Langston University is set to celebrate 129 years since its founding with a week of ceremonies and celebrations in Langston and Tulsa. The events will include musical performances, the annual Founders Day Program and an Inaugural Founders Week Celebration Gala.
The Langston University Department of Music will present The Chamber Collective musical performance on Tuesday, March 10. This collection of small ensembles will feature both choral and instrumental performances. The event will be held in the I.W. Young Auditorium on the Langston Campus at 6:30 p.m.
The annual Founders Day Program will be held at the I.W. Young Auditorium on the Langston Campus at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 12. The theme for this year’s program is “Honoring Our Past, Empowering Our Promise,” and the featured speaker will be Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, Founder and Executive Director of the Terence Crutcher Foundation.
Dr. Cruther is an alumna of Langston University, and she is a nationally recognized justice advocate, community leader and social impact advisor. As Founder and Executive Director of the Terence Crutcher Foundation, she leads transformative initiatives focused on public safety, criminal justice reform, economic mobility and community healing. She also serves as a Founding Board Member of Justice for Greenwood, Senior Advisor to Black Tech Street and Advisor to Roc Nation’s United Justice Coalition.
Langston University will end the week with the Inaugural Founders Week Celebration Gala in Tulsa on Saturday, March 14.
The Founders Week Celebration Gala, a black-tie optional event, will include a formal dinner, awards presentation and live music. There will also be a special presentation to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling program, which has since spurred the creation of a bachelor’s program, the formation of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, the establishment of two federally funded Rehabilitation Research Training Centers, and the creation of a post-doctoral research program.
The Chamber Collective and annual Founders Day Program are free and open to the public. The Founders Week Celebration Gala is a ticketed event. Tickets can be purchased online at langston.edu/founders-week through Friday, March 6.
For the second consecutive assessment cycle, Langston University School of Business (LUSB) seniors scored in the top 1% nationally on the rigorous Peregrine Outbound Business Exam.
LUSB’s graduating seniors performed nearly 20 percentage points above national Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Program (ACBSP) benchmarks on the Peregrine Outbound Business Exam for Fall 2025 in a fully proctored classroom setting and under stricter testing conditions than in the spring. This performance follows LUSB graduates’ success on the Peregrine exam in Spring 2025.
Dr. Daryl Green, Dean of LUSB, said the students’ success reflects the hard work of the faculty and the students’ remarkable resilience.
“For the Fall 2025 term, our business seniors once again ranked in the top tier nationally on the Peregrine Outbound Business Exam,” Dr. Green said. “This time, under fully proctored, in-class conditions. Their average score of approximately 78.6% closely aligns with our Spring 2025 results, which were taken online and unproctored. This consistency confirms the integrity and authenticity of our students’ learning outcomes.”
Every year, graduating business students take the Peregrine Outbound Business Exam, a rigorous assessment administered by over 500 colleges and universities around the world. The exam evaluates students’ mastery across core business disciplines such as finance, economics, management, marketing and business ethics.
LUSB graduates excelled in several core disciplinary areas.
In Information Management Systems, graduates averaged 84%, which is significantly higher than the national benchmark. In Economics, graduates averaged in the low-mid 80s, which is about 20 points above ACBSP norms. In Quantitative Research & Statistics, students averaged 81%. In Legal Environment, students scored in the low 80s, outperforming most of their regional peers. In Marketing & Finance, students scored in the high 70s.
Ashley Dillard, director of Client Solutions at Peregrine Global Services, commended LUSB’s performance over the past two semesters.
“Langston University demonstrates an exceptional commitment to the growth,” Dillard said. “At Peregrine, we partner with many institutions focused on continuous improvement, and it is gratifying to collaborate with leaders like Dean Green who are deeply dedicated to the advancement of their students and academic programs.”
LUSB has made several strides to improve student learning outcomes and increase educational opportunities in recent years. Some of their recent accomplishments include increasing LUSB enrollment by more than 20% since 2024; partnering with Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business to launch a 4+1 program for LU students to earn master’s degrees; and hosting national events such as the HUxPNC Entrepreneurship Summit.
