VOLUME VII OCTOBER NUMBER 9 EDITION 2019 NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE Steve Dixon, Ryan Orcutt, and Hollie Snyder were selected to receive OACC Outstanding Employee Awards. Not pictured: Ryan Orcutt Being crowned the 2019 Homecoming Queen has struck “up a whirlwind of emotions. I feel incredibly blessed, honored, and grateful for this opportunity. Sidany Hilburn, an Agriculture Business major from Quapaw, Okla. ” I am so honored and excited to have been selected“ as the 2019 NEO Homecoming King. Reagan Alsbaugh, a Psychology major from Miami” Top row from left: Interim President Dr. Mark Rasor, 2019 Homecoming Queen Sidany Hilburn, 2019 Homecoming King Reagan Alsbaugh. Bottom row: Teagan Becker, Gia Grover, Hayden Kellogg, and Nathan Lasiter. NEO Crowns 2019 Homecoming Royalty NEO crowned Sidany Hilburn Hilburn, an Agriculture Business major Psychology major from Miami. “NEO is such and Reagan Alsbaugh as the 2019 from Quapaw, Okla. “I look forward to a an excellent college and I look forward to Homecoming Queen and King during year full of service to the college and to the representing its tradition of personal and NEO’s “HOMEcoming on the Range.” The community. Go, Go, NEO and God bless academic success.” coronation ceremony took place on the NEO A & M College!” King and Queen Honorees were afternoon before the “Showdown at the Hilburn represented the Center for selected by a panel of judges based on their OK Corral” Homecoming football game, Academic Success and Advising and is the references, electronic portfolios (LinkedIn which saw the Golden Norsemen defeat daughter of Vic and Laura Hurley and Doug profiles), and pageant performance. This Blinn College 42 to 12. Child attendants to and Ashley Hilburn. She was joined by King year, judges were 1990 Homecoming Queen the Homecoming Court were Gia Grover, Reagan Alsbaugh, the son of Aaron and Mrs. Delaina Brown, NEO Development Taegan Becker, Hayden Kellogg, and Courtney Alsbaugh, who represented the Foundation Vice Chair Mr. Tommy Dodson, Nathan Lasiter. Native American Student Association. and Two-time NEO Homecoming Court “Being crowned the 2019 Homecoming “I am so honored and excited to Member Mr. Daniel Hocker. Queen has struck up a whirlwind of have been selected as the 2019 NEO CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 emotions. I feel incredibly blessed, honored, Homecoming King,” said Alsbaugh, a | and grateful for this opportunity,” said NEO RODEO EARNS EIGHT TOP-TEN FINISHES IN HOMECOMING 2019 FIRST SEASON RODEO NEO TO HOST ‘AN EVENING AT THE DERBY’ ON 12 2-3 8 THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2019 NEO LIVESTOCK JUDGING NAMED RESERVE OUTSTANDING ALUMNI 2019 CHAMPION AT TULSA STATE FAIR NEO’S PHI THETA KAPPA HONOR SOCIETY 13 NEO LIVESTOCK JUDGING OPENS SEASON 4-5 WITH TOP-TEN FINISH ARVEST BANK FOUNDATION PRESENTS $7,500 GIFT TO 9 INDUCTS 33 STUDENTS THE NEO BUSINESS DEPARTMENT NEO HOSTS CHIEF GLENNA WALLACE FOR NEO UNVEILS CENTENNIAL TRIBAL MONUMENT NEO HONORS FOUR AT MILITARY APPRECIATION 6 NIGHT CONSTITUTION DAY LECTURE 10 ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY 14-15 NEO WELCOMES NEW FACULTY TO CAMPUS NEO CHOIRS PERFORM WITH FOUR-TIME NEO WELCOMES NEW GROVE CENTER NEO A&M COLLEGE JOINS ‘DEGREES WHEN DUE’ DEGREE GRAMMY NOMINEE 16 COORDINATOR 7 COMPLETION INITIATIVE 11 SHAKESPEAR ON THE STEPS - 2 - NEO Crowns 2019 Homecoming Royalty | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 As part of their responsibility as Queen and King, Hilburn and Alsbaugh will represent the College by attending important events held on campus and sponsored by the college throughout the year. They also both received a $250 Foundation scholarship. First runner-up for King was Malachi Walton, a Criminal Justice major from Lawton, Okla., representing the Students Striving for Success. Samantha Thompson, a Business Administration major from Caney, Kan., was selected as first runner-up for Queen. She represented the Phi Beta Lambda. Second runners up were Roy Stovall, an Agriculture Business major from Wyandotte, Okla., representing the Aggie Society, and Alex Miers, a Business Administration major from Vinita, Okla., representing Phi Theta Kappa. Mr. and Ms. Norse Spirit were selected by student body popular vote. The winners were Roberto Bravo Jr. and Hannah Tweed. Mr. and Ms. Congeniality were voted on by the royalty candidates and announced during Thursday evening’s pageant. Colben Dodson received the Mr. Congeniality Award and Samantha Thompson received the Ms. Congeniality Award. The runners-up and Norse Spirit honorees were each awarded $100 Foundation scholarships. - 3 - (NOT PICTURED) Dr. Paul Kroutter – Outstanding Alumnus for the School of Liberal Arts Dr. Paul Kroutter is the Criminal Justice Department Head at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and graduated from NEO in 1974 with a criminal justice degree. Following NEO, he worked as a welder to support his family before graduating in the first class Jerold Graham Chad Davis