2009 osu college of education magazine

EducationCollege Magazine

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9College of EducationokLahoMa statE UniVErsity

dO yOU knOw A fUtUrE

COwgirl Or COwbOy?

PlEASE ShArE with US

COntACt infOrMAtiOn

fOr Any POtEntiAl

StUdEntS. wE will

bE glAd tO SEt UP

MEEtingS with An

ACAdEMiC COUnSElOr,

tOUrS Of thE CAMPUS

Or OthEr ACtivitiES

tO hElP thEM ExPlOrE

MAJOrS in thE COllEgE

Of EdUCAtiOn.

From the dean

Greetings,

In closing, I would like to

take this opportunity to share

some recent points of pride made

possible by the generous support

of many individuals who are

committed to investing in the

future of the OSU College of

Education. Our greatest thanks

go to each of you who have

supported our efforts.

Recent College of education Points of Pride

establishing the Watson family

academic Success Center,

a comprehensive resource

center for all undergraduate

COe students

increasing the number of

endowed faculty lines from six

to 20

attaining and/or maintaining

eight national program

accreditations

implementing five new

programs, including two new

programs at OSU-tulsa

receiving 49 external awards,

including new and continuing

contracts with NaSa education

valued over $30 million, one of

the largest contracts awarded

to OSU

enrolling over 2,000 students

annually in online coursework

and leading the university

in the percentage of online

offerings

We hope you find our maga-

zine a valuable source of infor-

mation about the OSU College

of Education and that you’ll stay

connected with us. If you are not

a member of the alumni associa-

tion, please consider joining to

ensure that you’ll receive future

publications from the college. Go

to www.orangeconnection.org for

information. Please let us hear

from you.

Warmest Regards,

Pamela Fry

Dean

For alumni who are reading

these pages, can you remember

your daily life as a student? Even

for those of us who graduated

more than a few years ago —

before the advent of texting

or even cable television — the

memories of college life remain

vivid. To give you an updated

look into the “day in the life of

a student,” we asked five of our

students to keep a journal of a

typical day.

In this issue, we also highlight

some of the important work of

alumni, faculty, and staff who

provide much inspiration by

their commitment to helping

others through professional and

personal service and through

outreach to communities. Be

sure to check the “Class Notes”

section on page 30 and send

us information for the next

magazine.

CONTACT INFORMATION

(405) [email protected]/education

i am pleased to introduce the inaugural issue of the osu college of education magazine.

as you no doubt noticed, we chose to feature students on the cover of our first magazine

to represent our pride in the many achievements of our current students and of our

20,000 college alumni who positively impact their communities across the world.

in this magazine, you will read about some of these remarkable individuals.

Pamela Fry D e a n , C o l l e g e o f e D u C a t i o n

Christy Lang C o e C o m m u n i C a t i o n s s p e C i a l i s t

Eileen Mustain e D i t o r

Paul V. Fleming a r t D i r e C t o r

Gary Lawson Phil Shockley p h o t o g r a p h e r s

Janet Varnum a s s o C i a t e e D i t o r

CONTACT THE MAGAZINE C o e m a g a z i n e 3 3 5 W i l l a r D C o l l e g e o f e D u C a t i o n o k l a h o m a s t a t e u n i v e r s i t y s t i l l W a t e r , o k 7 4 0 7 8 - 4 0 3 3

[email protected]

When you join the OSU Alumni Association, a portion of your membership comes back to the college to fund programs such as homecoming and other alumni events. Contact the college for more information: 335 Willard Hall Stillwater, OK 74078-4033 (405) 744-8320. http://okstate.edu/education

Oklahoma State University in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a vet eran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. Title IX of the Education Amendments and Oklahoma State University policy prohibit discrimination in the provision of services of benefits offered by the University based on gender. Any person (student, faculty or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based upon gender may discuss their concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with the OSU Title IX Coordinator, Director of Affirmative Action, 408 Whitehurst, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, (405)744-5371 or (405)744-5576(fax). This publication, #2351, issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the College of Education, was printed by OSU Marketing, Consolidated Printing Solutions at a cost of $3897.00. 4,500/Sept/09.

The space connectionThe College of Education and NASA have a connection that spans nearly 40 years, giving OSU a national and international reputation for K-12 NASA education.

A difference maker An alumnus leads a Houston charter school to a level of success that garners recognition from the U.S. Department of Education for its achievement.

An eye on the worldVeteran travelers and longtime college supporters Frank and Carol Morsani share their exploration experiences on all seven continents.

COE Magaz ine i s a p u b l i c a t i o n

o f t h e O k l a h o m a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

C o l l e g e o f E d u c a t i o n . I t s p u r p o s e

i s t o c o n n e c t t h i s c o l l e g e w i t h

i t s m a n y s t a k e h o l d e r s , p r o v i d i n g

i n f o r m a t i o n o n b o t h c a m p u s n e w s

a n d p e r t i n e n t i s s u e s i n t h e f i e l d

o f e d u c a t i o n . © O k l a h o m a S t a t e

U n i v e r s i t y 2 0 0 9

18 College News 30 Class Notes

Excelling in many ways College of Education students work toward completing their degrees in a variety of majors and programs. All COE students have obligations and responsibilities in the classroom, on campus and beyond. Five education students give an up close and personal account of a day in their lives beginning on page 6.

Representing the many

accomplished students in

the College of Education

are, from left, Seong Won Choi , junior, clinical

athletic training; Daishund Lanier, freshman,

secondary education,

math; Zach Countryman,

senior, aviation education,

professional pilot;

Jacqueline Turner, senior, secondary

education, English; and

Emily Handy, freshman,

secondary education,

foreign language. The

photo is by Phil Shockley.

On The COveR PhOTO by Gary Lawson

PhOTO by Gary Lawson

12 15 32

www.okstate.edu/education

2

Research showing that

exposure to art enhances a child’s

learning has inspired a collabora-

tive art program for Stillwater’s

elementary students. A partner-

ship of the OSU College of

Education, the city of Stillwater

and the Stillwater Public School

District provides students with

authentic art experiences while

preparing future teachers to

integrate art into the mainstream

classroom.

Once a month in fall or spring,

Stillwater third, fourth and fifth

graders attend a two-hour art

experience at the city’s state-

of-the-art Multi-Arts Center.

Receiving instruction from an

artist teacher, children learn

about the elements and principles

of art and create individual proj-

ects in the ceramics, painting and

drawing rooms.

The Art of Creative Problem-Solving

The project, which reaches

1,200 children each year, dates

back to 2005 and is funded

through the Stillwater Arts and

Humanities Council, the Parent-

Teacher organizations at the six

elementary schools and commu-

nity businesses. Artists in the

community serve as instructors

or artist teachers.

“This is a great, hands-on

fine arts experience they would

not get otherwise,” says Gayla

Foster, visiting professor of art

education. “It reaches so many

students.”

Foster worked with members

of the Stillwater Fine Arts Task

Force and the school district to

plan the logistics and take the

project from vision to reality.

She continues her involvement

today from another perspective.

Foster teaches Visual Arts in the

Curriculum, a required course

for all OSU elementary education

students. The class provides the

tools and confidence to teach art

in the mainstream classroom.

continues next page

Gayla Foster, left, works with fourth

grade students from stillwater’s will rogers

Elementary school at the stillwater Multi

arts Center. Foster teaches Visual arts in

the Curriculum to all elementary education

students.

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Ph

OT

OS

by

Ph

iL s

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y

“Almost every semester, students come

to the class and say, ‘I don’t think I’m

creative,’ or ‘I don’t think I can do art.’

My job is to get them to realize that they

can, and that it doesn’t take very long

and it’s fun. It just takes perseverance and

patience,” she says.

Foster teaches ceramics, painting, draw-

ing, printmaking and paper-mâché. Every

semester, her classes fire pottery in a kiln

in Willard Hall. Students also write papers

outlining their theory of creativity and

philosophy of art education. Their experi-

ences can be adapted to first grade up to

eighth grade.

“Doing art helps children and our OSU

students to develop a sense of self-disci-

pline,” Foster says. “They have to be really

mentally disciplined to sit down to draw,

paint or do ceramics. Also, the thought

process, the subtle decisions they have to

make, is creative problem solving.”

As a five-hour field experience for this

class, OSU students attend sessions for the

Stillwater children twice during the semes-

ter to help facilitate the art projects and

assist the artist and classroom teachers.

“It’s a great lab experience for OSU

students because many of them haven’t

seen or done art since they were in junior

high or even elementary school,” she says.

For Foster’s class, students also write

about the experience, including their reac-

tions, insights, personal reflections and

implications for future teaching.

“I did not realize how important art is to

the development of children,” says Amy

Coble, an elementary and special education

junior. “Art can be used in every subject —

math, literature, science — and it makes a

lasting difference.”

College of Education

student Jennifer Young

helps a will rogers

Elementary student

create a clay mug.

PhOTO by PhiL shoCkLEy


4

OSU alumni Tom and Ann

Dugger recently used a unique

planned gift to ensure that their schol-

arship will provide education and busi-

ness students with support for many

years to come.

