We hope you are excited to start the new academic year. Please be advised that during the first week of classes, from August 5-9, 2024, the following Langston Campus courses will meet remotely:
Business Administration
Computer Science
Corrections
Government
History
Humanities
Mathematics
Psychology
Sociology
Teacher Education
Students enrolled in these classes will receive instructions and links from their professors on their CANVAS detailing how to join the remote sessions.
All other Langston Campus courses will meet in person in their regularly scheduled classrooms.
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility. We look forward to a great semester!
Sincerely,
Alonzo Peterson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Langston University’s Public Relations team walked away with 18 awards at the annual Oklahoma Collegiate Public Relations Association (OCPRA) Awards Ceremony on July 15, including five Grand awards. It was the most awards won by a single institution.
This year’s awards competition received a record total 662 submissions across 37 categories from 31 departments/divisions at 24 institutions, making it the most competitive OCPRA awards competition to date. The competition included teams from Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Central Oklahoma and more.
Langston University’s 18 awards are the most awards the university has won in a single year at OCPRA. Senior Graphic Designer Brandon Clemoens earned nine of the awards.
“It’s crazy to think about, but I remember a time when I would go to this conference and I wouldn’t even leave with an honorable mention,” said Clemoens, the longest-serving member of the team.
This year’s awards haul is reflective of the hard work done by LU’s Public Relations team to roll out the university’s “We Roar” campaign, which launched in October. Aspects of the campaign have included commercials, podcasts, video series, and traditional and digital advertising.
Langston University won awards in graphic design, photography, videography, social media, writing and web design categories. The team won five Grand (1st place) awards, five Excellence (2nd place) awards, five Achievement (3rd place) awards, and three Honorable Mentions.
Grand Awards
The “We Roar” Campaign won first place in the General Campaign category at the 2024 OCPRA Awards Banquet. Components of the campaign included commercials, podcasts, video series, and traditional and digital advertising.
Campaign (General) – “We Roar” by the Langston University Office of Public Relations
Video Featurette – “We Roar” Commercials by the Langston University Office of Public Relations and 1577 Productions
Holiday Greeting – Black History Month by Brandon Clemoens
Poster Design (Sports) – Another Historic Lions Basketball Season by Brandon Clemoens
Social Media Campaign – “We Roar” Student Video Campaign by Ellie Melero
Excellence Awards
Brandon Clemoens “Fear the Roar” Sports Photos won second place in the Series Photography category at the 2024 OCPRA Awards Banquet.
Cover Design – “Fear the Roar” Homecoming Fan Guide by Brandon Clemoens
Stationary & Business Cards – Langston University’s 17th President’s Stationary by Brandon Clemoens
Series Photography – “Fear the Roar” Sports Photos by Brandon Clemoens
Viewbook – 2024 “We Roar” Viewbook by Brandon Clemoens
“Curtain Drop” by Brandon Clemoens won third place in AI Innovation at the 2024 OCPRA Awards Banquet.
AI Innovation – “Curtain Drop” AI Miss Langston University Pageant Images by Brandon Clemoens
Bright Idea (Alumni/Fundraising) – We Can’t Do It Without You, Lions by Jet Turner
Events/Promotion – “All In” Langston University Homecoming by the Langston University Office of Public Relations
Web Design – Langston University Website by the Langston University Office of Public Relations and the Design Group
Honorable Mentions
Brandon Clemoens earned an Honorable Mention for his 2024 Spring Concert poster design.
Poster Design (Culture & Fine Arts) – 2024 Langston University Spring Concert Poster by Brandon Clemoens
Portrait Photography – A Proud Graduate by Brandon Clemoens
Shoe String – Graduation Recap Video by Ellie Melero
“As Oklahoma’s only HBCU, Langston University delivers a high caliber education and an incredible student life experience,” said Director of Public Relations Heleen Sheets. “Our Public Relations Team is so proud to promote our institution and share the people, stories and brand that define us.
“We were excited to represent Dear Langston at the OCPRA Conference and to have our work recognized among our peers.”
Two-time Grammy award nominee and member of popular R&B group New Edition, Johnny Gill, will perform at Langston University’s 19th annual President’s Scholarship Gala in Oklahoma City on Oct. 18.
