OU Arbor Day: A Planting Tradition

Oklahoma's Arbor Day celebration is the last full week of March.  It's a little earlier than some communities nationwide due to different planting times.  Arbor Day is very near and dear to the University of Oklahoma and our first lady, Molly Shi Boren.  Today we celebrated on campus with a picnic at the David A. Burr Park and then a tree planting on the grounds of the Oklahoma Center for Continuing Education.

Today was extra special because we were planting the 1,000th tree since OU began officially recognizing Arbor Day in 1997.  It's a Water Oak, also known as spotted oak or possum oak.  This type of tree grows quickly and reaches 50' to 80' in height and lives hundreds of years.

During the picnic, President David Boren spoke about the importance of Arbor Day and gave a brief history of the significance of trees on our beautiful campus:  It all began when OU's first president, David Ross Boyd stepped off the train and saw what would eventually become the University of Oklahoma.  At the time, there were only nine students who had class in a tiny building and there were no trees on campus.  Boyd had a vision and was so determined to make his vision a reality that he took half of his first year's salary, which was $2,000, and purchased as many trees as he could.  He enlisted in the help of others, telling them he'd give them a tree if they would take care of it.  He planted the rest on campus.

"Planting a tree is an unselfish act.  It's for future years.  The tree you plant will not provide shade for you, but for other people in future generations."  - OU President, David Boren 

Chances are, when you attended OU you participated in some sort of Arbor Day celebration.  Maybe you planted a tree or perhaps you were one of the many lucky ones who got to bask in the shade provided by other generations.  Either way, these trees are yet another special bond that tie us together and unite us as Sooners.  Happy Arbor Day!

OU President David Boren addresses the crowd gathered in Burr Park for Arbor Day festivities.

Student, staff and members of the community enjoy a picnic for Arbor Day in OU's Burr Park.

OU Jazz Combo plays in the gazebo prior to OU's Arbor Day presentation.

The planting of the 1000th tree on OU's beautiful campus.

Saying hello to the 1000th tree.

OUtstanding Alumni: Debbie Copp

Debbie Copp, '78, '84

Longtime University of Oklahoma Athletics Department employee, Debbie Copp, has been selected for induction into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame and will join the 2012 class at the Hall of Fame dinner on June 25 in St. Louis, MO at the annual CoSIDA convention.

Debbie received her bachelor's degree in journalism in 1978 and later went on to complete a master's degree in education in 1984 at OU.

Throughout her career, Copp has garnered the attention of her peers for her outstanding work. In 2008, she was named the recipient of the 2008 Bob Kenworthy Community Service Award by CoSIDA. That award came on the heels of her 25-year award, which she earned from CoSIDA in 2001.

Speaking of the hall of fame selection, Copp said “I am absolutely overwhelmed with this honor and would like to thank the current hall of fame members and the friends who were involved in making my nomination and the upcoming induction possible.

“When I received the Bob Kenworthy Award in 2008, I thought that would be the highlight of my professional career. Four years later, I am to be inducted into the hall of fame and that has left me speechless, a place I don’t often visit.”

Former Oklahoma football Academic All-America student-athlete Dewey Selmon - himself a 2010 CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductee - said of Debbie, “I could go on and on about Debbie’s accomplishments. But what I really want you to know is her heart and compassion.

"I first met Debbie as a member of the football team at the University of Oklahoma," Selmon continued. "She was continually supportive, enthusiastic, and interested in contributing to my success both off and on the field. It has been over 30 years since I donned a Sooner football uniform, but Debbie remains continually supportive, enthusiastic, and interested in contributing to my success. It is amazing to me that when I had a daughter playing basketball for OU, Debbie was there with the same enthusiasm she had when I was playing. I am only one of hundreds of athletes that Debbie has supported throughout her life; she has been a constant advocate for student-athletes. And when Debbie Copp is in your corner, she is in your corner for life!”

Brad Lund, owner of SOLDOUT Strategies noted of Debbie, “Ms. Copp was my direct supervisor during my stint as a student assistant at Oklahoma from 1984 thru 1989. Dozens and dozens of student assistants benefited from her tutelage - none more than I.

"Debbie not only paved the way for my career in professional sports, but she had a sincere desire for me to succeed in my personal life as well," Lund concluded. "I would be hard pressed to find someone that had a more positive influence on my collegiate experience than Debbie.“

She has been active in CoSIDA since the 1970s, serving as the CoSIDA Committee on Committees’ chairperson the past six years. She has also been active on the special awards, publicists for women’s sports, publications awards, and computer committees. She has welcomed women and minorities into the profession and mentored many as an active member of FAME.