The Duggers’ planned gift of

choice is a Charitable Remainder

Unitrust. The OSU Foundation will

act as trustee for the Unitrust, which

provides the Duggers a lifetime stream

of income as well as some immediate

charitable tax benefits. The Duggers

established the charitable trust with

a piece of real estate. After they pass,

this gift will add substantially to their

scholarship fund.

“In the long run, we believe it will

provide students the same opportuni-

ties we had. That’s important to us,”

Tom says. “Without the educational

opportunities Oklahoma State

provided, we could not have done

all we have in our lives. It has had a

tremendous impact.”

Ann and Tom both grew up in

Oklahoma’s Nowata County. The

financial assistance they received at

OSU was pivotal. Ann had a national

defense loan and used the work-study

program. Tom came to OSU on schol-

arships. He says he came to Stillwater,

found a job and then enrolled. The

couple completed bachelor’s degrees in

three-and-a-half years.

Ann graduated in elementary educa-

tion and Tom in accounting in 1972.

Ann went on to complete her master’s

degree and doctorate in the College of

Ensuring a LegacyEducation and taught in public schools

for 34 years. Today, she is an adjunct in

the college while Tom continues work-

ing as a CPA in Stillwater.

The Duggers’ scholarship alternates

between the College of Education and

the Spears School of Business. Tom’s

scholarship goes to an accounting

student who has completed three years

of undergraduate study and is pursuing

a master’s degree. Ann’s goes to an

education student during the student

teaching internship.

“I designated it that way because I

remember how hard it was not to work

during the semester I student taught,”

Ann says. “Student teachers I have

supervised who worked while they

student taught did not have the same

experience.”

The Duggers have shown a commit-

ment to philanthropy and service

throughout their lives, such as Ann’s

involvement in starting a foundation

to support a one-room schoolhouse

in Nowata County that appears

on the National Registry of

Historic Places and Tom’s

service on the Stillwater

City Council.

“Tom and Ann have demonstrated a

creative way to support student schol-

arships, and we are extremely grateful

for their generosity,” Dean Pamela Fry

says. “It is a wonderful way to give

back to OSU and continue providing

opportunities for students.”

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CoUrtEsy PhOTO

Catherine M. Zelenski SECondaRy EngliSh EduCaTion

6:30 a.m. . Wake up to prepare for the day.

7:15 a.m. . Leave for school where I’m student teaching.

7:30 a.m. . Arrive and move necessary items (papers to grade, gradebook) to the workroom for my planning period since our students are being borrowed for testing. Grade papers and make copies of the test for the day. Also work on lesson plans for when I sub after graduation.

9:20 a.m. . We take 10 minutes to do bell work and go over directions for the test and for after the test. Test takes about 20 minutes. For the next 15 minutes after the test the students work on their writing. For the rest of the class students still work on their writing, but also get to watch The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged). I’ve never heard them laugh so much! After 90 minutes of class, I enjoy a relaxing 30 minute lunch with the other teachers.

11:35 a.m. – 1:05 p.m. . The first 10 minutes of class are spent on bell work. After that the students take a moment to form groups of three, and five minutes are spent going over the directions for the “Hamlet Murder Mystery.” For 35 minutes students play a game where they try to figure out who had a motive to kill Hamlet’s father. After they all have their answers, the play and characters are introduced. The remaining 30 minutes is spent reading the play out loud (with the students wearing crazy hats to symbolize their characters) and discovering who really committed the murder.

1:10 – 2:40 p.m. . Ten minutes of bell work starts the class yet again. The next 25 minutes are spent teaching and explaining grammar, and beginning the assignment. After the students get a feel for the work, we move onto poetry, listening to and reading modern song lyrics. Students found the rhythms and literary elements within the songs while listening to music they could enjoy. It was also an eye-opener to what relevance English has outside of the classroom. The remaining class time is spent finishing the grammar lesson.

3 p.m. . Since I am lucky enough to have everything prepared for the next day, I spent time cleaning and grocery shopping.

6:30 p.m. . I made dinner.

8 p.m. . I worked out for an hour, prepared my materials for the following day, checked my email, and wrote this email.

10:30 p.m. . Now it’s time for bed!

Completed student teaching internship in sophomore and senior English at Midwest City High School (spring 2009). Catherine M. Zelenksi, a May 2009 graduate, is in her first year of teaching eighth-grade English at Del Crest Middle School in Del City and would eventually like to teach in Colorado or Massachusetts.

a day in the Lifestudents in osu’s college of education represent a range of

majors and programs, but all are working toward the common

goal of completing their degrees. All COE students — athletic

training, health education and promotion, leisure studies,

counseling, teacher education or aerospace operations and

administration — have obligations and responsibilities in the

classroom, on campus and beyond. Here, education students

give an up close and personal account of a day in their lives.



6

kendall choate

aThlETiC TRaining

7 a.m. . Wake up, it’s another early morning, and I have to go to the athletic training room and assist some football players with their rehabilitation following the morning workout ... so I hit the snooze button, I could use a few more minutes of rest.

8 a.m. . Arrive at the training room and begin working with one of our defensive linemen who has sustained a hip flexor strain while participating in practice a couple days before. Time to work on increasing range of motion and muscular strength.

11 a.m. . Leave the athletic training room and head over to the Student Union Registrar’s office in order to get an official copy of my transcript. I’m trying to join a premedical honors society, and I need a transcript to finish my application. Since I am double majoring in both athletic training options (clinical and pre-professional) and plan on going to physical therapy school upon graduation, I think that joining this society would be beneficial to my professional development.

11:45 a.m. . Grab lunch at the Westside Cafe here on campus and then catch up on some news by reading The Daily O’Collegian.

12:30 p.m. . Attend community health class and learn about insurance, the health care system and the amazing world of health.

2 p.m. . Head over to the Colvin Recreation Center to complete my exercise physiology lab. Today we are testing our classmates’ heart function by using electrocardiograms. Gotta make sure everybody has a heartbeat!

3 p.m. . Time to go back over to the athletic training room to prepare for football practice. This usually consists of pre-practice taping and field set-up.

7 p.m. . Practice ends around 6 p.m., but we athletic training students have to stay late to conduct post-practice injury evaluations and treatment.

7:30 p.m. . Make dinner (usually something cheap and easy) and check my email (I typically have to get back to lots of people since I’m the current president of the OSU Athletic Training Student Association ... it’s a busy job).

8 p.m. . Start a three-hour-long physics 1 assignment (which isn’t much fun) and text my friends between homework problems.

12 a.m. . Hit the hay, call it a night, and get ready for class and sport rotation tomorrow!

After graduating in May 2010, Kendall Choate plans to attend physical therapy school in Texas or Oklahoma.

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Claudia Porras

CounSEling PSyChology

doCToRal CandidaTE

7:30 a.m. . I’m feeling a little nervous about proposing my dissertation, but I’m mostly very excited that this day has finally arrived. I don’t propose until 10 a.m. but I have a few things to do before I get ready for my long day. I make myself a quick breakfast before heading out. I never leave home without breakfast. I read over my notes for my presentation as I eat. I clean up the kitchen a bit and head out.

9 a.m. . I must stop at the store to pick up something for my dissertation committee to snack on while I present. I arrive on campus a little after 9 a.m. to meet with my committee chair and go over last minute details. She preps me for the presentation and gives me pointers on what I can expect. My nervousness is definitely increasing now.

12 p.m. . I just got out of the proposal meeting. It went about an hour and a half longer than I had expected…wow! That was intense. I have many, many revisions to work on, but I passed! I am almost a doctoral candidate (this means I have passed my comprehensive exams and have successfully proposed my dissertation). Just need to turn in my signed forms to apply for doctoral candidacy. Wow, I can’t believe this day is finally here. It seemed so far away. I can’t get too excited though because I’m still a little overwhelmed about all the revisions I will have to make.

I have a meeting with my committee chair now but first, I need to cancel my next appointment as my proposal meeting went longer than expected. I was going to help with the 2nd Annual STYLE program (Strengthening Today’s Young Leaders through Education), but it’s going on all week, so I’ll help out tomorrow. My chair and I meet over lunch.

3:30 p.m. . My meeting also goes longer than I expected. We had a lot to process. I have a few errands to run before heading home. First on my list, turn in my doctoral candidacy form and I am officially a doctoral candidate! I head down to the lab and try to get some work done before going home.

5:15 p.m. . I turn in all the final paperwork to my professor and finally get to go home. I’m exhausted! My roommate messages me as I head home. Tonight is roommate night, which consists of eating takeout and watching CSI together while I transcribe a focus group during the commercials.

I have two jobs. One is as a psychological intern at a juvenile detention center; my second job is as a graduate assistant where we collect qualitative data from Latino/Latina focus groups around Oklahoma. My task is to transcribe the groups. The dissertation has been taking up a lot of my time, so I am behind.

5:30 p.m. . I get home, pick up the mail and throw myself on the couch. I’m emotionally drained. I mindlessly look through the mail. I got my new APA manual today, another exciting event. I watch TV for a while, waiting for my roommate to get home with dinner.

