The Town of Langston-based Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens held its annual Memorial Day Remembrance Program on May 27. The program had an intentional focus on veterans who were/are Prisoners of War and those who remain Missing in Action. The remembrance was also intentionally focused on military personnel who have died in the last several years or months.
Many attended and/or participated in the program, including Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson and other LU faculty and staff members. Please enjoy these photos from this year’s event. All photos were provided by the Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens.
The Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens Memorial Day program had an intentional focus on military personnel who have died in the last several years or months.
Veterans Memorial Gardens Founders Stewart (far right) and MaeOma (center) Williams, Master of Ceremony Rev. Hersey Hammons (far left), and former Oklahoma Senator Connie Johnson (center right) welcome Langston University’s newly appointed 17th President Ruth Ray Jackson to Memorial Day at the Gardens.
Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson (left) greets former Oklahoma Senator Connie Johnson.
Stewart (left) and MaeOma Williams are the Founders and Developers of the Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens. The Gardens put on a Memorial Day Remembrance Program every year.
The Missing Service Member’s Table is a military tradition to always set a place for Prisoners of War and those who are Missing In Action.
The Tinker Air Force Base Color Guard presented the colors at the Memorial Day Remembrance Program.
Clara Allen, a Langston University counselor, presented an original poem titled “As We Remember.”
Retired U.S. Air National Guard Bugler Vicki Friedemann played “Taps” at the ceremony.
Two Air Force veterans greet each other during the community picnic that followed the Memorial Day Remembrance Program.
New Hope Baptist Church pastor Rev. Everett Mack, Sr., Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson, Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens Co-Founder MaeOma Williams, and master of ceremonies Rev. Hersey Hammons pose together for a photo during the community picnic that followed the Remembrance Program.
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.
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.
LANGSTON, Okla.––Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and John Boozman (R-AR) visited Langston University to tour the school’s agricultural research facilities and discuss the work the university does to help small farmers in Oklahoma and around the world through agricultural extension and research.
The Senators met with representatives of the university’s administration during their visit to the Langston campus on Friday, including newly appointed president Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson and the dean of the Sherman Lewis School of Agricultural and Applied Sciences, Dr. Wesley Whitaker. Joining the tour was Oklahoma Representative John Talley (R-Stillwater).
During their visit, the Senators toured the Dairy Herd Information Lab for Goats and the Central Lab beforevisiting the E. Kika de la GarzaAmerican Institute for Goat Research’s Main Farm, where Sen. Lankford and Sen. Boozman were able to tour the Kid Barn.
Senators Lankford and Boozman discuss Langston University’s beekeeping program with honey beekeeper Hank Baker.
“This was truly a high impact visit by two prominentAmerican senators,” Dr. Whittaker said.“The enthusiasm they expressed in seeing the quality and quantity of our work was truly palpable, and it will go a far way in helping to tell the success stories of Langston University and the 1890 land-grant community.”
Langston University is one of three land grant universities in Oklahoma, along with Oklahoma State University and the College of the Muscogee Nation. As an 1890 land–grant institution, one of the Langston University’s key missions is to conduct necessary research to support and promote agriculture accessibility, continued food security,and cooperative extension to provide resources and education tocommunities and farmers throughout Oklahoma and beyond.Many of Langston’s research programs aim to help small rural farmers make better use of their resources in innovative ways and solve problems facing the agriculture industry.
Prior to their visit to Langston University, Sen. Lankford and Sen. Boozman hosted the Senate Farm Bill Agriculture Stakeholder Roundtable in Oklahoma City, which was moderated by Secretary of Agriculture and Regent for the Oklahoma A&M System, Blayne Arthur. Sen. Boozman is the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee.
“We are honored to host Senator Lankford and Senator Boozman at Langston University’s Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences,” Dr. Jackson said. “Their support highlights the significance of our work in agricultural education and research in food security and small farming. We are proud to showcase the talents and innovations of our students and faculty.”
A new agreement between the Langston University School of Nursing and Health Professions and Redlands Community College will allow graduates of Redlands’ nursing program to more easily obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Langston University. The agreement was formally signed Friday on the LU Langston campus.
According to the agreement, students who graduate from Redlands Community College with an associate degree in nursing will be able to transfer all prerequisite courses in which they earned a grade of “C” or higher to Langston University. Additionally, they will be given Advanced Placement credit for up to 30 hours for classes such as Fundamentals of Nursing Practice, Childbearing Family Nursing and Psychosocial Nursing. These benefits will allow students to complete their BSN degrees more quickly and at an affordable price.
The agreement was first signed on Dec. 6 and was effective immediately, but the April 19 signing was a more formal event to commemorate the new partnership, which will benefit both Oklahoma nursing students and the nursing profession as a whole.
“We want to help increase the number of nurses who have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree,” said Dr. Teressa Hunter, the dean of Langston’s School of Nursing and Health Professions. “According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, ‘BSN nurses are prized for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion, and their ability to practice across various inpatient and outpatient settings.’
