The Columns 1

The Columnsof East Central

Fall 2011

Scholarship Gala Scholarship GalaAccreditation VisitAccreditation Visit

Stonecipher Gift for School of BusinessStonecipher Gift for School of Business

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The Columns of East Central University

Fall 2011

The Office of Alumni Relations is dedicated to establishing and nurturing lifelong, mutually beneficial relationships with alumni, friends and future students. Dedicated staff members of this office manage friend-raising activities in order to preserve and enhance the traditions and pride of East Central University.

East Central University’s mission is to foster a learning environment in which students, faculty, staff, and community interact to educate students for life in a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. Within its service area, East Central University provides leadership for economic development and cultural enhancement.

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other federal laws and regulations, East Central University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, handicap, disability, or status as a veteran, in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, admissions, employment, fi nancial aid, and education services. This publication is issued by East Central University as authorized by Title 70 OS 1981, Section 3903. Cable Printing, of Lindsey, Okla. has printed and mailed 1,800 copies at a cost of $2,620.00. 08/11

Reader’s GuideReader’s GuideThe Columns is published biannually—fall and spring—by the Offi ces of Alumni Relations and Communications and Marketing.

Feature Writers: Jill Frye, Cathie Harding & Brian JohnsonOther Contributors: John Hargrave, Phyllis Danley, Catie Caton, Amy Ford, Tiffany Grant, Susan Ingram, Buffy Lovelis & John LongDesigners: Amy Ford, Jill Frye, Susan Ingram, Gina Smith & Catie CatonPhotographers: Amy Ford, Jill Frye, Susan Ingram, Buffy Lovelis, Gina Smith, Catie Caton & the University of OklahomaAlumni News & Events: Buffy Lovelis & Catie CatonSports Information: Brian Johnson & Brian DeAngelis

How to update your information:How to update your information:Contact the Offi ce of Alumni Relations in one of the following ways:

Post us:Post us: Alumni Relations East Central University 1100 E. 14th, PMB Y-8 Ada, OK 74820E-mail us:E-mail us: alumni@ecok.eduCall us:Call us: 580-559-5651Fax us:Fax us: 580-332-3042

Let us hear from you! Your opinions and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated.

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Evening of Honors...30

Johnson, Osborne, Danley & Forbes...28

Alumni...22

Homecoming...20

Athletics...14

Brandon Whitten Institute...12

Stonecipher & School of Business...6

President’s Welcome...4

Postcard Photos sent from:1. Tom & Charlee Lanis (ECU Faculty)2. Jonathan & Caitlin (current student) Clifton3. Craig & Diana Watson-Maile (‘79)4. Taylor Woods (‘11) & Tiffany Osborne (current

student)5. Catrina Ellis (current student)6. Jim (‘73) & Shelley Ross Hamby (ECU Staff)

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Tiger Tracks...36

Salute to Veterans...34

Ways to Give...32

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Welcome!Greetings Alumni & Friends,Fall is here, which means FOOTBALL season is upon us. We are excited

about entering a brand new athletic conference this year, the Great American Conference, and expect great successes for all our athletic teams. Other teams in the Great American Conference are Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University and, in Arkansas the universities include the University of Arkansas at Monticello and Arkansas Tech, Harding, Henderson State, Ouchita Baptist and Southern Arkansas.

All the schools are similar in size, budgets and type of cities and towns.Our fi rst home football game is Sept. 17. The soccer and volleyball teams

have played their fi rst home games already, and the men’s and women’s cross country teams will be competing across the region this year.

We are extremely excited to see all the alums come out to support the athletes and, of course, there is no better time than Homecoming. This year homecoming will be on Oct. 15. “All Roads lead to HOMEcoming” is the

theme, so pack your bag and head to Ada for the weekend or for the entire week. Be sure to check out all of the details for Homecoming 2011 on pages 20 & 21.

We are happy to share the news with you in this issue about a generous donation that will make a huge difference on our campus and about two other alums who have received national recognition.

First, Harland Stonecipher (’60), who is known internationally as the entrepreneur who started Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc. in Ada, and his wife Shirley have made a $2 million donation to the ECU Foundation. That gift assures us that we will have enough funds to construct a new School of Business and Conference Center adjacent to the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.

Retired high school football coach Jesse Parker (’62) was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame this year during its annual convention in Grand Rapids, Mich. He is the second all-time winningest coach in Arizona high school football history with 309 career wins and fi ve state titles. He held the number one spot when he retired in the spring of 2009.

Carlos Johnson, a CPA in Oklahoma City, has received the American Institute of Certifi ed Public Accountants’ Special Recognition Award for his more than 40 years of exemplary service to the CPA profession. Not only is he an alum, he is a former ECU faculty member. He has been a key player in the accounting profession for many years in the state and federal legislative and regulatory arenas.

We value all of our alums and can’t wait to see you on campus! John R. Hargrave, J.D. President, East Central University

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ECU Undergoes AccreditationHigher Learning Commission Invites Third-Party Comment

East Central University will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 by a team representing The Higher Learning Commission of North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. ECU has been accredited by the Commission from 1922-1934, and 1947-present. ECU’s accreditation is at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels.The Higher Learning Commission is one of six accrediting agencies in the United States that provides institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Institutional accreditation evaluates an entire institution and accredits it as a whole. Other agencies provide accreditation for specifi c programs. Accreditation is voluntary. The Commission accredits approximately 1,100 institutions of higher education in a 19-state region. The commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For the past two years, ECU has been engaged in a process of self-study, addressing the Commission’s requirements and criteria for accreditation. The evaluation team will visit the institution to gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate. The team will recommend to the Commission a continuing status for the college; following a review process, the Commission itself will take the fi nal action.The public is invited to submit comments regarding the university to:

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs. Written, signed comments must be received by Sept. 30, 2011. The Commission cannot guarantee that comments received after the due date will be considered. Comments will not be treated as confi dential.Note: Individuals with a specifi c dispute or grievance with an institution should request the separate Policy on Complaints document from the Commission offi ce. The Higher Learning Commission cannot settle disputes between institutions and individuals. Complaints will not be considered third-party comments.

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AccreditationCommission y Comment

Public Comment on East Central University The Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, IL 60604 Or submit comments electronically at www.ecok.edu/self_study/comments

6 The Columns

The School of Business at East Central University will morph from an entrepreneurial vision to a concrete foundation for business education over the next 20 months. The fi nal necessary boost occurred last month when Harland and Shirley Stonecipher donated $2 million to the ECU Foundation Inc. to fi nalize the construction of a new business school and conference center.

The 62,000 square-foot building – which will house the Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business – will be located due west of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center and is estimated to cost $10-12 million.

The vision started taking form several years ago as numerous partners began making generous contributions to the proposed facility.

“With the Stoneciphers’ gift,” said ECU President John Hargrave, “we believe the building can be constructed without borrowing any money.

“Through their generous contribution to the new ECU School of Business, Harland and Shirley Stonecipher have shown how an entrepreneurial vision can become a reality that benefi ts many,” Hargrave said. “As business students walk into the ECU School of Business, they will be reminded of the Stonecipher name and what can be achieved through innovation, hard work and dedication.”

Harland Stonecipher graduated from ECU in 1960 with a degree in education with a major in English. Following a brief career as a teacher and speech coach,

he became an insurance salesman. In 1969, while driving to a sales appointment, he was involved in an automobile accident that literally changed his life. The legal wrangling that ensued led to his founding of Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc.

Realizing he had insurance for everything except legal expenses, he decided to design and sell legal service plans that would give members access to professional legal counsel for a monthly fee. He grew the company from scratch to the point it was ultimately listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

But success did not come easily. Starting the business was extremely hard, he said.

“It took a long time,” Stonecipher said. “Fifteen years, as some have said, to become an ‘overnight success.’ Nobody had heard of anything like it. They thought it was a crazy idea. Shirley was never ready to quit, but I was, a number of times.”

Today, more than 400,000 independent sales associates are active in Pre-Paid Legal Services and nearly 1.5 million families own memberships.

Stonecipher believes that people can change their lives simply by changing their minds. Attitude makes the difference.

“When I was in my early 30’s I started reading all the self-help books,” he said. “I thought they had the secret to success. I realized they all referred back to the Bible. ‘As

Stonecipher Makes Generous Cont

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Fundraising is almost complete and a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled this fall for the new $10-12 million School of Business and Conference Center at East Central University.

The building will have three stories with the fi rst fl oor housing a business conference center and community saferoom. This area will be used for lectures, presentations and other important gatherings for the School of Business. A Synergistic Learning Center, Small Business Development Center, campus police and food court also will be located on the fi rst fl oor.

The second fl oor will consist of state-of-the-art classrooms and a student lounge. Offi ces

for the dean and faculty members, conference rooms, computer labs and a student work area will make up the third fl oor.

The facility will be located at the gateway entrance to the campus and adjacent to the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.

Opportunities are still available for donations.“We want to thank all of the generous donors

who have made this dream come true. In this day and age, there is no limit to the amount of technology and costs associated with a conference center,” said ECU President John Hargrave. “Long after the building is fi nished, there will be opportunities for sponsorship.”

Construction of newSchool of Business and Conference Center

set to begin

a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ Attitude determines altitude!

“I believed that more and more as time went along. Today, I feel more strongly than I ever did because I’ve seen it work so many times. People who never fi nished high school, who have never been around successful people, have become millionaires. This has caused me to develop a training program I call ‘The Blueprint for Success.’”

Working with people, especially those who at fi rst showed no aptitude as sales associates, and seeing them become successful has given the Stoneciphers great satisfaction.

“There are a number of people that Shirley and I have helped and it changed their lives. We feel so good about that,” he said.

“It’s not about your family background. It’s how you feel. You have the ability to do what you want to do. Too

many people think there’s some invisible hand that holds you down.

“That hand is yours, and you can move it.”A new chapter in the Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc.

story began on June 30 of this year when the company was sold to MidOcean Partners, a leading U.S. private equity fi rm, for $650 million.

Stonecipher said his lifelong role as an entrepreneur inspired him to make the major contribution to ECU.

