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Fall 2012 Issue A NEW HOME FOR RSU PRYOR – Page 4 – What’s Inside Art on the Hill | Page 13 Hillcats at world series | Page 1 F A L L 2 0 1 2 Published by Rogers State University, 1701 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, OK 74017. Produced by the Office of Public Relations. To contact the editor, call 918-343-7771 or send an email to: [email protected]. President Dr. Larry Rice Director of Public Relations David Hamby RSU Accepted into NCAA Membership Process | Page 11 Public Relations Coordinator Jimmy Hart ➥ RSU President Dr. Larry Rice called the announcement a major milestone in the university’s recent renaissance. Public Relations Intern Monique Demarais Assistant AD for Media Relations Sara Williams Graphic Designer Randy Riggs Rogers State University, in compliance with Titles 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 veteran Photo courtesy of Tulsa World courtesy of Tulsa Photo in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. This publication was issued by Rogers State University. A total of 12,500 copies have been printed at a cost of $12,575.00. To view and download Stray Cats | Page 2-3 Hillcat Hero | Page 5 archived issues of On The Hill, please visit: ➥ Ten years ago, RSU awarded its first bachelor’s ➥ Bree Bedsworth Swant (A.A., '09) recognized for degrees. Where are those alumni now? volunteer work with Big Brothers Big Sisters. www.rsu.edu/onthehill TABLE OF CONTENTS Hill Topics 1-4 HOMECOMING | Page 11 Hillcat Hero 5 November 9-10, 2012 Alumni News 6-7 Hill Shorts 7-9 Athletics 10 RSU People 12 Diamond Cats Reach Finals in First World Series Appearance Phillips Named VP for Development Rogers State University has announced Maynard Phillips has joined the university as its Vice President for Development overseeing all university fundraising initiatives, planned giving, endowment, scholarships and alumni programs. Before joining the university on July 2, Phillips most recently served as a Senior Principal and Resident Campaign Manager for Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners, a Chicago-based firm that is a national leader in fundraising campaigns and financial resource development. He managed capital ➥ The Hillcat baseball team played for the NAIA national championship. campaigns, specializing in the higher e Diamond Cats made a magical run in Against LSUS, Bargas tossed the complete- education and healthcare industry. their first appearance at the Avista-NAIA game victory as he fanned 18 batters and World Series in 2012, finishing as the national crushed the RSU single-game strikeout record Phillips has previously worked in runners-up as they fell in the championship of 11. e south paw was just one strikeout shy fundraising at Eastern Oklahoma State game to Tennessee Wesleyan. Ninth-seeded of the World Series record of 19. It was the first College Development Foundation and RSU quickly became a fan favorite in Lewiston, time in program history the Cats had topped Lubbock Christian University. Before posting three come-from-behind victories while the No.1 team in the country. entering the development field, Phillips had tallying a 4-2 record at the tournament. RSU more than two decades of management knocked off top-ranked and top-seeded LSU- Spainhoward garnered pitching victories over experience in the insurance and retail sectors. Shreveport and second-seeded Lee (Tenn.) en No. 8 South Carolina Beaufort and No. 7 Point route to the World Series title game. Park (Pa.). Baker dazzled the fans with web gem “At a time when state support for higher catches in the outfield along with a World Series education continues to decline, it's critical for RSU (49-16) compiled its winningest season batting average of .460 while driving in eight public universities to reach out to the private in program history. e 2012 squad was the runs. sector in order to maintain high levels of first Hillcat baseball team to reach the World service while keeping college costs Series and the first RSU athletic program to RSU ended the year as the biggest mover in affordable,” said RSU President Dr. Larry compete in a national championship game. the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Postseason Top 25 Rice.” Maynard Phillips brings to RSU an Poll, rocketing up 21 spots to No. 2, its highest exceptional background in both fundraising Juniors Eric Baker, Brandon Bargas and finish in the program’s seven-year history. and management, which I believe will serve Shawn Spainhoward were named to the World the university and its constituents well as we Series all-tournament team while Baker also move forward. I am excited for RSU friends received the tournament gold glove. and supporters to have the opportunity to work with Maynard.” A native of Tushka in southeastern Ray Brown Retires Oklahoma, Phillips