President Ruth Ray Jackson announced Wednesday that Ramunda Lark Young, an entrepreneur, community builder and owner of MahoganyBooks, will serve as the distinguished speaker for the 125th Commencement of Langston University on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in W.E. Anderson Stadium.
A graduate of Langston University and a Tulsa native, Young founded MahoganyBooks with her husband, Derrick. MahoganyBooks is a nationally recognized and award-winning independent bookstore. It’s the premier destination for books written for, by and about people of African descent with physical locations in the historic Anacostia community of Washington, D.C., the National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and most recently, a footprint at National Airport.
At the helm of strategic partnerships, Young is instrumental in building the MahoganyBooks brand and deepening relationships with local and national authors, celebrity writers, corporations and community groups. She is passionate about amplifying Black voices and fostering a love of reading and cultural awareness. As a business leader, Young has grown MahoganyBooks into an essential space for dialogue, education and activism while creating intentional spaces for authors and readers to connect deeply with Black literature.
In addition to her work at MahoganyBooks, Young is a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership and community engagement. Her dedication to service extends to empowering women and entrepreneurs through mentoring and advocacy. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of the DC Public Library Foundation, is an appointed commissioner for the Prince William County Human Rights Commission, and a 2024 Books Across Borders Fellow.
One of Young’s proudest moments was becoming a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She is also an active alumna of her beloved HBCU, Langston University. Known for her astute leadership and authenticity, Young has been featured in various national publications such as ESSENCE, Vanity Fair, Black Enterprise and others. Her honors include Forbes Next 1000 honoree and the Root 100 list of most influential African Americans in the nation. Young continues to inspire change through her commitment to literacy, community and Black culture.
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.
Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson embodied her chosen inauguration week theme, “Rooted in Pride, Rising with Purpose,” as she reflected on the great legacy of Langston University and committed herself to leading the university forward during her Investiture Ceremony on Friday afternoon.
“This day is more than an investiture,” Dr. Jackson said. “It is a reflection of our collective journey and shared purpose.”
The ceremony symbolized the president’s acceptance of the responsibilities and authority of the office, and it marked the official installment of Dr. Jackson as the 17th President of Langston University. It featured a grand processional in academic regalia by LU faculty and guests from visiting institutions, performances from both the LU Concert Band and LU Concert Choir, and congratulatory remarks from community members, elected officials and members of the higher education community.
Dr. Dana Williams, dean of the Graduate School and a professor of African American literature at Howard University, gave the keynote address.
The focal point of the ceremony was when Dr. Jackson took the oath of office and formally assumed the mantle of President of Langston University.
“The symbols of office for the President of Langston University serve as tangible representations of the authority, responsibility and service entrusted to this distinguished role,” said Dr. Alonzo Peterson, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “These symbols connect the legacy of Langston University to its future and reaffirm the enduring principles of leadership and scholarship.”
Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson gives remarks after accepting the Chain of Office and Presidential Mace.
Dr. Jackson accepted the Presidential Chain of Office and Presidential Mace. In accepting these items and taking the oath of office, she promised to uphold and preserve the mission and values of Langston University, to serve with integrity, and to lead with a commitment to academic excellence, student success and innovative research.
She reflected on the legacy and accomplishments of those who came before her, from the townspeople of Langston who raised the money to buy the land and open Langston University to more recent figures like Ada Sipuel Fisher and Clara Luper. Dr. Jackson acknowledged that as a Historically Black College or University, Dear Langston is not just a place where people learn but where they are also equipped to lead. She promised to be a tireless advocate for Langston University and other HBCUs, and she reiterated that her vision for her presidency includes continuous progress and strategic positioning for Langston University’s future.
The Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents appointed Dr. Jackson as president in April 2024 after she served as interim president for a year following the retirement of Dr. Kent Smith, 16th President of Langston University. Dr. Jackson had previously served as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Student Success, and Dean and professor for the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Jackson is the second woman to hold the title of President of Langston University.
“I accept this charge of leadership with deep gratitude and an unshakable resolve,” Dr. Jackson said. “Together, we will rise, we will lead, and we will ensure that Langston University’s legacy endures for generations to come.”
