haylee Bates, Cecely Franz, Kaci Hansen, Cori Hoffman, Kandi Hughart and Chandler Steckbeck will be awarded the T.C. Carter Award, presented to the graduating seniors with the highest grade point average.

Other Northwestern students and faculty to be recognized include: Jack Nickelson, receiving the Newman Civic Fellow Award; Abbie Kate Haskins and Codi Harding, receiving the Psychology Student of the Year Award; Franz, receiving the Dr. Joe Dollins Merit Award; Codey Yandell, receiving the John Ted Meier Student Teaching Award; Steckbeck, receiving the John F. Kennedy Award; Connor McGee, receiving the Sabin and Pearl Percefull Scholarship Award; Harding, receiving the deSERVING Ranger Award; and Dr. Cornelia Mihai, receiving the John Sheffield Teacher of the Year Award.

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Becca Cook, international student adviser, and Shawn Smith, Maintenance HVAC Technician, were selected as the recipients for Northwestern Oklahoma State University Staff Council’s 2016-17 Campus Kudos Award.

“We received 11 nominations including several from the Enid campus,” Judy Dollar, chair of Staff Council and payroll accountant for human resources, said. “The outcome was very close. I feel the two recipients are well-deserving of this honor.”

Three nominations for Cook emphasized her “huge heart” for international student success and goes “above and beyond to make them feel welcome, accommodate their needs” to help them successfully complete their degrees. Nominations also cite Cook’s “genuine ‘Ranger Spirit’” and has a positive impact on not only her students but the Northwestern faculty and staff around her.

Smith’s nomination applauded his “kind attitude” and great work ethic to keep up with and assist the Northwestern-Alva campus heating and air-conditioning as well as other services. His hard work does not go unnoticed and others feel “extremely confident in the work being done” when Smith is on the job.

Campus Kudos is a public acknowledgment created by the Northwestern Staff Council that applauds the efforts of eligible staff members who have displayed an act of kindness above their job responsibilities.

Other nominees for 2016-17 Campus Kudos were: Chauncey Durham, ITV assistant coordinator at Northwestern-Enid; Debbie Skinner, administrative assistant to Vice President for Academic Affairs; Justin Tidwell, systems analyst for information technology; Darcie Obermeier, maintenance; Michael Zarrella, systems analyst for information technology in Enid; Candace Reim, Student Services coordinator in Enid; Ben Eastes, admissions counselor and recruiter for Office of Recruitment; Jeffrey Lee, maintenance; and Jenny Kirkhart-Redinger, office manager for the Office of Recruitment.

Nominees for Staff Campus Kudos are made by Northwestern employees including administration, faculty and staff. The nominees are presented to the Staff Council Committee for a final vote. There is no limit to how many times an employee can be nominated.

For more information on Staff Council visit www.nwosu.edu/staff-council.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Shawn Smith (left) and Becca Cook (center) were awarded Campus Kudos, for the 2016-17 year by Judy Dollar (right), for their hard work and dedication. Campus Kudos is a public acknowledgment created by the Northwestern Staff Council that applauds the efforts of eligible staff members who have displayed an act of kindness above their job responsibilities.

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During academic year 2016-2017, Dr. Eric Schmaltz, professor of history and co-executive director of the endowed Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) Institute for Citizenship Studies, has published a number of articles both here and abroad. Many of his publications in the field of ethnic and nationality studies relate to ethnic German communities in Russia and the former Soviet Union and their many descendants dispersed worldwide.

Despite ongoing commitments to serving as editor of the Bismarck, North Dakota-based quarterly journal “Heritage Review” and the NWOSU Institute’s annual volume “Civitas: Journal of Citizenship Studies,” Schmaltz was able to produce original as well as reprint expanded versions of his own scholarly work.

These publications included the article “Carrots and Sticks…and Demonstrations: Yuri Andropov’s Failed Autonomy Plan for Soviet Kazakhstan’s Germans, 1976-1980” in the “Journal of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia” (Lincoln, Nebraska) as well as a brief article and German translation piece in the “Germans from Russia Oregon and Washington (GROW) Quarterly Newsletter” (Portland, Oregon).

In 2017, a few more of his publications will be appearing in print, including two book reviews in the “Yearbook of the Society for German-American Studies” (University of Kansas-Lawrence), the article “What’s in a Name?: Russian Germans, German Russians, or Germans from Russia, and the Challenges of Hybrid Identities” in Hans-Christian Petersen and Jannis Panagiotidis, eds., “Schriften des Bundesinstituts für Kultur und Geschichte der Deutschen im östlichen Europa. Band 64,“ 2017 (De Gruyter Publishing, Oldenburg and Berlin, Germany), and two updated Holocaust biographical entries in the new and expanded online edition by Michael Fahlbusch, Ingo Haar, Alexander Pinwinkler, and David Hamann, eds., “Handbuch der völkischen Wissenschaften: Personen—Institutionen—Forschungsprogramme—Stiftungen” (De Gruyter Publishing, Berlin, Germany). Meanwhile, he also has been completing short book reviews for the journals “Heritage Review” and “Civitas.”

This past winter and spring, Schmaltz also has conducted a local and statewide speaking tour on the topic “Letters to Pauline (Schlegel) Lehl: Family Correspondences from Russia to Oklahoma, 1913-1937.”

He has been investigating a large body of 180 handwritten letters mailed between 1913 and 1937 from Russia’s Saratov Province in the Volga Region and elsewhere to rural Ingersoll and Alva. This extensive corpus of correspondences from family and friends spanned the period preceding the First World War’s outbreak to Soviet Communist dictator Joseph Stalin’s Great Terror. The preserved letters offer a glimpse into daily life during one of the most transformative and violent eras in modern world history. Sometimes through subversive writing techniques and coded language to avoid official censors, they related to the outside what was happening inside the old country.

Schmaltz first presented on the letter collection in mid-November 2016 at the Annual Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEES) hosted in Washington, D.C., as part of a special academic panel concerning early Soviet-era letter exchanges from Russia and the Soviet Union to North America. Since then, he has been invited to give talks at the monthly Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Program at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid (in January), the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR) in Oklahoma City (in February), the Northwest Oklahoma Genealogical Society at the Alva Public Library in Alva (in March), and the Golden Spread Chapter of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR) at the Senior Citizen Center in Shattuck (in April).

In early June, Schmaltz will discuss related letter topics in his presentation “Germans from Russia in Oklahoma and Family History Research” at the monthly meeting of the Pioneer Genealogical Society held at the Ponca City Public Library in Ponca City.

By invitation, he will present on the Lehl letter collection at the 47th International Convention of the Germans from Russia Heritage Society (GRHS) held in mid-July in Bismarck, North Dakota. He also has plans to speak on the topic once more at the annual meeting of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) in April 2018.

After this spring, Schmaltz will be limiting the number of public speaking and conference engagements to devote more attention to publishing projects.

First, he is developing an article concerning extensive German from Russia family correspondences sent between 1913 and 1937 to northwestern Oklahoma for “The Chronicles of Oklahoma,” which is the quarterly journal of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS).

Second, he is completing work on an article regarding ethnic Germans in Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave for the online journal “The Eurasia Studies Society Journal of Great Britain and Europe.”

Third, he is seeking the completion of two major scholarly book projects, both representing longer-term efforts. One book is an original study on the cultural and political history of Soviet Germans after Stalin, while the other is an edited compilation of German from Russia letters directed to relatives in northwestern Oklahoma in the early decades of the 20th century.

For more information on Schmaltz’s publications or speaking schedule, contact him at (580) 327-8526, ejschmaltz@nwosu.edu or visit the NWOSU Institute for Citizenship Studies at www.nwosu.edu/nwics.

Contact for Release
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Senior biology major Timothy Legg of Mutual was selected to represent Northwestern Oklahoma State University at Research Day at the Capitol held recently in Oklahoma City.

Twenty-five undergraduate students representing 19 Oklahoma colleges and universities presented competitive research posters at the Waterford Hotel and met with members of the State Legislature at the State Capitol during the annual event, which is designed to raise awareness of the outstanding research that is taking place at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities.

Legg’s research focused on antibiotics titled, “Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Bothrops moojeni venom.” His research took two months and was used to determine the effectiveness of whole snake venom as an antimicrobial, documented the effectiveness of venom on each of six medically important bacterial species, and researched possible mechanisms of action to focus future research.

“I chose my research topic for many reasons,” he said. “First, I recognized the impending disaster brought about by humanity’s squandering of the miracle of antibiotics and realized how valuable new sources could be. Second, I wanted to shed some light on the vast number of human lives saved every day by snake venom (well over 40 million and counting), in hopes of raising conservation awareness and ensuring the phrase ‘The only good snake is a dead snake’ is never again uttered.”

Legg was excited after finding out he received the opportunity to represent Northwestern. He saw it as a chance to network with other student-researchers and learn about the types of research taking place at other universities. He believes any student interested in furthering their higher education should participate as much as possible in events that provide real world experience and challenges.

“I encourage each and every student who hopes to attend a graduate or doctoral program to participate in as many research opportunities as possible, be it Ranger Research Day, Oklahoma Research Day, or Research Day at the Capitol,” he said. “Such programs help you develop skills critical to your higher education and career aspirations. In some cases, you can even make money doing them!”

Legg said his favorite part about being a student at Northwestern is the genuine care and interest the professors take on for each of the students’ lives that can only happen at a university like Northwestern.

“Northwestern has helped me live my dream by leveraging some of Oklahoma’s very best natural science professors to deliver a thorough college education that prepared me for the rigors of a physician assistant graduate program,” he said.

“I would like to thank Dr. [Aaron] Place and Dr. [Venkata] Moorthy for their advice and guidance during my research project. I would also like to thank them, Dr. [Cynthia] Pfeifer-Hill, and Dr. [Cornelia] Mihai for keeping their courses as challenging as possible. Your adherence to rigorous standards ensure that each of us leave Northwestern prepared not only for a graduate or doctoral program, but also for life.”

Research Day at the Capitol is sponsored by Oklahoma EPSCoR, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the National Science Foundation.

For more information on Northwestern’s biology and natural science programs, contact Dr. Steven Maier, professor of physics and chair of the Department of Natural Science, at (580) 327-8562 or sjmaier@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

Timothy Legg was selected to represent Northwestern Oklahoma State University at Research Day at the Capitol recently held in Oklahoma City. He presented his research on antibiotics.

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Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series (NWOCS), an organization that seeks to bring cultural performances and entertainment to northwest Oklahoma, will end its 2016-17 season with Bella Donna on Tuesday, April 25, at 7 p.m. at Herod Hall Auditorium on Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Alva campus.

Bella Donna is influenced by the Ozarks, the creak of tree limbs in the winter, and the summer sounds of cicadas. The traditional music that flows through the hills and hollows of the area the group was raised in helped them form their sound called “Ozark Jazz.”

"As one may expect from the namesake, Bella Donna comes to your ears with a mysteriously intriguing and seductive sound. Rooted in jazz, the ensemble plays with a beauty and darkness that melodically winds itself around your ear drums and sensually sways you into submission," stated one review from feedbands.com.

Bella Donna has been busy playing shows through the Midwest and parts of the east and west coast over the past six years. The band is composed of Liz Carney on vocals and guitar; Matt Guinn as lead guitarist; Mike Williamson on bass and cornet; B.J. Lowrance on drums; and Jeremy Chapman on the mandolin.

For those who did not purchase season tickets can get individual tickets from Holder Drug or Graceful Arts Center at $15 for general admission, $5 for students with ID and $10 for senior citizens. Individual tickets may be purchased online at https://nwocs.ticketbud.com a processing fee is included in the online purchase.

The reserved seating section at each concert will be held until five minutes prior to the performance.

The line-up for NWOCS 2017-18 will be announced at this last performance as well as changes to the upcoming year for contributor packages.

Stay up-to-date with NWOCS by liking the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NorthwestOkCS/ or on Twitter at @NorthwestOkCS. Keep an eye out for the hashtag #NWOCS.

The Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series is supported by Northwestern, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Charles Morton Share Trust.

For more information on Bella Donna and to hear a preview of their music visit www.belladonnaband.com.

For more information on NWOCS or how to become a contributor to the series, contact Kimberly Weast, director of NWOCS, professor of theatre arts and chair of the Department of Fine Arts, at kkweast@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8462.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s choirs, which consist of the University Singers and the University Chorale, will be performing “Soundscapes II” at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the Alva Independent School armory, 230 Choctaw.

This is the second year the choirs have chosen this unique location for a concert.

Karsten Longhurst, director of choral studies, is looking forward to this one-of-a-kind concert experience through using the venue’s built-in stage and sharing the unique sounds of the choir members’ voices that are generated in the space.

The choirs will be performing a variety of songs highlighting modern genres including songs from Disney’s animated classic “The Little Mermaid.”

“There are two really unique aspects of the concert,” Longhurst said. “We will showcase two pieces with a steel band percussion ensemble and one with overtone singing.”

Longhurst explained overtone singing is an extended-voice technique practiced in the Mongolian culture, which will be featured in a steel band part during the song “Under the Sea.”

Soundscapes is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted as members of the choir are raising funds for their summer 2017 European tour.

Longhurst said the fundraising goal is close to being met, but they will offer another fundraising opportunity to the community during the concert. Tickets will be sold at the event to possibly win a Northwestern gift basket, Rialto movie package and a mini performance by the Northwestern Singers.

For more information about Northwestern’s choir, upcoming concerts or fundraising efforts, contact Longhurst and krlonghurst@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8692.

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Northwestern choir members entertain the audience in the Alva Independent School armory during their spring 2016 Soundscapes concert. Soundscapes II will take place Thursday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in the same location.

Best of Show winners for the 14^th annual Northwestern Oklahoma State University Art Society (NAS) Art Show on campus were announced at the beginning of the Winners Show at the Runnymede Hotel Friday during the First Friday Artwalk.

The student Best of Show winner taking home $75 and a special purple ribbon is Brieanna McClure, Alva sophomore, for a painting in the Figure/Portraiture category titled “Final.” This same painting was voted as the People’s Choice winner by those who attended the Winners Show Friday. She earned a special red and black ribbon and $50 prize from the Runnymede for this honor. McClure is a biology major minoring in visual arts.

The non-student Best of Show winner is Northwestern employee and NAS sponsor Angelia Case. The academic projects assistant and media specialist won for a pencil drawing titled “Hear No, Speak No, See No?” in the Works on Paper – The Figure/Portraiture category, which earned her a purple ribbon.

The on-campus People’s Choice winner is Priscilla Avalos, Hooker senior majoring in chemistry, for a landscape painting titled “Shadows of Sunset.” She won $50 and a red and black ribbon for this honor.

Amanda Metcalf, Enid junior majoring in instrumental music, serves the Art Society as its president, and couldn’t be happier for the individuals whose art won Best of Show and People’s Choice honors.

“What great choices,” Metcalf said. “Angelia’s drawing was fantastic. She captured what she wanted and brought it to us. With Brieanna’s painting, she brought a different aspect to our show. Her different painting technique was very nice. The People’s Choice winner (Avalos) on campus - wow. Her sunset painting was beautiful, and the People’s Choice winner at the Runnymede had to be a tough selection for those voting from among all the winning pieces from the campus show.”

