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The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual ca ...
in
Chickasha, Oklahoma Chickasha is a city in and the county seat of Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,036 at the 2010 census. Chickasha is home to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The city is named for and strongly connect ...
. It is the only public college in Oklahoma with a strictly
liberal arts Liberal arts education (from Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as La ...
–focused curriculum and is a member of the
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) is a consortium of 30 public colleges and universities in 27 states and one Canadian province. Established in 1987, COPLAC advances the aims of its member institutions and drives awareness of the ...
. USAO is an undergraduate-only institution and grants
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
s in a variety of subject areas. The school was founded in 1908 as a school for women and from 1912 to 1965 was known as Oklahoma College for Women. It became coeducational in 1965 and today educates approximately 800 students. In 2001, the entire Oklahoma College for Women campus was listed as a national historic district., 2001, Accessed January 31, 2015.


History

After Oklahoma was admitted to statehood in 1907, the new state legislature was tasked with establishing institutions of higher education in the former
Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans who held aboriginal title to their land as a sovereign ...
. Statistics gathered by the State Superintendent of Education showed that many young women from Oklahoma chose to attend women's colleges in Kansas, Texas, and Missouri.Orr, 198 Colonel J. T. O'Neil, the state senator from Grady County, and his daughter, Anne Wade O'Neil, who had graduated from a women's college in Mississippi, appealed to the legislature to authorize the creation of a women's college. The institution was founded on May 16, 1908, with the signing of Senate Bill 249 by Governor
Charles Haskell Charles Nathaniel Haskell (March 13, 1860 – July 5, 1933) was an American lawyer, oilman, and politician who was the first governor of Oklahoma. As a delegate to Oklahoma's constitutional convention in 1906, he played a crucial role in draftin ...
. The bill, authored by Senator N. P. Stewart of
Hugo, Oklahoma Hugo is a city in and the county seat of Choctaw County, Oklahoma, United States. It is located in southeastern Oklahoma, approximately north of the Texas state line. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,310. The city was founde ...
, authorized the foundation of the Oklahoma Industrial Institute and College for Girls. The legislature subsequently appropriated $100,000 for the establishment of the initial buildings for the school. A local rancher named J. B. Sparks donated land for the college in memory of his daughter, Nellie. Nellie was a
Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Their traditional territory was in the Southeastern United States of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee as well in southwestern Kentucky. Their language is classif ...
descendant and the land had been part of her allotment. The Nellie Sparks Dormitory, which was among the first buildings constructed at the new institution, was named in her honor.Jefferies, Angie
"Chickasha"
''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', 2009. Accessed March 2, 2015.
In 1912, the institution's authorities renamed the school Oklahoma College for Women. This came about because a probate judge, under the mistaken impression that the "Industrial Institute" was a reform school, sentenced an "incorrigible young woman" to serve time there. This name change was made official by the State Legislature in 1916. The institution initially offered four years of high school work and four years of college; those who completed the college course were awarded bachelor's degrees.Orr, 201-02 It gradually shifted its focus to college only; by the 1925–1926 school year, only college classes were offered. Though the institution's original name implied strictly industrial training, over the next couple decades, it gained a focus on a broad liberal arts education.Orr, 216-217 By 1930, it was awarding degrees in many different fields of study, including art, English, history, music, several languages, natural and physical sciences, philosophy, home economics, and physical education.Orr, 208 The deaf education program increased in size and statewide recognition; today, it continues to be one of the university's important programs. On June 6, 1955, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education adopted the policy that all state-supported institutions would be racially integrated. That summer, Clydia Troullier became the first black student to enroll at OCW. By the mid-1960s, exclusively female universities were declining throughout the nation. The legislature made the institution coeducational in 1965, and the school was renamed Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education assigned a new mission to the college: it was to be "experimental in nature" and was to "enroll a select group of students whose aspirations and abilities fit them for an intellectually rigorous and accelerated course of study." Under the direction of the ninth President, Robert L. Martin, the college switched to a system of three equal trimesters. In an attempt to attract students interested in vigorous academics, this offered an opportunity for advanced students to quickly move through their studies and graduate early. During this period the alumni association became active, donating funds for the building of an on-campus chapel. Other buildings housing classrooms, including Davis Hall, were also built around this time. Bruce G. Carter took over administrative duties as president in 1972. Under his direction, the college advanced a system of night classes for local adult learners. New scholarships for freshmen were also made available. Soon after Carter took office, the legislature moved to rename all public institutions of higher education in the state under a new system: two-year institutions would be known as "colleges" and four-year institutions would be known as "universities". This led directly to OCLA's new and current name: the ''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma''. Over the next several years, several construction projects were completed, including renovations to Gary, Austin, and Davis Halls and Nash Library. Serious construction continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, culminating in the opening of a newly remodeled $2.2-million Student Center in 1998. Sparks Hall, the traditional dormitory on campus, was also greatly renovated. In 2000, John Feaver became the institution's twelfth president. In 2001, the National Park Service approved the listing of the entire campus as a national historic district, the only educational institution in the state to hold such an honor. Historic markers throughout the campus document describe the various historic buildings. New housing options were made available in the early 2000s in the form of the $13.1-million Lawson Court Apartment Complex. Owens Flag Plaza, a centerpiece for the campus 'oval', was opened in 2004. Since 2005, USAO, with the support of the State Regents for Higher Education, has embarked on a Mission Enhancement Plan intended to emphasize the institution's unique role as the public liberal arts college in Oklahoma. As part of the plan, USAO has raised its admission standards so they are the highest in the state of Oklahoma, increased the percentage of full-time students, and created new faculty positions. In Spring 2015, construction of Coming Together Park began in front of Sparks Hall.Lane, Jessica
"World renowned sculptor builds USAO park with students,"
''Express-Star'' (Chickasha, OK), May 20, 2015. Accessed June 2, 2015.
The park will incorporate about of
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies un ...
, and artist-in-residence and internationally known granite sculptor
Jesús Moroles Jesús Bautista Moroles (September 22, 1950 – June 15, 2015) was an American sculptor, known for his monumental abstract granite works. He lived and worked in Rockport, Texas, where his studio and workshop were based, and where all of his work ...
worked with students to sculpt the granite for the park.