6:00 p.m. . My roommate arrives with Chinese (my all-time favorite food). I’m taking some time off work while we eat.

7:30 p.m. . I get distracted by a text that asks what I’m wearing for our friend’s wedding this weekend. I spend the rest of the evening catching up with friends and family over the phone, Facebook and MySpace while periodically going back to the transcription.

12:30 a.m. . Finally, I’m ready for bed! I said I was going to be early tonight and although earlier than most nights, it isn’t as early as I had wanted.

Claudia Porras, plans to graduate in August 2011 and is interested in a career in academe while continuing research aimed at helping the Latino/a community.



8

Zach Countryman aERoSPaCE adminiSTRaTion and

oPERaTion / PRofESSional PiloT

7 a.m. . It’s time to get up and prepare for the day. During the week, I tend to get up anywhere between 5:30 and 7:30. I spend the first hour getting ready; eating breakfast, showering, etc.

8 a.m. . Final studying for a quiz later today in my turbine engines operations class. I just need to review some notes on PowerPoint that my professor posted online for our use. I’m working on this over breakfast.

9 a.m. . I’m on my way to work at the NASA Education Projects. Today at work, I prepare a FedEx shipment, pick up the mail and run errands on campus. I’m not at work very long on Tuesdays and Thursdays but long enough to get some basic daily tasks accomplished.

10:30 a.m. . My first class of the day, International Aerospace Issues, covers the aviation industry and environment. Today we’re working on a group case study covering airport security and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) regulations. Our group finished a few minutes ahead of schedule, so I got to go to lunch early!

11:30 a.m. . I walk over to the Student Union — a hub of student activity on campus. My first stop is to the Bursar’s office to pay my monthly bill. Then I’m meeting a group of friends for lunch before my next class.

12:30 p.m. . My second class of the day is a legal studies in business course. I need this class for my minor study coursework; it is not required for aviation. Today’s legal studies include a lecture on the different types of contracts.

2 p.m. . My final class of the day is Turbine Engine Operations, an interesting class covering the workings and components of gas turbine engines. The class is taught by our flight program manager who has extensive first-hand maintenance experience and gives us added insight into engine operation. Today’s agenda included taking the small quiz that I was studying for this morning, followed by the last part of a lecture on the combustion section of a turbine engine.

3 p.m. . I stayed on campus briefly to talk to a friend after class. Friends are an important part of my life, and college has undoubtedly led to many of the best friendships I have now. I know that I will be in touch with these people long after college.

5 p.m. . I’m working at home on my computer. I typically do most of my homework at home on my laptop since this is a comfortable, quiet atmosphere. I also work well at the library, which is an invaluable resource on campus.

6 p.m. . Time for dinner! Since I don’t have lots of time tonight, a frozen dinner is on the menu.

7:30 p.m. . I drive out to Stillwater’s airport for a Flying Aggies officer meeting at the OSU Flight Center. The officer meeting tonight is about the upcoming fly-in hosted by the Flying Aggies for our annual fundraiser. If you’re a professional pilot major, the flight center becomes home-away-from-home, as all flight training operations are conducted here.

8 p.m. . I’m leaving the airport to drive to church for a college-group band practice. Practice is every Tuesday, and I help the band set up the equipment and manage the sound system.

9:45 p.m. . I’m back home and about to start some more homework. I have a paper and presentation in Aviation Security next week, so I do a little more writing on the paper before bed. In the aviation program, most of your larger assignments are papers or writing assignments. I find it’s easier to work on them in small pieces, if only to prevent having to pull the classic “all-nighter!”

11 p.m. . It’s about time to call it a day. I try to get a good night’s sleep so I can function tomorrow.

Zach Countryman, who hopes to become a professional pilot flying for a regional airline or corporation, is considering graduate school after he graduates in May 2010.

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Chelsea Ferguson

hEalTh EduCaTion and PRomoTion

7 a.m. . Woke up, took care of my dog, Noah, and then got ready for the day!

8:45 a.m. . Grabbed breakfast on my way out the door, and left for my mock interview through Career Services in the Student Union. The 9:30 interview replaced my pre-internship class this day.

9:30 a.m. . I was interviewed by Rob Woods from Total Health. I am currently in the HHP 4902 Pre-Internship class for my degree, and participating in a mock interview is part of the class. I will be graduating in May and starting my internship immediately following graduation. The idea of an interview made me nervous at first because I’ve never been interviewed before, but the whole experience ended up being a wonderful thing. In class we’re taught how to dress, carry ourselves, answer questions and so on. Someday I will actually have to go through an interview for a job and having had the mock interview experience will ensure that I am prepared.

10:15 a.m. . Ran by the Student Union Bookstore to pick up a binder for a group project in my HHP 4973 Program Design Class. Our group is designing a project to encourage motorcyclists of all ages to wear their helmets.

11 a.m. . Grabbed lunch in the Union and headed over to Willard to eat and regroup. Willard’s living room is my favorite place to be in between classes or appointments. It’s quiet, and if you have homework or want to read a book or just relax, it’s the perfect place.

11:30 a.m. . Met with my advisor Todd Snethen to enroll in a weekend class. The advisors at the COE are amazing. They truly care about the students and are dedicated to helping us achieve our goals.

12:30 p.m. . Went to my HHP 4773 class, and on this day “Share the Wealth” came to talk to us. Their presentation was titled “Drink or No Drink.” They educated us about the facts on drinking; the good and the bad.

2 p.m. . Walked around Boomer Lake, my favorite place to go for a walk. It’s peaceful, and I love being outside.

5 p.m. . Went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse with three of my good friends. It was a girls’ night! Two of the girls (along with me) are in Omega Phi Alpha, a National Service Sorority here on campus. I met them through the sorority, and I truly believe they will be some my lifelong friends.

7 p.m. . We all went back to a friend’s house after dinner to watch the season finale of The Bachelor. We hate how it ended and are now boycotting the show.

10 p.m. . Worked on homework for my program design class, and then looked up addresses for my wedding guest list. This semester has been filled with finishing classes, taking in my last experiences at OSU and wedding planning. I’m busy, excited and truly joyful!

11 p.m. . Watched TV for a bit and then went to bed. (This is what I normally do at night.)

Chelsea Ferguson White, who graduated in August 2009, plans to attend nursing school and to become a surgical nurse.



10

StAnSbErry

A challenge teachers often face

is getting their students excited about

learning. Many students balk at writing

a paper for their parents and a teacher,

but imagine students turning those

papers into videos or photographs and

sharing them with peers and professional

judges. Excitement grows. Learning is

fun. And the results are apparent.

Prior to joining the faculty at OSU

as associate professor and coordinator

of the Education Technology program,

Susan Stansberry was a K-12 teacher

who used technology to teach all subjects.

“I found that I could put technology

in students’ hands and teach many

different content areas. They were

motivated because they didn’t really

think they were writing a paper — they

were writing a script. I wanted more

places that my kids could show off

their great work to a wider audience,”

Stansberry says.

Her search for a broader audience

and her belief in the successful use of

technology in the classroom led her to

create the Oklahoma Student Media

Festival (OKSMF), which receives

sponsorship and support from the

Oklahoma Technology Association and

Apple Education.

The OKSMF aims at stimulating

student interest and involvement in all

types of media production. Students

across Oklahoma submit media proj-

ects, including live action, animation,

sequential stills, websites, photographic

essay or single photography. Students

with teacher sponsors can submit

entries in three divisions, K–4th grade,

5th–8th grade and 9th–12th grade.

The festival offers students an arena

where they can show their media

to peers and have it evaluated by

educational technology professors and

specialists. Since the festival’s inception

in 2006, students have submitted more

than 1,600 entries.

“I hope the festival will encourage

teachers to use more technology in the

classroom,” Stansberry says.

Producing projects for the festival

gives students a well-rounded learning

experience. They often work in groups,

developing teamwork skills that can

transfer to participation in clubs,

school and the work place. Because

their submissions require a script

along with permission and credit for

copyrighted material, students learn the

research, writing and editing processes.

The festival culminates with a

daylong event that includes workshops

in basic production techniques and new

software for media projects as well as

a screening and ceremony to announce

winning entries in all three divisions.

The entries in the 2009

festival, held in OSU’s

Willard Hall, included clay

animation pieces, a video

highlighting “A Day in the

Life of a Firefighter,” and

a sequential stills project

where an elementary

student took photos of zoo

animals for each letter of the

alphabet. There were also

biographies about teachers, stories and

documentaries. The variety of ideas and

projects gives students the opportunity

to learn new techniques from each other.

“It’s more than a reward for outstand-

ing media projects. It’s a challenge for

my students to be more creative each

time they enter,” says Bandy Sanders of

Comanche High School.

“The Oklahoma Student Media

Festival has been a wonderful venue for

the development of students’ creativ-

ity and critical thinking skills,” says

Lynn Tilley, library media specialist at

Comanche Elementary School.

“We appreciate all the hard work that

Dr. Stansberry and her colleagues do

each year for the benefit of Oklahoma

students,” Tilley says. “What the

students learn from participating in the

festival will have lifelong benefits.”

