Gabriel Dunbar, Northwestern Oklahoma State University student, was selected to represent the university at Research Day, held earlier this month at the Oklahoma Capitol.  Dunbar was one of 24 undergraduate students selected to represent 18 Oklahoma colleges and universities.

The students presented competitive scientific research posters to the state legislature, as well as the public, during this annual event sponsored by Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and the National Science Foundation.

Dunbar presented his research on Ultraviolet Florescence of the Rattlesnake Rattle.  He presented preliminary data from this project at the Biology of the Pitviper’s conference in Tulsa as a poster in June 2014.  Since then he has added to the data set by analyzing snakes from the collections of the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma and the Texas Natural History Collections at the University of Texas-Austin.

“This is the fourth time I have taken a student to Research Day at the Capitol, and each time I have been proud to sponsor the students representing the Natural Science Department and Northwestern Oklahoma State University,” Dr. Aaron J. Place, associate professor of biology, said. 

This event is designed to raise awareness of the outstanding research taking place in Oklahoma’s colleges and universities. 

Dunbar has already earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Northwestern and currently is working on a second degree in biology with a minor in chemistry.  Prior to his education at Northwestern, Dunbar received an associate’s degree from Northern Oklahoma College.

For more information on this event or the Natural Science Department at Northwestern, contact Place at (580) 327-8673 or by email at ajplace@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rodeo team did well at its last rodeo of the season at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Guymon, but more importantly, the year-end standings qualified five Rangers for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Casper, Wyo., June 14-20. 

As a team, the women’s team placed first in the Central Plains Region standings with 2,786 points while the men’s team finished in third place with 2,470 cumulative points.  The top three athletes in each event qualified for the CNFR, and the women’s team is allowed a full team of four members for its year-end regional win.   

Representing the women’s team at the CNFR this year will be Shayna Miller, Faith, S.D., junior, in the goat tying (regional champion); Lauren Barnes, Buckeye, Ariz., senior, in the goat tying (reserve regional champion); and Karley Kile, Topeka, Kan., senior, in the breakaway roping (fourth in the region), and goat tying (10th in the region).  Kile will compete in two events, acting as both the third and fourth female on the team.

The individuals representing the men’s team at the CNFR will be Dalton Richards, Hawkinsville, Ga., senior, in the team roping, with his heeler Ben Whiddon from Southeastern Oklahoma State University (second/third in the region); and Grayson Allred, Kanarraville, Utah, freshman, in the steer wrestling (third in the region).

At the final rodeo in Guymon, several Rangers experienced success. The event, student’s name, hometown and placing are as follows: 

Steer Wrestling: Allred, first place; Jon Laine Herl, Goodland, Kan., junior, third place; Stephen Culling, Fort Saint John, British Columbia, senior, fourth place; John Michael McGinn, Haines, Ore., junior, eighth place. 

Team Roping: Richards, sixth place, with Whiddon; Dustin Searcy, Mooreland senior, third place with header Hunter Munsell from Western College. 

Tie-Down Roping: Maverick Harper, Stephenville, Texas, freshman, eighth place. 

Goat Tying: Barnes, first place; Tearnee Nelson, Faith, S.D., sophomore, fifth place. 

Breakaway Roping: Samantha McGuire, Pine River, Minn., sophomore, sixth place. 

Barrel Racing: Cassy Woodward, Faith, S.D., freshman, sixth/seventh place; Elli Jo Price, Leedey junior, ninth.  

-NW-

 The Newman Civic Fellows program was established by Campus Compact in honor of co-founder Frank Newman, who dedicated his life to creating opportunities for student civic learning and engagement.

 The award is designed to recognize college students who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for the challenges faced by communities across the nation through service, research and advocacy. Each of Oklahoma’s fellows will receive a $500 scholarship from Oklahoma Campus Compact. Students are nominated by their college or university president.

 “Josi exhibits outstanding campus and community involvement,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “She is serving as an AmeriCorps Tutor at Alva Middle School and will become a social sciences teacher after she graduates.”

 “She served as an intern for U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns (Nebraska) in Washington D.C., this past summer and is passionate about investing time in the lives of students.”

 Hasenauer is committed to positive change in her role as a student and beyond.

 “When I was younger, I always told my friends and family I was going to be President of the United States,” Hasenauer said. “I thought if I was President then I could change the world. I now know I don’t need a title to change the world or a person’s life. What I do every day on campus, in schools, and in the community is changing the world - one conversation, one problem, one smile at a time.”

 “Through tutoring students at the middle school, I am changing lives of students by encouraging them to believe in themselves, work hard, find value in the little things (even the negatives count), and show them how fun learning can be. I am changing people’s lives by investing my time and energy to support their dreams, see them for who they are, and listen to them. “

-NW-

The 116th spring commencement at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 9, at Ranger Field.  In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to Percefull Fieldhouse.

Troy Brown, a 1987 graduate of Northwestern and successful entrepreneur, will deliver the commencement address.

Music will be provided by the Ranger symphonic band.

Two hundred twenty-one students are candidates to receive bachelor’s degrees, 15 will receive Master of Education degrees, eight will receive Master of Counseling Psychology degrees, and two will receive Master of Arts in American Studies degrees.