“East Central University is very important to us,” he said. “I was the fi rst in my family to obtain a degree in higher education. Both of our children, Allen and Brent, received degrees from ECU. Now, our fi rst grandchild, Greg, is enrolled here.

“We know that students pursuing business degrees have an entrepreneurial drive within them and we want to be a part of feeding that spirit. We appreciate what ECU is

ribution to the School of Business

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their children to be forgotten.”They came up with the idea of building a memorial

chapel where anyone in the United States or throughout the world could come and establish a memorial in the name of his or her child.

“We haven’t completely decided how we will do that,” Stonecipher said. “They will have a picture of their child, probably some kind of a statement and maybe some of their favorite things. We’re still working on that.”

The Stoneciphers have worked with the Kerr Foundation, the Chickasaw Nation and Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc. to acquire a total of nine acres. This property near the Kerr cabin and Pre-Paid Legal is one of the largest areas around Ada, overlooking a beautiful valley.

“We decided we should also probably have a church there so that something is going on all the time, so it will have life around it,” he said.

Their plans call for building a new Life Community Church, where the Stoneciphers are members, with a memorial chapel attached. The property will belong to the church.

As a result of the efforts and continued support of Mike Turpen, Gayle Serba and John Long, the Stoneciphers also established the Nikki Stonecipher Memorial Scholarship through the ECU Foundation in 2005 to provide full scholarships for students preferably from Tupelo High School where Brent and Tina Stonecipher were graduates.

And what if Harland Stonecipher had never been involved in that traffi c accident in 1969?

“I’ve thought about that,” he said. “It changed the whole course of our lives. But I can’t imagine not doing this. There’s nothing I could have done that I would feel better about.”

doing and commend President John Hargrave on the job he is doing – his vision, his persistence and his approach were a major factor in our decision. Dr. Hargrave is a tremendous asset to ECU and our community.”

In referencing the ties to ECU, Stonecipher also noted the vast majority of management at Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc. are graduates of the school.

“I’ve said many times, in many places, that the management team we have at Pre-Paid Legal is second to none,” he said. “They would do well at any business, anywhere in the world. ECU had a part in making them the people they are.”

In many ways it was hard to give up his company, he admitted, because of the many relationships he has formed over the years, almost like family.

“Obviously, the last 40-plus years of our lives have been dedicated to Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc. We’ve made mistakes along the way, but we never gave up and we always found a way to ‘keep on keeping on’ and to make it work.

“Now, it’s time to give someone else a chance. We’re not retired,” he pointed out. “We’re just doing something different.”

After the Stoneciphers lost their younger son Brent, his wife, Tina, and only granddaughter, Nikki, in an airplane crash on July 24, 2005, they tried to think of “how to make things better for us or ease the pain. We realized the only way to do this was to help others with their pain.

“Before, we’ve said, ‘We know how you feel’ (to people who have lost children). But we didn’t know how they feel, and you don’t want to know,” Stonecipher said.

“What people fear the most, and what we feared the most, since this was a whole family, is that our children will be forgotten after we are gone. People don’t want

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ECU School of Business on the Move

Students and professors spend four days on the road

Rasheed Lowery checks out a vat of plastic pellets at IRIS USA, Inc., a Japanese-owned injection molding company.

The pellets will soon become plastic containers.

Sara Jones (left) and Katie Friant pose in front of a race car at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Students were given behind-the-

scenes access to several areas of the raceway, an up-close look at a number of cars and

a tour of the speedway.

ECU entrepreneurs pose with executives from i2E, (Innovation to Enterprise,) a venture

development organization, at Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy in Oklahoma

City’s Bricktown. Wayne Embree (left), vice president of entrepreneurial services, and

Kenneth Knoll, concept investment manager, got them fi red up about the Governor’s Cup, a business plan competition whose fi rst prize is

$20,000. Several of the students hope toenter the competition this next year.

Danielle Tate (driver’s seat), Stefany Stewart and Erin Franetovich check out the inside of one of the trucks at Stevens

Transport in Dallas.

Dr. Steve Agee, dean of the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma

City University, gives the travelers some information

on graduate school.

Alumni from the class of 2009 join the group at a Texas Rangers’ game at RangersBallpark in Arlington.

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The Columns 11

Twenty-two students from ECU’s Career Exploration class and five from the Twenty-two students from ECU’s Career Exploration class and five from the Business Club visited companies, graduate schools and sports complexes during a Business Club visited companies, graduate schools and sports complexes during a bus trip this summer that took them from Oklahoma to Texas. Along the way, bus trip this summer that took them from Oklahoma to Texas. Along the way, they met with executives, recruiters and alumni who gave them tools to help them they met with executives, recruiters and alumni who gave them tools to help them succeed in the business world in addition to information about internships and job succeed in the business world in addition to information about internships and job opportunities. The students were accompanied by Wendell Godwin, dean of the opportunities. The students were accompanied by Wendell Godwin, dean of the School of Business, and Dr. Pat Fountain, professor of business administration.School of Business, and Dr. Pat Fountain, professor of business administration.

ECU students look sharp during an executive lunch hosted by Devon Energy at the exclusive Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City. ECU grad and Devon employee Mark Walters (left) visited with the group during the meal.

Jean Bosco (left) and Akanni Agboola experience a Dallas Cowboy press conference

from a player’s point of view in the Texas Stadium media room. The tour also included

the cheerleader’s locker room,suites and fi eld.

The ECU group listens attentively to an executive team member at theWalmart Distribution Center in Pauls Valley.

A member of the college recruiting team from Chesapeake Energy in

Oklahoma City gives the ECU crew a tour of the Chesapeake campus. The

team also gave students a crash course on everything they needed to know to

successfully land a job.

Alan Marcum, alum and chief operating offi cer at Devon Energy, tells the ECU delegation

about events at Devon and gives them advice on making it in the corporate world during lunch at the exclusive Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City. ECU grads working at Devon

also participated in a panel discussion.

Tony Mendoza (right), an accounting alum and chief fi nancial offi cer at IntegraColor printing company in

Mesquite, gives the class a tour of his facility.

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BRANDON WHITTEN INSTIN FIGHT AGAINST SUBSTA

The Brandon Whitten Institute for Addiction & Recovery offi cially opened at East Central University with a ribbon cutting May 27 by the Ada Area Chamber of Commerce. The institute works to educate ECU students, as well as community agencies, schools and individuals, about substance abuse and recovery issues. The BWI was established by Reggie Whitten, an Oklahoma City attorney whose 25-year-old son, Brandon, died in a motorcycle crash in 2002. He had fought addictions to prescription drugs and alcohol. Whitten said ECU President John Hargrave came up with the idea of creating the Brandon Whitten Institute. “I’ve known John Hargrave since we debated each other in high school,” Whitten said. “We reconnected the fi rst day of law school in 1977 and have been good friends since. He has known my son Brandon since he was in diapers. Brandon and John’s son, Jeff, basically grew up together. “I am so honored that John thought of this,” Whitten added. “It was 100 percent his idea and his vision. Without

his vision and leadership the Brandon Whitten Institute would not be possible. Brandon would have loved this and would have been very pleased that we are doing something to fi ght this disease. “I’m happy we are doing something to save lives.” Hargrave said he witnessed fi rst-hand what Brandon Whitten

Brandon Whitten Inst

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TITUTE AT ECU HELPINGANCE ABUSE, ADDICTIONS

and his family got caught up in. “It can get any of our kids,” he said. Hargrave said he wants the BWI to bring the campus and community together to reduce substance abuse and fi ght addictions. “Our mission is to assist individuals, groups and agencies as they provide top-quality addiction and recovery services through education, collaboration and research,” Hargrave said. “We want to ensure that all Oklahomans have access to an effective and respectful recovery-oriented system of care.” Holli Witherington, executive director of the BWI, said the institute does not provide substance abuse treatment or counseling services but can offer referrals to those who want help. It does educate students and others about substance abuse and recovery issues through classes, lectures, trainings, meetings and other events. The institute also focuses on prevention efforts, contemporary and relevant research and increasing the awareness of the impact of addiction and drug use. “We want the Brandon Whitten Institute to empower students, and help professionals and collaborators to provide current, applicable and effective methods of addiction treatment, prevention and outreach,” Hargrave said.

titute for Addiction & Recovery

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To inspire his team and help them discover the realm of the possible, Tim McCarty, East Central University’s head football coach, has lined the walls of the Tiger locker room with photos of former players who have used ECU as a launch pad to success.

This year he will add another one to his collection, that of Jesse Parker.

At 71, Jesse, now retired, is the second all-time winningest coach in Arizona high school football history with 309 career wins and fi ve state titles.

When he left coaching in the spring of 2009, Jesse held the number one spot.

Growing up dirt poor in Idabel with fi ve brothers, Jesse credits Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal with giving him the chance to go to college. He graduated from ECU, then East Central State College, in 1962 with a degree in history, and a teaching and coaching career spanning over four decades began.

While at ECU, Jesse played defense for one of the most infl uential fi gures in Oklahoma sports history, football coach Elvan George.

“Good coach, good ball,” Number 85 said of the experience.

While bowl games and victories provide lasting memories for any player, on a recent visit to campus Jesse fondly recalled “Coach George sitting in the back of the bus on the way to out-of-town games discussing Greek and Roman history and philosophy with his players.”

Thanks to Louise Hornbeak and Palmer Boeger, history professors at ECU, Jesse was able to hold his own in the conversation.

But, the highlight of college had to be meeting Latsy Gooch, a cheerleader at the time who would become his number one fan in life. The two courted at Wintersmith Park and in the Memorial Student Union and were married in Wilburton. Latsy’s favorite memory of her days at ECU is watching Jesse play football.

Jesse and Latsy have been married almost 50 years and have two sons, Robert and Jon, a daughter, Kathy, and six grandchildren.

“You have got to have the right wife to put up with a coach,” Jesse said.

When a couple has been married that long, sometimes it is diffi cult to fi gure out what to give each other for special occasions. In 2005 when Jesse was facing a lifetime of kidney dialysis, Latsy gave her husband the gift of life, one of her kidneys.

