The Columns of East Central University
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 1,800 copies at a cost of $2,579.88.
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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Fall 2009
Reader’s Guide
The 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
Other Contributors: Diane Berty, Catie Caton, Dallas Coplin,
Amy Ford, John Hargrave, Buffy Lovelis & Gerald Williamson
Designers: Jill Frye, Susan Ingram, Gina Smith & Ryan Wetherill
Cover Photographer: Jacklyn Patterson of Fine Photography by
Jacklyn Patterson
Photographers: Amy Ford, Jill Frye, Susan Ingram & Gina Smith
Alumni News and Events: Buffy Lovelis
Sports Information: Brian Johnson, Brian DeAngelis
& Gerald Williamson
Online 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:
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East Central University
1100 E. 14th, PMB Y-8
Ada, OK 74820
E-mail us: alumni@ecok.edu
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Let us hear from you! Your opinions and suggestions
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President’s
Message
Fellow Alumni,
I have to be one of the happiest ECU alums
anywhere. I am now back at the school I love and am
humbled to be its eighth president as of July 1.
My family has a long tradition here. I guess I was
destined to be a Tiger. My grandparents attended ECU,
both my parents are graduates, and so are their three
children. In addition, I met my wife Kay here and my
two sisters, Cindy Keefer and Jana Howard, met their
husbands at ECU.
My mother and one of my aunts also have master’s
degrees from ECU and one of my children went to
school here for two years.
It is fun to reminisce about our ECU years,
especially as we are reminded of our history during
this Centennial year. We all have our stories about
our college friends, classes, professors, tribulations
and triumphs. I hope yours are as memorable and
meaningful as mine.
I used to study in the original Linscheid Library,
which we called the Money Maze Library, after a TV
The President’s Viewpoint...................................... 3
What’s Inside:
ECU’s New President.............................................. 4
Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center....................... 8
A Legacy of Caring............................................... 12
Evening of Honors & Recognition Recap............ 12
Commencement 2009.......................................... 14
game show of the time, because everything was on
a half-floor. I could not have known that it would be
transformed into Danley Hall one day, stripped of its half-
floors, and I would come to work in the president’s office
on the second floor.
I want all of you to know that your school is alive and
well. You can be certain it is very well maintained and its
reputation is strong.
You are always welcome to come back and I hope
you do. In fact, we want and need your help. Alumni
play a very important role in recruiting new students and
showing them the traditions and spirit of their university.
We have the prettiest campus in Oklahoma and the
new Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center is a beautiful
state-of-the-art facility that will open so many doors for
students and offer many enhanced cultural opportunities
for southeastern Oklahoma.
We have much to brag about, but still much work to
do. We have begun to make huge improvements in our
athletic facilities that will pay big dividends in our athletic
program. The new Pat O’Neal Strength and Conditioning
Center is one of the best in NCAA Division II athletics. It
will not only facilitate the strengthening and conditioning
of our athletes, it will be a great recruiting tool.
That structure made it possible to totally remodel
the Elvan George Building to enlarge the football locker
room and upgrade the coaches’ locker room and meeting
room.
Also, the stadium has new aluminum seats, there are
new bleachers at the tennis courts and the baseball and
soccer fields plus a new press box at the baseball field.
These improvements show our commitment to our
athletes and to winning. People will notice and want to be
a part of it.
You also are an important part of East Central
University – you represent the reason we exist: to
educate students. Please stay involved. Keep up with
the university on our website, www.ecok.edu, or on the
alumni website, alumni.ecok.edu, or call Buffy Lovelis,
director of alumni relations, at 580-559-5651.
Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger,
John R. Hargrave, J.D.
President, East Central University
Homecoming ’09.................................................. 16
Alumni Association............................................... 18
Centennial Scholarship Fundraising..................... 20
Centennial Celebrations........................................ 21
Tiger Athletics....................................................... 22
Tiger Tracks.......................................................... 26
The Columns 3
ECU’s New President
He’s lived in an East Central University residence hall and
eaten in the cafeteria. He shoveled sand for new campus
sidewalks, tore out old lockers in McBride Gym and carried
half the beds out of Knight Hall for remodeling projects,
and – the worst time of his life – crawled through the dank
depths of Science Hall to seal it against moisture.
He also graduated with
honors in 1977, earning numerous
speech and debate trophies for ECU,
performing in theatre productions,
leading his fraternity and participating
in many campus activities.
And about a dozen years ago he
even provided color commentary for
radio broadcasts of ECU Tiger football.
Today, John R. Hargrave of
Wewoka has returned to the campus
as the university’s eighth president.
His appointment by the Board of
Regents of the Regional University
System of Oklahoma became
effective on July 1. Dr. Duane C.
Anderson, provost and vice president
for academic affairs, had served as
interim president since Jan. 1 following
the resignation of Dr. Richard Rafes.
“This is not only a dream for me,
but for my wife as well,” Hargrave
said. “I hope this is the last job I ever
have.”
Hargrave, 54, resigned June 1 as
a managing partner of the Edmonds
Cole Law Firm which he helped
establish in Oklahoma City in 1985.
The Hargrave family includes Melissa (foreground), Robert (from left), Lora, John R.
He brings to ECU his extensive
Hargrave, wife Kay and Jeff.
experience in management, bringing
about economic development to plans to emphasize one thing – “I want “I don’t ever want to be put on a
Seminole County and working with our faculty, staff and students to never pedestal.”
all levels of government as Wewoka’s lose sight of why ECU exists: for the Recognizing the hardship
mayor. education of our students,” he said. students and their parents face
Many people encouraged him to “I want students to know that I’m during these difficult economic times,
apply for the presidency of ECU, he here for them,” he added. “I want to Hargrave said, “We all need to be
said. be their adviser. I’m here to help them, aware of those struggles and help
“I think I can make a difference,” as are our faculty and staff members. any way we can. “Students need to
he said. “I want to make a difference. I I want students to know that I lived in appreciate the sacrifices their parents
want to live in Ada and be involved in Pesagi Hall my freshman and senior make to provide them their education.
education. I really enjoy teaching and years, that I ate in the cafeteria. I want I will work as hard as I can to create
working with young adults.” students to know that I lived in student opportunities for families struggling to
During his presidency Hargrave housing this past summer. send their kids to school.

4 The Columns

“I had three children in college
at the same time for three years,”
he added with a sigh. “My wife and I
personally understand the challenges
faced by our students and their
families.”
Hargrave’s first semester as
president will be devoted to learning
about the university, its physical
property and its people.
“I want to learn everything I can
before we change anything,” he said.
“ECU has good people. I want to let
them do their jobs.”
However, as he learns he also
knows he wants to look at ways
to expand activities that will bring
more high school students to ECU’s
campus.
“Through these activities, students
and their families will see how friendly
we are and will have the opportunity
to explore our beautiful campus. We’ll
have a better chance to recruit them,”
he said.
He knows this from personal
experience as that is exactly what
happened to him. Hargrave had
planned to enroll at the University of
Oklahoma until he competed in a high
school speech and debate tournament
at ECU.
John and Kay Hargrave (left) pose at the
Block Party that welcomed students back to
the campus in August. President Hargrave
(center, from left) moves into an apartment in
Tiger Commons. He lived in the residence hall
and apartment during the summer. A television
reporter interviews Hargrave at a reception
in his honor. A good friend (bottom), Becky
McKenzie welcomes President Hargrave back
to the East Central University campus at the
reception.
“The ECU coach came up to me
and said, ‘I want you to debate at
ECU,” he recalled. “I felt wanted and
honored. I came here on a speech and
debate scholarship and then majored
in speech and sociology.”
and he began practicing law with an
Hargrave said he and his wife
Oklahoma City law firm.
Kay, a 1978 ECU graduate, wanted
He was managing partner
to move back to Ada, and almost did,
of Neimeyer, Edmonds, Noland,
after he received a juris doctor degree
Alexander & Hargrave from 1983 to
from the University of Oklahoma
1985 when he became one of the
School of Law in 1980. However,
founders of the Edmonds Cole Law
jobs kept them from realizing this
Firm.
dream. She was a chemist in the
The couple had busy schedules
electrical engineering department at
and one child by the time he graduated
Western Electric in Oklahoma City
Continued on Page 6
The Columns 5

from law school. But after the birth of
their twins, things got really hectic and
Hargrave made a suggestion to Kay:
Since they had always wanted
to move to a small town, which might
have fewer opportunities for a chemist,
why didn’t she take the LSAT (Law
School Admission Test) and become
an attorney?
“She did, and she scored
much higher than I did,” Hargrave
acknowledged.
In 1994, now with four children,
the Hargraves bought a five-bedroom
house behind his parents’ home in
Wewoka and realized their goal of
living in a small town.
Kay Hargrave is an assistant
district attorney in Wewoka for
Seminole, Hughes and Pontotoc
Counties and plans to continue her
career.
The new ECU president is the
son of Justice Rudolph Hargrave of
the Oklahoma Supreme Court and
Madeline Hargrave. His grandfather,
also an ECU alumnus, was an attorney
and so is his oldest son.
Hargrave said he, his parents,
and both sisters, Cindy Keefer of Ada
and Jana Howard of Ardmore, all met
their spouses while attending ECU.
President Hargrave (above) speaks at the ribbon cutting of the Pat O’Neal Strength and
Conditioning Center. President Hargrave (right) rides a mechanical bull at the Block Party, to the
delight of students.
6 The Columns
‘I think I can make a difference.
I want to make a difference.’
- John R. Hargrave
“And most of the friends we travel
with and socialize with are kids we met
at ECU,” he said.
After moving back to Wewoka,
Hargrave commuted to his office
in Oklahoma City, participated in
numerous civic and youth-related
activities in Oklahoma City and
Wewoka while still carrying the same
workload as his colleagues.
Never one to stand on the
sidelines, he has worked extensively
with the Oklahoma City YMCA, the
Boy Scouts of America and with his
children on Future Farmers of America
projects. He received the Cross and
Flame Award from the Methodist
Church for work with the youth.
He is a member of the Board
of Directors of the Seminole State
College Foundation and the Visitors
Board of the Sam Noble Museum of
Natural History on the OU campus
and a trustee of the Jasmine Moran
Children’s Museum in Seminole
and the Wewoka Foundation for
Excellence in Education.
The Hargraves received the
Volunteer Parents of the Year Awards
in 2004 and 2006 from Wewoka
Public Schools and the Outstanding
Service to the Public Award from the
Oklahoma Bar Association in 2004.
He was mayor of Wewoka from
2002 to 2007 and helped oversee the
construction of a new water/sewer
plant and the improvement of water
purification plants.
Hargrave also helped negotiate the
establishment of a juvenile treatment
facility in Wewoka while a long-time
member of the Board of Directors of
Wewoka Industries. He founded the
Downtown Investment Group and the
Wewoka Community Foundation and
served as the liaison for these groups
and the city of Wewoka and Wewoka
Industries with the Wewoka Chamber
of Commerce.
The Hargraves have four children,
Jeff, a former ECU student who is
an attorney for the Whitten Burrage
Law Firm in Oklahoma City; Robert,
a recent graduate of Oklahoma State
University who works for Central Rural
Electric Cooperative in Stillwater; Lora,
a recent graduate of the University
of Oklahoma School of Nursing; and
Melissa, a veterinary medicine student
at Oklahoma State University.
 Left: Hargrave as an
Student Accomplishments ECU freshman and as a
law student at the Uni-
• Part of the new ECU Presi-
versity of Oklahoma.
dential Leadership Class in 1973,
Below: Hargrave (far
one of 100 freshmen selected to
right) with the East
receive full tuition.
Central Debate Team
• As a freshman, named the
that won second place
best speaker in a debate tourna-
at the Southwest Tex-
ment at Southwest Texas State
as State University
University.
Speech Festival: Dr.
• As a sophomore, with David
Dennis Jones, Rodd
Frost, won a tournament in Kansas
Payne, Lila Sex-
qualifying them to debate in a
ton and David Frost.
national competition -- and win --
against 80 schools from 13 states.
• As a junior, took first place
as top speaker at a competition
at Southeastern Louisiana State
University.
• Has a letter from the late Carl
Albert, speaker of the U.S. House
of Representatives at the time, con-
gratulating him as a candidate for
the Linscheid Award for excellence
in forensics, which he won, and for
winning first place in an oratorical
contest at ECU.
• Recipient of the Francisco -
Hatchett Scholarship

