How to Join

Are you a graduate of OU?  Maybe not a graduate, but you love the university?  Do you know someone who should be a member of the OU Alumni Association but isn't?  If so, now is the perfect time to join or purchase a membership for someone.  Not only is it a great way to show your support, but members also receive exclusive perks.  And with three ways to join, it's easier than ever:
 

Going online is a quick and simple way to join OR renew.  Click HERE or copy and paste this link into your browser:  https://www.oufoundation.org/onlinegiving/JoinAlumniAssoc.aspx

Once on the page, fill out the simple form and you will receive your membership kit in the mail in a few weeks.  The online form is available 24/7, so no matter your schedule, it will be there when you need it.

Joining by phone is also simple and can be done by calling us at (405) 325-1710.  Our office hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

And finally, if you are in Norman and would like to stop by our office, we'd love to meet and talk with you!  We are located on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma Memorial Union, at 900 Asp Avenue.  Didn't know the Union had a fourth floor?  Surprise, we're up here!  We have a form to fill out to join or renew your membership and will process it upon completion.


FAQ:

What is the cost of a membership?
Membership rates vary and are as follows on the chart below:

Please note, all gifts are 100% tax deductible.

How can I pay for a membership?
Payment can be made by check (made out to OU Foundation) or any major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover).

What are the perks to having a membership?
Perks of having a membership include receiving Sooner Magazine, special consideration at Boomer Bash, a discount at the OU Alumni Store, Legacy Program for kids, Library checkout privileges, discount at university book stores, career services and online career resources, discounted membership rate for the Huston Huffman, discounted alumni membership rates to the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Course and discounts at many other national and local stores.

Sooner Tradition: The Sooner Schooner

OU's Sooner Schooner - much like Purdue's Boilermaker Special or Georgia Tech's Ramblin' Wreck - is a highly recognized symbol of school spirit has been the official mascot of every sports team at the university since 1980.  Matching white ponies named Boomer and Sooner pull the Schooner, which is modeled after the Conestoga wagons that brought settlers to Oklahoma Territory.

In 1965 Dr. M.S. Bartlett and his brother Charles "Buzz" Bartlett donated the original "Sooner Schooner" and the ponies, Boomer and Sooner, to circle the field on home game days and at bowl games. After several groups passed on the care-taking of the Schooner, the RUF/NEKS, the oldest male spirit group of any college in the country, took the reigns. In 1980, the University of Oklahoma officially named the Sooner Schooner as its mascot. Today the Schooner is kept in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, at the Bartlett Ranch. The RUF/NEKS are still the official caretakers and drivers of the Conestoga wagon and each year one member is selected to become a Schooner Driver.  These well-trained young men are responsible for driving the Schooner out onto the field after OU touchdowns.

It's also tradition for the RUF/NEK queen to sit beside the driver and a young member of the RUF/NEKS usually hangs by his legs off the back, waving the university's flag as the Schooner is driven out onto the field and then back into the tunnel.

To honor the tradition, a retired Schooner has been placed in the student union in the Clarke-Anderson Room, adjacent to the union food court.

The Sooner Schooner...just one more reason there's only one Oklahoma!  Boomer Sooner!

OUtstanding Alumni: Jonathan Horton

Jonathan Horton, '08

When the 2012 Olympic games open this summer in London, a Sooner will be among the world's elite athletes.  Jonathan Horton, Olympic Gymnast, earned his bachelor's degree in 2008 in Business Management from the University of Oklahoma, with hopes of using his Price College education to open his own gym someday.  While at OU, he became one of the most successful and decorated gymnasts in university history.  As a freshman, he took home over 10 event titles and two all-around titles.  As a sophomore, he accomplished more, winning 13 event titles and an astonishing six all-around titles and qualified for his first world team.  In his third season as a Sooner, Jonathan set records at OU, breaking Bart Conner's career marks for career NCAA titles (5) and career All-American honors (15).  He was also the first athlete since Blaine Wilson to win back-to-back American Cup titles.