Langston University remains committed to providing high-quality educational opportunities for Oklahoma and beyond. Anyone interested in applying for LUSB, or any other LU program, can apply online at langston.edu/apply-now.
Langston University will join Sen. Nikki Nice and the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics as they celebrate the life and legacy of LU alumna Bessie Coleman during Bessie Coleman Week from Jan. 26-30.
The celebrations will include an LU alumni reception followed by a community celebration on Jan. 28.
“Langston University is honored to stand with Sen. Nikki Nice and the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics to celebrate the legacy of our alumna, Bessie Coleman,” President Ruth Ray Jackson said. “Though her time at Langston was brief, her determination and trailblazing spirit continue to inspire our students to pursue STEM and other historically underrepresented fields.”
Bessie Coleman came to Oklahoma from Texas in 1910 to attend Langston University, which was then the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University. Although she could only afford to attend for one semester, she left her mark on the university and the state. She went on to attend flight school in France to earn her pilot’s license, and she became the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license.
Coleman became a stunt flier, and she was known for her daring tricks. People came from all over to watch “Queen Bess” perform in air shows. She died tragically in a plane crash at 34 years old on April 30, 1926.
A century later, Coleman’s story still inspires young people to pursue their education, particularly in the STEM fields. The planned celebrations are intended to honor Coleman’s legacy, share her story, and promote STEM education in Oklahoma.
“As Oklahoma’s HBCU and a proud land‑grant institution, we remain committed to expanding educational access and strengthening STEM pathways for the communities we serve,” Dr. Jackson said. “It is a privilege to honor Bessie Coleman’s remarkable story and share her enduring impact with the people of Oklahoma and beyond.”
OKLAHOMA CITY–Langston University’s Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies earned $3.125 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Education to support the university’s rehabilitation programs, including funding 96 full-tuition scholarships over the next five years.
The department has been awarded three grants; one is from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS), and two are from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).
The first grant, funded through the RSA and totaling $1 million over five years, will establish a specialized Pre-Employment Transition Services to Youth with Mental Disabilities track within the department’s master’s program for Rehabilitation Counseling. This will include funding the tuition, fees and a living stipend for 30 graduate students over five years.
The second grant, worth $1.25 million and funded by OSERS, will establish a new track within the undergraduate Rehabilitation Services bachelor’s degree program. The new track will be School-to-Work: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and the grant will fund the tuition, fees and a living stipend for 36 undergraduate students over the next five years.
The last grant is from the RSA and will pay out $875,000 over five years. This grant will establish another new track within the Rehabilitation Services program: Pre-Employment Transition Services to Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (including Autism). It will fund 30 undergraduate scholarships over the next five years, which will include tuition, fees and a living stipend.
“Langston University is honored to receive this transformative investment from the U.S. Department of Education,” said President Ruth Ray Jackson. “These three grants reflect our unwavering commitment to preparing highly qualified professionals who will serve youth with mental, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.
“I commend Dr. Corey Moore and the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies for their leadership in advancing inclusive education and workforce development. This funding strengthens our mission as a land-grant institution and expands access to high-impact academic programs that meet urgent national needs.”
Dr. Corey Moore is the Founding Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies.
Undergraduate students interested in the Rehabilitation Services program who wish to apply for the scholarships within either track must have completed at least 41 hours of general education courses prior to applying. Interested individuals should contact Professor Emanual Lewis, the Rehabilitation Services Program Coordinator at LU-Tulsa, via phone at 918-902-3184 or via email at emanual.lewis@langston.edu.
Graduate students interested in the new track within the Rehabilitation Counseling program should contact Dr. Andre Washington, the Rehabilitation Counseling Program Coordinator at LU-OKC, via phone at 405-530-7525 or via email at andre.washington@langston.edu to apply for scholarships.
“The awarding of these grants, especially three at the same time, speaks to the relevance and value of the work being done here at Langston University in the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies,” said Dr. Elizabeth Albright, Interim Dean of the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “These scholarships enhance what Langston University already does to support students through degree completion. By providing financial support, not only are students able to graduate without adding debt, but they will be stronger in their field because their primary focus can be school.”