Left: Hargrave re-

hearses with Roger
Harris, now an Ada
radio executive, for
the ECU production
of “Enter Laughing.”
Far Left: Har-
grave and David
Duke work out
blocking for “Enter
Laughing” in 1977.

ECU alums and parents of President John

Hargrave are Oklahoma Supreme Court
Justice Rudolph Hargrave and Madeline
Hargrave.

The Columns 7
 Dedication & Grand Opening

Friday, September 25, 2009

Tours of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center
3 - 3:45 p.m.
Dedication in the Ataloa Theatre
4:00 p.m.
Tours of the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center*
5 - 6:45 p.m.
Centennial Performance
“ECU, A Year in the Life: Celebrating 100”*
7:00 p.m.
* Encore performance and tours available. See website for details: www.ecok.edu/hbffac

Fine Arts Schedule of Events

2009 - 2010
Aug. 17 – Sept. 26
Centennial Show - American
Masterpieces, Leon Polk Smith,
sponsored in part by the National
Endowment for the Arts
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Sept. 25 & 26
Centennial Musical
ECU - A Year in the Life
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
Sept. 28
Centennial Clarinet Recital
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
October Oct. 28
Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival
Sept. 29 - Oct. 24 as part of the Scissortail Arts Series
3 Women from Texas
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Oct. 22 - 25 Oct. 29
Instrumental Ensembles Recital
Book of Days by Lanford Wilson
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
Directed by Dr. Rick Groetzinger
Chalmers Herman Theatre, HBFFAC
Oct. 30
“Country Can Cure” Concert
Oct. 27 hosted by ZTA
Music Theatre Cabaret
benefitting Breast Cancer
Featuring SHOWTIME
Education & Awareness
Directed by Patrick Sweet
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
Chalmers Herman Theatre, HBFFAC

8 The Columns
 November
Oct. 26 – Nov. 30
24 Works on Paper
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Nov. 5
Literary Arts Festival
as part of the Scissortail Arts Series
Dorothy I. Summers Theatre, SH
Nov. 12 - 15
Senior Project Showcase
Night, Mother! by Marsha Norman
Directed by Randi Hall
Chalmers Herman Theatre, HBFFAC
Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune
by Terrence McNally
Acting project by Kim Wren
Chalmers Herman Theatre, HBFFAC
Nov. 16 - 20
Centennial Interpretation Showcase
Lockmiller Grand Lobby
Nov. 19 - 21
The Old Maid and the Thief
& The Medium (double header)
both by Gian Carlo Menotti
Directed by Dr. Melody Baggech
Dorothy I. Summers Theatre, SH
Nov. 21 & 22
Lowak Shoppala’ (Fire & Light)
Chickasaw Nation & ECU
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
December
Dec. 1 - 17
Senior Exhibits
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Dec. 2 & 3
Centennial performance
Messiah
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
Dec. 5
Oklahoma City Ballet presents
The Nutcracker
sponsored by the Ada Arts Council
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
for more information and event updates.
January
Jan. 11 – Feb. 5
Frank Wick
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Jan. 16
Oklahoma Band Directors
Association Concert
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
February
Feb. 8 & 9
Interscholastic Art Show
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Feb. 15 – March 12
Red Ryder
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Feb. 18 - 21
A Little Night Music
by Stephen Sondheim
Directed by Dr. Rick Groetzinger
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
ECU Wind Ensemble/Symphonic Band
March
March 8
ECU Wind Ensemble/
Symphonic Band Concert
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
March 9 & 10
District Vocal Music Festival
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
March 22 - April 9
Annual Faculty Exhibit
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
Building Key
March 25
Instrumental Ensembles Recital
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
Visit www.ecok.edu/hbffac
or call 580-559-5781
April
April 1 - 3
Scissortail Creative Writing Festival
as part of the Scissortail Arts Series
Estep Multimedia Center, UC &
Dorothy I. Summers Theatre, SH
April 8 - 11
Baby with the Bathwater
by Christopher Durang
Directed by Theo Peshehonoff
Chalmers Herman Theatre, HBFFAC
April 10
So Percussion
as part of the Scissortail Arts Series
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
April 12 - 30
Annual Student Art Show
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
April 23 & 24
Spring Dance Concert
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
April 29
Concert
Ataloa Theatre, HBFFAC
April 30
SHOWTIME Dazzling Duets & More
Directed by Patrick Sweet
Chalmers Herman Theatre, HBFFAC
May
May 1 - 14
Senior Exhibits
Art Gallery, HBFFAC
• HBFFAC - Hallie Brown
Ford Fine Arts Center
• SH - Science Hall
• UC - University Center
Hallie Brown Ford
Fine Arts Center
Facility Amenities
ÏÏ The HBFFAC features 25 classrooms
and three computer labs.
ÏÏ The Dr. Arthur W. Kennedy (‘41) Band
Room contains percussion rehearsal
space, storage for instruments, a band
library and eight private practice rooms.
ÏÏ The William C. Thrash Television Studio
features three new cameras and is
the first true high-def TV studio in the
southeastern Oklahoma.
ÏÏ The new art gallery exhibits the work of
nationally renowned and locally known
artists as well as student shows.
ÏÏ The Sculpture Garden displays student
work and has a working sculpture
courtyard and ceramics studio.
ÏÏ The Chalmers Herman Theatre is an
intimate theatre with versatile seating
of up to 200 patrons and features a
balcony performance/seating area.
ÏÏ Ataloa Theatre is a large theatre that
seats up to 1,091 patrons with both
floor and balcony seating available.
ÏÏ The Ataloa Theatre orchestra pit is
automated to raise or lower as needed
for musicals and ballets.
ÏÏ The Peshehonoff Scene Shop features
specific areas for construction and
painting, as well as technical office
work.
ÏÏ The HBFFAC features a recording
studio that enables ECU students to
record live events occurring in the
Ataloa Theatre and to have them
available later on CD.
10 The Columns
“I know the Fine Arts Center has been on the
drawing board for a long time. I think it will give
our arts departments a much needed boost
in enrollment as well as attendance at the
performances...there is a lot of talent in our school
and hopefully people will really support us.”
- Kassie Ingle, ’09 Theatre
“The new Fine Arts Center is completely different,
it does not have the essence and the history of old
Science Hall, but it will surely make its own.”
- Kelli Lowe, ’08 Theatre
“I think it will be good for Ada’s growing
community. It will bring greater unity to
the music department, especially with
the instrumental and vocal departments
in particular. Students will have a greater pride in
their participation in the fine arts.”
- Krista Hatter, ’07 Music
“I believe having all the fine arts together: theatre,
band, choir, mass communications and art, will
improve each individual major by promoting
Degree programs unity throughout the arts. It will be nice to see
how the departments work together as well as
located in the seeing students explore other opportunities that
are now available. Because we lived in ‘different
Hallie Brown Ford worlds,’ or buildings, we didn't know of the various
Fine Arts Center opportunities that were available outside of our
own major.”
Art - Cryse Burns, ’06 Music
ÏÏ Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts, Graphic “I think the new fine arts building is
Design & Art Education amazing. I think it will draw students’
ÏÏ Minors available in Art and Art History attention to majors housed there that
they may not have considered before.
Communication
The Dorothy Summers Theatre allowed for small
ÏÏ Electronic & Print Media to medium sized performances. The new theatre
ÏÏ Advertising/Public Relations will allow for productions on a much larger scale.
ÏÏ Communication Studies While the Dorothy Summers Theatre was a venue
ÏÏ Speech Education steeped in tradition, I think this new theatre will
ÏÏ Theatre help our students understand some of the larger
ÏÏ Musical Theatre scale theatres around the nation by providing them
ÏÏ Minors offered in Communication with information about the preparation necessary
Studies, Dance, Media Graphic Arts, for a large scale performance.”
Mass Communication and Theatre - B.J. Echard,
’07 Theatre & Mass Communications
Music
ECU Recruiter
ÏÏ Instrumental Music/Teacher
Certification “New facilities, that are as big and
ÏÏ Instrumental Music impressive as the Hallie Brown Ford
ÏÏ Vocal Music - Teacher Certification Fine Arts Center, will motivate students
ÏÏ Vocal Music to have a higher quality of work and
ÏÏ Piano - Teacher Certification performance.”
ÏÏ Piano - Adam Hall, ’08 Art
ÏÏ Sacred Music
ÏÏ Minors offered in all areas of Music
Famous Artist’s paintings can be viewed online, including a couple of his stage designs
from operas in which her grandmother performed.
“It’s nice to have all his paintings in your home,” Mitchell said, “but
Granddaughter Donates only a small number of people see them. In a museum or art gallery,
more people will see them. That’s what my father believed, too. Besides
Paintings To ECU enjoying painting them, he wanted other people to see and enjoy them.”
Dr. Brad Jessop, chair of ECU’s Department of Art, said he was
amazed when Long offered to donate her paintings to the university.
W ith the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center opening at
“His (Liberts) name rang a bell but I was not familiar with him,”
Jessop said. “I did some research and thought, ‘Oh my gosh.’
East Central University, two recent acquisitions are on exhibit in the
“If I hadn’t had the experience before of bumping into people who
art gallery – valuable paintings by one of Latvia’s most noted artists,
had a good painting, I would have been more surprised,” he added. “It’s
Ludolfs Liberts.
funny how life takes you on a certain journey and you end up in a certain
The paintings were donated to ECU by Liberts’ granddaughter,
place. I think it’s great Melita did this.”
Melita Long of Ada, who works on campus for Chartwell’s Dining
Long also will loan some art books about her grandfather’s work for
Service.
exhibition in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. They list museum
Both paintings appear to have been painted in Venice, and both
collections with his work in Paris, Brussels, Moscow, Stockholm, Vienna,
are valued at approximately $10,000.
Helsinki, Oslo, Riga, Belfast, Dublin, London, Madrid and New York.
“They were just sitting in my
Some of those museums were
house, so I talked to my mom
damaged or destroyed during
before I did this and went from
World War II, however, and Long
there. She was all for it,” Long
does not know the fate of those
said.
paintings.
Her mother, Jana Mitchell of
In 1944, Long’s mother and
Altus, was born in Riga, Latvia, to
grandparents “sneaked out of
Liberts and his wife, Latvian opera
Latvia,” Long said. “They wanted
singer Amanda Liberts Rebane.
to give my mom a better life.”
They all fled from Latvia during
They were among many
World War II.
of the Latvian opera company’s
“My mother-in-law and father-
members who left their country
in-law went to school at ECU and
and never returned after it was
I work here, so I decided it would
invaded by Russia in 1940 and
be nice to donate the paintings
occupied by German troops in
and let the students enjoy them,”
Long said. Melita Long (right) shows off one of two paintings by Latvian 1941. Many changes had come
to the opera company and some
Liberts was known for painting painter Ludolfs Liberts that she has donated to East Central
members were arrested or
landscapes and cityscapes, but University. Participating in the presentation were Dr. Brad
deported.
he also was a stage designer. He Jessop (from left), chair of ECU’s Department of Art, and
The Liberts family first went
designed 35 productions for the Long’s niece and sister, Kyra Spradling and Mary Spradling,
to Austria, then to Germany
National Opera of Latvia, later both of Shawnee.
after the war ended. They were
named the Riga Opera Theatre.
sponsored by American artist friends and came to the United States in
Amanda Liberts Rebane performed the role of Carmen some 300
1950, settling in New York where Liberts continued to paint and taught
times, Long said.
at New York City College.
Long never knew her grandfather, who died in 1959 in New York,
but she has scoured the internet to learn more about him. A number of

