Category: Oklahoma City Campus

Dr. Corey Moore headshot

Langston University Awarded U.S. Department of Education-Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services Grant Totaling $1.25 Million to Prepare Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Mental Disabilities

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OKLAHOMA CITY––Langston University, Oklahoma’s only historically Black college or university, has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Servies (OSERS) to establish a new specialized course of study to prepare personnel to serve school-age children with mental disabilities.

The grant, which will total $1.25 million over five years, will be used to establish the “School-to-Work: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Mental Disabilities (STW-SACMD)” track within the university’s existing CACREP accredited Master’s of Science Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling Program. Dr. Corey L. Moore, a professor in and the founding chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, will serve as Project Director for this grant.

Moore is also the Principal Investigator at the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities (LU-RRTC) and Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Advancing Employment Equity for Multiply Marginalized People with Disabilities (LU-2ERRTC).

“This initiative is important to the field of disability and employment as it affords our program the opportunity to train and prepare our students for rehabilitation positions that serve school-age children with mental disabilities from minority backgrounds to achieve a smoother transition from the secondary grade school system to the world of work,” Moore said.

The STW-SACMD project presents an exceptional approach to student development through LU’s partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, Tulsa Public Schools and other local education agencies in Oklahoma.

Significant attention will be devoted to cross-fertilizing STW-SACMD and on-going LU-RRTC and LU-2ERRTC trainings, including with webinars and community of practices, to increase students’ knowledge about the delivery of transition and mental health services to school-age children with mental disabilities from minority backgrounds. The goal is to increase the supply of fully credentialed rehabilitation and mental health professionals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds available for employment in local educational and/or rehabilitation agencies.

The grant will pay for tuition and fees and will provide a living stipend for 36 students in the Rehabilitation Counseling Program, which was ranked #19 and highest across all HBCUs by the U.S. News & World Report in the publication’s 2023 rankings of Rehabilitation Counseling Programs in America.

“I am immensely proud of the continued success of Dr. Moore and scholars within Langston University’s Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies,” said Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, President of Langston University. “This $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education is further evidence of the impact of their work in preparing our students for success and addressing needs across underserved communities.

“This significant investment supports our institutional priorities of offering quality academic programs, engaging in purposeful partnerships, and ensuring access to education for all.”

This OSERS priority (ALN 84.325M) focuses on personnel preparation of special education, early intervention, and related services personnel at HBCUs, Tribally controlled colleges and universities, and other minority-serving Institutions under focus area (B)- preparing personnel to serve school-age children with disabilities.

The funded STW-SACMD initiative at LU is in direct response to identified needs related to personnel development issues and demands and the improvement of services and results for school-age children with mental disabilities, especially those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, including those who are multilingual.

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Langston University urban campuses to commemorate 45 years with celebratory luncheons

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Purchase Tickets for the LU-Oklahoma City Luncheon
Purchase Tickets for the LU-Tulsa Luncheon
The Langston University urban campuses located in Oklahoma City and Tulsa will commemorate their 45-year anniversaries this June with celebratory luncheons.
These celebrations will honor the hard work done by the faculty, staff and site administrators at these campuses to provide quality educational opportunities for students in Oklahoma City and Tulsa since 1979. They will also serve as fundraisers to support the campuses as they continue to promote excellence in higher education and research in Oklahoma.
In January 2023, Griffin Media made the largest corporate donation in Langston University history when it gifted the university its KWTV News 9 building located at 7401 N. Kelley Ave. in Oklahoma City. The building has become the new home of the LU-OKC campus and a focal point for the Broadcast Journalism program.
In March 2023, the LU-Tulsa campus held the grand opening for the new Tulsa Allied Health Facility. The 17,000-square-foot building, home to the School of Nursing and Health Professions in Tulsa, includes simulation labs with mannikins powered by artificial intelligence, spacious classrooms, a lecture hall, conference and meeting rooms, and department and administrative office spaces.
These recent additions to each of the LU urban campuses reflect the university’s efforts to expand its footprint and impact in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and the state as a whole.
LU-OKC will celebrate its 45-year anniversary with a luncheon in the Embassy Suites OKC Northwest on June 6. The deadline to purchase tickets is May 30. Tickets can be purchased for $45 at bit.ly/LUOKC45.
LU-Tulsa will celebrate its 45-year anniversary with a luncheon in the Doubletree by Hilton in Downtown Tulsa on June 13. The deadline to purchase tickets is June 6. Tickets can be purchased for $45 at bit.ly/LUTulsa45.
Dr Corey Moore headshot

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY AWARDED $4.375 MILLION NATIONAL GRANT FOR REHABILITATION RESEARCH CENTER

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by Dr. Corey Moore, Founding Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University has been awarded a $4.375 million grant for its Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NDILRR).