The President’s Scholarship Gala is Langston’s premier event of the year. LU’s largest student scholarship fundraiser, the Gala always features performances from talented artists. Past performers have included A’ngela Winbush, Tamia and Charlie Wilson.
Gill entered the professional music world in 1983 at age 16 with his self-titled debut album on Cotillion/Atlantic Records. He went on to work with Stacy Lattisaw on their album “Perfect Combination” and released a second solo album, “Chemistry,” in 1985 before joining New Edition in 1987, following Bobby Brown’s exit from the group.
On his first album with New Edition, “Heart Break,” Gill helped the group find a more mature sound, which resulted in hits like “If It Isn’t Love” and “Can You Stand the Rain.” Gill continued to release solo albums in 1990, 1993 and 1996 for Motown Records before joining forces with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat in 1997 to form L.S.G.
Gill reunited with New Edition in 2004 for “One Love,” and he has continued his work as a solo artist. His most recent album is 2019’s “Game Changer II.”
Gill, with New Edition, received a Grammy nomination in 1989 for “If It Isn’t Love” and a second Grammy nomination in 1991 for his self-titled album. He also won two Soul Train Awards in 1991 and a Soul Track Reader’s Choice Award in 2019.
UPDATE: The issue with Crowdstrike has been resolved. Langston University can begin processing ticket purchases again. Visit the President’s Scholarship Gala Website for more information! Update made at 10:15 a.m.
Langston University has been made aware of a technical outage with CrowdStrike, a Microsoft provider, which has affected our ability to sell tickers for the 19th Annual President’s Scholarship Gala. This outage has impacted numerous companies and business operations worldwide. The outage was unexpected and out of our control. The full impact of this outage is not known; however, tickets sold before 5:22 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, July 18, 2024, have been confirmed and will be honored.
In an effort to provide fair and equal access to the opportunity to purchase tickets, we have removed the link to purchase tickets from the President’s Scholarship Gala website. We will communicate via social media, email and our website with an announcement when tickets are once again available for purchase.
We appreciate your patience. Updates will be added to this story when more information becomes available.
Dr. Corey Moore recently accepted an invitation from the Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to serve on the advisory committee for the newly confirmed director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dr. Moore is a professor and founding chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at Langston University as well as the principal investigator and research director at the university’s two Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs). Under his direction, the RRTCs serve as centers of national excellence in disability and rehabilitation research and capacity building.
The NIH is the United States’ national medical research agency, as well as the largest public funder of biomedical and behavioral research in the world.
After Congress’ recent confirmation of Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli as the new NIH Director, Dr. Moore officially accepted the invitation to serve on the advisory committee to Dr. Bertagnolli. The advisory committee consists of up to 20 members representing various universities and corporations in the United States.
The advisory committee makes recommendations to Dr. Bertagnolli, as well as the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Assistant Secretary for Health, on matters ranging from program development and resource allocation to regulation and policy. Dr. Moore’s service on this committee will give him the opportunity to help shape the priorities of the NIH, and he hopes to do so in a way that will positively impact all communities.
“Equity in biomedical and behavioral research conducted at the NIH is critical to optimizing health and preventing and reducing illness for people living with disabilities,” Dr. Moore said. “I am honored to provide my perspective to the board as an investigator who has advanced service and policy research in this area and the research capacity building knowledge base supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the scientific workforce across the federal disability and health/rehabilitation research ecosystem.”
Moore’s research has been published in 70 papers and has led to policy advancements. While at Langston University, he has served as a Principal Investigator for 20 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education research, training, and service grants whose combined totals exceed $30 million. He has held the prestigious national Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Distinguished Professor Endowed Chair, and his notable awards include the National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers Distinguished Service Award, the National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns Bobbie Atkins Research Award, the Vernon E. Hawkins Pioneer & Leadership Award, the National Rehabilitation Association Sylvia Walker National Multicultural Award, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Inc. Outstanding Leadership in Faculty Research Award.
Dr. Moore’s appointment to the advisory committee is effective immediately and will end on Dec. 31, 2027.