His senior year was one for the record books as well. He was one of five finalists for the 78th AAU James E. Sullivan Award presented to the nation’s top amateur athlete, but the best was yet to come.  He was the sixth OU gymnast to be named a Nissen-Emery Award winner. OU took home its eighth national title - five of which were in the last seven years. He finished first in the all-around at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team trials, and was named to the 2008 Olympic team.  He was also the 2008 USA Gymnastics Men's Athlete of the Year.

He's now on another US Olympic Team.  The 2012 Summer Olympics are sure to set more records and push more limits.  Jonathan is proud to call the University of Oklahoma his alma mater and is a great representative of our university anywhere he goes.  Here's to Jonathan!  The Sooner Nation will be rooting for you!

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!

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!

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!

February Roundup

What a month!

February was packed with events and has flown by.  We hosted over 200 people for Caravan to Norman, had our first blog giveaway, featured beautiful campus love stories on Valentine's Day, took a walk down memory lane, featured awesome blogs written by OU Alumni and a Sooner attended the Academy Awards.  To see photos from Journalism Senior, Chinh Doan's trip to Cali, click here.

To round out the month, OU hosted the "Teach-In on America's Founding" while "Sooners in the Desert" took place over the past weekend in Palm Springs, CA.

The Teach-In on America's Founding hosted nationally acclaimed authors and historians.  Headlining the event were Pulitzer Prize winners, David McCullough and Gordon Wood. Other lecturers included David Hackett Fischer, Peter Onuf, Rosemarie Zagarri and Akhil Reed Amar.  Diane Rehm, a 2010 Peabody Award winner, was also in attendance and moderated an engaging panel discuession with all of the guests and Dr. Kyle Harper, Director of OU's Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage.

What makes this event so special you ask?  According to President Boren, "No university in America has brought together so many of the nation's most outstanding historians in a single day to lead a conversation about America's founding years and Constitutional heritage.  It's a unique opportunity to learn about the roots of our greatness as a nation."

The Alumni Affairs office got to help with this event and it proved to be a great one!  This event received rave reviews among those in attendance.  Here are a few photos from the day:

Diane Rehm asks what has happened to the interest in learning about the constitution.  Where have we fallen down, and how can we make it something exciting?  She is facilitating the discussion at the University of Oklahoama's Teach In. 

The crowd seated for the Teach-In.  More than 1,000 OU students, alumni and friends attended the day's events.

David McCullough opens his lecture after dinner in the Oklahoma Ballroom at the Embassy Suites by stating that OU President David Boren is on his list of top 10 living Americans.

And finally......Sooners in the Desert!  This event benefits the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club and is held at the Indian Wells Golf Resort, near Palm Desert, California.  This is the same course where the prestigious LG Skins game is hosted.  This year 114 Sooners attended and raised almost $300,000, which brings the grand total to over $1.1 million since 2008!  Celebrity golfers in attendance included Bob Stoops, Joe Washington, Joe Castiglione, Greg Pruitt, Jimbo Elrod, Mike Stoops and many more! 

Golf or no golf, who wouldn't want to visit Indian Wells Golf Resort?!?

Larry Shadid '80, JP Audas '87, Andrew Wertz '07 and Carlisle Mabrey '66 at "Sooners in the Desert" Weekend.

Sooner Influence at the Academy Awards

The 84th Annual Academy Awards are this coming Sunday, February, 26, 2012.  The Academy Awards Show is the oldest award ceremony in the media.  Those nominated in each of the ceremony's categories are considered the best of the best.  And the cliche "it's an honor just to be nominated" rings true for many.

Throughout its history, some Sooners have been recognized on this prestigious evening.  And what better time to take a look at them than right before this year's awards are handed out.

Van Heflin:

Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin, Jr. graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1932 with a Bachelor in Arts and Sciences.  Also while here, he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.  He made his film debut in 1936 in A Woman Rebels.  He went on to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1942 for Johnny Eager.  Other notable films he was in include the 1953 classic western, Shane, Possessed (1947), The Three Musketeers (1948) and 3:10 to Yuma (1957).