Forty-one 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.

Those honor graduates, their degrees and their hometowns are as follows:

SUMMA CUM LAUDE

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Lindsey Nighswonger, Bachelor of Science in nursing.

BUFFALO --  Yesenia Buckhaults, Bachelor of Science Education in mathematics.

CARMEN – Keyton Byrd, Bachelor of Business Administration.

FARGO – Taylor Bates, Bachelor of Science Education in elementary education.

LAVERNE – Jaden Crocker, Bachelor of Science Education in elementary education.

PONCA CITY – Michael Degan, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

TURPIN – Amy Mikles, Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

KANSAS

TOPEKA – Karley Kile, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option.

MISSOURI

COLUMBUS – Brittany Earhart, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

NEPAL

SANKHUWASABHA—Jugmen Sherpa, Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

MAGNA CUM LAUDE

OKLAHOMA

BEAVER – Jeremiah Campbell, Bachelor of Science in health and sports science education.

BYRON – Delissa Hoffman, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

CHEROKEE – Michelle Penner, Bachelor of Arts in speech and theatre.

EDMOND – Erin Little, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option.

ENID – Madison Diel, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Ashley Hutchcraft, Bachelor of Science Education in early childhood and elementary education; Aaron Pierce, Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

NEWKIRK – Paige Wells, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

PERRY – Micah Keith, Bachelor of Science Education in elementary education.

PONCA CITY – Christopher Satterfield, Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

WOODWARD – Hannah McKay, Bachelor of Science in health and sports science education.

ILLINOIS

LEIGH ACRES – Emily Cecil, Bachelor of Science in computer science.

IOWA

TIPTON – Ashley Neville, Bachelor of Science in agriculture.

KANSAS

ATWOOD – Kayla Cozza, Bachelor of Science Education in early childhood and elementary education.

MCPHERSON – Abigail Daniel, Bachelor of Science in nursing.

CANADA

ONTARIO – Robert Martin, Bachelor of Science in biology-natural history and health and sports science education.

CHINA

JIANG XAN—Wei Wu, Bachelor of Science in computer science.

CUM LAUDE

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Fawn Kingcade, Bachelor of Business Administration; Jessica Ortiz, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

CHEROKEE – Taylor Waugh, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option.

HENNESSEY—Evan Vaverka, Bachelor of Science in computer science.

MEDFORD – Nathan Kilian, Bachelor of Science in mathematics.

MUTUAL – Kylie Pethoud, Bachelor of Social Work.

PONCA CITY –Kara Polito and Kim Scholey, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

POTEAU – Alexandra Kirtley, Bachelor of Science in mass communication.

THOMAS – Darcey Kliewer, Bachelor of Science in nursing.

WOODWARD – Linda Cline, Bachelor of Social Work; Benjamin Smith, Bachelor of Science in psychology.

KANSAS

KIOWA – Staci Stewart, Bachelor of Science in nursing.

MEADE – Tatum Hansen, Bachelor of Science Education in elementary education.

VALLEY CENTER – Natalie Malone, Bachelor of Science in biology-health science option.

MASTER OF EDUCATION

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Emilee Beard, adult education management and administration.

DACOMA – Amy McClure, school counseling.

ENID – April Stanley, educational leadership.

GOODWELL – Tammie Breeden, school counseling; Amy Bryant, educational leadership.

GUYMON—Jenea Midgett, educational leadership; Sherry Stonecipher, school counseling.

HUNTER – R. Kendon Mulanax, educational leadership.

PONCA CITY – Rustin Storie, educational leadership.

RED ROCK – Julie Sulins, reading specialist.

SEILING – Whitney Jones, adult education management and administration.

WOODWARD – Jill Weidemann, secondary education non-certificate; Amanda Whitewater, school counseling.

GEORGIA

CLARKSVILLE – Kathryn Brooke Ciolino, secondary education non-certificate.

TEXAS

AMARILLO—Candace Reim, adult education management and administration.

MASTER OF COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY

OKLAHOMA

ENID – Amie Berryman, Chris Polzin.

GOODWELL – Dianna Ramon.

MOORELAND – Sarah Weeks.

NEWKIRK – Kyrie Crippen, Kayla Johnston.

PONCA CITY – Adriana Dickson.

WOODWARD – Donovan Austin.

MASTER OF ARTS IN AMERICAN STUDIES

TULSA – Mark Sontag.

NEBRASKA

LINCOLN – Emily Yoshimoto.

BACHELOR OF ARTS

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Ruth Fox, general studies.

ARNETT – Ross Royal, general studies.

BRODHEAD – April Guilbault, general studies.

EDMOND – Marian Payne, general studies.

ENID – Robert Akins, English; Holly Day, general studies.

FAIRVIEW – Malia McFadden, general studies.

FORT SUPPLY – Taylor Hunter, history.

GARBER – Sean Swaim, general studies.

HELENA – Clifford Smith, history.

LAHOMA – Brittany Sharp, sociology.

MOORELAND – Shanell Hensley, general studies.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Durell Carter, English.

