Category: Langston University

NASA OKLAHOMA EPSCOR AWARDS LU SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE WITH STEM RESEARCH GRANT

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

NASA Oklahoma EPSCoR awarded $36,000 to Langston professor, Randy Hunt, Ph. D. and the School of Education and Behavioral Science to produce effective, informed, and reflective future STEM scientists capable of independent practice and professional growth in college STEM programs.

The grant entitled, “Investing in STEM Student Diversity through NASA Ames Astrobiology Mentoring Modeling: Chemistry, Mathematical, and Computer Models” is a response to increase student diversity in Astrobiology knowledge for 15 STEM college students. Hunt serves as the faculty mentor and will mentor the Astrobiology students and develop ongoing relationships with its STEM mentors and partners.

“We are grateful for the financial support of STEM research at Langston University and look forward to sharing the results next year,” said Hunt.

Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 masters degrees and one doctoral program. Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Among 2,400 teacher preparation programs, Langston University’s elementary program ranks number one among all HBCU’s and in the top ten for its secondary (middle and high school) programs by the National Council on teacher quality. To learn more about the School of Education & Behavioral Sciences, visit http://www.langston.edu/academics/school/education-and-behavioral-sciences/.

USDA, TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY AWARD LU SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE AND APPLIED SCIENCE WITH RESEARCH GRANT

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – United States Department of Agricultural and Tuskegee University awarded $22,000 to George Luker, Ph.D. and the School of Agriculture and Applied Science for “Swine Outreach Activity”. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is implementing a national response to reduce, and in some areas eliminate, the risks and damages inflicted by feral swine to property, agriculture, natural resources and human health.

APHIS is serving as the lead federal agency in a cooperative effort with other entities that share a common interest in reducing or eliminating problems caused by feral swine. The overall objective of the program is to minimize damage inflicted by feral swine.

“This funding will help to increase the understanding of how federal swine impacts farmers and ranchers,” said Luker. “It will also provide outreach materials to fanners and ranchers on how to resolve problems generally associated with feral swine.”

The Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources aims to familiarize students with modern agriculture, encourage personal development and prepare them to successfully address environmental, rural, urban and general community needs. Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 masters degrees and one doctoral program. Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. To learn more about the School of Agriculture & Applied Sciences, visit https://langston.edu/academics/school/agriculture-and-applied-sciences/.

IRA D. HALL LECTURE SERIES

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – The School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Langston University hosted the Ira D. Hall and Rubye Hibler Hall Endowed Lecture Series on March 10, 2015. Students, faculty, staff and special guests gathered in honor of Langston graduates Rubye and Ira D. Hall, for whom the annual lecture series is named.

The guest speaker was the Honorable Alcee L. Hastings, a United States Representative for District 20 in Florida, who is currently serving his 12th term in Congress. He highly encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities to become campus leaders.

“Leadership is the cornerstone of this country and Langston University plays a fundamental role in shaping our leaders,” Hastings said.

Hastings is a graduate of Fisk University and earned a Juris Doctorate in law from Florida A&M University. He challenged the students to learn a second language, and said it is “critically important for your career survival.”

Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 master’s degrees and one doctoral program. Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. To learn more about Langston University, please visit http://www.langston.edu.

Blongshia Cha at the Miss Langston University Pageant in 2015

CHANGING THE WORLD ONE STEP AT A TIME

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – Five female students participated for the title at the annual Miss Langston Scholarship Pageant that took place on Saturday night. The title of Miss Langston represents a woman who is the face and voice of Langston University.

The participants were judged on their performance in an onstage question-and-answer portion, a talent and physical fitness portion and an evening gown and swimsuit portion. All participants were required to adopt a platform, or cause they can support, for something they can tie into the community.

A sophomore who is currently working to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science, Blongshia Cha from Denver, Colorado, was crowned Miss Langston in 2015. Her platform is based on the issue of college readiness and retention. She was inspired by the common phrase; the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step.

She believes that education is one of the most important common denominators in our society and that regardless of your social or religious background if you had the same education you’re just as competitive.

“I would like to bring attention to the need to continue education. Using my platform I would like to promote mentoring students at the middle school, high school, and university level,” said Cha.

