CAMPUS UPDATE April 2018 EVENING OF HONORS AND RECOGNITION SET FOR MAY 11 ECU’s Evening of Honors and Recognition is set for Friday, May 11, at 6:30 p.m. in ECU Foundation Hall of the Chickasaw Business and Conference Center. Distinguished alumni to be honored include: Michael Brown, Janice Gray and Craig Scheef. Dr. Bill Chapman will be presented with the Distinguished Former Faculty Award. Dr. Darryl Pierson’s Perceptions The past year has been a Fisher will receive the Distinguished Service Award and the Floyd/Al- remarkable adventure. I have len Family will be honored as the Distinguished Family. met many students, alumni and friends of East Central The ECU Foundation, Inc. will also be recogniz- University as I have traveled ing 2016 and 2017 Centennial Endowments. They throughout the region. We have many entrepreneurs, include the Charles and Lila Acker Centennial world travelers, artists, Computer Science Endowment, Cottingham/Ross business owners and amazing Centennial Graduate Education Endowment, Jon professionals we call alumni. Arrasmith Centennial Memorial Endowment, Colton It is inspiring to hear their Calaway Centennial Memorial Endowment, Wayne stories. In their stories, I kept hearing a similar message - Cobb Centennial Endowment, Tina Hope Davis the education they received Centennial Endowment, Wes Watkins Water Re- Michael O. Brown while at ECU helped them source Policy and Management attain a life well-lived. Centennial Endowment and Leader- ship Murray County Class XII Cen- As it is springtime, a time of renewal and hope, we look tennial Endowment. forward to our future and the possibilities it brings. Looking To register or for sponsorship infor- forward, the university has mation visit alumni.ecok.edu/event/ several initiatives underway, EOH2018 or contact Kacy Clark at such as a major strategic [email protected] or 580-559-5587. plan, which will advance our Craig Scheef Janice Gray ability to continue graduating remarkable individuals.

I’m happy to be ’s president and look forward to the future with you.

Thank You for Supporting ECU!

Dr. Katricia Pierson President Dr. Bill Chapman Dr. Darryl Fisher Floyd/Allen Family East Central University 580-332-8000 www.ecok.edu Page 2 Campus Update April 2018

ECU CELEBRATES FOUNDER’S DAY LEGAL STUDIES PROGRAM RECOGNIZED ECU celebrated Found- TWICE er’s Day on March 29 ECU’s Bachelor of Sci- with free t-shirts and ence in Legal Studies snacks along with per- Program has been formances by the band, named as the Best in cheerleaders and pom the State of squad. Short speeches by paralegaledu.org and it has been ranked were also delivered by fourth nationally for Best Paralegal Studies ECU President Katricia Degrees by collegechoice.net. The program Pierson, new head foot- prepares students for their first job as a para- ball coach Al Johnson legal or to advance in their current paralegal and Gavin Burl, presi- role. The four-year course of study provides a dent of the ECU Student strong, liberal arts foundation with a focus on Government. ECU was analytical and communication skills applicable founded in 1909 as East Central State Normal to a variety of legal environments, from law School. offices to corporate legal departments to gov- ernment agencies to nonprofits and more. C3 GOLF TOURNEY SET FOR MAY 21 Entries are being accept- PARKER ETHICS CENTER RECEIVES ed and sponsorships are COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD available as the Com- ECU’s Oscar L. Parker mitment to Champion- Center for the Advance- ships Campaign (C3) Golf Tournament is set ment of Ethical Standards for Monday, May 21, at the WinStar Golf Club in Business and Society in Thackerville. The C3, created by the ECU received the Community Foundation, Inc., is a catalyst to transform Impact Award in the Ed- ECU football into a dominant program in the ucation Category at the Great American Conference. The format for the 2018 Oklahoma Ethics tournament is a four-person scramble with a Awards Consortium at the 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. To register go online Petroleum Club in Oklaho- at www.alumni.ecok.edu or call 580-559-5655 ma City. Founded in 1988, more more information. the Oscar L. Parker Cen- ter facilitates outreach to members of ECU and SCIENCE, ENGINEERING FAIR AT ECU the community with the sole purpose of pro- Hundreds of moting ethics education and ethical behavior junior High and on campus and in the community. With a small high school budget, no staff and limited resources, the cen- students were ter promotes ethics through several channels on campus including luncheons, lectures and workshops April 5-6 for the open to the community. Receiving the award Oklahoma State Science and Engineering Fair was Dr. Michael Scott, director of the Parker in Foundation Hall of the Chickasaw Business Ethics Center. and Conference Center.