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.
by Kyle Gregory, Langston University Honors Program Coordinator
Langston University’s Quiz Bowl team went to Prairie View A&M and placed third among ten teams at the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) National Qualifying Tournament. Teams came from as far away as Jacksonville, Florida, and Frankfurt, Kentucky, to compete.
Langston University finished ahead of teams from Mississippi Valley State University, Paul Quinn College, Texas College, Edward Waters College, Kentucky State University, Prairie View (B) and Harris-Stowe State University, finishing in the semi-finals with a competitive loss to Prairie View A&M. Their only other loss came to Southern University-Baton Rouge, who ultimately won the tournament.
Langston University’s Quiz Bowl team has participated in national tournaments this season at Murray State, where they became one of the very few HBCUs in the nation to win two games in the National Association of Quiz Tournament’s format, and at the University of Missouri, where they competed in the NAQT Sectional Championship Tournament. They also scrimmaged virtually with Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to gear up for the tournament.
“I’m very impressed with the work that our scholars put in to get to this point,” said Quiz Bowl Coach Kyle Gregory. “Half of our team has only been on our team for a month and a half, and they put together an impressive performance. We had our team captain, Olivia, receive a scholarship to study abroad for the semester and had to replace our captain late in the process after she received that great opportunity.”
National traveling team members include Captain Charles Bennett, a Junior Finance major from Temple, Oklahoma; Yasriyah Saleem, a freshman Nursing major from Stockton, California; Jayden Smith, a freshman Biology major from Muskogee, Oklahoma; and Jaeden Williams, a Health, Physical Education and Recreation major from Dallas. Gregory has coached the Quiz Bowl Team for 11 years and also participated in quiz bowl at Langston University, Arkansas-Little Rock and the University of Oklahoma as a player.
Now the team must wait to hear from the selection committee at College Bowl to see if they are selected for the HCASC National Championship Tournament in Torrance, California. American Honda generously provides up to $404,000 in grant funding annually to qualifying teams.
“The team has put itself in a great position to claim one of the 32 spots to compete in the National Championship Tournament and now we must wait and see if the selection committee sees it the same way,” Gregory said.
Students interested in joining or practicing with the Quiz Bowl team should contact Coach Gregory at kyle.gregory@langston.edu.
HCASC is America’s premier academic competition for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) students. Four-student teams face off in head-to-head competitions and must quickly answer questions about history, science, literature, religion, math, the arts, pop culture and sports. Langston University is one of 61 teams competing for institutional grants from Honda and a spot in the HCASC National Championship Tournament.
Since 1989, Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, one of Honda’s longest-running philanthropic initiatives in the United States, has celebrated and recognized the academic talents of HBCU students. More than $9 million in grants from Honda have provided support for scholarships, facility upgrades and other investments to improve the HBCU student experience. For more information, visit www.hcasc.com.
Langston’s HCASC./Quiz Bowl team has earned over $131,000 in grants for the university from American Honda since the program began in 1989.
By Jet Turner, Assistant Director of Communications
Dr. John Coleman received a call from the fourteenth president of Langston University, Dr. Ernest Holloway, in 1993. Holloway’s gregariousness led their conversation all over the place, but his message was clear: the students at Dear Langston needed additional support.
Coleman left his position as an assistant professor at Hudson Community College in New Jersey after that summer and journeyed back to his home state of Oklahoma. He only planned to stay for a couple of years, but his dedication to helping students be their best kept him on Langston University’s campus. After 32 years of service and mentorship, Coleman will retire at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 academic year.
His career as the Chair of the Department of Chemistry at LU has been dedicated to teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and equally to seeing that students learn to excel in academics and life. His influence can be seen all over the University and, more importantly, in its students.
Beginnings
Coleman grew up around educational excellence in Boley, Oklahoma.
Today, the historically Black town might seem unassuming, but when Coleman was growing up in the 1940s and ’50s, the town was described by Booker T. Washington as the “finest Black town in the world.” Many of the individuals Coleman grew up around had their doctoral degrees or some other form of higher education, including his parents.
Boley’s significance in education parallels no other Black town in the nation, historian Currie Ballard said in a 2017 article by The Oklahoma Eagle.