Messiah to be Performed
In years past, East Central University
presented an annual Hanging of the Greens
and hosted performances of Handel’s
Messiah to spread the warmth and joy of the
holiday season to the surrounding community.
Keeping with that tradition, Dr. Steven Walker,
director of chorale activities, will direct the
Ada and ECU communities in a production of
Messiah, bringing our Centennial to a close.
“It fits into the Centennial year so well,”
Walker said, “because it was such an integral
part of the choral program in the 1950s and
1960s when Robert Kaebnick, the music
department chair and director of choral
activities, did it every year.”
Messiah is an oratorio composed in 1741
by George Frideric Handel, based on the life
of Jesus of Nazareth and his significance
according to the Christian faith.
This year, in honor of the closing of
the Centennial, ECU will present traditional
selections from the three parts of Messiah at
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, and Thursday,
Dec. 3, in the Ataloa Theatre following
the annual holiday party and tree lighting
ceremony in the Lockmiller Grand Lobby of
the new Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.
The performances are free to the public.
The production will incorporate ECU
students, faculty, staff and alumni in leading
roles and ECU and Ada community members
in the chorus.
We invite you to join us in celebrating the
holiday season and 100 years of excellence
at East Central University.

The Columns 11
A Legacy of Caring
Chances are, if you didn’t know Dr. Jack Paschall during your years at
East Central University, you probably knew Marcia Carter.
Paschall, professor of education and an Adolph Linscheid Distinguished Teaching Professor, retired this
spring after 39 years at ECU. Carter worked in the Financial Aid Office for 39 years and retired in June 2008
as director.
The two colleagues coming to ECU at approximately the same time, had young sons about the same
age and their families became good friends. Both say their years at ECU have been extremely rewarding.
“There comes a time when it’s time to move on. I always thought it’s better to leave while people could
still pretend they’re sorry to see you go,” Paschall said with a hearty laugh.
Carter decided to retire last year after a medical problem almost took her life.
“Leaving ECU was the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life,” she said. “I still get teary-eyed thinking
about it. I just didn’t ever imagine myself not being there.”
She said she cried any time someone mentioned her approaching retirement, but she knew it was the
right thing to do.
“It was time. The Lord spared me for some reason, but it was not to be at ECU,” she said with a chuckle.
Paschall, who will be inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame this fall, estimated he has
taught about 10,000 students at ECU. Carter said she has no idea how many students she’s worked with
over the years.

Dr. Jack Paschall enjoyable.

As the faculty
member with the longest
continuous service to
ECU, Paschall held the
honor of carrying ECU’s
mace while leading the
president and platform
party in commencement
ceremony processions.
He came to ECU in 1970
and directed audio visual
services for 11 years and taught an audio visuals course
for every student in the Education Department. Next, he
was director of student teaching and field experience for
13 years, assigning all education students to public schools
along with ECU faculty members to supervise them.
“I supervised a large number myself. I loved that part,”
he said, “being out in the schools.”
Paschall said people decide to become teachers
because they find that working with young people is highly
“Teachers and young people are wonderful to work
with,” he said. “I’ve laughed a lot about this – Look at who
lawyers get to be with all day. Then look at who I get to be
with all day. It makes me glad I’m not a lawyer,” he said with
another hearty laugh.
Paschall worked with the state’s Resident Teacher
Program for first-year teachers since its beginning in the
early 1980s, visiting schools to observe new teachers
several times a year. He taught at the Ardmore Higher
Education Center the first semester ECU offered classes
there and taught ECU classes at McAlester, Duncan and
Shawnee. He also was dean of ECU’s School of Graduate
Studies from 1990 to 2000.
He will teach online classes part-time this fall and
supervise student teachers.
Paschall earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from
Southeastern Oklahoma State University and a doctor of
education degree in secondary education and instructional
technology from the University of Oklahoma.
He and his wife Linda are the parents of three children,

Evening of Honors and Recognition

2009 Distinguished Former Faculty 2009 Distinguished Family

Dr. William Carter The Fentem Family

12 The Columns Presenting awards are Dr. Duane C. Anderson, Provost and Dr. Diane Berty, Interim Vice President for University Advancement.
two surviving, and have nine grandchildren and two great-
grandchildren.
“I’m blessed to have been allowed to spend my life at
ECU doing what I’ve been doing with the people I have
been associated with,” he said. “I wouldn’t change a thing. I
truly mean that.”
Marcia Carter
Carter began on Sept. 1, 1969,
as the first secretary in the Financial
Aid Office. She became the assistant
director in the 1970s and director in
2003.
People who work in financial aid
“either stay forever or they work a
year and they’re gone,” Carter said.
“It’s high stress and ever changing.
We have to meet federal regulations
and make university policies work
with the federal regs.”
Seeing a student who has become successful far
outweighs the frustrations, however.
“I’ve had lots of students say, ‘I couldn’t have made
it without you,’ but obviously, they could,” she said. “They
say, ‘If you hadn’t helped me and walked me though (the
financial aid process), I wouldn’t have stuck it out to finish.”
Carter often had to deal with angry students and parents
who thought they should have received more financial aid.
ECU, like other universities, has to comply with several
federal, state and university regulations.
“Students might get angry at us for things we had no
control over. We were bound by federal law. It is frustrating.
But when someone comes in and tells us we made a
difference, it makes up for all the others.”
Carter believed that students were her customers and
should be treated like she wanted to be treated when she
walked into a business, especially if she didn’t understand
something.
“More than anything, I wanted students to understand
the reason why we did what we did,” she said. “We had to
do what was governed. We took time to talk to them, which
made them feel better, even if they didn’t agree.”
She had a quotation printed which still hangs in the
Financial Aid Office. It says that a student is the most
important person on the campus and that without students,
2009 Distinguished Alumnus
Bill Bridgwater
there is no need for the institution.
“They aren’t interrupting our work, they are our work,”
she said.
At first, Carter was not much older than some of the
students she was helping and they became friends.
“Then later they would come back with their children
and say, ‘I’m so glad you’re still here. I was telling my kids
how much you helped me.’ That was very rewarding,” she
said.
New Scholarships at the
ECU Foundation 2008-09:
 Bridges-Burke Social Work Scholarship
 Mary Bella Faust Piano Scholarship
 Buddy Gaster "Marketing Buddies" Scholarship
 Tim Green Scholarship
 Jack Paschall Centennial Graduate Scholarship
 Kellogg Math & Science Education Scholarship
 Carl Bardin Accounting Scholarship
 Fenton Family Business & Accounting Scholarship
 Horace Mann Memorial Centennial Scholarship
 Accounting Graduate Scholarship
 Business Centennial Scholarship
 Austin Deaton Scholarship
 Wandella McNutt Business Scholarship
 Nancy Myers Scholarship
 Marvin Kroeker History Award
We thank you
for your continued support!
For more information or to donate to a
scholarship fund, please contact:
East Central University Foundation Inc.
1100 E. 14th PMB Y-8
Ada, OK 74820
580-559-5514
Foundation_Group@ecok.edu
2009 Distinguished Service
Billie Jean Floyd
The Columns 13
 Commencement Speakers
East Central University graduates have enjoyed
outstanding commencement speakers in the last year, and
one of ECU’s favorite alums, former Gov. George Nigh, will
be the speaker for fall Commencement, one of ECU’s final
Centennial Year events.
Jim Lehrer, a nationally known news anchor, author
and moderator of 11 presidential debates, was the
commencement speaker on May 9. Lt. Gen. James D.
Thurman, the deputy chief of staff of the U.S. Army, gave
the commencement address last December.
Gov. George Nigh
Former Gov. George Nigh, often called Oklahoma’s
cheerleader for his enthusiastic promotion of the state, is
a 1950 ECU graduate who
was elected to his first term
in the Oklahoma House of
Representatives while he
was a senior at ECU.
He also taught at
McAlester High School until
1958 when he was elected
lieutenant governor at age
31, the youngest in state
history and the youngest in
the nation at the time. He
held that office for 16 years and promoted tourism in the
state and introduced legislation that made “Oklahoma!” the
state song. In 1963, however, he became Oklahoma’s 17th
governor for nine days following the resignation of Gov. J.
Howard Edmondson.
Nigh was elected governor in November 1978. He was
sworn in five days early in 1979 to fill another unexpired term,
that of Gov. David Boren. He was re-elected in a landslide
in 1982, becoming the first governor in state history to be
elected to more than one term and the first gubernatorial
candidate to carry all the state’s 77 counties.
No one else has served four terms as governor.
Nigh also worked to bring movie producers to film on
location in Oklahoma and appointed the first two women as
justices on the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
For five years he was a Distinguished Statesman in
Residence at the University of Central Oklahoma and
served as president from 1992 to 1997. He later became a
director and public relations adviser for IBC Bank.
14 The Columns
Jim Lehrer
Jim Lehrer, executive editor and anchor of “The
NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS, took over the
“NewsHour” in 1995-96 when Robert MacNeil left “The
MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” after an award-winning 20-year
partnership.
Lehrer also has been
the moderator for 11 of
the nationally televised
debates among presidential
candidates during the last six
elections.
He is a prolific author,
with 19 novels, two memoirs
and three plays to his credit.
His 18th novel, “Mack to the
Rescue,” is the seventh in his
successful series of novels featuring a fictional lieutenant
governor of Oklahoma.
In the 1950s Lehrer worked as a ticket agent in a
Continental Trailways bus depot in Victoria, Texas. One of
his duties was to call for passengers to board a bus about
to depart for a string of cities across the country. At ECU, he
followed his tradition of including a bus call in every speech
he makes for good luck.
Lehrer graduated from Victoria College in Texas and
the University of Missouri and served as an infantry officer
in the U.S. Marines before beginning his journalism career.
His work for The Dallas Morning News and the Dallas
Times-Herald led him to public television at KERA-TV in
Dallas, later moving to Washington, D.C., to become public
affairs coordinator for PBS.
Lehrer joined the National Public Affairs Center for
Television and teamed up with Robert MacNeil in 1973
to provide NPACT’s continuous live coverage of the
Senate Watergate hearings on PBS, an Emmy-winning
collaboration. Lehrer was the anchor for PBS’ coverage of
the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment inquiry of
Richard Nixon.
He has received numerous awards: the 1999 National
Humanities Medal, two Emmys, the Fred Friendly First
Amendment Award, the George Foster Peabody Broadcast
Award, the William Allen White Foundation Award for
Journalistic Merit and the University of Missouri School of
Journalism’s Medal of Honor.
He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences and was inducted in 1999 into the Television
Hall of Fame with MacNeil and The Silver Circle of the States Army National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif.;
Washington, D.C. Chapter of The National Academy of assistant to the chief of staff for plans and policy (J5), Allied
Television Arts and Sciences, Forces Southern Europe, Regional Command South, Italy;
commanding general, National Training Center and Fort
Lt. Gen. James D. Thurman Irwin, Fort Irwin, Calif.; director of training, Office of the
Lt. Gen. James D. Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, Headquarters, Department of the
Thurman, the deputy chief Army, Washington, D.C.; and chief, Operations, Coalition
of staff of the U.S. Army, Forces Land Component Command C3, Operation Iraqi
was named an East Central Freedom, Camp Doha, Kuwait.
University Distinguished
Alumnus during the fall
Commencement ceremony Commencement Over the Years
on Dec. 13, 2008.
Thurman became the
Army’s deputy chief of staff,
G-3/5/7, in September 2007.
The Army G-3/5/7 has the