Campus

Fourteen buildings on the USAO campus are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
as the ''Oklahoma College for Women Historic District''. The buildings are Trout Hall (formerly known as the Administration building), Nellie Sparks Hall, Willard Hall, the President's Home, the President's Home Garage, Austin Hall, the Health and Physical Education building, Senior Hall, the Home Management House, Robertson Hall, Lawson Hall, Canning Hall, Addams Hall, and Nash Library. Many are
Public Works Administration The Public Works Administration (PWA), part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Reco ...
buildings designed by different prominent Oklahoma architects, including Paul Harris, Solomon Andrew Layton, John Duncan Forsyth and J.O. Parr. The Historic District also includes three brick entry gates and the stone bench near Willard Hall donated by the class of 1924, which are designated contributing objects. University property also includes the 145-acre Habitat Area, which is three miles west of the main campus and is used as an outdoor classroom.


Organization and administration

USAO is governed by the Board of Regents of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, which is a Statutory Governing Board in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. The board of regents was established by the Oklahoma State Legislature in 1919. The Board's seven members serve overlapping seven-year terms."USAO Board of Regents,"
''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma,'' Accessed March 2, 2015.
Board members are appointed by the
Governor of Oklahoma The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the '' ex o ...
with the advice and consent of the
Oklahoma Senate The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution. Campus administration is led by a president. The current president is John Feaver.