Metcalf said in her three years helping with the art show she has witnessed the quality and diversity getting better each year.

Kyle Larson, assistant professor of art and director of the visual arts program at Northwestern, congratulated all who entered and exhibited work in the show, and praised the Art Society members for continuing to showcase the artwork that the campus community creates. He’s especially proud of the success of McClure, who is a student of his in the visual arts program.

“Brieanna McClure’s painting ‘Final’ is a piece that went far above and beyond what her ‘final’ assignment in the Fundamentals of Two-Dimensional Art required,” Larson said. “She utilized what she learned in the Beginning Painting course -- as seen in the veracity of her brush strokes and turbulent mark making -- and developed a painting that is full of movement, atmosphere and contemplative vignettes. Her dedication to her studio practice -- and a week of camping out in the studio and painting non-stop -- paid off nicely.”

A complete list of winners from the campus show is available at www.nwosu.edu/nas-art-show-winners.

Artwork that has not been picked up is available in Fine Arts room 211.

Upon the closing of this year’s show, Art Society members now start planning for their 15^th annual show next year. Metcalf said she looks forward to increasing the number of entries submitted, and Larson is excited to see the NAS on-campus show continue to grow.

“It's clear that we will soon need a larger exhibition space to hold this show, which is a great problem to have,” Larson said.

For additional information about the art show or the Art Society, visit the NAS website at www.nwosu.edu/art, join the club’s Facebook group or fan page, contact Metcalf at ammetcalf55@rangers.nwosu.edu or Case at arcase@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8577. For more information on classes within the visual arts program, please contact Larson at (580) 327-8108 or krlarson@nwosu.edu.

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Brieanna McClure’s painting titled “Final” won her Best of Show in the Northwestern Art Society campus art show, as well as People’s Choice at the Winners Show at the Runnymede Hotel during the First Friday Artwalk.

Priscilla Avalos’s painting titled “Shadows of Sunset” won the People’s Choice award after voting took place during 14^th annual NWOSU Art Society on-campus art show in the J.W. Martin Library through the month of March.

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It may be more than a year away, but Northwestern Oklahoma State University Study Abroad leaders have begun preparations for the summer 2018 trip to London, Edinburgh and Dublin.

Anyone interested in making the trip should attend a meeting set for Thursday, April 20, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The meeting will originate from Alva ITV room 131 and will be broadcast to Enid 218, Woodward 145 and Ponca City 123.

This 10-day trip is open to the public, and optional college credit is available to those who go. The trip dates are May 15-24, 2018, with the flight departure from Wichita, Kansas.

Kyle Larson, assistant professor of art and the director of the visual arts program at Northwestern, will be the trip leader. Questions should be directed to him at krlarson@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8108.

For additional information on the trip and to enroll visit www.efcollegestudytours.com/professors-trip/1996708YW and www.nwosu.edu/study-abroad-program.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s first Division of Education Pinning Ceremony will be held Saturday, May 6, at 9 a.m. in Education Center 109.

“The pinning ceremony will be a time of recognition for students who have completed the teacher preparation program,” Dr. Christee Jenlink, associate dean of the School of Education and professor of education. “It will be a brief ceremony held prior to commencement for the graduating students and their families.”

The ceremony will recognize the students, individually, who have completed the teacher preparation program. Each student will choose a person who has been especially supportive during the educational process to "pin" him or her, signifying the student is now ready to be a teacher who, in turn, is supportive to others.

Families of the 22 education students, who are being pinned, are welcome to attend.

The spring commencement ceremony will follow at 10:30 a.m. at the Ranger Football Field. In case of inclement weather, the spring commencement exercises will be held in Percefull Fieldhouse.

A reception honoring all graduates will immediately follow the ceremony and be held in the Student Center Ballroom.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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John and Margaret Barton, along with their children, established the E.L. (Bud) and Sophia Barton Scholarship at Northwestern Oklahoma State University to honor John’s late parents’ passion for education at all levels and to support non-traditional college students.

Originally from Vian, Okla., Bud and Sophia Barton were married in 1932 and moved to Alva in 1959. They were raised in a time where education was not as valued as it is today. Due to economic circumstances and family obligations, Bud left school to work on the farm and Sophia was forced to drop out of school at a very young age. However, the couple instilled their love of learning in their three sons, Norman, Paul and John Barton.

“My parents didn’t have the opportunity to graduate from college but they saw the importance of it and stressed that to my brothers and me,” said John Barton, ’64, former Northwestern professor of almost 30 years.

As a result of their parents’ encouragement, all three sons graduated from college, obtained some post-graduate training and committed their lives to the teaching profession.

“The Barton family has created so many endowments for the benefit of Northwestern and our students,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “We are honored they chose to provide this scholarship that shares the story of where and how the Barton family's passion for higher education began.”

John said he and his wife, with support from their children Cheryl and Herb Listen, Paul and Melinda Barton, and Scott and Tamara Brown, chose to establish this scholarship because of Bud’s and Sophia’s emphasis and support of higher education.

“Bud and Sophia firmly believed that higher education helps individuals achieve the American Dream and offers critically important opportunities,” said John and Margaret. “This scholarship is provided to assist a non-traditional student with following his or her dreams.”

Full-time, non-traditional students with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the E.L. (Bud) and Sophia Barton Scholarship. Preference will be given to applicants who graduated from high school at least six years prior to the year for which the scholarship is received. A student who completed a GED and meets the other requirements also may be considered. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board.

For more information on the E.L. (Bud) and Sophia Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Bird at 580-327-8593 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Dlonra (Dee Dee) Nolan, Enid senior, was named as the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers’ (NASW-OK) Undergraduate Student of the Year for 2017. Nolan will be presented the award on Monday, April 10 at the NASW-OK Annual State Conference Awards Reception in Norman.

NASW is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world and works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social practices.

“I am so very honored and grateful to everyone at Northwestern who has guided, inspired, and believed in me,” Nolan said. “I knew within the first few weeks of class with Dr. [Kylene] Rehder that Social Work was my purpose, and it has now become my passion. I'm thankful for the rock solid foundation that the Social Work department has provided me and hope to continue to make NWOSU proud!”

Nolan is majoring in Social Work with a minor in English. She is a graduate of Northern Oklahoma College and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. In 2014, she was a recipient of the Geraldine Burns English Award and Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. During her tenure in the Navy, she was awarded three Navy Achievement Medals and Sailor of the Year.

In 2015, she served on the board of directors for the Enid YMCA and is a current member of NASW. Nolan was elected as the undergraduate student representative and currently serves on the NASW Oklahoma Board of Directors. In addition, she serves as president of the Social Workers Association of Tomorrow-SWAT student organization at Northwestern, and for the last two years has arranged and advocated for student participation in NASW-OK’s Legislative Day.

“I have observed her dynamic interpersonal skills, time management, professionalism, appropriate role modeling, and her commitment to social justice in our region and in our state, “ Rehder, associate professor of Social Work and chair to the Department of Social Work, said. “[Nolan] is the type of social work student who is truly worthy of this recognition.”

Following graduation from Northwestern, Nolan will be entering the Master of Social Work program at the University of Oklahoma Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work.

For more information on Northwestern’s social work program, contact Rehder at (580) 327-8135 or kdrehder@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Staff Council is sponsoring Campus Cleanup Day events in Alva, Enid and Woodward this month and are looking for volunteers to help.

On Tuesday, April 18, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Alva campus, all students and university employees are welcome to volunteer their services to help give the campus a facelift prior to welcoming alumni and guests back to campus for the annual Spring Reunion Day events on April 29.

Please contact Angelia Case, Staff Council member, at arcase@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8577 by Friday, April 14, with the names of students, faculty/staff members, administrators and club or organization members who would like to participate with this service project so that the Staff Council members will know how many volunteers to expect and make job assignments.

All volunteers should meet at 12:45 p.m. on the west side of the Student Center to receive instructions on the projects to be completed for the day. Volunteers also should dress appropriately for outdoor work. Tools, gloves and trash bags will be provided; however, volunteers may bring their own tools and gloves. For students and employees who cannot come at 12:45, please check-in to help at any time during the hours of the event.

“We may have listed a start time, but we hope that our volunteers will come help as their schedules allow,” Case said. “We’d like to take a group photo of our volunteers at 12:45, so if you can come for the photo but have to go to class at 1 p.m., please do that, and we’ll see you when you can make it back to help.”

In case of inclement weather, Campus Cleanup Day in Alva will be moved to Thursday, April 20.

On April 24, Staff Council members will be joining student and employee volunteers at the Woodward campus from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and at the Enid campus from 2 to 4 p.m.

Pre-registration at these two locations is requested by April 21. Woodward volunteers should pre-register by signing up at the front desk, and Enid volunteers should contact Tiffany Misak, administrative assistant, in the dean’s office.

“Staff Council appreciates all of the volunteers for these events because we could not do it without them,” Case said. “We’re also excited that we’ll be able to join our colleagues and friends in Woodward and Enid again this year.

“A big thank you also goes to Dr. Mindi Clark (assistant professor of agriculture) and her students for growing and providing the plants we’ll be planting on our campuses during these events.”

A record of the number of hours volunteered by employees and students will be kept so it can be reflected in service learning reporting. Everyone planning to volunteer is asked to sign in and provide the approximate amount of time available to work.

Questions about Campus Cleanup or the Staff Council may be directed to Judy Dollar, Staff Council chair, at jcdollar@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8531 or Case.

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A lot can be accomplished when several people come together to work for a common goal as they do here last year during the Northwestern Staff Council’s annual Campus Cleanup event. Students, faculty, staff and administrators join in each year to help plant flowers, pick up trash, paint curbs and more to help the campus look more beautiful. This year’s event on the Alva campus is April 18 with Staff Council members joining volunteers at the Enid and Woodward campuses on April 24 for a similar cleanup event.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid will be celebrating with the community its 20^th anniversary on Tuesday, April 11. A ribbon-cutting ceremony, dedication and an official reading of the proclamation will take place on location at 4 p.m. that day.

To celebrate the anniversary, Bill Shewey, mayor of the city of Enid, read the proclamation that declared April 11, 2017 as “Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid Day” during the April 4 City Council meeting. Dr. Wayne McMillin, Northwestern-Enid dean, received the mayor’s proclamation on behalf of Northwestern-Enid accompanied by Candace Reim, Student Services coordinator, and Kimberly Wheeler, senior criminal justice major from Ringwood and member of the Leadership Council.

“It was an honor for the mayor to read the proclamation in front of the Enid City Council,” McMillin said. “It’s been a tremendous 20 years in Enid. I should know, I’ve been a part of it for 19 of the 20 years first as a faculty member and currently the dean. We’ve had a lot of faces come and go over the years and we’ve made an extraordinary impact for our community, but overall our legacy has been consistent in providing higher education opportunities to the surrounding area.”

“We’ve got a dedicated administration, faculty and staff and can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will bring.”

McMillin encourages Northwestern alum and the public to attend ceremony on Tuesday as an opportunity to reflect on how Northwestern-Enid has impacted their lives futures through getting their education.

For 20 years, Northwestern-Enid has assisted a diverse population, including adult learners, achieve their career and educational goals by providing local, affordable access to higher education by offering upper-level courses leading to the bachelor’s degree and complete graduate degree programs in a positive, student-centered, technology-enriched learning environment that promotes service and excellence.

In 1996, House Bill 2164 provided for the establishment of branch campuses of Northwestern in Enid and Woodward. Governor Keating signed the measure into law on May 30, 1996. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education followed with their approval. Northwestern-Enid was designated to be in the new facility built by the community of Enid in 1994. The University officially opened the branch campus in the location at 2929 East Randolph as “NWOSU” on July 1, 1996.

Northwestern’s role is to deliver higher education to the citizens of northwest Oklahoma. The modern spacious ADA accessible facility has 86,000 square feet. Northwestern-Enid houses traditional classrooms, ITV classrooms, a computer lab, library, registry/business offices, student services, financial aid, bookstore, campus police, AHEC, wellness room, clinical simulation skills lab, computer testing lab, and one polycom meeting room, and faculty offices.

Upper-division courses offered at Northwestern-Enid for completion of bachelor's degrees in 13 areas including accounting, business administration, computer science, E-commerce, education (elementary, secondary, special), general studies, history, nursing (RN, LPN Completion), political science, psychology, social work, sociology and technical management. Complete master's degree programs in education, counseling psychology, and American Studies and co-ops with two other universities to offer a Master of Business Administration degree.

Many students take advantage of the cooperative agreements between Northwestern and Northern Oklahoma College and make a smooth transition to Northwestern for completion of their four-year degree. While other students come to finish a degree started earlier in life or transfer in coursework from other institutions.

In honor of the anniversary, Northwestern-Enid has two more events planned for April. On Saturday, April 15 from 9 a.m. until noon, a children’s cheer camp will take place and afterwards they will show parents what they learned.

On Wednesday, April 19, Northwestern Foundation and Alumni Association will host the “Baseball, Hotdogs, and Apple Pie” alumni event at David Allen Ball Park in Enid as the Rangers will take on Southern Nazarene University starting at 7 p.m. General admission to the game is $7 per person. Children 12 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult. The first 120 children, 13 and under, will receive a free t-shirt. Those in attendance also will enjoy free hot dogs cooked by the Rowdy Rangers and free apple pies provided by McDonald’s.

For more information on Northwestern-Enid call Student Services (580) 213-3147 or visit www.nwosu.edu/enid.

Dr. Wayne McMillin (right) and Candace Reim (back) are congratulated by Mayor Bill Shewey (left) after the council declared April 11, 2017 was "Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid Day" at the Enid City Council earlier this month. 

Mayor Bill Shewey (middle left) congratulating Dr. Wayne McMillin (center front), accompanied with Candace Reim (middle right) and Kimberly Wheeler (middle center) as he receives the proclamation on behalf of Northwestern-Enid.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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The Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association will recognize five Outstanding Graduates during the annual Spring Reunion Banquet on Saturday, April 29 at 6 p.m.

The honored alumni include: David Elder, class of 1962, Arts category; Doug Van Meter, class of 1989, Business/Professional category; Julie Zollinger, class of 1992, Education category; Phyllis Brunsteter, class of 1949, Ranger Spirit category; and James Erskine, class of 1963, Humanitarian category.