1915
Army General Staff responsibility for strategy formulation,
overall force development, individual and unit training policy,
the functional aspects of strategic and tactical command
and control systems, nuclear and chemical matters and
establishing requirements and priorities for the employment
and sustenance of Army forces.
The deputy chief of staff G-3/5/7 also is the Joint Chief
of Staff deputy for Army Operations and serves as the
principle adviser to the chief of staff of the Army on joint
matters, National Security Council matters and the politico-
military aspects of international affairs.
A native of Marietta, Okla., Thurman received a bachelor
1932

of arts degree in history from ECU in 1975 and a master

of arts degree in management from Webster University in
1986.
In 1975, Thurman was commissioned as a second
lieutenant in the Armor branch of the Army. He began his
career in the 4th Infantry Division serving as platoon leader,
executive officer and motor officer for the 6th Battalion,
32nd Armor.
Thurman commanded at all levels from troop to corps.
After attending the Officer Rotary Wing Aviator Course, he
commanded the Aero-Scout Platoon and later became the
1973

Operations Officer, A Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry,

82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
He completed the Armor Officer Advanced Course,
United States Armor School, Fort Knox, Ky., in 1982 and
was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment from
1982 until 1985 where he served as a troop commander
and the operations officer in the Aviation Squadron.
At Fort Hood, Texas, he was the operations officer of the
Apache Training Brigade from June 1986 until July 1988.
Thurman then served as executive officer, 3rd Squadron,
6th Cavalry Brigade, at Fort Hood.
From 1990-1991 Thurman served as the executive
2009

officer for 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor, 1st Cavalry Division,

during Operations Desert Shield/Storm, Saudi Arabia.
His previous assignments include commander, 2nd
Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment; 3rd Squadron,
4th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), United States
Army Europe and Seventh Army, Germany; commander,
2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort
Stewart, Ga; commander, Operations Group, United
The
The Columns
Columns 15
15
16 The Columns
 Monday, Oct. 26
12:30 p.m.
Banner Contest
University Center
Noon - 2 p.m.
Homecoming T-shirt Sale
University Center
Tuesday, Oct. 27
Noon - 2 p.m.
Homecoming T-shirt Sale
University Center
7:30 p.m.
Musical Theatre Cabaret
Featuring SHOWTIME
Chalmers Herman Theatre
Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Noon
School of Business
Alumni Luncheon
Stanley P. Wagner Ballroom
Noon - 2 p.m.
Homecoming T-shirt Sale
University Center
7 p.m.
Massenkoff Russian
Folk Festival
Ataloa Theatre
Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center
Thursday, Oct. 29
Noon - 2 p.m.
Homecoming T-shirt Sale
University Center
4:30 p.m.
Alzheimer’s: A Patient’s Perspective
hosted by Bill Bridgwater (’78)
Estep Multimedia Center
University Center
6:30 p.m.
Pep Rally
Kerr Activities Center Lawn
7 p.m.
Volleyball Game
Kerr Activities Center
7:30 p.m.
Instrumental Ensembles
Ataloa Theatre
Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center
alumni.ecok.edu
ECU Homecoming 2009
“Celebrating 100 Years: Once a Tiger. Always a Tiger.”
Schedule of Events
Saturday, Oct. 31
8 a.m.
5K Tiger Run
Wintersmith Park
10 a.m.
Golden Tiger Brunch
Stanley P. Wagner Ballroom
11 a.m.
Athletic Alumni Meeting
Elvan George Building
Noon
Homecoming Parade
Friday, Oct. 30 Main Street
11:30 a.m.
Golf Tournament Lunch 1 - 3 p.m.
Oak Hills Country Club ECU Historical Artifacts Display
Linscheid Library
Noon - 2 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
Homecoming T-shirt Sale
University Center Volleyball Game
Kerr Activities Center
1 p.m.
Golf Tournament Tee Off 2 p.m.
Oak Hills Country Club Band Alumni Meeting
Hallie Brown Ford
3 p.m. Fine Arts Center
Women’s Soccer
Soccer Field 3:30 p.m.
Men’s Basketball Alumni Game
Kerr Activities Center
7 p.m.
“Country Can Cure” Concert
hosted by ZTA 4 - 5:30 p.m.
benefitting Breast Cancer Tiger Tailgate
Education & Awareness Norris Stadium
Ataloa Theatre Parking Lot
Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center 5:30 p.m.
King & Queen Coronation
Norris Field
6 p.m.
ECU Football vs. UCO
Norris Field
9:30 p.m.
Alumni Social
Doc’s BBQ & Steakhouse
580-559-5651 alumni@ecok.edu
The Columns 17
Greetings from the Alumni Area
Alumni Association Reunions
Wow! ECU’s Centennial year has quickly flown by, and what an awesome time Ardmore ˜ Dallas
it has been! From a whistle-blowing marking ECU’s establishment, to unveiling Tulsa ˜ McAlester
the time capsule, to the first annual student-faculty softball game, to Jim Lehrer Oklahoma City
delivering the commencement address, what an exciting time it has been! Between
Visit our website,
all the Centennial events and all the summer Alumni Reunions, we hope you have
alumni.ecok.edu
enjoyed the chance to visit our campus during this exciting time.
for reunion updates and details
As we begin this fall semester, it’s great to see new and old faces on campus,
and the excitement they bring. With the kickoff of the Block Party on Aug. 16, to
all the fall Centennial school events, to Gov. George Nigh delivering the fall Commencement address,
campus doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. We have a rich future ahead of us, thanks to
alumni support.
On behalf of the Alumni Board, I personally invite you back to campus for Homecoming, Oct. 30 &
31, 2009. This year’s theme is “Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger. Celebrating 100 Years!” And not only will
there be a variety of activities for you and the whole family, but former senators and CREW members
have been invited back to campus to reconnect and join in on the celebrations. Make sure to check out
alumni.ecok.edu for all of the information.
Fall is an exciting time to be on a college campus, and we hope you will come back to ECU.
It’s a great day to be a Tiger! Go Tigers!

