LANGSTON, Okla.––Thanks to the efforts of the Oklahoma Legislature to fully match Langston University’s Evans-Allen federal funding, the LU Cooperative Extension and Outreach Program (CEOP) is preparing to expand its services to two new counties while increasing its program offerings in counties it already serves.
With the additions of Woodward and Johnston Counties, CEOP will offer extension programs in 48 of the 77 counties in Oklahoma. CEOP’s programs offer vital services to these communities, providing resources in areas ranging from family and youth development to a wide range of food and agricultural support. Dr. Roger Merkel, Associate Extension Administrator for CEOP, said that by expanding its services, CEOP seeks to fulfill its mission of advancing the well-being of Oklahomans and fostering resilient, thriving communities across the state.
“The Cooperative Extension and Outreach Program of the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences is committed to serving the citizens of Oklahoma by promoting improved quality of life, enhancing agricultural and business productivity, and fostering community development,” Dr. Merkel said. “Central to the mission of Extension is the cultivation of meaningful human connections. Extension educators prioritize the establishment of respectful, supportive relationships that yield measurable, positive outcomes in the communities they serve.”
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) fully matched Langston University’s Evans-Allen federal funding for the first time in FY 2025, and ODAFF made strides to maintain the full match for FY 2026 by increasing CEOP’s state funding. Thanks to this full funding match, CEOP is strategically expanding its services throughout Oklahoma through investments in essential resources such as personnel, transportation, technology, program supplies, professional development opportunities and other forms of operational support.
With enhanced resources, the program intends to both broaden existing initiatives and implement new, impactful activities. Anticipated outcomes include:
An increased number and multiplicity of food preservation courses
Expanded fiber arts programming
A broadened youth STEM curriculum and engagement with schools and other community organizations.
Establishment and support of new 4-H clubs.
Expansion of small ruminant production and related value-added product development programs into new areas of the state.
Growth of apiculture support and education, including the development of a formal training curriculum for beekeepers.
Expanded horticulture and precision agriculture education and outreach initiatives
Strengthened collaboration with and support for community-based organizations
Continued adult and youth nutrition education support programs.
A new initiative to provide adult and youth programming with Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation
This expansion effort is one of the ways in which Langston University aims to broaden its impact in Oklahoma through its land-grant mission.
“Langston University is grateful for its enhanced funding,” said Dr. Wesley Whittaker, Dean of the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. “Consumers, producers and industry professionals recognize that funding for agricultural extension and research in Oklahoma creates value on many levels. It helps to develop new revenue streams for farmers and ranchers, expand value-added products, encourage diversified agricultural practices and strengthen the competitiveness of Oklahoma agriculture.
“Our dedicated team is energized and ready to do all that is necessary to ensure impactful outcomes from our work.”
As we transition into the new academic year, we are excited to share the progress our Division of Operations has made throughout the summer to enhance our campus facilities. With a relentless focus on improvement and modernization, our team has been working tirelessly to overcome many of the most critical infrastructure challenges and ensure that our students, faculty, and staff have access to comfortable learning and living environments.
Importantly, the projects we have been managing throughout the summer have come at no cost to our students. We are proud to have leveraged grant funds and state allocations to pursue these projects, and we are grateful to the Division of Academic Affairs for their partnership in the use of Title III grant funds for our academic buildings. Langston University is also extremely grateful to the Oklahoma Legislature, including Gov. Stitt and notably Sen. Chuck Hall, for the ongoing investments made to address deferred maintenance needs on campuses throughout our state. These summer projects were made possible using grants and state-allocated funds coupled with months of planning, preparation, and project management.
Academic Building Climate Control Upgrades
Four of our academic buildings on the Langston Campus are receiving comprehensive Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) improvements through Title III grant funding. These buildings include Moore Hall, Sanford Hall, Jones Hall, and the G. Lamar Harrison Library. In collaboration with a professional engineering firm, we developed detailed specifications which were utilized in a competitive bid process in the spring. A vendor was selected from the bid process to install new chiller systems within the buildings, and their work has already begun.
The new chillers and pumps for these four buildings are set for delivery in mid-September 2025. By the end of September, all permanent systems should be installed, calibrated, and fully operational, ensuring optimal learning conditions for the fall semester and beyond within these four buildings. In the meantime, temporary chillers are being rented to provide relief in each of the four buildings until the permanent chillers are in place. While renting temporary chillers is extremely costly, it is a worthwhile investment in the short term until our new equipment is in place. We are finding that the temporary chillers are drawing more power than is typical for our Langston Campus. As a result, we have encountered occasional brownouts or brief power outages. We appreciate your patience as we work through these isolated instances.
Additional climate control improvements are underway at Allied Health, where we intend to replace an outdated split chiller system with a properly sized solution designed by our professional engineering partner. This project is in the initial planning phase and will be subject to competitive bidding before work can begin. In the meantime, we are working to implement a temporary chiller solution at Allied Health for the fall semester.
The comprehensive HVAC overhaul of C.F. Gayle’s Gymnasium, Atrium, and the John Montgomery Multipurpose Building is shaping up to be one of our most ambitious undertakings. The Division of Operations worked closely with our professional engineering partner over many months to develop the detailed specifications for the project, which we anticipate will be published for competitive bidding in August 2025. This priority project, funded through the Oklahoma Capital Asset Management and Protection (OCAMP) Deferred Maintenance allocations through the Oklahoma Legislature, demonstrates our commitment to maintaining our most heavily utilized facilities for student activities, athletics, and community events.