PONCA CITY – Jessica O’Brien, general studies.

SAPULPA – Jordan Lyles, speech and theatre.

WAKITA – Nicholas Evans, general studies.

WAUKOMIS – Mercedes Key, general studies.

WAYNOKA – Hanson Long, speech and theatre.

TEXAS

LEWISVILLE – Denise Rangel, sociology.

BACHELOR OF ARTS AND APPLIED SCIENCE

OKLAHOMA

STILLWATER – Amanda Mojica, technical management.

BACHELOR OF ARTS EDUCATION

OKLAHOMA

BLACKWELL – Cash Anthony, social science.

ENID – Ashley Ross, social science; Carrie Vega-Hughes, English.

KINGFISHER – Matthew Blundell, social science.

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Ricky Diefenbach.

BUFFALO – Brenda Mata; Megan Thomas (accounting).

CHICKASHA – Priscilla Kandeh.

DACOMA – Melissa McOsker.

ENID – Jaxson Johnson.

MOORELAND – Katelyn Thomas.

MORRISON – Jessica Meeks.

PONCA CITY – Brenton Carney, Amanda Montenegro, Lilly Younge, Brent Goldsmith.

POND CREEK – Alanna Morris.

SEILING – Lacey Davidson.

WOODWARD – Brittany Matthews.

KANSAS

ASHLAND – Arasely Quintana (accounting).

HOPE – Chelsea Bryant.

CHINA

JIMO—Junjun Sun (accounting).

JAPAN

KYOTO– Tomoyo Inoue (accounting).

NEPAL

KATHMANDU – Sohan Saud.

MYAGDI—Kamal Poon.

LALITPUR—David Lakhay.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Madison Bird, biology-health science option; George Bouziden, computer science; Scotty Cox, criminal justice-law enforcement; Connor Martin, agriculture; Tylar Mead, mass communication; Amisha Wagle, psychology.

BARTLESVILLE – Elizabeth Post, biology-health science option.

BEAVER – Zach Nelson, health and sports science education; Arron Williams, chemistry

BLACKWELL – Teniah Puza, psychology.

BLANCHARD – Bailey Trammell, health and sports science education.

BUFFALO—Kadi Leonard, health and sports science education.

BYRON – Elizabeth Guffy, computer science.

CALUMET – Emily Eaton, health and sports science education

CHEROKEE – Giana Evans and Jordan Penner, both psychology.

CHESTER – Jessica Feaster, psychology.

COLLINSVILLE – Steven Majike, health and sports science education.

ELGIN – Kyle Enis, agriculture.

ENID – April Burshik, Allison Butler, Christian Floyd, Jessica Taylor, Cally Winburn, all psychology.

FAIRMONT – Jessica Lounsbury, psychology.

FARGO – Kendra Price, psychology.

HAWORTH – Kasey Campbell, agriculture.

JET – Matthew Ridgway, criminal justice-law enforcement.

KREMLIN – Bailey Craig, biology-health science option.

LAVERNE – Steven Starling, psychology.

LEEDEY – Chase Hensley, agriculture.

MOORELAND – Gregory Peterson, psychology; Dustin Searcy, agriculture.

MUTUAL – Timothy Vaughan, criminal justice-law enforcement.

NORMAN – Jason Miller, agriculture.

PONCA CITY – Timothy Cockrum, psychology; Jeremy Gory, criminal justice-law enforcement; Julia Hays and Chandra Kimble, both psychology.

RALSTON – James Hadlock, Jr., agriculture.

RINGWOOD – Honorio Rojas, Jr., computer science.

THOMAS – Cody Bryen, agriculture; Adam Jones, biology.

TONKAWA – Dustin Lindsey, agriculture; Nancy Reyes and Sage Wojcik, both psychology.

TULSA – Luci Wilson, health and sports science education.

TUTTLE – Braden Williams, health and sports science education.

WAKITA – Jon Elliott, agriculture.

WAUKOMIS – Phillip Ott, criminal justice-law enforcement.

WAYNOKA – Shelly Wingo, psychology.

WOODWARD – Chelsay Adams, mass communication;  Debra Bishop, psychology; Jonna Gregory, health and sports science education; Alyssa Troy, psychology.

ARIZONA

PHOENIX – Kayleigh Crowe, health and sports science education.

CALIFORNIA

SAN DIEGO – Lindsay Thorstenson, health and sports science education.

COLORADO

KIM – Hayden Pearce, agriculture.

LASALLE – Ashely Karns, psychology.

FLORIDA

MCALPIN – Joshua Hannah, agriculture.

GEORGIA

HAWKINSVILLE – Dalton Richards, agriculture.

ILLINOIS

JOLIET -- David Boatright, health and sports science education.

KANSAS

ABILENE – Micah Samples, agriculture.

ARGONIA – Alex Hemberger, agriculture.

COLDWATER – Jerrica Glenn, health and sports science education.

WINFIELD – Connie Miller, psychology.

CONCORDIA – Layne Lagasse, agriculture.

CONWAY SPRINGS – Alexa Osner, criminal justice-corrections.

ROLLA – Chase Boekhaus, agriculture.

TOPEKA – Ryan Domer, agriculture.