Debbie joined the Sooner staff as a student in 1975 during the first year that women’s athletics were a part of the department. She went to full-time status in 1977 and has worked events in 19 of the 21 sports that OU sponsors. She moved into her current position in 1990. As the director of publications for OU athletics, she has worked on numerous award-winning publications, including national award winners for football, post-season, softball, track and field, soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, and wrestling media guides. She also has received writing awards from the organization.

For the last six years, Debbie has coordinated the award nominations for the department. In that time, OU has produced two NCAA Top VIII Award winners; one NCAA Sportsmanship Award winner; four NACDA McLendon Memorial Minority Scholarship winners ($10,000 each); three NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners ($7,500 each); two Wooden Citizenship Cup winners; four Big 12 Sportsmanship Award winners; one Big 12 Athlete of the Year, and one NCAA Inspiration Award winner.

Additionally, two former student-athletes have been inducted in the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame while others have been honored with OU Regents Award for their contributions to the university. Several Sooner athletic staff members also have received national awards as well in that time period.

"None of this would ever have been possible without the many incredible opportunities that I have been given by the University of Oklahoma, my alma mater and only “grown up” world employer I have ever had," Debbie said. "I truly am Sooner born and bred and it is because of that this award has become a reality for me.”

Congratulations on this remarkable honor, Debbie!  We're proud to call you a Sooner!

Sooner Tradition: The OU Flag

Flags have long been a way of identifying who you are.  From a pirate ship's ominous skull and crossbones to the famed stars and stripes of America, flags are a good way to send a message.  Most flags are flown with great pride and the OU flag is no different.  When fans see the flag they rise to the occasion, cheering in support of OUr team.  When opponents see the OU flag and show of support, the ominous message is clear:  This is our turf.
 
The History of the OU Flag:

Ted Jacobs, '78, stands next to the original OU flag, now hanging framed in Crossroads Restaurant in the Oklahoma Memorial Union.  (Photo by Robert Taylor)

Prior to the beginning of the 1975 football season, Ted Jacobs, a sophomore from Waco, Texas and the grandson of former OU Track coach, John Jacobs, had been selected as a member of the OU cheerleading squad.  At that time the only major requirement for being a Sooner cheerleader was being able to perform "double stunts" with a partner.  Though he learned how to do the double-stunt routines, Jacobs soon discovered he was the only cheerleader on the squad who was unable to perform any of the typical gymnastics moves that were so routine to others.  Jacobs loved his place on the squad, and just days before the first game, he was frantic for a way to keep his gymnastics shortcomings from being exposed to 76,000 game-day spectators.

Oklahoma National Guard soldiers from Bravo Company, 179th Infantry, and Alpha Company, show their Sooner spirit. (Photo courtesy Mike Boettcher, University of Oklahoma)

Driving down Lindsey Street, Jacobs passed a car dealership flying several OU flags. He screeched to a stop and inquired where such a flag could be purchased. Then he convinced the OU cheerleader sponsor, Chris Purcell (then assistant director of the Center for Student Development and now vice president for university governance), to buy a flag and allow him to lead the team onto the field.

Running with the flag at the OU Women's Bedlam Basketball Game.  (Photo courtesy Bob and Tina @ The Lazy W Blog)

While tradition was born, Jacobs’ standing in the school spirit world was short-lived; the following year gymnastics skills were added to the tryout requirements, and Jacobs was out. He cannot swear that he originated the now-universal school flag practice across the nation, but he insists he knew of none other, certainly not in the Big 8, except for the banner used by the Texas band in halftime shows.

By today’s measure, Jacob’s flag might be considered puny. While the cheerleaders launch themselves airborne with increasing daring on the sidelines, the OU Ruf/Neks have assumed responsibility for leading the team with a much larger version of the University’s standard; using it to celebrate touchdowns, victories and to draw the fans to greater frenzy.

Every game day, Mrs. Elizabeth Bullard would fly her homemade flag from her home in Noble to let passersby know she is a loyal Sooner fan.  (This photo appeared with a story in the Norman Transcript in 1972.)

The original flag landed in Ted's possession. He later went on to be the director of the Energy Management Program in OU’s Price College of Business and donated the historic relic to the University several years ago. It was framed and is displayed in Crossroads Restaurant in Oklahoma Memorial Union.

Close inspection of this original flag reveals some stains on the white "OU" portion, which Ted claims came from oranges tossed onto the field during OU’s 35-10 trouncing of Nebraska. That win earned the Sooners the 1975 Big 8 title and sent them to the Orange Bowl, where a 14-6 victory over Michigan gave Oklahoma its second back-to-back national championship.

Today, the Sooners continue to be led on the field by a much larger flag, carried by a member of the OU Ruf/Neks, and now, as much as then, gets fans on their feet and cheering for their team.  So the next time you see an OU flag, be sure to get on your feet and cheer!  After all, the OU flag is a timeless piece of Sooner history and tradition!