Residential Housing Transformation
Perhaps most significantly, we are revolutionizing the HVAC systems through HEERF grant-funded projects across four residential communities. These improvements represent the most comprehensive housing upgrades in decades, and this large-scale project has proceeded at an extraordinary speed.
Centennial Court Apartments, Buildings 1-5, are receiving entirely new HVAC systems with redirected air delivery, finally addressing long-standing mechanical issues due to construction defects. Residents of Cimarron Gardens Apartments will experience, for the first time ever, thermostat-controlled central air conditioning, as we replace outdated window units and aged furnace infrastructure. Our construction partner, Nabholz Construction, is working to put the final touches on the upgrades within Centennial Court and Cimarron Gardens.
Commons Apartments and Scholars’ Inn will receive updated HVAC systems with state-of-the-art cooling. This project is also funded through the remaining institutional allocation of the HEERF grant. These systems will be installed throughout the Fall semester as equipment arrives.
Even facing unforeseen challenges due to supply chain setbacks and other compliance-related delays, we remain committed to completion with contingency plans in place to ensure all residential HVAC improvements are finished by December 30, 2025.
You may see our teams working to wrap up construction, replace sod, and clean the construction site. We ask for your patience as we continue this important work.
Infrastructure Modernization Projects
Our commitment to accessibility and safety continues with the ongoing Sanford Hall elevator modernization project. This project was initially proposed and approved in September 2024. In the intervening months, a great deal of work has occurred to procure the necessary equipment and prepare for its arrival and installation. This turnkey project entails electrical, telephonic, fire suppression, and mechanical upgrades for the elevator installation, which began on July 22, 2025. We anticipate a completion date in mid-August, contingent upon scheduling the required state inspection, after which time students and staff will have access to a fully modernized, reliable elevator system. Similar modernization projects for additional elevators throughout our campuses are already in the planning stages.
Protecting the LU-OKC Campus
Our Oklahoma City campus restoration continues with the roof replacement project, which is now moving through the final phases of procurement. The November 2024 storm that damaged our campus facility has since been classified by FEMA as a natural disaster. The University engaged with an architectural firm to develop detailed specifications for roof replacement which were utilized for competitive bid in the selection of our roofing partner. We are now working through bonding requirements to award the contract and initiate the project. While temporary roof repairs remain secure with interior restoration ongoing, a full roof replacement supported by OCAMP Deferred Maintenance funding and potential grant reimbursement will restore full protection for our campus in Oklahoma City.
Looking Forward
The work happening across our campuses demonstrates our commitment to providing an exceptional educational environment in support of student success and campus excellence.
As we continue this momentum throughout the academic year, the Division of Operations remains focused on progress, innovation, and the continuous improvement of our campus infrastructure. We will pursue additional projects with our FY26 OCAMP Deferred Maintenance allocation. Priorities will include electrical and utility upgrades, roadway repairs, elevator upgrades, and more. We anticipate the funding will be released by the state in September 2025. These investments in our physical environment directly support our mission of educational excellence and ensure that Langston University continues to provide world-class educational experiences for generations to come.
We thank our campus community for your patience during construction periods and look forward to the enhanced comfort and functionality these improvements will provide.
Theresa Powell Vice President, Division of Operations
Graduating seniors from the Langston University School of Business (LUSB) scored in the 99th percentile nationally on the rigorous Peregrine Outbound Business Exam, outperforming more than 83,000 students across the United States.
The LUSB Class of 2025 posted an average score of 80.13% on the exam, far outperforming the national average of 61.34% and putting their scores in the Top 1% nationally. LUSB students achieved top marks across all core business disciplines, including finance, economics, strategic management, marketing and business ethics.
“This is not just an academic win; it’s a statement,” said Dr. Daryl Green, Dean of LUSB. “It proves that with the right approach, our students, many of whom are first-generation college students, can compete and dominate nationally.”
Every year, graduating business students take the Peregrine Outbound Business Exam, a rigorous assessment administered by over 500 colleges and universities around the world. The exam evaluates students’ mastery across core business disciplines such as finance, economics, management, marketing and business ethics.
The Class of 2025’s success on the exam is a reflection of LUSB’s innovative curriculum and expert faculty.
LUSB recently restructured its capstone course “MG 4703: Strategy & Policy.” Co-taught by Dr. Green and Dr. Charles Mambula, the class was reimagined with an emphasis on student ownership and practical engagement. The class incorporates team-based learning, self-designed study sessions and student-led instruction, all of which led to positive learning outcomes.
Outside the capstone, LUSB continues to distinguish itself with a faculty of experienced industry professionals who bring real-world expertise into every classroom. Students receive close mentorship, professional coaching and leadership development from the start of their first year.
“Our students aren’t just preparing for jobs,” Dr. Green said. “They’re preparing to launch their ventures, lead organizations and build communities. Our students think like entrepreneurs, act like consultants, and grow as leaders. That mindset is baked into every course we teach.”
In 2023, Langston University was named one of the Best HBCUs for Entrepreneurship by BestColleges.com, thanks in part to its Master of Entrepreneurial Studies program and its student-centered business culture. The Class of 2025’s test scores are another testament to LU’s HBCU excellence.
“We believe in turning raw talent into polished excellence,” Dr. Green said. “That’s the Langston way. And this exam result is proof that our approach is working.”
