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The Columnsof East Central

Spring 2010

The Ties That Bind...page 4

Alumni Reunions...page 12

Alumni Success Stories...page 13

Tiger Tracks...page 28

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The Columns of East Central University Spring 2010

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.

East Central University will be recognized both within the state and nation as Oklahoma’s premier comprehensive student-centered regional university, offering outstanding academic programs and experiences for its students and contributing to the betterment of the region and beyond.

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, financial aid, and education services. This publication is issued by East Central University as authorized by Title 70 OS 1981, Section 3903. Mercury Press, Inc of Oklahoma City has printed 2,100 copies at a cost of $2,576.86.

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

Feature Writers: Jill Frye, Susan Ingram, Brian Johnson & C.J. ViresOther Contributors: Jeff Cali, Catie Caton, Dallas Coplin, Amy Ford, John Hargrave, Buffy Lovelis, Zeak Naifeh & Gerald WilliamsonDesigners: Amy Ford, Susan Ingram, Gina Smith & Ryan WetherillCover Photographer: Susan IngramHomecoming 2010 Logo Designer: Allie Teppo (freshman)Photographers: Richard R. Barron, Amy Ford, Jill Frye, Susan Ingram & Gina SmithAlumni News and Events: Buffy LovelisSports Information: Brian Johnson, Brian DeAngelis & Gerald WilliamsonOnline Version: Ryan Wetherill

How to update your information:

Fill out and mail the form at the bottom of this page, or contact the Office of Alumni Relations in one of the following ways:

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

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

Personal Information Date _________________________

Name ______________________________________________________ first middle last (maiden) Street ______________________________________________________City____________________________ State ______ ZIP _____________Home Phone ___________________ Cell Phone ___________________Email __________________________________ DOB _______________ECU Grad Year(s) ________________Major _______________________Campus Affiliations and Activities ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Personal News ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Employer _________________________ Occupation _______________

Other colleges/universities attended:Institution __________________________________________________Major______________________________________________________Degree ______________________________ Grad Year _____________

Family InformationSpouse’s Name _____________________________________________Spouse DOB _______________ Anniversary Date _________________Did spouse attend ECU? ____________ Grad Year(s) _______________Cell Phone ____________________ Email _______________________Spouse Employer _________________ Spouse Occupation __________

Legacy InformationChild(ren) Information: please provide full name and full date of birthName_____________________________ DOB ____________________

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Been promoted? Honored? Awarded? Recently moved? Married? Had a baby? What’s the scoop about you and your family?We want to hear from you!

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The President’s Message ........................................3The Ties That Bind ................................................4President’s Circle ...................................................7ECU Commencement 2009-10..............................8Homecoming 2009 Recap....................................10Alumni Association ..............................................12Alumni Success Stories ........................................13

Athletic Hall of Fame 2010 ..................................19Fine Arts Center Schedule ...................................20Student Spotlights ................................................22GREEK News .......................................................24Centennial Rewind ..............................................26Tiger Tracks .........................................................28

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Fellow Alumni, After six months on the job, I realize I am the luckiest person on the planet earth. I have been offered an opportunity for a second career later in life. My wife Kay and I are back at the school we both love. I have the opportunity to be on a college campus every day. Another college president has

said that there is no more beautiful place to be on an autumn afternoon than a college campus, and I agree. I was recently asked: What was the biggest surprise I had after coming to ECU? I said: How great things are at East Central University. Alumni sometimes hear rumors like “things are not as good as they were at the ‘old school,’” or that school spirit is down. But let me assure you, things are going well. That was a great surprise. I am extremely impressed with the loyalty and dedication and competence of the faculty and staff at ECU. Almost every day I hear about our faculty and staff being involved in something worthwhile. It’s refreshing to see people doing so much to make the world a better place. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. All the efforts to help Haiti, for example. That’s the kind of place we have here. The faculty, staff and students are constantly striving to make the world a better place.

President’s Message Looking forward, however, we have many challenges. We need to continue to build partnerships, or build stronger bridges, with our alumni, sister institutions and surrounding schools and communities – and we are doing that at ECU. Alumni are the backbone of our institution. Everywhere I go I meet people who are proud alumni of ECU and they tell me of their families’ connections with the university. There are tremendous family legacies from ECU. We have highly successful alumni in business, the arts, science and education. We want to continue to touch on those stories. ECU alums are everywhere and we want to continue locating the thousands who have walked through ECU’s halls. We’ve made great strides in electronically rebuilding our database so we can reach alumni quickly and inexpensively. We are in the process of reconnecting with all alums, especially those from the 1960s and 70s, because we know they will want to plan on attending Homecoming this year with its theme – “Peace, Love & Happiness . . . Keep on Groovin’.” We had a great Homecoming last fall, but we want to make it even better. I want alumni to think about and relive what I do – the great experiences I had as an ECU student – and plan to attend 2010 Homecoming on October 9, 2010.

Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger,

John R. Hargrave, J.D.President, East Central University

“I am the luckiest personon the planet earth.”

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The close of East Central University’s Centennial year brought the face of new leadership to campus, not only with the appointment of John Hargrave as ECU’s eighth president, but with the naming of Dr. C.J. Vires to a new role in advancement and the selection of Phyllis Danley Kunze to head the ECU Foundation, Inc.

“I think it is an exciting time for the university and the foundation. We have President Hargrave, Phyllis Danley Kunze and myself who are all ECU alumni with ties to the Ada community and who will be working together for the university’s advancement,” said Vires. “We have great potential, especially with the strong support of ECU’s alumni and the community.”

This past fall, Vires was named associate vice president for research and advancement at East Central University, which is an expanded position that combines ECU’s Office of Sponsored Programs and Research with the Division of Advancement and Alumni Relations.

“Increasing scholarship endowments are crucial over the next few years to better assist students to offset the cost of rising tuition,” said Vires. “I would not have been able to come to ECU without a music scholarship. I understand the importance of our increased efforts in the area of raising scholarship funds.”

Vires came to ECU in October 1999 as director of the Grants Research Information Center. He also served as interim assistant vice president for academic affairs from January 2005 to July 2006 when he

became associate vice president for sponsored programs and research.

He will continue to lead the university’s efforts to obtain external funding through grants and contracts from federal and state agencies as well as lead ECU’s efforts in the advancement area. The Advancement Office is responsible for raising funds largely from alumni and friends of the university as well as corporations and foundations. Those gifts establish scholarships and provide funding for a variety of unmet needs of the university.

“We are creating one office responsible for the majority of the university’s fundraising efforts,” said ECU President John Hargrave. “Combining these two fundraising arms of the university will increase our efficiency and allow the staff to leverage their efforts.”

Throughout his career, Vires has helped secure approximately $60 million in competitive funding for ECU and other entities either as a principal investigator, co-principal investigator, consultant or technical adviser.

“In fact, ECU’s largest single source of funding in the 2009 fiscal year was $19.9 million from grants and contracts. That was 34 percent of the university’s total operational budget,” Hargrave said. “I am grateful that Dr. Vires has agreed to serve ECU in this expanded capacity, and I am also grateful for the leadership that Dr. Diane Berty has provided as interim vice president of university advancement.”

Berty, vice president of student development, served as interim vice president of university advancement for

nearly two years.Vires said he will work with the

advancement staff as well as ECU’s faculty, staff, alumni and friends to develop a vision for the Research and Advancement Office and to solidify fundraising efforts in support of the university’s strategic direction.

“We will identify campus needs that present the greatest opportunities for alumni

and friends to help the university,” he said.

Phyllis Danley Kunze, long-time CEO of the East Central Credit Union, was named executive director of the ECU Foundation, Inc. this fall as well.

Vires and Kunze have a solid connection going back to when Vires was an undergraduate

majoring in music education. Kunze often accompanied him on the piano when he performed, including his senior recital.

“I think as a musician, when

The Ties That BindNew leadership looks toward building the future

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you perform a piece, you have to develop a trust that the other person is going to do what they need to do during the performance. I think having that trust relationship already intact is very beneficial,” explained Vires.

Kunze also said that Vires and she just “clicked” when he was a student here. “He and I have discussed how we never thought that 20 years later we would both be working together for the university. We work well together and we are both student oriented.