“The Lord gave us two kidneys so we could give one away,” she said.

Jesse

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ECU Alum and Hall-of-Fame Great

Jesse Parker Jesse Parker Roams Hallways and Sidelines

for More Than 40 Years

“The world isn’t interested in the

storms you encountered but whether

or not you brought in the ship.” - Raul Armesto favorite quote of Jesse Parker

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put his degree from ECU, plus a master’s degree from the University of Kansas, to good use. For most of his career, he taught American, economic and world history.

As head of the social studies department at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Ariz., he honed his students’ critical thinking skills in advanced placement American history, a rigorous college-level class intended to prepare them for the highest level of college success.

“He was one of the greatest teachers I ever had at Mountain View,” Karen Lusk Rydin said on the Coach Jesse Parker Alumni Facebook page. “He was pretty cool and his story-telling in class made it so much fun.”

The page was created by Brian Evans for students, athletes and their families to comment on Parker’s infl uence in their lives.

The road to coaching honors began in Amarillo, Texas, at Caprock High School where Jesse, as assistant to John McGuire, learned to make the best with the players he was given, a lesson he would take with him.

“The team that wins is not always the most talented,” he said. “Character means more than ability, and experience and maturity mean a lot.”

Arizona recruiters came calling and after a brief stint as assistant coach at Union High School, Jesse began his head coaching career at Camelback High School in Phoenix where the Spartans won one state championship and had a 48-27-2 record.

Jesse left Camelback to head up the football program at brand new Mountain View and was undefeated his fi rst year. He led the Toros to four state championships and fi nished with a 185-43-2 record.

“Most people can do much more than they think they can,” Jesse said. “A coach needs to help the player understand this.”

Athletes from Camelback and Mountain View have gone on to professional careers with the Cleveland Browns, Houston Oilers, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons.

Not always known as Mr. Warm and Fuzzy, except

maybe to his grandchildren, Jesse demanded and got the best out of his players.

“I believe in hard work and discipline with a strong emphasis on character building through high expectations,” he said.

After Mountain View, Jesse was hired to restore discipline to the program at Texas High in Texarkana. He then went back to Arizona’s Gilbert High School to close out his career with a winning record.

Jesse is second only to Vern Friedli from Amphitheater High School in Tuscon in Arizona wins. Ironically, when the two met on the gridiron, Jesse’s team won every game. Friedli is still coaching.

“I owe a lot to Coach Parker for the man that I am today,” said Steve Smith, a former player from Mountain View. “He always found a way to push me to the brink of death, or so I thought, just to fi nd a hidden strength I never knew I had.”

This year Jesse was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame during its annual convention in Grand Rapids, Mich. Coaches are recognized for lifetime achievements on the fi eld and for being leaders and role models to America’s youth.

“I am so proud of him for the many young men and women that he has helped along the way,” Latsy said.

Although Jesse misses the association with players, the games and the chess mentality necessary for game preparation, he and Latsy are healthy and happy in their retirement. They enjoy being with family, traveling and relaxing at their cabin in the White Mountains of Arizona.

But Coach Parker is not headed for the rocking chair just yet. Arizona State University has asked him to evaluate their student teachers and mentor them this fall. He even had hopes of returning to Idabel to coach football with his brother, giving credence to his rule, “You are not allowed to quit.”

So now, when current Tigers look up from their lockers and see Jesse’s photo and read about his success, they can dream of things to come.

rrromommommo

16 The Columns

DEFENSE “It’s basically all starters back for us. These guys either started the whole season or started about half or more of our games,” said head coach Tim McCarty. “We have a lot of players in our system who are young, but we feel like they have gotten a lot of experience.”

LINE Back for the Tigers is junior defensive end Armonty Bryant, who was named a D2Football.com First Team All-American and a Daktronics Second Team All-American in 2010. He was also selected to Lindy’s Magazine Preseason All-American list for 2011. Bryant (6-0,260) was third in the nation in quarterback sacks in 2010 at 13.5, but topped all defensive linemen in the country in that category. He was also among the leaders in NCAA Division II in tackles for loss with 19. He also returned one interception and one fumble for touchdowns and blocked four kicks while being named Lone Star Conference North Player of the Week twice and Special Teams Player of the Week once. He was also voted LSC North Defensive Lineman of the Year as only a sophomore. “He has added about 15 to 20 pounds, kept his speed and had a great spring for us,” McCarty said. Expected to occupy the other defensive end spot is Lonnell Rice (6-6, 265) who appeared in 10 games and received several starts after registering 5.5 tackles for loss, including a pair of pass breakups in 2010. Also returning is T.J. Peek, who sat out last season after seeing quite a bit of action as a true freshman, along with junior college transfers Alex King (6-4, 250), Jason

Ketchings (6-3, 225) and Otis Brooks (6-5, 240). “We will be deep and talented at defensive end,” McCarty said. The nose guard position will have depth as junior Erik Howell (6-2, 270) returns while sophomore Lamares Shields (6-3, 270) and redshirt freshman Dalton Hunter (6-2, 290) could fi gure into the mix. Howell notched 20 tackles (14 solo), one for a loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble last year. Shields totaled eight tackles (four solo) with 1.5 stops for lost yards. Others possibilities at nose guard are freshmen newcomers Randy Armstrong (6-5, 230), Garrett Martin (6-3, 230) and Richard Sheridan (6-2, 250).

LINEBACKERS Depth should be a rule of thumb for the Tigers, particularly at outside linebacker with the return of two LSC North Second Team honorees, junior Tyler McGrew (5-11, 185) and sophomore Jameel Whitney (6-1, 215). McGrew had 30 tackles (16 unassisted) with six stops for lost yardage, including three quarterback sacks, to go with a pass breakup and a 67-yard fumble return for a touchdown against West Texas A&M. Whitney, a true freshman in 2010, made an immediate impact with 34 tackles (23 solo) with 5.5 stops for lost yards and two QB sacks. He also broke up a pass and forced a fumble. Also anticipating playing time at outside linebacker are junior Dustin Lasell (5-7, 160), true freshmen Jamaal Whitney (Jameel’s younger brother) and Nathan Locke.

Tarkpor Willie, Blake Spring and Stephen Mapp, who have been in the program for a year, could also see some action this season.

Returning at inside linebacker are senior Kerel James

(6-0, 230) and junior Amos Cherry (6-

0, 220). James was fourth on the team in total tackles with 55 last year, including 33 solos. He also had four tackles for lost yardage with one sack and two broken up passes. Cherry was sixth on the squad in stops with 48, including fi ve tackles for lost yards and 1.5 QB sacks. Also expected to make an impact are returnee Ken Berry and University of Oklahoma transfer Jerico Rogers. Possibly fi guring into the mix are freshmen Carter Grigg and Dillion Pulliam. “Overall, we feel like we have depth and talent at linebacker,” said McCarty.

SECONDARY Cornerback Dontae Smith (6-1, 180) was ECU’s other First Team All-LSC North performer after leading the league with six pass interceptions, two of which he returned for scores. Smith, a 6-1, 180-pound senior-to-be, was named to the Daktronics All-Region First Team as was Bryant. Smith was third on the team in total tackles with 57 (42 solo) to go with six pass breakups and a recovered fumble. Senior Austin Daniels (5-9, 160) is expected to occupy the other corner after compiling 48 tackles (33 unassisted) with a tackle for loss, three pass interceptions (second on the squad) and a team-leading 10 pass breakups. Sophomore Reuben Tiller had a breakout year as a true freshman and could see playing time again as a corner after registering 31 tackles (17 solo) with two stops for lost yards and a pair of recovered fumbles. Three redshirts, Qumain Black, Deon Criss and Carlos Nazario, could make an impact, while freshmen Bacarri Jackson, Deshon Wartley and LeQwan Heath may

After claiming a Lone Star Conference North Division Football Championship in 2010, ECU’s Tigers are primed to take an even bigger step in the new

Great American Conference in 2011. ECU posted a 5-6 overall record last season, including an impressive 5-1 mark against LSC North competition.

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The Columns 17

fi gure into near-future playing time plans. At safety, the ringleader of the Tiger defense is 6-0, 175-pound safety Norris Wrenn, who has started every game since his freshman year and was voted a team captain as only a sophomore last year. Wrenn, who was an All-LSC North Second Team pick, fi nished second on the team in total tackles with 64, including 47 solos to go with three interceptions, three pass breakups and a pair of forced fumbles. Sophomore Markell Walker (6-1, 185) received two honorable mention awards as a safety and return specialist. Perhaps the highlight of his season was a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown during a 20-19 victory at arch-rival Southeastern Oklahoma State. Walker ended up with two picks on the season and topped the team in tackles with 69, including 45 solos, to go with two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble. Other returning players who could see action at safety are sophomores Brenden Brown (5-10, 190) and Victor Cooper (5-11, 185). Redshirt freshman Chance Carey could see playing time as well while freshmen newcomers Marcus Caddell and Shawn Hoagland could make a future impact.

OFFENSEQUARTERBACKS The Tigers return nine starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Tyler Vanderzee (6-6, 230). In his initial season last year, after transferring from Mt. San Antonio Junior College (Calif.), he threw for 2,461 yards and 15 touchdowns while completing 51.5 percent of his passes (189-of-367) with 15 interceptions. He threw only fi ve picks in the fi nal fi ve games (one each in a 4-1 fi nish). He was an honorable mention all-conference awardee. “It feels good to have Tyler back. We expect good things out of him,” McCarty said. There are three other quarterbacks, Cody Miller (6-5, 225), Spencer Bond (6-3, 215) and Robert Thomas (6-2, 200). “We have enough competition and talent that all are very capable of seeing the fi eld this season,” said McCarty.

LINE Protecting Vanderzee and the backfi eld up front is LSC North Offensive Lineman of the Year Carlos Savala (6-6, 315) at left tackle, along with three returning starters in left guard Desmund Farris (6-2, 295), center Chad Roark (6-2, 300) and right tackle Rodney Picou (6-5, 300). Savala was voted Daktronics Second Team All-Region to go with his conference lineman of the year award while Farris and Roark nabbed honorable mention all-conference accolades in 2010.