The grant, which will total $4.375 million over 5 years, extends a third cycle of funding from the NDILRR Administration for Community Living which is intended to help minority-serving institutions build research capacity and study rehabilitation disparities. Dr. Corey Moore, the founding chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at Langston, will serve as principal investigator and director for the grant.

“This national RRTC positions LU as the foremost national leader on the frontier of cutting-edge disability and rehabilitation research capacity building at minority-serving institutions and minority disability and rehabilitation research,” Dr. Moore said. “This center will provide Langston University a national avenue to mentor faculty members and students and provide technical assistance to research support systems to enhance scientific abilities and opportunities and access to federal research dollars at historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions.”

The award involves a consortium of researchers and mentors at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, the Kessler Foundation, and South Carolina State University. Other collaborators who will work with the LU-RRTC in carrying out activities include the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Delaware Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program and the Association of University Centers of Disabilities. The goal is to build minority-serving institutions’ disability and rehabilitation research capacity through research participation that examines the experiences and outcomes of people with disabilities from traditionally underserved populations, such as African Americans/Blacks, Native Americans or Alaska Natives, Latinx, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

One of the key studies will be carried out in partnership with the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston and will involve a mentorship component with a new institutional Research Capacity Building and Infrastructure Model. This model aims to build the disability and rehabilitation research skills of both faculty members and students as well as the institution’s overall capacity for research. The RRTC will match select minority-serving institutional faculty and students with peer mentors and will link institutional research support systems with key consultants to build the center’s capacity.

The RRTC will also work with providers such as the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services and the Delaware Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program to assess the feasibility of a cultural competence in Employment Support Training Model for providers serving people with disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations with co-occurring opioid and/or substance use disorder.

“Langston University is proud to advance the NIDILRR’s mission of generating knowledge used to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities,” said Langston University Interim President Ruth Ray Jackson. “The RRTC advances our institutional focus on access and opportunity for all people.”

The RRTC’s grant fund coordinated, integrated and advanced programs of research, training, and information dissemination in topical areas specified by the NIDILRR. These centers conduct research to improve rehabilitation methodology and service delivery systems as well as improve health and functioning while also promoting employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY RECEIVES GRANT FROM INASMUCH FOUNDATION

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By Langston University Office of Public Relations

LANGSTON, Okla. – Inasmuch Foundation has awarded Langston University a $200,000 grant for its “Forward Together Project,” a solutions-based media initiative designed to bring the historically rich and diverse communities within and surrounding its Langston, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City campuses.

Langston University is a historically black institution founded in 1897. With an enrollment of approximately 2,000, Langston University is the only HBCU in Oklahoma; and its core mission is education for service.
That dedication to service is at the heart of the Forward Together Project.

The history of Oklahoma, particularly the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, is well documented, and its impact continues to be palpable, influencing perceptions, relationships and interactions among locals and people far beyond the region.

Through storytelling, social media tools, engagement analytics and community forums; Langston University’s Broadcast Journalism program, known for award-winning student work, will house the Forward Together Project. Students under the direction of professional journalists and professors will provide a collaborative platform for residents and civic leaders who, while ever mindful of the painful scars of the Oklahoma’s past, are inspiring hope and changing the narrative.

“We are immensely proud of the accomplishments of our students and our faculty. This generous gift will allow them to utilize their talents and training to advance this important work,” said Langston University President Kent J. Smith, Jr.

Inasmuch Foundation, based in Oklahoma City, champions journalism, education, human services, and community to improve the quality of life for Oklahomans. Founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord in 1982, The Foundation has funded programs and initiatives at several other universities, and this is the first project Inasmuch Foundation has funded at Langston University.

“The Forward Together Project will provide first-hand professional opportunities to Langston University journalism students,” said Robert J. Ross, Inasmuch Foundation Chairman and CEO. “Forward Together will produce impactful stories and showcase the beginning of a talent pipeline of Black Oklahoma journalists.”

Production on the project is expected to begin immediately, with the first stories expected to air sometime in mid-2023. Langston University is planning a community engagement event for early 2023 to solicit ideas for future projects.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES LARGEST CORPORATE GIFT IN UNIVERSITY HISTORY, NEW HOME OF JOURNALISM

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By Jet Turner, Langston University Public Relations

 

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University announced at its 17th Annual President’s Student Scholarship Gala that Griffin Media has made the largest corporate donation in university history, gifting the university its KWTV News 9 building located at 7401 N. Kelley Ave. Langston University takes possession of the building in January 2023.