By Jet Turner, Assistant Director of Communications
Langston University held its 25th Annual Research Day on April 18, 2025. Research Day includes various disciplines, majors and students. Whether you are a biology or chemistry student, psychology student or even a computer science student, you are welcome to participate in Research Day.
Research Day aims to help students understand the practical applications of their learning. It shows students how their knowledge can serve society and provides an opportunity to demonstrate their problem solving and articulation skills. It also allows students to build their resumes, prepare for internships and graduate school applications, among many other skills.
“It’s the value added,” said Dr. John K. Coleman, Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Once you get a culture where students (are presenting their research), you look at the student and you just see the product. Now they are starting to learn why they’re learning these theories and why they learn these concepts, and then what you can actually do with it and how you can help society. You’re here to learn, but you leave to serve. So how do you use what you’re learning? This is the part that teaches you how you use what you’re learning to serve society.”
Dr. Lindsay Davis, associate professor of chemistry, participated in the 13th Research Day when she was a student at LU.
Despite her fear and hesitation to present her research, she was well prepared and supported.
“Ultimately, Research Day gave me the confidence that I needed to pursue graduate school and to make these presentations a norm for me,” Dr. Davis said. “I was so scared of public speaking, and now it’s easy.
“So, Research Day definitely helps with their communication skills. But most importantly, I think it allows them to be a scientist, to communicate through research and to really achieve their goals.”
This year over 20 students participated in Research Day.
Josiah Grayson – Selection of Undergraduate Degree Major Among College Students
Senior, Computer Science Major
Josiah Grayson’s research explored the psychological and social factors influencing how college students, especially those at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), choose their academic majors.
Grayson’s studies revealed personal interest is the most important factor when a prospective student selects a major, which contradicts his hypothesis that financial considerations would be at the forefront of their decision-making process.
Grayson highlights that student interests are often “shaped by what they have been exposed to,” meaning individuals are more likely to pursue careers and majors they have seen modeled in their communities. For Black students specifically, this means decisions are “shaped by survival, legacy and representation.”
“Institutional culture and climate impacts persistence,” Grayson said. “What goes on at the university and then specifically in the department, how they teach the information, how they work with the students. Is there tutoring? These things highly impact whether or not somebody is actually going to finish their degree.”
Financial status, according to Grayson, still plays a significant role in a student’s decision in what major they select, even if it isn’t the primary driving force. Grayson notes that students from a lower socioeconomic status tend to be more risk-averse, often choosing a “more stable” career path, while students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds have more flexibility to pursue less conventional majors, if they so choose.
Kimbree Layton – Studying the Relationship Between Mental Health, Emotional Well-Being and Academic Well-Being Among College Athletes
Senior, Psychology Major
Kimbree Layton conducted a comprehensive study examining the relationship between mental health, emotional well-being and academic well-being among collegiate athletes at Langston University. Her research focused specifically on anxiety, depression and stress levels among student athletes.
The study employed a multi-scale survey approach, utilizing four different psychological assessment tools. Layton was able to collect data from 15 of Langston University’s student athletes, all of whom were female.
Findings revealed that Langston University student athletes generally demonstrated positive mental health indicators, showing no significant signs of depression, anxiety or stress.
“(The student athletes) think highly of professional help and seeking it when it is necessary,” Layton said.
Layton’s research highlighted several critical factors influencing student athlete mental health, including “the importance of their relationships” with coaches, professors and family. Modern student athletes must overcome a tough emotional landscape, and many challenge the stigma that they should always be “very mentally tough” and not show emotions.
While the study provides valuable insights, Layton recognized limitations in her research, including the small sample size and the use of somewhat dated psychological assessment scales. She recommended future research should “examine what relationships between scales and demographics” exist and potentially explore the impact of teammates on mental health, a dimension not fully explored in this current study.
Reginald M. Archibald II – Artificial Intelligence Biases in Healthcare
Senior, Computer Science Major
Reginald Archibald II explored the critical issue of artificial intelligence (AI) bias in healthcare, highlighting how AI models can perpetuate systemic inequalities.
Archibald’s research uncovered six types of bias in healthcare AI models: implicit, selection, measurement, confounding, temporal and algorithm bias.
An example pointed to in this research is the dermatology AI tool developed by Stanford University, which was trained predominantly on images of lighter-skinned individuals. This could have a significant negative impact on patients who have a darker skin complexation.
“When you go in and they’re trying to detect for skin cancer, oftentimes they’re not able to find it, and they might (misdiagnose) you,” Archibald said.
Several other real-world scenarios demonstrate the potential harm of biased AI. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pulse oximeters were found to miss conditions in Black patients three times more often than in other races. Another study revealed an AI algorithm that based healthcare decisions on costs that systematically undervalued Black patients’ health needs.
To address these critical issues, Archibald proposes multiple solutions. These include conducting bias audits before AI deployment, training healthcare professionals on AI decision-making processes and incorporating synthetic data to improve representation.
He emphasizes the importance of diversity in AI development, stating that diverse team members can provide “ethical background knowledge about their race, their gender, their age group and their economic status.”
By The Langston University Office of Public Relations
TULSA, Okla. – The Langston University – Tulsa Campus will begin offering Public Health and Healthcare Administration majors during the 2025-2026 academic year.