Junior Tobyn Large (6-3, 305) could start at right guard. Also vying for

starts along the offensive line will be junior Nathan Vogel (6-2, 270), transfer Colton Cline (6-4, 300) and redshirt freshman Burgess Shaw (6-1, 295). The Tigers have four true freshmen, Cody Bazzario (6-3, 290), Eli Cook (6-3, 255), Tyler Whitfi eld (6-1, 290) and Anthony Mayberry (6-6, 270).

TIGHT ENDS Only two experienced tight ends return, sophomore Cody Nall (6-6, 250) and junior Colter Huff (6-6, 214). As a true freshman, Nall picked up honorable mention all-conference honors for his blocking abilities to go with six receptions for 62 yards while Huff caught seven passes for 68. Also expected to fi gure into possible playing time are redshirt junior Aury Barrett (6-1, 210) and true freshman William Kirkpatrick.

WIDE RECEIVERS The Tigers’ top two returnees will be seniors, Zack Patteson (6-1, 200) and Chris Espinoza (6-1, 195). Patteson, an LSC North Second Team pick in 2010, caught a team-leading 50 passes for 809 yards and three touchdowns after earning All-LSC North First Team honors as a sophomore in 2009. Espinoza led the team with fi ve TD receptions, three of which came in a 22-19 home victory over Eastern New Mexico. His other two touchdown grabs came in a 36-33 win at Texas A&M-Commerce, which clinched the LSC North crown. Sophomore LaQuan Harper (5-11, 185) was a medical redshirt last season. Junior Phillip Pawelek (6-2, 175) latched on to nine passes for 68 yards. McCarty is looking to get playing time or a start out of junior college transfer George Robbins (6-4, 190). Five freshmen newcomers include Adrian Woodard (6-1, 180), Mariano Dillard (6-0, 180), Eric Granado (6-2, 205), Devonte McCully (6-5, 210) and Jordan Robinson (6-2, 185). “This is an unproven area. We’ve got speed and talent. We’ve just got to fi nd guys who will make plays in the games at that position,” said McCarty.

RUNNING BACKS Charles Opeseyitan (5-11, 220), a transfer from the University of Tulsa, led ECU rushers last year with 427 yards on 109 carries for a 3.9 yards per carry average and three rushing scores as he earned second team all-conference

honors. He had back-to-back 100-plus yard rushing games, including 21 carries

for 102 yards in a win over Eastern New Mexico and 121 yards on 28

attempts in a big road victory at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Also returning are sophomores Domonique

Massengill (5-11, 205)

and Justin Todd (5-7, 175). Massengill had a season-best 104 yards rushing on 21 attempts

in a home loss to Incarnate Word as he fi nished the season, netting 238 yards on 78 tries for a

3.1 yards per carry average. Two new junior college transfers, Chad Winbush (6-1, 205) and Titus Mobley (5-11, 205), should also make an impact. Winbush was a Second Team All-American at the junior college level last season. “We feel like our running back position has real good talent and depth,” McCarty said. “We have good depth and talent on offense in general. We just have a couple of positions where we need to produce better. Consistency will be the key to success. We’re just looking this season to see if anyone takes that step forward.”

SPECIAL TEAMS Freshman deep snapper Dalton Wortham is back after picking up an LSC North honorable mention award in 2010 as a true freshman. The Tigers may have to rely on a junior college transfer, Brian Gonzalez, to handle the kicking and punting chores. Walker and Smith are ECU’s return specialists. Walker ran back 18 punts for 169 yards for a 9.4 average and one touchdown of 39 yards for the Tigers’ fi rst score in a 23-0 home victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State. Smith ran back 14 kickoffs for 321 yards, a 22.9 average. His longest return went for 46 yards.

2011 ECU Football Schedule

ECU vs Incarnate Word7 p.m., Sept. 3, San Antonio, TX

ECU vs Ouachita Baptist6 p.m., Sept. 10, Arkadelphia, AR

ECU vs Northeastern6 p.m., Sept. 17, Norris Field

ECU vs Southeastern6 p.m., Sept. 24, Norris Field

ECU vs UCO2 p.m., Oct. 1, Edmond

ECU vs Southwestern2 p.m., Oct. 8, Weatherford

ECU vs Arkansas-Monticello4 p.m., Oct. 15, Norris Field

ECU vs Henderson State3 p.m., Oct. 22, Arkadelphia, AR

ECU vs Arkansas Tech2 p.m., Oct. 29, Russellville, AR

ECU vs Harding2 p.m., Nov. 5, Norris Field

ECU vs Southern Arkansas2 p.m., Nov. 12, Norris Field

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18 The Columns

Dr. Tim Green All-Sports

Dr. Tim Green, East Central University’s director of athletics from 1981-2006, died April 12 after a lengthy illness. He was 74.

Green oversaw ECU’s transition from the NAIA ranks to NCAA Division II as well as many of its athletic

teams excel on the national level.He was voted NAIA District 9 Athletic Administrator

of the Year for 1990-91.Green’s passion was instructing future teachers

how to teach children to read, a job he held at ECU for 10 years prior to taking over the A.D.’s position. He continued to work with future teachers while holding that A.D. tag.

In 1974, Green served as faculty representative to ECU’s athletic conference (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) and became A.D. when the school’s

previous A.D. died unexpectedly.He earned a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma

State University in 1959, the same year he was the starting right fi elder on the university’s 1959 NCAA national championship baseball team.

After earning his degree from OSU, Green earned a second bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Ark. His doctorate is from the University of Oklahoma.

Green and his teammates were named to the OSU Hall of Honor and he was inducted into the ECU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.

During his tenure as athletic director, ECU won its only national championship in 1993 in football, and the men’s and women’s basketball teams made numerous appearances at the NAIA national tournament.

That 1993 national football championship season, under the direction of Hank Walbrick, saw the Tigers roll to three straight playoff wins, including a 49-35 decision over Glenville State (W. Va.) in the title game.

In men’s basketball, coach Wayne Cobbs’s Tigers reached the NAIA national fi nals before falling to St.

Long-time Athletic Director

18 The Columns

The Columns 19

Golf Classic 2011

Franz, who just wrapped up his 20th season at that post. “He gave me my start at East Central University as a coach. He was an incredible mentor throughout his years as an athletic director and beyond. The East Central family and those whose lives he has touched will sorely miss him.”

Green also oversaw the addition of four sports during his tenure at ECU – women’s and men’s cross country, along with women’s soccer and softball.

He was editor of the Oklahoma Reader for the Oklahoma Reading Association for 25 years and served on the Board of Directors for Valley View Regional Hospital in Ada.

He is survived by his wife Paula, daughter, Kelly, and her husband, Jeff Maloy, along with four grandchildren – Patrick, Molly, Christian and Matthew.

Memorials may be made to the Dr. Tim Green Centennial Scholarship Fund through the East Central University Foundation, Inc., or to Compassion Outreach Center through the Central Church of Christ where Green was a member.

r Passes AwayMary’s (Texas) in the 1989 title game. The Tigers also made national tournament appearances three straight years from 1996-98.

“I’ve never been around a better person than Tim Green. He was as a good a person as you would want to work with and work for,” said Cobb. “A lot of people like to give advice. When he gave advice, you paid real close attention. If everybody in the world was like him, you wouldn’t have police. He was very knowledgeable about athletics, something that I don’t think a lot of people gave him enough credit for.

“He was part of a national championship team (at OSU) and very few people ever knew. He always bragged on me or another coach, but he never bragged on himself. He was in a class of his own.”

The women’s team, under head coach Kent Franz, also made three straight appearances at the NAIA national tournament from 1996-98. The 1996-97 squad achieved its highest national ranking ever at No. 5 and had a school-best 30-5 record.

“What an extraordinary man he was. He was a Christian man who lived his life the right way,” said

The Columns 19

20 The Columns

ALL ROADS LEAD TO

East Central University

Monday, Oct. 10• Comedy Show

Time TBDHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

Tuesday, Oct. 11 • School of Business Alumni Luncheon

12 - 1 p.m.Stanley P. Wagner Ballroom$10/person

• ECU Volleyball vs. Bacone College7 p.m.Kerr Activities Center

Wednesday, Oct. 12• Alpha Phi Sigma Hamburger Fundraiser

11 a.m.Lawn east of Horace Mann

Thursday, Oct. 13• Pep Rally

12:30 - 2 p.m.The Mall

• Concert9 p.m.Kerr Activities Center

Friday, Oct. 14• Alumni Association Golf Tournament

Oak Hills Golf & Country Club• 11:30 a.m. - hamburger lunch for all paid golfers• 1 p.m. Shot Gun start $100/golfer - Sponsorships Available www.alumni.ecok.edu

• ECU Women’s Soccer vs. Harding University 4 p.m.ECU Soccer Field

• Jim Peterik - Classic Rock Concert7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts CenterPart of the season tickets package, or $18. Ticket information available at www.ecok.edu/hbffac

Saturday, Oct. 15• Alumni Association 5K Tiger Run

8 a.m.Wintersmith Park$25/ entryChip timing by DGProductions

• Golden Tiger Brunch9:30 a.m.Stanley P. Wagner BallroomFree for Golden Tigers(graduates of 1961 or before)$10 for all othersRemember to wear your golden medallionto the brunch and football game!

• Athletic Alumni Meeting11 a.m.Kerr Activities Center, Room 203

• Homecoming ParadeNoonAda Main Street

• Honors Program Open House1 - 3 p.m.Faust Hall, Room 155

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Football

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20 The Columns

The Columns 21

Tiger Tailgate

EXIT NOW

ROADTRIP

YIELD

STOP

• Special CollectionsLibrary Exhibit1 - 3 p.m.Linscheid Library

• Pi Kappa Alpha Dad’s Day & Alumni Meet & Greet1 - 3 p.m.Pike Lounge, Pesagi

• Chi Omega Alumnae Reunion & Open House1 - 3 p.m.Chi Omega Lounge, Pesagi

• Math & Computer Science Department Alumni Reception1 p.m.Science Hall, Room 208

• ECU Social Work Alumni: “Travel the Road to Reunion!” 1 - 3 p.m.Horace Mann Building, 2nd Floor

• Baseball Alumni Game1:30 p.m.ECU Baseball Field

• ECU Band Alumni Meeting2 p.m.Kennedy Band Hall,Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

• Homecoming King & Queen Coronation

3 p.m.Norris Field

• ECU Football vs. Arkansas-Monticello4 p.m.Norris Field

• La Fraqua Revisited 8 p.m. Ada Elk’s Lodge

Homecoming Activities 2011ities 2011

For more details visit,www.alumni.ecok.edu

Pack your cooler and start your grill –We want you to Tailgate with

us like never before!Please let us know if you need special

parking for your RV.