“I trust Dr. Vires. I know his values and morals, which makes a difference. I think we will be focused working together because we don’t have to build a relationship.”

Kunze will oversee the foundation’s approximately $20 million in assets and its fundraising activities. Interest income earned from endowments and donations to the foundation provides numerous scholarships to ECU students. The foundation, which was organized in 1970, also raises funds to assist with other needs of the university.

“I am so pleased that Phyllis was chosen by our foundation board. Her skills and competency are outstanding,” Hargrave said. “During my first foundation board meeting I noticed that Phyllis, as a board member, paid close attention to detail and asked several pointed questions.”

In yet another example of ties to ECU forming a strong partnership, both Hargrave and Kunze have long-standing family connections to the university.

Kunze’s father, the late Dr. James O. Danley, was chairman of the Mathematics Department when he died in 1980 and was ECU’s first dean of graduate studies and

President John r. hargrave; dr. C.J. vires, assoCiate viCe President for researCh and advanCement; and Phyllis danley Kunze, exeCutive direCtor of the eCu foundation reminisCe about their days as eCu students.

Dr. C.J. Vires (’87), assoCiate ViCe presiDent for researCh anD aDVanCement

Vires received a bachelor of music education degree in 1987 and a master of education degree in 1994, both from ECU. He completed coursework at Oklahoma State University to obtain a school superintendent certificate

in 1997 and completed his doctorate in adult and higher education this past fall from the University of Oklahoma.

He met his wife, Linda, at ECU. She is director of health information management at Valley View Regional Hospital. They have two college-age children and two adopted daughters ages 3 and 4.

The family lived in Konawa 13 years when Vires directed bands at Konawa and Shawnee. He also was an assistant to the superintendent at Konawa.

They have lived in Ada 10 years and are members of Southwest Church of Christ where he serves as a deacon and teacher.

phyllis Danley Kunze (’73), exeCutiVe DireCtor, eCu founDation, inC.

Kunze received a bachelor’s degree from ECU in business education in 1973.

Kunze was the founder of the Innovative Credit Union Network, an organization devoted to small credit unions with less

than $35 million in assets. She received the 2007 Oklahoma Credit Union

Professional of the Year Distinguished Service Award and is a member of the Credit Union National Association’s Small Credit Union Committee for 2009-10 and the Oklahoma State Credit Union’s Rules Review Committee.

She is a board member of the Ada Arts and Heritage Authority, Ada Senior Care Center, the ECU Women’s Club and a member of the steering committee for the Arts District of Ada.

Kunze and her husband, Jim, have three sons and a daughter and five grandchildren. They attend Central Church of Christ.

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continuing education.Kunze also is the daughter of the late Wanita

Danley-Plunk who taught in the English and Languages Department at ECU for more than a decade. She retired in 1994 and passed away in 2007.

Kunze, both her parents, her brother, Forrest Danley, and sister, the late Mari Lea Danley Davis, all graduated from ECU. In fact, Hargrave and Davis were ECU students at the same time and were involved in theatre productions together.

Hargrave later hired Forrest Danley as a legal intern in his law firm. Danley now is an attorney in Edmond.

The original Linscheid Library where Hargrave once studied is now Danley Hall, named in Kunze’s father’s

honor, and is where Hargrave works in the President’s Office.

“I think our families’ connections and love for East Central University over the last 70 years give both of us an added incentive to work together to increase the number of endowments and gifts to the foundation,” Kunze said.

“We understand,” Hargrave added, “that a foundation scholarship often can be the difference whether a student is able to finish a college degree.”

As ECU embarks on its second century, the bonds between Hargrave, Vires and Kunze serve to further advance the university and to better meet students’ needs.

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Friday, April 23, 20106:00 p.m.

Stanley P. Wagner Ballroom

Honoring:Randy Grinnell

Distinguished Alumnus

August PetersenDistinguished Alumnus

Dr. Davis Joyce Distinguished Former Faculty

The Compton-Clements Family

Distinguished Family

Tickets: $30 per person; $50 per coupleRSVP by April 16

Contact: Catie CatonOffice of University Advancement

580-559-5611 ~ catncat@ecok.edu

SAVE THE DATEEast Central University’s

Evening of Honorsand Recognition

Banquet

President Hargrave invitesAlumni and Friends

to become members of the University’s Leadership Team

The President’s Circle

Membership BenefitsExclusive Events Hosted by the PresidentSpecial ECU Programs and Activities

Member, ECU Foundation, Inc.Member, ECU Alumni Association

Courtesy Passes to select University EventsColumns MagazineCampus Updates

Additional Information on Estate Planning

Membership Requirement: A $1,000 Annual Contribution to ECU Foundation, Inc. Payable annually, quarterly or monthly

For additional information, contact: Catie Caton, Office of University Advancement

580-559-5611 ~ catncat@ecok.edu

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TOP: Alumni Association board member Barbara Miller (left), who graduated from ECU last May, shares a laugh with a fall graduate as Buffy Lovelis, director of alumni relations, pins a graduate.

TOP RIGHT: ECU President John Hargrave (right) presents a bronze tiger to former Gov. George Nigh, a 1950 graduate of ECU. Nigh was the Centennial Commencement speaker in December. He was ECU’s Distinguished Alumnus in 1977, the year Hargrave graduated from ECU.

RIGHT: Former Gov. George Nigh, who was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives when he was a senior at East Central University, makes a point during his commencement address in December. He described incidents in his life to show the new graduates how events can take them down unexpected paths. The popular former governor was invited to speak at the Centennial commencement because of his long record of success as well as his ties to the university.

ECU GRADS AUGUST PETERSEN AND RANDY GRINNELL TO GIVE MAY COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSESAugust Petersen and Randy Grinnell were named East Central University’s 2010 Distinguished Alums. They will deliver the commencement addresses Saturday [MAY 8] for ECU’s May 2010 graduates.

August Petersen (’75) August Petersen has been a senior partner, officer, board member, investor and consultant to numerous Texas business ventures for over 30 years. In addition, he is a faculty member at the University of Texas where he has taught more than 160 undergraduate and MBA courses in accounting, corporate finance, real estate and strategic management to more than 10,000 students. He has also served on the faculty of UT’s Institute of Commercial Capitalism and the UT School of Engineering where he has developed and taught courses on entrepreneurship, technology commercialization and financial management. Raised and educated in New Jersey, Petersen attended East Central University on an athletic

scholarship. After taking an active role in several student organizations, he was elected ECU’s Student Senate president for two consecutive years. Majoring in accounting and business administration, he graduated with honors after being selected the university’s Outstanding Student and the School of Business’ Most Distinguished Graduate. He later served as a trustee of the East Central University Foundation. Petersen moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas and earned his master of professional accountancy degree with highest honors. He joined the Austin office of the international accounting firm Touche Ross where, in addition to his client responsibilities, he was a coordinator of professional staff recruitment and participated in the firm’s successful business development efforts. He left public accounting to become a founding partner of The Watson Group, a Texas partnership that became the largest diversified real estate firm in Austin. Petersen had senior management responsibilities for more than 50 real estate business entities, development projects and investment properties, the scope of which exceeded several hundred million dollars. These projects included one of the nation’s largest historical rehabilitations and central Texas’ largest new constructions of commercial, retail and industrial office space, as well as several thousand acres of land developments. The Watson Group partners also served as the primary advisers for two of Austin’s most successful economic development efforts: the MCC computer research consortium and the Austin division of 3M Corporation. Petersen later became the managing partner of Petersen-E

