Tag: opening convocation

Dr. Jackson speaks at a podium in full academic regalia

“The Opportunity of Now:” President Jackson celebrates Langston University’s successes, reflects on impact at Opening Convocation

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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.

Lady Lions basketball team cheers as they hoist the SAC Championship trophy
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.
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.”

a group photo of faculty, alumni and students showing an "L's Up"

Exterior photo facing the front entrance of I.W. Young Auditorium.

Opening Convocation

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The Langston University Formal Opening Convocation will take place Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in the I.W. Young Auditorium. During opening convocation, President Ruth Ray Jackson will address the University.

Academic faculty are invited to participate in the opening procession at the event. Please be reminded that full academic regalia is worn during this event.

Formal Opening Convocation is a campus wide event. All students, faculty and staff are asked to attend.

Dr Ruth Ray Jackson speaks at the 2023 Opening Convocation

RECAP: PRESIDENT JACKSON OUTLINES PLAN FOR LANGSTON UNIVERSITY DURING OPENING CONVOCATION

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by Ellie Melero and Jet Turner

Langston, Okla. – Interim President Ruth Ray Jackson spoke about her goals for Langston University and her plans to achieve them over the next year during the Formal Opening Convocation Ceremony at I.W. Young Auditorium on Thursday.

“As we embark on this year of transition and prepare for a new chapter in the history of our institution, let’s embrace each opportunity to recommit to our institutional vision statement,” President Jackson said. “‘To foster an environment which cultivates leaders, innovators and engaged citizens who meet the challenges of local, national and global communities.’”

The Opening Convocation marked the formal opening of the university for the 2023-24 academic year. President Jackson, who assumed office on July 6 after President Kent J. Smith, Jr.’s, retirement, took the opportunity to address the Langston community and discuss her Presidential Priorities, or Five P’s, for the university during her interim presidency.

The Five P’s are People, Programs, Processes, Public Relations and Purpose.

PEOPLE

People refers to the Langston community: students, future students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and friends. President Jackson spoke about the need to take care of all members of the Langston family and the ways in which the university is doing so.

“We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment for our students to learn and live,” President Jackson said. “For our employees, we will cultivate a campus culture that allows us to recruit and retain talented people who, first and foremost, understand and support our mission.”

Student retention and graduation rates have increased, and graduate student enrollment has increased by 43%. Campus housing is at capacity, and Langston has taken occupancy of its new Oklahoma City campus on Kelley Avenue.

Additionally, the university has welcomed nearly 40 new faculty and staff since May, and university employees recently received a 3% raise, partially facilitated by funding from the State Regents and Oklahoma legislature.

PROGRAMS

Programs refers not only to the various associates, bachelors, masters and doctoral programs offered at Langston University, but also the various cocurricular and extracurricular activities which help to enrich the lives of Langston students.

Langston’s academic programs are continually evaluated and updated as needed to ensure students receive quality education which fully prepares them for competitive fields and industries. In addition to program updates, Langston is also working to increase its online graduate and certificate program offerings.

President Jackson also announced that Langston will soon offer a Master of Science in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, which means four of Langston’s six academic schools will offer at least one graduate degree program.

PROCESSES

The third P, Processes, refers to President Jackson’s goal to update, optimize and streamline as many of the necessary processes and procedures of the university as possible. Many procedures and platforms are currently under review to determine how best to accomplish this goal.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

“There is an African proverb that says, ‘Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero,’” President Jackson said. “We must tell our story.”

President Jackson encouraged students, faculty, staff and alumni to not only share their stories with the university’s Public Relations team, but also with their own networks of friends and families.

PURPOSE

President Jackson’s final P is Purpose. As one of only 102 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and one of only 19 Historically Black Land Grant Institutions in the United States, Langston University has a higher calling than simply teaching students.

Langston provides affordable access to all students, regardless of background, to career oriented higher education, and it empowers them to make lasting impacts in the world through critical teaching and research.

“Since our founding in 1897, we have provided a nurturing environment for our students, especially those most at risk for not completing college,” President Jackson said. “We play a critical role in fostering upward mobility and helping diverse students achieve their educational, professional and personal aspirations.”

President Jackson ended her remarks by reading Langston University’s Mission Statement, which aligns with the Five P’s:

Grounded in its rich traditions as a historically Black college and university, and a land-grant institution, Langston University offers quality post-secondary education to diverse populations through academics, research, community engagement, extension, and co-curricular experiences that lead to professional competence and degree completion.

“This is what we were founded to do,” President Jackson said. “This is what we have done for 126 years. This is what we will continue to do this year and for many more to come.”