Ed Harris:

Edward Allen "Ed" Harris was a Sooner from Summer 1971 to the Summer of 1973.  Though he did not graduate, he studied theater while here and then moved to Los Angeles to find work.  He is now an actor, writer and director known for performances in Appaloosa, The Rock, The Abyss, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, A History of Violence and The Truman Sow.  He has also narrated commercials for The Home Depot as well as other companies.  He is a three-time Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor for Apollo 13 (1995), The Truman Show (1998) and The Hours (2002).  He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2000 for the title role in Pollock.  Fun fact for everyone, he still has a brother living in Norman, OK.  Boomer Sooner!


James Garner:

James Garner is perhaps one of the most iconic actors of our time.  He's also a huge Sooner fan! In 1995 he received an honorary doctorate degree of Humane Letters.  He accepted this degree one month after the OKC Murrah Building bombing.  During the speech he gave during the commencement ceremony, he said,

"If there's anything positive to come from this event, it is seeing the character, the toughness and the dignity of the Oklahoma people as they suffer the grief and carry on with their lives.  It makes every Oklahoman, where ever we are, to be PROUD to be an Oklahoman." 

He is the narrator on the intro video for the University of Oklahoma football team as they enter the stadium.  He also has a street named after him here: James Garner Avenue.


In 1986, James was an Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1985 film Murphy's Romance.  He's been in almost 100 movies and television shows as an actor and many others as producer and/or director.  Some of the most recent titles include Maverick (1994), My Fellow Americans (1996), Twilight (no, not that Twilight...this one was released in 1998), Space Cowboys (2000), Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002), The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration (2003) and The Notebook (2004).
  

This year at the Academy Awards:

An OU student will be in attendance!  Chinh Doan, an OU Journalism Senior and will get a first-hand account of all the glitz and glamor as some of Hollywood's finest are recognized.  Of the trip, she says, "I kept thinking, 'This is a dream. It's not really true, and if I tell people I'm going, I feel like it might get jinxed and it's not going to happen.'"

Doan said that an OU staff member helped her make the valuable connection.  "We went to lunch in L.A. when I was there for a broadcasting conference, and we stayed in touch ever since," she said.

Viewers can watch the Oscars on ABC Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

OU Alumni Blogs of Note

It's no secret the University of Oklahoma has been home to some truly talented people.  Featured today are some blogs written by some of OU's own!  Many of these fine individuals have turned their blogs into full-time careers.  You will find a Hollywood housewife, manliness, health, wellness, parties, jewelry, travel and animal advocacy.  There's truly something for everyone! 
 

Hollywood Housewife:

Laura Tremaine, an OU graduate from the class of 2001, is the Hollywood Housewife.  A little about her:

"From a one-stoplight town to a Hollywood housewife.  I am an Oklahoma girl somewhat misplaced in the City of Angels. I spent six years working in reality television, but my true passion is writing. I live in Hollywood with my toddler daughter, infant son, & my producer/director husband, who is nothing like you'd expect. I hope I bring a little southern grace to this crazy city." 

Her blog features regular posts on red carpet, lazy beauty, mommy Mondays and hostess home.  But she always sprinkles in true-to-life moments and is a fantastic writer.  I once sat down and started reading her blog and when I looked up, a couple of hours had passed without me knowing.  She's that good.

Her blog can be found at http://www.hollywoodhousewife.com or click here.

The Art of Manliness:

Reviving the lost art of manliness are husband and wife team, Brett and Kate McKay.  Brett is a 2006 OU grad with a degree in Letters.  The Art of Manliness features articles on helping men be better husbands, better fathers, and better men.

"In our search to uncover the lost art of manliness, we’ll look to the past to find examples of manliness in action. We’ll analyze the lives of great men who knew what it meant to “man up” and hopefully learn from them. And we’ll talk about the skills, manners, and principles that every man should know." 

Variety of content and visually pleasing design make this a great blog for both men and women alike.  From articles on how to back up to a trailer to how to make proper eye contact in business and love, there's something everyone can enjoy. 

This blog can be found at http://artofmanliness.com or click here.


InspiredRD:

Alysa Bajenaru became a registered dietitian in 2002 after graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Nutritional Sciences.  After a short stint in clinical dietetics, she realized her true passion was leading her to the wellness side of nutrition and fitness.