Visit www.oksmf.net for more

information.

Classroom Technology Sparks Creativity

“The Oklahoma Student Media Festival has been a wonderful venue for the development of students’

creativity and critical thinking skills.”

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Q&A with Steve MarksOSU NASA Education Projects

The OSU College of Education has 38 years of experience in educational partner-ships with the National Aeronautics and Space Association. Currently, the college manages three NASA grants with nearly $7 million in funding this year and $30 million overall.

OSU is at the forefront of what’s happening in NASA education. Its strong national and interna-tional reputation in K-12 education at NASA is one of OSU’s best-kept secrets.

Steve Marks, a professor in the college’s School of Educational Studies and coordinator of OSU’s NASA education projects, is the principal inves-tigator for all the NASA education projects that OSU manages.



12

How did you become involved with OSU and the NASA Education Projects?I was a junior high teacher

at Milburn Junior High in the Shawnee-Mission School District in Kansas. I was always interested in space, and my undergradu-ate and master’s work was in earth science and space science. I attended a space science workshop where I met Dr. Ken Wiggins, who was there to talk about a national project. I told Dr. Wiggins I wanted to get my doctorate and that my wife wanted to get her master’s. He said to come on down to Oklahoma State University, and we did in 1973.

In 1968, Dr. Wiggins got involved with the Johnson Space Center as an outreach program, and it went national in 1969. OSU was involved with NASA Education from 1968 to 1975 and again from 1979 until the present. In 1975, I went to work for a new contract that was called the Aerospace Education Services Project or the Space Mobile. In 1979, OSU got the Space Mobile project back. It remained at OSU from 1979 to August 2007.

In 1985, the Teaching in Space Project was initiated under President Reagan, and OSU was instrumental in starting that program. In 2003, the NASA Explorer Schools Project was started; Oklahoma State did the research and design for it. In 2004, the NASA Digital Learning Network was started up and Oklahoma State was able to do the research and development and get that started. In 2008, NASA redesigned the NASA Sharp project and called it NASA INSPIRE. OSU won the competitive bid to begin that project starting in March 2008.

Does OSU have employees working on these projects around the country?Oklahoma State, through proj-

ects over the years, has established an OSU office at the 10 NASA Centers across the U.S. As our projects develop, we hire education specialists, administrative support and project support personnel. The number of OSU employees varies depending on the project. There may be just one or as many as six or seven.

How many total employees does OSU have for NASA Education Projects? Are you involved in hiring all of those people? There are around 47 total

employees. As the principal inves-tigator, I am responsible for all employees. When we have a posi-tion open, it’s usually a specialized position. We try to form a search committee that represents the field, and it makes recommendations. We conduct yearly appraisals and developments. Our on-campus employees range from five to 10. We try to use graduate students as well as undergraduate students. I have encouraged students and employees to sign on with us, and it takes them in directions they never thought possible.

Do most employees have an educational background?Yes. We were the first to require

teacher certification for those who work for us. Originally, we also required three years of teaching experience. In the early 1990s, we increased that to five years in the classroom. NASA’s educa-tion projects are divided up into categories, and we mainly support the K-12 sector. We overlap in museums, science centers, higher education and minority areas, but our primary focus is on K-12.

What are NASA’s primary objectives for its education projects?Student still have a high interest

in NASA. I think that’s because there is a natural curiosity about airplanes, rockets and dinosaurs. NASA has all three if you throw in asteroids.

Over the years, NASA has developed specialized-type projects designed to educate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. NASA has developed a system whereby a student can get involved in NASA during elementary school and continue through high school and into college to become an engineer, technician or administrative assistant that knows NASA and can work for NASA or some of its contractors.

Can you share a description of all of the NASA Education Projects that OSU manages?For a long time, we handled one

project, and now we are doing a lot. That’s built upon our reputa-tion, and our ability to deliver over the years. Dr. Wiggins laid a fine foundation. OSU is known nation-ally and internationally for K-12 NASA Education. These contracts are all competitively bid every three to five years, and everybody wants in this business. It is high profile and somewhat big money for an education institution.

continues next page

in 2008, Educator astronaut Barbara Morgan visited the osU campus to share

her experience aboard nasa’s space shuttle

Endeavor sts-118 mission.


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nASA explorer Schools/Digital Learning network The NASA Explorer Schools initiative promotes and supports the

incorporation of NASA content and programs into science, technology and mathematics curricula in classroom grades four through nine across the country. It targets underserved populations in diverse geographic locations and has a very competitive application process. These schools are adopted, so to speak, and NASA makes a commitment over a number of years to the schools.

The program offers summer professional development workshops for teams of teachers and administrators at the nine NASA Field Centers and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The idea is to integrate NASA content into existing school curricula. The programs provide students opportunities for active participation in research, problem solving and design chal-lenges related to NASA’s missions.

NASA has developed a Digital Learning Network where teachers can sign up for modules that specialize in NASA areas. From a NASA Center, a learning coordinator who has educational experience can deliver content to classrooms via video conferencing. That support is ongoing for educators K-12.

Teaching from Space (TFS)The Teaching from Space program is multi-faceted.

One element that catches everyone’s attention is the educator astronaut. There are four educator astro-nauts. Joe Acaba, Ricky Arnold and Barbara Morgan have all flown and Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger will fly next April. Morgan visited OSU in October 2008 and has been a very good supporter over the years. Before astronauts go to a school to make a presenta-tion, they visit our office down in Houston. They may say, “I am going to be visiting second graders. What can I do with them?” Our staff provides activities, props and models to help them.

The TFS Office is responsible for facilitating the flight of educational activities on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. Educational payloads or lockers on the shuttle can be devoted to educational research inquiry. International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers perform curriculum-based activities in space to demonstrate basic principles of science, math, engineering and geography.

TFS also coordinates Education Downlinks, which provide students and educators learning opportunities by speaking to the crew in orbit. Usually, two educa-tion downlinks occur each month. Science museums, planetariums and other organizations apply and go through a review process. A committee reviews proposals and makes recommendations about which downlinks should be conducted. I sit on the review committee to help determine what educational prod-ucts are flown in space.

students participate in the NASA Explorer Schools Student Symposium at Johnson space

Center in May.

InSPIReINSPIRE is designed for students in ninth through

12th grades who are interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and careers. The Online Learning Community is INSPIRE’s center-piece, providing a place for students to interact with their peers, NASA experts and education specialists. Once they are in the online community, they can apply for specialized summer activities. Ninth graders can apply to visit a NASA Center for a day; 10th graders can apply for a two-week NASA workshop at a designated university; and 11th graders have the opportunity to reside at a NASA Center for eight weeks. The 12th graders have the opportunity for an eight-week internship.

In 1990, the Roger Hardesty Endowed Chair in Aviation Science became the first endowed faculty position for the College of Education, beginning a legacy of endowed faculty positions in the COE.

Donna J. Hardesty established the position in her husband’s name. Roger Hardesty is the founder and CEO of the Hardesty Companies, an Oklahoma-based corporation with diversified holdings. The Hardesty Endowed Chair supports OSU’s aerospace administration and operations program at OSU-Tulsa. Currently, Timm Bliss serves as the Hardesty Chair.

Today, the college has eight endowed faculty members and the funds received or committed for nearly 20 additional endowed faculty positions.

Roger Hardesty Endowed Chair in Aviation Science


14

Meet Carlos Villagrana,

an OSU College of Education

graduate who currently serves

as the principal of Amigos Por

Vida – Friends for Life Charter

School, an elementary school in

the Gulfton area of Houston.

Villagrana’s story begins in El

Paso, Texas. His parents were citi-

zens of Juarez, Mexico, but Carlos

was born in this west Texas

town. He lived in Juarez until he

was 7 years old, when his family

re-located to Duncan, Okla.

“I really had a small-town

Oklahoma upbringing,”

Villagrana says.

Building a Place for dreams

continues next page

After graduating from Duncan

High School, Villagrana headed

to OSU. Not only was he the

first person in his family to

graduate from high school, he

became the first to attend and

graduate from college.

Villagrana started out pursuing

a degree in business. “My idea

was to go out and make a lot of

money and come back to help the

Hispanic community,” he says.

But a summer job set him

on a different career path. He

worked for a United Way agency

in Oklahoma City, serving as a

mentor to Hispanic children. The

experience was eye opening.

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CoUrtEsy PhOTOS

Carlos Villagrana, 1998 elementary education alum, is the principal at amigos Por Vida – Friends for

Life school in the Gulfton area of houston. the U.s. Department of Education has recognized amigos

as a charter school that is closing the achievement gap.

Villagrana enjoyed his job, but

a relationship that began at OSU

enticed him to move to Puerto

Rico to reunite with his future

wife, Lourdes Ocasio. The couple

married and eventually decided

to return to Houston to teach.

Again, the children Villagrana

was teaching were struggling,

and he felt like they were not

learning enough English.

“I felt like I needed to do a

better job of learning how to

teach these kids,” he says.

Villagrana applied for and

received a scholarship to begin

a master’s degree in bilingual

education at Houston Baptist

University. He finished the

program in two and a half years

while continuing to teach.