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

ECU Alumni Association Executive Committee:

Front Row: (L-R) Tiffany Grant, president-elect; Hillary Farrell, past president.
Back Row: (L-R) Tommy Vass, secretary; Mark Walters, vice president;
Pat Fountain, treasurer; Zeak Naifeh, president.
2009-2010 ECU Alumni Association Board of Directors:
Lee Bahner, Kassie Cothran, Monica Cowart, Robyn Elliott, Hillary Farrell, Pat Fountain,
Tiffany Grant, Brooke Holman, Jeff Keel, Ronda Martin, Edie McCracken, Maxine McFalls,
Barbara Miller, Zeak Naifeh, Ray Nicholas, Tori Petete, Curt Rawls, Joe Sharber,
Jessica Shores, Dustin Smith, C.J. Vires, Tommy Vass, Mark Walters and Kristy Yager

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
18 The Columns
2009 PIKE Reunion
A new state-of-the-art venue, the Ardmore Convention Center, was a great backdrop for the Epsilon
Omega Alumni Association’s third annual Pi Kappa Alpha Reunion on Aug. 1. The event was truly a
celebration of the “Enduring Tradition” of the Epsilon Omega chapter and its brothers.
More than 120 attendees, including 85 members from 1965-2007, were greeted by a rousing
introduction, via video address, by new ECU President and fellow Epsilon Omega brother John Hargrave
(‘77). Travis Haynes, who attended the event along with several representatives from the active chapter,
gave an update on the state of the active chapter.
Tom Riley (‘90) led a remembrance of the members who are part of “Chapter Eternal,” while Wayne
Lee (‘87) took a moment to pay respect to those brothers taking part in military service, including Raymond
Hopkins (‘07) who served in Iraqi Freedom.
The night was highlighted by a performance by Chuck Allen Floyd (‘90) and his band, “The Liars
Club.” The evening was then topped off by the announcement that the James R. “Doc” Harris (’75) Scholarship had reached endowment,
thanks to the generosity of the brothers who have made donations. The scholarship will be awarded each year starting in 2010.
The fourth annual Epsilon Omega PIKE Reunion will be held Aug. 7, 2010, at the Ardmore Convention Center.

Alumni Association Centennial Campaign

Join the ECU Alumni Association in celebrating ECU’s Centennial by donating to
the Centennial Legacy Endowment fund!
Our goal is to have 1,000 alums contribute $100 in time for us to present the funds
to the university as part of the Centennial Homecoming activities in October.

The Alumni Association also is assisting the university with the construction of a
Centennial Gate, located at Francis and 14th Streets,
to honor all ECU Alumni from 1909 - 2009.
Gifts may be made online at alumni.ecok.edu/donations or mailed to:
The ECU Alumni Association, 1100 E. 14th Street, PMB Y-8, Ada, OK 74820

alumni.ecok.edu - 580-559-5651
The Columns 19
 Centennial Scholarship Fundraising
Efforts are underway
to provide more
scholarships for East
Central University
students and add
additional gateways to
mark entrances to the
campus.

As interim president, Dr. Duane C. Anderson Louise Young Ph.D. (ECU, B.A., 1969) and Vivienne
announced the university’s commitment to raise a Armstrong, R.N. (ECU, B.S., 1974); and Dr. Joe Parsons,
total of $90,000 for Centennial Endowments. Current Mark and Paula Kedy, David and Penny Martin, Patrick
President John R. Hargrave has endorsed and strongly and Evelyn Parsons, and Bill, Twyla and Brandon
supports this initiative. Each of ECU’s three colleges, Bridgwater. The Alumni Association has committed to
two schools and the Athletic Department has committed fund the third gate and is currently seeking donations
to raising a minimum of $15,000. for the project.
Interest from the endowments will fund scholarships The proposed locations of the new gates will be at the
in the College of Education and Psychology, the corner of Stadium Drive and East 10th Street (northeast
College of Health and Sciences, the College of Liberal corner of campus), the corner of Stadium Drive and
Arts and Social Sciences, the School of Business and East 14th Street (southeast corner of campus), and
the School of Graduate Studies and supplement the the corner of Francis and East 14th streets (southwest
Athletic Department’s operational budget. corner of campus).
The College of Education and Psychology already For additional information or to donate to the
has made great progress through the efforts of the Centennial Funds, contact ECU’s Advancement Office
Horace Mann Society, which was formed in the past at 580-559-5253 or email at give2ecu@ecok.edu. You
year to keep the memory of the Horace Mann Training also may visit www.ecok.edu/give2ecu.
School alive and has raised slightly more than $23,000.
Most of those funds, about $21,500, will endow a “living
memorial,” a new Horace Mann Memorial Centennial
Scholarship for students majoring in education.
The remainder of the funds will be for markers
on the plaza outside the Physical and Environmental
Sciences Building, the original location of the Horace
Mann School. The school educated elementary, junior
high and high school students on the ECU campus from
1920 to 1960 and was a “laboratory” for ECU students
studying to become teachers.
The markers will be near a granite bench the Horace
Mann Alumni Association placed on the plaza in 2004 to
honor the legacy of the school’s alumni and faculty.
To complement the newly completed gateway to
the Centennial Plaza and the university at the east
end of Main Street, Anderson said the university has
commitments for approximately $45,000 from donors James Shockley (left), a graduate of the Horace Mann
to construct three additional Centennial Gates to mark School once located on the East Central University
various entrances to the university. campus, points out the location of a future memorial
Plaques will be placed on each Centennial Gate to the school to former Interim ECU President Duane
to honor the donors. Donors for two of the gates are C. Anderson (center) and Dr. Bill Osborne, dean of
ECU’s College of Education and Psychology.
20 The Columns
 Centennial Celebrations
The celebration doesn’t miss a beat in the fall 2009
semester as East Central University continues to observe
100 years. Many of the activities will include alums and the
community.
All freshmen who enrolled full-time for the fall 2009
semester will have a unique way to be part of ECU’s history.
They will receive a $100 Centennial Scholarship each semester
for four years to commemorate the event.
The week of Sept. 21-26 officially
marks the 1909 beginnings of classes
for ECU. On Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday campus departments open
their doors to showcase the learning
experience. Wednesday also honors
veterans past and present. On Thursday
another tradition continues with the
installation of the 2009 time capsule.
Friday is the dedication of the Hallie
Brown Ford Fine Arts Center. On both
Friday and Saturday, the building will be
open for tours followed by a performance of “ECU - A Year in the
Life,” a musical presentation of life at ECU through the decades.
Homecoming week, Oct. 26-31, centers on the Centennial
with the theme “Celebrating 100 Years: Once a Tiger. Always a
Tiger.” A special float will mark the occasion on Saturday.
On Dec. 2-3 faculty, staff, students, alums and community
members perform Handel’s “Messiah.” Also on Wednesday,
ECU follows in the footsteps of Tigers past with the Holiday Tree
Lighting ceremony. On Dec. 31, 2009 ECU’s Cross Country
Team will attempt to break the Guinness World Record with “100
miles for 100 years.”
ECU History on Display
Don’t miss your chance to view items from East Central University’s past
during the Centennial Homecoming!
Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009
From 1 - 3 p.m.
Linscheid Library
3rd floor
(main floor when entering
from the mall)
Special preview will be
held during the
Golden Tiger
Brunch
The yearlong observance of the Centennial actually
kicked off officially on Dec. 31, 2008, with the First Night Ada
community celebration. A laser show finale featured a tribute to
ECU’s 100th anniversary.
Students probably enjoyed many scavenger hunts in prior
decades, but they could not have imagined something like the
Great Centennial Race. In January students participated in a
2009 version of the game. An interactive, text message-based
scavenger hunt allowed teams to play for
free from any cell phone as they solved
riddles, found locations, took pictures with
their cell phones and collected points to
win.
The Orange and Black Sweetheart
Social was a big part of the social scene on
Valentine’s Day with music by Zoom City.
The fundraiser Tiger Cause: Centennial
Edition - Dancing through the Decades and
the musical “Cinderella” also took place in
February.
A special week in March focused on the 1909 signing
of the Normal School Bill, which included a whistle blowing
ceremony to commemorate when news reached Ada about the
Normal School establishment. The ceremony was followed by
a centennial address given by Dr. Duane C. Anderson. Special
performances that week included student dance, instrumental
and vocal music groups. An ECU birthday party on March 26
featured the opening of the time capsule buried on the campus
mall during ECU’s 75th anniversary in 1984.
 Tiger Athletics
When East Central University returns to the athletic
fields in 2009-10, there will be three new head coaches in
the fold.
Returning to head up ECU’s football program is Tim
McCarty, while Riley Bailey was elevated from assistant to
head coach of the Lady Tiger soccer program. Just recently,
Dino Rosato was named the new head coach of ECU’s
baseball program.
TIM McCARTY
McCarty, who guided ECU to its
best record in the past seven years
at 6-4 in 2004, returns for his second
stint as head coach, after serving
three years as assistant head coach at
Kansas State University of the Big 12
Conference.
He coached the Tigers for two
years in 2004 and 2005, guiding
the team to a 9-11 mark before leaving for Kansas State
University, to work under Ron Prince for three years.
While at K-State, his 2007 offensive line was rated No.
1 in the Big 12 for fewest sacks allowed and the Wildcats
had the No. 1 red zone offense that same year.
During his first time at ECU, McCarty coached 30
conference-recognized players and 15 who achieved
academic accolades from the Lone Star Conference. He
coached defensive end Justin Brown, who made six All-
American Teams and played professionally in NFL Europe
and in the Arena League. Linebacker James Callins was
the 2005 LSC North Academic Player of the Year, along
with being named an Arthur Ashe All-American for his
performance on the field, in the classroom and in the
community.
The Tigers, who won five of their first six games that
season, were picked to finish last, but ended up in a tie for
third place.
Prior to his arrival at ECU, McCarty coached a
traditionally beleaguered Tabor College (Kansas) program
to success at the NAIA level. When McCarty took over the
Tabor program in 1999, the Bluejays had only one winning
season since 1967.
After McCarty’s first Tabor squad went 0-10 in 2000,
the 2001 team finished 5-5 and the 2002 version went 6-4,
before the 2003 squad set a school-record for wins with a
9-2 mark, advanced to the playoffs for the first time and was
ranked 15th nationally.
For his efforts, McCarty was named 2003 KCAC Coach
of the Year and NAIAFootball.net National Coach of the
Visit www.ecutigersports.com for this season’s schedules,
22 The Columns
Year.
McCarty played his final collegiate season and was a
team captain at Fort Hays State (Kan.), which compiled an
8-3 record in 1983. He also played one season at Memphis
State University in 1982 after spending two seasons at
Dodge City Community College (Kan.), where he earned
all-conference awards in 1980 and 1981 and was twice
named defensive player of the week.
His other coaching stints included: assistant at Greenville
College (Ill.) from 1998-99; offensive coordinator and head
track coach at Southwest Baptist University (Mo.) from
1994-97; offensive coordinator at Dodge City Community
College from 1990-93, assistant at Middle Tennessee State
in 1988, graduate assistant at the University of Kansas in
1987, assistant at Hays High School (Kan.) in 1986 and
student assistant at his alma mater Fort Hays State in 1984-
85.
RILEY BAILEY
Bailey spent eight seasons (two
separate stints) at ECU as an assistant
coach. He most recently completed his
second five-year stint.
However, Bailey is no stranger
to serving as a head coach. Following
his first three-year stay as an assistant
at ECU, Bailey was the head coach at
Lambuth University (Tenn.), an NAIA
school, for two seasons (2001-02).
He guided Lambuth’s program to a 15-18-3 record during
that span, including a pair of postseason tournament playoff
appearances. Bailey also coached one All-American player,
several all-conference players and numerous academic
all-conference award winners. Both of his Lambuth teams
received National Soccer Coaches Association of America
Team Academic honors.
Following his two-year stay at Lambuth, Bailey spent
one season as an assistant on the staff at Angelo State
University where he helped guide the Rambelles back to
the postseason for the first time in five years.
Bailey has a wealth of miscellaneous soccer coaching
experience. He has conducted coaches’ clinics for the
Oklahoma Soccer Association, Oklahoma Olympic
Development Program, South Texas Soccer Association
and the Jackson (Tenn.) Area Soccer Association. He also
started and coached the Ada High School soccer program
in 2000-01 before heading to Tennessee.
He is a native of Allen, Texas, and is licensed with the
United States Soccer Federation and holds several NSCAA

