SEPTEMBER 2019 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE STATE UNIVERSITY OPSU.edu FOSTERING CHAMPIONS OF EXCELLENCE Vice President of Academic and Student / CAMPUS/ Affairs, Dr. Julie Dinger, (left) and University President, Dr. Tim Faltyn, (right) address the STATE OF THE faculty and staff on August 14. UNIVERSITY ADDRESS Released by Panhandle State Campus Communications The faculty and staff gathered in the the room was shown a drone fly-over and in turn, with the great faculty, staff student union ballroom on Wednesday, video of the progression of construction. and students that make up Panhandle August 14, as they prepared for the Dr. Faltyn continued by revisiting State. Further signifying this ideal, it was annual State of the University Address the many accomplishments over the announced that the university had been by university president, Dr. Tim Faltyn. past year, from athletics post-season ranked No. 28 by U.S. News and World Prior to the president’s speech, the appearances by every team for the Report in the 2019 Best Colleges, Regional room was treated to a delicious breakfast first time in school history, to Beau Universities West division. A roaring provided by Great Western Dining and Peterson’s CNFR National Champion clap echoed through the room as the sponsored by the members of Anchor D title, to the awarding of the Panhandle news excited all the faculty and staff and Bank. The presentation then began with Promise scholarship to its’ first five fortified all their hard work. a letter from Dr. Faltyn to the Oklahoma recipients. He also spoke on the broader A&M Board of Regents. In the letter’s aspects of more behind-the-scenes opening statement was the sentence, accomplishments as he addressed the “The people I work with are making the budget, master plan, and strategic plan difference for this university.” As it was for the university. Then, seemingly read aloud, the room took a moment a mistake, a photo of the Spirit Rider to let the words sink in, and Dr. Faltyn brandishing her flag emblazoned with announced this declaration was the the P logo, riding across Carl Wooten influence behind the theme of the Field appeared on the projection screen. presentation: where we were, where we Dr. Faltyn commented on how great of “The people I work are now, and where we are going. a photo it was, then moved on to speak First, Dr. Faltyn reminisced on the about the dorm renovations and the with are making the 2018-19 school year, and what strides newly-approved funds for the student difference for this forward had been made since. He spoke union building. of the numerous facility improvements The presentation continued and university.” all across campus, from the newly-turfed every few slides, a photo exhibiting the — Dr. Tim Faltyn, Carl Wooten Field at Anchor D Stadium, P logo would appear again. Dr. Faltyn University President to the student-focused refurbishments then stopped, and explained that he of the Academic Resource Center, to had hoped to really show how far the the brand new furniture each of the university’s re-branding initiative had classrooms had been bestowed. He come, and soon enough, the slides of continued with the announcement that the presentation were splashed with the university was on trend to welcome the notably celebrated logo-from the largest freshman class for the third stickers on the back of car windows, to year in a row, and that enrollment students donning hats and t-shirts, to management had been a key point of various signs peppered around campus, continued success for the fastest growing to the numerous billboards lining university in the region. The shooting the highways. The logo has become sports facility was an enlivened topic, as synonymous with the university, 2 PANHANDLE STATE CONTENTS Panhandle Magazine — SEPTEMBER 2019 4 — MOVE-IN DAY 2019 7 — ENROLLMENT INCREASE FOR FALL 2019 14 — BEAU PETERSON, 2019 CNFR NATIONAL CHAMPION 15 — OPSU DEBUTS MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER 4 7 14 On the cover: Beau Peterson, CNFR National Champion, Goat Tying Back Cover: Panhandle State University was ranked as No. 26 by U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2019, Regional Universities West division. /ADMINISTRATION/ Dr. Tim Faltyn — President Dr. Julie Dinger — Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs Benny Dain — Vice President of Fiscal Affairs Dr. Ryan Blanton — Vice President of Outreach /PANHANDLE MAGAZINE/ Alyssa Fox —Campus Communications P.O. Box 430 Goodwell, OK 73939 Dave Beyer —Sports Information Director Tel: 580-349-2611 / Toll Free: 1-800-664-OPSU Fax: 580-349-2302 /PHOTOGRAPHERS/ Alyssa Fox — Taylor Jacobsen— Lauren Lagow Sam Ortiz — Rylee Higgins 3 AGGIES / CAMPUS/ MOVE-IN DAY AUGUST 2019 4 PANHANDLE STATE 5 AGGIES The 2019 Future Business Leaders of America- Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) Team. /EDUCATION/ STUDENT SUCCESS AT 