A Ruf-Nek runs with the OU Flag at a football game against Baylor.  (Photo courtesy Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman)

OUtstanding Alumni: Patrick Jones

Patrick Jones '96

Patrick Jones Joins Greensfelder’s Growing Chicago Office

Patrick has a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma. 

The law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. is pleased to announce that Patrick M. Jones has joined the firm’s Creditors’ Rights & Bankruptcy Practice Group as an officer in the firm’s growing Chicago office.

The firm’s Chicago office has grown steadily over the last four years with the addition of lawyers and the expansion of service offerings and practice areas to enhance the firm’s Chicago presence and meet growing client needs. The office also relocated to new, larger office space in 2011 to accommodate the expansion.

“We are thrilled to have Patrick join our Chicago office to help us continue to enhance and expand the breadth and scope of our service offerings in the Chicago market,” said Chicago Managing Officer John R.F. Baer. “Patrick is a highly experienced attorney and a leader in the areas of bankruptcy and creditors’ rights and we know he will be an outstanding asset for our clients in this vital practice area.”

  

Patrick said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to join Greensfelder’s expanding Chicago office. I also look forward to working with the growing roster of attorneys in Chicago to provide our clients with the exemplary service that they expect from Greensfelder and to help them achieve their business goals.”

Patrick comes to Greensfelder from the Chicago office of SmithAmundsen LLC, where he was a partner. Previously he was a partner at an AmLaw 100 law firm and also acted as outside bankruptcy counsel for a national insurance company. As lead counsel, he has represented bankruptcy trustees and creditors’ committees cases involving multi-million dollar claims of fraud and breaches of fiduciary duties.

Patrick focuses his practice on corporate restructuring, creditors’ rights, and insolvency-related commercial litigation. He represents debtors, secured lenders, creditors’ committees, and individual creditors. In 2010, Mr. Jones advised a specialty bakery in its successful Chapter 11 reorganization, restructuring its debt and ownership structure, and significantly improving its profitability. He also has represented a commercial real estate developer in successful negotiations with multiple lenders, resulting in the orderly wind down of more than 50 projects in various stages of completion and profitability.

Congratulations on the advancement, Patrick!  We're proud to call you a Sooner!

Ten Reasons There's Only One Oklahoma!

There's only one Oklahoma!

1.  The University achieved the Carnegie Foundation's highest tier of research activity classification in 2011, the first time a public institution in Oklahoma has received this outstanding recognition.

2.  OU ranks No. 1 in the nation among all public universities in the number of freshman National Merit Scholars enrolled, with 207 in the fall 2011 freshman class.

3.  Klout, which measures influence online using data from social networks, has ranked OU the most influential university in America.

Climate science display (photo courtesy SloverLinett Strategies)

4.  The University has been selected by the U.S Department of the Interiors as the site of one of the only eight regional climate science centers nationwide.

K20 (photo courtesy Signs Now)

5.  The OU-based K20 Center for Educational and Community Renewal promotes innovative learning through school/university/community collaboration, serving 900 schools, 1,800 school leaders, 12,000 teachers and 150,000 students throughout Oklahoma.

School of Community Medicine

6.  The University's School of Community Medicine is the first of its kind in the nation, improving the health status of the under-served Oklahoma rural and urban communities.

EYEChina has been accepted into the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition!

7.  The first social entrepreneurship project of the OU Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth is developing a sustainable business model to eliminate a backlog of 1 million patients suffering cataract-related blindness in China's Sichuan Province by 2020.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art

8.  OU's Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art ranks among the top half dozen university museums in the United States and is home to the most important public university collection of French Impressionist art in our country.

Seed Sower at OU's Health Sciences Campus

9.  Between 2005 and 2010, 62 U.S. patents were issued to the OU Health Sciences Center and 11 license agreements were executed, resulting in nearly $1.7 million in license income.

Sam Bradford statue on campus. (photo courtesy Dave Hunt/OU Insider)

10.  OU recognized its fifth Heisman Trophy winner, Sam Bradford, with the placement of his sculpture in Heisman Park.  The University's four other Heisman winners - Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims, and Jason White - also have sculptures in the park, located directly east of The Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

This information and more can be found in the 2012 Community Impact Report.  If you'd like to see more, click here or send an email to alumni@ou.edu and we'd be happy to mail you one.

OUtstanding Alumni: Mary Millben

Mary Millben, '06, as Nina in her most recent stage performance.

A native Oklahoman, Mary received her training at the University of Oklahoma--Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Weitzenhoffer Department of Musical Theater and a minor in political science. Also, while at OU, she served as president of the University of Oklahoma Student Association.