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Watson Interests to focus on long-term land investment and development opportunities. He is currently serving as a managing partner for several businesses engaged in the acquisition and management of distressed real estate on a national level. A licensed CPA and real estate broker, Petersen has lectured at state, national and international professional conferences and seminars. For the past seven years he has served as the national chairman and lead speaker for a series of accounting and financial reporting conferences held in major cities across the country. He was a founding officer and a contributing editor for the Austin Business Journal. He has served as an officer and board member for the Better Business Bureau, the Urban League, United Way, the American Cancer Society, the Volunteer Center and Leadership Austin. As the founder and director of a youth sports organization, Westlake Stars, Petersen ran youth sports training camps, competition and performance teams that benefited some 4,000 children over a 15-year period. His professional and civic involvement led to his selection as a National Finalist in the White House Fellowship program. He has been named one of the Outstanding Young Men of America, selected to Who’s Who in American Finance and Emerging Leaders of America. He is married, the father of two boys, and is a founding member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

rAndy grinnell (’76) Randy Grinnell, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri, is the deputy director for the Indian Health Service (IHS), an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Grinnell previously had served as the IHS deputy director of management operations. As the deputy director, Grinnell shares responsibility with the director for the total management of a $4 billion national health care delivery program providing preventive, curative and community care for approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. This includes the setting of overall agency priorities, policies and strategic direction. Grinnell provides significant input in managing the formulation, presentation, justification and execution of the agency budget. His participation influences program and resource allocation decisions that impact the total agency budget. Grinnell is responsible for the development of testimony presented to congressional appropriation and legislative committees. Along with the director, he is a principal witness before such committees. Health services are provided through a network of 680 federal, tribal and urban health care facilities across 35 states. Under a government-to-government relationship, approximately 50 percent of the health care programs are administered by tribes under P.L. 93-638 Self-Determination contracts and compacts throughout the country. The federally administered programs include a staff of 15,000 employees with approximately 2,400 nurses, 800 physicians, 400 engineers, 500 pharmacists, 300 dentists and 300 sanitarians. Grinnell began his IHS career in 1976 as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), Sanitarian category, which was later changed to Environmental Health Officer. From 1976 through 1988, he served in a variety of Environmental Health Officer field positions in the Alaska, Albuquerque and Oklahoma City areas. From 1988 through 2006, Grinnell served in a number of

management positions in the Oklahoma City area. He was the assistant director for environmental health and engineering from 1988 through 1992, and again from 1998 through 2006. From 1992 to 1996, he was the deputy area director, and from 1996 to 1998 was the acting area director. As the acting area director, he provided overall management of clinical and administrative functions for a comprehensive health care system serving over 300,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives in 44 tribes in Oklahoma, Kansas and southern Texas. Grinnell served on numerous special projects and national IHS workgroups both as a member and as a chairman. He was detailed for one year to chair and coordinate the Oklahoma City Area Redesign Task Force project. He also was co-chair of the IHS User Population Workgroup, and as a member of the IHS Internal Evaluation Team, IHS Shared Services Workgroup, and the IHS Strategic Planning Workgroup. In 2001, he was selected and served a four-year appointment as the chief professional officer for the Environmental Health Officer category of the Public Health Service. He provided leadership and was the senior adviser to the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services on environmental health professional affairs. In the fall of 2005, Grinnell was deployed as part of the HHS secretary’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) to Louisiana as the executive officer and the deputy commander for the SERT. He, along with other officers, federal civilians and volunteers, carried out the Emergency Support Function #8 for health and medical services in Louisiana following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Grinnell was actively involved with the Department of Environmental Health Science at ECU for many years. He worked with former and current faculty on various activities such as career fairs, as well the accreditation process with the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council. He and others worked with faculty to successfully recruit a number of ECU graduates to serve in various agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, both as civil servants and commissioned officers in the U.S. Public Health Service. At one time, ECU had more active duty officers in the Environmental Health Officer category of the USPHS than any of the 30 other accredited undergraduate environmental health programs in the country, a testament to the quality of both the Department of Environmental Health Science and faculty as well as the individuals coming through the program. He was also appointed the first federal member of the Oklahoma Sanitarian Advisory Council and served one term as chairman. In May 2006, Grinnell retired from the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service after completing 30 years of active duty service. His awards and recognitions include the HHS Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service, PHS Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, two Outstanding Service Medals, Commendation Medal, Achievement Medal, Citation, Outstanding Unit Citation, two Unit Commendations, Special Assignment Service Award, Crisis Response Service Awards, and the Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Medal. He has served as a member of the Senior Executive Service since August 2007. Grinnell earned a bachelor of science degree in environmental health science from ECU in 1976 and a master of public health degree in environmental health from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 1981. He and his wife, Kim, have four grown children, Chad, Jacob, Cole and Jennifer.

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Homecoming 2009 pHoto review

Bill Bridgwater (third from left), a successful businessman diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at age 48, holds a bronze tiger as East Central University’s 2009 Distinguished Alumnus. The presentation was made Oct. 30 during Homecoming Week by Zeak Naifeh (left), president of ECU’s Alumni Association. Bridgwater (’78) was accompanied by his wife, Twyla (’78), and renewed a friendship with ECU President John Hargrave (’77, right). A nationally recognized speaker and patient advocate on Alzheimer’s-related issues, Bridgwater recounted his experiences and discussed the 10 warning signs of the disease in a program open to the public. Without his medications, he said, he could not speak without stuttering or walk without holding onto something to guide him. Now retired, he serves on the National Alzheimer Association’s Board of Directors, a first for a patient, and he and Twyla are consultants to the FDA and voting members on Alzheimer’s trials dealing with promising imaging and pharmaceutical developments, another first for an Alzheimer’s patient and caregiver.

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Homecoming 2009 pHoto review

October 9, 2010Join us This year!homecoming

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What a busy time it has been at East Central University as we closed out the year-long Centennial Celebrations. The fall Centennial events kicked off with a week of activities including academic departmental tours that showcased each school’s history, followed by the dedication of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center and the performance of ECU, A Year in the Life: Celebrating 100. It was a great time for alums to reminisce about their time as students at ECU.

The Centennial Homecoming in October was amazing! Participation in the 5K Tiger Run set a new record with 122 people competing in the three-mile race. Other activities, such as the Golden Tiger Brunch, golf tournament and parade, made it a wonderful time to

be back on ECU’s campus. The first ever Trunk or Treat drew a huge crowd of not only ECU families and alums, but the community as well. If you missed it this year, we hope you will be able to join us next year for all the Homecoming events.

This spring and summer offer several opportunities to reconnect with former classmates, and meet other ECU alums. In addition to our annual Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Dallas reunions, this year will include reunions in Austin, Ardmore, McAlester and Wewoka.

As always, I personally invite you back to campus to enjoy the many sporting events, performances in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center and the beautiful campus improvements. There is always something wonderful to experience at ECU and we would love to see you on campus!

It’s a great day to be a Tiger! Go Tigers!

Zeak T. Naifeh, Class of ‘04 President, ECU Alumni Association

Greetings from the Alumni Association

AustinMarch 27

TulsaApril 17

ArdmoreJune 12

OKCJune 26

WewokaJuly 17

McAlesterMay 1

Buffy Lovelis, Director of Alumni Relations Check out all of the changes to the ECU alumni website! Tell us why you love ECU, find out the latest information on news around campus, register for events and update your contact information.

Log on today! alumni.ecok.edu

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commissioned works. One of his pieces, “Spirit of the Heartland,” was commissioned by the East Central Oklahoma Band Directors Association and features the ECU fight song. Huckeby is a recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers “Special Award” for recognition of his musical compositions. In 1996, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Bandmasters Hall of Fame joining his mentor, Don Gant, and 14 other alumni or instructors from ECU. Huckeby plans to continue his musical pursuits even with the demands of the presidency. “I have commitments at Auburn University, Western Carolina University and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell this semester,” he said. Huckeby also recalls the complexity of his junior and senior years at ECU. “I basically was a full-time student, taught band at Allen High School – they would let you do that back then – and worked at Anthony’s,” he said. “I often had to wear a tie to class because I went to work right after class. As a result, I acquired the nickname ‘C.R.,’ an abbreviated version of C.R. Anthony.” Huckeby grew up in Allen, Okla., and it was there that he met his future wife, Latricia Ann Wilson. They have been married 39 years. They have two children and four grandchildren and continue to maintain close ties with the Ada community through their many friends and family.