Moore (far left) poses for a group photo with the in-person attendees of the 127th NIH Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) meeting. Photo Credit: Marleen Van Den Neste / NIH Record
LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University Director of Athletics Donnita Rogers is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Vincent as the head women’s basketball coach for the Langston University Lady Lions.
“Coach (Chris) Vincent was a standout candidate during our rigorous interview process. Out of 54 applicants he blew our focus committees away with his attention to detail, preparation and determination to prove that he could meet some of our expected competencies within weeks of being hired,” Director of Athletics Donnita Rogers said. “His previous background working in the WNBA and extensive work with player development made him the perfect choice to lead our women’s basketball program.”
Vincent most recently served as the assistant coach for the Langston University men’s basketball program under current head coach Chris Wright. During his short time on Coach Wright’s staff the men’s basketball program has experience unparalleled success which includes the 2023-24 NAIA National Championship runner-up finish, back-to-back Sooner Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships and boasting a 66-5 mark during that time.
“I’m really excited, I’m at a place that I love, I know how it operates day-to-day and I know the success we’ve had on the men’s side the last two years, we’ve really established the culture that I think can translate to women’s basketball,” head women’s basketball coach Chris Vincent said. “Being 15 years in this business, in a variety of different roles at different programs I’ve taken bits and pieces to help mold myself and prepare myself for this moment. I’ve had other head coaching interviews in the past, but I just felt like this was the right time, the right move at the right place. You have to love where you are, I love Langston and I know deep down this program can be a national contender year in and year out.”
Wright said Vincent has been a key component in the Men’s Basketball Team’s accomplishments over the last two seasons.
“There is no way we have the success we’ve had without Chris Vincent. He has been instrumental in every single aspect of our program, as an assistant coach you often do not receive the credit you deserve and it’s true in this case,” head men’s basketball coach Chris Wright said. “Coach Vincent is a tremendous coach and even better person. I have no doubt that he will build the Langston women’s basketball program into a nationally elite program.”
The first-year head coach began his coaching career at the professional level where he served as an assistant video coordinator and assistant to the head coach for the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun under three-time WNBA Coach of the Year Mike Thibault during the 2012 campaign. While with the Sun he broke down opponent’s film and tendencies, while also assisting to daily coaching meetings discussing game plans, practice plans and player evaluations. Vincent also conducted individual workouts with the Sun players and assisted in formulating scouting reports.
Vincent’s coaching career has also included stops at Delaware, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Yale, Miami-Dade College, the University of Southern Miss and the University of Fort Lauderdale.
LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University Athletics is pleased to announce Jazmine Washington as the head volleyball coach for the Langston University Lady Lions.
“We are excited to announce and welcome Jazmine Washington, our new head volleyball coach at Langston University,” said Director of Athletics Donnita Rogers. “Coach Washington’s energy and passion for the game of volleyball are sure to be contagious as she prepares to lead our Lady Lions volleyball program and our campus community, alumni and fans are just as eager to watch her take our volleyball program to new heights.”
“I’m super excited to become a Langston Lion! Langston (University) holds a name that commands respect throughout the culture and the rich history that Langston exudes when spoken about makes me excited,” Washington said. “I am honored to receive the opportunity to be a part of Langston Athletics.”
Washington comes to Langston University after head coaching stints at Paul Quinn College, Philander Smith University and Florida Memorial University. During her time as head coach, she has produced one Conference Player of the Year, six All-Conference selections and was also named the 2021 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for her efforts.
“Our goals for the Langston University volleyball program will be to produce a championship team, not only securing a ring but producing the mindset for the program’s future,” Washington noted. “We’re looking to win every season, not just this season.”
Washington was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, where she developed her passion for the game of volleyball. Throughout her upbringing, she’s played club, beach and collegiate volleyball and specializes in the setter and middle hitter positions. A graduate of Duncanville High School, Washington played collegiately at Palm Beach Atlantic University and later transferred to Philander Smith University.
During her time as a Panther, Washington received first-team All-Conference accolades and graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration. Additionally, Washington has served as a head coach on the volleyball club circuit where she coached athletes from ages 13 to 18 years old.
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.