President and CEO of Griffin Media David Griffin said the company was working to bring new, advanced technology and sets to the newscast. Installing new equipment in their current building would tie them to the location for the next 15 years. Griffin Media had another goal in mind, that is to plant its flag in downtown Oklahoma City.

This left Griffin with a dilemma: What would the company do with its existing home of more than seventy years?

“If we abandon this building there is going to be a hole in this community, and we just did not want to leave this community alone,” Griffin said. “So, we went on a search to see how we could be a part of something bigger than ourselves. And then it just dawned on me, Langston has a journalism program.”

The gift totals over $10 million, and includes the building, the surrounding land, all the existing equipment used for the News 9 newscast, every table and chair, the computers, the fiberoptic cabling and more. The site will also be home to the Center for Media and Community Advancement at Langston University funded in part with a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation.

Langston University President Kent J. Smith, Jr. said this gift will not only impact our journalism program, but it will also impact the entire university community.

“There is an entire business behind news production. From computer technology to marketing and sales, our students will have the benefit of learning here. Now we can think of Oklahoma City and our Oklahoma City campus in an entirely different realm that we could not imagine before,” Smith said.

This gift will revolutionize how Oklahoma’s only HBCU produces new journalists and will impact every aspect of the profession.

Griffin Media has committed to a long-term unprecedented partnership with Langston University. News 9’s on-air and behind-the-scenes talent will teach classes, mentor students and provide opportunities for LU students to learn from them on state-of-the-art equipment.

“If you’re looking for something to believe in that will fundamentally change not only Langston University but journalism as a whole there is no doubt in my mind that this is it,” Smith said. “If you cannot get excited about that I do not know what gets you excited.”

LU student after donating blood

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY HOLDS RED CROSS SICKLE CELL AWARENESS BLOOD DRIVES ON ALL CAMPUSES APRIL 5

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DONORS WILL RECEIVE A COMMEMORATIVE T-SHIRT COURTESY OF ONEOK.

TULSA, Okla. – Langston University and the American Red Cross announce Sickle Cell Awareness blood drives on April 5 at their Langston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses. The blood drives are being sponsored by ONEOK. “I’m blessed to work with three great institutions, and I saw this as an opportunity to partner together to help address the need for donations of rare blood types – in particular those needed to help treat sickle cell disease,” said Mike Clark, Vice President, Controller – Natural Gas Liquids, for ONEOK.Right now, the Red Cross is asking for your help to address a critical need for African American and Black blood donors. African American and Black blood donors have a unique ability to help sickle cell patients and support the health of their community.

Red Cross blood drive cancellations – mostly due to the pandemic – have significantly impacted the ability to collect lifesaving blood donations from the Black community. Unfortunately, disproportionately high COVID-19 infection rates, hospitalization and fatalities within Black communities have deterred many donors from giving, and the cancellation of drives at educational institutions and businesses where most of these individuals give has made the problem worse. Despite the steep decline in blood donations from African American and Black blood donors, the need for blood products for patients with sickle cell disease has remained relatively steady.

“We are very excited to be partnering with the American Red Cross and ONEOK for this historic multi-campus blood drive event,” said Joshua Busby, Dean of Students, Langston University. “The importance of hosting this event at an HBCU is significant because we have a direct reach to the communities of color. We know that Sickle Cell Disease impacts those communities at a higher rate, and the type of outreach we can provide is important.”

Donors of all blood types are encouraged to donate blood Monday, April 5, to help save lives. All those coming to give at any of the April 5 Langston University blood drives will receive a commemorative T-shirt courtesy of ONEOK, while supplies last.

• Langston Campus | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Multipurpose Building Gym

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

• Langston Tulsa | 2:30 – 7:30 PM | Classroom 207 & 208

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

• Langston OKC | 2:30 – 7:30 PM | Atrium

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Sickle cell disease is the most common blood disorder in the U.S. and impacts about 100,000 people, most of which are of African or Latino descent. Blood transfusions from Black donors help to provide a lifesaving treatment for patients during a sickle cell crisis by increasing the number of normal red blood cells in the body and helps deliver oxygen throughout the body and unblock blood vessels.