This meant Coleman was always surrounded by excellent teachers. One of whom was Holloway, his future president, who taught chemistry at Boley Junior High in the 1950s.
“Holloway knew what was happening in Boley and how we got prepared,” Coleman said. “You always have someone who is going to help you. You didn’t have to rely on just your resources at home.”
Community is where Boley found its strength, and Coleman carried that lesson with him throughout his academic career.
Coleman always expected to go to college, and Langston University was a natural choice.
Coleman began his freshman year at Langston University during the 1961-1962 academic year.
He began his freshman term during the 1961-1962 academic year. Buildings like Sanford Hall and Moore Hall still stood proudly where they are today, although their functionality was different from their modern day uses.
During his time at LU, he served as the freshman class president and was a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Even though LU had been around for almost 75 years by the time Coleman graduated in 1965 with his bachelor of science in chemistry and mathematics, students still had to march at the Oklahoma State Capitol every year to fight for the university to remain open. Coleman was an active participant in these efforts.
Just as obtaining his undergraduate degree was expected for Coleman, working toward an advanced degree was a natural next step. He began his PhD in Theoretical Physical Chemistry at the University of Oklahoma in 1972.
OU was still integrating, and undergraduate Black students especially were facing discrimination at the hands of some students and employees. Coleman became a graduate advisor to the Alpha Phi Alpha chapter on campus during this time.
“There were cannons pointed south and all kinds of things going on,” Coleman said. “But we did a lot of things with students to try to help students feel more comfortable. We did a lot of tutoring. We did a lot of whatever, trying to make the students come in and be successful.”
Growing up in a Black town and attending a Historically Black University helped Coleman understand the importance of community. At every opportunity, Coleman shared that community with others.
Coleman graduated from Langston University in 1965.
He earned his PhD in 1976 and concluded his postdoctoral studies at OU in 1978.
Coleman was briefly a researcher at Halliburton Company before traveling east to become an assistant professor at several local institutions. First at Bergen County Community College in Paramus, New Jersey; then at City University of New York, and finally at Hudson Community College, where he received that call from Holloway.
Returning Home
Upon returning to Langston University, Coleman immediately got to work.
Coleman’s years of experience teaching STEM courses provided insights into the problems that frequently impede student learning. He encountered students’ wide-spread practice of what he calls “plug ‘n play.” Plug ’n play is when students use a solved “example” problem as a model and plug in variables from the new problem to find a solution. This bypasses the need to learn and apply core concepts.
Coleman developed and adopted instructional strategies embedded in a process he calls Competency Performance Recording for Learning (CPR-L). His CPR-L teaching and learning process has had a positive impact on student academic performance for his over 30-year career at Langston University and is the basis for how he approaches educating his students.
Dr. Alonzo Peterson, Vice President for Academic Affairs, witnesses Coleman’s commitment to Langston University’s students almost daily. Coleman can often be found on campus until 9 p.m. or later, depending on how many students still need help.
“He’s by far one of the smartest people I know,” Peterson said. “His ideas are very, very innovative. He spends a lot of time with students, hours and hours.
“One of the things I recognize from his tutoring processes is that he doesn’t give students answers. Students may ask, ‘how do you do this?’ and he responds, ‘well, how do you think we do it?’ And then he will go back and talk through the problem for them to solve it, not him. Some people are dispensers of knowledge, he is a facilitator of knowledge.”
In 2003, Coleman received a grant from the National Science Foundation which started Langston’s Integrated Network College (LINC) for STEM program. This program provided scholarships for students in STEM fields and required them to participate in research on campus and across the country. They would then present that research at conferences.
The goal of the LINC program was to produce more minority students in STEM fields who would then earn their doctoral degrees. This program was exceedingly successful.
LINC boasted a 92% graduation rate, with 60% of those students going on to earn graduate degrees. Many of these were earned at major universities that include Vanderbilt, University of Kansas, University of Texas, Baylor University, Johns Hopkins and more.
The students’ participation in summer research internships at institutions that include Johns Hopkins, University of Texas, Stanford, Cal Tech, University of California at Berkley, University of Oklahoma and more. Their research work generated over 300 Abstracts. Their participation in competitive research presentation events throughout the U.S. earned over 50 top awards.