She is currently starring in 'S Wonderful Gershwin Tunes at Westchester Broadway Theatre through March 25th.  A review from Woman Around Town states, "Mary Millben has the unenviable task of singing the Porgy and Bess numbers. She can belt with the best of them, and as Nina, makes New Orleans in 1957 really sizzle. I’d also kill for the spangled dress she wears so well. The audience cheers after every song she sings."

Mary was a Helen Hayes Award nominee, a former White House intern and White House presidential appointee.  She has been a featured soloist at the White House, the Kennedy Center, and stages across the globe. A coloratura soprano, a concert violinist and semi-fluent in Mandarin, Mary has been a featured soloist for events hosted by and/or hosting President Barack Obama & the First Family, President George W. Bush & the First Family, the Honorable Queen Nor, Bill Cosby, Maya Angelou and others.

Last December, Mary was invited by the Office of the First Lady to sing for the White House Holiday Season as a featured soloist. Invited by NAACP Chairwoman Roslyn Brock, Mary was a featured, guest soloist for the 102nd NAACP National Convention in Los Angeles this past summer. In the summer of 2010, Mary starred in Sophisticated Ladies alongside Broadway legend Maurice Hines at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington D.C. In 2009, Mary was a guest soloist for the inauguration of The Honorable Barbara Lee (D-California) at the Congressional Black Caucus Ceremonial Swearing-In at the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., a chorister for the 2009 Obama Lincoln Memorial inaugural concert, and backup singer for the XLIII Super Bowl halftime show with Bruce Springsteen. She sang in the Barbra Streisand tribute at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors and was a soloist in the 2008 National Symphony Orchestra Pops concert under the direction of the legendary film and Broadway composer Marvin Hamlisch.  Mary was invited by former First Lady Laura Bush as a guest soloist for the 2008 and 2009 White House Holiday Season.

Member of the Actor’s Equity Association and the Screen Actor’s Guild. Mary is represented by the prestigious New York agency Harden-Curtis Associates.

Sooner Tradition: The OU Ring

There is something so special about class rings.  They are not just rings.  They are sacred symbols that represent memories from some of the best years of your life: moving into the dorms, OU/TX weekend with friends, movies at Meacham, parents' weekend and the ultimate success you accomplished upon graduating.  The OU ring is a lasting reminder of all the fun times and traditions of your college days and is a physical memento you can cherish for years to come.

Extra Large Yellow Gold Natural Finish

 
The OU Ring serves as a symbol of unity for OU alumni of all ages and around the globe.  This ring brings Sooners together through memories and a lifetime of Sooner spirit.

The University of Oklahoma Alumni Association is proud to present the OU Class Ring, which features the famous campus arches, the interlocking OU logo, the Seed Sower and the traditional border for the university's seal.

Large White Gold Natural Finish

The OU ring is available to all OU graduates and students who have completed at least 72 credit hours.  If you would like a ring but weren't able to purchase one before, now is the time!  Not to mention, the OU ring makes a great gift for soon-to-be-graduates as well as alumni who do not already have one.  Those who order a ring can also celebrate the tradition and create memories by attending the OU Ring Ceremony, held in the fall every year during homecoming weekend.

Medium Yellow Gold Antique Finish

The OU Ring is available in yellow gold, white gold and two-tone gold with either an antique (black) or natural (gold) finish.  The rings are available in design sizes of small and medium for women and in design sizes of large and extra large for men.   The ring is also engraved with your name and graduation year for an added personal touch.

Small White Gold Antique Finish

Live on, University!  To order your ring, call (800) 854-7464 or click HERE or order online.

It's OUr Team!

And yesterday the OU Alumni Association office attended an OU Men's Basketball practice.  During practice we were taken on a tour of their facilities including the player's locker room, coach's locker room and video screening room.  After practice, each and every player came to shake each of our hands.  They made eye contact, told us their names and asked how we were doing.  To say this team is impressive and mannerly is an understatement.  Coach Kruger took photos with us and talked to everyone as the team went into their strength and conditioning regimen.  They all truly welcomed us and made us feel at home at their practice.  What a great day!  We love OU Men's Basketball!

Lea Ann Quirk, David Quirk '92, Shane Pruitt '11, Michael Dean '02, Ally Myers '11, Jennifer Dooley '04 and Brenda Gass all showing "we're #1" in the team's video screening room.

Jerseys of OU Players who now play or have played professional basketball.

Andrew Wertz '07, Jennifer Dooley '04, Ally Myers '11, Shane Pruit '11, Lea Ann Quirk, Brenda Gass, Candace Timmons, Michael Dean '02, and Deborah Foster in the OU Men's locker room.

With Coach Lon Kruger!