Academics

As the state of Oklahoma's public liberal arts college, USAO's mission is to provide the public with a distinctive and accessible liberal arts and sciences education.USAO's Mission Statement "Mission & Objectives,"
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Retrieved January 21, 2015.
The academic program centers on a required 46-hour Interdisciplinary Studies Core Curriculum, which is a prescribed set of courses that encompass history, science, art, mathematics, literature, philosophy, economics, art and theatre.Slipke, Darla
"University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma makes strides with mission enhancement plan,"
NewsOK, October 8, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
"Division of Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS),"
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Retrieved January 21, 2015.
Many of these classes are team-taught by two or more instructors in order to encourage interdisciplinary learning. The Core Curriculum Courses are distributed throughout a student's four years at USAO, culminating in a Senior Seminar class and completion of an interdisciplinary research project. While working through the core curriculum, students simultaneously pursue traditional majors in a variety of subject areas. USAO offers 22 majors and several pre-professional programs. The college is organized into four divisions: Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Business, Science and Physical Education, and Education and Speech-Language Pathology. The college operates on a trimester schedule, which makes it possible for a full-time student to complete a degree in three years or fewer. An additional five-week "independent study" period in late April and May is used for educational trips within the US and internationally, creative projects, and special topics courses.


Tuition & financial aid

For the 2014–15 School Year, in-state tuition at USAO was $170/credit hour."Cost of Attendance,"
''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma'', Accessed February 19, 2015.
Full-time students who are enrolled in 12-18 credit hours are charged a flat rate equivalent to 15 credit hours of tuition, which totals $3,135 per semester. The flat-rate tuition plan is intended to encourage students to complete their degrees in four years. Students may also opt for a locked $195/credit hour tuition rate, which is guaranteed to remain the same throughout their next four years of college attendance. Out-of-state tuition is calculated based on the current in-state tuition rate plus an additional $298/credit hour. In the 2013–2014 school year, 85% of USAO students received some form of financial aid."Financial Aid,"
''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma'', Accessed February 19, 2015.
79% of the Fall 2014 entering freshman class received scholarships from USAO.


Academic rankings

In 2015, USAO was ranked 65th on Kiplinger's Best Values in Public Colleges list. The
American Council of Trustees and Alumni The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is a conservative non-profit organization whose stated mission is to "support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure ...
gave USAO an A rating as part of its ''
What Will They Learn? ''What Will They Learn?'' is the annual rating system of American colleges and universities published by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, a conservative non-profit organization. The report, which evaluates the core academic requireme ...
'' initiative, which rates colleges on an A-F scale based on the comprehensiveness of their core curricula.American Council of Trustees and Alumni
"University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
''What Will They Learn?'', Retrieved January 22, 2015.
USAO was the only college or university in Oklahoma and one of only 23 nationwide to receive an A rating.


Accreditation

The institution has been accredited by the
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It ...
and its successor, the
Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Io ...
, since 1920."Currently or Previously Affiliated Institutions: University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma,"
''Higher Learning Commission: A Commission of the North Central Association,'' Updated November 18, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
Its education programs are accredited by the
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) was a professional accreditor focused on accrediting teacher education programs in U.S. colleges and universities. It was founded in 1954 and was recognized as an accreditor by ...
and the
Oklahoma State Department of Education The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma. The State Board of E ...
. The Deaf Education program is accredited by the Council on Education of the Deaf. The music department is accredited by the
National Association of Schools of Music The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is an association of post-secondary music schools in the United States and the principal U.S. accreditor for higher education in music. It was founded on October 20, 1924, and is based in Reston ...
.


Professional memberships

The institution is a member of several organizations of colleges and universities. These include the
American Council on Education The American Council on Education (ACE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) U.S. higher education association established in 1918. ACE's members are the leaders of approximately 1,700 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher educatio ...
, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the American Association of Governing Boards, and the
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) is a consortium of 30 public colleges and universities in 27 states and one Canadian province. Established in 1987, COPLAC advances the aims of its member institutions and drives awareness of the ...
.