For more information, contact John Allen, director of alumni relations, at 580-327-8593 or jwallen@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE: Jennifer Grassano
Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association
580-327-8598, jcgrassano@nwosu.edu

David Elder Outstanding Graduate, Arts Born in Sussex, N.J., David Elder graduated from Northwestern with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962 and a Master of Education degree in 1976. He went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in studio art from West Texas A&M University in 2006. While at Northwestern, Elder was a member of the Political Science Forum, the Young Republicans Club and the United Campus Ministry. Elder began his career teaching elementary and high school art in Pine Bush, New York, from 1973-1974, and then at Laverne High School as an art and history teacher from 1975-1999. He was first employed as an instructor of art at Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU) in 1999 and has since earned tenure at the university. While at OPSU, Elder helped create the university’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree which was approved by the Oklahoma Board of Regents. He also created OPSU’s first art history minor. He has served on several university committees, including the Rank and Tenure, Financial Aid and the Accommodations committees, and was elected to the OPSU Faculty Senate several times. Elder currently has pottery in the MacCreeds Gallery in Bennet Springs, Mo., and the All Fired Up Art Gallery in Guymon, Okla. One of his pottery pieces won Best of Show at the 2011 Nescatunga Arts Festival in Alva. He is currently a member of the Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Guymon where he was elected to the Parish Council and has served for over ten years.  Today, Elder is Professor Emeritus at OPSU and resides in Guymon with his wife, Cherrie. They have two children, Bridget Ann Elder-Thomas and Christopher Elder.	David Elder
Doug Van Meter Outstanding Graduate, Business/Professional Originally from Enid, Okla., Doug Van Meter graduated from Northwestern in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting. He was a member of the Ranger football team from 1984-1989. He went on to receive his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certificate in 1991. After graduating from Northwestern, Van Meter started his 26-year career with BKD, becoming partner in 2001. He is currently a member of BKD’s National Financial Services Group and is the financial services industry leader for the south region, including Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. In this role, he serves on the firm’s eight-member Financial Services Committee that sets the practice’s strategic direction and growth initiatives for BKD. A supporter of a number of Oklahoma-based nonprofits and higher education institutions, Van Meter spends time speaking and recruiting at various institutions while promoting higher education and opportunities in the accounting industry. Van Meter said one of his greatest accomplishments is seeing the day-to-day development of individuals he works with – but his greatest accomplishment is maintaining his integrity and commitment to his wife and family. Van Meter resides in Edmond, Okla., with his wife, Kamee. They have three children, Kolt, Kade and Karsyn.	Doug Van Meter
Julie Zollinger Outstanding Graduate, Education Born in Springfield, Ill., Julie (Short) Zollinger graduated from Northwestern in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She went on to receive a master’s in psychology from Utah State University in 1996 and an Educational Specialist degree from Fort Hays State University in 2012. While at Northwestern, Zollinger was involved in the band, Soundsations, student government and was president of the Psychology Club. A nationally certified school psychologist, Zollinger has been employed at Hays West Central Kansas Special Education Cooperative with Hays USD #489 since 1999. She also is an adjunct instructor of psychology at Fort Hays State University. She is currently a member of the National Association of School Psychologists and the Kansas Association of School Psychologists and has extensive training in the area of autism. She has received numerous awards for her work in psychology, including the Alumni Achievement Award (Utah State University, 2016), the School Psychologist of the Year Award (Kansas Association of School Psychologists, 2015-2016) and the Adjunct Instructor of the Year Award (Fort Hays State University, 2014). Zollinger also led the implementation of a school-wide Positive Behavior and Intervention Support Program, continues to develop strong family connections with minority families in order to facilitate their understanding and involvement in their child’s special education services, and successfully presented at national and state professional conferences. Zollinger resides in Hays, Kan., with her husband, Brett, ’92. They have one child, Allen.	Julie Zollinger
Phyllis Brunsteter Outstanding Graduate, Ranger Spirit Born in Hazelton, Kan., Phyllis (Stout) Brunsteter received her Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern in 1949. During her time at Northwestern, Brunsteter was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority and the home economics club. While attending school, she worked in Northwestern’s business office while maintaining her status on the Dean’s Honor Rolls. After graduation she worked full time in the Dean’s office and then as administrative assistant to the Executive Vice President. Brunsteter was the first recipient of the Thelma Crouch Staff Employee of the Year award. She was employed at Northwestern for 46 years, retiring in 2003. Brunsteter said she always considered being a part of Northwestern’s student body and staff a privilege. She is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Alva where she has served in several capacities. She has been involved in many community groups including the Northwestern Alumni Association, Northwest Concert Series, Oklahoma Retired Educators Association, Alva Community Theatre and the Nescatunga Art and Humanities Council. Brunsteter also was honored in 2002 as Northwestern’s Homecoming Parade Marshall.  Brunsteter resides in Alva. She and her late husband, William Brunsteter, have two children, Jane Hood and Grant Brunsteter, and two grandchildren, Nicholas and Katie.	Phyllis Brunsteter
James Erskine Outstanding Graduate, Humanitarian A native of Alva, Okla., James Erskine graduated from Northwestern in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He received his master’s degree from Oklahoma State University in 1966 and has taken several extension courses through Texas A&M University. While at Northwestern, Erskine was a member of the Ranger Band including concert, marching and jazz band. He also was a member of the brass quartet which traveled with the university choir. He was listed on the Dean’s Honor Roll for six semesters and received several scholarships, including the Carl Shafer scholarship and the Brown and Brown Scholarship. After receiving his master’s degree, Erskine began an impressive 35-year career as an analytical chemist with Dow Chemical, eventually retiring as a research leader. Throughout his career, he has presented at several industry meetings and is published in several publications. In addition to his career as a chemist, Erskine also has a passion for helping others. He has volunteered with his local Habitat for Humanity group for the past 22 years, building a total of 90 homes for low income families. He also is involved in a “fourth grade after school” tutoring program where he helps and encourages students with their homework and shows them how science can be fun. Erskine said his work as a construction and volunteer coordinator, along with his tutoring work, has given purpose to his life in retirement. Erskine currently reside in Lake Jackson, Texas.	James Erskine

International food, culture, displays and performances will be available for enjoyment at Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Friday, April 14, at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom during the annual “Festival of Cultures.”

This event brings Northwestern international students together with campus and community members to share food, performances and information about the students’ home countries and culture. The public is encouraged to attend and learn about different cultures that have come together at Northwestern. Students will perform ethnic dances, songs and more.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the International Student Office, Fine Arts room 208, at $10 for the general public ages 13 and up, and $5 for Northwestern students (with ID), faculty, staff and children 3-12. Tickets will be $2 higher if purchased at the door. Children 2 and under eat for free.

“The Festival of Cultures has become a tradition with the International Student Association that requires a lot of hard work and planning from the students,” Becca Cook, international academic adviser, said.

“Not only does it help increase awareness about the various cultures that come to Northwestern, but it helps promote and celebrate diversity at Northwestern. We are putting a twist on this year’s program by allowing our guests to ask our students questions that will be answered by a few of our students directly. We hope that you will join us for this opportunity to learn from our students and try something new.”

Countries represented include Nepal, Mexico, Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and more.

The event is sponsored by the International Student Association and the Spanish Club.

For tickets or more information contact Cook at (580) 327-8435 or rlcook@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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The 14^th annual Northwestern Oklahoma State University Art Society (NAS) Art Show is rewarding 21 different students with prize money and ribbons this year along with 14 non-students earning ribbons.

All of the winning entries in the campus art show will be on display for a Winners Only Show in the Runnymede Hotel Friday, April 7, from 6-8 p.m. for the First Friday Artwalk event that is free and open to the public.

On display will be 68 pieces created by Northwestern students and 54 pieces by current and retired Northwestern employees and alumni.

“This year’s art show was fantastic,” Angelia Case, NAS sponsor, said. “Thank you to everyone who participated this year. We hope to see even more of our students and non-students taking part next year. Believe it or not, only seven of the students who entered did not win something, and every one of the non-students entered won a ribbon. We hope that everyone will attend the winners’ show at the Runnymede to see all the winning pieces and congratulate our artists.”

During the show on campus, those who viewed the art in the J.W. Martin Library were able to vote for their favorite piece to help determine a People’s Choice winner. Selected for that prize of a special ribbon and $50 is Priscilla Avalos, Hooker senior majoring in chemistry, for a landscape painting titled “Shadows of Sunset.”

The two Best of Show winners will remain a secret until revealed at the winners’ show at the Runnymede. The student winner will receive a special ribbon and $75 with the non-student receiving the special ribbon.

A list showing all winners from the campus show is available at www.nwosu.edu/nas-art-show-winners.

Artwork from the community show at the Runnymede may be picked up at the end of that show at 8 p.m. or from Fine Arts 211 on Monday, April 10, by 5:30 p.m. Pieces that did not win and have not been picked up also are available in Fine Arts 211.

For additional information about the art show or the Art Society, visit the NAS website at www.nwosu.edu/art, join the club’s Facebook group or fan page or contact Case at arcase@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8577. More information on classes within the Visual Arts program, please contact Kyle Larson, assistant professor of art, at (580) 327-8108 or krlarson@nwosu.edu.

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“Shadows of Sunset,” painted by Hooker senior Priscilla Avalos, was chosen as the People’s Choice winner in the 14^th annual Northwestern Art Society Art Show. Her painting also won first in the Landscape/Nature painting category. This painting and all other pieces that won a ribbon in the campus art show will be on display in downtown Alva at the Runnymede Hotel for the First Friday Artwalk on April 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

One day at Northwestern Oklahoma State University is designated each year as an early enrollment opportunity for high school seniors called “Freshman Connection.” This event is set for Wednesday, April 12, at the Alva campus. Incoming freshmen will have first dibs on fall classes; morning and afternoon sessions are available to accommodate student schedules.

Morning registration begins at 8:30 in the Student Center with a welcome, placement tests (if necessary), and enrollment following. The afternoon session starts at 1:30 with the same schedule as the morning. Both sessions will offer an optional parent panel that will give parents the opportunity to have all of their questions answered by Northwestern administration and staff members.

Students must first meet admission and curriculum requirements to enroll at Freshman Connection. Requirements are an ACT score of 17 or above or an ACT score of 16 and a seven-semester grade point average of 3.0.

“Our goal is for all seniors at Freshman Connection to have everything in order for the upcoming fall semester before they leave the event,” Paige Fischer, director of recruitment, said. “Any high school senior who is considering attending Northwestern should attend Freshman Connection. Seniors will meet with advisers firsthand to prepare their class schedules for the fall semester. There also will be numerous opportunities for the new Rangers to ask questions to current Northwestern students and staff members.

“We are looking forward to welcoming these new students to campus!”

To attend Freshman Connection, visit www.nwosu.edu/freshman-connection to complete the registration form.

For questions about this event, contact the Office of Recruitment at (580) 327-8546 or recruit@nwosu.edu.

Last year Dr. Leslie Collins (center), assistant professor of nursing and assistant chair to the Division of Nursing, was one of many advisers to help enroll incoming freshmen for the upcoming fall. This year’s Freshman Connection event is set for April 12 at the Alva campus.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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April 5, 2017

“Take me out to the ball game!” Northwestern Oklahoma State University alumni, friends and community are invited to attend “Baseball, Hot Dogs & Apple Pie” on Wednesday, April 19. The event will take place at David Allen Memorial Ball Park in Enid starting at 7 p.m. and will honor the 20^th year anniversary of Northwestern-Enid.

Hosted by the Greater Enid Northwestern Alumni Task Force and the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association, “Baseball, Hot Dogs & Apple Pie” is an opportunity for alumni and friends of the university to come together and cheer on the Ranger baseball team. The Rangers will take on Southern Nazarene University in a single game starting at 7 p.m. Those in attendance also will enjoy free hot dogs cooked by the Rowdy Rangers and free apple pies provided by McDonalds.

“This is a great event for us and the community, and it’s even more meaningful this year as we celebrate our 20^th year as a campus in Enid,” said Dr. Wayne McMillin, Dean of Northwestern-Enid’s campus. “If you’re a Northwestern graduate or friends of the university please come out and enjoy the evening with your fellow Rangers.”

General admission to the game is $7 per person. Children 12 and under will be admitted free with a paid adult. The first 120 children, 13 and under, will receive a free t-shirt. Sponsors of the t-shirts are Mike Benway-State Farm, Tom Evans with Encompass Financial Services Inc. and BancCentral. The Northwestern bookstore also will be on site selling Ranger merchandise.

For more details contact John Allen, director of alumni relations, at 580-327-8594 or email jwallen@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Jennifer Grassano
Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association
580-327-8598
jcgrassano@nwosu.edu

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University recently inducted 32 new members into the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society during a ceremony in the Student Center Wyatt Room.

Red and Black Scroll recognizes outstanding scholarship and service among sophomore students at Northwestern. Requirements for membership include completion of 40-59 hours of college credit, a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, participation in two or more campus organizations or activities, attendance at Northwestern for at least two semesters and non-failure of a college course.

Sponsors are Dr. Dena Walker, assistant professor of mathematics, and Dr. Sheila Brintnall, professor of mathematics.

This year’s inductees include Betty Abbey of Accra Ghana, Africa, biology major; Audrey Amissah of Accra Ghana, Africa, biology major; Cheney Bird of Alva, nursing major; Samichin Bista of Litipur, Nepal, computer science major; Ryann Blackburn of Balko, elementary education major; Madeline Bonine of Alva, accounting major; Marylea Burgess of Woodward, mathematics education; Ashley Carter of Enid, computer science major; Kevin Cosper of Cleo Springs, mathematics major; Katelyn Cutsinger of Vici, vocal music major; Shalyn Farrington of Beaver, nursing major; Karly Gillispie of Shattuck, accounting major; Rosa Guel of Los Angeles, California, psychology major; Cassidy Hackett of Edmond, business administration major; Pawana Itani of Nepal, nursing major; Oluwatoyosi Rhoda Kaffi of Nigeria, Africa, nursing major; Brieanna McClure of Alva, biology major; Gabriela Morales of Beaver, nursing major; Precious Okeke of Lagos, Nigeria, Africa, accounting major; Courtney Padilla of Guymon, business administration major; Morgan Phillips of Gage, business administration major; Aaron Pierce of Alva, vocal music major; Patricia Pixler of Waynoka, psychology major; Paola Ponce-Villalobos of Beaver, mathematics education; Lauren Reitz of Edmond, nursing major; Mary Shaffer of Ringwood, biology major; Sumji Sherpa of Sonkhuwasabha, Nepal, nursing major; Sanjita Shrestha of Kathmandu, Nepal, computer science major; Sushil Thapa of Kathmandu, Nepal, computer science major; Sadie Vore of Burlington, elementary education major; J.C. Wells of Laverne, mathematics education major; and Clarissa Wiley of Bristow, biology major.

Red and Black Scroll officers were elected the same evening. New officers are: Abbey, president; Wells, vice president; Shaffer, secretary/treasurer; and Cosper, reporter/historian.

Students who were inducted into the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society are (back row, left to right) Sushil Thapa, Sadie Vore, Cheney Bird, Gabriela Morales, Patricia Pixler, Shalyn Farrington, Karly Gillispie, Audrey Amissah, Marylea Burgess, Precious Okeke, Brieanna McClure, Sanjita Shrestha, Sumji Sherpa and Courtney Padilla. Front row (left to right) is Aaron Pierce, Katelyn Cutsinger, Paola Ponce-Villalobos, Samichin Bista, Morgan Phillips, Kevin Cosper, Mary Shaffer, Betty Abbey, J.C. Wells, Clarissa Wiley, Madeline Bonnie, Lauren Rietz and Pawana Itani. Not pictured are Dr. Dena Walker, Dr. Sheila Brintnall, Ryann Blackburn, Rosa Guel, Cassidy Hackett and Oluwatoyosi Rhoda Kaffi.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu; (580) 327-8480

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A scholarship for Northwestern Oklahoma State University student-athletes has been established by friends and family of Kenneth (Kenny) Adkison to honor his life and the legacy he left for his children and for generations to come.