The state of Texas hired

Villagrana as a reading specialist

to provide consulting services to

a number of underperforming

schools. The position took him

to Amigos Por Vida – Friends for

Life in 2003. Eventually, school

officials approached Villagrana

about working as an administra-

tor at the school.

“I had no administrative experi-

ence on a campus level and that

was a huge disadvantage coming

in,” Villagrana says.

“I didn’t want to take the job.

People advised not to take the

job.” Ultimately, he prayed about

the opportunity and decided to

accept the position, and after

serving a short stint as assistant

principal, the school promoted

Villagrana to principal.

A unique school, Amigos

had its share of challenges. It

opened in 1999 as an answer to

overcrowding in Gulfton, one of

the most densely populated areas

in Texas. Over 99 percent of its

students receive free and reduced

lunches. The apartment complex

housing the school sets in a

high-risk area where crime and

poverty are prevalent.

The parents had trust issues,

and only 50 percent of the

students were earning passing

rates on Texas’ annual exams.

The school had to make changes

if it were going to survive.

“We went through a lot of

growing pains,” Villagrana says.

“We had to revamp the whole

school, and I think that was

harder to do than starting the

school from scratch.”

Amigos Por Vida serves

pre-kindergarten 3-year-olds through

eighth grade, providing 50 percent of

instruction in English and 50 percent

in spanish.

“I saw that there was plenty

of money for programming to

impact the population. There

just weren’t enough people,”

Villagrana says.

He returned to OSU in the

fall and spent another semester

in business, but started to think

that might not be the right career

path for him.

“I had a conversation with

my parents and my brother. We

talked about the people that had

the most influence on our lives

and they were schoolteachers in

Duncan, particularly a fifth grade

teacher named Mrs. Wilcoxson. I

thought, ‘Wow, one person had

this much impact on two kids

who probably never should have

made it. I want to be that kind of

person for other kids.’”

Villagrana transitioned to

the College of Education and

completed his degree in elemen-

tary education in 1998. Within

a year or two of graduating,

he took a position in the Alief

Independent School District in

Houston as a bilingual teacher

instructing Spanish-speaking chil-

dren in Spanish until they could

learn enough English.

CoUrtEsy PhOTOS


16

The school’s board and

Villagrana set three key mandates.

The first is a dual-language

(Spanish and English) program

where students receive 50 percent

instruction in English and 50

percent in Spanish.

The second mandate calls for

hiring only certified teachers.

This required heavy recruiting

to draw qualified teachers to the

low-performing school, but it has

paid huge dividends, Villagrana

says. “We have a lot of really

young staff members who got

into education to work with the

hardest to reach kids.”

The third mandate is for the

school to be competitive and

offer a quality overall education

program, and that meant having

the budget to do it. Amigos put

in place internal controls for

finances and operations.

Improvements were swift and

dramatic. In Villagrana’s second

year, the school had a waiting list.

Test scores climbed, and by 2007,

85 percent of students were earn-

ing passing rates on state reading

exams and 99 percent were earn-

ing passing rates on state math-

ematics exams. Parents petitioned

for Amigos to add sixth grade.

The school received the

Governor’s Excellence Award

as a high-poverty school that

performed in the top quartile

of the Texas Assessment of

Knowledge and Skills in 2006-

07. The U.S. Department of

Education’s 2007 Innovations

in Education Report featured

Amigos as a school closing the

achievement gap.

Today, the community

embraces the school that serves

pre-kindergarten 3-year-olds

through eighth grade. The school

has secured financing to purchase

property on which to build a

permanent school.

“Parents and children have

bought into believing that maybe

education is the way out of

poverty,” he says. “The great

thing is that we are able to prove

that these kids who are so highly

at risk are also highly successful.

Along with my family, the school

is kind of my life. It gets more

amazing every day.”

Villagrana is an integral part

of the school’s success, says

Amigos Por Vida Board President

Mary Riley. “Carlos is devoted

to the school, and all the

students and staff have a high

regard for him.”

He credits his OSU education

for providing a strong foundation

for his career. “I think the elemen-

tary education program really

prepared me with theory that you

apply to a classroom,” he says.

Many things about OSU still stick

with me, including the quality of

people — people who care about

you and are there to help you.

That’s what I remember most.

“When I am talking to our

middle school kids about going

to college, I tell them to start

dreaming,” Villagrana says. “I

want them to have the same

experiences I have.”

Villagrana says it has been

gratifying to prove that children from

all backgrounds enjoy tremendous

academic success.

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EdwArdSCAStlECAnEdAy

Two students from the OSU

College of Education’s athletic train-

ing program, Kendall Choate

and Rachel Weatherford, were

selected to represent the state of

Oklahoma at the National Athletic Trainer’s Association iLead Student Leadership Conference in Washington,

D.C. The conference goal is to help

athletic trainers improve their skills

and learn how to use them in the

profession.

Lynna Ausburn, associate

professor in the School of Teaching

and Curriculum Leadership, received

a Provost’s Teaching Research grant in

2009. The project title is “Desktop

Virtual Reality in Technical Teaching

Programs.”

The University of Central Oklahoma

College of Education and Professional

Studies has recognized Lowell

Caneday, professor in Applied

Health and Educational Psychology, for

his work as a mentor to UCO faculty.

College News

Caneday, who teaches in the leisure

studies and therapeutic recreation

program at OSU, was honored at a

student symposium, themed Celebrating Mentors and Mentoring, for demon-

strating characteristics valued and

admired in mentors.

Kathryn Castle, Curriculum

Studies, will receive the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators Foundation Research Award at

their meeting this coming November in

Washington, D.C.

Steve Edwards, associate dean

for Graduate Studies and Research, was

invited to be a peer reviewer for the

federal Fire Prevention and Safety grants. The Federal Emergency Management

Administration (FEMA) and U.S. Fire

Administration (USFA) sponsors the

$35 million federally funded grant

program.

John Foubert, the Anderson,

Farris and Halligan Endowed Professor

in College Student Development, testified

before the U.S House of Representatives

Armed Service Subcommittee on Military

Personnel in March regarding “Sexual

Assault in the Military: Prevention.”

Foubert is one of the nation’s leading

experts on sexual assault prevention.

The OSU Outreach Council has

selected Nadine Olson, associate

professor in the School of Teaching

and Curriculum Leadership, as the

recipient for OSU’s 2009 Outstanding Study Abroad Leader Award. The award

recognizes faculty who are dedicated

to the internationalization of OSU by

providing excellent short-term faculty-

led study abroad programs.

The Graduate and Professional

Student Government Association

selected Amanda Mollet, a master’s

student in college student development,

as the recipient of the 2009 Phoenix Award. The Phoenix Award, which

recognizes exemplary achievement

in leadership, scholarship, profes-

sional involvement and university and

community service, is the association’s

highest honor.

John Supon, a master’s student

in leisure studies, recently received the

Larry J. Mildren Graduate Scholarship

from the Therapeutic Recreation

Symposium for the Southwest. The

scholarship recognizes Supon as an

individual who is committed to the field

of therapeutic recreation and shows

great potential for leadership.

ChOAtE And wEAthErfOrd


18

OlSOn PErryfOUbErt thrAShEr

Candace Thrasher, manager

of Education Outreach, received

the University Continuing Education Association Great Plains Region’s 2008 Support Specialist Award.

Linnea Van Eman, doctoral

student in educational psychology,

received a 2009 Women’s Faculty Council Research Award for her disser-

tation on gifted girls who accelerated in

math at middle school.

Katye Perry is celebrating the

start of her 30th year as a member of

the College of Education faculty.

A special thanks goes to alumni

Steve Birch and his wife Shanee

for sharing their Boone Pickens Stadium

suite with the College of Education on

football Saturdays this fall.

S t E v E & S h A n E E b i r C h

OSU prepared more than half of this year’s math and science teachers who

received $13,602 after fulfilling requirements of Oklahoma’s Teacher Shortage Employment Incentive Program. The legislative program, sponsored by the

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, reimburses eligible student loan

expenses or pays an equivalent cash benefit to individuals who graduate from an

Oklahoma accredited teacher education program, receive a teaching certification

in mathematics or science, and agree to teach in an Oklahoma public secondary

school for at least five years. Of the 21 teachers completing five years of service,

12 graduated from OSU. For more information about the program, please visit

http://www.okhighered.org/tseip/

U.S. News and World Report has ranked the OSU College of

Education’s Occupational Education graduate program among the best in

the nation. The publication chose seven university programs to appear on its

list of Best Educational School Specialty Rankings in the Technical/Vocational category. OSU landed the seventh spot after previously ranking No. 9 or 10 for a

period of more than five years. U.S. News and World Report bases the rankings

on factors such as research record and reputation of faculty and graduate students.

Faculty members in the occupational education program are Lynna Ausburn,

associate professor; Belinda McCharen, associate professor and Tuttle

Endowed Chair of Occupational Education; Mary Jo Self, associate professor;

Ji Hoon Song, assistant professor; and Floyd Ausburn, adjunct instructor.