These additions to the LU – Tulsa campus support Langston University’s commitment to expanding the healthcare workforce not just in the Tulsa community, but also throughout the state of Oklahoma and beyond.
These additional programs added to LU – Tulsa expand learning opportunities for working adults, older learners and returning students to pursue a degree with the flexibility and support needed for their busy lives and career goals.
Assistant Professor Dr. Sandra Brown said the classes in the Langston University School of Nursing and Health Professions are designed to focus on the practical application of public health and healthcare management theories, offering real-world and dynamic teaching-learning experiences.
“We provide an interdisciplinary approach to learning,” Dr. Brown said. “Healthcare leaders can no longer afford to learn and work in silos. Interdisciplinary professional education is critical to understanding the multiple roles in healthcare, is essential in fostering mutual respect, and helps to enhance patient outcomes.”
Healthcare administrators are crucial for the efficient and effective operation of healthcare facilities, while public health professionals are critical for protecting and improving community health by focusing on disease prevention, health promotion and equitable access to healthcare.
Because of the importance of these programs, they will have a significant impact on the Tulsa area by producing a more skilled and better-prepared workforce to meet the growing demand in the healthcare industry. With a projected job growth rate of about 28% – one of the highest in the nation – there is no indication of a slowdown. By equipping professionals with advanced knowledge and practical skills, the public health and healthcare administration programs will contribute to enhancing the overall quality of care in the communities of Tulsa and surrounding areas.
Dr. Teressa Hunter, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, expressed her enthusiasm for the expansion.
“We are proud to expand Langston University’s presence in Tulsa by offering degree programs in Public Health and Healthcare Administration,” Dr. Hunter said. “These new majors reflect our strategic focus on workforce development and health equity throughout Oklahoma.”
With a low faculty-to-student ratio, students enrolled in the Public Health and Healthcare Administration majors will have more one-on-one learning opportunities. This creates a highly engaged and supportive learning environment. Students interested in these programs can expect a dynamic and enriching education led by experienced, compassionate faculty who are committed to student success.
Enrollment is now open for Healthcare Administration and Public Health classes at LU-Tulsa:
Healthcare Administration Courses:
HA 3253 – Introduction to Healthcare Administration
HA 3063 – Introduction to Gerontology
Public Health Courses:
PUH 2333 – Introduction to Public Health
PUH 2313 – Global Health
If you are currently a student at Langston University, you may enroll in these classes by contacting LU-Tulsa Campus Advisor Ms. Deborah O’Guin at deborah.oguin@langston.edu and at (918) 887-8123. You may also reach out to Langston Campus Advisor Ms. Carolyn Johnson at carolyn.s.johnson@langston.edu.
If you are not currently a student at Langston University, you may apply at the Langston University website.
Every year on Mother’s Day, Dr. Emily Patterson Harris gets a call from one of her former students.
When that student was younger, he attended and dropped out of two colleges. Dr. Harris wouldn’t have it.
“It took me two years to talk him into coming to Langston University and giving it another try,” Dr. Harris said. “And he did. We had some rough times in there, but he finished, and he calls me on Mother’s Day.”
Not all of her student stories are as friendly.
Once, while walking down the stairs at the LU-Tulsa Campus, a student stopped Dr. Harris to talk. He was a student who sometimes struggled to balance his schoolwork with his responsibilities as a father, but Dr. Harris knew he was capable of it and always made sure to let him know it.
“He stopped me, and he said, ‘Well, I want you to know that I’m going to graduate, if for no other reason than to get you off of my back!’” Dr. Harris said. She smiled and responded with an upbeat, “OK!”
That student did graduate, and he went on to earn his master’s degree. She still sees him occasionally and always makes the time to talk with him.
Dr. Harris has countless stories like these because she’s been working with students for over 40 years. She has worked tirelessly to develop well-defined and relevant programs that will help students get jobs after graduation, and she has dedicated countless hours to making sure students make it to graduation. From working with them in the classroom to advising those who left to figure out how to come back, Dr. Harris doesn’t give up on her students. She cares about them, and she knows that for many, earning their degree will change their life.
Education is Transformative
Dr. Harris has always believed in the power of education, and she understands better than most that the transformative effects of earning a degree can be felt for generations. Her own family is a prime example. Her maternal grandmother, Emily Alford, only had an 8th grade education, but she was determined to send her children to college. They came to Langston University.
Violet Alford, Dr. Harris’ mother, graduated from Langston University with a B.S. in Business in 1950.
Dr. Harris’ mother, Violet, graduated from Langston University in 1950 with a B.S. in Business. Her father, Lee V. Patterson, Sr., graduated from LU that same year with a B.S. in Industrial Arts. They both had successful teaching careers in Oklahoma, and they made sure their children understood education was important. The message was echoed by Dr. Harris’ aunts and uncles throughout her childhood, and she and her cousins eventually passed the message along to their children, too.
Today, the younger generations of the family understand education is transformative. Dr. Harris’ son Erick said they all expect to go on to earn the highest-level degrees available for their chosen professions. Four generations after Emily Alford, the average degree in the family is a masters.
“I go back to that initial decision that my grandmother made that a college education was important,” Dr. Harris said. “That one decision has impacted generations of my family.”
It also allowed Dr. Harris to impact thousands of others.
Dr. Harris graduated from her father’s alma mater, Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but she did not follow in her parents’ footsteps to attend Langston University. Instead, she chose to attend Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and her experiences there reinforced her beliefs about the power of HBCUs. She went on to earn her Master of Library and Information Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo before moving to Texas to serve as a librarian at Houston Community College.