2019 PBL NATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Released by Panhandle State Campus Communications Students of Future Business Leaders of national level. The OPSU PBL Chapter America-Phi Beta Lambda, or PBL, had an continues to set the bar when it comes to excellent turnout as they competed at excellence.” the 2019 National Leadership Conference Students from Panhandle State over June 24-27 in San Antonio, Texas. placed in the Top 10 in six different The four-day FBLA-PBL national events throughout the conference. conference helps students prepare for Earning 5th place in the Social Media “We are so incredibly careers in business and technology by Challenge was the team of Lupita proud of all of their focusing on academic competitions Jimenez, Amanda Blanton and Kaley and leadership development and also Conner. Conner also took 6th place in achievements.” provides a great place for students to Business Communications. Taking 8th — Dr. Sarah Hitch, network. in the category of Network Designs Department Chair and Associate Professor and Department was the team of Cameron Branch and Associate Professor of Chair of Business Administration, Dr. Sara Hayden Ukens. Branch also placed 10th Business Administration Hitch, Dean of Business and Technology, in Networking Concepts. Jasmine Puebla Davin Winger, and Accounting Instructor/ took 9th place in Financial Concepts, Department Chair of Accounting, Robyn and the team of Puebla and John Polston Harris, accompanied fourteen students placed 9th in Financial Services. to the conference, and Vice President of Dr. Sara Hitch commented, “This was Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Julie one of the younger groups we’ve taken to Dinger, also made the trip to cheer them NLC. In fact, of our 14 participants, only 1 on. had attended NLC previously (last year). “It was an absolute privilege to join We were so incredibly proud of all of their our students and advisors for the Awards achievements. We also are very excited of Excellence Program in San Antonio,” for the upcoming years as most will be said Dr. Dinger, “I am so impressed by able to qualify again next year. the work our advisors and students put in to compete effectively at the state and 6 PANHANDLE STATE /EDUCATION/ ENROLLMENT INCREASE FOR FALL 2019 Released by Panhandle State Campus Communications The 2019-20 school year has begun, and This team centered approach, focusing Oklahoma Panhandle State University on individual students interacting with “The whole Aggie family has welcomed its largest freshman class recruiters, faculty, staff, coaches, and worked together to for the third year in a row. Deans, has proven to be successful. Panhandle State has established itself Panhandle State University’s work bring the class of 2023 as the fastest growing university in on enrollment management initiative, the region, with enrollment numbers coupled with the dedicated hard work to campus, now we continuing to trend upward for the fall of the faculty and staff, as well as the are moving out focus of 2019 semester. For the preliminary numerous campus-wide academic and count this fall, the university grew 2% in facility improvements to benefit both to connecting these headcount and 4% in credit hours from students has led to Panhandle State students to experiences Fall 2018. This is a 12% increase since 2017. University being ranked No. 26 by U.S. Online applications have also increased News and World Report in the Best and programs that will markedly this semester by a solid ten Colleges of 2020, Regional Universities improve their success.” percent. West division after being unranked by — Dr. Julie Dinger, “Our success has been a total team more than a decade. Vice President of Academic effort,” said Vice President of Academic “We have continued our move to and Student Affairs and Student Affairs, Dr. Julie Dinger. sustainability by being steadfast in our She continued, “The whole Aggie family mission of meeting people where they worked together to bring the class of are in life, helping them go where they 2023 to campus, now we are moving want to go, and be who they want to be,” our focus to connecting these students said University President, Dr. Tim Faltyn. to experiences and programs that will “This ranking says that people are more improve their success. It is an honor to and more interested in our story. I can’t serve our students with these people.” wait to work with our team to write the Panhandle State University has next chapter of our success.” been working hard the past three years on redeveloping an enrollment management system that is adaptive to the changing ways in which students engage with colleges and universities. 7 AGGIES PANHANDLE STATE AGGIE FAMILY / STAFF/ / STUDENT/ HANNAH HAMMACK SAMANTHA DAVIS Hannah Hammack is a familiar face around the Panhandle Samantha Davis didn’t have to travel far to find her new home State campus.