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.
by Gary Piercy, Program Manager of the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board
OKLAHOMA CITY–Rasheedah Blackwood, a recent healthcare administration graduate at Langston University, made a significant impact during the eight-week Tribal Health Experiential Internship Seminar (THESIS) program. THESIS, a virtual internship, focuses on promoting Tribal public health and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Minority Health and Health Equity through their Lewis Scholars Program.
As one of seven organizations in the Lewis Scholars Program, THESIS operates under the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board in Oklahoma City. Interns delve into Native American culture, resilience, and various aspects of public health, including epidemiology and research. Their intensive eight-week journey culminates in the creation of research posters, which they present at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Blackwood’s research topic centered around “Addressing the Impact of Limited Sexual Education in the American Indian/Alaska Native Community.” Reflecting on her THESIS experience, she shared how beneficial the program was for her own personal and professional growth in the healthcare field.
“My experience with THESIS was nothing short of amazing,” Blackwood said. “The lessons forming around Native American culture and its history, proper ways to conduct ourselves as individuals in professional settings, and embedding effective research methods for our various topics over Tribal Health were paramount in my development in public health research. Being able to hear stories of individuals from a Native background felt genuine, personable and inviting into their experience.
“The opportunity to receive professional and academic advice from individuals in the field was beneficial; showing a very substantial interest in the development of our professional careers and end products of our projects for THESIS. The most valuable aspect I experienced from the program was the ability to connect with future Public Healthcare Professionals.
“The drive, support, and compassion placed into every conversation during the program was very inspiring, which kept the program engaging. This allowed me to have a voice along other individuals who shared the same passions in facing public health disparities and creating initiatives in the betterment of all individuals. I will forever cherish the opportunity to participate in the THESIS Program. My experience with the amazing individuals I was able to connect with and the passionate presentations on Tribal Health have left a great mark and I am excited to further carry it into my journey with public health.”
For more information about THESIS and the Lewis Scholars Program, visit https://thesis.spthb.org.
LANGSTON, Okla. –– Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson announced the university received almost $6 million in additional state appropriation funding for the 2024-25 school year during her State of the University address at the Opening Convocation Ceremony on Thursday.
Two and a half million dollars comes from an increase in the state matched funding for agricultural research and extension.
“This money will be used to fund outreach throughout several counties in Oklahoma, expanding our footprint from 19 counties to 28, bringing educational opportunities and resources to many rural farmers who rely on our services,” Dr. Jackson said.
As a public land-grant institution, Langston University receives federal funding to support cooperative agricultural research and extension through the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. The state is federally mandated to match this funding dollar for dollar. After steadily increasing its funding match over the past few years, Oklahoma has officially reached a 100% funding match for Langston University for the first time, resulting in $2.5 million in additional funding for agricultural programs compared to last year.
The university also received $3.5 million to address deferred maintenance projects. About $2.5 million of this funding will be used to replace the roof at the LU-Oklahoma City campus. The remainder will be used for smaller projects to update infrastructure and address deferred maintenance issues.
During her address, Dr. Jackson also discussed enrollment, retention, fundraising and her presidential priorities.
Langston University experienced a growth of about 2.8% in full-time enrollment compared to the 2023-24 school year. Some of the largest increases came from freshman and graduate enrollment.
Dr. Jackson also spoke about initiatives to improve student retention, such as the introduction of the Lion Success Academy. The Lion Success Academy is a new program which provides an additional layer of support for participating students to aid them through their freshman year.
“Our faculty and staff are diligently exploring new strategies and best practices to enhance student success and ensure that every student thrives throughout their academic journey,” Dr. Jackson said. “Our focus remains not only in welcoming new students, but in supporting all students through to graduation.”
Dr. Jackson also recognized one of the challenges students often face is how to pay for school. Thanks to increased fundraising efforts, the Langston University Foundation provided over $350,000 in student scholarships during the 2023-24 school year.
These fundraising efforts will continue. The next big fundraising event is the President’s Scholarship Gala in October and the Annual Day of Giving in March.
Dr. Jackson also expanded upon her Presidential Priorities during the State of the University Address. Her priorities, affectionately referred to as the Seven P’s, are people, programs, processes, public relations, partnerships, performance and purpose.
People
People refers to Dear Langston’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, donors and its community.
Recently, Langston University lost a beloved member of its community in Assistant Coach and Offensive Coordinator Darryl Mason. A memorial was held for Coach Mason on campus Saturday.