580-332-8000 www.ecok.edu Campus Update April 2018 Page 3

SOCIAL WORK MONTH PROCLAIMED ON MOSELEY EARNS PRESTIGIOUS CAMPUS FELLOWSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP ECU Presi- Through Princeton University, dent Katricia ECU student Elsa Moseley has G. Pierson been offered a highly-competi- proclaimed tive fellowship to teach English March as “Social Work Month” on campus. The and international relations at theme was entitled “Social Workers: Leaders, China Foreign Affairs University, Advocates, Champions,” as the ECU social one of the top diplomacy schools work program hosted a self-care training that located in Beijing. Additionally, same day to honor those hard-working social Moseley has been selected for a prestigious workers in the community by teaching them Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in South how to better take care of themselves. Korea. The Fulbright Scholar Program is under the United States Department of State Bureau DR. HADA RECEIVES SERVICE AWARD of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Dr. Ken Hada, professor of English and languages at ELLIS PICKED FOR UNIQUE FELLOWSHIP ECU, was presented with the ECU junior Melissa Ellis is one Glenda Carlile Distinguished of only 10 college students Service Award at the 29th from across the country to be Annual Book Awards for his selected for a Native American efforts in founding and di- Journalism Fellowship. Ellis, recting the annual Scissortail who is pursuing a degree in Creative Writing Festival. Hada is also a 2018 accounting, will participate finalist in the 29th Annual Oklahoma Book in the Native American Journalist Association Award Competition in the poetry category for (NAJA) year-long endeavor, which includes a Bring an Extry Mule. conference in Miami, Florida in July.

NICHOLSON-WEIR CONTRIBUTES TO STUDENTS GO TO D.C.; BURL DOES ONLINE EXHIBIT INTERNSHIP Rebecca Nicholson-Weir, ECU ECU student Gavin Burl assistant professor of English recently did a special and languages, has contrib- internship with the Pres- uted to “Making Modernism,” ident Barack Obama an online exhibit of archival Foundation in Washing- materials from the Newberry ton D.C. As a member of Library, Chicago’s Indepen- Pi Sigma Alpha, a political science academic dent Research Library since honor society, Burl recently traveled with 12 1887. The exhibit was created by the National other ECU students and three faculty members Endowment for the Humanities Institute par- to Washington D.C. to attend the Pi Sigma ticipants, which includes Nicholson-Weir. Her Alpha National Conference. To boot, he along exhibit involves two letters from March, 1937, with fellow ECU student Anna Wood were the written by anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston to only two students able to go to the U.S. Su- writer, editor and literary critic Harry Hansen. preme Court to observe some oral arguments.

580-332-8000 www.ecok.edu Page 4 Campus Update April 2018

BENITEZ SPEAKS AT OSRHE MEETING ECU DUO HONORED FOR GAC WOMEN’S ECU student Alex BASKETBALL Benitez shared Senior Devon the positive impact Branch and junior higher education Lakin Preisner has made in his life were All-Great during a March meet- American Confer- ing of the Oklahoma ence honorable State Regents for Higher Education. Pictured mention award are: (left to right) ECU President Katricia G. winners for the 2017-18 season. Branch aver- Pierson, OSRHE Chancellor Glen D. John- aged 14.6 points for the season while Preisner son, Benitez and Regents Chair Dr. Ronald H. averaged 13.6. Statistically, Preisner led the White. NCAA Division II ranks nationally in free-throw percentage at 95.6, converting 65-of-68 at- ECU’S HARGIS PASSES CTP EXAM tempts. ECU student Kendall Hargis recently learned FILER WINS 3,000-METER STEEPLECHASE that she passed the AT UTA INVITATIONAL Certified Treasury Junior Larry Filer, of the ECU Professional (CTP) track and field team, won the examination, one of the 3,000-meter steeplechase with premier certifications in the fields of account- a time of 9:51.79 at the 2018 ing and finance. The CTP certification requires Bobby Lane Invitational at the those sitting for the exam to demonstrate mas- University of Texas-Arlington on tery of knowledge domains pertinent to corpo- March 24. rate treasury management. ECU STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN TALLEY FIRST-TEAM ALL-GAC FOR MEN’S RESEARCH DAY AT STATE CAPITOL BASKETBALL Several ECU ECU men’s students par- basketball ticipated in sophomore Research Day Camron Talley at the State was named to Capitol in Okla- the 2017-18 homa City. The All-Great Amer- event is designed to showcase the outstanding ican Conference First Team while teammates research being conducted at Oklahoma’s col- – junior Da’Rion King and senior Brett Cannon leges and universities in the areas of science – were honorable mention selections. Talley (including social science), technology, engi- averaged 16.2 points while shooting 40.5 per- neering and mathematics. Students are nomi- cent from 3-point land for the Tigers. King and nated by their institutions’ leadership to partic- Cannon sported 12.4 and 9.4 scoring averages, ipate in the prestigious event. The Oklahoma respectively. State Regents for Higher Education is one of the sponsors.

