Great Things are Happening on Campus! It’s almost finished! OCU will celebrate the completion of the the Wanda L. Bass School of Music in April, 2006. The $38.5 million 112,000-square-foot Wanda L. Bass Music Center willfeature 60 additional practice rooms, 40 new teaching studios, seven high-tech music labs, six ensemble rehearsal rooms and a black-box theater. Groundbreaking: OCU held a groundbreaking cere- mony at the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management to kick off $6.75 million in additions and renovations to the program’s new home, the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center. The Inasmuch Foundation gave $3 million toward the project. University Trustee Ann Lacy contributed an additional $3 million, and the Mabee Foundation of Tulsa also donated $750,000. Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2007. The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management offers undergraduate degrees in dance performance, dance management, entertainment business, and American dance pedagogy. Inasmuch Foundation board member David Hogan, Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management dean John Bedford, Penguin, Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management chair Jo Rowan, Christmas Kitty, OCU trustee Ann Lacy, Kay Wilkes, President Tom McDaniel, Gingerbread Cookie, OCU trustees Jeanne Hoffman Smith and Bill Shdeed, and Inasmuch directors William and Robert Ross break ground at the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center. Fall 2005 Volume 49, No. 1 pg. 5 5 One Great Plan DEPARTMENTS Deserves Another 2 President’s Message The first Great Plan earned Oklahoma City University national attention in the 1960s. Now, officials are working 13 University Update to revive the program, helping a new generation of OCU students achieve their own great plans. 17 Focus on Alumni 20 Focus on Athletics 8 In With the New: 24 In Memory 31 Join OCU’s Stellar Academic Team pg. 10 10 Farewell to Fred the Fabulous: Fond Memories of OCU’s Subterranean Fieldhouse pg. 13 President of Tom McDaniel FOCUS • 2501 N. Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73106-1493 FOCUS Fall 2005 Oklahoma City University Focus is produced semiannually by the communications and marketing and alumni departments for alumni, parents, and Editor Christine Dillon friends of Oklahoma City University. E-mail alumni news to Vice President for Art Cotton [email protected] and any story ideas to [email protected] Institutional Advancement Writers Sarah Molina Check out Oklahoma City University on the internet at Rich Tortorelli Senior Director Sandy Cotton www.okcu.edu. of Development Oklahoma City University, in compliance with federal laws and regulations, Designers Issei Aoyama does not discriminate on the basis of race, sexual orientation, color, national Allison Bastian Senior Director of Vicki Patterson origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its educa- Communications tional programs, activities, policies, practices, or procedures. This includes, Kevin Miller but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational and Marketing services. The university also expects vendors who provide employment opportunities related to the university to observe these policies and practices. Photographers Issei Aoyama Director of Alumni and Jeanne Short Ashley Griffith The Vice President for Administration and Finance, located in Room 402 of Planned Giving Services the Administration Building, serves as the university’s affirmative action officer and coordinates the university’s compliance with Title VI, Title VII, President of the Jacque Fiegel ’76 Title IX, Section 504 of the ADA and the ADEA. Inquiries concerning OCU Alumni Board application of and compliance with these regulations should be addressed to the coordinator or to the Office of Civil Rights. fOCUS 1 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT reetings from the cam- Loyola, Tulane, the University G pus of Oklahoma City of New Orleans, Dillard University. Our second University, and other institu- century and this academic tions enrolled at OCU. year began with good news, Alumni and friends of the exciting growth, and an college offered housing to opportunity to serve others. these students, and the At the annual matricula- United Methodist Church tion convocation on Aug. 21, we wel- and other campus groups assisted with comed the largest freshman class ever textbooks and other needs. Thank you to enroll at OCU. These students repre- to all who so generously and compas- sent a rich diversity of ethnicity, talents, sionately stepped forward to help these and interests but share a common young people continue their education. desire to discover their passions and So many wonderful things develop their minds in a challenging continue to happen at Oklahoma City academic environment. That week we University. Our