“I fully support their statement and want to help meet the goal of educating more RNs who have earned a BSN. This articulation agreement with Redlands Community College is a significant step to help meet this goal.”
The School of Nursing and Health Professions offers students multiple ways to earn their BSN degrees. Students who prefer in-person instruction may take classes at Langston University’s Langston or Tulsa campuses or at the University’s Ardmore site. Students who are already registered nurses (RN) may also choose to complete their BSN online.
“We look forward to working with Langston as we continue to grow the nursing pipeline in the state,” said Redlands President Jena Marr. “We have dedicated substantial resources to meeting the demand for nurses, particularly in rural and tribal areas. An associate degree in nursing is a great step in this direction, but we are excited to partner with Langston to expand our efforts by supporting Redlands nursing graduates who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree.”
Langston University launched its online RN to BSN program in October 2023, allowing students to attend classes and complete assignments on a schedule that suits their needs with the convenience of not having to leave home. This format will also offer a personal connection within a supportive environment, which has decreased attrition, led to higher student satisfaction and enhanced learning. Students who are RNs can earn a BSN in 9 or 12 months, depending on their chosen course plan.
The deadline for applications for fall 2024 admission to the LU traditional nursing program has passed, but the application deadline for spring admission to Tulsa and Ardmore is Oct. 1, 2024. The deadline for fall admission to the RN-to-BSN program is July 27, 2024. The deadline to apply for admission to the Redlands’ general nursing program has passed, but the LPN-to-RN application opens Sept. 1, 2024.
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Langston University is Oklahoma’s only Historically Black College or University. Made up of six academic schools and offering 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, LU provides students with a world-class education that includes hands-on learning through impactful research and beneficial internships. LU has campuses in Langston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa as well as a site in Ardmore.
Redlands Community College provides a learner-centered environment committed to academic excellence strengthened through service and civic engagement. Redlands’ rich academic environment provides opportunities for continuous growth through a challenging and rigorous curriculum enhanced by the application of research and technology, and the college engages in collaboration with public and private partners that reinforce the value of service to others and strengthen ethical development and civic engagement.
LANGSTON, Okla. —The Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents announced the appointment of Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson as the seventeenth President of Langston University. Dr. Jackson’s selection follows an extensive eight-month national search that attracted several qualified candidates.
“Dr. Jackson’s appointment underscores her exceptional leadership and vision for our institution. During her tenure as Interim President, Dr. Jackson maintained continuity and stability and managed to build momentum. Her unwavering commitment to Langston’s mission and her ability to navigate critical transitions have been commendable. We are confident that under her guidance, Langston University will excel,” commented Board Chair Joe Hall.
Dr. Jackson served as Vice President for Academic Affairs prior to assuming the role of Interim President in July 2023. Prior to advancing to the Vice Presidency, she also served as the university’s Associate Vice President for Student Success. Dr. Jackson’s association with Langston University began in 2014 as Dean and Professor for the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences.
Before joining Langston University, she spent 11 years at Louisiana State University in Shreveport as a faculty member, graduate program director, and department chair. Before transitioning to higher education, Dr. Jackson worked as a high school English teacher, assistant principal, and principal in public education.
“I am honored to lead Langston University into its next chapter,” commented Dr. Jackson in response to her appointment. “I love this university and believe in its faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Our mission must be focused on empowering students, celebrating student success, and contributing to the betterment of Oklahoma and beyond. Together, we will build upon Langston’s legacy and create a future where excellence knows no bounds.”
“As a proud graduate of Langston University, I wholeheartedly applaud the selection of Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson as our next President. Her admiration for our beloved institution and the excellent job she did as interim President have been truly remarkable. Dr. Jackson’s leadership embodies the spirit of Langston, and I am confident that she will continue to elevate our university to new heights,” commented Sherman Lewis, a distinguished Langston University alumnus and member of the Langston University Presidential Search Committee.
“Our search for a new president attracted an impressive pool of candidates, which is a testament to Langston University’s potential and the importance of its mission. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson on her selection as the next President of Langston University. We appreciate the support of the members of the search committee and the Langston University community as Dr. Jackson leads the university to new heights,” commented A&M Regent Billy Taylor, who chaired the Presidential Search Committee.
About Langston University: Founded in 1897, Langston University is a beacon of educational opportunity, social justice, and community impact. As Oklahoma’s only Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Langston continues to shape the lives of generations of students.
LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University Director of Athletics Donnita Drain-Rogers announced today that Kevin Herod has stepped down as the Lady Lions head women’s basketball coach to become head coach at Florida Memorial University.
“I would like to thank Coach (Kevin) Herod for his time serving as the head women’s basketball coach, he helped re-establish the women’s basketball presence in the state of Oklahoma and on the NAIA national stage,” Drain-Rogers said. “We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Herod led the Lady Lions to a 24-8 record and an NAIA National Tournament appearance for the 2023-24 season. The Lady Lions had an overall record of 41-21 during Herod’s two years at Langston University.