“We see the best of humanity in these moments, and I want to remind each of us that a tragedy does not need to occur for that to happen,” Dr. Jackson said.
Dr. Jackson charged the students to look after and take care of one another, and to look after their own mental well-being by talking to friends, employees or utilizing Langston University’s counseling resources.
Faculty and staff were reminded of their commitment to helping students succeed and retaining them within the institution. The retention of students is closely monitored, and Langston University is continuously evaluating its efforts to find strategic solutions to maximize the success of students.
Dr. Jackson highlighted the student achievements of senior Antwuan Jackson, who recently participated in the Democratic National Convention as an at-large delegate for the State of Oklahoma, and Aniyah Robinson, who earned the prestigious Rohden Fellowship and was named a 2024 White House HBCU Scholar.
This priority also extends to the Town of Langston, and its growing relationship with the university. Recently, Langston University hosted the Oklahoma All-Black Towns State Conference with the Oklahoma Conference of Black Mayors. This event provided an opportunity for community members to exchange ideas and learn more about Oklahoma’s Black Towns.
Programs
Programming refers not only to academics and athletics, but also to the student programming provided by the Division of Student Affairs, the Student Government Association, the Student Activities Board and Residential Life and Housing Services. Langston University offers over 60 registered student organizations, and students are always encouraged to create new ones if they see a gap in offerings.
“At Langston University, we believe in the holistic development of our students,” Dr. Jackson said. “Preparing them to work effectively with colleagues and build relationships that will propel them to future success within their chosen careers.”
Dr. Jackson also applauded the academic programs provided at the university’s six schools. All academic programs undergo regular review, both from internal and external sources, to ensure students are well prepared for successful careers in their fields. Dr. Jackson highlighted two programs which specifically prepare students for high-need careers: the online RN-to-BSN program and the Educator Ramp-Up program.
The online RN-to-BSN program launched last year and allows registered nurses to earn their bachelor of science in nursing in 9 to 12 months. Langston University also offers a traditional nursing program in Langston, Tulsa and Ardmore.
The Educator Ramp-Up program is an accelerated Teacher Education program that allows people with non-educational degrees to become teachers. It is a GEERS funded program.
Lastly, Dr. Jackson talked about the Reach Higher program, which allows adult learners who have earned some college credit but have not earned a degree to go back to school for a bachelor’s in organizational leadership. This program is also funded by GEERS.
Processes
With the enrollment cliff caused by decreased birth rates in the early to mid 2000s approaching, Langston University is looking to stay ahead of the curve and is beginning with its processes.
“We cannot continue to do the same work in the same ways and expect to be successful,” Dr. Jackson said. “The truth is our audience has changed, and the way we do business must also change, both in significant ways.”
A new university-wide committee has been created, charged with reviewing, streamlining and modernizing Dear Langston’s current processes, aptly named the Process Improvement Committee.
Public Relations
The purpose of public relations is to tell the university’s story and amplify the voices of students, faculty, staff and alumni. In pursuit of this goal, the Office of Public Relations launched its “We Roar” campaign last year for which it earned a record 18 awards at the Oklahoma Collegiate Public Relations Association’s annual awards competition.
Dr. Jackson encouraged everyone to share their stories with the Public Relations team to continue to amplify the work and accomplishments of the Langston University family.
“Each of us has a responsibility to protect the brand, share the good things that are happening here at Langston University, and help us continue to elevate the work of our colleagues and students,” Dr. Jackson said.
Partnerships
Langston University is continually working to build and nurture partnerships with people, businesses and other universities.
Dr. Jackson announced a recent effort to partner with the University of Louisville to create pathways for Public Health program graduates in graduate school and other professional opportunities.
Dr. Jackson also spoke about the university’s long-standing relationship with CoBank, which continues to grow stronger. The Langston University CoBank Scholars program, announced in March 2023, created an immersive internship for students at the CoBank Headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Michael Hankins was the first student to complete this internship, and he left a positive impression which has continued to help strengthen Langston’s partnership with CoBank.
“We will continue to build relationships with corporate and community partners in an effort to bring dynamic opportunities to our students and enhance their experience at Langston University,” Dr. Jackson said.
Performance
The newest addition to the Presidential Priorities aims to prioritize performance to measure employee engagement and ensure Langston University is maintaining accountability for that engagement.
“As an organization, we are only as good as the collective,” Dr. Jackson said.
Purpose
Each of these priorities contributes to the overarching purpose of Langston University.