diplomas. He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing
from Oklahoma Christian University in 1995 and a master’s
in secondary education from ECU in 1999.
DINO ROSATO
Rosato was named Tiger head
baseball coach on June 12. He
replaces Mike Hurt, who stepped down
after three seasons.
Rosato most recently led Bacone
College to a 29-20 finish this past
season, including a second-place
finish to Northwood (Texas) and a 10-5
mark in the NAIA’s Red River Athletic
Conference.
He spent three seasons as an assistant at Bacone
before taking over the head post for the 2008-09 school
year. In 2008, Bacone posted an impressive 41-14 record.
During his Bacone coaching stint, the Warriors showed
gradual improvement in the pitching department.
This past season, seven of his Bacone players earned
all-conference accolades and 14 received academic all-
conference recognition. In 2008, nine of Rosato’s players
achieved all-conference awards while two garnered NAIA
All-American awards. Two pitchers on Rosato’s 2007
Bacone squad were ranked nationally in several categories.
Prior to his arrival at Bacone, Rosato was an assistant
for one season on the staff at Ohio Dominican University,
which made an appearance at the NAIA World Series in
2005 and finished with a 47-18 record.
Rosato is a graduate of St. Thomas University in Miami,
Fla., where he earned a baccalaureate degree in liberal
arts. He served as outfield/hitting instructor while helping St.
Thomas make back-to-back NAIA Region 14 tournament
appearances, which included an average of 40 wins per
season.
A member of the American Baseball Coaches
Association, Rosato also served as an assistant at the
College of St. Scholastica, Concordia University, and the
Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Rosato received his master’s degree in education with
an emphasis in sports management from ECU. He played
his college baseball at Muskingum College (Ohio) for two
years and Concordia for the next two years as a catcher
and second baseman. Rosato also played his high school
baseball at Hebron Lakewood under the winningest coach
in Ohio history, Don Thorp.
results and live action!
Pat O’Neal
Strength & Conditioning
Center Update
East Central University’s new 7,000-square foot
strength and conditioning facility for athletics, the Pat
O’Neal Center, is open and serving ECU athletes.
The Ada Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon
cutting and grand opening for the facility was held on
Aug. 13.
“We’re confident that this is one of the top strength
and conditioning centers in NCAA Division II and even
better than some Division I strength centers,” said
Travis Reust, director of strength and conditioning.
According to Reust, the facility serves all 13 of
ECU’s athletic teams.
“The new strength and conditioning center is not
only going to allow us to make our current athletes
bigger, faster and stronger, it along with the renovated
Elvan George (football dressing room and former
workout facility) allows us to recruit higher caliber
student-athletes to a program that is making progress
toward having some of the best facilities in NCAA
Division II athletics,” Reust said.
Along with university support, generous donations
have been received from Tiger supporters, including
the Ada community, ECU alumni, local organizations
and former athletes.
A dedication for the building will be held on Sept.
19, prior to the Tigers’ football home opener against
Angelo State.
The Columns 23
Tiger Athletics
Football Officiating Central
East Central University became ‘Football Officiating
Central’ during the 2008-09 school year.
One of ECU’s own, Derick Bowers, served as head
linesman for Super Bowl XLIII, a 27-23 thriller won by the
Pittsburgh Steelers over the Arizona Cardinals.
Bowers, who teaches an adjunct class in ECU’s
kinesiology program, spent nearly two decades as a high
school and college football official, with the last seven of
those in the Big 12 Conference and its predecessor, the Big
8.
He made his professional debut as a referee, working
two seasons in NFL Europe, before making his official NFL
debut in 2003.
Bowers worked his first playoff game in his second
season in the NFL in 2004, which pitted old rivals – the
Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers – at Lambeau
Field in Green Bay.
He has since been on the field for at least one playoff
game in each of the last five seasons. Bowers earned a
spot on the officiating crew for the 2009 Super Bowl in only
his second season of eligibility.
As head linesman, he was responsible for numerous
things before the snap on each play and for watching a
specified group of players once the plays began.
During the 2008 regular season, Bowers worked on the
crew headed by second-year referee John Parry, but was
the only one selected off that crew to work the Super Bowl.
This year’s Super Bowl officiating crew was headed by NFL
veteran Terry McAulay.
Besides the Minnesota-Green Bay playoff game in
2004, Bowers has worked several rivalry games in the past,
including the Red River Shootout between Oklahoma and
Texas in the collegiate ranks, and the heatedly contested
24 The Columns
New England Patriots-New York Jets clash in the pros.
Bowers’ other career (besides teaching and officiating)
is serving as a manufacturer’s representative of electrical
products for All-Pro Sales.
His wife is Sandra and they have four sons – Heath,
Scotty, Brady and Brooks. Derick and Sandra are both ECU
graduates.
Bowers wasn’t the only football officiating focus during
the ’08-’09 school term.
ECU served as host of a two-day collegiate officials’
clinic in late April.
Clinical officials’ referees representing several NCAA
Division I leagues, including the Big 12 Conference,
Conference USA and Southland Conference, along with
Division II’s Lone Star Conference, were in attendance
as well as officials from the Kansas Jayhawk Community
College Conference.
The clinic attendees, approximately 70 of them, were
small college and high school officials from Oklahoma,
Texas, Kansas and Missouri. The clinic also offered position
breakout sessions in which attendees could ask specific
questions pertaining to the area where they worked on the
field.
After classroom training, those participating in the clinic
officiated 10 to 20 plays of the ECU Spring Game while
receiving on-field instruction from the clinic officials.
Following the game, the referees returned to the
classroom to receive a personal evaluation of their
performance during the game as well as an overall review
of the spring game film by clinic officials.
Also in attendance at the game were supervisors of
officials from the Big 12, Lone Star, KJCCC along with the
commissioner from the KJCCC, Bryce Roderick.
 3rd Annual
Tim Green
All-Sports Golf Tournament, May 2009

The winning team pictured with Gerald Williamson (center) were

from left: Vince Eichhorn, Wes Wilkinson (’75), Dave Dawley
and Bryan Gray.

The Columns 25
 Tiger Tracks...See What’s Happening With Your Fellow Alums
1960s
To commemorate their
golden wedding anniversary,
Dr. Gary (’60) and Patricia
(’61) Lawley, Anchorage,
Alaska, paid a visit to the
campus of East Central
University where they met.
Mrs. Lawley majored in
elementary education and
worked in the Linscheid Library. Dr. Lawley attended
East Central State College with a football scholarship
and was recognized as an all-conference pass
receiver. He graduated with a degree in Biology.
During the summers he worked as a smokejumper
for the U.S. Forest Service in Missoula, Mont. The
Lawleys have four children: Gary Gregory and wife
Amy Hayes Lawley of Anchorage; Stephanie and
husband Kirk Waggoner of Anchorage; Christa and
husband Tony Williams of Denver, Colo.; and Jay
and wife Carolyn Salazar Lawley of Bellevue, Wash.
They have 11 grandchildren: Trevor, Meryl, Hilary
and Tate Williams; Ashley, Sydnee and Ethan
Waggoner; Marlee, Gannon and Toren Lawley; and
Carissa Drey Allen.
1970s
Greg Mauldin (’79) worked in corporate America for
24 years – Texaco, Motorola, Monsanto, Dell and
Gateway. He retired in 2003, bought a nice digital
camera and has since been trekking the planet
and enjoying the cultural and natural aspects of the
geographic area.
Sean Stevens (’96) is a 20-year military veteran,
having served in the 1120th Army Reserve from 1988
until being granted an interservice transfer to the
Air Force Officer Candidate School, from which he
graduated in 2004. He was selected from a pool of
dozens of company grade officers and recognized for
his outstanding service, performance and leadership
while teaching chemistry at the Air Force Academy
Preparatory School in Colorado Springs, Colo. Sean
graduated from ECU with a degree in chemistry.
Sean and his wife Sheri have four children: Sarah,
13, Sasha, 10, Spencer, 8, and Scottie, 4.
Julia Ray (’98) is the manager of historic preservation
and repatriation for The Chickasaw Nation where she
has worked for 16 years. She graduated from Ada
High School and holds a B.S. in office administration
and master of human resources and master of
education degrees. She lives in Ada with her
daughter, Shelby, and son, Brandon.
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
2000
Feliza Coody and Michael
Griffin (’08) exchanged wedding
vows Oct. 18, 2008, at Emanuel
Baptist Church, Shawnee.
Feliza graduated from Maud
High School. She is employed
at Chickasaw Nation. Parents of
the bridegroom are Mike and
Patricia Griffin, Wolf. Michael graduated from
Seminole High School and received a bachelor’s
degree in biology in 2000. He received a master’s
degree in education in 2008 and is employed by
Sasakwa Schools as a science teacher.
2001
David W. Gwin (’01) of Oklahoma League for the
Blind in Oklahoma City was honored as the winner
of the 2009 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year
Award by National Industries for the Blind (NIB).
He is a telephone switchboard operator for OLB at
Tinker Air Force Base. Gwin received a bachelor’s
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE

1980s
Michael Brown (’85) is teaching Heavy Equipment
and CDL Class A training at Pontotoc Technology Hazel Marie Abelli Karlee Kate Jacob Edward Alex & Sophia
Center, which is one of only two technology centers Daughter of Brundidge Bryson Canaga
in the state to offer this Heavy Equipment Operator Kristina Napolitano Daughter of Kasey Son of Mike (’97) Daughters of
Class. He graduated from ECU with a B.S. in (’09) Brundidge (’04) & Kelly (’00) Bryson Maria Canaga (’06)
industrial technology. Michael and his wife Kim have
three children, Shaun, Tyler and Whitney. They
reside in Roff, Okla.
Traynor & Braelyn Blasengame Regan & Tessa Baker
Leslie Fisher-Switzer (’85) is the vice president Son & Daughter of Daughters of
of attorney resources at Pre-Paid Legal Services Tracy (’90) & Dawn (’91) Blasengame Robert & Shawna (’94) Baker
Inc. where she has worked for 23 years. She’s an
Ardmore High School graduate and holds a B.S. in
accounting. Leslie is married to Alan Switzer and
they have four children, Wyatt, Gentry, Matt and
Lauren.