LOUISIANA

HAUGHTON – Kenneth Smith, Jr., health and sports science education.

NEBRASKA

LINCOLN – Michael Brown, health and sports science education.

NEW MEXICO

ALBUQUERQUE – Erika Baca, health and sports science education.

NEW YORK

PORT JERVIS – Rachel Samuels, biology-natural history.

TEXAS

HOUSTON – Traveon Kelly and Avery Morris, both health sports science education.

LEFORS – Keenan Lott, health and sports science education.

MCKINNEY – Bruce Wright II, mass communication.

MESQUITE – Chase Randall, health and sports science education.

HALTOM CITY – Colten Dickerman, biology-health science option.

ROWLETT – Clayton Garcia, health and sports science education.

CANADA

ONTARIO—Michael Figueiredo, health and sports science education.

SPAIN

BARCELONA—Patricia Iranzo Rona, health and sports science education.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE EDUCATION

OKLAHOMA

ADA – Tyler Frizzell, agriculture education.

ALVA – Christine Vickers, elementary education.

BLACKWELL – Morgan Wolfe, elementary education.

CLEVELAND – Brittney Crump, elementary education.

DRUMMOND – Kaylee Lynch, elementary and special education.

ENID – Christopher Campbell, health and sports science education.

HENNESSEY – Larin Davis, special education.

MOORELAND – Mary Matthews, early childhood education.

MOORE – Dylan Jackson, agriculture education.

PAWNEE – Christopher Griesel, agriculture education.

PONCA CITY – Derra Bishop and Irene Payan-Sanchez, both early childhood education; Denise Tyson, elementary and special education.

WAYNOKA – Rachel Beck, elementary education.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

OKLAHOMA

ALVA – Corie Kaiser.

BUFFALO – Katherine Stewart.

CARMEN – MacKenzie Flowers.

CHEROKEE – Stephanie Mast.

EDMOND – Madison Nichols.

ENID – Gayle Bachman, Drew Bartel, Juliana Sismon Cooley, Liesl Maloy, Lori Shearer.

HENNESSEY – Angela Mewherter.

MOORELAND – Benita Coffin.

PONCA CITY – Jermaine Bell.

POND CREEK – Audrey Buss.

SEILING – Chelsea Duffy.

SHARON – Chandra Flynn, Crystal Waddell.

SHIDLER – Loren Quiram.

WOODWARD – Mariah Harmon, Patrick Karr, Chelsey Tapia.

CALIFORNIA

NORWALK – Nayeli Meza.

VACAVILLE – Wukyoung Song.

COLORADO

COLORADO SPRINGS – Lauren Roughton.

THORNTON – Courtney Herian.

KANSAS

ANTHONY – Taylor Mathes.

ASHLAND – Carrie Kaltenbach.

RIVERTON – Robin Zornes.

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK

OKLAHOMA

ENID --  Nicole Schacher, Jasie Randol.

FARGO – Raquel Conway.

WOODWARD –Britainee Clark.

YUKON – Amber Cook.

KANSAS

PRATT – Whitney Austin.

-NW-

The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Ranger Band will perform its annual Spring Concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in Herod Hall Auditorium.  The concert is titled “The Civil War Era” and will feature five songs from that time period.  Admission is free and open to the public.

 The members of the Ranger Band are as follows: 

Flute:                                                                  

Alyssa Casey, Alta Loma, Calif., freshman; Megan Metcalf, Enid freshman.

Trumpet:

Adeline Sleeger, Perry freshman; Kyle Newland, Alva community member.

Oboe:

 Carolina Williamson, Enid freshman.

Horn:

Arthur Bohlmann, Hooker senior.

 Clarinet: 

Amanda Metcalf, Enid freshman; Manuel Reyes, Tonkawa freshman.

Trombone:

Donald Beadles, Alva community member; Evan Vaverka, Hennessey senior.

Alto Saxophone:

Amy Mikles, Turpin senior; Daniel Pacula, Hennessey sophomore.

Euphonium:

Scott Bartley, Enid senior; Ricky Galloway, Idabel freshman.

Tenor Saxophone:

Richard Barber, Laverne freshman; Taylor Dowling, Alva senior.

Tuba:

Devlin Jozwiak, Rexburg, Idaho, sophomore.

Percussion:

Matt Day, Woodward sophomore; Tori Hurley, Sheffield, Iowa, freshman; Austin Mount, Garber freshman; Connor Swenke, Ochelata junior.

For more information on this concert or the Ranger Band, contact Dr. Kenneth Drobnak, (580) 327-8191 or by email at kpdrobnak@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

Two higher education institutions that frequently partner with each other have joined forces for a joint fundraising golf tournament in Ponca City.

Northern Oklahoma College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University will play host to the President’s Cup Golf Classic, Saturday, June 20, at Lew Wentz Golf Course. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit programs at each school.

“It seemed a natural partnership for us,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president. “Both schools have strong alumni bases in the area and work to provide educational services in Ponca City. We always look for opportunities to work closer with Northern.”