Born on June 20, 1971, in Oklahoma City, Okla., Adkison graduated with honors from Putnam City West High School where he played football and golf. He went on to attend Northwestern where he played football as a safety and was named First Team Academic All-American. He also was a member of Phi Beta Lambda. Adkison graduated from Northwestern in 1993 with degrees in both accounting and economics. He passed away on June 1, 2013, after battling a brain tumor, leaving his wife, Paula, and three children Ainslee, Colton and Joshua.

“This scholarship is a great tribute to Kenny Adkison’s family and his Northwestern legacy,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “Clearly, he held a special place in the hearts of his teammates and Ranger fans.”

Although he had a successful career, most recently as the assistant controller for Safety-Kleen in Dallas, Adkison’s favorite roles were husband and father. He often could be found at gymnastics meets, on soccer fields, at Taekwondo and baseball games cheering on each of his children.

Growing up with Adkison, Brad Vincent, ’93, said they became friends playing little league basketball when they were just eight years old. They went to the same junior high and high school, and then went to Northwestern where they played football and were college roommates.

“Kenny was one of the biggest influences in my life along with my sister, mother and father,” said Vincent. “He was an incredible gentleman and scholar. Kenny is remembered by everyone he touched as a true gentleman, highly intellectual, an incredible athlete and, most important, the best friend anyone could ask for.”

Vincent said the main reason he and others chose to establish this scholarship was “to keep Kenny’s name alive and to give back to the University and community he loved.”

“Northwestern has been great to me; therefore, giving back to the University is special,” said Vincent. “My years there were some of the best years of my life and I was able to live them with my best friend, Kenny.”

Full-time, continuing student-athletes with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the Kenneth L. Adkison Memorial Scholarship. Preference will be given to football and golf student-athletes. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board.

For more information on the Kenneth L. Adkison Memorial Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation CEO, at 580-327-8593 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Jennifer Grassano
Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association
580-327-8598, jcgrassano@nwosu.edu

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will partner with the University of Oklahoma’s (OU) Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work to play host to a continuing education training opportunity.

The Ethics Symposium will be Friday, April 21, at the Woodward Campus Commons Area, 2007 34^th Street, from 1-4 p.m. The workshop leader will be David P. Moxley, Ph.D., professor of social work at the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work at OU. The workshop is open to the public. Registration is required with a fee of $35 for the symposium. Northwestern students’ registration fees will be waived.

Moxley is an experienced trainer and workshop leader who has an extensive research-informed practice background in aging, developmental disabilities, practice with people coping with serious mental illness, and organizational development. Moxley also serves as the Oklahoma Health Care Authority endowed professor of health.

This symposium will bring together practicing social workers, counselors, nurses, teachers and other human service professionals to consider ethical issues participants face in their practice. This is an adult learning opportunity with dialogue and mutual support through which participants develop ethical guidelines for action.

Three continuing education units (CEUs) will be offered that can satisfy licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and licensed master’s social worker (LMSW) continuing education requirements.

"We are ecstatic to be partnering with the OU Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work to provide quality continuing education to the Northwest region,” Dr. Kylene Rehder, department of social work chair, said.

For questions and accommodations or to register contact Diane Freeman at OU at (405) 325-2822 or dkfreeman@ou.edu.

For more information about Northwestern’s Department of Social Work or the training opportunity contact Rehder at (580) 327-8135 or kdrehder@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu 

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of Fine Arts will present its spring theatre production “All This and Moonlight” on Thursday and Friday, April 20-21, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 22, at 2 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium.

Tickets are $3 for students with current student ID, $5 for Northwestern employees, and $6 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

The play is written by Charles R. Johnson. Kimberly Weast, professor of theatre and chair of the Department of Fine Arts, is the director.

This comedy is about a New York City photographer in the 1980’s named Ned who has problems with his dating life. He goes through the process of letting go of past relationships and finding new ones. The comedic play is for more mature audiences and has a rating of PG.

“This is a delightful play that features very fast and very fun dialogue,” Weast said. “Everyone would enjoy this 40’s style banter comedy.”

Cast members, their hometowns, classifications, majors and the roles they are playing include:

Taylor Morris, Lancaster, California, senior, mass communication, as Ellie; Mickey Jordan, Iowa Park, Texas, senior, speech/theatre, as Ned; Nicholas Wygle, Noble sophomore, biology, as Rick; Madison Wilson, Enid freshman, speech/theatre, as Alice; Tori Hurley, Sheffield, Iowa, junior, speech/theatre, as Nora; Crosby Dunbar, Owasso freshman, vocal performance, as Andrea; Katherine Blair, Waynoka freshman, music/vocal, as the female understudy; Arthur Bohlmann, Hooker graduate student, as the male understudy; Allison Smith, Hawkins, Texas, freshman, speech/theatre, is the stage manager.

For more information on this production or the Northwestern theatre program, contact Weast at kkweast@nwosu.edu or at (580)327-8462.

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Northwestern theatre students rehearse for their upcoming production of "All This and Moonlight," which will be April 20-22 in Herod Hall auditorium. Cast members include (seated) Madison Wilson, Mickey Jordan and Crosby Dunbar; (back row) Taylor Morris and Nicholas Wygle.

April 3, 2017

Dr. Roger Hardaway, professor of history at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, is featured in two new online articles about African American cowboys. Hardaway, a historian with an emphasis on the American West, has been researching and writing about black cowboys for years. In these recent articles, Hardaway serves as a resource person for the authors. His comments are quoted in each essay.

The first article titled “The Lesser Known History of African American Cowboys” was published in February in the online edition of “Smithsonian,” the official organ of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. The author is Katie Nodjimbadem, a staff writer for the online version of the magazine. The second article is “How America’s Black Cowboy Population is Fighting Erasure,” written by free-lance writer Alissa Greenberg of California. This essay appeared in March in “Pacific Standard” magazine in both its hard copy and online versions. Each article is easily accessible by searching for “African American Cowboys” along with the author’s name.

Hardaway enjoyed the interview process and getting to know the authors.

“I was honored to be quoted in both of these significant publications,” Hardaway said. “I do not know either of the authors, and I had not heard of them before they reached out to me and asked to interview me. After I agreed, each of them called me and asked me several questions about working cowboys and rodeo stars. I am extremely happy that each of them found reference to my work on the internet and decided that I was knowledgeable enough about the topic to serve as someone who could speak authoritatively on it.”

Hardaway has published several articles and books on the African American experience in the American West. His article “Oklahoma’s African American Rodeo Performers” appeared in the summer 2011 edition of “Chronicles of Oklahoma,” the state’s primary history journal. It was recently reprinted in the book “Black Cowboys in the American West,” which was published by the University of Oklahoma Press. The book has just been chosen to receive an award as the best-edited collection of the past year by the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association.

Hardaway has been a member of the Northwestern faculty since 1990 and has taught U.S. history to more than 4,000 students at the university.

For more information on Hardaway’s work contact him at (580) 327-8520 or rdhardaway@nwosu.edu.

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Jennifer Pribble, director of Social Work Field Education at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, recently earned her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential with the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers.

The LCSW clinical credential requires a practicing master’s level social worker to be under supervision of a LCSW and passage of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Licensed Clinical Social Worker Exam.

The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance societal well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people. Social workers carry out this mission through different licensure levels equivalent to their academic training. Clinical social work practice includes assessment, diagnosis and treatment of behavioral disorders. Treatment methods include the provision of individual, marital, couple, family and group counseling and psychotherapy.

Pribble is grateful to be able to help others through obtaining her degree.

“Social Workers are the largest group of mental health care providers in the United States, and I’m happy to say that I am one of those providers. It is my job as a social worker to empower people to combat mental illnesses, substance abuse and social problems,” Pribble said.

In order for Pribble to obtain her clinical credential, she worked as an outpatient mental health therapist for children and families at a non-profit agency in northwest Oklahoma. While there, she completed more than 4,000 practice hours, 3,000 clinical hours and 100 hours of educational supervision with a Board approved LCSW Clinical Supervisor.

Northwestern’s Bachelor of Social Work program prepares generalist social work practitioners that qualifies graduates to apply for the Licensed Social Work Associate credential. Social work is one of the few helping professions that licenses professionals at the baccalaureate level.

“I am honored to bring my credentials to Northwestern and support the licensure of BSW social workers graduating from our program,” Pribble said.

Pribble earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Northwestern and a Master of Social Work from the University of Oklahoma’s Anne & Henry Zarrow School of Social Work.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of English, Foreign Language and Humanities will play host to four remaining events in April for the “Community Reads” series to celebrate the visit of spring 2017 Visiting Writer Mary Anna Evans on April 12-13.

Members of the department welcome Northwestern students, faculty and staff as well as surrounding community members to partake in these events and the reading of novels from the “Faye Longchamp” series by Evans. All events are free.

“Artifacts” is a mystery from the series featuring archaeologist Longchamp. As part of the “community reads” model, the department has organized interdisciplinary speakers on topics related to the novel. These speakers will serve to frame the novel for those interested in reading it, are already into the novel, or are just interested in the topic. Familiarity with the novel is not required to attend—or enjoy—any of the framing lectures.

"I'm honored to be chosen out of all the wonderful authors in Oklahoma to be Northwestern's 2017 Visiting Writer, and having Artifacts chosen for a community read is very special to me,” Evans said. “It was my first book, and it launched a series that has been the highlight of my 14-year career as a novelist. The protagonist of those books, archaeologist [Faye] Longchamp, has come to feel very real to me, and I'm happy to know that she's being introduced to so many people."

Remaining events are:

Tuesday, April 4

Neil Garrison (from Yukon) will be performing a "Flint Knapping" demonstration on April 4 from 5-6 p.m. on the north side of Jesse Dunn in association with the Community Reads event. In case of inclement weather, the event will take place in the Student Center Ballroom. Flint knapping is the process of chipping materials to produce sharp points (like arrowheads).

Then, at 6 p.m. “’Artifacts’ and the System: Legal Woes and Literary Tropes” will take place in the Northwestern-Alva Education Center, room 109. Speakers will be Jeff McAlpin, instructor of sociology and criminal justice at Northwestern and Bill Johnson Correctional Center (BJCC) administrative director; and Dr. Roxie James, Northwestern lecturer. Upon request, this event will be broadcast via ITV to Northwestern’s locations in Enid, Woodward and Ponca City only if interested participants RSVP with their name and Northwestern campus location to English@nwosu.edu by April 2nd.

Wednesday, April 12

“Meet the Author: The Alva Community Welcomes Mary Anna Evans at the Graceful Arts Gallery” is Wednesday, April 12, at 5 p.m. This event is specifically tailored for community involvement to meet the author of the “Faye Longchamp” series. Those interested in attending are not required to read the books in order to meet the author.

Thursday, April 13 

At 7 p.m. the Visiting Writer Series with Evans herself will take place in the Northwestern-Alva Education Center, room 109. Evans will read from the 10th Longchamp book, “Burials” which is set in Oklahoma. Evans will take questions from the audience and talk about the success of the “Faye Longchamp” series. There will be a book signing following this event.

From March 7 through April 13, Northwestern’s Natural History Museum, located on the second floor of Jesse Dunn, will have a display specifically tailored to the novel and the archaeology it features. This will allow Northwestern students and community to participate if they are unable to attend the evening events. The Natural History Museum is open Monday through Friday from 1-4 p.m.

The Visiting Writer’s Series is a way to bring Oklahoma Writers to northwest Oklahoma every spring to discuss writing, the publishing industry and to share their work. This annual series is made possible through donations and raised funds. Anyone interested in giving a tax-deductible donation to the series or have questions about it may contact Dr. Kathryn Lane at (580) 327-8470 or kelane@nwosu.edu.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480
apgavitt@nwosu.edu

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The Northwestern Oklahoma State University computer science department soon will see an addition of robotics design and build labs thanks to an endowment established by Bill and Billie Buckles, longtime Alva residents.

“Bill and Billie have shown a passion for investing in STEM programs and see the potential of expanding our computer science program through robotics,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “We are thankful and honored they have invested in our students and their futures.”

Bill grew up in northwest Oklahoma near Dacoma, raising cattle and working on the family farm. Bill graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1964 with a degree in math and taught math for two years in Great Bend, Kan. Afterwards, he returned home to northwest Oklahoma and began a 39-year career in the banking business with Central National Bank. He went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School of Banking in 1986. In 2007, he retired as president and CEO of Central National Bank (now BancCentral National Association).

Growing up in Folsom, Okla., Billie learned the value of hard work and education. After the passing of her father when she was seven, she and her siblings took on responsibilities around the house including livestock and chicken care and meal preparation. Beginning as a secretary for a bank president, Billie eventually graduated from the University of Colorado Graduate School of Banking in 1975 and built a successful 24-year career in banking and finance. She became an officer in the National Association of Bank Women, earned insurance and securities licenses and became an investment adviser.

The William R. and Billie Dean Buckles Endowed STEM Initiative for Computer Science will increase and enhance the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) educational opportunities available to Northwestern students and faculty, as well as the public of northwest Oklahoma.

For more information about the William R. and Billie Dean Buckles Endowed STEM Initiative for Computer Science, or about investing in students at Northwestern, contact Skeeter Bird, CEO, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association, at aebird@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8599.

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The 2017 Scholarship Drive concluded March 8 as Northwestern staff, faculty and community members tallied their total raised funds.

PICTURED RIGHT: Dr. James Bell (right), associate vice president for academics, speaks with Jane Tucker (left), community member, at Northwestern’s scholarship drive close on Wednesday, March 8. 

By the end of the drive, a total of $42,670 was raised, with a total of 417 contacts made. Of this total, 208 Alva community contacts were made and 209 Northwestern employees were contacted, 50 percent of whom made a donation. The annual Scholarship Drive is a month-long event in which on-campus and off-campus teams work toward raising funds as an investment in the students of Northwestern.

“This dedicated team of volunteers and our community provided another extraordinary and successful scholarship campaign,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “It is always inspiring to see our staff and community members come together to support our students with scholarship funds. I want to thank everyone – both the solicitors and the donors – for their participation in this event. They provide an outstanding definition of ‘community’.”

In conclusion of the drive, a luncheon was held and guests were entertained by the University Singers. Gift cards were awarded to individuals who raised the most funds, made the most contacts and gained the largest donation.

For more information about investing in students at Northwestern or to get involved in next year’s Scholarship Drive, contact Bird at aebird@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8599.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Jennifer Grassano
Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association
580-327-8598, jcgrassano@nwosu.edu

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The annual “Primp for Prom” event was held recently at the Woodward High School Practice Gym and involved approximately 250 donated dresses and more than 50 pairs of shoes.

Each year Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of Social Work and Woodward High School Key Club co-sponsor the event and gather dress and shoe donations providing them to high school students at no charge. This year more than 10 schools and two states participated in the event.

Members in the Department of Social Work would like to express appreciation to the following, who contributed to the success of Primp for Prom: Woodward High School Key Club members; Anjanette Laverty, Woodward High School counselor; Northwestern student volunteers; Woodward and Shattuck community members; Woodward High School employee volunteers; and all the generous dress and shoe donors from across northwest Oklahoma.