“One of the ways I plan to do this is through tutoring students at Coyle schools. By doing this I am able to not only help them academically but also talk to them about other issues. Therefore, I am not only able to educate but mentor as well.”

“It is imperative that we educate our youth,” Cha said.

“I plan to pursue the title of Miss. America to the best of my abilities. If crowned I plan to use my title as a launching pad for my platform,” she said.

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Langston offers over 38 degree programs, including 5 masters degrees and one doctoral program.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY HOSTS AQUACULTURE WORKSHOP

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By Courtney Jordan, Communications Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – The Langston University Aquaculture Program canceled the Feb. 28 workshop due to inclement weather. The workshop has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2015. The presentations for aquaculture hobbyists and commercial producers will take place at the E.L. Holloway Research, Education and Extension Center located on the main campus. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the workshop starts at 9:00 a.m. The workshop will focus on the increasing interest in aquaponic production, processing and marketing.

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie on OK Highway 33. Attendees will be directed to the meeting site with Aquaculture workshop signs. Registration and attendance is free. A catfish lunch ($10) will be available with advanced registration or you may bring your lunch. The deadline for advanced registration is Feb. 23, 2015. Persons may register by telephone or e-mail. For additional information contact: Mr. George Luker, Aquaculture Specialist, gluker@langston.edu, office (405) 466-3077.

AIR FORCE AWARDS LANGSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES WITH RESEARCH GRANT

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – The DOD Air Force awarded a $200,000 research grant to Byron Quinn, Ph.D., professor in the university’s Biology department in Arts and Sciences. Quinn received funding for his grant entitled “Biochemical Fatigue Metabolite Instrumentation.”

The grant awarded will allow undergraduate students to gain hands-on training with the requested instrumentation by participating in fatigue research and coursework.

“Students taking this course will take on independent research projects in tissue biomarker detection from the metabolic analysis with the Gas Chromatography in Metabolomics Study,” said Quinn.

“This instrumentation adds significant value to the research and training program at LU.”

Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 master’s degrees and one doctoral program. The School of Arts and Sciences is host to the biology program and currently leads the world in manipulating peanut plant hairs into full new plants without the use of seeds.

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. To learn more about Langston University, please visit http://www.langston.edu.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY REMEMBERS MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

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By Kaylie Wehr, Digital Marketing Specialist

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a driving force behind the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ‘60s, but he was more than just an activist. He had a love for people that drove him to believe in a better future for all. King’s inspiring vision for the future has motivated many to take action in their own lives and strive for a better future.

January 19 is not only a day to commemorate King’s legacy, but also a day to celebrate black culture as a whole. It is a day to celebrate those figures in history who defined black culture by constantly working toward a better tomorrow and by encouraging others to not stand idle, but to have a voice and a role in the shaping of the future.

Historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, have played an important role in black culture by providing high quality education and preparing students to excel; a mission still continued today.

King himself graduated from Morehouse College, an HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. King learned far more than sociology principles during his time at Morehouse.

It was there, at an HBCU in Georgia, that King met great thinkers and educators would become his mentors. It was there that King learned what true education was.

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education,” Martin Luther King, Jr. said.
HBCUs across the United States provide students with what King calls “true education.” Students are given the opportunity to strengthen themselves and empower others, while also encouraging them to make a positive impact in this world. They are taught to think larger than themselves. HBCUs contribute to building a better future, a mission King believed in and fought for.

Langston University began shaping black culture and the future as an HBCU in 1897. As the only HBCU in Oklahoma and the farthest west, many students from the U.S. and around the world began building their future on the Langston University campus.

As you walk through the Langston University campus, you begin to see King’s dream come alive. While LU is a historically black university, the campus has grown increasingly diverse over the years. One can now walk the campus and see many people from different walks of life, all sharing the same goal: shaping a better tomorrow.

It was an HBCU that assisted in building King’s character and knowledge. HBCUs have been a critical part in developing black culture and they still celebrate it today.

Langston University will celebrate King’s legacy with a March of Peace and commemorative program on Jan. 22, 2015. The March of Peace will be a candle light march beginning at 6:30 p.m. The march will end at I.W Young Auditorium, where the program will be held at 7 p.m.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. program will include student tribute performances and a guest speaker. Langston University students, faculty and staff are encouraged to come celebrate King, reflect on the past, and look toward the future, where King’s words will continue to encourage others.