“Northern and Northwestern often collaborate to help the communities and students we serve,” said Dr. Cheryl Evans, Northern president. “We are excited to join together in this tournament which will not only be a fun event, but will also provide much needed support to our institutions.”

The tournament will feature a four-person scramble format with the field limited to 30 teams. Entry fees are $400 per four-person team, and will include green fees, use of a golf cart and lunch. Skills contests with prizes will be part of the tournament. Tee time is at 9 a.m.

The winning team will be awarded the President’s Cup traveling trophy. The team will have possession of the trophy until the next year’s event.

Businesses wishing to show their support for Northwestern and Northern have several opportunities to provide sponsorships.

Entry and sponsorship information is available by contacting Kirby Tickel-Hill at Northern, (580) 628-6789 or kirby.tickel@noc.edu, or Steve Valencia at Northwestern, (580) 327-8478 or sjvalencia@nwosu.edu.

-30-

Fifteen outstanding high school seniors have been selected to participate in the 2015-2016 President’s Leadership Class (PLC) during their freshman year at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

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.

“We had a large number of outstanding applicants which made the selection process very difficult,” Cunningham said. “This year’s class includes 10 valedictorians, an average high school grade point average of 3.98 and an average composite ACT score of 27.3.”

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

Students selected for the President’s Leadership Class are:

• Tanner Bowman – Cherokee High School
• Docker Haub – Kingfisher High School
• Stuart Martin – Ajax High School (Ontario, Canada)
• William “Doc” Harvey – Seminole High School
• Katelyn Cutsinger – Vici High School
• Mary “Elizabeth” Shaffer – Ringwood High School
• Tyler Miller – Amber-Pocasset High School (Chickasha)
• Cheney Bird – Alva High School
• Aaron Pierce – Alva High School
• Brady Hanley – John H. Guyer High School (Lantana, Texas)
• Kylee Pelfrey – Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School (Mesquite, Texas)
• Kevin Cosper – Aline-Cleo High School
• Jolie Sewell – Bridge Creek High School (Blanchard)
• Jacey Bales – Morrison High School
• Brittani Casement – Maize High School (Wichita, Kan.)

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. Members of the PLC will begin their experiences July 25 with a four-day trip to Boston, Mass.

For more information regarding the program please contact Calleb Mosburg, dean of student affairs and enrollment management, at cnmosburg@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8415.

-NW-

Dr. Bo Hannaford, dean of the School of Professional Studies at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, has been appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin to serve on the Oklahoma Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability.

Fallin’s appointment of Hannaford was confirmed by the Senate.

The seven-member Commission is the governing body for the Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (EQA). Under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Education, EQA provides oversight and accountability to the public education services provided through the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

EQA monitors the Education Department's programs to ensure local school districts are performing in accordance with state standards. The office's focus is divided into two mission areas: educational quality through teacher preparation and training and accountability through performance reviews.

-NW-

NWOSU Foundation Release

Among many scholarships available to students at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, the Kathleen and Gary Earnest Stipend for Student and Alumni Outreach provides a new approach in the form of an internship. This unique endowment, recently established by Kathleen and Gary Earnest, will help develop outreach in the English program and cultivate its students’ professional writing skills in order to prepare them for life after graduation.

Senior Stephanie Quammen is the first recipient of the stipend for the fall 2015 semester.

“One of our purposes was to provide an opportunity for majors/minors in our department to practice some skills they could carry with them into a job or as a way to build their resume for graduate school and grow their practical skills,” said Kathleen, instructor of English at Northwestern.

As lifelong residents of Woods County, both Kathleen and Gary were students at Northwestern. After graduation, Kathleen received her master’s in English at the University of Oklahoma and taught for 26 years in public education before returning to Northwestern’s English, Foreign Language and Humanities department. She is now in her 11th year at Northwestern and in the process of completing her doctorate degree at Oklahoma State University.

The Earnests credit their parents for encouraging them to pursue education and were inspired to give other students the same opportunity.

“Our parents – mine and his – were supporters of education, but they didn’t have an opportunity to attend college,” Kathleen said. “So when it was time for their children to get an education, they were very supportive of their children going to college. We thought we would try to share that legacy with other students."

The internship opportunity is making a difference in the life of one Northwestern student and first-ever stipend recipient.

“I feel honored to receive the stipend, and I’m excited to see what the English department gets to do with this opportunity,” Quammen said. “I definitely think it’s going to prepare me for the workforce.”

After graduation, Quammen wants to go into publishing and thinks this internship opportunity will help her when she leaves Northwestern.

The Earnests hope the stipend will prompt English majors to think about life after college and how to start preparing for a career or graduate school, since the application process itself makes them think more professionally.

“We concentrate so much on just getting through our undergrad, that it causes us to pull things together at the last minute to get ready for a career. I’m just hoping it helps students to think ahead,” Kathleen said.

The internship is open to undergraduate English majors/minors, English education majors and writing minors. Applicants must be full-time students with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale who have completed 30 hours of coursework and must submit a portfolio consisting of a resume, transcript, two letters of recommendation and a 300-word essay explaining how the internship will advance their academic and professional goals.