These new grant projects present 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. Significant attention will be devoted to cross-fertilizing these academic initiatives and ongoing RRTC trainings to increase students’ knowledge of the delivery and transition of mental health and developmental disability support services to school-age children and youth.
The goal is to improve the supply of fully credentialed rehabilitation, mental health and disability professionals for employment in local educational and/or rehabilitation agencies.
“These innovative federally funded educational initiatives are critical for training and preparing our undergraduate and graduate students within the department to help meet the demands of human service systems addressing the current national youth mental health crisis as well as the pre-employment service support needs of school-age children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities” said Dr. Moore, the Founding Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies and project director for all three grants.
The OSERS priority focuses on personnel preparation for special education, early intervention and related services personnel at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally controlled colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions. The RSA priorities are consistent with the purpose of the Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program, which is to provide financial assistance for academic training areas of personnel shortages in vocational rehabilitation.
These funded initiatives at Langston University are in direct response to identified needs in personnel development, as well as to improve services and outcomes for school-age children and youth with mental, intellectual and developmental disabilities.
OKLAHOMA CITY––Dr. Corey Moore, a Professor and the Founding Chair of the Langston University Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, received the 2025 Bobbie Atkins Distinguished Research Award from the National Rehabilitation Association at their national conference on Oct. 1.
The award, named after prominent rehabilitation researcher Dr. Bobbie J. Atkins, is a recognition of quality research from individuals or organizations which has an impact on improving services to people with disabilities. Dr. Moore was recognized for his distinguished record of research and publications, which have had a particularly strong impact on those with the most significant support needs.
“Dr. Atkins was truly a trailblazer and a giant in our field,” Dr. Moore said. “I proudly stand on her shoulders and carry her legacy of research in disability and rehabilitation.”
In addition to his roles as a professor and department chair, Dr. Moore serves as Founding Executive Director at the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities and the RRTC on Advancing Employment Equity for Multiply Marginalized People with Disabilities, both at Langston University. In these roles, he has shown a long-standing commitment to research leadership and advocacy in the field of disability and rehabilitation.
He has also served as the principal investigator on twenty-three different research, training and service grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, which total over $33 million. He is an author or co-author on over 90 peer-reviewed articles published in refereed professional trade journals, monographs and policy briefs.
In addition to his exemplary record of research and publications, his expertise has been recognized at the highest levels, as evidenced by his past appointments to federal agency bodies, including the advisory committee for the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dr. Moore’s work continues to have a profound impact on the field as it helps shape policy, professional practice and academic scholarship.
In accepting this award, Dr. Moore acknowledged the contributions of all core RRTC investigators, official collaborators and mentors from various institutions, and he thanked Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson and her administration for their ongoing strong support.
Langston University’s School of Business and Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a new 4+1 Business Degree Pathway.
This agreement provides Langston University students majoring in Business the opportunity to complete both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years, streamlining their path toward advanced business leadership and analytics careers.
Through this partnership, qualified Langston University students can seamlessly transition into OSU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Business Analytics and Data Science (MS BAnDS), Master of Management Information Systems (MS MIS), Master of Quantitative Finance (MSQF), and Master of Hospitality and Tourism Management (MS HTM) programs. Students will have access to graduate-level coursework during their senior year, allowing them to accelerate their graduate degree completion while saving time and money.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to creating academic pathways that strengthen Oklahoma’s business and innovation ecosystem,” said Dr. Daryl Green, dean of the School of Business at Langston University. “It gives our students a competitive advantage in pursuing high-demand careers in business, analytics and leadership.”
The collaboration further aligns with Langston University’s mission to provide transformative educational opportunities and expand graduate pathways for underrepresented students in business and technology disciplines.
“We’re excited to partner with Langston University to create this 4+1 pathway for their business students,” said Dr. Jim Payne, dean of Spears Business. “Our campuses are just 20 miles apart, and this kind of collaboration strengthens Oklahoma’s workforce by providing more students with access to advanced business education. We look forward to welcoming Langston students into our graduate programs and helping them build successful careers in business.”