Student life

The majority of students live on campus in one of USAO's three housing options: Sparks Hall dormitories, Lawson Court Apartments, or the historic Robertson Hall."University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma: Fall Enrollment Trends,"
''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma'', 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
Students participate in roughly thirty organizations, including political advocacy, religious, academic, and special interest groups."Clubs and Organizations,"
''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma'', Accessed March 9, 2015.
They are also served by the college's century-old newspaper ''The Trend''. There are several academic honor groups on campus. There are multiple music ensembles at USAO, including concert band, jazz band, smaller instrumental ensembles, concert choir, and jazz choir, which are open to majors and non-majors. The institution has one fraternity, Phi Lambda Chi, and one sorority, Sigma Psi Omega; as of 2013, approximately 3% of men and 6% of women participated in Greek life. The Student Government and Student Activities Board plan events for all students and guests throughout the year. The Spring Triad is a major campus event held annually on the first Thursday in April."Spring Triad Events Draw Thousands to USAO Campus"
, ''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma'', April 9, 2014. Accessed January 28, 2015.
It includes the Montmartre Chalk Art Festival, the Droverstock music festival, and the Scholastic Meet. The Montmartre Chalk Art Festival, named for the
Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
arts district in Paris, is held around the USAO Oval, and over 700 artists, including elementary, high school, and college students and community members, take part in the competition. Droverstock is a day-long festival of live music from bands of all styles and genres."Droverstock 2015,"
''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma'', Accessed January 28, 2015.
There are also many vendors, inflatables, and activities associated with the festival. The Scholastic Meet is an academic competition for high school students; around 1000 students compete every year in a wide range of academic disciplines, which include languages and literature, math, science, social sciences, art, theater, and music.


Athletics

The USAO athletic teams are called the Drovers; this refers to the history of cattle-driving through Chickasha. USAO's intercollegiate athletics program began in the 1973–74 academic year."Drover History," ''University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma," Retrieved January 22, 2015.
/ref> The institution is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Sooner Athletic Conference The Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Originally developed as a five-team conference of Oklahoma-based schools, the SAC now boasts 12 s ...
(SAC) since the 2000–01 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1978–79 to 1993–94. The Drovers previously competed in the
Red River Athletic Conference The Red River Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference's 13 member institutions are located in Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico. History T ...
(RRAC) from 1998–99 to 1999–2000; as an NAIA Independent during the 1997–98 school year; in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC) from 1994–95 to 1996–97; and in the
Texoma Athletic Conference Texoma is an interstate region in the United States, split between Oklahoma and Texas. The name is a portmanteau of Texas and Oklahoma. Businesses use the term in their names to describe their intended service area. This includes 8 counties ...
from 1973–74 to 1977–78. USAO competes in 13 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball. The university announced in December 2015 that it would add women's volleyball in the Fall 2016 trimester.


Accomplishments

* The men's basketball team has won the SAA Conference Title four times, appeared in the National Tournament five times, and won the National Championship in 2002. * The Lady Drovers' basketball team played in the NAIA Final Four in 2003. * The men's soccer program is also strong, with the Drovers having won the SAC Conference Title six times, appeared in the National Tournament twice and made the NAIA National Quarterfinals in 2010. * The Lady Drovers' soccer team has also been the 2006 Tourney Qualifier. * Baseball and Softball are both popular sports on campus, with the Lady Drovers' Softball team being National Tourney Qualifiers three years in a row.