These STEM professionals now hold prominent positions in both industry and education, including achieving success as entrepreneurs.
According to RTI International, of the STEM PhDs awarded in the U.S. in 2021, 5% went to Black scientists, even though the U.S. population is 12% Black, showing the disparity in the field.
Coleman was also encouraging students to stick with the STEM field, even if they did not think it would be for them.
Dr. Ryan Johnson, a former chemistry major and now professor at Langston University, was one of these students.
When Johnson began attending LU in the early 2010s, he was not interested in attending college, much less becoming a chemist. Even though he showed up to Dear Langston as an undeclared major, a mistake in the system had him listed as a chemistry major.
Wanting to change his major, Johnson was told to speak with Coleman before deciding.
That one conversation changed his life.
“He convinced me to stay,” Johnson said. “He told me I was doing well in my other STEM classes, and I was on track to take Chem I anyway. I took it the following semester and ended up staying with chemistry. Kind of weird, right? How those little conversations can change the trajectory of your life.”
As part of the LINC program, students had to at least apply for graduate schools as their undergraduate degrees concluded. Johnson had no intention of earning his doctorate, but another conversation with Coleman convinced him to apply to Louisiana State University, one of the leading producers of doctoral-prepared Black chemists in the nation.
Coleman was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. during his time at Langston University.
Innovation was another one of Coleman’s missions in the classroom.
Coleman was an early adopter of integrating technology into the classroom at Langston University, something that stood out to Dr. Byron Quinn when he was being taught by Coleman at Langston University.
“Even back in the early ’90s, at the beginning, he was at the forefront of this,” Quinn said. “He was working with really the first iteration, first generation, of tablets and PCs in the classroom, so that students could write and do homework on them and digitally turn them in.”
But Coleman’s impact is much farther reaching than the borders of Langston University’s campus.
About a year after his return to teaching at LU, Coleman set out to build strong science and math foundations when he received a grant to establishthe Langston University Summer Math and Science Academy.
It was here, when she was 14 years old, Dr. Lindsay Davis met a Black chemist for the first time in her life.
She hated chemistry.
“It was the hardest thing ever,” Davis said. “But Dr. Coleman had such an eloquent way of communicating chemistry. And so, by the end of that camp, I knew I wanted to be a chemist.”
She attended the Math and Science Academy many more summers after that. Her familiarity with the campus, its scholarship opportunities and its faculty led Davis to enroll at Langston University.
She took her first class with Coleman, Organic Chemistry, her sophomore year. It is still the most difficult course she has ever taken.
More than a third of black STEM PhD holders earn their undergraduate degrees at HBCUs according to American Institutes for Research.
But Coleman’s student-centric approach helped her through the class. She took three more classes with him throughout her time at LU and, after graduating, like so many of his students, was convinced by Coleman to pursue her doctoral degree.
“That took a lot of convincing, and there were a few mechanisms that helped me to go off and produce my PhD,” Davis said. “But Dr. Coleman being the first chemist I ever met inspired me to get a PhD.
“When you are able to see the representation in front of you, I think it either consciously or subconsciously inspires you.”
Because of Coleman’s influence, in 2021 Davis went on to become the first Black chemist to graduate with their PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Legacy
Johnson, Quinn and Davis are just a handful of the students Coleman not only encouraged to go and earn their doctoral degrees, but to come back and teach at Langston University.
Quinn is currently the Chair of the Biology Department at Langston University, working closely with Coleman each day and utilizing the lessons he learned in using technology in the classroom to instruct his students and conduct world-renowned research.
Johnson just returned to Langston University as a professor in the chemistry department and is now providing the same mentorship, guidance and expectations Coleman gave to him as a student.
Coleman was voted “Most Intellectual” in 1965 alongside Louvenia Stidham.
Davis is not only a professor in the chemistry department but also leads the Math and Science Academy at Langston University, bringing her journey full circle. Now, she gets to be the same inspiration to the students who attend each summer that Coleman was to her as a teenager. She may even be the first Black chemist some of them meet.
“I hope I even have (a legacy),” Coleman laughed.
But his legacy is unmistakable. Coleman has built his own community of educational excellence at Langston University, in the STEM field and across the world.