"As a busy mom of two, I am passionate about showing people that healthy living can be simple.  Finding local food is easier than you think.  Cooking fresh meals for your family doesn't have to be complex and time-consuming.  Encouraging your kids to try new things can be fun.  Fitting fitness into your schedule doesn't have to be a chore."

Alysa's blog features delicious, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, fitness challenges, crafts and much more.  It's so personable and inviting, I know you will love it!

InspiredRD can be found at http://inspiredrd.com or click here.


Parties Extra! with Helen Ford Wallace:

Helen began writing for The Oklahoman as a teen correspondent for the Oklahoma City Times in 1957.  She earned a BA in Journalism at OU in 1962.  Currently she is Features writer and columnist for The Oklahoman and creates, maintains and authors this blog, which includes weekly web casts.

Helen has never met a party she didn’t like and thinks that Oklahoma City hosts and hostesses have a real flair for entertaining.  Through the years, she has attended unique and distinctive buffet dinners, benefit luncheons, holiday events, seated dinners, birthday parties, baby showers and wedding showers involving eight to eight hundred people.

Readers, locally and statewide, follow this column regularly, because they are really, really interested in people and parties in Oklahoma. This blog is a fantastic way to get great ideas for your own parties and events.

Her blog can be found at http://blog.newsok.com/partiesextra or click here.

Kay Donahue Designs:

Kay Donahue is a wold traveler and jewelry designer and her blog is dedicated to documenting both aspects of her life.  She also graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Economics in 1969.

"People often ask me when I started painting or making jewelry.  I think it may have begun with the very special sunglasses I bejeweled for my mother when I was about five. Did she wear them?  Of course!  Since then, my entire family and friends have supported my passion for art."

"And traveling is another passion.  I got my first passport at age 40, so I was way behind on seeing other parts of the world.  But, my husband, Steve, and I are endeavoring to catch up both here and abroad.  There have been some hiccups along the way though."

Kay has been on several Sightseeing Sooners trips.  To see highlights from her travels or to see her gorgeous jewelry, visit http://www.kaydonahuedesigns.com or click here.



Life Inspired by Belle:

Savanna Sutton graduated from OU in 2008 with a degree in Interior Design.  While she enjoyed interior design, she'd always had a soft spot for furry, four-legged friends, specifically dogs.  As a child and teen, she was always a kind face to any stray and would take them home, sometimes nurse them back to health, and many times, find them a new forever home.

Now, Savanna is still rescuing animals and spends much of her time doing what she loves most.  She is a pet photographer, but perhaps even more than that, she volunteers her time to do what she refers to as "Pictures for Paws."  During these sessions, she takes remarkable photos of dogs and cats who are in desperate need of a home.  These sessions have made all the difference for countless animals. 

Belle, from the blog's title, is one of Savanna's lovable pups.  Savanna is an advocate for pet adoption and a huge supporter of PAWS, Pontotoc Animal Welfare Society.  To see Savanna's work, visit http://www.lifeinspiredbybelle.blogspot.com or click here.

OU Nostalgia

Just outside the Alumni Association office in the Oklahoma Memorial Union are display cases holding countless Sooner memories.  Many yearbooks, photos, keepsakes, sports artifacts and various other pieces of OU history.

Today I'd like to share articles from a scrapbook that a Mrs. Norma Jeanne Brown Fredrickson kept during her years here.  She attended the university from 1939 - 1941 and graduated with a BS degree in Applied Biology. Mrs. Fredrickson passed away in 2006 but her daughter, Marsha, sent this to us.

There are some obvious differences in what is shown below and what we see today, but what remains the same the traditions and sense of Sooner camaraderie.  These types of pieces are priceless.  We love to look back and we hope you enjoy it too!

A birthday greeting from Norma's father sent via Western Union.

 

Trial Study Card - what students today call their course schedule.

Daily Diary from 1937-38.

Love letter from Fred, the man she married, on OU letterhead.

Venus Drawing Pencil Matches.

OU and You, 1939 Edition

Report Card

A Roosevelt button.

OU Sooners Ruf-Nek Souvenir

Sports Page from The Oklahoma Daily, January 11, 1940

A three-cent stamp and a 25 cent movie ticket.

Tuition and Fees

Yells and Songs

Library Borrower Card