LU students wishing to take advantage of these new pathways must be juniors with at least 90 undergraduate hours completed at the time of applying. All students must take the GMAT exam and complete OSU’s standard graduate school application found at grad.okstate.edu/apply.
Interested participants will meet with their LU advisor to complete a general eligibility screening and discuss next steps. After meeting with their LU advisor, they will need to set up an appointment with a Spears advisor for their program of interest. Their advisors will help them navigate the process of applying to the master’s program early at OSU, and they will be equipped with timelines for the next available semester.
Langston University is Oklahoma’s HBCU. Made up of six academic schools, LU provides students with a world-class education that includes hands-on learning through impactful research and beneficial internships. The Langston University School of Business (LUSB) prides itself on producing change agents in the world of business. Nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), LUSB offers more than 10 degree programs that prepare graduates to jumpstart their career goals. In 2025, LUSB graduates ranked in the top 1% nationally on the Peregrine Business Exam.
Emboldened by its motto “the Power of Personal,” Spears Business prepares students in an environment where human connections are paramount and academic excellence is strengthened by interpersonal prowess. The results speak for themselves, as U.S. News & World report ranked Spears Business No. 8 for its online bachelor’s programs and No. 11 for its online MBA, while Fortune listed its MS BAnDS program No. 2 in the country behind only Harvard University. With 6,744 students, Spears Business is the largest college on the OSU campus.
Langston University employees and alumnae were honored at the Fourteenth Annual Ceremony and Banquet of the Oklahoma African American Educators Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 26.
The honorees included recent Langston University retiree Dr. John K. Coleman, alumna Mrs. Carolyn Gay Harris, alumna Dr. Jolly Henderson Meadows, and former Langston University professor Dr, Melvin B. Tolson, who was honored posthumously.
Dr. John K. Coleman
Dr. Coleman attended LU from 1961-65, graduating with honors and earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Mathematics. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physical Chemistry in 1976 and completed post-doctoral studies in 1978. After some time away, Dr. Coleman returned to Langston University in 1993 at the request of the late President Ernest Holloway to serve as the Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences.
Over the past three decades, Dr. Coleman not only served as chair of the Department of Chemistry, but his impact also extended beyond academic metrics. For generations of Langston University students, he has been a mentor, advocate and example – a leader who never stopped believing in the transformative power of education. Many of his former students are now faculty members at Langston University in the Chemistry or Biology Departments, shaping new generations in the same spirit he so faithfully modeled.
Dr. Coleman was appointed the interim dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in 2023, and he retired at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year.
Mrs. Carolyn Gay Harris
Mrs. Harris joined Langston University as a majorette in the Marching Pride, which was known at the time as the Langston Lions Band. Her time at Langston University was marked by academic achievement as she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, laying a foundation for her future career in education. Pursuing further academic excellence, she completed a Master of Education degree at the University of Central Oklahoma in 1974.
Mrs. Harris began her professional journey at Spencer High School in Spencer, Oklahoma, where she taught for five years. Her commitment to shaping young minds extended to middle school classrooms for six years, and thereafter to administrative roles as both elementary and middle school principal for another six years. Her dedication and expertise culminated in her leadership as an elementary school principal for a remarkable 16 years. These decades of service reflect a career that spanned a total of 33 years, during which she touched the lives of countless students, faculty members and families.
Dr. Jolly Henderson Meadows
Dr. Meadows earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1974 from Langston University, followed by a Master of Education degree in Reading from Northeastern State University in 1979. She obtained a Master of Education degree in Leadership from Northeastern in 1986 and her Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Oklahoma State University in 1997.
Dr. Meadows began her 51-year career in education at Liberty Elementary in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. She joined Tulsa Public Schools in 1975 when she accepted a teaching position at Riley Elementary School, and she was appointed assistant principal at Patrick Henry Elementary School in 1986. After two years she was appointed principal – a position she held for 23 years. In 2006, Tulsa Public Schools took notice of the impressive academic growth Patrick Henry Elementary School showed under Dr. Meadows’ tenure and assigned her to Monroe Middle School. She was transferred to Gilcrest Middle School in 2007.