Dr. Brian Arnall Jerold Graham – Chad Davis – Dr. Brian Arnall – Outstanding Retired Outstanding Young Outstanding Young Faculty Alumnus Alumnus Mr. Jerold Graham served as an NEO A Picher native, Chad Davis is the Dr. Arnall is a Professor in the OSU faculty member for twenty years in Director of Athletics for Miami Public Department of Plant and Soil Science. the Fine Arts and Communications Schools. Attending NEO out of high He graduated from NEO in 2000 with a Department, teaching theatre and school, he transferred to Pittsburg State degree in agriculture. Following NEO, constructing theatre sets. A Tulsa native, University where he earned a Master he completed his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. Graham graduated from the University of Science in Sports Management and in soil fertility. Dr. Arnall also serves of Tulsa before joining the Army in 1958. Leisure Service. Starting in 2009, Davis as an Extension Precision Nutrient Following his military service, Graham served as a Golden Norsemen Assistant Management Specialist. As an extension spent the next 8 years at McLain High Football Coach and SAC Coordinator. specialist, he is tasked with delivering School. After the construction of the Davis became the Director of Athletics research outcomes to area farmers to NEO Fine Arts Center, Graham joined in 2017. He is also active in regional improve the quality and yield of their the NEO Division of Communications. athletics and served as the vice-chair crop. Since being named an associate Throughout his life, Graham has worked of the Wardog Legend Committee as professor in 2014, Dr. Arnall has also with Camp Chippewa in Cass Lake, well as the Game Day Manager for the increased research output. He has Minnesota. He owns a cabin on a ten- Midwest Classic Bowl. He was inducted published over 50 academic journal acre island in Canada and spends his into the Oklahoma Eight Man Football articles, written four book chapters, summers woodcarving and volunteering Coaches Association Hall of Fame in created nearly 200 extension tools, and with the camp. 2014. taught over 1,200 students. - 4 - of the Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice program at Northeastern State University in 1981. Over the next several years, Dr. Kroutter held a variety of positions with the Broken Arrow Police Department. During his tenure, he completed his Ph.D. in Education from OSU. Dr. Kroutter is nationally recognized for his work in virtual reality and simulation learning in a variety of public service and health occupations. Sondra Holt Dr. Brian Renegar Charlene Leubecker Charlene Leubecker – Dr. Brian Renegar – Outstanding Alumna Outstanding Alumnus for from the School of the School of Agriculture Human Environmental Sondra Holt – and Natural Sciences Science Award of Merit Ms. Charlene Leubecker is the Chief Holt grew up in Miami and graduated Dr. Brian Renegar is a retired veterinarian Clandestine Information Technology from Miami High School in 1967. and Oklahoma representative and Officer for the CIA and graduated from Following graduation, Holt went to currently splits his time between NEO in 1984 with a degree in Computer work for AT&T in Miami and worked operating a mobile vet clinic based out Science. Following NEO, she transferred for twenty-nine years in five locations of Angel Fire, NM, and doing surgery at to OSU to continue her pursuit of a during her AT&T career. She took a local humane society. He attended computer science degree. During her advantage of a tuition payment plan to NEO in 1969 before transferring to NSU. program, the CIA attended a recruiting complete her bachelor’s and master’s Following his graduation from OSU with fair on campus and Leubecker won an degrees. She then transitioned to the a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, Dr. interview. For over three decades, she energy sector for the next fifteen years. Renegar purchased and operated a has been dedicated to the protection Holt joined the NEO Development practice in McAlester, Okla., for nearly of the CIA’s internal computer systems Foundation Board in 2017. Holt currently four decades. In 2007, Dr. Renegar and was named one of Washington is an Adjunct Professor at NSU Broken decided to run for state and over the D.C.’s Top Women in Technology in 2015. Arrow teaching management courses, is next 12 years, served as the District 17 Leubecker is motivated by the positive an avid OU fan, and serves as a mentor Representative to the Oklahoma House mission impact she is able to make and for the Street School program through of Representatives. enjoys working with an array of talented Tulsa Public Schools. individuals. -- 55 -- Arvest Bank Foundation Presents $7,500 Gift to the NEO Business Department NEO received a check for $7,500 from the Arvest Foundation on Wednesday, Sept. 18, continuing their long-time commitment to business education at NEO. "We are very thankful for our ongoing partnership with Arvest,” said Joy Bauer, Chair of the Business and Technology Department.