“As one of only nineteen 1890 Land-Grant institutions in the country, our mission of educating students and the community through cooperative extension, research, and engagement remains a constant theme of our work,” Dr. Jackson said. “The people, programs, processes, public relations, partnerships, and performance we strive to achieve through these priorities all support the purpose, which is our students and their success.”
Dr. Jackson concluded her State of the University address by challenging each member of the campus community to continue working to make Langston University better for students and the future.
“Let’s keep the state of our university strong,” Dr. Jackson said.
Langston University alumnus Sherman Lewis was elected as Chair of the Langston University Board of Trustees for Urban Campuses during its meeting Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Lewis was unanimously elected to the position by a vote of 6-0, with two members of the board absent.
“It was very humbling for me to be elected by the members of the Langston University Board of Trustees to be chairman,” Lewis said. “It speaks to the desire for the board to be more active and productive in providing advice and counsel to the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents and the President of Langston University for the future of the institution and its primary function of providing a premier education for its students.
“Together, we will be successful in working toward the betterment of Langston University.”
Lewis has proven himself a stalwart supporter of Langston University throughout the years. Lewis was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2013 and is the most prolific individual donor in Dear Langston’s history.
In 2022 and for the first time in institutional history, an academic school at Langston University was named in honor of Lewis, establishing the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
The Langston University Board of Trustees for the Urban Campuses serves in an advisory capacity to the president, providing insight and guidance concerning its Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses. At the meeting, administrative representatives of Langston University presented reports from their respective areas, including the site administrators from both urban campuses.
Langston University Board of Trustee members during its Aug. 2 meeting.
According to Lewis, the Board of Trustees plans to work closely with the administration on topics such as buildings and facilities, faculty and staff recruitment, and long-range planning.
“Our goal is to make LU a premier HBCU here in Oklahoma and beyond,” Lewis said.
Additionally, Gayle Maxwell and Avilla Williams will remain as the board’s Vice Chair and Secretary, respectively.
Trustees Rita Combs, Dr. Claud Evans, Colonel Stan Evans, Melvin Latham and Darrell Strong were present during Friday’s meeting held at Langston University – Tulsa.
Langston University broadcast journalism senior Aniyah Robinson has been named a 2024 White House HBCU Scholar, the ninth LU student to receive this honor in the program’s 10-year history.
The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities announced its 2024 HBCU Scholars on Wednesday, and Robinson was among the 110 undergraduate, graduate and professional students to receive the honor. This year’s cohort was chosen from a competitive pool of over 350 applicants.
“We are very proud of Ms. Robinson for being selected as a 2024 Whitehouse HBCU Scholar!” said Dr. Alonzo Peterson, the Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Her outstanding achievements and dedication have earned her this prestigious honor. The Langston University family is proud of her, and we look forward to seeing her continued success and contributions in the future. Well done!”
Since 2014, the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities has recognized exceptional HBCU students who have excelled in academic achievement, civic and campus engagement and entrepreneurial ethos.
Over the past three years, Robinson has been heavily involved in the LU Gazette, LU’s student newspaper; LU Athletics as an intern; and the LU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, which Robinson helped restart. She is also a 2024 Rhoden Fellow.
“I have been given an amazing opportunity to represent Langston on a national level and showcase the greatness that Langston produces,” Robinson said. “As a black journalist, I understand the responsibility of amplifying diverse voices and perspectives in a media landscape that often lacks representation. Personally, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the unwavering support from Langston University’s Communications Department. Knowing the responsibility that I have as a journalist to advocate for the needs of our community is the reason I applied for the program.”
HBCU Scholars serve as ambassadors for the White House Initiative on HBCUs, the U.S. Department of Education and their respective academic institutions for the academic year. As an HBCU scholar, Robinson will ensure information, resources and opportunities from the Initiative are distributed to LU’s three campuses.
She will also receive professional development opportunities throughout the year, such as monthly masterclasses hosted by the Initiative and an opportunity to participate in NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project Innovation Tech Transfer Idea Competition. Robinson will also attend the 2024 HBCU Week National Conference from Sept. 15-19 in Philadelphia.
“Overall, this program is a great way to network with industry professionals and other talented HBCU students,” Robinson said. “With the upcoming election, I hope to utilize my platform to encourage students to utilize their voice by voting. Additionally, as a White House Scholar, I aspire to bring greater recognition to Langston University and exemplify the true meaning of ‘From Langston to the World.’”