Notable alumni

* Te Ata (Mary Thompson) graduated from OCW in 1919, famed
Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Their traditional territory was in the Southeastern United States of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee as well in southwestern Kentucky. Their language is classif ...
storyteller and actress. *
Gladys Anderson Emerson Gladys Ludwina Anderson Emerson (July 1, 1903 – January 18, 1984) was an American historian, biochemist and nutritionist who researched the impact of vitamins on the body. She was the first person to isolate Vitamin E in a pure form, and won th ...
, biochemist, the first person to isolate Vitamin E in a pure form and winner of the 1952
Garvan–Olin Medal The Francis P. Garvan–John M. Olin Medal is an annual award that recognizes distinguished scientific accomplishment, leadership and service to chemistry by women chemists. The Award is offered by the American Chemical Society (ACS), and consist ...
for women in chemistry, graduated from OCW in 1925. *
Jerrie Cobb Geraldyn M. Cobb (March 5, 1931 – March 18, 2019), commonly known as Jerrie Cobb, was an American aviator. She was also part of the Mercury 13, a group of women who underwent physiological screening tests at the same time as the original Merc ...
, aviator and member of the Mercury 13, attended OCW in 1948. * Angelene Collins, soprano and 1950 winner of the Walter W. Naumburg Competition, graduated from Oklahoma College for Women in 1943."Angelene Collins Will Give Concert," ''Oklahoman'', April 21, 1951, p.19. * Robert E. England, political scientist *
Oisin Fagan Oisín Fagan, (born 24 December 1973) nicknamed ''"Gael Force"'', is an Irish former professional boxer based in Oklahoma City, U.S., who fought in the light welterweight and lightweight divisions. Background Although a native Dubliner from Tal ...
Irish professional boxer, attended USAO on a soccer scholarship and received a degree in journalism and physical education. * Betty Pat Gatliff, pioneer in forensic art and
forensic facial reconstruction Forensic facial reconstruction (or forensic facial approximation) is the process of recreating the face of an individual (whose identity is often not known) from their skeletal remains through an amalgamation of artistry, anthropology, osteol ...
, graduated from OCW in 1951. *
Inola Henry Inola Henry (November 15, 1942 – July 26, 2009) was an educator, union leader, and American Democratic Party leader who was chair of the resolutions committee of the California Democratic Party, Democratic National Committee member, and a Superde ...
, chair of the resolutions committee of the
California Democratic Party The California Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in Sacramento. With 43.5% of the state's registered voters as of 2018, the Democratic Party has the highest number of ...
, member of the
Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body of the United States Democratic Party. The committee coordinates strategy to support Democratic Party candidates throughout the country for local, state, and national office, as well ...
, and
superdelegate In American politics, a superdelegate is an unpledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is seated automatically and chooses for themselves for whom they vote. These Democratic Party superdelegates (who make up slightly under 15 ...
to the
2008 Democratic National Convention The 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for president and vice president. The convent ...
graduated from OCW in 1965.Woo, Elaine
"Inola Henry dies at 66; teacher and California Democratic activist,"
''Los Angeles Times'', August 5, 2009. Accessed May 23, 2016.
* Lance Henson,
Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...
poet, graduated from OCLA in 1972.Arnett, Gogisgi Carroll. "Lance (David) Henson," ''Handbook of Native American Literature''. Wiget, Andrew, ed. Taylor & Francis, 1996, p.445. * Jeane Porter Hester, Professor of Medicine, Chief of Supportive Therapy, and Chief of Leukapheresis at
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (colloquially MD Anderson Cancer Center) is a comprehensive cancer center in Houston, Texas. It is the largest cancer center in the U.S. and one of the original three comprehensive cancer centers ...
and developer of the
IBM 2997 The earliest roots of IBM's development of the IBM 2997 Blood cell Separator lay in the personal tragedy of one of IBM's development engineers, George Judson. In 1962, Judson's son, Tom, was diagnosed with leukemia. His physician was able to have ...
blood cell separator, graduated from OCW in 1951.Hester, Jeane P. and Gail Rock
"Cohn de Laval Award Lectureship: The Science Behind the Success Development of a Continuous Flow Blood Cell Separator,"
''Transfusion and Apheresis Science'', Volume 52, Issue 1 (February 2015), Pages 2–7.
* Kelly D. Johnston, who served as the 28th Secretary of the United States Senate, graduated from USAO in 1976. * Carma Leigh, State Librarian of California from 1951 to 1972 * Mary Stone McLendon, Chickasaw educator, storyteller, musician, performer, and humanitarian. * Mary Pannbacker, endowed chair of speech-language pathology at LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport and Fellow of the
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
graduated from OCW in 1963."Tribute for Mary Pannbacker,"
''Perspectives on Speech and Oral Facial Disorders'', Volume 25, July 2015, p.44. Accessed July 9, 2016.
*
Lotsee Patterson Lotsee Patterson (formerly Lotsee Smith; b. 1931) is a Comanche librarian, educator, and founder of the American Indian Library Association. She has written numerous articles on collection development, tribal libraries and Native American Libraria ...
, founder of the American Indian Library Association, graduated from OCW in 1959. * Lee Shaw, American jazz pianist and composer, graduated from OCW in 1949. *
Norma Smallwood Norma Des Cygne Smallwood (May 12, 1909 – May 8, 1966) was the winner of the Miss America 1926 pageant. Early life Smallwood's hometown was Bristow, Oklahoma.Jackson, Debbie and Hilary Pittman"Throwback Tulsa: Ex-Miss America's divorce cas ...
was crowned
Miss America 1926 Miss America 1926, the sixth Miss America pageant, was held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, September 10, 1926. In selecting the new Miss America, it was the opinion of the judges that not only did the winner, ...
. She was the first Native American to win the title. *
James Vernon Smith James Vernon Smith (July 23, 1926 – June 23, 1973) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Oklahoma. Biography Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Smith was the son of Fred O. and Josephine Meder Smith, and was educated in ...
, U.S. Representative from
Oklahoma's 6th congressional district Oklahoma's 6th congressional district is a former List of United States congressional districts, U.S. congressional district in Western Oklahoma. Oklahoma gained three seats in the 1910 United States census, 1910 census, but elected the extra sea ...
and Administrator of the
Farmers Home Administration The Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) was a U.S. government agency established in August 1946 to replace the Farm Security Administration. It superseded the Resettlement Administration during the Great Depression and operated until 2006. FmHA mis ...
, attended OCLA."Smith, James Vernon, (1926 - 1973),"
''Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress'', ''congress.gov'', Accessed March 20, 2015.
* Hazel Volkart, composer * Bill Wallace, author of children's books, graduated from OCLA in 1971."Bill Wallace Biography,"
''The Wallace Family Writers,'' Accessed January 31, 2015.