On January 19, while many will enjoy a day off work or school, remember to also take the time to reflect on the meaning of the holiday. Remember the impact King made in our world and how others were encouraged by his words and his love.

A group of Langston University representatives pose with hardhats and shovels at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new building for the School of Physical Therapy in 2015.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY GROUNDBREAKING HELD FOR NEW SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY BUILDING

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University began a new chapter in its history with a formal groundbreaking ceremony for its School of Physical Therapy building located at the Langston, Oklahoma campus. Construction for the new facility has begun, it is located adjacent to the wetlands pond and island and south of the E. L. Holloway Agricultural Complex. Fencing and construction trailers are currently mobilized at the construction site. The building will contain three classrooms, one anatomy lab, two clinical laboratories, a computer lab, a cardio lab, informal learning spaces and much more.

“Today is a momentous occasion, here at dear Langston. We are breaking ground on the future home of the School of Physical Therapy”, said Kent J. Smith, Jr., President of Langston University. “I am pleased with the progress our University is making and will continue to make. The Physical Therapy building will be more than an educational facility, but a way to influence the lives of our future medical professionals.“

This building will offer Langston Physical Therapy students the extraordinary opportunity to develop the existing academic programs, grow student activities, expand community engagement, and eventually serve a greater number of education seekers in the region who lack convenient, affordable access to high-quality education.

Speakers for the event included Ailya Chaudry, Ph.D., and University President, Kent J. Smith, Jr., Ph.D. Those attending included Rick Davis, Chairman of the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma A&M Colleges and Universities, Jason Ramsey, Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma A&M Colleges and Universities, Andy Lester, Regent for the Oklahoma A&M Colleges and Universities, Alicia Sumlin, Mayor of Langston, Oklahoma, Lucy Swanson, a representative of the Guthrie Chamber, as well as the Physical Therapy students and faculty.

The Langston University Doctor of Physical Therapy program is one of only two programs offered in the state of Oklahoma. It prepares students for a career in Physical Therapy, and to achieve their professional and personal goals. Programs and services support the economic growth of the community in response to changing needs. Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 master’s degrees and one doctoral program. If you are interested in learning more about Langston University’s School of Physical Therapy, please visit http://www.langston.edu/physical-therapy. For more information about Langston University, visit 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.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY RECEIVES $12K IN GRANTS FOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

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by Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University School of Education & Behavioral Sciences has received a $3,000 grant from the NASA Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NASA Oklahoma EPSCoR) and a $9,000 grant from the Oklahoma Teacher Connection.

The NASA Oklahoma EPSCoR grant provides funding for a travel grant to develop STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) education in collaboration with the NASA Ames Research Center. The goal is to gain hands-on knowledge of Astrobiology. Langston University School of Education and Behavioral Sciences pre-service teachers will partner with AMES Research Center scientists to implement a space science curriculum.

“I will have the opportunity to travel with two STEM majors to AMES Research Center,” said Randy Hunt, Ph. D., Professor of the School of Education & Behavioral Sciences.

“The research information gained from the NASA Ames Pre-Service teacher trip will be used to develop space science lesson plans and curriculum for classroom teachers. The students will present their field trip information to the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences and School of Arts and Sciences to faculty and students once returned.”

“Oklahoma Teacher Connection Grant will directly impact the Langston University’s Tulsa campus,” said Ruth R. Jackson, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “Oklahoma Teacher Connection partners with Langston University to reduce obstacles for paraprofessionals’ education and provided advancement into teaching in the Tulsa Public Schools.”

The program will provide current paraprofessionals and teachers’ assistants in Tulsa Public Schools with year-long small group seminars and individualized tutoring sessions embedded in college preparation experiences focused on academic policies, advising, financial planning, test-taking skills, time management, technological skills, and the Oklahoma Career Development Program for Paraprofessionals to promote recruitment and placement of minority populations in the teaching profession.

Grants were awarded to the following individuals:
Project Director: Randy Hunt, Ph. D.; The School of Education & Behavioral Sciences
Project Director: Lisa Weis, Ph. D.; The School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 masters degrees and one doctoral program. Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. For more information on the School of Education & Behavioral Sciences at Langston University, visit https://langston.edu/academics/school/education-and-behavioral-sciences/.