1990s
Jeannie Forneris (’96) has been employed at Pre-
Paid Legal Services Inc. for 11 years and is the
communications supervisor. She graduated from
Anadarko High School and holds a B.S. in business
administration. Jeannie is married to Frank Forneris
and they have one daughter, Aly. FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE

26 The Columns
 degree in sociology and minored in communications. exercise science and is employed with Dr. Thomas Tara Holman (’05) and
Gilbert as an administrative assistant. They have Jeremy Burns (’01)
2002 three children, Gabrielle, Trinity and Izabelle. exchanged wedding vows
Melissa Cottrell and Wes Hilliard July 25, 2009, at Trinity
(’02) exchanged wedding vows 2004 Baptist Church in Ada. Tara,
Nov. 15, 2008, at First Free Will Meredith Brooking (’04) a 2000 graduate of Ada
Baptist Church, Sulphur. Melissa and John Murphy (’02) High School, received a
graduated from Wynnewood exchanged wedding vows degree in elementary
High School and from the Oct. 11, 2008, at First education. She is a 1st
University of Central Oklahoma United Methodist Church. grade teacher at Roff Elementary School. Jeremy, a
with a degree in journalism. She is employed with the Meredith graduated with a 1995 graduate of Byng High School, received a
Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector’s Office. Wes bachelor’s degree in degree in education. He is self employed.
graduated from Davis High School and has a accounting and is an accounting officer at Vision
Lacey Eberhart and Casey
master’s degree in education. He serves the people Bank. John graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
Miller (’05) exchanged
of House District 22 in the Oklahoma House of accounting. He is employed by the Chickasaw Nation
wedding vows Oct. 4, 2008,
Representatives and is also employed by Landmark as an internal auditor. He is a certified fraud examiner
at Central Baptist Church.
Bank in Davis. and a Pontotoc County reserve deputy sheriff.
Lacey graduated from Central
2003 2005 High School and from
Cameron University in
Jeremy Bennett (’03) is a programmer/analyst Lucas Clark (’05) is an assistant vice president/loan Lawton with a bachelor’s
for ECU where he has worked for five years. He officer for First United Bank where he has worked for degree in elementary education. Casey graduated
graduated from Vanoss High School and has a B.S. two years. He is a graduate of Konawa High School from Plainview High School and earned a bachelor’s
in computer science and an M.S. in engineering & and has a degree in HPER/exercise science. He lives degree in criminal justice. He is a deputy in the
technology management from Oklahoma State in Ada with his wife, Ronna. Stephens County Sheriff’s Department in Duncan.
University. Jeremy lives in Ada with his wife Retha.
Elizabeth Hernandez (’05) has worked for Vision Karissa Pickett (’05) has been employed at
Doug (‘03) and Desiree Taron (’03) live in Broken Bank for over a year and is a loan officer trainee. She the Chickasaw Nation for six years and is the
Arrow. Doug graduated with a bachelor’s degree graduated from Coalgate High School and earned communications officer. She graduated from
in nursing and is a registered nurse at St. Francis a B.S. in finance. Elizabeth is married to Rodrigo Booker ISD in Booker, Texas, and has a B.S. in
Hospital in Tulsa. Desiree graduated with a B.S. in Hernandez and they have a son, Yazid. mass communications. Karissa lives in Ada with her
husband Paul.

E TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
Madison and Trenton Cochran
Daughter and Son of
Dale & Carla (’09) Cochran
Neree Gerome Castleberry
Son of Jerome Castleberry
(’02 & ’04)
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS Jessica Tillery (’05) and Jason
Holland exchanged wedding
vows Sept. 13, 2008. Jessica
has a degree in human services
counseling and is employed by
the Chickasaw Nation. Jason is
a graduate of Ada High School
and is employed by Ada Glass
and Window. They are members
of the Church of Christ in Ada.
Keelie Ginter and Tim
Timmons (’05) exchanged
Jalen Coon Alaina Emerson wedding vows Sept. 19, 2008,
Son of Joseph & Daughter of Rick in Norman. Keelie completed
Rachel (’09) Coon (’03) & Stacy the business computer
Emerson technology and graphic arts
design program at Great Plains
Technology Center, Lawton.
Hudson Samuel Clark Madelyn Ensey She is a realtor for Red Mountain Realty in Norman.
Son of Jarred (current) & Daughter of Tim graduated has a degree in environmental health
Jill (current) Clark John (’00) & Rhonda science. He is employed by Surbec Environmental
(’02) Ensey Services in Norman.

2006
Megan Knox (’06) and Travis
Shields exchanged wedding
vows June 13, 2009, at First
Baptist Church of Ardmore.
Megan graduated with a
bachelor’s degree in elementary
education. Travis graduated
from Oklahoma State University
with a bachelor’s degree in
E TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS sociology in 2004.

The Columns 27

2007
Beth Hastings Boles (’07) lives with her husband
Brent in Byars, Okla. She graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in elementary education and teaches in
Lexington Public Schools. Brent is a lineman for
OG&E. They have two daughters, Blaike and Bailey.
Beth enjoys softball, basketball and horseback riding.
Megan Ford (’07) and John
Sherbert exchanged wedding
vows Sept. 26, 2008, at Grand
Avenue United Methodist
Church, McAlester. The bride
is a 2003 graduate of Indianola
High School and graduated
with a bachelor’s degree in
psychology. She is employed
with Big Five Community Services as a vocational
site manager. Sherbert is a 2005 graduate of Ada
High School and an active member of the Oklahoma
National Guard, working at the Ada Armory.
Karla Steele Miller (’07) lives in Norman, Okla. She
graduated with a master of education degree in
library media. She is a teacher at Ninnekah public
schools and enjoys reading, cross-stitching, and
quilting. She has one daughter, Sara Jade Miller.
Savannah Cassell and Kyle
W. Mott (’07) exchanged
wedding vows Sept. 20, 2008,
at Crosspointe Church in Ada.
The bride is a 2005 graduate
of Ada High School, a server
at Chili’s restaurant, a
hairstylist and a gymnastics
coach at Ada Champion
Tumble and Cheer. He is a 2002 graduate of Pauls
Valley High School and received a bachelor’s degree
in psychology. He is a sales consultant at Ada Nissan.
Kaycee Roberts (’07) and Jacob
Thompson (’08) exchanged
wedding vows May 20, 2009,
at Fossil Creek Ranch. Kaycee
earned a bachelor’s degree in
social work and Jacob has a
bachelor’s degree in
environmental health science.
Carrie Welch (’07) and Jeffrey
Odell exchanged wedding vows
July 18, 2009, at the Fort Worth
Botanical Gardens in Texas.
Carrie is a 2003 graduate of
Stonewall High School and
received a degree in business
administration/finance. She is employed by First
United Bank. Jeffrey is a 2002 graduate of Roff High
School and is employed by Hibbett Sporting Goods
Inc.
Heather Magee (’08) and Dusty
2008 Hacker exchanged wedding vows
Terra Griffith (’08) & Cody on Feb. 21, 2009, in the Healdton
Wainscott (’07) exchanged Assembly of God Church. Heather
wedding vows July 11, 2009, received a degree in early
at Richmond Free Will childhood education. They live in
Baptist Church in Allen. Terra Wilson.
is a 2004 graduate of Allen
High School and has a degree in elementary Lisa Moore (’08) and Jason
Wellington (’07) exchanged
education. She is employed by Calvin Public Schools.
wedding vows Oct. 11, 2008, at
Cody is a 2001 graduate of Calvin High School, has
First Presbyterian Church in
a degree in biology and is employed by the Chickasaw
Bartlesville, Okla. Lisa graduated
Nation
with a degree in kinesiology and
Kellie Humphrey (’08) and plans to attend massage therapy
Austin Greenhaw exchanged school in Fayetteville, Ark. Jason graduated with a
wedding vows Oct. 18, 2008, degree in computer science and is a computer
on the beach of the Riviera programmer for Wal-Mart in Bentonville, Ark.
Maya in Mexico. A reception
was held at Lansbrook Event Victor Neal (’08) received his official degree from
Center in Oklahoma City on Nov. 1. She is a 2002 ECU after attending more than 30 years ago. He
graduate of Ada High School and has a degree in started ECU straight out of Wanette High School
elementary education. He is a 2000 graduate of in 1950. He was a pre-med major and lacked a
physical education credit for graduation. He was
Edmond Memorial High School and a 2004 graduate
accepted into OU’s Medical School in 1953 and is
of Northeastern State University. He is employed by
now a retired physician. For Christmas in 2008, his
Howell-Stone Insurance Agency.
children contacted ECU and Dr. Neal was granted
a bachelor’s degree. Some 32 years of skiing and
several trips across Oklahoma on a bicycle earned
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE
Ali Darbison Colt Fagan Grayson James
Granddaughter of Son of Cody (’06, Galloway
Reggy & Sherry Darbison (’81) ’08) & Rheanna Son of
(’05 & ’06) Fagan Beau Galloway (’04)
Ryleigh, Kylen & Kaden Cooper
Children of Leonard (’03) John & William Gladders
& Stephanie (’94 & ’97) Cooper Sons of Roxanne Maynard Gladders (’92)

FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE

28 The Columns
 him the lacking PE credit. Victor’s wife, Mary
Shephard Neal, is a 1954 ECU graduate. They live
in Tulsa.
Ashley Pulliam (’08) and Jeffrey
Rutledge exchanged wedding
vows on June 20, 2009, at the
Chickasaw Lake Club in
Ardmore. Ashley graduated
from Ardmore High School and
earned a bachelor’s degree in
social work. Jeffrey graduated
from Abilene Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas,
and earned a bachelor’s degree in resource and
environmental management from Texas State
University in San Marcos.
Jillian Schroeder (’08) & Terrance
Bush exchanged wedding vows
on June 13, 2009, at the home of
Debbie and Tracy Marion. Jillian
graduated from Latta High School
and has a bachelor’s degree in
biology. She is an optician.
Terrance graduated from Hugo High School and
serves in the United States Army.
E TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
Lola Sue & Jewell Jordan Grubbs
RaLyn Graham Daughter of
Daughters of Les Clayton & Jana (’93)
(’04) & Amy (’04 & Grubbs
’05) Graham
Dallen, Dayton and Denton Forsythe
Sons of Valerie Lovelace Forsythe (’96)
E TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
Megan Stringer (’08) and earned her degree in business administration with a
Justin Groves (’07) exchanged concentration in finance. Matthew graduated from
wedding vows on July 11, Jenks High School and studied criminal justice at
2009, at the Arbuckle Wedding Seminole State College.
Chapel in Davis. Megan
Allison Franks (’09) and Joseph Ross
graduated from Clinton High
(attending) exchanged wedding
School and has a degree in kinesiology. She is a
vows July 18, 2009, in Ada. Allison
teacher and coach for Purcell Public Schools. Justin
is a 2005 graduate of Latta High
graduated from Byng High School and has a degree
School and has a degree in
in environmental health science. He works at the
elementary education. Joseph is a
Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Lab in Ada.
2004 graduate of Latta High School
Amy Wight (’08) and Andy Hinkle and is pursuing a medical physics degree.
(attended) exchanged wedding
Chelsea Furr (’09) and Dillon James
vows May 23, 2009, at Ada First
exchanged wedding vows May 2,
Free Will Baptist Church. Amy has
2009, in Fittstown. Chelsea has a
a degree in early childhood
bachelor’s degree in criminal
education and was employed by
justice. James works at Holcim
Byng Schools. She began
Inc.
teaching in Weatherford in
August. Andy attended ECU two years and is in Jennifer Gibson (’09) and Jake
pharmacy school at Southwestern Oklahoma State Weaver (attending) exchanged
University. He expects to graduate in May 2011. wedding vows July 18, 2009, at
Fossil Creek Ranch. Jennifer is a
2009 2005 graduate of Paoli High
Ronna Butler (’09) and Matthew School and has a degree in early
Cooper exchanged wedding childhood education. Jake is a
vows August 1, 2009, in the 2004 graduate of Davis High
Ardmore First United Methodist School and attends ECU. He is employed by the
Church. Ronna graduated from Chickasaw Nation Security Integration Systems.
Plainview High School and
Nataly Keeton (’09) and Cody
Bynum (’09) exchanged
FUTURE TIGERS wedding vows July 27, 2009, at
Birdsong Wedding Cottage.
Nataly, a 2006 graduate of
Dickson High School, received
a degree in accounting and is
working on her master’s degree
in accounting. She is a staff accountant at Horne and
Company Certified Public Accountant, P.C. in Ada.
Cody is a 2004 graduate of Dickson High School. His
degree is in physical science and he is working on his
master’s degree in secondary education/sports
administration.
Katelynn Marie Nolan Oscar Courtney Woodson (attending)
Hayes Hensley and Riley Mann (’09)
Daughter of Brian Son of Billy & exchanged wedding vows May
(’06) & Kristen Melissa (’05) Hensley 23, 2009, at the Paiute Golf
(’06) Hayes Resort in Las Vegas. Courtney
graduated from Edmond Santa
Austin Johnson Chase Jones Fe High School and is a
Son of Melody Son of Heath & nursing student at ECU. Riley
Johnson (’00) Carmon (’06) Jones is an Ardmore High School graduate has a degree in
nursing and is a registered nurse in the transplant
intensive care unit at Integris Hospital in Oklahoma
City.
Hayley White (’09) and Sam
Bryant (’09) exchanged wedding
vows July 11, 2009, at Trinity
Baptist Church, Ada. Hayley is a
2005 graduate of Latta High
School and has a degree in
English education. She is
employed by Coyle Public
FUTURE TIGERS Schools. Sam is a 2005 graduate
The Columns 29
of Roff High School and has a bachelor’s of science
degree in biology.
Currently Attending
Stephanie Arms (attending) and
Adam Cason exchanged wedding
vows Oct. 3, 2008, at Thunderbird
Chapel in Norman. Stephanie
graduated from Sulphur High
School in 2006 and attends ECU.
Adam graduated from Sulphur High
School in 2003 and is stationed at Fort Hood, Texas,
with the 112th CAB, Bravo Company of the U.S.
Army.
Amanda Catalano (attending) and
Jeffrey Lewis exchanged wedding
vows May 16, 2009, at St. Joseph
Catholic Church in Ada. Amanda is
pursuing a degree in family and
consumer sciences. She works at
Vision Bank. Jeffrey is employed by
an Oklahoma City firm.
Send us your Tiger Track information today! Log on to: alumni.ecok.edu.
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
Konner Grayson Riley & Hunter
Mackey Manning
Son of Jonathan Sons of Michele
(’02) & Kristen (’03) Manning-James
Mackey (’08)
Perri, Tracy & Andi McGill
Daughters of
Denzil (’92) & Janet (’92) McGill
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
30 The Columns
Brittany Cupps (attending) and
Sam Crosby (attending) exchanged
wedding vows on July 18, 2009, at
Crosspointe Church. Brittany is a
graduate of Ada High School and is
a senior at ECU where she is a
member of the color guard and is
majoring in early childhood education. She is
employed at the Linscheid Library. Sam is a graduate
of Shawnee High School and a junior at ECU where
he is a member of the band and is majoring in music
education. He is employed by Quiznos in Ada.
Jillian Horton & Justin Curry
(attending) exchanged wedding
vows July 11, 2009, at the First
Lutheran Church, Ada. Jillian is a
2003 graduate of Neenah High
School and is employed by
Valley View Regional Hospital.
Justin is a 2003 graduate of Byng High School and is
pursuing a degree in cartography. He is a member of
Gamma Theta Upsilon, the international geographic
honor society.
FUTURE TIGERS
Cole McElroy Jordan Mosley
Son of Michael (’00) Son of
& Allyson (’02) Sumer Milson (’02)
McElroy
Jaxon, Dezmond & Brycen Miller
Sons of
Raymond & Seanna (’09) Miller
FUTURE TIGERS
Julie Jackson (attending) and
Corey Elkins (attending)
exchanged wedding vows Nov.
22, 2008, at Ardmore First Baptist
Church. Julie graduated from
Plainview High School in 2005.
She is pursuing a bachelor’s
degree in family and consumer sciences education.
She is employed by The Brown Paper Bag in
Ardmore. Corey graduated from Milburn High School
in 2000 and from Murray State College in Tishomingo
with an associate degree. He is pursuing a bachelor’s
degree in business administration with a concentration
in marketing. He is employed by Washita Refrigeration
and Equipment Co. in Tishomingo.
Jamie Kubiak & Caleb Lochridge
(attending) exchanged wedding
vows June 6, 2009, at Faith
Center Church, Sulphur, Okla.
Jamie graduated from Sulphur
High School in 2003 and is a
dance teacher at the Dance Center in Sulphur. Caleb
graduated from Davis High School in 2008 and is
pursuing a degree in business administration/finance.
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
Camryn Michelle Gabrielle, Trinity, &
Regier Izabelle Taron
Daughter of Clint Daughters of
& Erin (’98) Regier Doug (’03) & Desiree
(’03) Taron
Kyler, Noah & Chad Oxley
Sons of Julia Tyler-Oxley (’98 & ’07)
& Dewey Oxley II (’96 & ’00)
FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
 In Memoriam
The ECU family offers our deepest sympathy to the
families of the alumni and friends we have lost.
Bruce Adams (attended)
Imogene Allison (attended)
Orville Ashcraft (attended)
Nancy Boissenin (attended)
Pattye Norwood Box (attended)
Dr. Ed Brooks (faculty)
Jack Chapman (’66 & ’70)
Lajuana Clark (attended)
Jewell Coleman (attended)
Frank Crabtree Sr. (attended)
George McKoy (from left) ’75, Broomfield, Colo.; Ken Logsdon ’73, William Dawson (attended)
Columbia, Mo.; Janie (Garrett) Odom ’69, Pauls Valley, Okla.; and Ralph Billy DePrater (’58)
Turner ’71, Columbia, Mo.. Thelma Peck Edwards (’41)
The group gathered July 18 for a mini ECU Alumni Reunion at Ralph Virginia Evans (attended)
Turner’s home in Columbia, Mo. George and his wife, Carolyn, were Harold Fitzhugh (attended)
spending a weekend with Ralph and Linda Turner, and Janie (Garrett) Frank Fountain (attended)
Odom was visiting her stepson, Barry Odom. Ralph and Ken, both living Jerry Fullerton (attended)
in Columbia, thought it would be fun for all of them to get together. Ralph, Shirley Hinesley (attended)
George and Ken are all Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers, and Janie is Bertha Hoppe (’84)
an Alpha Gamma Delta. Ralph writes that “it was great to spend several Angie Jackson (attended)
hours with former classmates and friends from the ECU Greek system.” Winford Laughlin (attended)
James P. Leon (’94)
Karen (Dale) Limke (’80)
Ruby Little (’49)
Brenda (Maddox) Logue (’01)
Lee Edward McGaughy (’85)
Wandella McNutt (attended), faculty
William “Bill” Mote (attended)
Nancy Myers (’07), adjunct faculty
Bonnie King Pinkston (’56)
Wylie Pitts (attended)
Charles Pokorny (’63 & ’88), staff
Larry Ramsey (attended)
Lisa Reeves (’95)
Dr. Don Rippee (’72)
Hicks Avery Smith (’58)
Joe Martin “Marty” Turner (’71)
Sammy Keith Walker (attended)
H.L. Waters (attended)
Patricia Whelchel (attended)
Les O. White (attended)
Charlotte “Ann” Willis (’72)

FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS

Erin & Brooke Youngblood Keela Scott Clay Tatum John Earl “Tre” Grant Michael
Daughters of Susan Youngblood (’03) Daughter of Alicson Son of Michael & Thompson III Vernor
Scott (’03 & ‘08) Carla (’01) Tatum John (’96 &’06) & Son of Michael &
Teresa (’99) Shamas Stephanie (’08)
Thompson Vernor
Dalton & Walker Leslie Taylor
Weston Walters Landri Alyse Zink
Andrew and Patrick Ritter Sons of Tanner & Daughter of Zac Jeremy Williamson Daughter of Robert
Sons of Adam Ritter (’08) Jamie (’04 & ’08) (’02) & Brandi (’02) Son of Richard (‘91) & Charla
Weston Walters Williamson (’86) (‘91) Zink

FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS FUTURE TIGERS
The Columns 31
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Mark your Calendars

ECU Homecoming
October 31, 2009!