Dr. Ed Huckeby, a 1970 alumnus of ECU, became the 11th president of Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Okla., in January 2010 following a diligent eight-month search. Dr. Dan Beller, chair of the Southwestern Christian University Board of Regents, said Huckeby was selected for the position “because of his stellar academic credentials, history of proven academic community leadership and Christian standards.” Huckeby’s accomplishments in these areas are significant. He has served as the director of the Enid Higher Education Program, dean of the Graduate School at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and chief academic administrator of the NSU-Broken Arrow campus. He is the president-elect of the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators. In the area of community leadership, he has served as president of the Broken Arrow Arts and Humanities Council, chairman of the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, vice chairman of the Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation and executive director of Tulsa Ballet. Huckeby credits ECU in preparing him for his accomplished career. He first attended ECU in August 1966 and graduated in 1970 with a bachelor of music education degree. During this time, Huckeby notes the significant influence of Chuck Tracey, Bob Kaebnick and Don Gant, all professors in the music department. Huckeby talks most fondly of Gant, who was director of the Tiger Band. “With Mr. Gant you never knew what to expect in rehearsal or at a performance. I remember one time when we were at the Southeastern football game in Durant, a fight between the two teams started after the game. In Mr. Gant’s own creative way, he quickly had us play ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’” Huckeby said. “I don’t remember if it stopped the fight, but I do remember that it represented Mr. Gant’s creative, unexpected approach to most things.” Huckeby is leading an effort to create a scholarship endowment in honor of Don Gant and welcomes others who might be interested to contact him. The influence of professors Gant, Tracey and Kaebnick prepared Huckeby for his career as an accomplished musician and composer. Huckeby has composed more than 170 musical pieces including 50

Huckeby New President of Southwestern Christian University

Dr. Ed. Huckeby, now and 1970.

alumni.ecok.eduThe Columns 13

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East Central University’s tradition continues for having high percentages of its pre-med graduates accepted into medical schools. Four former students are in their first year at the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, part of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Science in Tulsa, and one, Caleb Wingo, is in his first year at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. Rachael Pattison of Holdenville, Charles (Chuck) Jantzen of Ada, Lori Peters Ott of McAlester and Elizabeth Hall of Ada are among the 92 first-year OSU medical students selected out of more than 1,800 applicants. Compared to other state schools, ECU has the second highest percentage of first-year students this year at OSU-COM. The ECU alums are in four-year programs which include two years of school and two years of rotations, followed by an additional three years, depending on what field they decide to pursue. Each semester gets more clinically oriented and the third and fourth years are all clinical. ECU alum Charity Holder of Coalgate is in her second year at OSU-COM and T.S. Ahrend of Ada and Ray Ward of Kiowa are third-year students. Matt Wiley of Ada is in his fourth year. “We do everything we can to prepare students for admission to medical school,” said Dr. Nick Cheper, chair of ECU’s Biology Department. ECU faculty meet with the OSU medical faculty and attend various campus events in Tulsa. Cheper said OSU works with ECU’s faculty to help make better students in order to make them better applicants. “The OSU people recognize that we have good students,” Cheper said. “They see ECU on a letter of recommendation from an ECU faculty member and know that indicates (the applicant is) a good student.” What do first-year medical students do? “Study, study, study,” Pattison said. The first year includes such courses as gross and develop-mental anatomy, which includes a cadaver lab, diagnostic imaging, histology, osteopathic manipula-tion, biochemistry, neuroanatomy, physiology, microbiology, immunol-ogy, clinical epidemiology and clinical skills. “Building a working knowledge of the body and how it develops is the foundation of medicine,” Jantzen said.

“Much of the first year is like undergraduate training but the level at which the material is presented is higher and way faster,” he said. “Topics we covered in four or five lectures in undergrad we will cover in one hour of lecture here and go into more detail.” Jantzen was double majoring in biology and chemistry but was admitted to OSU-COM before he graduated from ECU. “You can get into the school here with 90 hours of undergraduate courses with the appropriate pre reqs,” he explained. “Very few get in without a bachelor’s but I was lucky enough to get in early. If I hadn’t been accepted to this year’s class, I would have finished that and tried again.” As an ECU student, Jantzen said he could pick up on most information during lectures and spent a limited amount of time studying for exams. “But here, it is near impossible to pick up on everything in the fast-paced lectures and I have to spend lots of time outside of lecture and lab studying,” he said. “It is just a completely different pace and I have had to adapt my study skills and habits. At ECU, most days I was out of class by noon unless there was an afternoon lab. Here, most days start at 8 a.m. and end at 3 or 5 p.m., and then you have to put in the time outside of class. “Weekends at ECU were for resting and having fun. Here, they are for catching up.” It’s not all work, however. Pattison said the first-year class also plans dances, cookouts, community service projects and recreational activities. The ECU graduates said ECU prepared them well for medical school.

“I wasn’t any less prepared for classes than students who attended the larger universities,” said Elizabeth Hall. “I purposely took extra electives that I believe will be, or have been, beneficial. Perhaps if I hadn’t taken embryology, histology, medical mycology and experimental molecular biology I wouldn’t be as well prepared.” Pattison said Dr. Larry Choate influenced her decision to stay with her dream of becoming a physician. “I was a confused sophomore and he took the time to advise me on my upcoming life decisions,” she said. “Dr. (Ken) Andrews made me a more competitive applicant through working in his research lab and offering advice numerous times for the application process.” She said Dr. Charles Crittell, Dr. Terry Cluck, Dr. Charles Biles and Dr. Mark Micozzi also were always

ECU Graduates EnjoyingChallenges of Medical School

Pictured counterclockwise from left: Charity Holder (’08), Rachel Pattison (’08), Lori Ott (’07), Elizabeth Hall (’08) and Chuck Jantzen who met pre-requisite requirements and was admitted to OSU-COM without actually graduating from ECU.

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Book Signing Dates• Saturday, March 20: Author signing at

Hastings in Ada• Tuesday, March 23: Reading and signing

at ECU's Estep Multimedia Center• Wednesday, March 24: Q&A, Genre

Writing (Dr. Mark Walling)• Thursday, March 25: Q&A, Promotional

Policies (Dr. Tom Lanis)• Saturday, March 27: Reading and signing

at Full Circle Bookstore in OKC

AuthorChristian Carvajal (’93)

When I was a junior at ECU, Dr. Gerald Williamson called me into his office to offer free advice:

“Focus on one thing,” he said, “and apply yourself to becoming the best at it you can possibly be.”

I failed to follow that advice.

Dr. Williamson is a wise man. I’m a fool to argue with his advice…yet I do. Failure can clear the way to success. Life doesn’t come with a major. Follow your intellectual and career curiosities; they know you and your needs better than you do. Follow your heart, and it’ll find you the love and life you belong in. Your story isn’t a straightforward novel. It’s a hypertext, a beautiful tangle of dreams and possibilities. Check out Lightfall at www.ChristianCarvajal.com. Carvajal will read from and sign copies of Lightfall in ECU’s ESTEP Center, Tuesday, March 23.

helpful. “ECU’s faculty helped me tremendously in my journey to medical school,” she said. “After my first few weeks, I was compelled to send Dr. Andrews an email thanking him for his teaching style in histology. Many other students had not had the opportunity to take the class at their undergraduate university, or they did not feel the course was taught well. It is a difficult subject that many students struggled with. I feel I had an advantage in histology because of Dr. Andrews and ECU’s biology department.” Jantzen said he would like to thank the professors of the Biology and Chemistry Departments. “They were the rock of the foundation that got us all here,” he said. “Without their classes and recommendations we wouldn’t be here. ECU has an impact here at the university and we will have an impact on the health and lives of the residents of Oklahoma.” Jantzen said taking many of ECU’s upper level science electives has helped him at OSU. “I took histology, immunology, parasitology, cell and molecular biology, and some other classes that we take in the first year of medical school. Having these classes at ECU with great professors has been a great help in surviving this first year so far. “You can get as much as you want out of the classes at ECU,” he added. “If you want to be prepared, then put in the time and pay attention. There were several times at ECU when I would think, ‘Why is Dr. Biles telling me this?’ Well, the second week of classes here, I found myself more than once going, ‘Oh! That is why Dr. Biles told me that.’” Jantzen called ECU’s professor-to-student ratio in upper level classes “awesome” and said most of the ECU students now at OSU-COM had done research with ECU faculty members. “Great working relationships lead to greater learning,” he said. “The (ECU) professors are great. At times I thought a couple of them might be a little tough, but looking back, it was for our benefit. Here there is no easy. We are challenged every day.” Pattison said she has grown to love the challenge that comes with the daily life of a medical student. She chose the OSU Center for Health Science because she liked what she calls its friendly and caring atmosphere, a sentiment echoed by Jantzen. “The faculty, staff and students want everyone to succeed,” she said. “Also, I had been shadowing osteopathic physicians and was drawn to the osteopathic philosophy of the body as one unit. I saw my physician making a difference in his community, and knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps.” Hall said she had always wanted to be a D.O. and preferred to stay in Oklahoma. She plans to practice pediatrics. “OSU-COM was a natural fit and had an added bonus: it’s a great school,” she said. The ECU alums probably will work in rural communities, although Jantzen said he is open to other possibilities. “These (rural) areas are severely lacking in medical care,” Pattison said. “I hope to fill that void and become a leader in my community.”