Occupational Education faculty members are, left to right, bElindA MCChArEn, Ji hOOn SOng, MAry JO SElf and lynnA AUSbUrn.

continues next page

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For the third straight year, the Osher

Foundation is supporting OSU’s Osher Lifelong

Learning Institute (OLLI) with a $100,000 grant.

Sponsored by OSU’s College of Education, OLLI

@ OSU is a program of educational courses for

people who want to enrich their lives through

new learning experiences and the sharing of ideas.

OLLI offers courses each semester on various

topics in the Stillwater and Tulsa communities.

Beginning next year, OLLI will offer classes in

Oklahoma City. The Osher Foundation has

invited OSU to apply for a $1 million endowment

gift and $50,000 bridge grant in 2010.

rex Ball, oLLi instructor for the art Deco class, tours the Boston

avenue United Methodist Church in downtown tulsa with his

students.

PhOTO by rUthann sirBaUGh


20

Fuqua, professor in the

School of Educational Studies,

was selected for the honor in

2001. He joined the OSU faculty

in 1987 as professor and depart-

ment head for applied behavioral

studies and served in that capac-

ity until returning to a full-time

faculty role in the research,

evaluation, measurement and

statistics program in 1996.

He is an American Education

Research Association (AERA)

fellow in measurement and

research methodology and in

counseling and human develop-

ment. He also is an American

Psychological Association (APA)

fellow in evaluation measure-

ment, consulting psychology and

counseling psychology.

Honored Professors

Fuqua has served as president

of the Society of Consulting

Psychology, APA, and as vice-

president, Division E: Counseling

and Human Development,

AERA. His research interests

include organizational behavior,

spirituality and personality, and

construct psychology. He holds

a master’s degree in psychology

from Eastern Illinois University

and a doctor’s degree in research

methodology and counseling

from Indiana University.

Montgomery, professor

in the School of Applied Health

and Educational Psychology, was

chosen as a Regents Professor

in 2009. She has been a member

of the faculty since 1990 and

serves as program coordinator

for educational psychology. In

the fall of 2008, she received the

President’s Excellence in Teaching

Award at OSU-Tulsa, the highest

honor awarded to faculty.

She also served as the prin-

cipal investigator for “Project

CREATES,” an arts integration

research project conducted in

north Tulsa schools that brought

$1.25 million in research funding

to OSU over a five-year period.

The CREATES research resulted

in more than 30 publications

and presentations at the regional,

national and international level.

Montgomery is a member

of the board of examin-

ers for the National Council

for Accreditation of Teacher

Education and is past president

of the Association of the Gifted,

a Division of the Council for

Exceptional Children.

Her research interest areas

include creativity, transpersonal

development, gifted education

and American Indian education.

She earned a master’s degree

in teaching from Western New

Mexico University and a doctor-

ate in special education from the

University of New Mexico.

Two College of Education faculty members, Dale Fuqua and Diane Montgomery,

now hold the prestigious title of Regents Professor at osu. the title is awarded permanently to

faculty members who have made significant scholarly contributions and are recognized by their

peers as leaders in their respective disciplines.

f U q U A

M O n t g O M E r y

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PhOTOS by PhiL shoCkLEy

The College of Education is marking

six years of international student teaching

opportunities for elementary, secondary or

K-12 teacher candidates. More than 100

education students have completed student

teaching internships abroad in either Costa

Rica or England.

The international option aims at broad-

ening candidates’ perspectives on education

to include local, national and global views.

Otherwise, the program is similar in length

and structure to internships in the U.S.

Schools pair students with cooperating

teachers who are certified and recom-

mended by their principals.

International Teaching Lends Professional Growth

CoUrtEsy PhOTOS


22

Students must apply for the

opportunity and undergo a

selective interview process. Once

approved, they prepare for the

internships by taking orientation

classes and learning about life and

safety in the host country. They

also register online with the U.S.

Embassy and learn to visit govern-

ment websites for country alerts.

In England, the college

collaborates with Department of

Defense (DOD) Schools located

on Lakenheath, Mildenhall and

Feltwell military bases. Students

enjoy free housing and commis-

sary privileges.

Another advantage for students

who complete internships in

a DOD school is that they

can apply immediately upon

graduation for positions in DOD

schools without the required five

years of teaching experience.

In Costa Rica, the college

partners with three accredited,

independent English-immersion

schools in the city of San Jose.

OSU students collaborate with

a diverse group of multilingual

teachers from Costa Rica, Europe

and the U.S. and spend the 12

weeks living with host families.

“Living with a host family

gives students a sense of home. It

allows students to be immersed

in Costa Rican culture and

drastically improve their Spanish

language skills,” says Nadine

Olson, associate professor and

coordinator of international

student teaching.

Graduate Myla Post, who

completed her student teaching

internship in Costa Rica last

spring, says that living with the

host family was one of her favor-

ite parts of the experience.

“The families and schools were

so supportive of us. They really

cared, and it speaks wonders

about their country and culture,”

Post says.

College faculty members have

developed strong relationships

with schools and host families

since the program’s inception.

They travel with students to

teaching sites and remain for

an orientation period, introduc-

ing students to families and

schools and making certain they

are comfortable in their new

surroundings.

From left, Brandi Joice, Emily

Gorman neitenbach and Caroline

hicks enjoyed traveling to

Amsterdam, Holland, while

completing student teaching

internships in England during the

spring of 2009.

Students have the opportunity

to immerse themselves in Costa

rican culture as they live with

host families and take advantage

of sightseeing opportunities.

Throughout the semester, the

students and OSU faculty regu-

larly communicate through email.

Students and faculty also provide

professional development for

schools in both countries.

Internships in Costa Rica and

England offer opportunities for

weekend travel and exploration.

Emily Gorman, who completed

her student teaching internship

in England last spring, counted

travel as one of the best parts of

what was a wonderful overall

experience.

“The mentor teachers are

amazing. Most are certified in

several areas and are passion-

ate about what they do,” says

Gorman. “I would definitely

recommend student teaching

abroad. Going into it, I didn’t

know any of the other OSU

students, but I was able to make

lifelong friendships.”

The international student teach-

ing program has been so successful

that the college plans to continue

and expand it, Olson says.

“The experience has been

extremely valuable and helped

many students to grow profes-

sionally.”

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CoUrtEsy PhOTO


24

Charles Cox began his career in

a one-room schoolhouse teaching 48

students in all grades.

The OSU College of Education

graduate recalls that he was the only

teacher and had no help, except for

a high school student who pitched in

occasionally.

“That’s how we did it in those days,”

he says.

To realize the impact Charles Cox

had on his students look no further than

Catherine Panther Stewart, a first grader

in Cox’s class at the Fairview school.

She has lived in Eugene, Ore., since

1948 but maintains contact with Cox.

“I always say he started me off right

in my first year of school. He is a favor-

ite person.”

Prior to teaching in Pawnee, Charles

served on four continents during World

War II. He went on to earn a bachelor’s

degree from the University of Central

Oklahoma. Determined to continue his

education, he commuted from Pawnee,

Okla., to Stillwater to earn a master’s

degree in education at OSU in 1949.

A Legacy of EducationCharles taught for nearly 30 years

until his retirement in 1976. He spent

most of his career in the Pawnee

school system, where he started the

driver’s education program and taught

junior high math. He ran the clock at

basketball games, drove the bus and

coached a summer baseball program.

His students knew him as a tough but

fair teacher.

“He made quite an impact on

students,” daughter Judy Cox Graham

says. “At a reunion, I remember a man

saying that Mr. Cox always treated

everybody fairly, no matter where you

came from or who you were.”

Charles worked hard and in the

process set an example that inspired

his daughters Judy and Gail Gazin to

become educators.

Judy and Gail agree that their father

and late mother, Elna, who was a teach-

er’s aide, made it apparent that education

was important. There was never a ques-

tion that they would attend college.

Judy graduated from OSU in 1967

with a degree in secondary educa-

tion. She taught in Oklahoma before

moving to Houston. She eventually

became the co-founder and president of

Celebration Women’s Ministry of the

United Methodist Church. The national

ministry has chapters around the

country that connect women through

Christian educational programs and

mentoring.

Judy’s sister, Gail (Cox) Gazin,

attended OSU but left to marry before

finishing a degree. Years later in 1989,

with encouragement and support from

her father and family, Gail completed

her bachelor’s degree at Ohio State

University in Columbus.

“Dad encouraged me greatly,” Gazin

says. “He was instrumental in helping

me make the decision to go back to

school and complete that degree.”

Gail has taught for more than 20

years in her native Pawnee, becom-

ing the district’s first National Board

Certified Teacher. Both Gail’s children

are OSU graduates. Her daughter,

Erin Johnson Grimes, a doctor at the

Pediatric Urgent Care clinic in Tulsa,

and husband, Brian Grimes, graduated

from OSU in 1999.

Gail’s son Mike Johnson is a COE

alumnus. He holds a bachelor’s and a

master’s in aviation science and flies for

OSU alumnus Phil Trenary, president

and CEO of Pinnacle Airlines.

Teachers do not always receive the

recognition and rewards they deserve.