After a three-year stint in Houston, Dr. Harris came home to Oklahoma. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Roosevelt Mack, she officially joined the Lion Pride as a librarian at the LU-Tulsa Campus in 1981.
Building Something
Langston University’s Tulsa campus opened in 1979. It was the first public institution to offer graduate and upper level higher education courses in Tulsa.
The Langston University-Tulsa Campus had been established just two years prior when Dr. Harris joined the staff.
It was the first public institution to offer upper-level higher education classes in Tulsa, and in 1982, it worked together with Oklahoma State University (OSU), the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Northeastern State University (NSU) to form the University Center at Tulsa. Still a firm believer in the importance of education, Dr. Harris was excited to be a part of bringing access to higher education to her hometown.
Serving as a librarian for all academic programs gave Dr. Harris an opportunity to work closely with the students in Tulsa, and she found she enjoyed getting to know them while helping them access the materials they needed for their classes. She was good at her job, and she was soon asked to move to the Langston Campus to serve as the Acting Director of the G. Lamar Harrison Library while the school looked for a permanent director.
When she returned to LU-Tulsa a year later, she knew she was ready to take on more responsibility.
She transitioned from the library to a position as an academic counselor. It was around this time that Dr. Wessylyne A. Simpson, Dr. Harris’ aunt who was then the Dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences (SOEBS), was working to expand the program offerings at the Tulsa Campus. Dr. Harris worked with Dr. Simpson, SOEBS faculty and Diana Sharp to bring the Teacher Education program to Tulsa.
“We worked on paperwork and made sure we had all the bylaws and everything set up before we could start recruiting students,” said Sharp, who still works at LU-Tulsa as an administrative assistant. “We all put our heads together and started the program here, and it’s taken off ever since.”
Diana Sharp (right) has worked with Dr. Harris since she joined the LU-Tulsa staff in 1983.
Sharp liked working with Dr. Harris right from the start. When they first met in 1983, Sharp’s first impression was that Dr. Harris was a peppy, happy-go-lucky person with whom it was very easy to talk. Forty years later, Sharp said that’s still how she’d describe her.
LU Tulsa’s Teach Education program was the first of many projects Sharp and Dr. Harris would work on together over the years, and Sharp said she always appreciated Dr. Harris’ positive attitude and willingness to try several approaches until they found the one that would work. She also appreciated that Dr. Harris knew how to leave work at work, allowing them to form a personal friendship in addition to their professional one.
Thanks to their hard work, they brought the Teacher Education program to LU-Tulsa in 1985. The program was housed on the seventh floor of the building they shared with OSU at 440 S. Houston St., and Dr. Harris took on the role of Associate Director for Teacher Education at LU-Tulsa.
For 12 years, she supervised the teacher education program at the Tulsa Campus. She loved working with students and continued to serve as an advisor. In 1986, she also began teaching as an assistant professor in SOEBS, focusing mostly on psychology and education courses.
She went back to school and earned her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from OSU in 1989, and she said she is eternally grateful to the late Dr. Mack for his continual support throughout this time as she juggled her work and doctoral coursework. She also wanted to thank Dr. Ernest L. Holloway, LU’s longest-serving president, and Dr. C. Gary Crooms.
“There’ve been powerful leaders, master teachers and mentors that encouraged me and were great at their chosen fields,” Dr. Harris said. “The late Dr. Holloway continually focused on challenges as opportunities. Dr. Crooms taught me to look at those challenges from multiple perspectives.”
Dr. Harris finished her doctorate, completed additional coursework in Behavioral Sciences, and became certified to teach Social Studies, Language Arts and Library Media. She took her mentors’ lessons as well as everything she’d learned from her own classroom experiences as both a teacher and student to try to continually improve her own classes.
“What I loved about teaching is just the fact that there’s always more information,” Dr. Harris said. “And I’m a librarian, so I love looking for information. You can never get tired of finding new things or new ways of doing things, and sometimes your students will send you off in a different direction.”
Students First
Dr. Harris (far right) served as the Associate Vice President for the LU-Tulsa Campus for almost 12 years.
Dr. Harris was dedicated to her work, and that’s something to which her family can attest. Growing up, her two sons spent much of their free time at the LU-Tulsa Campus and witnessed how hard their mother worked for the students there.
One day, an 8-year-old Erick approached Dr. Virginia Schoats, the campus site director, and told her as much.
“My mom was always working hard,” Erick said. “I had just found out what the word ‘promotion’ meant, and once I realized that I said, ‘Oh, well she deserves one of those.’ And because (Dr. Schoats) was her boss I thought, ‘She’s the one that can give it to her.’”
Not long after, Dr. Schoats did recommend Dr. Harris for a promotion.
In 1997, she became the Associate Vice President for LU-Tulsa, the person who ran the campus. She also served as the Institutional Representative for Langston University to the University Center at Tulsa, advocating for the needs of LU students and faculty while working to improve access to higher education for all Tulsans.
Though her duties and responsibilities changed, her goal stayed the same: to guide students to degree completion.
At this time, the average age of the students at LU-Tulsa was about 34. Dr. Harris recognized early on that their needs would be different than the needs of students at the Langston Campus, so she tried to keep their work and familial responsibilities in mind. Under her leadership, the faculty and staff in Tulsa worked to make it as feasible as possible for non-traditional students to take classes. They offered everything from a bookstore to a registrar’s office on campus so students wouldn’t have to make the drive to the Langston Campus.