Applications for the fall semester internship are due to the department chair, Dr. Kathryn Lane, by March 15 of the previous semester. Applications for the spring semester internship are due by Oct. 15 of the fall semester. Applications may be sent to Lane at kelane@nwosu.edu.

For more information on the Kathleen and Gary Earnest Stipend for Student and Alumni Outreach, or about investing in Northwestern students, contact Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation CEO, at (580) 327-8599 or email him at aebird@nwosu.edu.

###

Dr. Mindi Clark, assistant professor of agriculture, lectures to students during her horticulture class in the greenhouse located at the University Farm south of Alva. Many of the plants raised in the greenhouse were used to plant around campus during the annual Campus Cleanup Day event. Pictured (left to right) are Scott Batchelder, Orland, Calif., junior; Clark; Jason Miller, Norman senior; Clayton Davison, Guthrie freshman; and Nick Cosby, Strafford junior.

A number of students and employees came together for Campus Cleanup Day at Northwestern Oklahoma State University this year. Some of the plants grown by the university’s horticulture class students can be seen in the foreground of the photo.

Aggie Club President Trae Watson came up with the idea of contributing to the campus and presented the idea to Dr. Mindi Clark, assistant professor of agriculture, who agreed to devote the applied section of her horticulture class to the plants.

“I teach the horticulture class every spring, and it seemed like a natural fit to work with the Aggie Club to help contribute plants to the campus for Campus Cleanup Day,” Clark said. “An applied portion of the horticulture class is to grow bedding plants. Students start plants from seed or transplant plugs and rooted cuttings from a supplier. We typically grow plants popular to this area, such as geraniums, sweet potato vine,petunias, vinca, begonias and coleus, which were all represented at Campus Cleanup Day.”

Clark said many of her students devoted their time on weekends and over spring break to care for the plants and make sure the greenhouse was working properly. Aggie Club and horticulture class members also volunteered their time on Campus Cleanup Day to assist in planting the flowers around campus.

“When I was notified that this class wanted to provide plants and flowers for the spring cleanup day, I was thrilled,” Rachel Stewart, special event coordinator and Staff Council chair, said. “The quality and quantity of plants and flowers was unbelievable. What an amazing way for our students to share in this effort and give back to the university. Staff Council and Conserving Our Ranger Environment (CORE) are very appreciative of their contribution to this event.”

For more information on the plants donated by the Aggie Club and the horticulture class, contact Clark at (580) 327-8484 or by email at msclark@nwosu.edu.

For more information on Campus Cleanup Day or the Staff Council, contact Stewart at (580) 327-8178 or by email at rsstewart@nwosu.edu.

-NW-

May 6, 2015

Jaunita Dotson, director of the Upward Bound programs at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, has been selected as president-elect of the Oklahoma Division of Student Assistance (ODSA) at its recent statewide meeting in Tulsa.

Dotson’s new position will require a three-year commitment from her, serving for one year as president-elect, then president and past president. From 2010-12, Dotson served as the public relations coordinator for the ODSA board.

ODSA serves as an information clearinghouse, a service organization and a cooperative agency for professional development of TRiO professionals within Oklahoma. Through its annual conference, ODSA continues to promote, develop and improve the educational opportunities for eligible individuals in Oklahoma.

TRiO programs are administered through federal grants to help underrepresented populations achieve a college degree. The Upward Bound program at Northwestern is designed to assist first-generation college bound students with academic, social and cultural experiences.

Northwestern’s Upward Bound program plays host to an annual summer camp where high school students take college preparatory classes for five weeks and participate in team building and community service projects. At the end of the summer camp, the students will go on a cultural field trip.

Northwestern’s program serves students from Alfalfa, Major and Woods counties. There currently are approximately 118 in the program with close to 40 students who will attend the summer camp.

Dotson has led the Upward Bound programs at Northwestern since November 2007. She also will serve on the regional board for TRiO called the Southwest Association of Student Assistance Programs.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University has been recognized by BestValueSchools.com as being fifth among the Most Affordable Small Colleges in America.

The organization first looked at more than 2,700 institutions of higher learning before identifying about 700 schools defined as a “small college,” or those schools with enrollments of 4,000 students or fewer. Northwestern has an average enrollment of 2,300 students from its three campus locations in Alva, Enid and Woodward.

They then determined affordability based on the school’s “net price,” a figure they believed to be more accurate than reporting tuition rates alone. The net price figures were generated by College Navigator, a component of the National Center for Education Statistics, who stated they did so “…by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant or scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.”

BestValueSchools.com noted that the net price should give students a more accurate assessment (although not necessarily precise for everyone) of what can be expected to pay in total costs per year at any given school. It then compiled a list of the 100 most affordable small colleges that cover a range of academic majors, religious affiliations, locations, extracurricular opportunities, interests, budget and close-knit communities of which Northwestern ranked fifth most affordable at less than $7,000 a year. They also included in Northwestern’s information that the university offers the nation’s most affordable room and board prices at only $3,700 a year.

“Northwestern is a great educational value when it comes to combining academic quality and price,” Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president, said. “As a university, we have made a commitment that tuition will remain as affordable as possible without sacrificing quality in the programs our students expect and deserve.”