Charles Cox, at age 93, continues to

reflect on the impact he has had on his

family and former students.

“That’s the kind of reward that means

the most,” he says.

charles cox’s family includes three generations

of osU alumni: seated, Charles Cox with great-

grandson Jaxson Grimes; and Cox’s daughters,

from left, Gail Cox Gazin and Judy Cox Graham with

Cox’s granddaughter Erin Johnson Grimes and great-

granddaughter raylee Grimes.

20

0


Park Project Aids Students, Oklahoma

Faculty and students in the College

of Education’s Leisure Studies program are

studying the past, assessing the present and

shaping the future of Oklahoma’s state parks.

Lowell Caneday, professor in the School of

Applied Health and Educational Psychology,

is leading a project that develops and main-

tains resource management plans for all 50

state parks.

“The plans deal with the natural, cultural,

historic and social resources in a state park

property and how those resources can best be

used to provide appropriately for the visiting

public,” Caneday says.


26

In a word, the plans are

comprehensive. Caneday esti-

mates it will take 10 years and

several million dollars to go

through the entire project. Since

2006, the team has completed

work at Natural Falls, Lake

Eucha, Lake Thunderbird,

Roman Nose and Lake Texoma

State Parks.

Funded for $259,000 in the

coming year, the project will

develop plans for Beaver’s Bend

and Hochatown State Park and

Lodge, Lake Wister, Heavener

Runestone and Talimena state

parks.

The first step is to complete

a Global Positioning System

inventory. Team members use

hand-held GPS units are and

walk around a park property

identifying campsites, roads,

electrical units, restrooms, gas

storage tanks — any feature of

the park.

Next, the group completes

the inventory by uploading the

GPS data into a Geographic

Information Systems (GIS) map,

or map overlay. Map overlays

start with aerial photographs,

then an overlay of a CAD draw-

ing before the GPS data adds the

layered information.

“If park rangers would like to

know how long a roof has been

on a building, they can go into

the database and get the detail.

They can find out how many

camp sites have electrical units or

how many camp sites are avail-

able in a particular part of the

park,” Caneday says.

His team prepares a full record

documenting all natural and

manmade aspects and includ-

ing everything from geography,

history, land use, site influences,

vegetation and recreational

development, some of which date

from the Civilian Conservation

Corps. The team also gathers

primary and secondary informa-

tion from land records.

The team’s full reports identify

issues and management alterna-

tives for the future of each park.

“We’re leaving a record of

where these properties have

been, and what they should be

for the future. Architects take

our suggestions and ideas about

property use. It’s an opportunity

to put your fingerprints on it.”

At Lake Thunderbird, the

OSU team’s work resulted in a

new nature center and at Roman

Nose the removal of a storm

damaged section of the lodge

and new designs are based on the

researchers’ recommendations.

Along with former OSU

faculty member Deb Jordan,

Caneday hires graduate assistants

to work on the team. While

most are leisure studies students,

he has collaborated with other

degree programs, including geog-

raphy, landscape architecture,

history and hotel and restaurant

administration, in hiring students

to work on parts of the project.

“We are big-time collabora-

tors. I could not do it without

graduate students,” he says.

“Individual projects provide

tremendous resource opportuni-

ties for our students. There’s a

real benefit for them as well as

the state of Oklahoma.”

Grace Chang, pictured here, tyler tapps and Mike

Bradley, opposite page, are students who are gaining

valuable experience working on the project for

oklahoma’s state parks with Lowell Caneday.

PhOTOS by Gary Lawson

20

0


CoUrtEsy PhOTO

College of Education alumna

Caroline Linehan is lending her experi-

ence to help assistant professor Valerie

McGaha become involved with The

Kids on the Block, Inc. The large-size

puppetry program teaches children and

adults to accept and appreciate differ-

ences and disabilities.

Kids on the Block offers more than

40 programs that address various

disabilities, educational and medi-

cal differences, and social concerns.

Puppeteers present 15- to 20-minute

interactive dialogues and take ques-

tions from students in the audience.

McGaha, who teaches in the School

of Applied Health and Educational

Psychology at OSU-Tulsa, saw a

presentation and was moved to action.

COE Faculty Member, alum team up with kids on the Block

“The demonstration was so powerful

and emotional,” she says. “I could see

the healing and felt compelled to do

something.”

While living in Los Angeles, Linehan

became involved in Kids on the Block

in 1977 after she saw creator Barbara

Aiello on Good Morning America.

In recognition of her success with

Kids on the Block, the Los Angeles

County board of education awarded

Linehan the Educator Medallion.

After she returned to Oklahoma

in 1985, she noticed a posting by the

Oklahoma Child Abuse Prevention

office that sought a program to take

into the schools. She auditioned, and

the office chose Kids on the Block from

hundreds of programs.

Linehan went on to present in virtu-

ally every school district in the state and

to church groups and civic organiza-

tions. She has seen firsthand the impact

the program can have on children.

“Children really identify with the

puppets. To them, the puppets are real,”

she says. “You become the puppet.

You know he feels and he becomes an

extension of you.”

Meeting with Linehan confirmed

McGaha’s desire to use Kids on the

Block, and Linehan, who recognized

McGaha’s enthusiasm, has agreed to

train her.

McGaha’s vision is to train her

students and other volunteers

through her role as Hispanic Student

Association advisor and take the

program to schools in North Tulsa

that have been adopted by OSU-Tulsa.

She has identified three themes she

would like to focus on — emotional

and behavioral disorders; obesity and

overweight; and gang violence and

prejudice.

“I’m very excited to give back to the

community,” McGaha says. College of Education alumna Caroline Linehan,

left, with kids on the Block character Jimmy, has

agreed to train Valerie McGaha, right, to conduct the

puppetry program in schools.


28

CoUrtEsy PhOTO

Cecil Dugger, left, pictured

with professor Preecha

ongaree, advisor to president

of king Mongkut’s University

of technology north Bangkok,

traveled to thailand this fall

to receive the Outstanding International Alliance Award from king Mongkut’s

Univeristy of technology north

Bangkok.

Cecil Dugger, emeritus professor,

has a distinguished record of outreach

for OSU and the College of Education.

The college is set to recognize his

efforts and legacy through the Cecil

Dugger Faculty Outreach Award.

Dugger began teaching at the college

in 1965 and completed his doctorate in

higher education in 1968. He contin-

ued teaching in technical education,

occupational and adult education and

finally in aviation and space education

as well as extension graduate courses

for the Oklahoma Military Department

at locations across the state , until his

retirement in 1995.

In the late 1960s, a group of 12 OSU

employees, including Dugger, worked

in Thailand to develop 11 vocational

schools and a teacher’s college. The

two years he and his wife, Geneva,

spent living in Thailand began a strong

connection with Thai students.

For all but two years since 1970,

Dugger has served as OSU’s faculty

advisor to the Thai Student Association.

Seven of the current or former

presidents of Thailand’s five

major universities are OSU

alumni, and Dugger mentored

each of them through his work

with the student association.

He also taught or advised

three university presidents

who earned doctoral degrees

from OSU.

making a difference at Home, abroadThis new annual Cecil Dugger award

will honor a faculty member who is

fulfilling OSU’s outreach mission. The

goal is to provide a financial reward for

that person’s outreach activities.

One of Dugger’s former students,

Tom Seth Smith, a 1977 graduate,

provided a $5,000 lead gift for the

effort. Smith, who received OSU’s

Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007,

is the president and CEO of Rural

Enterprises of Oklahoma and a nation-

ally recognized leader in economic

development.

Smith credits Dugger.

“Dr. Dugger was a great positive

influence on me during my time at

OSU and beyond that. As my advisor,

he guided me, but he was flexible, a

quiet leader. He was a visionary who

instilled vision in his students, and that

has carried over into my personal and

professional life.

“He was always open-minded about

new things and respected people for

who they were — not where they

came from and not by economic or

family status. He was just there to help

students.”

The King Mongkut’s University

of Technology North Bangkok

(KMUTNB) recognized Dugger’s influ-

ence this fall when it presented him

the Outstanding International Alliance

Award, which honors someone impor-

tant in the development of academic

cooperation with the Thai education

community. Her Royal Highness

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

presented the award during the univer-

sity’s 50th anniversary celebration.

College of Education graduate

and OSU Distinguished Alumni

Award recipient Professor Teravuti

Boonyasopon is the president of

KMUTNB. Dugger served as both chair

and thesis advisor for Boonyasopon’s

doctorate program.

“They say a teacher’s pay does not

always come in the form of a paycheck,”

Dugger says.

To contribute to this fund,

contact Brenda Solomon

(405) 385-5156 or

[email protected]

20

0


Allyson Dibert (health promotion

and education ’08) is attending Johns

Hopkins School of Nursing.

She was accepted to participate in

an internship with the Mayo Clinic

in Rochester, Minn., for the summer

of 2009.

Jill K. Ireland (math education ’04)

and Greg W. Bloyd (social studies

education ’03) were married on Nov. 15,

2008. Jill and Greg both teach and

coach at Edmond North High School.