Blood transfused to patients with rare blood types, like those with sickle cell disease, must be matched very closely to reduce the risk of complications, and these patients are more likely to find a compatible blood match from a blood donor of the same race or similar ethnicity. A single sickle cell patient can require multiple blood transfusions per year throughout their lifetime to treat complications from sickle cell disease.

HEALTH INSIGHTS FOR OUR DONORS

The Red Cross is testing blood, donations for COVID-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether they developed symptoms. Testing may also identify the presence of antibodies developed after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Plasma from routine blood donations that test positive for high levels of antibodies may be used as convalescent plasma to meet potential future needs of COVID-19 patients. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood product collected from COVID-19 survivors who have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus.

The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with COVID-19 postpone donation.

At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross is also screening all blood donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease.

Donors can expect to receive antibody test and sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

BLOOD DRIVE SAFETY

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face masks for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

ABOUT BLOOD DONATION

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit  RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.

For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

NEW LANGSTON UNIVERSITY STUDY AIMS TO IMPROVE STATE AGENCIES SERVICE TO MINORITY IMMIGRANTS

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LANGSTON, Okla. – The Langston University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-­RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities released findings that will help state and federal agencies better predict and adapt to changing needs of minority immigrants.

Dr. Corey Moore, professor and chairman of the Langston University’s Department of Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Studies (DRCDS) led a study comparing two forecast models to judge their accuracy in predicting minority immigration trends. The results provided a superior model that will be used in further studies.

The next step will be to use these findings to guide the future direction of larger studies,” Moore said. “One of which is currently examining vocational rehabilitation agencies’ perspectives capacity to serve minority legal permanent residents and new U.S. Citizens.

The study conducted by Moore and Dr. Ningning Wang, which was recently published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, extracted nine years of case record data from the Rehabilitation Services Administration and then sampled through both forecast models to test performance.

Langston University’s DRCDS administers three different academic serving programs and the LU-­‐‑RRTC. The Department averages an annual student enrollment of about 120 students. The academic units include graduate programs in Rehabilitation Counseling and Visual Rehabilitation Services, (Orientation and Mobility [O&M] and Rehabilitation Teaching) and an undergraduate Rehabilitation Services Program. The Rehabilitation Counseling Program is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) and helps prepare students to become certified rehabilitation counselors.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY PARTNERS WITH MILLWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University is pleased to announce the recent relocation of its Oklahoma City campus. Langston University’s Oklahoma City campus has moved to a new location that formerly housed the Millwood Arts Academy and summer classes are in session. The partnership between Langston University and Millwood Public Schools will enable both institutions to provide greater outreach and higher education opportunities to citizens in the surrounding communities.

“The campus relocation is a result of the University’s desire to position our LU-OKC campus for future growth and curricular development. In doing so, Langston University is uniquely suited to offer greater opportunities for degree attainment to the residents of OKC and surrounding communities. As an added benefit of the relocation, we were able to double our instructional space and realize significant cost-savings for the University. The new campus location is leased to the University at approximately 60 percent of the previous facility cost,” said Dr. Kent J. Smith, Jr., President of Langston University.

The move is a culmination of collaborative efforts among President Kent J. Smith, Jr., Alice Strong Simmons, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for LU-OKC, and Cecelia Robinson Woods, Superintendent of Millwood Public Schools. Both the Oklahoma Board of Regents for the Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges and the Millwood School Board have approved the campus relocation.

“I am eager to partner with Langston University, as they have a long-standing history of producing scholars and outstanding alumni prepared to compete in the global market. This partnership will expose our students to a higher education environment beginning in pre-kindergarten through their senior year of high school, said Cecelia Robinson Woods, Superintendent of Millwood Public Schools.

There are many benefits to this move which include alignment with the University’s strategic goals to provide higher education access to more students, the ability to educate a larger student population and meeting the changing workforce demands in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

“We are very proud of this partnership as there are not many school districts and universities that can boast of this type of collaboration. Through this non-traditional adult learning environment, we can provide convenience and attainability of degree programs to parents and teachers of Millwood Public Schools. Furthermore, the partnership allows us to provide early exposure to higher education for children,” said Alice Strong Simmons, Associate Vice President of the Langston University Oklahoma City campus.

The LU-OKC campus is now located at 6700 N. Martin Luther King Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111.

Langston University is a public historically black college enrolling a close-knit community of under 4,000 students. Founded in 1897, LU is located in rural Logan County just 10 miles east of Guthrie and 42 miles from Oklahoma City. LU was recently recognized as a top institution of higher learning for affordability, ranking number three among all Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S., according to AffordableSchools.net. Langston offers over 40 associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs across six academic colleges. Visit us online at http://www.langston.edu.