His mission has been to ensure Dear Langston’s students have the support they need to lay the foundation for a brighter future. Now, Coleman gets to wrap up his career as the Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, where he is still buildingprograms and methods that will lay firm foundations and help educate students for the long term.
Langston University President Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, who formerly served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs, has seen the impact of Coleman’s time at LU. She said regardless of his position, he has intentionally remained engaged with his students, ensuring they are well-prepared when they leave Langston University.
“I think that his lasting legacy really is his quest for knowledge, not just for himself, but for his students.
Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson comes from a military family, and she knows first-hand that military service is “a Family Affair.”
As the keynote speaker at the Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens’ annual Veterans Day Program on Monday, Dr. Jackson spoke about her own experience as the daughter and wife of veterans, an experience which tied into this year’s chosen theme: “A Legacy of Loyalty and Service – It’s a Family Affair.”
“This year’s theme speaks to the special role of military families,” Dr. Jackson said. “It is not just the soldier, sailor, airman or marine who serves—it is also the parents, siblings, spouses and children who endure separation, uncertainty and sometimes heartbreaking loss. These families teach us what resilience looks like.”
After thanking veterans and their families for their service, Dr. Jackson reflected on the role of African American veterans in the United States. Many African American service members, like the Buffalo Soldiers and Tuskegee Airmen, served their country valiantly despite the discrimination they faced. Many Langston University students, faculty, staff and alumni have been among them.
President Ruth Ray Jackson (left) and Gardens Founder Stewart Williams signed a two-year renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between Langston University and Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens during the Veterans Day Program on Monday.
“Their contributions remind us that the American story is incomplete without acknowledging the courage and sacrifices of African Americans in uniform,” Dr. Jackson said.
After her keynote address, Dr. Jackson and Gardens Founder Stewart Williams signed a two-year renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Langston University and Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens.
The original MOU, signed on Veterans Day 2023, solidified a formal partnership between the institutions to develop services and programs for veterans while opening the door for LU students to participate in volunteer projects and internship opportunities. The new MOU signing extended the collaborative effort to honor and support veterans through 2026.
In addition to the MOU signing, the Veterans Day program included performances from the LU Concert Choir, presentations from community members about their families’ military service, and recognition for Purple Heart recipients Rev. Dr. Douglas C. Robinson from Oklahoma City and Mr. Earnest H. Moore from Langston.
Dr. Clyde Montgomery, Jr., a retired Langston University professor and academic leader, was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the University of Central Oklahoma on Monday evening.
Dr. Montgomery was one of 11 inductees honored at the 30th annual Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame Banquet.
A dedicated servant to Dear Langston, Dr. Montgomery held many titles at the university over his 47-year tenure before he retired as the Vice President of Academic Affairs in 2019. His academic leadership had a significant impact in the STEM fields, created several important partnerships, secured accreditations and initiated programs that focused on professional development.
President Ruth Ray Jackson (left) said Dr. Clyde Montgomery, Jr., (center) was committed to academic excellence and institutional advancement during his time at LU. Dr. Jackson succeeded Dr. Montgomery in his role as Vice President for Academic Affairs when he retired in 2019, and Dr. Alonzo Peterson (right) now serves in the position.
“Over the course of 47 years of distinguished service to Langston University, Dr. Montgomery has made an enduring impact on the institution,” said Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, President of Langston University. “Throughout his tenure and regardless of his position, he exemplified an unwavering commitment to academic excellence, student achievement and institutional advancement. Dr. Montgomery served as a role model to numerous students, faculty, and staff. His dedication to developing future leaders in higher education is truly exceptional, and I am personally grateful for the invaluable professional guidance he has extended to me.”
Under Dr. Montgomery’s leadership, Langston University secured more than $6 million for state and national grant-funded projects, which led to an increase in LU students who pursued graduate degrees in chemistry and biology among other positive outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Montgomery helped forge partnerships with various institutions that greatly benefitted both Langston University students and Oklahoma high school students, such as his collaboration with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to create a Math and Science Academy.
Dr. Montgomery, in an endeavor that ultimately saved the university thousands of dollars, pioneered the university’s implementation of technology throughout campus. He also instituted several professional development programs for faculty and instructors.