The Columns 21The Columns 21

22 The Columns

Greetings from the Alumni Association!The Alumni Association and East Central University have wrapped up another successful reunion season! The spring and summer months were fi lled with events from Houston to Tulsa with stops in Dallas, Ardmore, Ada and Oklahoma City, just to name a few. We always enjoy seeing our alumni and friends of the university at our events and I hope you had a

chance to make it to at least one gathering. The fall semester is here and that means students, faculty and staff are back on campus and gearing up for another eventful semester. East Central University is preparing for its fi rst-ever “Fine Arts Season,” and we have a full schedule of wonderful productions, programs and recitals. Sign up for your season tickets today. Homecoming is always an exciting time to be back on campus and this year is no exception. On behalf of the association, I invite you back for Road Trip 2011 “All Roads Lead to HOMEcoming,” Oct. 14th and 15th. As always, we have many events for you and your family to enjoy. Along with the 5K Tiger Run, I invite you to join us for our other annual activities like the golf tournament, Golden Tiger Brunch and parade, as well as the coronation ceremony and Homecoming football game. Visit our website at alumni.ecok.edu for more information and to register for many of the 2011 Homecoming events. There are so many ways to get involved and stay connected with ECU. I encourage you to check out the campus events calendar at www.ecok.edu for more information on events and activities going on around campus and in the Ada community. As always, it’s a wonderful time to be a Tiger and I look forward to seeing you on campus this fall.Go Tigers!

Tiffany Grant, Class of ‘07President, ECU Alumni Association

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The Columns 23

24 The Columns

On Aug. 6, in OKC-Bricktown, alumni of the Epsilon Omega chapter of PI KAPPA ALPHA gathered for their annual reunion. There were alums from fi ve different decades in attendance. A great time was had, as old friendships were rekindled and new ones made. The evening was highlighted by a short speech from fellow PIKE and ECU President John Hargrave. The 2012 Epsilon Omega Alumni Reunion will be held Aug. 4, 2012, (location TBD) and the 50th Anniversary (on ECU campus) and Alumni Reunion/Celebration is scheduled for Aug. 2-4, 2013, in Ada.

Pi Kappa Alpha Reunion Held

For more information, please visit www.EastCentralPIKES.comor email alumni@EastCentralPIKES.com.

A $5,000 gift from University of Oklahoma President David L. Boren to the East Central University Foundation Inc. will increase the endowment fund of an ECU scholarship named for his wife, Molly Shi Boren.

With the endowment now at $15,000, the scholarship will provide additional assistance for the recipient and will be known as the Molly Shi Boren Centennial Scholarship. It will be awarded to a freshman, based on need, and will continue until the student graduates, as long as the student is enrolled in at least 12 hours each semester and maintains a 2.0 grade point average.

“It has been a pleasure working with the Borens on this scholarship,” said Phyllis Danley, executive director of the ECU Foundation. “A chance meeting and a casual conversation at Folger’s Hamburger Drive-In led to the establishment of this scholarship at the Centennial level, and ECU students for years to come will benefi t from the Borens’ generosity.”

Molly Boren, a native of Ada, taught school after receiving an English degree from ECU. She completed both a master’s degree in English and a law degree at OU. She began practicing law in Ada and was a special district judge for Pontotoc County from 1975 until 1977 when she married then-Gov. David Boren. She was one of the youngest female judges in Oklahoma history.

She was the fi rst woman to serve on the Oklahoma Bar Association board of trustees and the fi rst woman elected to the board of directors for the Ada Chamber of Commerce. She was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2004.

OU PRESIDENT BOREN HONORS WIFE WITH DONATION TO ECU FOUNDATION

OU President David Boren and Molly Shi Boren

The Columns 25

For a complete list of scheduled events, including ECU Theatre productions and art shows, and for ticket information,

visit www.ecok.edu/hbffac.The Columns 25

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New York art gallery Benrimon Contemporary hosted a group exhibition May 14-June 18 that examined the impact of a small liberal arts university – East Central University – on the contemporary art world.

“Red Country Pictures,” curated by Dr. Bradley Jessop and Justin Irvin, offered a glimpse at the art of ECU over several generations through works on paper, paintings and sculptures from 11 artists who are all linked to ECU.

Jessop is director of ECU’s School of Fine Arts. Irvin is the registrar for Benrimon Contemporary and an ECU graduate.

“Basically, I had the idea for this show because, being an ECU grad, I knew about all the great artists that have passed through ECU over the years,” Irvin said.

‘Red Country Pictures’ was similar to ECU’s annual faculty show, he said, just on a bigger stage. In addition, including emerging artists and past students made it more of a generational survey of ECU.

“I showed Leon Benrimon, the owner/director, and Molly Sampson, assistant director, some work from the artists I wanted to include and they loved it all,” Irvin said. “I told them that for several possible reasons, every 10-15 years or so this small school in Ada, Okla., has a great group of artists come through.

“And I just wanted to highlight some of these

artists in a group show. Leon loved the idea of focusing a show on one particular institution’s impact on the art world, and said he didn’t remember a show doing something like that before, particularly in a contemporary gallery setting.”

ECU’s art department was created and staffed by Columbia University graduate Ida Hoover. In the late 1930s, another Columbia graduate, Emma Box, brought the teachings of Hans Hoffman to ECU. The result was the fi rst signifi cant graduate from ECU, Leon Polk Smith, who has joined the art historical canon as one of the founders of hard-edged painting from the 1940s through the 1980s.

Hoover and Box later were joined by Kenneth Campbell and DJ “Pete” Lafon. Lafon was chair of the Art Department from 1964 until 1984. Under Lafon, the faculty exhibited widely throughout the Southwest and was collectively known as the Ada Trio. Lafon combined classical realism and social commentary in his work.

Deloss McGraw attended ECU during this period and picked up on Lafon’s lyricism and wit. While

New York Gallery Exhibits Art Linked to ECU

The Columns 27 ThThT e e CoCoColululumnmnmns ss 2227 7

Pictured left to right are the artists who attended the opening show in New York: Aaron Hauck, ECU faculty; Brad Jessop, ECU faculty; Mark Hatley, ECU class of 2004; Kate Rivers, ECU faculty; Blake Morgan, ECU class of 2003; Justin Irvine, ECU class of 2003.

Not pictured: Vance Wingate, ECU class of 1985; Deloss McGraw, attended 1965-1966; Gerald Clarke, former ECU faculty; DJ Lafon, former ECU faculty (deceased) and Leon Polk Smith, ECU class of 1934 (deceased).

said. “I think people on the East and West Coasts are interested in that part of the country, I just don’t think it’s an ‘active’ interest. But I do think if something like an art show or fi lm or Broadway play focuses on a place like Ada, Okla., and is presented well, people are interested to see what it’s about.

A portion of the proceeds from the show were to go toward a scholarship fund set up in honor of DJ LaFon and the other members of the Ada Trio.

McGraw attended a number of other institutions, this lyrical quality is still a part of his complex, literate and intensely colorful oeuvre.

Since the 1990s, artists from ECU have gone on to teach at more than a dozen colleges.

Artists from this period are represented by California-based Gerald Clarke, a former ECU faculty member who explores concepts of native sovereignty and legacy; Jessop, who biographically records his life with art as a vehicle for nexus; Kate Rivers, who assembles the debris of the culture to create a personal anchor in collage; and Aaron Hauck, whose work encompasses his fascination and annoyance with consumerism and how the resulting energy waste, material consumption, transportation methods and litter affect the culture and the environment.

Four ECU graduates joined them in the exhibit. Vance Wingate manipulates a self-imposed set of rules to investigate the tension between rigid systems and intuitive intervention. Justin Irvin’s collages offer something recognizable yet unfamiliar and are the whimsical results of an interest in Surrealism, religion and astronomy.

Mark Hatley’s work ranges in style, yet is consistently modern, focusing primarily on manifestations of physical and chemical energy as subject and nature as the source. Blake Morgan’s deep, almost Baroque surfaces add new dimensions to the landscapes and fi gures that populate his work.

“Red Country Pictures” included artists who are at different points in their careers, established artists such as Polk Smith and McGraw, mid-career artists currently on staff at ECU and elsewhere who are showing in the Midwest and on the West Coast, as well as emerging artists who are just beginning their professional careers.

Irvin also wanted to do the show to bring more recognition to “middle America.”

“There are countless talented artists between the coasts and hopefully this show will give a little more credit to this group and the region in general,” he

28 The Columns

Dr. Bill Osborne, dean of the College of Education and Psychology and an ECU alum, retired in May after 19 years of devotion to ECU.

Osborne came to ECU as director of the Grants Research Information Center. Among the grants he wrote and received was a $1.5 million grant in 1993 for a Strengthening Institutions Program. He became a faculty member in ECU’s Department of Education in 1997 to help start the superintendent

certifi cation program. He was acting dean of what is now the College of Education and Psychology for a year and was dean from 2001 until he retired.

Osborne’s awards include the 1992 Quinten S. Mathews Award from the National Council of University Research Administrators’ Region V Executive Committee, the 1993 Malcolm Baldrige Award for Excellence for evaluating American institutions for excellence, and the 1994 regional TRIO Achiever of the Year Award.

He received a bachelor’s degree in education in 1970 and a master of education degree in 1973, both from ECU, and a doctor of education degree in 1987 from the University of Oklahoma. He also earned certifi cations from OU in secondary administration and as a public school superintendent.