580-332-8000 www.ecok.edu Campus Update April 2018 Page 5

NURSING STUDENTS TRAIN IN MOCK NEW BUSINESS SCHOLARS ANNOUNCED DISASTER Fourteen ECU ECU nursing students business stu- participated in a mock dents have been disaster training at announced as Mercy Hospital in Ada Class of 2018 on March 15. The Scholar Lead- disaster was the after- ers by the ECU math of a damaging tornado. The nursing stu- Stonecipher dents worked alongside actual first-response School of Busi- professionals in learning the procedures in ness. They are: Kamryn Akers, Brayden Bat- rescue and recovery efforts. tershell, Daniel Christensen, Cullen Edens, Chance Hogstad,Yashna Khadgi, Allison EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT Maurer, Braden Prewett, Hunter Ross, Kacee PRESENTS AWARDS Schier, Brooklin Schwabe, Heather Swan, Ab- Students from ECU’s bie Winchester and Chloe Tyler. The program Department of Education is geared toward junior and senior business and Psychology received majors who demonstrate academic excellence awards at their 2018 and are looking for a way to better themselves Spring Awards Luncheon through student engagement and cultural en- on March 30. Scholarship richment. In order to be a part of the Business and achievement awards were presented at Scholar Leaders program, students must have the event as 2017-18 Oklahoma Teacher of the a minimum 3.5 grade-point average, be able to Year Finalist Dr. Laura Smith, of Byng Schools, volunteer for special projects and participate in was the keynote speaker. the Dean’s Leadership Council.

STUDENTS EXPERIENCE LAW DAY ON STUDENTS INITIATED INTO ALPHA CHI ECU CAMPUS There were Justice , of the 71 ECU , students and Chickasaw Nation Dis- initiated into trict Judge Dustin Rowe, an the Alpha ECU alumnus, were the fea- Chi National tured speakers as Honor So- Law Day was con- ciety during ducted on campus a ceremony in March. Alpha Chi which is last month in Foun- comprised of the top 10 percent of juniors and dation Hall. The seniors at ECU. Students must have at least event also included a 3.5 grade-point average to join. The objec- a networking luncheon in which ECU students tive of Alpha Chi is to promote and recognize met with the speakers, local attorneys, judges superior scholarship and those elements of and ECU faculty. Scholarship award winners character which make scholarship effective for were also recognized. service.

580-332-8000 www.ecok.edu Page 6 Campus Update April 2018

GREEK WEEK CELEBRATED WITH GAMES, AUTHORS, READING ENTHUSIASTS ACTIVITIES ATTEND SCISSORTAIL FESTIVAL Greek Week was Fifty-seven authors celebrated on cam- and hundreds of pus, April 2-6,as attendees converged fraternities and on the ECU campus sororities partici- for the 13th Annual pated in numerous Scissortail Creative activities, including chariot races, Greek Family Writing Festival, April Feud, Greek Lip Sync and other Greek games. 5-7. Each author A banquet was also held. made a presentation during the three-day FRESH CHECK DAY HELD AT ECU event. Awards were A mental health presented to high check in with inter- school students in the active booths, free R. Darryl Fisher Creative Writing Contest. food and prizes was conducted on SUMMER PELL GRANTS NOW AVAILABLE the University Cen- Enrollment for the summer 2018 semester is ter Lawn on March underway and ECU is excited to announce that 6. The event was sponsored by the Student Pell Grant eligible student can receive up to Counseling Center, Housing and Residence 150 percent their award. If ECU students qual- Life, Student Government Association Execu- ified for Pell in the 2017 Fall and 2018 Spring tive Board and the ECU Active Minds Chapter. semester and are enrolled in at least six hours ing research being conducted at Oklahoma’s for the summer, they may use Pell Grant to colleges and universities in the areas of sci- help fund summer enrollment. For more infor- ence (including social science), technology, mation, contact the ECU Financial Aid Office at engineering and mathematics. 580-559-5243.

580-332-8000 www.ecok.edu