Challenges of Medical School

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NOTE: Following are excerpts from a question and answer session that appeared in Ada Magazine with ECU alum Jim Miller. By day, Miller is a teacher and coach at Harrah High School. By night, Miller is the voice of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA basketball franchise.

By JEFF CALIAda Magazine

Ada Magazine: First of all Jim, how about recalling some of your most memorable moments as a college student at East Central University.

Miller: I played basketball for Wayne Cobb from 1986 to 1988, then redshirted in 1989, which, ironically, was the year the team played for the National Championship in Kansas City. My timing was not so good. I tried to come back and play in 1990, but things didn’t work out for me, and I instead started to scratch the coaching itch by helping manage/student assist coach Cobb with that team. It was also during those last two years that I began to do some ECU basketball color analysis, and subbed for John Smith on the PA a couple of times as well, so those were some of my first experiences with those things at the college level.

A few years later, I began doing ECU football full time for three years as either play-by-play or color, and did a couple more PA gigs. My time with the Mid-America Tournament began then, helping Bobby Johns and Mick Cowan with PA. And, as we all know, that became a year-to-year thing! I started working at local radio stations during this time, and the passion of broadcasting was still burning hot. I did my first play-by-play for Wynnewood High School football in ‘89, when the great James Allen was a freshman. What a way to begin, huh?

Ada Magazine: You have made several coaching stops across the state. Tell us about those.

Miller: After dabbling in radio for a few years, and working at the Ada Evening News for two years (1995-97), I decided I wanted to coach high school basketball and work with young people. So, I finally finished school, and got my certification in ‘97, and began at Dickson. I assisted high school girls basketball and softball, and coached the junior high girls teams. I moved on to McLish for my first head coaching position, and somehow squirreled out Pontotoc Conference Coach of the Year in 2000, as we upset two teams and finished a close second to Latta in the conference tourney. I coached every team in the school except high school girls basketball, and I also did the yearbook. Needless to say, I was worn out. I then went out to Hydro to coach softball and boys basketball, l was very successful in both seasons, just getting a game or two away from the state tourney, and I had my first All-Stater. Our girls basketball team would win the first of two straight state titles in Class A and a Mid-America Tournament championship as well while I was there, and I learned a lot from the great high school coach Rick Wilson. Then, I got the call from Vanoss to coach boys, and couldn’t resist going home. Was making strides with the program after two years, but budget cuts cost me my job, and I tried to go back to radio for a couple of years, before a part-time stint coaching girls at Wayne – we were Big 8 Conference champs in 2005 – made me realize how much I missed teaching/coaching, and I eventually wound up at Harrah.

Ada Magazine: All your fans know that you spent the last year as the first-ever announcer for the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA squad. That has to be a thrill. What were some of the highlights of that job during

your first year?

Miller: Obviously, the main highlight of the Thunder arena announcer gig is being midcourt, front row, for a professional sport. I personally consider NBA players among the finest athletes in the world, and having been a fan since I was about 10 years old, it’s a surreal feeling to be right there in the action, so to speak. So, just getting to be right there would be plenty for me. However, there’s more. Being called upon to occasionally pump the crowd during big moments; emceeing local events associated with the team; and meeting and being near so many former players that were heroes of mine who are now coaches, broadcasters, or team execs, is really a thrill.

Ada Magazine: Who are some of the NBA players you have had the opportunity to get to know, and tell us a little about those meetings.

Miller: Shaquille O’Neal gets the coolest player award. He knelt down in front of the table to check in, and there was about a minute of uninterrupted play where there was only one basket made. After I made that PA call, he looked at me and said, “Is that you, bro?” meaning the voice over the system. I nodded. Then he said, “You got a great voice, bro ...” And then I said, (imitating his voice), “You’ve got a great post-up game, bro!” And he just grinned really big and gave me a fist bump. Man, he’s got a big fist! Also, Ray Allen was extremely friendly, in part because he used to play for the organization when they were in Seattle, but mainly because he is a legitimate class act. He talked to everyone he possibly could that he remembered, and he approached them, not vice versa. He’s also one of those stars who comes out early to shoot, and shoot a lot. And of course, our Thunder players are GREAT guys, to a man, and I interact with them a decent amount, but not too much, because I should be the least of their concerns – they’ve got a job to do!

Ada Magazine: You have spent several years traveling around the state singing. Tell us about that and how often you get to do it.

Miller: I’ve been singing with the southern gospel group Southern Sonlight for over 15 years. Randall Christy, who is president of the Gospel Station Network based in Ada and is pastor at Union Valley Baptist Church, is the lead singer, and asked me to join them in 1994. We travel mainly Oklahoma, Texas, and some of Kansas. I sing bass for the group, and it has been the most wonderful time and wonderful ministry a person could ever be a part of. All the members of the group had young children over these years, so we never really thought it feasible to make the leap and tour nationally, although we certainly could’ve at any time. Hopefully we’ve touched many lives with our music and the radio stations. We finally started writing songs a few years ago, and our most recent CD was recorded at a major studio in Nashville right after Christmas of ‘06. I co-wrote the title cut, “God’s Promise,” which is kind of a “western swing” gospel song, if you will. Bob Wills would be proud. Of all the MANY things I do, and I love all of them, if someone told me I’d have to give them all up except one, singing with this group is the one thing I’d hold on to. That may surprise some people, but I believe with great conviction that, aside from being a father to my three kids, that singing and writing gospel music, and learning about my faith and ministering, is the most important thing I do. Fortunately, I’m able, through God’s grace, to make it all work, so hopefully I’ll never be put into a position to make such a tough choice.

ECU Alum the Voice of the OKC Thunder

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Photo by Richard R. Barron, Ada Magazine

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Oklahoma Two East Central University alums, Darrell Hall and Gary Rose, guided their respective high schools to state football championships in Oklahoma in 2009. Hall, a 1988 ECU graduate, led Oklahoma City Star

Spencer to a 12-2 record and a Class 3A state championship this

past fall. It was the Bobcats’ first-ever state championship. For his efforts, Hall was named 2009 Daily Oklahoman All-State Coach of the Year. Star Spencer overcame a tough 1-2 start on the season before rolling to seven straight victories in District 4A-2 play, including a win over defending state champion Glenpool in the final week of the regular season.

The Bobcats then posted four straight

playoff victories, including a state championship triumph over

Oklahoma City Douglass. Hall played linebacker for ECU from 1984-87. He was a 1987 First Team All-Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference selection and First Team All-District 9 pick as

a senior in 1987 after earning honorable mention All-OIC honors as a junior in 1986. Rose, a 1974 ECU graduate, guided Carl Albert High School to its 10th state championship and eighth under his direction this past season as the team went 12-2, including four straight playoff victories, capped by a state championship decision over Bixby. During his long tenure at Carl Albert, Rose led the Titans to five straight state titles from 1997-2001. He later guided CAHS to state crowns in 2004 and 2006, in addition to the 2009 championship. Rose is also a member of ECU’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Texas Hall and Rose weren’t the only ECU alums to help their teams earn recent state high school football titles. In Texas, two ECU alums were part of Class 5A-1 state championship coaching staffs the past three years. John Thompson, a 1996 ECU grad, was part of the Euless Trinity coaching staff which claimed state titles in 2007 and this past season in 2009. J.D. Walker, a 1989 ECU graduate, was part of the Allen High School staff which earned a state crown in 2008. Walker played football at ECU from 1985-88. Class 5A-1 is the largest football playing class in the state of Texas.