“The Department of Social Work is always honored to sponsor this event for young women in the northwest region because it embodies our university and departmental mission to build a sense of community and provide service to others,” Dr. Kylene Rehder, Department of Social Work chair, said.

For more information please contact Rehder at kdrehder@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8135.

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Fine Arts department will play host to its first guitar festival Saturday, April 1, at 8 a.m. 

Performing solo and ensembles in front of a panel of judges will be 100 junior high and high school students from the northwest Oklahoma area. The judges will be Max Ridgway, adjunct instructor of music; Dr. Marc Decker, director of instrumental music and music education; and Karsten Longhurst, director of choral studies.

Students competing with solo and ensemble pieces will perform throughout the day in the Fine Arts Building starting at 8 a.m. Awards will be presented to the top performers at 11 a.m. in Fine Arts room 200.

For more information on this inaugural event or Northwestern’s instrumental music program, contact Decker at (580) 327-8191 or mddecker@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s visual arts program welcomed California artist Joe Gegan on March 1 as its March artist-in-residence.

Gegan will develop a body of work in the Jesse Dunn Art Annex, room 323. He will assist in teaching visual arts courses and provide feedback to visual arts students. A culminating exhibition of the work he has created while here will be displayed on Friday, April 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Graceful Arts Center in downtown Alva during the April First Friday Art Walk.

On Saturday, April 1, from 1-2 p.m. at the Graceful Arts Center, Gegan will present a lecture and slide presentation discussing his paintings and influences. This event is free and open to the public.

Originally from Santa Cruz, California, Gegan earned a Bachelor in Studio Art degree from the University of California in Davis, California. In 2013 he earned a Master of Fine Arts in painting from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Gegan’s interest is in building paintings from intuition, by breaking down old paintings, both those of other artists, then repurposing them through collage techniques. He believes the action of this decay allows for interesting new associations, both personal and formal.

“My painting has become increasingly sculptural, possessing a physicality that ripples with texture and moves in muscular patterns that add layers of depth,” Gegan said. “The paintings are very much about my own reach and the movement of paint, my own physicality and touch as I endeavor to make paintings with a complex psychological presence that tries to capture the soul of a place."

Kate Mothes, founder of Young Space, describes Gegan’s work as “a mix of the old and the new and a flurry of collage of expressionist painting technique.”

Young Space is a blog and nomadic project platform with a mission to support and collaborate with emerging contemporary artists, students, and the community by engaging in meaningful dialogue through unique content.

To view pieces of Gegan’s artwork online visit www.joegegan.com.

The artist-in-residence program in visual arts at Northwestern was established in January 2014 to invite emerging and established artists to campus and Alva. The program provides the gift of time for the artist, allowing them the opportunity to create their works in a quiet environment, while also exposing the community to new and interesting ideas.

For more information on the artist-in-residence program, how to apply or about the visual arts program, please contact Kyle Larson, director of the visual arts program, at (580) 327-8108 or krlarson@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Artist-in-Residence Joe Gegan works on one of the art pieces he’ll have on display at the Graceful Arts Center for the First Friday Artwalk April 7 from 6-8 p.m. Gegan will present a free lecture and slide presentation discussing his paintings and influences at the Center on Saturday, April 1, from 1-2 p.m.

Dr. Roger Hardaway, professor of history at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, recently presented “The History of African American Cowboys” at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid as part of the center’s “Brown Bag Lunch and Learn” outreach program.

February is celebrated as Black History Month in the United States, so Hardaway was asked to speak on a topic about which he has done much research. The heritage center is one of the premiere museums in the state of Oklahoma, operating under the control of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Hardaway is a long-time member of the Oklahoma Historical Society, and this was the third time he has delivered an address at the heritage center.

The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center highlights the Oklahoma Land Run of 1893 that helped populate much of northwestern Oklahoma. The center, at the present time, also is educating the public on the importance of the Chisholm Trail to this part of the state. The trail, founded in 1867 by Jesse Chisholm and others, is 150 years old this year. It passed through Enid on its way north, and was one of the most important cattle trails leading from Texas to the railroads of Kansas and other states. Once the cattle reached the Great Plains cow towns, they boarded trains for Chicago where they were slaughtered to help feed the millions of citizens who lived in the eastern United States. Hardaway’s presentation noted some of the African American cowboys who rode the Chisholm Trail in the late 19^th Century.

Hardaway has written extensively about the history of African Americans in the American West. He is the co-editor of “African Americans on the Western Frontier,” a book that is in several hundred academic libraries in the United States. He has published several articles on African American cowboys including one in “The Chronicles of Oklahoma,” the state’s primary history journal.

He has been a member of the Northwestern faculty since 1990 and has taught U.S. history to more than 4,000 students.

For more information on his work, contact Hardaway at (580) 327-8520 or rdhardaway@nwosu.edu.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu, (580) 327-8480

Gary Adams, owner and operator of Alva’s Sonic Drive-In, continues to support education with the Alva Sonic Scholarship. Adams recently presented a $5,000 gift to the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association for the benefit of Northwestern students. This donation is made possible by Alva’s Sonic Drive-in, Gary Adams and the Marvin and Barbara Jirous Foundation.

PICTURED RIGHT: Gary Adams (left), of Sonic, presented a $5,000 gift for the Alva Sonic Scholarship to Skeeter Bird (right), CEO, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association, for the benefit of Northwestern Oklahoma State University students. This donation is made possible by Alva’s Sonic Drive-In, Gary Adams and the Marvin and Barbara Jirous Foundation.

To date, Adams – in association with the Alva Sonic Drive-In and the Marvin and Barbara Jirous Foundation – has given more than $53,000 to various University projects and groups. Specifically, the Alva Sonic Scholarship endowment is now valued at more than $48,950.

“We are grateful that visionaries like Gary see the value of investing in students,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “It would be staggering to count the number of students Gary and Sonic have helped, not only with this scholarship, but with extremely flexible employment over the years. Both of these commodities are priceless for a student seeking to obtain a degree to better himself or herself.”

To be considered for the Alva Sonic Scholarship, applicants must meet all standard scholarship requirements, including being an incoming freshman, full-time student attending classes on the Alva campus with at least a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Applicants who hold permanent residence in Lamar, Colo., Alva, Okla., Warren, Ark., Hobbs, N.M., or Augusta, Kan. – communities where Adams owns Sonics – will be given preference.

For more information on the Alva Sonic Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, contact Bird at 580-327-8593 or email aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Students in two different humanities classes at Northwestern Oklahoma State University recently received some in-person lessons in the critique and appreciation of art by viewing pieces entered in the 14^th annual NWOSU Art Society (NAS) Art Show in the J.W. Martin Library on the Alva campus.

Members of the Art in Life class taught by Ken Kelsey, instructor of history and fine arts, and the Introduction to Literature class taught by Dr. Kathy Earnest, assistant professor of English, viewed pieces entered in photography, paintings, drawings, mixed media, digital art, cartoon/comics, fiber arts and artisan crafts. The show will remain open on campus through March 31, and is free and open to the public during regular library hours.

Kelsey said he placed his students into groups so they could pick out their top three pieces from one of the categories and present their findings. He had them look at the various elements of the artwork, originality of the piece, craftsmanship, composition, how the piece was presented through framing/mounting, and how the artist followed the theme of the category entered.

“When we walk in to judge something we have to have certain kinds of standards,” Kelsey said. “Does it make a difference if you’re buying it or if you’re judging it? This just gets them to thinking about it, and this gives them an opportunity to actually do something, not just hear me talking about it…I like to hear each one of them, their voice, and their opinion, that’s critical. I think that’s what the Art Society is providing with this extraordinary on-campus opportunity.”

Earnest said that her class is studying Oklahoma authors, and she wanted her students to see how some of their peers share their perspectives and creativity.

“In class discussions we try to make connections between humanities and student-experiences,” Earnest said.

Kaitlin Kokojan, Bison junior majoring in health and sports science, said she honestly didn’t expect to understand or take much interest in the art show, but found she really enjoyed it.

“I found myself looking at pictures and developing emotions from what I had seen in the painting and how it may relate to my life in the past,” Kokojan said.

Jordan Coffman, Alva junior majoring in general studies, found the show to be interesting because several pieces were shown from a different perspective.

“These people are taking everyday objects and people that are shown to the world to be one way but are given a new meaning,” Coffman said.

Alexandria Shepherd, Freedom freshman majoring in pre-med, said the art show gave her an easy opportunity to speak and have a conversation with another student, and she appreciated the fact the NWOSU Art Society took the time and was willing to put the art show up where anyone could see it.

“I’m so happy that our show has offered learning experiences to more students than just our own Art Society members,” Angelia Case, NAS sponsor, said. “I think the creative ways that faculty members are using our show are wonderful.”

Case said 28 students produced 136 items in the show while 116 pieces were created by 14 non-students including four faculty, five staff, four alumni and one retired staff member.

All pieces within each category are judged for first, second and third placings. Each first place award is considered for a Best of Show prize. Students can win $15, $5 and $2 for first, second and third placings along with ribbons, and a $75 prize for Best of Show. Non-student winners receive ribbons.

“I’m thrilled with the quality of all the pieces entered this year,” Case said. “I can see a happy trend in the work of our students, especially. While not every piece can win an award, every single person entering should be very proud; they made the judge’s job very difficult!”

Case also encourages everyone visiting the art show to vote for their favorite piece from among all entries. The artist whose piece of artwork garners the most votes will earn the distinction People’s Choice winner and receive a ribbon and $50 prize.

“On that ballot, you’ll also find a place to leave us a comment about the show and your thoughts on ways to improve it for next year,” Case said. “And then, before you leave, please sign our guest book and leave us a comment. Our members and our exhibitors value your comments very much.”

Case said the People’s Choice winner will be announced prior to the end of the on-campus show, but the Best of Show winners, in a new twist, won’t be revealed until the Winner’s Show that will take place in downtown Alva during the First Friday Art Walk April 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Runnymede Hotel.

Non-winning art from the campus show may be picked up at the library on Monday, April 3, by 5:30 p.m. Artwork from the community show at the Runnymede may be picked up at the end of that show at 8 p.m. or from Fine Arts 211 on Monday, April 10, by 5:30 p.m.

“The Art Society is a small but mighty group of students who love to promote the arts,” Case said. “Our members work to raise funds all year so that we can have this art show for our students and non-students to enter, as well as to enjoy. We also appreciate the support of the Student Government Association for its co-sponsorship of the show.”

For additional information about the art show or the Art Society, visit the NAS website at www.nwosu.edu/art, join the club’s Facebook group or fan page or contact Case at arcase@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8577. More information on classes within the Visual Arts program, please contact Kyle Larson, assistant professor of art, at (580) 327-8108 or krlarson@nwosu.edu.

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Students in the Art in Life humanities class at Northwestern Oklahoma State University look at artwork available at the 14^th annual NWOSU Art Society Art Show in the J.W. Martin Library. As a teaching tool Ken Kelsey had the students determine their top three choices in each category and present their findings to the rest of the group. The art show will be open to the public in the library until March 31. All winning pieces will move to a winner’s show at the Runnymede Hotel on April 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. for the First Friday Artwalk.

Enrollment for the fall session at Northwestern Oklahoma State University opens Tuesday, March 21. Summer enrollment is underway. Classes for the summer semester begin on June 5, and the fall semester on Aug. 21.

Northwestern’s course schedule can be found online at www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules. At the top of that web page is the link “Updated Course Schedule” that will allow the user to find courses in all programs in a dropdown link format. This location on the website will keep everyone aware of what courses are closed or canceled as indicated with color-coded lines. It also clarifies if permission of an instructor is required before enrollment in a closed class can be processed. The same location shows if any changes have been made to course times, locations or instructors.

All students must obtain a class schedule and enrollment form, have the form signed by an adviser and process the form at the registrar’s office located in the first floor of Herod Hall. Currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students pre-approved by their academic advisers may enroll online or at the registrar’s office,

Enrollment at Northwestern-Enid, 2929 E. Randolph, and Northwestern-Woodward, 2007 34th St., will be processed at their registration offices during regular business hours.

New students—both transfers and first-time students—and those returning after being out at least one semester must enroll in the registrar’s office.

Continuing students should check with faculty within their chosen fields of study for departmental scholarships, applications and deadlines.

Northwestern offers several scholarship opportunities for transfer students and freshmen. A number of participation scholarships for all students also are given in areas such as band, choir, theatre, visual arts, cheerleading and campus media. Recommendations for these awards usually come from university department heads. Athletic scholarships are awarded through the athletic department. To find a list of available academic scholarships visit www.nwosu.edu/scholarships-list.

High school seniors who wish to apply for Northwestern scholarships and enrollment incentives should return a completed scholarship application with a seven-semester transcript by May 15. Transfer students have until July 15 to complete a scholarship application and provide verification of their cumulative grade point average. An online scholarship form is available at www.nwosu.edu/online-scholarship-application.

For more information about scholarship opportunities visit www.nwosu.edu/scholarships. Questions about financial aid and scholarships can be directed to Rita Castleberry, director of financial aid and scholarships, at (580) 327-8540 or rjcastleberry@nwosu.edu.

Students with enrollment questions may call the Alva registrar’s office at (580) 327-8550, the Enid registration office at (580) 213-3102 or the main office in Woodward at (580) 256-0047.

More information on Northwestern and various requirements needed to become a student at Northwestern can be found in the recruitment viewbook at http://bit.ly/NWOSU-viewbook or by exploring the university’s website at www.nwosu.edu.

For students looking to transfer or return to college to finish a degree, visit http://bit.ly/transfer-info or www.nwosu.edu/transfer-adult-readmit. Students interested in earning a master’s degree at Northwestern should contact Lydia Campbell, coordinator of graduate studies, at (580) 327-8410 or ircampbell@nwosu.edu. Anyone with additional questions on how to #BeARanger or to schedule a campus tour should contact the Office of Recruitment at recruit@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8546.

-NW-

CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
apgavitt@nwosu.edu , (580) 327-8480

Employers seeking employees have an opportunity to go right to the source by attending the Spring 2017 Career and Internship Fair at Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Alva on March 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Twelve employers have currently registered. Registration is still open to reserve booth space by registering on www.nwosu.edu/career-fairs or by calling Andrea Lauderdale, career services coordinator for the Career Services Office, at (580) 327-8606.

Representatives may set up tables in the Student Center Ranger Room from noon to 3 p.m.

Northwestern students, as well as any job seekers, are welcome to attend the fair and should be prepared to provide copies of resumes and cover letters.

“This is a great opportunity for employers to advertise their openings and recruit the excellent candidates that Northwestern produces, as well as for students and job seekers to market themselves,” Lauderdale said. “Our goal is to make the job search process a little less stressful for everyone involved!”

Lauderdale also encourages job seekers to dress well and to stop by her office in Fine Arts 142 if they need any help prior to the fair. Those interested in a list of current registered employers make contact Lauderdale at amlauderdale@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

CONTACT
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480 or apgavitt@nwosu.edu

The Enid Friends of Psychology Scholarship has been established by the Enid Psychology Club at Northwestern Oklahoma State University to provide financial assistance to Enid-area undergraduate psychology students.