This ranking from BestValueSchools.com comes after Northwestern received other notable distinctions on quality and affordability during the fall semester.

Affordable Colleges Foundation ranked Northwestern’s Bachelor of Science in Accounting online degree program among the top 50 in the nation. No other Oklahoma school earned a ranking on this list, and Northwestern’s program came in at 31.

AffordableCollegesOnline.org also lists Northwestern as sixth out of 17 Oklahoma colleges it ranked in the category of Most Affordable Online Colleges in Oklahoma. Besides the Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree, Northwestern offers online bachelor’s degrees in business administration, applied arts and sciences in technical management and an RN-to-BSN program in nursing.

Northwestern also has been ranked fourth on a list of the top 30 Most Attractive Yet Affordable College Campuses across the nation compiled by AffordableSchools.net and continues to be ranked among the region’s leading universities by “U.S. News & World Report” as having the nation’s most affordable on-campus living, and as a best value institution.

To learn more about Northwestern and how to become a Ranger, please contact the Office of Recruitment at recruit@nwosu.edu or call (580) 327-8546.

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The top students in Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s mathematics and computer science department for the 2014-15 school year were honored recently by members of the faculty in that department. The Outstanding Student Awards were presented to Yesenia Buckhaults, a senior math education major from Buffalo; Nathan Kilian, senior math major from Medford; and Evan Vaverka, senior computer science major from Hennessey. More information on this department is available by contacting Dr. Tim Maharry, department chair, at (580) 327-8583 or tjmaharry@nwosu.edu.

The international study program, which was established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in June 2008, provides a $10,000 stipend for students to participate in a semester-long study abroad program affiliated with Swansea. Academic credit for these programs will be awarded by Oklahoma regional universities. Students are nominated for the program by their institutions.

Steckbeck is an English major and plans to further her education by going to graduate school and eventually earning a doctorate in English literature with an emphasis in Renaissance drama, allowing her to teach at the university level. Steckbeck is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, an English honors society, and works for the English department on campus. She also has been on the president’s honor roll, a member of the Red and Black Scroll Honor Society, secretary of the Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors (NSA) and a member of the President’s Leadership Class (PLC).

"I am so excited and thankful for this opportunity,” Steckbeck said. “I will miss my Ranger Family, but look forward to studying abroad at the University of Swansea. I know that being a foreign exchange student will be challenging, but I am confident that Northwestern has prepared me to succeed."

Steckbeck plans to keep a blog about her experience at Swansea University, which can be found at www.chandlerandbill.blogspot.com.

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May 19, 2015

More than 75 high school students from Alfalfa, Major and Woods counties will be living on the Northwestern Oklahoma State University campus for five weeks this summer during the annual Upward Bound Summer Camp May 31 through July 2. The students will take college preparatory classes and participate in team building and community service projects.

Students in the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science programs not only take part in a summer camp, but throughout the academic year, they complete monthly meetings, monthly assignments and on-going academic advising. The program's rigorous academic and counseling components are designed to provide students with four years of continuous preparation for college beginning in the fall of their ninth grade academic year with such areas as mathematics, reading, writing, sciences, foreign language and academic/study skills.

Students also learn about career awareness and planning, college adjustment and financial aid training, personal advising and mentoring, and academic advising and motivation to help equip students for college by teaching effective strategies for coping with stress in higher education.

Nearly 120 students are helped by the Upward Bound programs year-round.

Jaunita Dotson, director of the Upward Bound programs at Northwestern, also noted that their program had 13 seniors graduating from high school in May, and 10 have committed to starting their college careers at Northwestern this summer.

For the graduates of their program, which Dotson called their Bridge students or students who will become college freshmen, Dotson explained that Upward Bound will pay for two college classes at Northwestern during the summer following their senior year of high school. She noted that a majority of the students then decide to continue their college educations at Northwestern.

At the end of the summer camp this year, students in the program will go on a trip to Denver, Colo. The Bridge students will be treated to a trip to Washington D.C.

Funding for the Upward Bound programs at Northwestern is provided through the Department of Education.

For anyone interested in more information about the Upward Bound programs and the requirements, please contact Dotson at (580) 327-8113 or jrnoble@nwosu.edu. An application form and additional information is available at www.nwosu.edu/upward-bound.

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(From left) Raquel Conway, Britainee Clark, Shelby Hall, Dr. Kylene Rehder, Amber Cook and Kylie Pethoud represented Northwestern Oklahoma State University at the annual National Association of Social Workers (NASW) 39th Annual Oklahoma State Conference. Linda Cline not pictured.

Raquel Conway (middle), NASW-OK Undergraduate Student of the Year stands with social work professors Shelby Hall (left) and Dr. Kylene Rehder (right) at the MASW 39th annual Oklahoma State Conference

The candidate slate for the 2015-2016 Board of Directors election includes Pethoud running for Northwest Branch Chair, Conway for the graduate student representative, and Rehder for the Northwest Chapter Committee on Nominations and Leadership Identification.

Frannie Pryor, NASW-OK Vice President presented Northwestern student, presented Conway with the Undergraduate Student of the Year Award during the state conference.