As an administrator, Dr. Meadows was known for utilizing innovative and reliable programs with proven outcomes to achieve academic gains. She employed a collaborative approach to empower teachers to become leaders, to disaggregate test data and to research supplemental instructional materials. She retired from Tulsa Public Schools in 2009 and worked as an adjunct professor of urban education in the undergraduate and graduate programs at Langston University–Tulsa. She accepted a full-time position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at the University of Tulsa.
Dr. Meadows is also the vice president of the Langston University National Alumni Association-Tulsa Chapter (2021-present).
Dr. Melvin D. Tolson
Dr. Tolson taught English and speech at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, for nearly two decades. In addition to teaching English, he established an award-winning debate team, the Wiley Forensic Society, which became a pioneer in interracial collegiate debates. Beginning in 1930, the team debated against law students from the University of Michigan in Chicago. In 1931, the team participated in the first known interracial collegiate debate in the South against Oklahoma City University. This is the story that inspired the film “The Great Debaters,” starring Denzel Washington.
Dr. Tolson took a sabbatical from teaching in 1930 to study for a master’s degree at Columbia University in New York City. His thesis project, “The Harlem Group of Negro Writers,” was based on his extensive interviews with members of the Harlem Renaissance, which inspired him to write “A Gallery of Harlem Portraits,” his first major work.
In 1947, Dr. Tolson relocated to Langston University, where he taught English, drama, and was a dramatist and director of the Dust Bowl Theater. Students described Tolson as eccentric, driven, fearless and radical. It was not unusual for him to stand on top of a desk and jump off to engage and challenge students during lectures. While at Langston University, Dr. Tolson was elected to multiple terms as mayor of Langston City.
Dr. Tolson’s career in education at the collegiate level spanned 43 years. He died in Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 29, 1966, and is buried in Guthrie, Oklahoma. His award was accepted by Dr. Cindy Ross, Chair of the LU Department of English and Foreign Languages in the School of Arts and Sciences.
Langston University had a lot to celebrate at its Opening Convocation Ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 4.
From national test scores to athletic achievements, President Ruth Ray Jackson highlighted numerous ways in which Langston University students, faculty, staff and alumni have achieved success over the past year during her State of the University address. She also called on the university community to look forward to the great things to come.
“Today, we stand at the threshold of a year filled with promise,” Dr. Jackson said. “We come together to recommit ourselves to the ideals of learning, discovery and service. And we recognize that this moment—the opportunity of now—is a gift we must not take for granted.”
The Class of 2025 took advantage of the opportunities Dear Langston provided them.
Recent biology graduate Daysha Isaac received national accolades while at LU, earning a Scientific Merit Award at the National IDeA Biomedical Research Excellence Conference in 2024.
Graduates from the School of Business scored in the Top 1% nationally on the Peregrine Outbound Business Exam. Graduates from the School of Physical Therapy earned a 100% pass rate on their licensing exams and a 100% post-graduation placement rate, continuing a long-standing pattern of success from Oklahoma’s first accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy program. For the fifth year in a row, graduates from the Department of Computer Science have also earned a 100% post-graduation placement rate.
LU students have had success in extracurriculars and cocurriculars as well.
The Lady Lions Basketball Team won both the 2025 SAC regular season and tournament championships, the first historically black college or university to win the titles on the women’s side.
The Lady Lions Basketball Team won both the 2025 SAC regular season and tournament championships, the first historically black college or university to win the titles on the women’s side. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams made it to the Round of 16 in the NAIA national tournament this past March.
Seventy-eight student athletes were named to the SAC Commissioners Hall of Fame.
In August, the Marching Pride Band competed in the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands in Houston as well as the HBCU Labor Day Classic Battle of the Bands in Mississippi. In September, the Marching Pride will perform at the Kansas City Chiefs’ season opener against the Philidelphia Eagles.