PICTURED RIGHT: Psychology Club sponsor, Leigh Kirby (far left), pictured with psychology club members (left to right) Codi Harding, Whitney Hake, Taylor Randolph, Breonna Collier and Alicia Green at the Northwestern-Enid campus.

“Dr. Wayne McMillin [dean, Enid campus] started this scholarship many years ago,” said Leigh Kirby, instructor of psychology and current Enid Psychology Club sponsor. “He was the sponsor for the club and wanted to help students with scholarships. Funds have been raised numerous different ways, from large fundraisers to small. The support we’ve received from community agencies and individuals is amazing. Any money collected went toward the Enid Friends of Psychology Scholarship.”

The Enid Psychology Club was founded in 1987 under the supervision of McMillin. Since its inception, it has been one of the most successful student organizations on the Enid campus and has thrived because of the efforts of many. The Psychology Club activities and events have included hundreds of Northwestern-Enid students whose legacy has had a tremendous impact on the personal growth of the student body and fulfilled many civic projects to benefit the citizens of Enid and the surrounding areas.

“It is exciting to see another scholarship created through the persistence and hard work of many passionate Rangers,” said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO. “This scholarship will be a lasting tribute for the students, teachers and community supporters who collectively labored to make this dream a reality. “

Kirby said the scholarship will continue to provide incentive and motivation to help students pursue the field of psychology.

“Applicants can begin sending in their information starting in March to be eligible for the scholarship,” said Kirby. “The recipient will be named at the Enid Recognition Ceremony on May 4 and will be awarded for the fall 2017 semester.”

Full-time junior and senior students at the Enid campus majoring in psychology with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the Enid Friends of Psychology Scholarship. Applicants must complete the scholarship application form through the financial aid office on the Enid campus. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board.

For more information on the Enid Friends of Psychology Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Bird, Northwestern Foundation CEO, at 580-327-8599 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Flamingos will soon start appearing in flocks in Alva.

These flocks of birds in Alva residents’ yards will appear thanks to a Northwestern Oklahoma State University Choirs’ fundraiser set for March 21 through April 8.

PICTURED RIGHT: The University Singers and University Chorale groups with the flamingos that will be used for the ‘Flocking Flamingos’ fundraiser starting March 21. The funds will be used for expenses for an opportunity for the groups’ to travel and perform in Europe this summer.

The early bird special is $20 to flock a yard and $30 for “insurance” to prevent a yard from being flocked. Starting March 21 the price will increase to $25 to flock a yard and $35 for insurance. Donations for more than the suggested prices would also be graciously received.

For yards that have been flocked, people must pay a $20 minimum donation to have the birds removed from the yard and call—no texting—Charlotte Wilczek, music major from Minneola, Kansas, at (620) 885-5203 or Katelyn Cutsinger, vocal music major from Vici, at (580) 940-2720.

University Singers and University Chorale members will use a flock of 24 flamingos that can appear in any requested yard in Alva as long as the yard has been “un-insured.” The students plan to flock three lawns a night for a total of 54 lawns in two weeks.

The funds will help pay for expenses for the group’s upcoming Euro Tour where 23 students and seven sponsors will get to visit and perform in Austria, Czech Republic and Munich.

Wilczek looks forward to having the community be a part of a great opportunity for the students.

“We hope to get the community involved in a fun and exciting way,” Wilczek said.

For more information contact Wilczek, Cutsinger or Karsten Longhurst, instructor of music and director of choral studies, at (580) 327-8692 or krlonghurst@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

CONTACT
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu 

More than 130 social workers from across the state gathered at the Oklahoma Capitol in February for the National Association of Social Workers, Oklahoma Chapter (NASW-OK) Legislative Day.

Social work students and faculty from Northwestern Oklahoma State University were in attendance to learn about legislative issues impacting the social work profession and the populations they serve. Legislative Day provides an opportunity for social work students and practitioners to engage in macro-level practice and learn effective ways to advocate on the behalf of others. This day assists the students in learning to analyze and formulate policies that advance social well-being and develop ways for effective policy action.

PICTURED RIGHT: Those attending the NASW-OK Legislative Day were Dr. Kylene Rehder, Jessica Goodballet, Marsellia Rael, Elizabeth Fox-Shipley, Codi Harding, Mirissa Branine, Jessi Neal, Jennifer Pribble, Lauren Shriver, Levi Sanders, Dana Kausek and Denise Tyrell.

“Legislative Day provides the opportunity for participation in public policy issues and social justice advocacy, both key components of social work education and practice” said Dr. Kylene Rehder, chair of the department of social work.

The day started with a tour of the Oklahoma State Capitol and a welcome message from NASW-OK Board President Frannie Pryor, followed by Kara Joy McKee, an outreach specialist from the Oklahoma Policy Institute who presented on effectively approaching legislators. A legislative panel comprised of Rep. Carol Bush, Rep. Emily Virgin, Rep. Jason Dunnington, Sen. Adam Pugh and Sen. David Holt was moderated by Andy Moore, executive director of Let’s Fix This, Inc. The day concluded with opportunities to engage with legislators and closing remarks by the executive director of NASW-OK, Mary Jo Kinzie.

Social work students who were in attendance included: Mirissa Branine, Woodward senior; Jessica Goodballet, Mooreland sophomore; Elizabeth Fox-Shipley, Laverne sophomore; Codi Harding, Enid senior; Dana Kausek, Enid senior; Jessi Neal, Hobart senior; Marsellia Rael, Woodward junior; Levi Sanders, Goltry senior; Lauren Shriver, Hunter junior; and Denise Tyrell, Enid junior.

Jennifer Pribble, assistant professor of social work, also was in attendance along with Rehder.

For more information about Northwestern’s social work programs contact Rehder at (580) 327-8135 or kdrehder@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

More than 900 individuals will participate in Oklahoma Research Day (ORD) on Friday, March 3, at the Central National Bank Center in Enid. This is the first time for Northwestern Oklahoma State University to play host to an ORD event.

The public is invited to attend the morning events starting with poster presentations at 9 a.m. The banquet at 12:30 p.m. is reserved for registrants of the ORD event. Comments from Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president, and Chancellor Glenn Johnson from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education will precede featured keynote speaker Kate Blalack, archivist at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa.

A special recognition award for past service will be presented to Dr. Rodney C. Murrow, emeritus professor of music at Northwestern, who was previously the associate dean of graduate studies. During his time at Northwestern, Murrow attended an ORD event that brought the inspiration to start the annual Ranger Research Day for the university’s students and faculty. Ranger Research Day then acted as a feeder event for Northwestern students to present at ORD.

Dr. Shawn Holliday, chair of Northwestern’s ORD committee, associate dean of graduate studies and professor of English, is excited to have entrees from all over the state.

“As coordinator of the event, I am proud to say that we have 947 registrants from colleges and universities around the state, who will be presenting their research in the areas of business, education and professional studies, fine arts and design, liberal arts, and mathematics and science.

“This event showcases the creative, innovative, and important research that is conducted by students and faculty in higher education. Join us to see what exactly higher education has to offer students, state and local communities, and the nation at large.”

Of the total 947 registrants, 90 are from Northwestern with 21 of the 538 research projects being Northwestern students. Students and faculty who participated in Ranger Research Day this fall at Northwestern were encouraged to present their research and represent Northwestern at ORD.

Now in its 18th year, ORD is a premier annual event celebrating student and faculty research, creative and scholarly activities. The event has grown in numbers and in stature with contributions from all of Oklahoma’s institutions of higher education, including many collaborative contributions from national and international academic and research institutions.

As a more environmentally-friendly way to host all of the abstracts and general information, Bruno Miguel, a Northwestern junior computer science major from Brazil, has developed an app, with assistance from Mark Bagley, instructor of computer science, to be used for Oklahoma Research Day. The app is free and will provide information to anyone interested in the conference, its materials and the City of Enid. The app titled “Oklahoma Research Day” is currently available for upload on all devices. The app for Windows phones will be released closer to the event day.

Holliday has been working with VisitEnid to provide more information about the city for the app and possible incentives for Enid businesses.

Keep up with Oklahoma Research Day with the hashtag “#ExploreORD” on social media.

Northwestern’s jazz ensemble and University Singers will be performing during the banquet.

Others helping to sponsor ORD this year include Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE); Oklahoma Experimental Program for Stimulating Competitive Research (EPSCoR) - National Science Foundation; Idea Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) - National Institutes of Health; The Aurora Learning Community Association (ALCA); Cameron University; East Central University; Langston University; Northeastern State University; Southeastern Oklahoma State University; Southwestern Oklahoma State University; the University of Central Oklahoma; and Enid Regional Development Alliance. Several Oklahoma regents and university presidents also will be attending ORD.

For general information on ORD visit: www.oklahomaresearchday.com.

Northwestern plans to play host to this event again in March 2018.

For more information contact Holliday at (580) 327-8589 or spholliday@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Northwestern Oklahoma State University will observe the traditional collegiate spring break from March 12-17. Classes will resume their normal schedule on Monday, March 20.

Administrative offices at all three campuses will be closed Monday through Thursday, March 13-16. Offices will be open Friday, March 17, with regular hours.

As a reminder to individuals who are interested in attending Northwestern in the summer or fall, enrollment currently is open for the summer session, and enrollment for the fall session will open March 21. Fall semester classes begin Aug. 21. Interim classes are May 9-31. Summer classes begin June 5; there are June only classes, July only classes, and classes held in both June and July.

For a list of all available classes, visit www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules.

To enroll for any semester at Northwestern, all first-time freshmen and transfer students first must be admitted to the university, then obtain a class schedule and enrollment form, complete the form with an adviser and obtain the adviser’s signature prior to completing the enrollment process. The enrollment process must be completed in the registrar’s office.

Each first-year freshman must enroll in one of the Ranger Connection classes. This class is designed to help students connect to and learn more about the university. Ranger Connection classes are listed under University Studies schedules.

Current students also must enroll through the registrar’s office except for those pre-approved by their advisers to enroll online.

Students admitted to the Graduate School may enroll in person or online using the RangerNet system on the Northwestern website. Students enrolling in graduate courses for the first time at Northwestern must enroll in person.

Students with enrollment questions may call the Alva Registry Office at (580) 327-8550, the Enid Registration Office at (580) 213-3102 or the main office in Woodward at (580) 256-0047.

-NW-

CONTACT FOR RELEASE 
Ali Gavitt, University Relations Specialist
580-327-8480, apgavitt@nwosu.edu

The deadline is nearing for high school seniors who plan to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University in the fall who are interested in applying for the President’s Leadership Class (PLC) and earning up to $2,750 in scholarship funds. The application deadline is Tuesday, March 7. Students must meet specific requirements in order to apply.

Applications may be found online at www.nwosu.edu/presidents-leadership-class and may be hand-delivered or mailed as long as they meet the deadline.

Students should include a seven-semester transcript and ACT scores with the application, and must meet all standard admission requirements to Northwestern.

Applications also must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation. One letter must be from a high school teacher, high school principal, high school counselor or other faculty member or member of administration. The second letter should be from another person such as a minister, family friend or employer. Letters of recommendation should include the name, position and relationship to you of the person writing the recommendations.

All applicants must submit a scholarship application along with the PLC application or have one on file in the Northwestern Financial Aid and Scholarship Office prior to the PLC application deadline. Scholarship application forms can be obtained from this office or by visiting www.nwosu.edu/scholarships.

Selected finalists will be notified by mid-March and contacted by phone and/or mail about dates and times for an interview set for late March or early April.

Recipients of the PLC Scholarship will be notified by mid-April. The scholarship will cover freshman year only at Northwestern-Alva.

Each year, the PLC class takes a trip to a major U.S. city with Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. The group visits museums and other fun sights.

“The impact this scholarship can have on students as they begin their journey in higher education is truly unprecedented, said Paige Fischer, director of recruitment. “I would encourage all high school seniors who are interested in attending Northwestern to apply.”

All application materials should be mailed or delivered to:
Paige Fischer,
Northwestern Oklahoma State University,
Office of Recruitment
709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, OK 73717.

Contact Fischer with questions at plfischer@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8545.

-NW-

Continuing cuts in state appropriations will affect access to one of Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s most popular programs.

Dr. Janet Cunningham, president of Northwestern, said budget cuts will force the University to suspend concurrent enrollment tuition waivers for high school juniors, beginning with the fall semester of 2017. Tuition waivers for high school seniors will remain in place.

The concurrent enrollment program provides high school juniors and seniors in Oklahoma the opportunity to take college-level courses and earn college credit while still in high school. Enrollment in concurrent courses have allowed students to get a jump start on college while saving students hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition costs.

“This decision was absolutely heartbreaking to make, but you cannot continue to cut budgets without affecting students,” Cunningham said. “We receive some state funds to offset waivers for high school seniors, but none for juniors. Northwestern did it as a service to students and their families, but we simply cannot continue.”

While juniors may still enroll in concurrent classes at Northwestern, they must now pay full tuition costs for the course. Last fall, 29 high school juniors enrolled in concurrent courses. This spring, 27 juniors are taking courses.

A number of area superintendents were informed of the decision at a meeting on campus last week.

Northwestern sustained an historic 16 percent reduction in state appropriations for the current fiscal year. Last week, a state budget revenue failure forced Northwestern to make mid-year cuts in its budget. In the past two years, Northwestern has eliminated 14 full-time faculty and staff positions, reduced operational and capital expenses, and deferred maintenance to numerous campus facilities.

-NW-

Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of English, Foreign Language and Humanities is organizing a series of “Community Reads” throughout the months of March and April to celebrate the visit of the spring 2017 Visiting Writer Mary Anna Evans on April 12-13.

The department invites Northwestern students, faculty and staff as well as surrounding community members to partake in the five evening events and the reading of novels from the “Faye Longchamp” series by Evans. All events are free.

Evans has degrees in physics and engineering and teaches fiction and nonfiction writing at the University of Oklahoma where she is an assistant professor in the professional writing program. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Rutgers-Camden, where she studied creative nonfiction and literary fiction. Evans has had her short work featured in publications and has earned recognition from the Mississippi Library with the Association’s Mississippi Author Award, as well as many other accomplishments.

“Artifacts” is a mystery from the series featuring archaeologist Longchamp. As part of the “community reads” model, the department has organized interdisciplinary speakers on topics related to the novel. These speakers will serve to frame the novel for those interested in reading it, are already into the novel, or are just interested in the topic. Familiarity with the novel is not required to attend—or enjoy—any of the framing lectures.

Specific information about the “community reads” events and the visit by Evans follows:

Tuesday, March 7

The community reads will kick-off the series on Tuesday, March 7, at 6 p.m. in the Science Amphitheater at Northwestern-Alva. This event is called “’Artifacts’ and the Sciences: How to Find Buried Treasure” with speaker Dr. Patrick Livingood, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Oklahoma.

Monday, March 20

The Alva Public Library, 504 7^th St., will play host to the second event titled “’Artifacts’ and the Law: How to Avoid Prison” on Monday, March 20, at 6 p.m. Speakers for the event are Dr. Roger Hardaway, professor of history at Northwestern, and Jeff McAlpin, instructor of sociology and criminal justice at Northwestern and is the administrative director for Bill Johnson Correctional Center (BJCC) in Alva.