Dr. Bill Osborne RetiresAfter 19 Years at ECU

Carlos E. Johnson, CPA, Ed.D., of Oklahoma City, is the recipient of the American Institute of Certifi ed Public Accountants’ Special Recognition Award for his more than 40 years of exemplary service to the CPA profession. The AICPA’s Special Recognition Award is given to an individual who has contributed to the success

of a particular professional initiative - contributions of an outstanding nature.

Johnson is a 1964 ECU graduate and has served on the ECU Foundation’s Board of Trustees for a number of years. He is the current chair of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy’s Committee on the Uniform Accountancy Act, which is the template for state-level accounting legislation nationwide.

Johnson Receives State Award

The Columns 29

Forbes Named Vice PresidentDr. Jerry Forbes became

ECU’s vice president for student development on July 1. He oversees programs and services designed to help students develop to their full potential, including recruitment and retention, fi nancial aid, campus life and leadership, student government, student health services, disability services, international student programs, career development, several federal grants, and housing, residence life and dining services.

Forbes had been dean of students at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville since January 2008. He was hired as ATU’s fi rst associate dean and director of retention services in 2005 specifi cally to oversee and improve student retention rates. During Forbes’ tenure, ATU experienced an increase of almost 1,200 students, a 40 percent increase in students living on campus and a 7 percent increase in retaining fi rst-year students.

Phyllis Danley (’73), executive director of the East Central University Foundation, Inc., since September 2009, has been named director of university advancement and alumni relations. While continuing to manage the foundation’s approximately $25 million asset base and its fundraising activities, she will also oversee alumni and advancement functions.

The foundation, which was established in 1970, uses interest income from endowments and donations to provide numerous scholarships to ECU students and also is an active part of fundraising for other needs of the university.

Danley was affi liated with the East Central Credit Union for over 28 years, serving as CEO from 1995 through 2009.

Danley is the daughter of the late Dr. James O. Danley and the late Wanita Danley-Plunk, who both taught at the university for a number of years. Dr. Danley also served as the chair of the math department and dean of the Graduate School, and was instrumental in establishing the Ardmore Higher Ed Center and the Continuing Education Department at ECU. His wife, Wanita, taught English for several years and also worked as director of the Higher Ed Center.

“ECU has been an integral part of my life for over 50 years,” Danley said, “and working for both the foundation and the university is an exciting and fulfi lling way to give back to the university and to enrich my family’s heritage.”

Danley Named Director ofUniversity Advancement

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ECU’s Evening of Honors and Recognition

Jeff Frederick (center), a retired music professor and director of choral activities at ECU, accepts the Distinguished Former Faculty Award from ECU President John Hargrave. Dr. Mark Hollingsworth (left) assists. Frederick retired from ECU in 1998.

Dr. Elmer Brown (left) receives the Distinguished Former Faculty Award at ECU from Dr. Nick Cheper, chair of the Biology Depart-ment, and ECU President John Hargrave. Brown retired from ECU in 2000 as a professor of biology.

Phyllis Danley (front row, left), executive director of the ECU Foundation Inc., sits with the Bulman Family, named ECU’s Distinguished Family for 2011. Members of the family are John David Bulman (front row, second from left), Bronson Warren, Jack Penner, Grace George, Berta Bulman, and Dr. John Bulman; (middle row) Kyle Bulman, Kerri Bulman, Kamryn Bulman, Kaitlyn Bulman, Elizabeth Thompson, Rick Thompson, Becky Thompson, Dr. Allene Warren and Suzanne Coyle; shown with (back row) ECU President John Hargrave.

Members of the Horne family, the recipient of ECU’s Distinguished Service Award, are Jeanetta Horne Bagwell (front row, from left); Twylah Horne, Bill J. Horne Sr., Jenonne Horne Kessler, Kenda Horne, Judy Horne, Allison Horne; and (middle row) Carson Thetford, Trey Petty, Christina Thetford, Jenny Horne, Katie Horne, Karen Horne, Sarah Petty, Joshua Horne, Zachary Horne; and (back row) Steve Bagwell, Bill Horne Jr., Jeremy Franklin, Ned Kessler, Cameron Horne, Jay Horne and Steve Horne.

Elizabeth Smith (second from right) accepts a bronze tiger from Tiffany Grant, president of the ECU Alumni Association. Participating in the ceremony are ECU President John Hargrave (from left); Buffy Lovelis, director of alumni relations; Grant; and Dr. Bill Osborne, dean of ECU’s School of Education and Psychology. Smith is a 7th grade reading teacher and the girls’ assistant basketball coach at Byng Junior High School and the 2011 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.

Stephanie Canada (second from right) one of ECU’s Distinguished Alumni for 2011, poses with ECU President John Hargrave (from left); Buffy Lovelis, director of alumni relations; Tiffany Grant, president of the ECU Alumni Association; and Dr. Bill Osborne, dean of ECU’s School of Education and Psychology. Canada, an instructor of education and kinesiology at ECU, She is a former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.

Distinguished Former Faculty Award Distinguished Former Faculty Award

Distinguished Service AwardDistinguished Family Award

Distinguished Alumni Award Distinguished Alumni Award

32 The Columns

How to Giveto YOURYOUR UniversityUniversity

Donors give to the East Central University Foundation, Inc. for many different reasons. Some want to repay the investment that others made in them. Some want to give a gift that adds value to the University, and that also brings deeper meaning to their lives. Some simply want to support the ECU family and make a positive impact on faculty, staff and students of the future. Whatever the reason, donor gifts are important to the Foundation and to the University, and we want to make sure that you are aware of all of the different ways that you can donate. The Foundation will accept any level of gift, and in all cases, the wishes of the donor will

be the guiding principle as to how the funds are used. Donors frequently specify an endowed scholarship, academic department fund, endowed lectureship/professorship/chair or capital improvement project as the target of their benevolence. The Foundation encourages you to discuss the various methods of giving with your accountant and/or attorney in order to select the giving mechanism which best fi ts your circumstances. Flexible options allow you to demonstrate your commitment and maximize your support of the University’s mission.

Melanie was from Oklahoma. Don,

from Texas.Her hair was a long fl owing blond

mane.His was dark and neatly trimmed.

She was a talented singer. He was

an athlete.Melanie Fannin’s gregarious person-

ality led her to student government and

sorority leadership roles. Don Billing-

sley’s previous experience in the spot-

light made him more cautious and he

opted for a break from the sports fi eld.

Billingsley’s life was closely scruti-

nized in a best-seller book that became

a box offi ce hit and now is a primetime

television series. As a member of the

Odessa (Texas) Permian Panther foot-

ball juggernaut, Don was under the

writer’s microscope for an entire sea-

son. The book, movie and series: “Fri-

day Night Lights.”

Opposites attract. You couldn’t be

more polarized than Melanie and Don.

Eventually, however, there must be

some similar grounds for individuals

to become a team. For Don and Mela-

nie, the commonalities were their faith

and East Central University. They

married April, 10, 1999, and are the

proud parents of two daughters and a

son – Skylar, Landry and Riggs.

The couple has placed the ECU

Foundation, Inc. in their wills. Part

of the proceeds from their estate will

be used to fund scholarships for East

Central University students who have

participated in the Fellowship of

Christian Athletes or show the charac-

teristics espoused by FCA.

Faith “N” ECU is a component of

the legacy created when Don and Mel-

anie became the generous and caring

Mr. and Mrs. Billingsley.

Faith ‘N’ ECU leads to future gift

ECU alums Don and Melanie

Billingsley pose with their three

children.

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Wills & Estate Planning The will is the most widely used estate-planning tool in America today. A simple document that is easily drafted and updated, it remains the most popular method of planned giving for almost every charity, including the ECU Foundation.

There are fi ve types of charitable bequests you can make when directing all or part of your estate to the Foundation:

Gifts of Cash, Check or Credit CardThese gifts are always welcome because they are available immediately to strengthen the Foundation and the University or begin earning income for the future.

Gifts-in-KindDonations of software, licenses, services, vendor products and other property also support the mission and programs of ECU. These gifts-in-kind allow the Foundation to use our resources for other needs while you get credit for your support.

Gifts of TrustsThis can include charitable remainder trusts, unitrusts, lead trusts, family trusts, annuity trusts, etc., that can avoid capital gains taxes and provide an annual income for life.

There are many ways to give to ECU.Here are the most common types of gifts...

Gifts of Real PropertyReal estate, homes, business property and farmland which have grown in value can result in capital gains taxes if sold, but tax advantages are available through a charitable gift to the Foundation. When the Foundation acquires your gift of appreciated stock or property, you receive a tax deduction equal to its fair market value and also avoid a costly capital gains tax on the increase in value.

Gifts of SecuritiesThese gifts include stocks, bonds, mutual funds and IRAs, and are also available immediately to impact the work of the Foundation.

Gifts of Personal PropertyPersonal property can include coin collections, antique cars, gun collections, artwork, musical instruments, etc.

Gifts of InsuranceNaming the Foundation as the owner and benefi ciary of your life insurance policy is also an option, especially when your policy has a face amount that is much greater than the amount you could afford to give in cash.

By assigning ownership to the Foundation and making the Foundation the benefi ciary of an old policy that is no longer needed for its original purpose, such as sheltering children’s education, you can make a substantial gift at a low cost and take an immediate income tax deduction for the value of the policy. You can then contribute an amount equal to the policy’s premiums to the Foundation and deduct that gift as a charitable contribution.

Proceeds of the policy will pass to the Foundation free of estate taxes. New policies may also be obtained listing the Foundation as the owner and/or benefi ciary as a part of fi nancial or estate planning.

1. General Bequest: an agreed-upon dollar amount.2. Specifi c Bequest: a specifi c, identifi ed property or security, including real estate, stocks or bonds.

3. Residuary Bequest: all or a portion of an estate’s property after all debts, taxes, expenses and other bequests have been made.4. Contingent Bequest: the Foundation serves as an alternate benefi ciary in case a benefi ciary dies or disclaims a bequest.

5. Restricted Bequest: any of the above bequests with a specifi c purpose for the property, such as establishing a scholarship or endowment.