“We had it set up making sure that once they got out from work, we had every avenue for (students) to be able to take courses so that they would still be able to graduate,” Sharp said. “We made sure the students were happy and taken care of, no matter how many different hats we had to wear.”
Dr. Harris’ motto was to meet students where they were and never take anything personally, and she gave that advice to her student teachers as well as her faculty.
She understood that students, the same as everyone, had challenges in their lives outside of class and were sometimes prone to take that out on their teachers. But she also knew she had to look past that in order to assist them, which she was determined to do.
“We’re all works in progress,” Dr. Harris said. “I emphasize that we each have our own individual paths.”
Dr. Harris has always done everything in her power to help students make it to graduation.
Students drop out of college for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes they don’t feel they have time to go to class. Sometimes they can’t afford it. Sometimes they just don’t want to do it anymore. If a student dropped out of LU-Tulsa, Dr. Harris wanted to know why.
She would contact them to follow up on why they chose to leave school. Then she would brainstorm solutions to help them come back.
“She would make those calls, and once she got them here, she would do all the rest of it,” Sharp said. “She was making sure that students were taken care of and just trying to get them to realize that, you know, ‘You’re so close. Don’t lose this.’”
Many students returned to school thanks to Dr. Harris’ efforts, and many other students stayed in school for the same reasons.
Dr. Harris recalled that once, an alumnus whom she hadn’t seen in years walked up to her and abruptly told her that he used to hate her. Unflappable as always, she simply responded, “Oh, you did?” He said he really did.
He told her he used to complain about all the work she made them do in her classes. He didn’t appreciate all the readings, essays and other homework she assigned. It made him resent her during his time as a student.
“And then he said, ‘I just wanted to tell you that I earned my masters,’” Dr. Harris said. “And he told me the program he’d gone through, and he said, ‘If it hadn’t been for you, I would not have made it through that program. And I just wanted to come back and share that with you.’
“That’s the beauty, I think, about Langston University, no matter the campus. There is just a history of balancing those two things of nurturing a student but also having great expectations for those students. ‘LU graduates around the globe serve as leaders, innovators and engaged citizens,’ to quote our vision statement.”
A Lasting Legacy
Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson said Dr. Harris embodies the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., motto: Service to All Mankind.
In 2008, Dr. Harris became the “Gear Up” Program Director and Coordinator for the Department of Psychology at LU-Tulsa. She worked closely with Tulsa Public Schools to design and deliver programs meant to encourage college attendance and completion at Tulsa-area middle and high schools while continuing her work as a professor and the leader of the psychology program in Tulsa.
In 2018, she was appointed Chair of the Department of Psychology for all LU campuses, and in 2019, she became Dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. She has also served, when the need arose, as Acting Dean of University Libraries. Throughout it all, she has continued her efforts to help students learn and make it to graduation.
“Dr. Harris has done a phenomenal job,” President Ruth Ray Jackson said. “Even in her role as Dean, she continues to advise students and to meet with transfer students. Of course, she’s now in a position where she’s solving problems and listening to complaints and concerns from both students and faculty, but she’s consistently energized and ready to meet somebody and help them get to where they want to go.”
Dr. Harris has become known for the positive energy she brings to projects and her willingness to try several routes until she finds the one that will work. Dr. Jackson called her a creative problem solver, and she’s had a lot of experience doing it.
During her 44 years at Langston University, Dr. Harris has tackled lots of challenges, from redesigning curricula to helping develop completely new ones. Although she had almost 40 years of teaching experience, she continued trying out different teaching strategies right up until she taught her last class in 2024. She did it because she knew there was always room for improvement.
Dr. Harris knows Langston University inside and out, and she has made a lasting impact.
“My mother is one of the most encouraging people that I’ve ever known,” Erick said. “She supports you, but there’s a nice edge to her that will push you and encourage you to keep moving forward. And that’s what she’s done at Langston University.”
Throughout her career, Dr. Harris has been the model of a servant-leader, both in her personal and professional life.
Her younger son, Christopher, said he’s grateful to have grown up with Dr. Harris as a role model because she inspires him to try to be a leader in his own industry, noting that he often models his own behavior after her in professional settings. He also recognized that his mother’s career at LU has always gone beyond her job descriptions.
“You recognize the sacrifice almost after the fact,” Christopher said. “She could have had positions and titles that would’ve paid more at other institutions and in other states, but not everything is about financial gain. It’s having us grow up around our grandparents, and from a career perspective, it’s saying that you can have a positive impact on people’s lives and be that role model of what leadership looks like.”
She is a longtime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and Dr. Jackson, a fellow AKA, said Dr. Harris perfectly embodies their sorority’s motto: Service to All Mankind.
Dr. Harris said it’s not hard to find ways to serve because they will usually find you. Now, after four decades of service to Dear Langston, she is finally ready to retire. Her last day will be June 30, though she jokes it will really be “the 12th of never.”
“I’m sure I will (miss teaching),” Dr. Harris said. “But I’m sure that I can find all kinds of creative things to do.
“I say, ‘Don’t look back. You’re not going in that direction.’”
Dr. Harris will retire from Langston University after 44 years of service on June 30.