Kimberly Durall (elementary educa-

tion ’05) teaches at Hendrick Middle

School in the Plano Independent School

District. She is currently working on a

grant project called “Project-Connect”

that funds equipment to connect

students in Plano with students from

Makuleke, Africa via real time video,

emails and virtual artifact exchanges.

Brad Robison (ed.D. higher educa-

tion administration ’91) was appointed

by Gov. Brad Henry to sit on the

Oklahoma Historical Records Advisory

Board. Robison lives in Oklahoma City

and works for the State Archives of

Oklahoma, serves as an adjunct faculty

member at OSU/OKC and secretary

for the Central Oklahoma Chapter of

the OSU Alumni Association. He is past

president of the COE Alumni Board.

Class NotesDiane D. Allen (m.s. ’77, ed.D. ’88)

was appointed provost and senior

vice president of academic affairs at

Salisbury University. She previously

served as dean of the College of

Education at Southeastern Louisiana

University.

Jenyfer Glisson (ed.D. ’06)

principal at Sapulpa High School,

was named Oklahoma’s High School

Principal of the Year by the Oklahoma

Association of Secondary School

Principals. The award is based on

professional and community involve-

ment, school achievements and instill-

ing leadership in staff and students.

Kyle Page (m.s. community

counseling ’08) won an award for

American Psychological Association

Outstanding Research by a Student

in the area of Police and Public Safety.

Page’s presentation is titled “Going

Home at Night: Stress and Counseling

in Rural Policing.” Page is currently

pursuing a doctorate at the University

of North Texas.

Carol Axley (m.s. applied behavioral

science ’94) was among 25 public educa-

tors from across the United States who

received the 2009 MetLife Foundation

Ambassadors in Education award.

Axley, a teacher and counselor at East

Central High School in Tulsa, received

a $5,000 grant for the school. Axley is

involved in a number of programs that

help prepare at-risk students for college

and encourage student leadership in the

community.

Beth Ann White (special educa-

tion ’83) lives in Lancaster, Calif., and

works for Oklahoma State University

on NASA’s Interdisciplinary National

Science Project Incorporating Research

and Education Experience (INSPIRE

Project). She also serves on the COE

Alumni Board.

Rick D. Rogers (secondary science

education ’88, m.s. in secondary school coun-

seling ’94) lives in Stillwater and works

a as a senior field coordinator for the

Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center

in Cushing, providing professional

development, technical assistance and

program evaluation to schools across

Oklahoma. He and his wife, Karen,

recently celebrated their 20th wedding

anniversary.

College of Education Alumni Board members,

from left: karen

anderson, Marsha

Gore, rick rogers,

Martha hadsall, susan

states, Greg Graffman,

rebecca Parrack,

Beth white and ann

waughtal.


30

gliSSOnAllEn

Ann Waughtal (elementary educa-

tion ’76, m.s. curriculum and instruction ’84)

works at OSU as a university supervi-

sor for student interns and serves as

a faculty representative for residency

committees.

David Conway (ed.D. ’95) has

been appointed to the Oklahoma

Aeronautics Commission by Oklahoma

Gov. Brad Henry. Conway is director

of the Southeastern Oklahoma State

University Aviation Sciences Institute

and currently serves as president of the

University Aviation Association.

Mike Adkins, a longtime

member of the College of education’s

alumni Board and a former Oklahoma

Teacher of the Year, passed away

Aug. 7, 2009.

Adkins graduated from OSU with

bachlelor’s and master’s degrees. He

taught in the Moore Public School

District for 26 years before becom-

ing the director of education for the

Oklahoma History Center.

A true renaissance man blessed

with many talents, he was an artist

and illustrator, a model builder,

winning competitions at the

State Fair, an actor, an author of

Oklahoma textbooks, a 32 Degree

Scottish Rite Mason and a living

history re-enactor, and most of all

he was a teacher.

He is survived by his wife of

31 years, June; and his two sons,

Jason and Brett; daughters in-law,

Emily and Ashley; and Jason &

Emily’s children, Vohn and Vega.

His mother, Pauline Adkins; his

brother, Bruce, his wife Amy, and

their children, Eric and Paige; also

survive him.

Gifts honoring Mike can be

sent to the OSU Foundation for

the Teacher of the Year (OKTOY)

Scholarship Fund at 400 S. Monroe,

Stillwater, OK 74074.

In Memory

Rebecca Bostain Parrack (math education ’79) and her husband,

David Parrack, A&S, 1980 have three

children, Andrew, a freshman at OSU,

Josh and Sarah. She is currently the

president of the College of Education

Alumni Board, a COE Associates

member and a part of the OSU Alumni

Board Leadership Council.

Susan Campbell States

(elementary education ’82) teaches first

grade in the Enid Public Schools. She is

pursuing a master’s in education leader-

ship and lives in Hennessey, Okla.

send your class notes information to

[email protected].

Renovation of the Watson Family Student Success Center has been

completed within the past year. A $100,000 gift from Kim Watson (elementary

education ’73) and her husband, Chuck, of Houston, supported the renovation.

20

0


CoUrtEsy PhOTO

What are some of your favorite memories or sites? There was something of

interest every place we went, although some were more interesting than others. The penguins in Antarctica were interesting. We liked the picture-taking safari. The abundance of animals in Tanzania was amazing and learning of their habitats meaningful.

Sailing down the Nile and visiting the Valley of the Kings, though very, very hot, is a favorite, as is Greece, which is another country full of history but a bit disorganized. Traveling down the Romantic Road in Germany and seeing Ludwig’s beautiful castles is unforget-table and the opulence of the magnificent churches with gold leaves and cherubs all around the ceilings and altars was astounding.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is quite eerie and its ancient construction amazing. Easter Island, located between Tahiti and Chile, is a puzzle. The art and architecture of Italy and France are extraordinary.

I must add the most roman-tic place, the Maldives, made up of many small islands. You

Of course I am interested in knowing about the

“science” you learned on these visits. What animal population, habitat, or geography particularly impressed you — and why? As far as animals go,

Tanzania was even better than Krueger Park in South Africa. Galapagos was quite interest-ing as far as the variety of animals, birds and water life. We saw many strange-looking species and beautiful colors, including a type of lizard that lives on land and water. Of course, the huge turtles lumbering through the under-brush were amazing. They do not seem to spend much time near or in the water.

We have enjoyed it all, and we wish everyone had the opportunity to see what we have seen. We think the world would be a better place if everyone could meet people of other persuasions and learn from and appreciate their culture.

are whisked from the airport by fast motorboat to one of the smaller islands and a lovely room built over the water with a private lagoon for swimming. I think they have a special moon that comes up every night as well as entertainment and fine food.

As for food, Singapore has a diverse ethnic population and eating in all the different bazaars, small restaurants and waterside cafes is fun and so good.

Is there a place, or a culture, you would visit again, and if so, what is it, and why?We’ve revisited many of

the countries I’ve named, and most we would visit again. Frank particularly likes Asia. He went there first in the Navy in 195l and was amazed at the work ethic. So many of those countries suffered during various wars and rapidly rebuilt. I am especially fond of Italy, the art as well as the food. I’ve never have had a bad meal even at any stop along the road. People are very kind and interested in helping a tourist.

A Visit with Global Travelers

They received the 2005

Henry G. Bennett Award,

OSU’s highest humanitarian

award. They established an

endowed chair in the college

and provided scholarships

for numerous outstanding

students.

Julie Thomas, who

holds the Frank and Carol

Morsani Endowed Chair in

Science Education, visited

with the Morsanis about

their extensive travel, which

includes all seven continents.

Did you set a goal to travel to all seven continents — or did it just happen?We began our travels when

the opportunity presented itself. Then, when we realized we had been to six continents, we figured we might as well do them all. History is exciting for both of us. We like the motto,

“Have suitcase, will travel.”

Can you describe a bit about how you planned and prepared for each trip? Many trips were with

automobile manufacturers [business related], so they planned the schedule. When we began traveling on our own, we used a company that sent great brochures along with a reading list. The trip became more interesting when we read of each country, its treasures, architecture and culture beforehand. We read books and country and city maps of interest.

Frank and Carol Morsani of tampa, Fla., are osu alumni and longtime supporters of the

College of Education who have frequently returned to campus and interacted with students and faculty.


32

PhOTOS COURTESy Morsanis; by Gary Lawson

The College of Education is planning to produce a series of posters to highlight

its degree programs. The initial poster features elementary education

with the slogan “oklahoma state university teachers create tomorrow.”

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the poster, please contact

Christy Lang at [email protected] or (405) 744-8320.

NON-PrOfit

OrgaNizatiON

U.S. POStAgE

P A i d

StillWater, OK

Permit NO. 191

oklahoma state university College of Education 339 Willard Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-4033

For information about how you can help support the College of education, contact

Brenda Solomon, ed.D. Senior Director of Development College of education

(405) 385-5156 [email protected]

Awaken imagination and create a dream.


2009 osu college of education magazine

Documents

t i o nchristy lang

t e e d i t o rcontact

s s o c i

t i o n s s p e c i

e g e o f e d u c

college alumni

u n i c

pamela fry d e