second Head of the also welcomed to campus an outstand- Oklahoma Centennial Regatta was a ing group of new faculty who join our wonderful success. We broke ground veteran professors in their dedication to for the new Gaylord Center of the teaching and inspiring students to pur- Ann Lacy School of American Dance sue their dreams. You will have an and Arts Management on Nov. 28. In opportunity to meet our new profes- the spring semester we will begin our sors elsewhere in this magazine. new women’s softball facility and In the first days of the semester, we start the major renovation of our stu- watched as events unfolded on the dent center. Our Centennial campaign Gulf Coast. As our initial shock over to raise $100 million by April 2006 is the devastation of Hurricane Katrina already a success, with more than $98 subsided, we asked ourselves what million donated as we go to press. I Oklahoma City University could do to wish that each of you could visit the assist students whose educational campus and feel the vibrancy with dreams were shattered by this tragedy. which Oklahoma City University is The answer was that we could open moving into its second century. If a our hearts and our doors to those stu- visit is not possible, this magazine is dents. On Sept. 1 we offered free tuition one way we hope to keep you at OCU for the fall semester to any stu- informed about the great things hap- dent from one of the colleges affected pening at OCU. For those of you can by Hurricane Katrina. We extended the do so, please come visit us and see for enrollment period by a week so that yourself! those who wanted to come to Oklahoma City to continue their educa- tions uninterrupted would have time to do so. Within days of our offer, 46 stu- Tom J. McDaniel dents who had planned to attend President 2 fOCUS photo by Issei Aoyama John Bedford OCU wins again Inside the skeleton of the soon-to-be-completed Bass School of Music building More news from President McDaniel… OCU is again this year ranked in The winning tradition of OCU Regatta athletes and fans enjoyed the top tier for “Best Universities— sports continues. The Stars men’s two days of rowing, food, art, and Master’s West region” by U.S. baseball team and women’s golf entertainment. News and World Report. For the 10th team won national champi- consecutive year OCU was named onships last spring. John Bedford was inducted into one of “America’s 100 Best College the Oklahoma Higher Education Buys” and for the ninth year OCU The wonderful Bass School of Hall of Fame for his work as dean is on the list of “America’s Best Music building is nearing comple- of Oklahoma City University’s Christian Colleges.” These honors tion and dedication is planned for Ann Lacy School of American tell us what we already know: the spring. Dance and Arts Management. Oklahoma City University is an institution of high standards and great value. fOCUS 3 photo by Issei Aoyama Freshman biology major Jessica Casselman is one of a new generation of Great Plan Scholars. One Great Plan Deserves Another By Sarah Molina The first Great Plan earned Oklahoma City University national attention in the 1960s. Now, officials are working to revive the program, helping a new generation of OCU students achieve their own great plans. p fOCUS 5 “ appreciate those people who see recruited applications and candi- Great Plan Scholars I this as a way to help those dates, we brought them into the Give Back deserving students who might not university for an interview. We otherwise get that opportunity,” said awarded 20 Great Plan scholarships Randall and several other Great Plan Jessica Casselman, 19, an OCU fresh- a year, and that paid for every- graduates have re-established three man biology major. “I was already thing, including a laundry fee that scholarship funds for OCU students to admitted (to OCU), but I was not sure the basketball players got.” study under the Great Plan.Two stu- where I was going to go, so (the Great The partnership with MIT led to dents now are studying under the Plan) helped determine my choice.” university reorganization, curricu- Great Plan. More could take advan- Casselman is one of two students lum development and faculty tage of the program if the funding studying under OCU’s Great Plan, a growth. The Great Plan scholar- becomes available, Randall said. program that started more than 40 ship soon was offered to humani- “Our goal when we first started years ago as a science scholarship ties and social science students. this was to raise about $2 million, program and partnership between which would establish about 10 the university and the Massachusetts “... OCU gave scholarships,” Randall said. Institute of Technology. Today the “(Original Great Plan graduates) are scholarship is open to any major. me the best now in their 50s or 60s and may be “My admissions counselor … was in a position to give back to the uni- very good.