Langston University is excited to announce an allocation of $10,125,000 from the Oklahoma State Legislature to address deferred maintenance projects across the university in fiscal year 2026. This special allocation is a direct result of the recent Carnegie designation of Research or College University awarded to our institution. The funding will be used to address infrastructure needs at all three LU campuses with a particular focus on the needs of the university’s historic Langston campus.
The Legislature passed Senate Bill 1169, which increases the percentage of Oklahoma Capital Asset Management and Protection (OCAMP) deferred maintenance funding allocated to Langston University by the Oklahoma Legislature. With this funding, the university plans to pursue a number of high-impact projects which are aimed at enhancing the experience for students, faculty, and staff including select HVAC upgrades, plumbing modernizations, and addressing various infrastructure priorities that will improve campus safety, accessibility and operational efficiency.
“The funding will help us make prioritized improvements which are essential to providing our students, faculty and staff with the quality learning, working and living environments they deserve,” President Ruth Ray Jackson said.
Langston University has continually made strategic investments through federal grants and other funding sources to address critical infrastructure needs at the Langston, Tulsa and Oklahoma City campuses. However, many of these necessary improvements take months of planning, must be competitively bid, and the scope of required improvements has consistently exceeded available resources. This increased funding will greatly aid the university as it prepares to take on these high-priority projects.
Last year, the university received $3.5 million to address deferred maintenance projects, $2.5 million of which is earmarked to replace the roof at the LU-Oklahoma City campus.
Langston University appreciates the leadership of the Oklahoma Legislature, Gov. Kevin Stitt, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents for their continued support of higher education infrastructure.
The university is especially grateful to Sen. Chuck Hall, who represents the Langston campus, for his leadership in advancing this legislation. The university also recognizes the broad, bipartisan support from legislators across the state who understand the critical importance of this investment in Oklahoma’s public institutions.
“Langston University is committed to responsibly stewarding these resources to advance our mission and continue serving our students and communities with excellence,” Dr. Jackson said.
At 10 a.m. on a bright and sunny Monday morning less than two weeks into his summer vacation, Tomas was back in the classroom.
The rising junior from Southeastern High School in Oklahoma City listened excitedly as Dr. Lindsay Davis explained the Quiz Bowl rules to a lecture hall full of students from the 2025 Langston University Math and Science Academy. Like many of his fellow Academy students, Tomas was ready to compete for bragging rights in the fast-paced trivia game.
They were split into two teams that rotated in groups of four to compete head-to-head answering questions ranging from pop culture trivia to properly solving math equations. In no time at all, the room was filled with excited shouts and laughter as the students raced to their buzzers, trying to be the first to correctly answer a question and earn points for their team.
“Currently, since we’re learning about the Quiz Bowl, I’m going to try my best to excel in that,” Tomas said. “And just overall, I’m trying to improve my skills and learn new things with my teachers.”
Students play Quiz Bowl at the 2025 Langston University Math and Science Academy.
The Quiz Bowl was just one of many activities these high school students participated in during the Math and Science Academy. For two weeks, the 25 students who made up this year’s cohort lived on LU’s Langston campus and got a taste of what life is like in college. They spent their days learning about math, science and technology and their evenings relaxing and having fun.
The students took classes on public speaking, ACT preparation, math, biology, chemistry and technology. They also went on outings such as touring the E. Kika de la Garza Goat Research Center, a day trip to the Oklahoma Science Museum in Oklahoma City, and a field trip to a water park. In the evenings, there were movie nights and other recreational activities.
“What I especially like here is that while they are giving you work, they’re more into their lessons,” Tomas said. “They’re more into teaching. Like, I have this one teacher, Dr. Abraham, and while in the middle of lectures, if you have questions, he makes sure to answer all of them. That’s really cool because the teachers here invest so much of their time and knowledge into the students that even if you didn’t want to do the work, you’re still going to learn.”
For more than 30 years, Langston University has hosted the Math and Science Academy in the summers to inspire high schoolers to pursue careers in STEM. Dr. Lindsay Davis took over as Summer Camp Director for the Academy three years ago, but long before that, she was a student herself.
As a high schooler in Oklahoma City, Dr. Davis attended the Math and Science Academy every summer. That’s where she first met Dr. John Coleman and Dr. Alonzo Peterson, who were LU faculty members in chemistry and mathematics, respectively. It was the first time she had ever met a Black chemist or a Black mathematician, and it was also the first time she realized those were careers she could pursue if she wished.
Each summer, Dr. Davis was excited to return to the Academy and learn more about math and chemistry until she was finally able to enroll in the Chemistry program at Langston University. She went on to become the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2021 before returning to Langston University as a faculty member working under Dr. Coleman, Interim Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences; and Dr. Peterson, Vice President of Academic Affairs.
“Oftentimes, I tell people that Math and Science Academy is what inspired me to become a chemist,” Dr. Davis said. “Because I’ve been through the program, I understood the impact that it had. So, my goal (as director) was to be very intentional, to plant seeds in the students because it was once a seed planted in me.”
Chloe, a rising junior at Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana, has been inspired to explore new career paths thanks to her time at the Academy.
Before coming to the Academy, Chloe was thinking about becoming either an interior designer or a physical therapist, but she hadn’t made up her mind. The Academy gave her an opportunity to learn more about other fields she hadn’t considered.
In her technology class, she learned about different types of coding and had an opportunity to practice coding on a board while building a smart farm. As someone who loves lotion, one of her favorite activities was making lotion in her chemistry class.