“These achievements across academics, athletics and the arts reflect the spirit of Langston: determination, creativity and excellence,” Dr. Jackson said. “They show us what is possible when talent meets the opportunity of now.”
Perhaps among the university’s proudest achievements over the past year has been its success in the research field.
Langston University was recognized as a Research College/University (RCU) by the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education Institutions, one of only 216 institutions in the nation to receive this classification.
The university earned its RCU status thanks to the hard work of its passionate faculty, staff and student researchers. From aquaponics and artificial intelligence to horticulture and drone-based livestock management, Langston University conducts a variety of impactful research.
Langston University’s extensive research projects and numerous opportunities for student research involvement have contributed to the success of the university’s science, technology engineering and math (STEM) programs. LU’s STEM programs have not only outpaced national retention rates, but they have grown by 112% in recent years.
“Langston’s impact is broadening thanks to faculty who teach, mentor, and research with passion and purpose,” Dr. Jackson said.
Langston University President Ruth Ray Jackson (left) and Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Assistant Provost and Director of DEI Christopher Smith sign an education agreement creating the Early Assurance Program.
A tenet of Dr. Jackson’s presidency has been to forge and strengthen partnerships between Langston University and organizations which work toward the same goals. To that end, working with groups such as Tinker Air Force Base, the Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens and OG&E provide LU students with opportunities for internships, scholarships and professional development. A recent partnership with the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education created new pathways for LU students preparing to study occupational therapy in graduate school.
The university has recently made several investments in its facilities and programs with the goal of providing students, faculty and staff with better environments that will promote the continuation of LU’s academic, extracurricular and research success.
The university has invested millions of dollars in heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades across the Langston Campus. It has also invested in a complete roof replacement at the Oklahoma City Campus, and it is working to increase its program offering at the Tulsa Campus.
“These investments are not just about bricks and mortar,” Dr. Jackson said. “They are about creating the best possible learning environment for our students and working environment for our employees — places where excellence can thrive.”
As Dr. Jackson reflected on Langston University’s successes this past year, she also reflected on the importance of Dear Langston as Oklahoma’s HBCU and an 1890 land-grant institution.
As part of its land-grant mission, Langston University trains teachers who will shape the next generation, reaches out to underserved communities through health programs, contributes to Oklahoma’s economy through business and technology, enriches culture and preserves history through the arts and humanities, and uses research to solve problems and improve the lives of families and communities.
Dr. Jackson charged the students, faculty, staff and alumni to embrace “the opportunity of now” and continue to strive for success.
“Being a land-grant university means we don’t keep knowledge to ourselves,” Dr. Jackson said. “We teach, we research and we share so that the work we do here makes life better far beyond our campuses.
“Langston University is not only Oklahoma’s HBCU—we are a nationally recognized and respected institution. And this year, we will once again prove that the best of Langston is still ahead.”
LANGSTON, Okla.––Thanks to the efforts of the Oklahoma Legislature to fully match Langston University’s Evans-Allen federal funding, the LU Cooperative Extension and Outreach Program (CEOP) is preparing to expand its services to two new counties while increasing its program offerings in counties it already serves.
With the additions of Woodward and Johnston Counties, CEOP will offer extension programs in 48 of the 77 counties in Oklahoma. CEOP’s programs offer vital services to these communities, providing resources in areas ranging from family and youth development to a wide range of food and agricultural support. Dr. Roger Merkel, Associate Extension Administrator for CEOP, said that by expanding its services, CEOP seeks to fulfill its mission of advancing the well-being of Oklahomans and fostering resilient, thriving communities across the state.
“The Cooperative Extension and Outreach Program of the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences is committed to serving the citizens of Oklahoma by promoting improved quality of life, enhancing agricultural and business productivity, and fostering community development,” Dr. Merkel said. “Central to the mission of Extension is the cultivation of meaningful human connections. Extension educators prioritize the establishment of respectful, supportive relationships that yield measurable, positive outcomes in the communities they serve.”