Junior College Former ECU football player Cody Finney was on the coaching staff at Blinn Junior College (Texas), the 2009 NJCAA National Champions. Blinn beat Fort Scott (Kan.) 31-26 off a punt return for a late touchdown in the national championship game. Finney played for ECU as a punter and kicker from 1999-2002. He graduated in 2004.

East Central University’s

4th AnnualAll-Sports Golf Classic

Monday, June 14, 2010 Oak Hills Golf and Country Club in Ada

Featuring: Dr. Gil MorganECU alumnus and PGAChampions Tour Professional

Join us for a round of golf – choose the morning or afternoon flight. Lunch will be provided and prizes will be given to the top three teams.

For information, contact:Dr. Gerald Williamson

580-559-5590

Brian DeAngelis580-559-5604

All proceeds go to supportthe ECU Athletic Department

and all its programs.

We would truly appreciate your participation in this year’s event!

ECU Alums Guide Teams to Football Titles

Gary Rose (’74)

Darrell Hall (’8

8)

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East Central University inducted three new members into its Athletic Hall of Fame at halftime of the ECU-Southeastern Oklahoma State men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. Joining the prestigious hall of Tigers are basketball star Gina Farmer, cross country runner Daniel Stone and softball standout Leslie Phillips.

GINA FARMER (’97) - Women’s Basketball Farmer, out of Christchurch, New Zealand, is the most decorated Lady Tiger basketball player in school history and still holds 13 school records. She is the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,631 points, despite playing only two seasons (1995-96 and 1996-97) for coach Kent Franz. Following her 1996-97 senior campaign, Farmer was named NAIA Division I Player of the Year after averaging 27.9 points and 11 rebounds. That same year, she was named Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year as well as earning an All-OIC First Team award.

DANIEL STONE (’04) - Men’s Cross Country Stone, from Prague, Okla., earned two All-American awards while running for the ECU cross country team from 2000-2003 for coach Susan Payne. He was an NAIA All-American in 2002 as a junior and an NCAA Division II All-American as a senior in 2003. He was also a two-time Academic All-American selection.

His accomplishments include running in four national meets (three in NAIA and the other at NCAA Division II). He finished 103rd at nationals as a freshman; in a 55th-place tie at nationals as a sophomore; in 16th at NAIA national meet as a junior; and was 39th overall the 28th American to cross the finish line, thus earning All-American honors at the NCAA Division II national meet as a senior. As a senior, Stone took first place at meets at Southern Nazarene and ECU and was second place at the 8-kilometer Lone Star Conference Championships.

LESLIE PHILLIPS (’01) - (Women’s Softball) Phillips, a shortstop from Seminole, Okla., was named Lone Star Conference North Player of the Year as a junior in 2000 after batting .441 as the league’s top hitter. That was the second-best batting average for a season in ECU softball history. Besides making the all-conference first team as a junior, she was selected as a Third Team All-American for coach Ron Miller. As a senior, she batted .344 with two homers, 11 doubles, one triple, 17 runs batted in and 17 runs scored while having a .954 fielding percentage. Phillips was the Lady Tigers’ top hitter as a freshman in 1998 as she hit .369.

Athletic Director Brian DeAngelis (far left) and President John Hargrave (far right) present plaques to the 2010 ECU Hall of Fame inductees, Leslie Phillips, Gina Farmer and Daniel Stone.

ECU ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

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MARCH

MARCH 8ECU Wind Ensemble/Symphonic Band Concert 7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

MARCH 9 - 10 District Vocal Music FestivalAtaloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

MARCH 11Gospel Concert 7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

MARCH 22 - APRIL 9Annual Faculty ExhibitPogue Art GalleryHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

MARCH 25Instrumental Ensembles Concert 7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

MARCH 30Wind Ensembles Concert 7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL

APRIL 1 - 3Scissortail Creative Writing FestivalScissortail Arts SeriesEstep Multimedia Center, University CenterAtaloa Theatre, Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 5 Sherwin Markman “LBJ and Congress”7 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

Fine Arts

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APRIL 6Anna Steenerson in Concert 7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 8-11Baby with the Bathwaterby Christopher DurangDirected by Theo PeshehonoffChalmers Herman TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 10So PercussionScissortail Arts SeriesAtaloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 15-17The Vagina Monologues Chalmers Herman TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 12-30Annual Student ShowPogue Art GalleryHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 23-24Spring Dance ConcertAtaloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 29ECU Wind Ensemble/Symphonic Band Concert 7:30 p.m.Ataloa TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

APRIL 30SHOWTIME Dazzling Duets & MoreDirected by Patrick SweetChalmers Herman TheatreHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

MAY

MAY 1 - 14Senior ExhibitsPogue Art GalleryHallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

Fine ArtsSchedule of Events

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Jamie DrawbaughMiss Ada 2010

From left: President John Hargrave; Max (’78) and Anna (’75) Chronister; Lindsey “Dare” Chronister and Gov. Brad Henry.

ECU senior Jamie Drawbaugh was named Miss Ada 2010. Jamie is a biology major.

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Samantha MorenoMiss Wheelchair Oklahoma

2009-2010

ECU STUDENT NAMED BRAD HENRY INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSeven students from Oklahoma’s regional universities have been named Brad Henry International Scholars and are spending the spring 2010 semester participating in an international study and internship program at Swansea University in Wales.

Lindsey “Dare” Chronister represents East Central University in the international study program which was established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in June 2008.

The State Regents provide a $10,000 stipend for students selected to participate in semester-long study or research programs affiliated with Swansea University. Academic credit for these programs will be awarded by Oklahoma regional universities.

“These students possess the academic talent, dedication to service and leadership that makes them highly qualified for this program,” Chancellor Glen D. Johnson said. “They will represent the state and their universities well while they are overseas and we will look forward to these students returning home and sharing what they have learned.”

Chronister is working toward a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a minor in education from ECU. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in higher education leadership. During the past two years, Chronister has been actively involved on campus and in the Ada community. She participated in various campus organizations, including CREW, Tiger Ambassadors, Honor Court, Student Senate, Freshman Success Leader, Tiger Leadership, Zeta Tau Alpha and the Kinesiology Club. Chronister has been on the President’s and Dean’s honor Rolls, received the Tiger Pride Leadership award and been initiated into Alpha Chi, a national honor society.

ECU senior Jamie Drawbaugh was named Miss Ada 2010. Jamie is a biology major.

ECU graduate student Samantha Moreno was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma 2009-2010. Moreno recently earned a degree in human services counseling at ECU.

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Photo participants listed from left to right

Front row: Raymond Hopkins (freshman); Ryan Ennis (freshman); Isaac Ramirez (junior); President John Hargrave (’77); Dr. Gerald Williamson; Travis Haynes (junior); Kelvin Williams (’88); Max Chronister (’78); Ken Stoner (’92)

Middle row: Jake Lempges (senior); Kris Vereen (freshman); Aaron Moiser (junior); Floyd Wafer (junior); Aaron Gregory (’95); Daniel Wall (’92); Tommy Jon TJ Riley (’92); Robert Zink (’91)

Back row: Jon-Mark Norman (freshman); Michael Barefoot (’96); Dr. Cullen Harrod (’96); Josh Gregston (’09); Estevan Bray (freshman); Taylor Howard (sophomore); Beau Carter (senior); Damon Lee (senior); Dereck Hickman (junior); Tom Riley

Long-time ECU Administrator Becomes Special Initiate of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

Alumnae from the Chi Omega Sorority recently made a unique contribution to the new Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center for the Holidays. The group donated their time, money and holiday spirit to make the HBFFAC sparkle.