“(The Math and Science Academy) is all about STEM, so it really gives me an inside look into what it’s like,” Chloe said. “The teachers talk about what they do, and the different fields and majors you can go into. You get to do a lot of different things.”
This year, in addition to the traditional academic and social elements of the Academy, Dr. Davis wanted to add professional development and community building elements. She added Intro to Public Speaking to their daily class schedules and brought in faculty and staff members to serve as guest speakers on topics like financial literacy and navigating financial aid in college.
In an effort to be more connected to the local community, this year’s cohort also attended a Memorial Day program at the Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens in the Town of Langston. Later in the week, they completed a service-learning project to help beautify T.G. Green Park in the Town of Langston.
“I think that the Math and Science Academy can help in many ways,” Dr. Davis said. “Not only academically, socially and personally, but we had a chance to get the students into the community and to do some good work.”
Another important element of the camp was preparing students for the ACT.
On their first day, the students took a practice ACT to help give them a baseline from which to start. For some of the students, it was their first time taking an ACT or SAT test. Every day, they attended an ACT preparation class in the mornings, and on the last day of the Academy, they took the official ACT exam.
On average, each student improved by three points from their practice test score.
The opportunity to improve his ACT score was something Tomas was happy about because he’d only taken the test once before the Academy. Improving his score was important to him because he knew he wanted to pursue a career as a forensic chemist, and a good ACT score will help him get into a good program.
Throughout the Academy, though, he learned a lot more than just how to improve his ACT. He was particularly excited to discover a new interest in pathology thanks to his biology class with Dr. Abraham. He learned the difference between epidemiology and pathology, and it’s already changed his perspective on his potential future career.
Experiences like this are part of what allows the Math and Science Academy to have such a profound impact on students, and it’s why Tomas said he encourages other students to apply.
“It was a very good experience,” Tomas said. “This camp is amazing, and it can teach you so many new things. In one week, you learn stuff that it would take regular teachers weeks to teach. It’s just amazing.”
The Math and Science Academy is funded by the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
LANGSTON, Okla.––The Langston University Rehabilitation Counseling Program has been named one of the top 20 graduate rehabilitation counseling programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.
“This national ranking speaks to the quality of our faculty members’ and RRTC staff’s teaching, research and service impacts,” said Dr. Corey Moore, Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies and Executive Director of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC). “Our nationally recognized faculty are indeed enhancing the academic acumen and brand of our programs and department through their strong commitment to the mission. This is truly a team effort.”
Langston University’s Rehabilitation Counseling Program was ranked 18th in the nation, a tie with Kent State University, Northern Illinois University, the University of Alabama, the University of South Florida and Winston Salem State University.
The rehabilitation counseling program was ranked above programs from the University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University, Florida Atlantic University and others.
“I am incredibly proud that Langston University’s Rehabilitation Counseling Program continues to be recognized among the top 20 in the nation and leads as one of the highest-ranked programs among HBCUs,” said Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson. “This prestigious ranking is a testament to the unwavering dedication, expertise, and passion of Dr. Moore, our outstanding faculty, and the entire RRTC team.”
For more information about the Rehabilitation Counseling Program, please visit langston.edu/rehab.
Langston University has been designated a Research College and University by the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education Institutions, one of only 216 institutions nationwide to hold this classification.
“This recognition highlights the hard work and dedication of our researchers, faculty and staff who strive to strengthen the academy,” said Dr. Alonzo Peterson, the Vice President for Academic Affairs. “We have very smart people at Langston University. I am always inspired when I visit the labs or sit down with my colleagues.”
Faculty, staff and students at Langston University conduct research in a variety of areas across multiple disciplines. The university is known internationally for its E. (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research, but it also has research programs for horticulture and agronomy, aquaculture and aquaponics, biotechnology, and agribusiness and rural economic development, to name a few. Notably, the university’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center was renewed for a third 5-year cycle of funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research in late 2023.
Since 1973, the Carnegie Classification has been the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in higher education across the United States. Administered by the American Council on Education (ACE), the Carnegie Classifications are updated every three years and give institutions designations based on their sizes, types of degrees conferred and many other such characteristics.
The amount and types of research conducted at institutions have long been of interest to ACE and the Carnegie Foundation, and the Carnegie Classification traditionally reserved the coveted Research 1 (R1) and Research 2 (R2) designations for doctoral institutions with high research spending. For 2025, the Carnegie Classification has updated its metrics to provide clearer distinctions between R1 and R2 institutions while also adding a third research designation for non-doctoral institutions: Research College and University.
“On average, institutions in this category spend at least $2.5 million annually on research and development,” said President Ruth Ray Jackson. “Langston University’s research expenditures totaled $10,505,000 in fiscal year 2023. This recognition underscores Langston University’s commitment to expanding research excellence and advancing our institutional impact.”
The threshold for an R2 designation is $5 million in research spending annually, which Langston University exceeds, and at least 20 research doctorates awarded annually. Langston University offers one doctoral program, the Doctor of Physical Therapy, which is a professional rather than research doctorate.
There are more than 4,300 higher education institutions in the United States, and of these, 542 institutions received some level of research designation. Seven of these institutions are in Oklahoma and 40 are Historically Black Colleges or Universities. All 19 of the 1890 land-grant institutions, including Langston University, have received a research designation.