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) fully matched Langston University’s Evans-Allen federal funding for the first time in FY 2025, and ODAFF made strides to maintain the full match for FY 2026 by increasing CEOP’s state funding. Thanks to this full funding match, CEOP is strategically expanding its services throughout Oklahoma through investments in essential resources such as personnel, transportation, technology, program supplies, professional development opportunities and other forms of operational support.
With enhanced resources, the program intends to both broaden existing initiatives and implement new, impactful activities. Anticipated outcomes include:
An increased number and multiplicity of food preservation courses
Expanded fiber arts programming
A broadened youth STEM curriculum and engagement with schools and other community organizations.
Establishment and support of new 4-H clubs.
Expansion of small ruminant production and related value-added product development programs into new areas of the state.
Growth of apiculture support and education, including the development of a formal training curriculum for beekeepers.
Expanded horticulture and precision agriculture education and outreach initiatives
Strengthened collaboration with and support for community-based organizations
Continued adult and youth nutrition education support programs.
A new initiative to provide adult and youth programming with Oklahoma City Parks and Recreation
This expansion effort is one of the ways in which Langston University aims to broaden its impact in Oklahoma through its land-grant mission.
“Langston University is grateful for its enhanced funding,” said Dr. Wesley Whittaker, Dean of the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. “Consumers, producers and industry professionals recognize that funding for agricultural extension and research in Oklahoma creates value on many levels. It helps to develop new revenue streams for farmers and ranchers, expand value-added products, encourage diversified agricultural practices and strengthen the competitiveness of Oklahoma agriculture.
“Our dedicated team is energized and ready to do all that is necessary to ensure impactful outcomes from our work.”
The R&B funk icon group Con Funk Shun will perform at Langston University’s 20th Annual President’s Scholarship Gala on October 10 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
The President’s Scholarship Gala is LangstonUniversity’s largest student scholarship fundraiser of the year. The highly anticipated event always features amazing performances from talented artists, and the LU President’s Scholarship Gala Committee has booked Con Funk Shun to perform at this year’s Gala.
Con Funk Shun was originally comprised of eight gifted musicians who were hand selected by founder Michael Cooper. Their current lineup includes three original members, Michael Cooper, Felton Pilate, and Karl Fuller, as well as the talents of Kurt “KC” Clayton, Ron Moton, Aaron Green, Rene Escovedo, and Brian LaTour.
Initially known as Project Soul, Con Funk Shun has been pleasing fans for over five decades. Originating in Vallejo, CA, the band found a home in Memphis, TN. During the 1970s, they backed Stax recording artist the Soul Children as well as Rufus Thomas on his Golden Globe nominated Wattstax Benefit Concert and Documentary.
Inspired by the group Nite-Liters’ song, the group renamed itself Con Funk Shun and soon drew the attention of Mercury Records. Their debut album featured their first single “Sho’ Feels Good To Me.” Throughout their career, Con Funk Shun has released a total of 11 albums and eight top ten Billboard hits including the No. 1 hit single “Ffun,” “Chase Me,” “Shake & Dance,” “Baby I’m Hooked,” and more.
Their fan favorite song, “Love’s Train” from their Gold album “To the Max” was never released as a single. However, 40 years later, the supergroup Silk Sonic’s rendition topped the charts, helping that duo (Bruno Mars & Anderson Paak) win a BET Album of the Year Award.
Con Funk Shun can proudly claim to be one of the only R&B Funk bands that has three members with honorary doctorate degrees – Ron Moton (2018), Michael Cooper (2022) and Felton Pilate (2022). Dr. Cooper and Dr. Pilate have also received US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contribution to music and humanitarian efforts.
Langston University is Oklahoma’s HBCU. Made up of six academic schools, LU provides students with a world-class education that includes hands-on learning through impactful research and beneficial internships. The Langston University School of Business (LUSB) prides itself on producing change agents in the world of business. Nationally accredited by the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), LUSB offers more than 10 degree programs that prepare graduates to jumpstart their career goals. In 2025, LUSB graduates ranked in the top 1% nationally on the Peregrine Business Exam.