Back Row (left to right)Lafton Walbrick (’79 & ’86); Stacey Golightly (’75 & ’82);Becky McKenzie (’77 & ’85); Paula Parsons Kedy (’76);Rita Harp Cloar (’69 & ’73); Loretta Ballard Feiler (’80 & ’82); Kelly Green Maloy (’84 & ’86)

Front Row (left to right)Ashlee Thompson (’07); Sarah Dugger (senior); Janet Wilburn (’70)

Chi Omega Alumnae Make Donation

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The fourth annual Epsilon Omega PIKE Reunion will be held August 7, 2010, at the Ardmore Convention Center

Dr. Gerald Williamson, a longtime friend and advocate of East Central University's Pi Kappa Alpha Chapter, Epsilon Omega, became a special initiate of the chapter on Nov. 1. “It was with great excitement that on Sept. 2 a joint invitation from the active chapter and the Epsilon Omega Alumni Association was made to (and accepted by) Dr. Williamson to become a special initiate and join the brotherhood of Pi Kappa Alpha,” said Robert Zink ('89), secretary/treasurer of the Epsilon Omega Alumni Association. "Epsilon Omega is honored,” he added “that Dr. Williamson has accepted our invitation to become a PIKE and to be able to call him our brother." Williamson was ECU's vice president for student services from 1985 until July 2006 when he asked to move into fundraising for the university, a position he currently holds after a brief retirement in 2007. “Over the past 31 years, I have had the pleasure of working with the men of Pi Kappa Alpha at East

Central University both as a fraternity and as individuals, both on campus and after

they have completed their education,” Williamson said. “Being invited to join Pi Kappa Alpha is an honor.” Williamson is well known for three things, Zink said: developing and maintaining friendships with students long after they graduate; his penchant

for pointing out how successful ECU graduates continue to be; and rarely

missing any university-related athletic event, lecture or performance in 31 years.

Williamson earned bachelor and master of business administration degrees from Eastern

New Mexico University. He earned his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. Most recently, he participated in Harvard University's Institute of Education Management. While he had previously taught and coached at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, he came to ECU in 1978 as an assistant professor of marketing, and also volunteered for seven years as an assistant men’s basketball coach for Wayne Cobb.

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Centennial Rewind

Dedication of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center

Performance of the Messiah

Performance of the Messiah

Centennial Interpretation Showcase Winner Angela Marshall

Cross Country Members and Alums Set

Guinness Book Record - 100 Miles for 100 YearsECU, A Year in the Life: Celebrating 100 Years

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MARRIAGE PROPOSAL DURING CENTENNIAL SHOW SURPRISES PERFORMER

Audience members got a surprise at East Central University’s Centennial show in the new Ataloa Theatre Friday night, Sept. 25, but they weren’t nearly as surprised as student Phoebe Price of Ardmore.

Price was performing in “ECU, A Year in the Life: Celebrating 100” in a segment about the 1950s and the opening of the Boswell Chapel where a number of ECU couples have been married. She and three other members of Collage, ECU’s dance ensemble, were dressed as bridesmaids who were attending to the bride and performing a dance routine to “Chapel of Love.”

Price then caught the bridal bouquet and went to the chair at the front of the stage where the bride had been sitting. That, as it turned out, was a late change and a new ending.

When the bride and other bridesmaids quickly left the stage, a young man walked toward a surprised Price, knelt on one knee, asked her to marry him and gave her a ring. Price said yes.

As she accepted Jeff Barron’s proposal, some of the 800 people in the audience were whispering, “Is that real or part of the show?”

“That’s because it worked so well” with the number they were doing, said Dr. Delma Hall, assistant vice president for academic affairs who wrote and directed the production.

“It was amazing,” Hall said. “What a wonderful Centennial moment it was. She was still glowing Saturday night.”

Hall also told Jomain McKenzie he would need to repeat “Unforgettable,” which he had sung as part of the 1950s era at ECU. He sang again as the newly engaged couple danced briefly on the stage.

Price is a junior majoring in communication studies. She is the daughter of Chuck and Laurie Price and the granddaughter of Jo Ann and Lee Piatt, all of Ardmore.

Barron is the son of Scott and Cheryl Burks of Schulter. He worked several years at Staples in Ada but was scheduled to begin a new job as sales manager for Aaron’s Furniture. He also has a photography business. He is taking online courses and will complete an associate’s degree in business next May from the Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology.

Ice Cream Social

ECU, A Year in the Life: Celebrating 100 Years

ECU, A Year in the Life: Celebrating 100 Years

28 The Columns

Keisha Lavers (’98) and Brett Frantom exchanged wedding vows Dec. 5, 2009, at the Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market. Keisha is a

graduate of Plainview High School and graduated from East Central University with a degree in elementary education. She also obtained a master’s degree in instructional media from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. She is a library media specialist with Oklahoma City Public Schools. Brett is a graduate of Mustang High School and of Embrey-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a lead technician with the Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma City. Courtney Karner (’04) received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in November 2009. At ECU Karner was part of the McNair Scholars Program. He and his new bride now live in St. Louis where he works at the Washington University Medal Center as a post doc in the Department of Endocrinology, conducting metabolism and lipid research.

Tara Wade (’04) and Darryn Lewis exchanged wedding vows Sept. 25, 2009, at Arbuckle Wedding Chapel in Davis. Tara is a 2000 graduate of Ringling High School. She

received a degree in biology from ECU. She also earned a master’s degree in health science from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. She is a physician’s assistant at Solara Hospital in Shawnee. Darryn is a 1999 graduate of Roff High School and attended ECU. He is the garden manager at The Home Depot in Ada.

Ronni McCann and Jeramy Burch (’05) exchanged wedding vows Oct. 3, 2009, in the First Baptist Church in Davis. Ronni is a 2005 graduate of Davis High School and is a loan processor for Landmark Bank in Davis. Jeramy is a 2000 graduate of Wilson High School and earned a degree in criminal justice at ECU. He is the ranch manager of the Flying L Ranch.

Tim Claxton (’05) received the High School Teachers of the Year Award at the Arkansas – Oklahoma – Kansas Section Meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers in November 2008.

Kari Short and Levi Garrett (’05) exchanged wedding vows Nov. 7, 2009, on the beach in Riviera Maya,

Mexico. Kari is a 2000 graduate of Ada High School and a 2004 graduate of the University of Oklahoma. She is a project

Tiger Tracks

Xylan LewisSon of

Tyra Lewis (’09)

BRIDGET COSBY (’95) NAMED CEO OF HOLDENVILLE GENERAL

A former CFO of the Seminole Municipal Hospital has been named Chief Executive Officer of Holdenville Hospital. Bridget Cosby (’95) officially took over as CEO on Dec. 16...

HART (’05) NAMED DAILY COMMERCIAL’S AD DIRECTOR

Jamie Hart (’05), advertising manager of the Daily Commercial and South Lake Press, has been named advertising director.

GOV. BILL ANOATUBBY (’72) NAMED TO FEDERAL RESERVE BANK BOARD

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Oklahoma City Branch announces the following appointments to its Board of Directors...

MILDRED WEST (’82) NAMED TO WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD

Ada artist Mildred West has been notified by the editors that her biography was selected for inclusion in the 2010 edition of Who’s Who in the World...

Future TigersDavid “Bo” Niles

LanglandSon of

Robert Langland (’83) & Ellen

Langland (’83)

James & Magdalene IsbellSon & Daughter of Sheila Isbell

(’95)

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manager for the Chickasaw Nation Division of Commerce. Levi is a 2000 graduate of Roff High School and received a degree in general studies from ECU. He is employed by HTC Express as the operations manager.

Kamberly Petete (’05) and Clay Skoch exchanged wedding vows Aug. 15, 2009, at Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City. Kamberly is a 2001 graduate of Byng High School and received a degree in business administration from ECU. She also received a master of business administration in 2008 from Oklahoma Christian University. She is a production analyst at Chesapeake Energy Corporation. Clay is a 2002 graduate of Piedmont High School and a 2006 graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma where he received a degree in kinesiology-exercise/fitness management. He also earned a master of science degree in wellness management-exercise science in 2009. He is a fitness specialist at Chesapeake Energy Corporation.

Talina Turner (’05) and Rich Eaker (attended) e x c h a n g e d wedding vows Nov. 21, 2009, at First Pentecostal Holiness Church in Ada. Talina is a 2000 graduate of Seminole High School. She received a

bachelor’s degree in English from ECU in 2005 and is the managing editor of the Ada Evening News. Rich is a 1990 graduate of Ada High School and attended ECU where he was majoring in mass communications with a minor in English. He is employed at Pontotoc County Emergency 911 Center as supervisor.