Notable faculty

*
Nellie Ellen Shepherd Nellie Ellen Shepherd (April 30, 1877 – July 18, 1920) was an American painter. She was one of the earliest professional women artists in Oklahoma. A native of Thayer, Kansas, Thayer, Kansas, Shepherd was one of eight children, six daughters and ...
, painter, headed the art department at OWC. Her portrait of Te Ata hangs in the
Oklahoma State Capitol The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch offices. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City and contains 452,5 ...
. * Anna Lewis, historian, headed the history department at OWC. Author of ''Chief Pushmataha, American Patriot: The Story of the Choctaws Struggle for Survival''. Her portrait hung in the Oklahoma State Capitol.


References


Sources

* *


External links

*
Official athletics website
{{Coord, 35, 01, 53, N, 97, 57, 17, W, format=dms, display=title, type:edu_region:US-OK Education in Grady County, Oklahoma Buildings and structures in Grady County, Oklahoma University of Science and Arts School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma Sooner Athletic Conference
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) is a public liberal arts college in Chickasha, Oklahoma. It is the only public college in Oklahoma with a strictly liberal arts–focused curriculum and is a member of the Council of Public ...
Educational institutions established in 1908 1908 establishments in Oklahoma Former women's universities and colleges in the United States Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Oklahoma National Register of Historic Places in Grady County, Oklahoma Public liberal arts colleges in the United States