and his wife Debra have relocated to the Claremore area. Dr. Ray Brown, Vice President for Economic and Community Development and Director of the Innovation Center, retired from Rogers State University effective “RSU is experiencing an exciting era right June 30. He had been with the university since 1999 in various leadership capacities. now with record enrollments during the past He was a driving force behind the university’s initial accreditation as a four-year decade and new academic programs on the university and also helped create its Center for Economic and Community horizon,” Phillips said. “ere is a palpable Development and the Innovation Center, which fosters regional economic sense of the dynamic growth at each of the development and addresses educational needs of area business and industry. three RSU campuses, and it's an honor for me to work with the university's alumni and ➥ Story Continues on Page 4 friends to help advance this great university.” HILLTOPICS | 1 RSU Launches Alumni Campaign to Find “Stray Cats” In the spirit of the Stray Cats Campaign, we attempted to track down the RSU class of 2002, the first class to receive Rogers State University has launched an Alumni can visit the Stray Cats Campaign initiative to reconnect with alumni who have website – www.rsu.edu/straycats – to view lists RSU bachelor’s degrees. lost touch with their alma mater. e Stray Cats of lost alumni, separated by year of graduation, Here are their stories. Campaign will utilize the RSU website, social as well as a video promoting the campaign. media, direct mail and the ever-growing RSU Alumni also can update their information via a Dinesh Adhikari - Nepal alumni network to locate and welcome back form found on this page. Business Information Technology – lost alumni. Soware Development and Multimedia In 2011, the RSU “As RSU has rapidly Alumni Association Denish Adhikari earned an associate grown, maintaining contact switched to a charitable gi degree in computer science and a with all of our alumni has structure from a dues-based bachelor’s degree in business information become a challenge,” said model, effectively making technology from RSU. He planned to Marisa Littlefield, RSU every RSU alumni a pursue a master’s degree and was accepted director of alumni. “e member. All graduates are to the computer science graduate program Stray Cats Campaign comes eligible to receive a free at Oklahoma State University – Tulsa. at an important time, when the university has a lifetime membership card, the biannual “On wealth of exciting news to share with our The Hill” newsletter, the monthly “Hilltalk” Tragically, Denish was killed in a car alumni and an unprecedented number of e-newsletter, invitations to alumni social events, accident aer leaving work in December of benefits to offer them.” career development resources and other alumni 2003. opportunities and benefits. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - e Stray Cats Campaign will seek out lost alumni of RSU and its predecessor institutions For more information on the Stray Cats – Claremore Junior College, Rogers State Campaign or other RSU alumni activities, College and Rogers University – dating back to contact Littlefield at [email protected]. 1972. Daniel Combs - Claremore, Okla. WATCH a short video Liberal Arts to learn more about the Stray Cat Campaign and how alumni can update Aer earning an associate degree in art their information. and a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, Daniel Combs chose to remain in Visit www.rsu.edu/straycats or scan Claremore. He has been married to his the QR code with your smart wife Mollie for more than six years. ey phone to view the video. met while Daniel was in school and they both worked at Wal-Mart. ey have three children. “Living in Claremore, I have been able to watch the growth at RSU,” Combs said. “As one of the first bachelor’s degree alumni, it’s really been something to see.” 2 | HILLTOPICS Matt Ferrel - Claremore, Okla. Melinda Hoover - Laurel, Iowa Michelle Krueger - Stillwater, Okla. Applied Technology Applied Technology Liberal Arts Matt Ferrel put his bachelor’s degree in Melinda Hoover earned her bachelor’s Michelle Kruger credits her liberal arts applied technology to work for companies degree in applied technology aer taking education with strengthening her creative like the Claremore Progress and Coldwell courses at the RSU campuses in Pryor and thinking and encouraging discipline and Banker aer graduation. Claremore. perseverance. Since graduating, her life has included teaching art to elementary school “Once I got my foot in the door at any “I was excited to hear about the students, traveling to Brazil to construct employer, I was able to show them what I groundbreaking for a new campus at the chapels for growing Christian congregations could do with my degree,” he said.