Tuesday, April 4

“’Artifacts’ and the Humanities: How to Make a Mystery” will take place at Northwestern-Alva on Tuesday, April 4, at 6 p.m. Speakers will be Dr. Kathryn “Kate” Lane, associate professor of English and chair, English, Foreign Language and Humanities Department at Northwestern; and Dr. Roxie James, Northwestern lecturer. Upon request, this event will be broadcast via ITV to Northwestern’s locations in Enid, Woodward and Ponca City only if interested participants RSVP with their name and Northwestern campus location to English@nwosu.edu.

Wednesday, April 12

“Meet the Author: The Alva Community Welcomes Mary Anna Evans at the Graceful Arts Gallery” is Wednesday, April 12, at 5 p.m. This event is specifically tailored for community involvement to meet the author of the “Faye Longchamp” series. Those interested in attending are not required to read the books in order to meet the author.

Thursday, April 13 

Evans will be in the Northwestern-Alva Education Center, room 109, on April 13 at 7 p.m. to speak for Northwestern’s Visiting Writers series. She will read from the 10^th book “Burials,” which is set in Oklahoma. Evans will take questions from the audience and talk about the success of the “Faye Longchamp” series. There will be a book signing following this event.

From March 7 through April 13, Northwestern’s Natural History Museum, located on the second floor of Jesse Dunn, will have a display specifically tailored to the novel and the archaeology it features. This will allow Northwestern students to participate if they are unable to attend the evening events.

"I'm very excited to visit Northwestern and Alva,” Evans said. “I'm a relatively new Oklahoman, having just moved here in 2015, and one of the highlights of doing background research for ‘Burials’ was that it gave me the opportunity to explore parts of Oklahoma I hadn't seen yet.

“Being a Visiting Writer for Northwestern means that I get to see even more of my new home state. I'm particularly looking forward to meeting people in Alva and at the university. I always enjoy talking to people who love to read and write, and hearing the viewpoints of students and young writers is a special joy."

For more information on Evans visit www.maryannaevans.com.

The Visiting Writer’s Series is a way to bring Oklahoma Writers to northwest Oklahoma every spring to discuss writing, the publishing industry and to share their work. This annual series is made possible through donations and raised funds. Anyone interested in giving a tax-deductible donation to the series or have questions about it may contact Dr. Kathryn Lane at (580) 327-8470 or kelane@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Donovan Reichenberger, a Northwestern Oklahoma State University graduate and former history faculty member, has established the Donovan Reichenberger Endowed Chair in Theatre. This gift, totaling $250,000 and one of two endowed chairs by Reichenberger, will provide partial funding for a faculty position within the theatre department.

“Donovan Reichenberger’s history of supporting students at Northwestern is long and impressive,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “His gift of an endowed faculty chair to support our theatre program will not only benefit Northwestern, but will provide opportunities for the public to further enjoy the theatrical performances of our students.”

Born in Mt. Hope, Kan., Reichenberger married his wife, Dorothy, in 1958. Following 18 years of naval service, he graduated from Northwestern State College in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in social science. He earned his master’s degree at Wichita State University before joining the Northwestern history faculty in 1967. In December 1992, he retired from Northwestern after 25 years of service. Dorothy passed in 2005.

“It was by chance that I ended up at Northwestern,” said Reichenberger. “After I finished my masters I came back to Alva to get things together to start applying for jobs and that’s when Dr. [John] Sheffield [former university professor] offered me a job with the history department.”

From then on, Reichenberger said Alva became his “second home”.

With a love of theatre, Reichenberger hopes this endowment provides extra financial support for the program and its students.

“Theatre is entertaining and I appreciate the fact that the theatre students have to do a lot of the work themselves. They are there many nights preparing the stage before each performance.”

This lectureship also may assist with needs for pedagogical and performance equipment in the theatre department and to enhance performance opportunities for students in the theatre program.

While serving on the Investment Committee, Reichenberger worked to ensure the funds invested by the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association earn their greatest potential.

For more information on the Donovan Reichenberger Endowed Chair in Theatre, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association CEO, at 580-327-8599 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will play host to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) band contest on Wednesday, March 1, starting at 8:30 a.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium.

This event is free and open to the public.

Eighteen schools from Oklahoma, their directors, and the approximate times and order they will perform are:

Morning Performances

• 8:08 a.m. – Ringwood 7th-12^th Grade Band with Director Kyle Stewart
• 8:52 a.m. – Deer Creek-Lamont High School Band with Director Jeffrey McReynolds
• 9:14 a.m. – Vici High School Band with Director Keegan Trimble
• 9:36 a.m. – Oklahoma Bible Academy High School Band (Enid) with Director David Holland
• 9:58 a.m. – Laverne High School Band with Director Joel Nichols
• 10:20 a.m. – Okeene Junior and Senior High School Band with Director Meagan Stufflebeam
• 10:42 a.m. – Newkirk High School Band with Director Joshua Faulkner
• 11:04 a.m. – Alva Band of Gold with Director Cara Bradt
• 11:26 a.m. – Washington High School Band with Director Christopher Hall

Afternoon Performances

• 1 p.m. – Pioneer-Pleasant Vale Band with Director Sherri Lohmann
• 1:22 p.m. – Pride of Kingfisher Band with Director Mandy Owens
• 1:44 p.m. – Watonga High School Band with Director Tony Martinez
• 2:06 p.m. – Pond-Creek Hunter High School Band with Director Craig Engel
• 2:28 p.m. – Kremlin-Hillsdale High School Band with Director Kaylene Toelle
• 2:50 p.m. – Waukomis High School Concert Band with Director Sean Newman
• 3:12 p.m. – Watonga Middle School Band with Director Tony Martinez
• 3:34 p.m. – Medford High School Band with Director Katherine Flaherty
• 3:56 p.m. – Waynoka High School Band with Director Erin Place

Schools competing with solo pieces will perform throughout the day in the Fine Arts Building starting at 8:30 a.m.

Each band was able to select music pieces from a list compiled by OSSAA personnel.

Those receiving a “1” at district competition qualify for state competition.

For more information on Northwestern’s instrumental music program, contact Dr. Marc Decker, assistant professor of fine arts and director of instrumental music and music education at (580) 327-8191 or mddecker@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Bill and Linda Beeler established the Beeler-Stites Family Scholarship to honor their family lineage at Northwestern and to continue their support of the Alva community and university students.

Northwestern and the Beeler family share a long history of alumni starting with Bill’s grandfather, William “Bill” Stites – class of 1915. Since William “Bill”, several Beelers have passed through Northwestern’s doors, including Bill and Linda, Kevin Beeler, ’96; John Beeler, ’90; Rick Beeler, ’87; Brenna (Beeler) Heaton, ’11; Therese (Beeler) Gustaveson, ’11; Dalton Beeler, ’14; and Patricia Beeler who is currently enrolled. Their granddaughter, Riley Beeler, also plans to attend Northwestern after high school.

“We visited with Skeeter [Bird, CEO, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association] in 2007 to see how to set up a scholarship because we could not pay the $10,000 endowment all at once,” said the Beelers. “We were told we could pay on a scholarship fund until we reached the goal for which we were striving. On June 11, 2007, we made our first payment totaling $200. Ten years later, our endowment is paid in full. This was a great way for us to give back to Northwestern and ten years went by so quickly!”

Bird said he is proud of Bill and Linda for their commitment to Northwestern students.

“The Beelers are an excellent example of a family committed to Northwestern with their time, with their diplomas and with their philanthropy,” said Bird. “To all of us, they have demonstrated that perseverance and dedication pay off.”

The Beelers chose to set up their scholarship specifically for science and nursing students because of the amount of time they spent in hospitals with a son.

“Our son, Kevin, developed juvenile onset diabetes at the age of four and many days were spent in the hospital with doctors and nurses caring for him and giving him support,” said Linda. “This motivated us to create a scholarship at Northwestern to financially help students who are pursuing careers in the medical field.”

Bill and Linda accomplished a goal of theirs in endowing the Beeler-Stites Family Scholarship at Northwestern and want to see it help others achieve their goals.

“If you want it, go after it. Hard work is how you achieve goals in life – they don’t just happen. You get out of life what you give to life,” said Linda.

Full-time, continuing students majoring in science or nursing with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average are eligible for the Beeler-Stites Family Scholarship. Preference will be given to applicants with the greatest perceived need by the Scholarship Committee. The scholarship may be applied toward university-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board.

For more information on the Beeler-Stites Family Scholarship, or about investing in Northwestern students, call Bird, Northwestern Foundation CEO, at 580-327-8599 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

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Two Northwestern Oklahoma State University faculty members presented papers at the 2017 Southwest Popular/American Culture Association (SWPACA) Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Feb. 15-17.

Dr. Kathryn “Kate” Lane (pictured left), associate professor of English and chair of the English, Foreign Language and Humanities Department, presented the second day of the conference with her paper, “Why Jane Can’t Decode Her Own Body: NBC’s ‘Blindspot’ as Re-Visioning of Parler-Femme,” for the category titled “Women, Gender, and Sexuality 6: Fantastic Feminisms.”

“I've presented at SWPACA since coming to Northwestern,” Lane said. “It's particularly helpful in my Pop Culture Comp courses. I also find the pedagogy panels helpful to spark new ideas in my own teaching. I plan to continue participating in this conference (currently I'm an area chair, and I'm proposing a pre-conference workshop for next year) for a long time as it offers invaluable pedagogical innovation.”

Dr. Kathleen Earnest (pictured right), assistant professor of English, presented the third day with her paper, “Reflection of a First-Generation College Student through Personal Narrative,” for the category titled “Biography, Autobiography, Memoir, and Personal Narrative 3.”

“I have attended the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Conference for several years and always enjoy the variety of topics and presentations,” Earnest said. “I usually try to attend sessions which will give me new ideas for my teaching practice and also introduce me to new topics that I don’t usually have time to explore when I get back to my semester routines.”

Lane and Earnest also attended other sessions throughout the conference.

“I attended other sessions on the pedagogy of incorporating pop culture topics into writing assignments for composition coursework,” Earnest said. “This conference gives me an opportunity to experience new ideas and also share a few of my own perspectives when I read a paper at a panel presentation.”

SWPACA promotes an innovative and nontraditional academic movement in humanities and social sciences celebrating America’s cultural heritages. The organization also looks to provide an outlet for scholars, writers and others interested in popular/American culture, to share ideas in a professional atmosphere, and to increase awareness and improve public perceptions of America’s cultural traditions and diverse populations.

For more information on their topics or the English program contact Lane at (580) 327-8470 or kelane@nwosu.edu and Earnest at (580) 327-8472 or kmearnest@nwosu.edu.

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The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Jazz Ensemble and Symphony Band will present their winter band concert “Heavy Metals” on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. in Herod Hall auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

The Jazz Ensemble will perform music pieces such as: “Brother Ray” by Howard Rowe, “Front Burner” by Sammy Nestico, “High Maintenance” by Gordon Goodwin, and “Someone to Watch Over Me” by George Goodwin.

The Symphony Band will perform music pieces such as: “Kentucky 1800” by Clare Grundman; “Song for Lindsay” by Andrew Boysen Jr.; “Portrait of a Clown” by Frank Ticheli, conducted by Arthur Bohlmann, graduate student; “Chaos Theory” by James Bonney, featuring Max Ridgway, adjunct instructor of music.

For more information about the Fine Arts department at Northwestern contact Dr. Marc Decker, assistant professor of fine arts and director of instrumental music and music education, at (580) 327-8521 or email mddecker@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of Social Work and Woodward High School Key Club have set the upcoming “Primp for Prom” event dates for Thursday, March 23, from 1 to 7 p.m. and Friday, March 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Woodward High School practice gym.

The practice gym is located at 13^th Street and Downs Avenue in Woodward.

Primp for Prom is an annual event for northwest Oklahoma high school students to pick out a prom or formal dress at no charge.

Although the event dates are set, the sponsors are still actively seeking formal dress, shoe and jewelry donations.

For donors outside of the Woodward area, please email Dr. Kylene Rehder, associate professor of Social Work and Chair for the Department of Social Work, at kdrehder@nwosu.edu; or Janet Valencia, secretary to the Department of Social Work and Division of Business, at jivalencia@nwosu.edu to make donation arrangements.

For donors within the Woodward area, dresses can be dropped off at Woodward High School. Contact Anjanette Laverty at (580) 256-2858 with any questions.

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Dr. Charles Tucker, long-time dentist in Alva, Okla., and his wife, Jane, established the Dr. Charles and Jane Tucker Computer Science Lectureship at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. This lectureship will support the computer science faculty, staff and students by providing funding for travel and training.

“Academic endowments, such as the Tucker Lectureship, can make the difference in providing students with opportunities to achieve excellence,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “We offer our sincere appreciation to the Tuckers for supporting our students in such a meaningful way.”

Although not traditional alumni of Northwestern, the Tuckers have called Alva “home” for the past 46 years. Raised in Burlington, Okla. and a graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Dr. Tucker received a degree in pharmacy and went on to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Dentistry. He founded his dental practice in Alva in 1971 and has spent the past 12 years training in functional medicine – specifically naturopathic medicine.

The Tuckers hope this lectureship will set Northwestern apart from other state universities by creating a unique niche for the computer science department.

“We hope this will help the computer science department grow a full-blown robotics program and attract faculty who are dedicated to their field,” said Dr. Tucker. “The city of Alva and the university have been good to us and provide us with a lot of opportunities, so we felt the need to give back.”

For more information about the Dr. Charles and Jane Tucker Computer Science Lectureship, or about investing in students at Northwestern, contact Skeeter Bird, CEO, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association, at aebird@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8599.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will play host to the 2017 Red Carpet Honor Band on Friday and Saturday Feb. 24-25, on the Alva campus. Following a number of rehearsals, nearly 300 middle school and high school students from across northwest Oklahoma will perform in a concert Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium.

This event is free and open to the public.

The students in grades seven through 12 who will participate in the honor bands were selected following a live audition at Chisholm High School this past November.

These students will form three bands: Junior High A Band, Junior High B Band and High School Band. The students will rehearse all day Friday and Saturday morning prior to Saturday’s 2 p.m. concert. The students will demonstrate what they learned over the course of two days in their performance.

Donny Longest from the Konawa public schools will be the guest conductor of the Junior High A band. Jeff Kidwell from the University of Central Oklahoma will be the guest conductor of the Junior High B Band. Frank Pankratz from Canadian High School will be the guest conductor of the High School Band.

The 37 schools with participants include: Alva, Blackwell, Buffalo, Cherokee, Chisholm, Cimarron, Crescent, Drummond, Enid High School, Enid Longfellow Jr. High, Enid Waller Jr. High, Fairview, Fargo, Garber, Hennessey, Kremlin-Hillsdale, Laverne, Medford, Mooreland, Morrison, Newkirk, Okeene, Oklahoma Bible Academy (Enid), Perry, Pioneer-Pleasant Vale, Ponca City High School, Ponca City East, Ponca City West, Pond Creek-Hunter, Ringwood, Seiling, Tonkawa, Waukomis, Watonga, Waynoka, Woodward and Woodward Middle School.