Amanda Alexander (’06) and Ronnie Joe Stearns Jr. exchanged wedding

vows Sept. 12 in Wilson. Amanda is a graduate of Wilson High School. She received a degree in early childhood education from ECU and is a 1st grade teacher at

Charles Evans Elementary in Ardmore. Ronnie is a graduate of Wilson High School and is employed by East Jordan Iron Works in Ardmore.

Jenna Estes (’06) and Gary Owens (’07) exchanged wedding vows Aug. 8, 2009, at Honeysuckle Hills, Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Jenna is a 2002 graduate of Ada High School. She earned a degree in legal studies at ECU and a juris doctorate in 2009 from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She plans to practice law in Ada. Gary is a 2002 graduate of Pauls Valley High School and a 2007 graduate of ECU where he received a degree in kinesiology. He is employed by Owens Sand and Gravel in Pauls Valley.

Clay Kellen Newby

(born 10/8/2009)Son of

Josh Newby (’94)

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

Six former educators with ties to East Central University were inducted into the Gene and Evelyn Keefer Educators Hall of Fame last April in ECU’s Danley Hall atrium...

FORMER ECU STUDEnT nAMED CEO OF TULSA AREA AMERICAn RED CROSS

Tulsa Area Region of the American Red Cross recently named East Central University graduate Regina

Moon (’83) as its chief executive officer...

MEET REED BOETTCHER

Reed Boettcher (’06) is a lifelong Ada resident who joined the Ada Evening News in March 2009 year as a compositor, which is a newspaper way of saying he builds advertisements for area businesses...

See What’s Happening With Your Fellow AlumsG

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s

As an alum your child and/or grandchild is a Legacy and very

important to us.

We want to send a FREE t-shirt to them, and if you share your photo, we’ll publish it in an

upcoming edition of The Columns.

Faith & Dylan Mercer

Daughter & Sonof Clint Mercer (’94) & Brandi Mercer (’94)

30 The Columns

Rachel Hall (’09) and Derek Melton (’08) exchanged wedding vows Oct. 24, 2009, in Stonewall. Rachel is a 2005 graduate of Stonewall High School. She majored in nursing at ECU and is a registered nurse at Valley View Regional Hospital Cancer Treatment Center. Derek is a 2004 graduate of Allen High School. He received a degree in exercise science from ECU and is a systems administrator at Vision Bank.

Marissa Jones (’09) and Timothy Madden (attending) exchanged wedding vows Oct. 17, 2009, at the Ada Arts and Heritage Center. Marissa is a 2004 graduate of Latta High School and a 2007 graduate of Seminole State College with an associate’s degree in general studies. She graduated from ECU with a degree in human resources/rehabilitation counseling. She is employed by Rural Oklahoma Counseling. Her future plans include graduate school and pursuing a career in marriage and family therapy. Timothy is a 2003 graduate of Byng High School. He attends ECU where he is majoring in criminal justice. His future plans include a career in law enforcement with the U.S. Marshal Service. He served four years with the U.S. Marine Corps and

Randi Conn (’07) and Caleb Estes (’09) exchanged wedding vows Nov. 21, 2009, at S o u t h w e s t Church of Christ. Randi is a 2002 graduate of Ada High School. She received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice/law enforcement from ECU. She graduated in 2008 from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Artesia, N.M., and is employed by the Chickasaw Nation. Caleb is a 2005 graduate of Latta High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration/finance from ECU. He is employed by American General Financial Services.

Staci Clour and James Smith (’08) exchanged wedding vows Dec. 5, 2009, at the Arbuckle Wedding Chapel. Staci is a 2001 graduate of Fox High

School and a 2006 graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She is a CPA with Smith, Carney & Co. in Ardmore. James is a 2002 graduate of Fox High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in science from ECU. He is self-employed as a contract pumper.

SURPRISE PARTY HONORS COUPLE ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Mr. and Mrs. Larry (’67) and Carol (’68) Large, Ada, were honored with a surprise anniversary celebration Saturday, Nov. 14, in East Central University’s Ballroom. Hosts were their children Stephen and Deborah Gooding, Oklahoma City, and David and Patti Binger, Midlothian, Texas...

ECU GRADUATE TO SERVE ON STATE DISABILITY COMMISSION

Steve Shelton (’77), an East Central University graduate, will continue to serve on the Commission for Rehabilitation

Services, which is the three-member governing board for the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services...

JAMES THURMAN (’75) NOMINATED TO RANK OF GENERAL

President Barack H. Obama officially nominated Lt. Gen. James D. Thurman, deputy chief of staff for operations, to the rank of general. If his nomination is confirmed by the Senate, he will succeed Gen. Charles Campbell, Commanding General, Forces Command (FORSCOM), at Fort McPherson, Ga...

RETIRED EDUCATORS PRESENT AWARD

In its monthly luncheon at the Elks Lodge on Nov. 20, the Pontotoc County Retired Educators Association presented the Pioneer Educators Award to Suzanne McFarlane (’79)...

Future TigersRiglee Morgan

SmithDaughter of

Dustin (‘05) & Jennifer Smith

We Want to Hear From You!

Lawson Heath Clements (born

8/26/2009)Son of

Nick Clements (’03)Grandson of

Bill (’71) & Darla (’71) Clements

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received a Purple Heart during the battle of Fallujah.

Kristin Butler (attended) and Clay Roberts (’09) exchanged wedding vows on Jan. 2, 2010, at

the First United Methodist Church in Ardmore. Kristin is a 2006 graduate of Plainview High School and attended ECU while pursuing a degree in biology. She is an occupational therapy graduate assistant at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City where she is pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Clay is a 2002 graduate of Lone Grove High School and a 2006 graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He is also a 2009 graduate of ECU with a master’s in human resources.

Felicia Hunter (attending) and Joshua Gilliam (attended) exchanged wedding

vows Oct. 10, 2009, in Ada. Felicia is a graduate of Tupelo High School and attends ECU, majoring in music education. She is employed by Pre-

Paid Legal Services Inc. Joshua is a

Alex Cantrell, 8 years; Jacen Jencik, 4 years; Kadie Jencik, 2 years;

Kacie Jencik, 4 months Children of

April Jencik (attending)

Lomedia Ash (attended)Maygan Ballard (attended)Sandra Barnes (former staff)William Austin Blackwell (attended)Beulah Briggs (attended)Kenneth Cagle (attended)Edward Theodore Carson, Sr. (attended)Elizabeth Ann “Betty” Chapman (attended)Melba Cottingham (’33)Ross Edwards (attended)John Ensey (attended)Carla Garrett (’94 & ’04)Brett Alan Green (attending)Shirley Hinesley (attended)Joe Hisle (attended)Thayliah Hisle (attended)Ulma “Gene” Hood (attended)Lee Horne (’61)Bemon Burl Laughlin Jr. (attended)

In MemoriamThe ECU family offers our deepest sympathy to the families

of the alumni and friends we have lost.

Alfreda Muldrow (attended)Vinita Oliver (attended), 79Lou Repass (’60)Bryan Roark (’91)Orville M. “Robby” Robbins (former staff)Anna Shirley (’34, ’56)Dwight Smith (’67)Marjorie Sneed (’44)Charles Stonecipher (’65)Quinna Tillman (attended)Charles Todd (attended)Hugh Bronson “Bron” Warren III (’07)Lowell Watson (attended)Wylie Webster (attended)Clyde Welch Jr. (attended)James R. Wood (’54)Daniel Wyatt (’08)Barbara Young (attended)Lorene Zimmerman (attended, staff)

graduate of Ada High School and attended ECU. He is employed by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

Autumn Williamson and Quinton Blevins (attending) exchanged wedding vows Aug. 1, 2009. Autumn is a 2006 graduate of Byng High School and the Pontotoc Technology Center where

she earned a licensed practical nursing degree in 2008. She is employed by Valley View Regional Hospital in labor and delivery. Quinton is a 2006 graduate of Roff High School. He is a student at ECU, majoring in business. He is employed by U.S. Cellular.

Send us your Tiger Track information today! Log on to: alumni.ecok.edu

32 The Columns

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

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