While a will can be a simple and effective option for many, a living trust might allow assets to be distributed to heirs without the delays or costs of probate. Be sure to consult with a qualifi ed professional before you draft your will or trust, and review it often.

The ULTIMATE Gift:

ECU Foundation, Inc. & AdvancementDr. Gerald WilliamsonDevelopment Offi cergwillmsn@ecok.eduBusiness: 580-559-5590Cell: 580-421-7621

Phyllis DanleyDirector of ECU Foundation, Inc. & Advancement pdanley@ecok.eduBusiness: 580-559-5514 Cell: 580-272-3575

1100 E. 14th Street, PMB Y-8 Ada, OK 74820

The Columns 33The Columns 33

34 The Columns34 The Columns

Riley William (Bill) Bailey Jr. (‘69)USAF pilot, 1969-79. Flew 100 Young Tiger Missions, Vietnam 1971-72.Currently, owner of Little Glasses Resort and Marina at Lake Texoma.

John Fred Jumper (‘70)Dropped out of Ada High School

in 1960. Served in U.S. Army 1960-63. Attended ECU from 1964 to 1970. Worked for U.S. Customs Service from 1970 to 2005. Rose to position of district director of customs in Port Arthur, Texas. Received honorary Ada High School Diploma in 1985, 15 years after receiving bachelor’s degree from ECU.

Attended Teletype Intercept School in Fort Devens, Mass., for the U.S. Army Security Agency. Spent two years in England serving at Menwith Hill which according to the internet is the largest spy base in the world. “Married an English girl and my fi rst daughter was born in England. We have been married for 48 years and have three daughters and six grandsons and four great grandchildren.

Returning to Ada in 1963, I worked odd jobs and began to attend East Central. I graduated in 1970 with a double major in history and sociology and was hired by the U.S. Customs Service. I worked as an inspector and supervisor and manager in Texas at Roma, DFW Airport, Brownsville, Houston and Port Arthur, and at Nassau, Bahamas.

I owe my career to ECU. I participate in ECU’s Career Days every year. I now live in Highland Village, Texas.”

Maj. Gen. Tony L. Corwin, (Ret.)

Commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in May 1973. Retired as a major general.

He was the commanding offi cer

of 2d Battalion, 8th Marines, and deployed the battalion as the ground combat element for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Special Operations Capable (SOC). During the fi rst Gulf War, the battalion participated in operations in Northern Iraq.

He was assigned to the Pentagon in 1992 and returned to the 2d Marine Division in 1995, assuming command of the 8th Marine Regiment. In 1996, he deployed a Special Purpose MAGTF to Liberia and subsequently served as the commander, Joint Task Force Assured/Quick Response.

In 1997 he became the Marine Corps programs offi cer, Offi ce of Legislative Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps. In 1999 he was promoted to brigadier general and reassigned as the legislative assistant to the commandant. In 2004 he was reassigned as the director, expeditionary warfare, OPNAV N75, and was promoted to major general.

Corwin is a senior principle with the Blank Rome law fi rm in Washington, D.C., and the lead for defense and national security issues in the Government Relations Practice Group.

We asked our alums to tell us if they have served in the military.

Here are some of the 44 responses. (edited excerpts from original emails)

George W. Palmer, (‘73, B.A., Spanish-History-Education)U.S. Army/Intelligence

Overton “Buck” Cheadle, the Indian counselor at ECU from 1975-84,U.S. Navy, 1943-45. Rehabilitated wounded sailors during WWII.

Lawrence Barnett (1952, 1957)• U.S. Navy, 1945-47• U.S. Air Force,

1950-53• Oklahoma National

Guard, 1955-57“I received my high school diploma while in the Navy from the GED test and am told I was

among the fi rst to receive this!”

Rev. Robert S. Duran Sr. (MSHR ‘02)(Pastor, Antlers First UMC, Soper UMC, United Methodist Church).U.S. Air Force, active duty 1968-1971. USAFSS, SSGT (E-5) discharge rank. Overseas duty at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, 1970-1971.

Kevin W. Wells, OD, FAAO (‘92)Four years in ROTC at ECU, eight years combined U.S. Army and Oklahoma National Guard.

Thanks for your service

Richard Kevin O’Brien, ‘05Bachelor’s degree in history/teaching certifi cation. Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps fl ying F/A-18’s with VMFA (AW)-533, stationed in Beaufort, S.C.

The Columns 35 The Columns 35

Timothy Ezell (‘95)U.S. Navy, 1977 to 1982. “I served

aboard the 7th fl eet fl agship the USS Oklahoma City, the propellers of which are now sitting outside Oklahoma City, from December 1978-January 1979.

It was my fi rst ship out of A school and it was my fi rst trip to the Western Pacifi c.

The ship was one of the last with teak decks. I used to take naps on that deck. To me it was as comfortable as any bed.

I went through my fi rst typhoon on her. We were on a joint exercise with the Japanese Defense Force fl agship as well as the Australian fl agship.

During the night you could tell that weather was getting rough. She was a relatively large ship and she began to roll

Kenneth “Wayne” Lee (‘89 gov’t)Enlisted 1985 U.S. Army Reserve.Commissioned 1988 ECU ROTC - 1989 Distinguished Military Graduate assigned to Oklahoma Army National Guard. Platoon leader, executive offi cer, company commander - Company C, 45th Infantry. Completed Airborne and Air Assault schools. Awarded ARCOM and AAM Medals. Ended service after serving one year as sergeant/squad leader, 2000.

Capt. Mark E. Pike, MPH, RPES (‘85)

Except for a brief sabbatical, was an engineer offi cer with the Oklahoma Army National Guard, 120th Engineer Battalion, Okmulgee, May 1980 through May 1988. Currently in U.S. Public Health Service as an O-6\Capt. Is the branch chief for Division of Environmental Health & Engineering – Environmental Health Services Branch, Tucson Area Indian Health Service.

James David Hammond (‘69)Commissioned as a second lieutenant

in U.S. Marine Corps at graduation ceremony and was a career offi cer until retiring in 1989 as a lieutenant colonel. Served in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in combat leading a rifl e platoon and company in combat. Served in the Middle East as the antiterrorism offi cer for the Persian Gulf area.

Personal military awards include the Bronze star with combat V, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and 12 other personal and unit awards.

Awarded All Conference Honor as a tight end on ECU’s football team his junior and senior years. Has master’s degrees in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and strategic intelligence (Distinguished Graduate) from the Defense Intelligence College, Washington, D.C.

After retiring, founded Cammond Industries, a metal manufacturing company, in Ada and sold it in 2008. Now the plant manager. Company received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in 2005. Also was chairman of the board of the Oklahoma Manufacturer Alliance. Married to his wife Linda (ECU alum) for 42 years and has two children, Heather, an attorney, and Jason (deceased).

Sheryl Ann Gaut Toyer (‘82)Graduated from Nursing Program. Served in U.S. Army from December 1980 until retiring in September 2004. Now working travel nursing.

John Hudson (‘82) Served in U.S.

Marine Corps from 1966-70. Is a Viet Nam combat action veteran, with a tour of duty from 1967-68 during the Tet Offensive. Later attended college, mostly on the GI Bill, and earned a B.S. in business. Since he was employed full-time and it was long before online classes were available, he attended night school

every semester for eight years. He is senior vice president of operations & engineering at People’s Electric Cooperative in Ada where he’s worked for 36 years. He’s married to Karen Hudson (‘85), and they have four children and fi ve grandchildren.

Maj. Edward Lee Hobbs Jr. (‘95)

In U.S .Army at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., assigned to Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Albuquerque. Selected for promotion to

lieutenant colonel. Was an Army aviator fl ying the OH-58, Blackhawk, Apache and Longbow Apache from 1995-2004. Attended Air Force Institute of Technology, earned a MS in nuclear engineering in 2006. Married to Kathy (‘95) with two children, Trey (13) and Jacob (9). Parents are Edward and Nancy Hobbs.

and heave with the storm. I went out on the fantail the fi rst thing in the morning and the waves were cresting far above the main deck. I turned and looked at the ocean in awe. For once I was truly awed at the sea. I looked for’ard and the bow was slamming into the waves at about 20 knots and the entire front half of the ship was awash in white foam. I looked aft and the Soviet fi shing trawler that had been following us was being tossed around like a toy. I kind of felt sorry for those fellows.

We spent fi ve days in that storm and it proved to me that even typhoons can get a bit dull if you spend enough time in one.

We went through that storm for the sole reason of intercepting the Soviet

fl eet and to get a look at their new and only air craft carrier, the Petropavlosk, and the guided missile cruiser, the Minsk. When we came along side, the Soviet sailors, some women, since they had women on their warships then when we didn’t, were lined up in rigid ranks. They saluted us as we came alongside. On our deck the action was so different and yet so telling of our culture. The CIA had told us that we could take all the pictures we wanted to of the Soviet ships, but that they wanted to take a look at them and we could have them back. When we came alongside the Minsk and the Soviets saluted, all they saw on our decks was the fl ash of cameras. It reminded me of paparazzi chasing a movie star. The contrast was so extreme I had to laugh.”

Lt. Lawrence Beck (‘67)U.S. Marine Corps, from Paoli. Died January 1969, Vietnam.

Lt. James G. Upchurch (‘67) U.S. Marine Corps, from Ada and Lubbock, Texas. Died March 25, 1969. Played varsity football and charter member of Phi Kappa Tau.

36 The Columns

Rozalin Austin and Chad Roark, (both attending), exchanged wed-ding vows May 14, 2011, at Cross Point Camp in Kingston, Okla., with a spe-cial guest. The cer-emony was in an amphitheater on the water of Lake Texoma. As the sun was setting and the guests had been served at the reception in a wooded area, the DJ loudly played the ECU Fight Song and Roary made his grand entrance. “It was a total surprise to all the guests and they loved it! Everyone stood up and clapped with the song. ECU students even sang along!” Chad will fi nish his last season with the ECU football team this fall and graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in physical education with teacher’s certifi cation plus a master’s degree in sports administration. Rozalin will graduate in December with a degree in exercise science.