“I am deeply grateful for the privilege of serving as the head women’s basketball coach at Langston University for the past two years,” Herod said. “As I bid farewell after two rewarding seasons, the achievements, both academically and athletically, we’ve been able to accomplish fill me with pride. The memories and bonds formed here will forever be a treasured part of my life.”
Langston University will launch a national search for the next head women’s basketball coach. Information will be posted to langstonsports.com.
Griffin Media received a Regents Business Partnership Excellence Award at the 2024 Regents Business Partnership Excellence Awards Program on March 7 for their partnership with Langston University.
Each year, universities can nominate businesses for the awards, and Langston University recommended Griffin Media be honored at this year’s Awards Program.
In 2022, Griffin Media made the largest corporate donation to Langston University in university history, gifting Dear Langston with its KWTV News 9 building in Oklahoma City. The gift included a fully operational television studio complete with the land and equipment, and it now houses the LU-OKC Campus. It’s through this generosity from Griffin Media that LU communications students will receive training with state-of-the-art equipment that will prepare them for the world upon earning their degree.
The site is also home to the Center for Media and Community Advancement at LU, funded in part with a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation and the generous support of the Kirkpatrick Foundation. The Center is part of Langston University Forward Together Project: A Solutions Journalism Initiative.
The main goals of the Forward Together Project are to leverage the University’s resources to be a source for change and advancement through the power of media and solutions journalism; to develop LU students’ skills in storytelling, digital marketing, and audience engagement under the supervision of faculty, staff and industry experts; and to produce a report that might serve as a roadmap for the future of Oklahoma and a guide for ongoing storytelling, engagement, and research.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Two Langston University students took home awards at the annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) Symposium Jan. 12-14.
Senior crop and soil sciences major Kayla Smith earned a 2nd place Award of Excellence in Oral Presentations for her research on “Impairments in Cerebral Autoregulation and Cerebral Reactivity in Cancer Survivorship.” Junior biology major Daysha Isaac earned an Award of Excellence in Poster Presentations for her research on “Stalk Cell Movement in Drosophila: A model to understanding how migrating cells shape tissues and organs.”
“My experience was fun and also interesting,” Smith said. “It was my first time presenting oral presentations.”
Senior crop and soil sciences major Kayla Smith earned a 2nd place Award of Excellence in Oral Presentations at the 2024 K-INBRE Symposium. Photo provided by Kayla Smith.
K-INBRE is a collaborative effort of medical and academic institutions in Kansas and Oklahoma to “promote multidisciplinary research networks with a focus on Cell and Developmental Biology,” according to the K-INBRE website. Langston University is the only Oklahoma-based institution partnered with K-INBRE.
The program offers LU students mentored research opportunities as well as opportunities to present their research at events like the annual Symposium. For example, Smith, a second-year K-INBRE participant, worked with researchers at Kansas State University.
This is Isaac’s first year participating in K-INBRE. She was introduced to the program by one of her biology professors, Dr. Kj Abraham, who helped mentor her in presenting her research. She also received advice on the structure and presentation of her research from Dr. Lindsay Davis.
Isaac has enjoyed her time in K-INBRE so far, and she was excited to present her research at the Symposium. She studied the ovarioles present in female fruit flies’ ovaries and tracked mutations and their effects on the stalk cells.
Junior biology major Daysha Isaac earned an Award of Excellence in Poster Presentations at the 2024 K-INBRE Symposium. Photo provided by Daysha Isaac.
“This information allowed us to apply it to birth defects in infants,” Isaac said. “No way are we trying to cure it but gather more information about cell movement to make a connection. Such birth defects we compared it to were spina bifida and microcephaly.”
Smith is likewise passionate about the research she has helped conduct in K-INBRE, and she is confident her experiences in the program will aid her as she prepares to pursue medical school after graduation.
“I realize that my career goal is actually attainable,” Smith said, “and practice does make perfect.”
The Langston University Quiz Bowl Team will compete in the National Qualifying Tournament of the 35th Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) at Prairie View A&M University this weekend.
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 64 teams competing for institutional grants from Honda and a spot in the HCASC National Championship Tournament taking place on the American Honda corporate campus in Torrance, California, April 6-10.
The Langston University team is composed of junior organizational leadership major Christian Mitchell, sophomore biology major Olivia Jenkins, sophomore finance major Charles Bennett and sophomore nursing major Kaitlyn Mitchell. The team is coached by Kyle Gregory, Langston University’s honors program coordinator.
The Quiz Bowl Team has been preparing for this tournament since August. Bringing back their entire roster from the 2022-23 season, the team has competed in tournaments at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas this season. The team has been learning and memorizing facts on topics ranging from Black History to Pop Culture to Science and anything in between.
“To win this tournament would give our team its first tournament championship since 2019 and guarantee them a berth in the National Championship Tournament in Torrance, California,” Gregory said. “This would give our scholars the chance to earn up to $76,000 in grant dollars for the University, should they win the National Championship. As a former player at Langston, I am impressed with the work that this group has put in and I hope it will pay off in Prairie View.”