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

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In order to qualify for this award, a student must first nominate the teacher, and then the Student Government Association members review the nominations and determine the award winner.

Lane earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeastern Louisiana University. She earned a master’s degree in creative writing and a doctorate in English with an emphasis in British literature, both from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

“I am very flattered to be considered for this award,” Lane said. “I really enjoy my students and my subject matter; but receiving the John Sheffield award makes all the hours of grading, emailing and answering questions, well worth it.”

Lane has been an assistant professor of English at Northwestern since 2011 and has served as department chair since 2014. She also currently serves as the Northwestern study abroad-faculty director and served as student study abroad director at Northwestern from 2013-14.

In between finishing graduate school and starting her doctorate, Lane remembers a distinct moment while adjunct teaching when she realized, “This is what I’m meant to do.” She expresses the same sentiment about being at Northwestern.

“I have had amazing teaching opportunities at Northwestern,” Lane said. “I love being in a place where the value of education is recognized.”

For more information about opportunities within Northwestern’s Department of English, Foreign Language and Humanities contact Lane at (580) 327-8470 or by email at kelane@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Division of Education recently received continued accreditation at the advanced preparation level under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards.

NCATE’s performance-based accreditation system for teacher preparation ensures that teacher candidates are prepared to make a difference in P-12 student-learning.

The accreditation review team specifically lauded the program for finding no areas for improvement in two standards – Content and Pedagogical Knowledge, and Clinical Partnerships and Practice.

“Northwestern has a long and distinguished history of preparing future educators,” Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president, said. “Our continued NCATE accreditation is a validation of the outstanding work that is done every day within the Division of Education. I congratulate the faculty and students for meeting the rigorous standards required for accreditation.”

Providers accredited under NCATE standards, as well as those accredited under the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) Quality Principles, are now served by the single specialized accreditation system for educator preparation in the United States, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). More than 900 educator preparation providers participate in the CAEP accreditation system.

For more information on Northwestern’s Division of Education contact Dr. Beverly Warden, chair of the Division of Education, at (580) 327-8450 or bjwarden@nwosu.edu.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University will switch to its summer work schedule beginning Monday, June 1. During the summer, administrative offices will be open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Northwestern offices will be closed on Fridays for the months of June and July.

Students are encouraged to enroll for summer courses as soon as possible.Eight-week and first four-week classes begin June 1. A list of courses for summer and fall is available online by visiting www.nwosu.edu/course-schedules.
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Northwestern Oklahoma State University is sixth on a list of Oklahoma’s Best Online Colleges for 2015 named byAffordableCollegesOnline.org. Sixteen other institutions of higher learning in the state also made the list.

Northwestern’s online degree options include a Bachelor of Science in Accounting or Business Administration, a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Technical Management, including the Alternative Energy option, and an RN-to-BSN program in nursing where RNs are able to complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees online.

In December 2014 this same organization, which is an authoritative resource dedicated to online learning and college affordability, ranked Northwestern’s online accounting degree program among the top 50 in the nation. No other Oklahoma school earned a ranking on this list, and Northwestern’s program came in at 31.

Northwestern’s nursing program also gained national attention this past year for its quality and affordability from the online publication CollegeAtlas.org. It ranked Northwestern’s nursing program at No. 18, based on academic quality, affordability and accessibility, as well as what percent of nursing graduates pass their board certification tests (NCLEX-RN). Northwestern was the only school from Oklahoma to make the top 20, and ranked just below the University of Kansas.

Northwestern’s business and nursing programs also are nationally accredited.

"As online classes become more prevalent, it is important to acknowledge the colleges and universities that go above and beyond,” said Dan Schuessler, founder and CEO of Affordable Colleges Online. "Our goal is to highlight these schools and their commitment to higher education.

"When it comes to online learning, these schools set the bar," Schuessler said. “These programs have made attending college accessible and affordable while maintaining rigorous academic standards of excellence and providing support services for their students.”

Currently, Northwestern has been approved to accept students into these online programs from the states of Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico.

To view specific information about each online program from Northwestern and who to contact for more information, visit www.nwosu.edu/online-degree-programs.

This school year Northwestern has earned other honors for its affordability, as well as the look of its campus.

BestValueSchools.com ranked Northwestern as being fifth among the Most Affordable Small Colleges in America. It compiled a list of the 100 most affordable small colleges that cover a range of academic majors, religious affiliations, locations, extracurricular opportunities, interests, budget and close-knit communities of which Northwestern ranked fifth most affordable at less than $7,000 a year. They also included in Northwestern’s information that the university offers the nation’s most affordable room and board prices at only $3,700 a year.

Earlier in the year, Northwestern was ranked fourth on a list of the top 30 Most Attractive Yet Affordable College Campuses across the nation. AffordableSchools.net ranked the top 30 colleges it found that offer costs below the national average and at the same time deliver visually stunning campuses.

Northwestern also continues to be ranked among the region’s leading universities by “U.S. News & World Report” as having the nation’s most affordable on-campus living, national leader in lowest student debt and as a best value institution.

To learn more about Northwestern and how to become a Ranger, please contact the Office of Recruitment at recruit@nwosu.edu or call (580) 327-8546.

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