LU OFFERS REACH HIGHER CAREER ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKING ADULTS

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Langston University Oklahoma City campus (LU-OKC) participates in the Reach Higher degree completion program. Reach Higher is Oklahoma’s flexible and affordable program that is designed for working adults looking to complete a bachelor’s degree.

LU-OKC offers a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational leadership through an accelerated program. The curriculum consists of skills and theories regarding organizational behavior, ethics, interpersonal skills, management, finance and communication skills.

“This degree prepares students for success in government, nonprofit, corporate and industrial careers. It has been designed to provide the skills needed in Oklahoma’s workforce and will continue to build leaders to drive our economy,” said Alice Strong Simmons, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at Langston University.

Students must have previously earned at least 72 college credit hours from another college and must have also completed general education requirements. It is free to apply and does not require an application fee. The Reach Higher bachelor’s program provides on-campus and online class options, eight-week classes and five enrollment periods per year. The second session for the 2016 spring semester begins March 11, 2016. To learn more about the program and requirements, please visit http://www.langston.edu/okc/adult-students/reach-higher.

Contact LU-OKC today to make an appointment with an advisor to review your college transcripts and determine which course of study is right for you. To arrange a personal visit, please call T’Nisha Law at (405) 530-7500. LU-OKC is located in Oklahoma City at 4205 N. Lincoln Boulevard.

Founded in 1897, Langston University boasts three campuses located in Langston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The University offers more than 38 degree programs, including five masters degrees and one doctoral program. To learn more, please visit the Langston University website at http://www.langston.edu.

Mrs. Alice Strong Simmons, Dr. Ricco Wright, and Mr. Desmond Harvey

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ARE COMING HOME

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University announced that three alumni were chosen for new administrative and faculty appointments for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Ricco Wright, Ed. D., was named assistant professor of Mathematics in the School of Arts & Sciences at the Langston campus. Wright started teaching at the university this past August. His efforts in his first semester have already had a positive impact on the campus community.

“On a personal level, I plan to keep my students engaged all semester, make a difference in their lives, and enjoy my first year as an assistant professor of mathematics at my alma mater,” Wright said.

“On a professional level, I plan to increase the number of mathematics majors at Langston by recruiting at least three freshmen to join the Mathematics Club and by serving as their advisor this academic year,” Wright said.

It is also his goal to increase the intellectual campus climate by starting a book club on campus called Bibliophilism, by participating in monthly dialogues in the Harrison Library, and by giving talks on campus about different topics ranging from philosophy to literature to politics to music.

He is dedicated to making things better than when he came to the university and makes it his goal to continuously become more active in the fields of mathematics and mathematics education. Prior to LU, Wright taught mathematics at two universities in New York City. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Langston University in 2004 and a Doctorate in Mathematics Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2014.

Desmond Harvey was appointed as the new director of Student Life at the Langston campus.

“I am looking forward to returning to my alma mater,” Harvey said.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and graduated with honors from Langston University in 2006.

“During my first year as Director of Student Life, I plan to learn more about the student organizations, programs, and events that are hosted through the Office of Student Life, while establishing a relationship with the student leaders on campus,” he said.

Prior to Langston, he was the coordinator of prospective student services in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology for one year at Oklahoma State University. Before that, he served as an academic advisor, Coordinator of the Multicultural Engineering Program, Coordinator of African American Affairs, and Coordinator of Prospective Student Services for two years at Oklahoma State University.

Alice Strong-Simmons was appointed as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Oklahoma City campus. Coming from a long line of teaching professionals, Strong-Simmons describes herself as an “educator at heart.” As a trained educator, she was Director of Child Development and Adjunct Professor at Langston University.
She currently serves as Central Area Director of The Links, Incorporated and holds life memberships in the Langston University National Alumni Association and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Strong-Simmons prides herself on being a “Country Girl” whom God has endowed with an extraordinary passion for Langston University and its students, and working to assure the best education possible for the youth and children of the Great State of Oklahoma. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Langston University and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma.

Langston University President, Kent J. Smith, Jr., is confident that the experience and expertise these new appointments will bring to the roles will serve our students in and out of the classroom.

“As Langston University continues to blossom, it is vital we have the right leadership in place,” Dr. Smith said.

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including five masters’ degrees and one doctoral program. For more information about Langston University giving please contact the LU Foundation Office at (405) 466-3482.