Dr. Montgomery accomplished all this while also serving in the United States Army and Army Reserves for 30 years.
Langston University and Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) signed an education affiliation agreement on Thursday to establish the Early Assurance Program, which will create two pathways for Langston students to attend ACHE to study occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Through the new program, LU students who meet ACHE’s general and program-specific admission requirements can choose to follow one of two paths into either the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OT) program or the Doctor of Physical Therapy (PT) program. The first pathway will guarantee a student’s placement in their program of choice while the second pathway will allow students to bypass ACHE’s initial screening process and receive a guaranteed interview for their program of choice.
“It’s so important to us that we create opportunities for our students and that when they’re here they are getting the content knowledge, the professional competency, and the personal confidence to go out and be able to evaluate options,” said Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, President of Langston University. “Our mission is rooted in access and opportunity. We believe that this kind of partnership promotes what we were founded to do.
“The students who are here seem to have a drive that is rooted in purpose, so finding careers where they can improve the lives of other people, make the world a better place, it’s just something that I have found to be synonymous with the Langston experience. If you’re fortunate enough to receive some of our students, you’ll get to see that too.”
LU juniors can apply for the Early Assurance Program through the Office of Academic Affairs. If accepted into the program, students must complete all pre-requisite courses for the OT or PT programs and enroll at ACHE within two years.
Students pursuing the guaranteed placement pathway, in addition to meeting all admissions requirements, must also participate in the ACHE Mentoring and Achievement Preparation Program (MAP). This program, established in 2023 by the ACHE School of Occupational Therapy, School of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences Admissions and the Office of Diversity, is designed to educate, encourage, equip and engage diverse students from underrepresented and underserved populations considering careers in occupational therapy or physical therapy.
Students pursuing the guaranteed interview pathway must meet all ACHE admissions requirements for their given program, which can be found on the ACHE website.
“As Dean of the School of Occupational Therapy at Arkansas College of Health Education, I am thrilled for this relationship between Langston University and Arkansas College of Health Education,” Dr. Jennifer Moore said. “I have come to understand more and more in working with Langston the kind of students they have. The student from Langston has a sense of purpose, and a desire to serve their communities and to serve others, and that’s exactly the kind of student we’re looking for, and it fits our mission.
“To see that these two institutions are now collaborating is just going to be added value on both sides and frankly, I am thrilled to think about the caliber of students that Langston is going to give us in our program because it will only strengthen the School of Occupational Therapy. It will strengthen the profession of Occupational Therapy, and it will be of great value to those they serve.”
Students in the Langston University School of Nursing and Health Professions participated in white coat ceremonies at the university’s Tulsa and Langston campuses last week, officially completing an honored rite of passage for medical professionals.
The School of Nursing and Health Professions held two white coat ceremonies, one in Tulsa on Tuesday evening and one in Langston on Thursday evening. The students’ families and friends came from all over Oklahoma, the United States, and even from as far as the Bahamas to attend the ceremonies.
“The white coat ceremony is an important rite of passage for these students,” Dr. Teressa Hunter, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, said during Thursday’s ceremony. “They are entering into a profession––this is not a career, it is a profession––and the goal is, in two years, we will all be back here to celebrate their pinning.”
Students from the Langston University – Langston Campus received their white coats Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024.
A white coat ceremony is a rite of passage for students entering medical professions, such as nursing. The School of Nursing and Health Professions holds white coat ceremonies when students begin their clinical studies in their junior year. Students recite an oath to acknowledge medicine’s central obligation of caring for patients and are given their white coats. White coat ceremonies are common practice throughout the United States and in 19 countries.
Thirteen students received their white coats at the LU-Tulsa ceremony on Tuesday, and 25 students received their white coats at the Langston campus ceremony on Thursday.
The School of Nursing and Health Professions offers an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at the Langston and Tulsa campuses as well as the Ardmore Site. Additionally, the School offers an online RN to BSN program. LU’s nursing programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, and the nursing program has been accredited since 1987.
The online RN to BSN program is accepting applications for the fall semester through Sept. 30. The Tulsa and Ardmore sites will accept applications for Spring 2025 admission to the BSN program until Oct. 15. For more information, visit langston.edu.