Emily Whitson and Kyle Forgety (attend-ing) exchanged wed-ding vows April 30, 2011, at Trinity Baptist Church, Ada. Emily graduated from Latta High School in 2009 and is employed at Kellogg and Sover-eign Consulting, Ada. Kyle graduated from Seminole High School in 2007.

Keri Dawn Jones and Gene Garrett (attended), exchanged wedding vows June 4, 2011, at the home of Dr. David and Penny Martin. Keri, a 2004 graduate in emergency medi-cine, is a homemak-er. Gene graduated from Stonewall High School in 1974 and attended ECU. He is the owner of Heartland Frontier Trading Company.

Tiger Tracks...GRADS IN THE NEWS

See the full stories atwww.alumni.ecok.edu/news

Megan Byrd (’11) and Todd Martin (02), exchanged wedding vows March 12, 2011, at Asbury Methodist Church. Megan is a Latta High School graduate, and received a bachelor’s degree in human services counseling from ECU. Todd graduated from Ada High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from ECU.

Kirsten Krum (’11) and Cody Griffi n (’10, ’11), exchanged wedding vows June 11, 2011, at The Wildwood Inn in Denton, Texas. Kirsten graduated from ECU with a degree in business administration/fi nance. Cody gradu-ated from ECU in 2010 with a degree in exercise science and received a de-gree in biology in May 2011.

Hillary Dawn Miller (’10) and Robert Tyler Brown (attending), Stonewall, exchanged wedding vows July 23, 2011, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Hillary is a graduate of Ada High School. She graduated from ECU with a bach-elor’s degree in education. Robert, a graduate of Stonewall High School, is majoring in kinesiology at ECU.

Jacobi Elizabeth Nichols (’09) and Braden Chase What-ley exchanged wed-ding vows June 11, 2011, at Dornick Hills Country Club, Ard-more. She graduated from Healdton High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from ECU. She is a student at the University of Oklahoma College of Law and plans to earn her juris doctorate in May 2012. Braden is a graduate of Wilson High School and is an engineering student at Okla-homa City Community College. He is a licensed mechanical apprentice with Hardesty Team in Oklahoma City.

After teaching throughout Oklahoma for a com-bined 73

years, Danny(‘69) and Kit (‘74) Jacobs retired and moved to Purcell...

Susan Ingram (’08, ’11) receives fi rst Dr. Mar-vin Kroeker Annual Best

Historical Research Paper Award from the retired ECU history pro-fessor. She wrote about Louise Hornbeak and her two sisters...

Fredda Perry (’70) recalls years as Purcell teacher and business owner...

Cindy Adams (’94, ’03) is the Association for Career and Technical Educa-tion’s Region IV Teacher of the Year...

Karen James (‘92), BancFirst executive vice president and regional executive, is chair of the Board of Directors of Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma...

Rodney Gray (’72), CPA, was inducted into the Oklahoma Accounting Hall of Fame on June 10...

36 The Columns

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Robin Pearce (’07) and Matthew Frederickson exchanged wedding vows April 30, 2011, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ada. Robin is an Ada High graduate and completed a bach-elor’s degree in nursing at ECU. Mat-thew graduated from Vanoss High.

Shawna Harrison (’98, ’07), a teacher at Glenwood Early Childhood Center, was named Ada City Schools’ Teacher of the Year. She has a bachelor’s de-gree in speech and education and a master of education degree from ECU.

Crystal Carter (’06) and Odie Heck (’04), were married March 11, 2011, at Fittstown Church of Christ. Crystal graduated from Stonewall High School in 2002 and earned a bach-

elor’s degree in kinesiology from ECU. Odie graduated from Coalgate High School and from ECU with a bache-lor’s degree in legal studies.

Jeremy Humphers (’96) has been promoted to vice president for account-ing at Devon Energy in Oklahoma City.

Monica Chamblee Cowart (’91) and Rob Neal (attended) were married Jan. 23, 2011. Monica earned a bachelor’s degree in business administra-tion and is the senior

vice president of corporate servic-es at Peoples Electric Cooperative in Ada. Rob is an attorney in Ada.

Greg Pruitt (’92) never imagined owning his own company. After try-ing his hand at teaching music and corporate sales, he replied to a news-paper ad about a limo for sale and leapt into business ownership. See the full story at alumni.ecok.edu/news.

Dr. Dean McDaniel (‘86), Victoria, Texas, medical director for Citizens Bariatric Center, has been voted the Crossroads’ best weight loss surgeon. He performed the region’s fi rst laparo-scopic gastric bypasss surgery in 2000.

What’s up with your fellow alums?What’s up with your fellow alums?

C.J. Vires (‘87) has been named

vice president for academics

and enrollment management at

Freed-Hardeman University in

Henderson, Tenn., a private school which is affi liated with the churches

of Christ. He had been director of academic success since July 2010

after serving nearly 11 years in administrative roles at ECU. “I’m

excited about the opportunity to serve the students and faculty at

Freed-Hardeman, and I’m thankful for the many learning opportunities

provided while I was at ECU as an administrator, graduate student and undergraduate student,” Vires

said. “I would not be prepared to serve in this new role without the

encouragement, teaching and mentoring by so many faculty and

colleagues at ECU.”

Donnie Nero (‘71), retired president of

Connors State College, was inducted into

the Oklahoma Educators Hall

of Fame on Aug. 12 in Oklahoma City. Nero earned a bachelor’s

degree in health, physical education and recreation at ECU and both his master’s degree in educational administration and

his doctorate in occupational and adult education at Oklahoma State

University. He is a 2002 ECU Distinguished Alumnus.

Carolyn Thomas (’04), former principal of Dickson Middle

School, is the new director of special education for Ardmore

City Schools. She has a master’s degree in administration from ECU.

Courtney Cowan and Max Oliver (’08), exchanged wed-ding vows April 23, 2011, at the amphi-theater in Winter-smith Park. Court-

ney is a 2006 graduate of Ada High School. She is the manager of Smart Style Salon in Ada. Max gradu-ated from Battiest High School and earned a master’s degree in educa-tion at ECU. He is employed at ECU.

Kasey West (’10) and Kolbie Brown (’10) exchanged wedding vows June 4, 2011, at Trinity Baptist Church in Ada. Kasey graduated from Latta High School and received a degree in busi-ness administration from ECU. Kolbie graduated from Latta High and from ECU with a degree in cartography.

Bradey Leann Riddle (’08) and Cody Brent Mavroulis exchanged wedding vows June 4, 2011, at Harn Home-stead in Oklahoma City. Bradey gradu-ated from Davis High

School and received her bachelor’s de-gree in early childhood education from ECU. Cody graduated from Abilene-Cooper High School and attended Texas A&M in College Station, Texas.

Ashley Forehand (’04) and Zac Brady (’08), exchanged wed-ding vows June 7, 2011, at the Sheraton Resort in Maui, Hawaii. Ashley is a graduate of Byng High School

and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration/fi nance at ECU. Zac is a graduate of Ada High School and graduated from ECU with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Jason Wilkerson (’07) is the new Durant High School boys basketball coach He previously coached at Skiatook and Marlow. He played bas-ketball for ECU and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.

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38 The Columns

George Ann Ables, 1942Evan Anderson, attendedCindy Balthrop, attendedJoseph Walter Barksdale, attendedJohn Binkley, attendedDr. Jill M. Black, 1983Jerry Don Cacy, 1965Bobby Dathan Caton, 1964Geneva Davies, 1933Meghan Delobe, attendedDebra J. Edwards, attendedGladys Eldridge, 1940Juanita V. Ellis, attendedLyndall Lucille Ezell, attendedSheryl Ann Farmer, 1999Rosemary Floyd, attended

Lorene Fuller, 1941Roxie Golden, attendedDr. Timothy Green, attendedRoy Joe Grimes, 1955Renee Genise Hood, 1994Robert Huckleberry, attendedAnnette Hudson, attendedDorothy Weddle Hudson, attendedElvin Jaquess, 1953Mildred King, attendedPhillip Lynn “Phil” Kirk, 1970Madlyn “Jo” Poteet Mann, 1970Elizabeth Dickson Martin, attendedJordan Todd McCullough, attendedLavoid Meek, former staffJudith “Judy” Gail Melson, attended

In Memoriam The ECU family offers our deepest sympathy to the families of the alumni and friends we have lost

We Want to Hear from You! Send your Tiger Tracks information today to alumni@ecok.edu

We want to send a FREE T-shirt to your child and/or grandchild! Share your photo and we’ll publish it in an upcoming edition of The Columns.

Jordan Kade Darbison, son of Kristopher (‘09) & Destiny (’10) Darbison

Colt & Rhett Fagan, sons of Cody (’06) & Rheanna (’05 & ’06) Fagan

Austin Johnson, son of Brandon (’96) & Melody (’00 & ’01) Johnson

Makena Preslee Lane, daughter of Beau (’03) & Alisha Lane

Carsyn Leigh Lovelis, daughter of Greg (’04, ‘07) & Buffy (’05, 08) Lovelis

Aidyn James & Rhys Gaven Moreland, sons of Syrena (’01, ’05) & Brandon (’01, ’05, ’09) Moreland.

Brody, Braelyn & Blaze Berlowitz, Children of Jason & Melanie Hale-Berlowitz ‘97

Adryn, Brayden, and Tytus Ingle, sons of Daniel & Kassie Ingle ‘09

Cody Evan Myers, attendedFred William “Bill” Nims Jr., 1968Albert L. Patton, Jr., 1962Clyde Wayne Petete, attendedEdward Francis Potts, 1949 Martha Kay Price, attendedKathryn Ragland, 1933Frank Risner, attendedPaula Rutledge, former professorDerrek Trey Snodgrass, attendedMary Louise Rector Stearns, attendedVelma Toole, 1976Leroy Townsend, attendedJames Ray Trahern, 1954Wilbert Edward Wiggs, attendedCallie Pauline Young, attended

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40 The Columns

Non Profi tOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 162

Ada, OKEast Central University1100 E. 14th Street, PMB Y-8Ada, OK 74820