Dr. Marc Decker, assistant professor of fine arts and director of instrumental music and music education at Northwestern, looks forward to meeting prospective students from the Oklahoma area.

“We love having the event on our campus,” Decker said. “Essentially it brings in over 300 potential future Rangers to our campus every year.”

For more information on Northwestern’s instrumental music program, contact Decker at (580) 327-8191 or mddecker@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will play host to a clarinet quartet named “Mission Winds,” which is a component of the United States Air Force (USAF) Band of the West, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

The concert will feature a variety of music genres such as patriotic selections to jazz and klezmer.

Mission Winds is stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The ensemble is comprised of Eb(e-flat), Bb(b-flat) and bass clarinets.

The USAF Band of the West travels more than 125,000 miles annually and provides hundreds of performances to military and civilian audiences throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Members of the USAF organization are dedicated to their music and performances while they serve their country.

The USAF Band of the West has performed for presidents, heads of state, and dignitaries from around the world earning an outstanding reputation among America's military bands.

For more information about the USAF band visit www.bandofthewest.af.mil. Also, for more information about the instrumental music program at Northwestern contact Dr. Marc Decker, assistant professor of fine arts and director of instrumental music and music education, at (580) 327-8521 or email mddecker@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Diversity Committee recently played host to a workshop for faculty and staff called, “Achieving Life Balance as a Professional in Higher Education.”

PICTURED RIGHT: Janet Valencia (left) speaks about providing healthcare for a loved one and the challenges that come with it during a recent diversity workshop titled “Achieving Life Balance as a Professional in Higher Education.” Other panelists included (left to right) Dr. Kay Decker, chair for the diversity committee, and Dr. Janet Cunningham, Dr. James Bell and Dr. Kylene Rehder.

Northwestern faculty and staff were invited to attend the workshop where they listened to comments from panelists such as Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president; Dr. James Bell, dean of faculty and associate vice president for academics; Janet Valencia, secretary of the Division of Business; and Dr. Kylene Rehder, associate professor of social work and chair of the Department of social Work.

“We had a great turnout of faculty and staff at this workshop,” Dr. Kay Decker, professor of sociology, chair of Northwestern’s Department of Social Sciences and chair of the Diversity Committee, said. “Participants had a great opportunity to share helpful tips and experiences.”

Following the panelists’ comments, roundtable discussions were available for participants to address a wide range of potential personal and professional issues that can arise in life.

Bell discussed the importance of finding balance and time for one’s spouse or significant other when work duties take substantial time after hours.

Rehder discussed the challenges of finishing a terminal degree while managing home life and teaching/advising full time.

Valencia addressed problems often encountered as professionals when charged with providing care and attention to aging parents or other family members.

PICTURED LEFT: Northwestern faculty and staff who attend the workshop were able to pick from a range of topics, of roundtable discussions, to participant in.

Tammy Brown, assistant professor of speech and interim chair of the Communication Department, discussed ideas about how to find quality stress relievers in a stressful work environment and how to keep it sane at home.

Dr. Steven Maier, professor of physics and chair of the Department of Natural Science, shared tips and pointers for teaching and advising in the digital age of 24/7/365.

Dr. Christie Riley, assistant professor of education and director of teacher education, discussed how to find a balance between personal friendships and maintaining currency with our profession and work obligations.

Dr. Shelly Wells, associate professor of nursing and chair of the Division of Nursing, and Dr. Kate Lane, associate professor of English and chair to the English, Foreign Language and Humanities Department, served as co-discussants for the subject of finding time for one’s own professional development and keeping things collegial at work.

The Diversity Committee is made up of Northwestern faculty including Marian Bratten-Hall, instructor of education; Dr. Roger Brown, assistant professor of business; Dr. Colleen Golightly, associate professor of education; Dr. Cris Gordon, assistant professor of psychology and chair of the Psychology Department; Kyle Larson, assistant professor of art; Dr. Steve Mackie, assistant professor of education; Dr. Joseph Nnanna, assistant professor of business; Dr. Eric Schmaltz, professor of history; Dr. Wei Zhou, assistant professor of business; Decker and Wells.

For more information, contact Decker at kldecker@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8521

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Department of Social Sciences has selected the recipient for the Civic Education Fellow award for this academic year.

Jack Nickelson, Mooreland senior and political science major, will represent Northwestern at the Oklahoma State Capitol in May. Nickelson will work with Sen. Bryce Marlatt, R-Woodward, during the final weeks of the legislative session.

Nickelson is looking forward to meeting Marlatt and benefiting from the real-world application that will come through the internship.

“It’s exciting, but first of all it was an honor to even be considered for something like this,” he said. “It just made me really appreciate the hard work that I put into my studies and just makes me want to give back.”

Nickelson’s minor is in history with an emphasis in global studies.

“I appreciate the way that politics affects everyone’s lives,” he said. “I appreciate the positive difference that a politician, or someone who works in politics, can make for society as a whole…With the way the world is changing and getting smaller, you need an emphasis on global studies.”

Northwestern’s Department of Social Sciences provides many opportunities for its students to learn and develop skills for their field outside of the classroom with the Civic Education Fellowship Program being a prime example. The program was established six years ago to support departmental students who wish to pursue a career in public service. Each year, qualified applicants may submit a completed application with transcript to Dr. Kay Decker, professor of sociology and chair of the Department of Social Sciences. Applicants are reviewed by departmental faculty, and the selection is determined based on GPA, essay and applicant knowledge of public service.

Civic Education Fellows are provided with a stipend to intern at the Oklahoma State Capitol during the final weeks of the legislative session or may choose to pursue an internship in Congress with one of Oklahoma’s elected officials. Students can spend anywhere from one week to three months working in the Oklahoma State Capitol or the United States Capitol learning about legislative- and budget-setting processes.

After graduating in May, Nickelson plans to continue his education to receive his master’s degree and eventually pursue a doctorate to serve society by becoming a teacher.

For more information on this internship opportunity or the Department of Social Sciences, please contact Decker at (580) 327-8521 or kldecker@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University received notification on Jan. 30 from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) that its Institutional Actions Council has approved the university’s request to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, the final piece needed to offer its first doctoral-level program.

Because the DNP program represents a change in the institution’s function, approval from the Commission was required.

“I want to offer my congratulations to the academic leadership of Dr. Bo Hannaford (vice president for academic affairs) and Dr. James Bell (associate vice president for academics and dean of faculty), and to Dr. Shelly Wells (associate professor of nursing and chair to the Division of Nursing), Dr. Pat Thompson (DNP program director) and the faculty of the Division of Nursing,” Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president, said. “All have spent a considerable amount of time seeking HLC approval of the program and preparing for the arrival of the first class this fall.

“I also want to again express the University’s appreciation to the Charles Morton Share Foundation and the Wisdom Family Foundation for their support that made the DNP program a reality. This program presents an enormous opportunity for Northwestern to impact the access to quality primary health care in our region.”

Northwestern is one of only two public universities in Oklahoma to offer a DNP program. The program is a practice-focused doctorate, rather than the traditional research-focused doctorate. This online, accredited program will prepare DNPs who can become certified Family Nurse Practitioners in their home communities and surrounding areas without first earning a master's degree. The curriculum consists of 73 credit hours and 1,020 practicum hours. Students may enter on a full-time (three-year plan) or part-time (four-year plan) basis. Additional plans may be considered on an individual basis.

It is currently accepting applications for the inaugural class that will begin study in August. The application deadline is March 20.

Admission requirements and an application packet can be found at www.nwosu.edu/bsn-to-dnp. Tuition and expenses for the doctoral program can be found at this link as well.

“Now is an exciting time to become a family nurse practitioner in Oklahoma,” Dr. Shelly Wells, associate professor of nursing and chair to the Division of Nursing, said. “Adding the DNP allows Northwestern to address the national need identified by the Institutes of Medicine's ‘Future of Nursing Report’ calling for an increase of doctorally-prepared nurses. Nurse practitioners are well-respected primary care providers, and the state of Oklahoma has a great need for many more as access to health care continues to change. We are pleased that Northwestern and the Division of Nursing will be making a positive impact on the health of citizens in rural Oklahoma with the addition of graduates of the DNP-Family Nurse Practitioner program.”

For questions, please contact Thompson at prthompson@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8566.

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The Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association continued the annual tradition of encouraging the Alva community to invest in the students of Northwestern Oklahoma State University by kicking off the Scholarship Drive on Wednesday, February 8.

(PICTURED RIGHT) Northwestern student Cole Reynolds, junior, political science major, helps kick off the 2017 Scholarship Drive by thanking participants for their dedication to raising scholarship funds for the university.

During the month-long Scholarship Drive, off-campus teams consisting of a community member and either a University or Foundation & Alumni office employee and captains representing each campus building compete in raising funds. These funds finance continuing student scholarships at Northwestern through the RISE (Rangers Investing in Students & Education) scholarship endowment. The Enid and Woodward campuses also are represented by captains.

“Last year was fantastic, as we raised more than $41,000 for scholarships,” said Skeeter Bird, CEO, Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association. “Regardless of the tight agriculture and oil/gas markets, our goal is to match or beat last year’s total.”

Bird added, “It is inspiring to see the commitment our faculty, staff and community members have to our students and our University. Several of our scholarship drive volunteers have been a part of this event for more than 30 years. I remain proud to live in a community that repeatedly displays this level of commitment and dedication.”

Thelma Crouch, co-chair, leads the off-campus teams, including Drue Washburn and Christee Jenlink, JoDe Bradt and Karsten Longhurst, Deb and Paul Corr, Thelma Crouch and Charla Turner, Bill Beeler and Calleb Mosburg, Guy Forell and Shane Engelken, Rod Gourley and Dr. David Pecha, Dayna Jordan and Skeeter Bird, Jane Tucker and Dr. James Bell, Bettielou Lane and Dr. Janet Cunningham, Melissa Fisher and Dr. Mindi Clark, Barbara Rockenbach and Karen Koehn, Kendra Schnebel and Hailey Cudmore, Don Thomas and Lawana Newell, Linda Tutwiler and Susan Holliday, Brandon Sherman and John Allen, and Traci Williams and Rita Castleberry.

The on-campus teams are led by Dr. Bo Hannaford, co-chair. Team captains include Patrick Wilson, Dr. Shawn Holliday, Brooke Taylor, Dr. Jennifer Mahieu, Dr. Deena Fisher, Dr. Tim Maharry, Dr. Wayne McMillin, Dr. Chandler Mead, Natalie Miller, Melissa Brown, Dr. Venkata Moorthy, Jake Boedecker, Dr. Dean Scarborough, Tara Hannaford, Markangela Kinnett and Debbie Anderson.

The 2017 Scholarship Drive will conclude March 8 as the off-campus teams and on-campus captains celebrate their funds raised.

RISE, introduced in Nov. 2015, is the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association’s newest annual giving program. It replaces the former Millennium Club scholarship endowment and encourages every person to give at some level, without a pledge commitment. Those interested in giving to Northwestern students through the RISE program are encouraged to donate online with a credit card at my.nwfoundation.com/RISE or by check payable to the Northwestern Foundation and sent to 709 Oklahoma Blvd. Alva, OK 73717.

For more information about investing in students at Northwestern, the RISE annual giving program or to get involved with next year’s Scholarship Drive, contact Bird at aebird@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8599.

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The Northwestern Oklahoma State University speech/theatre majors will present two, one-act plays Feb. 16-17 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium. Doors open 30 minutes before each showing, and admission costs are $2 with a student ID, $4 for faculty and staff, and $5 general admission.

PICTURED RIGHT: Mickey Jordan is working on the coordinating set for both "The Mice Have Been Drinking Again" and "Goodbye to the Clown."

Mickey Jordan, Iowa Park, Texas, senior, and Tori Hurley, Sheffield, Iowa, junior, will be directing the productions on the same stage.

Jordan’s play, “The Mice Have Been Drinking Again” by Cleve Haubold, is a short comedy set in 1967. A young happy couple in a small apartment in San Francisco experience comical mishaps with their scatter-brained roommate.

Hurley’s play, “Goodbye to the Clown” by Ernest Kinoy, is a short play about a 9-year-old girl who has trouble distinguishing between imagination and reality. She blames her behavior on a “clown” and imaginary playmate.

The pair are getting this opportunity to direct their own shows a little earlier than their peers who came before them in the program, all because of suggestions made by those graduating the program during exit interviews.

PICTURED LEFT: Tori Hurley (left) and Professor Weast (right) discussing set design for the two acts.

During the interviews, Kimberly Weast, professor of theatre arts, and Tamara Brown, assistant professor of speech and interim chair of the communication department, took the suggestions and found the additional shows could provide valuable experiences to the students prior to them producing their senior capstone shows.

Weast believes giving the students more opportunities to direct and design will build on the students’ confidence and skills as they go through the production process. She also believes students learning to lead their peers now will benefit them in the future.

Jordan said this is an excellent opportunity for him to direct and get hands-on experience for what it is going to be like later in his career.

“I love the creative process, and I love how four months ago this was a script in professor Weast’s office,” Jordan said. “I laughed all the way through it, and I’m so glad to put this show on. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The two student directors began preparations for their productions in early September of last year.

Hurley explained there were numerous aspects of getting their shows ready that can’t always be seen by the audience who attends the production. From selecting the play and the actors, holding a number of rehearsals and gathering stage props to creating the set and finding or sewing costumes, it all comes before the actual show is ever presented to the public.

“It’s rewarding to see all the work and effort you’ve put in come to life on stage,” Hurley said. “With all the actors cast, and all the sets you’ve designed, it’s really amazing.”

Cast members for “The Mice Have Been Drinking again” include: Tiffany Willson, Conway Springs, Kansas, freshman, early childhood education; Shaden Foresman, Laverne sophomore, speech/theatre; Taylor Morris, Lancaster, California, senior, mass communication; Arthur Bohlman, Hooker graduate student; and Jordan.

Cast members for “Goodbye to the Clown” include: Nicholas Wygle, Noble junior, biology; Crosby Dunbar, Owasso freshman, vocal performance; Katherine Blair, Waynoka freshman, music/vocal; Abbie Tillman, Elk City senior, biology; Zach Frische, Northwestern alumnus; Ken Kelsey, instructor of history and fine arts; and Hurley.

For more information about the Northwestern theatre program, contact Weast at kkweast@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8462.

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Headcount enrollment for the 2017 spring semester at Northwestern Oklahoma State University rose by five students when compared with 2016 numbers.

Northwestern enrolled 1,945 students for spring classes compared with 1,940 students a year ago.

At the main campus in Alva, 1,207 students are enrolled, compared with 1,241 a year ago.

Enrollment at Northwestern’s other locations increased. Northwestern-Enid reported a 6 percent jump with 273 students, and Northwestern-Woodward saw a 9 percent increase to 258 students.

Northwestern’s outreach sites, including the University Center of Ponca City, have 157 students enrolled for spring classes. Online course offerings continue to grow in popularity with enrollment growing there by more than 20 percent.

A total of 120 high school students are enrolled in concurrent courses, up 36 from a year ago.

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