Author Josh Hutton

USA Esports Team Manager Shares Lessons on Leadership at SSC

Josh Hutton
In this photo, USA Esports National Team Manager Daniel Clerke (left) and Maryville University senior Nick Wiseman (right) give a presentation at Seminole State College.

Seminole State College hosted USA Esports National Team Manager Daniel Clerke (left) and Maryville University senior Nick Wiseman (right) for a presentation on Aug. 27 in the Jeff Johnston Auditorium. The event was hosted by the Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institutions federal grant program. Clerke discussed his philosophy of treating esports like other youth sports, using competition to teach discipline, teamwork, personal responsibility and the importance of physical and mental well-being.

In this photo, USA Esports National Team Manager Daniel Clerke and Maryville University senior Nick Wiseman interact with SSC students and employees in the College’s new Esports Lab on Aug. 27.

USA Esports National Team Manager Daniel Clerke and Maryville University senior Nick Wiseman interact with SSC students and employees in the College’s new Esports Lab on Aug. 27. Clerke visited SSC to present “Beyond the Game: Leadership, Competition and Careers in Esports” and discuss leadership, competition and career opportunities within the growing esports industry.

In this photo, President’s Leadership Class XX students pose for a group photo. pictured from the front, standing on floor, from left: Kennadee Mason, Kaitlyn Smith, Stevie Hogue, Lydia Reece, Braylon Henry, Aven Goodlin, Brayden Davis, Brianna Roller and Logan Janaway. Seated, from left: Addison Whisenhunt, Trenna Walls and Serenity Blakely. Standing on truck, from left: Keyan Brown, Brooke Robb, Camrynn Watkins, Miley Wafford, Mia Reich, Nolan Lindley, KC Reiser, Kaleb McAlester, Kale Johnson, Wyatt Hampton and Ethan Arrant.

SSC Announces New President’s Leadership Class

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College has selected 23 freshmen students for Class XX of the President’s Leadership Class.

The leadership students, along with their parents and guardians, attended a welcome reception at the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The event introduced students to the program’s emphasis on leadership, community involvement and service.

During the reception, SSC President Lana Reynolds welcomed the students and their families. Members of SSC’s Administrative Council who participated in the question-and-answer session included Dr. Bill Knowles, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs; Melanie Rinehart, Vice President for Finance, Grants & Enrollment; Jessica Isaacs, Dean of Instruction; and Marc Hunter, Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Security Officer.

Eileen Castle, Executive Director of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum, delivered a message encouraging students to embrace the importance of play and engagement in their daily lives. She also highlighted meaningful ways to get involved in the local community through volunteerism.

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In this photo, Shannon Miller holds up her Olympic medals while sitting for a photo.

SSC to Host Seven-Time Olympic Medalist Shannon Miller

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College’s Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions program will host seven-time Olympic medalist, ovarian cancer survivor and health advocate Shannon Miller at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, in the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Auditorium on the SSC campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The presentation will serve as a culminating event for the final year of SSC’s current five-year NASNTI grant. The program’s 2026 theme, “Wellbeing and Resilience,” focuses on providing students with resources and strategies to support their personal well-being and academic success.

Following Miller’s presentation, audience members will have an opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session and photo opportunity.

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In this photo, Seminole City Attorney and Oklahoma Army National Guard Brigadier General Brad Carter (left) congratulates new Seminole State College Regent David Hooten (right) following the administration of the oath of office during the SSC Board of Regents meeting on Aug. 20. Hooten’s seven-year term began July 1, 2026, and concludes July 1, 2033.

Hooten Takes Oath of Office at SSC Board Meeting

Josh Hutton

New Seminole State College Regent David Hooten took the oath of office during the SSC Board of Regents meeting on Aug. 20, officially beginning his service on the College’s governing board. Seminole City Attorney and Oklahoma Army National Guard Brigadier General Brad Carter administered the oath. Hooten was appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt and confirmed by the Oklahoma State Senate Education Committee in April. His seven-year term began July 1 and expires July 1, 2033.

Hooten is the owner of Hooten Oil Co. and a 1979 graduate of Seminole High School. He earned a degree in business administration and accounting from Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, in 1983 and is a Certified Lubrication Specialist through the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. He and his wife, Teri, have three children.

Following the oath of office, SSC President Lana Reynolds provided updates on personnel, the College’s new Paralegal Studies program, the demolition of the former Sarkeys dormitory, campus activities, enrollment and grant programs.

After the report, the Board elected officers for the coming year. Regent Curtis Morgan was elected chair, Regent Ryan Franklin was elected vice chair and Regent Robyn Ready was elected secretary.

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In this photo, From left, SSC students Fredricka Finnikin of Montego Bay, Jamaica; Losaline Makahununiu of Norman; and Malerie Hawk of Choctaw show off custom street signs they created Aug. 17. The activity was one of several events hosted by SSC Student Activities and Events during Welcome Week.

Welcome Week Kicks Off Fall Semester at SSC

Josh Hutton
In this photo, SSC students Imani Cudjoe of Edmond, left, and Nylia Reid of Sapulpa walk to class on Aug. 17 as Seminole State College welcomed students back to campus for the start of the fall semester.

SSC students Imani Cudjoe of Edmond, left, and Nylia Reid of Sapulpa walk to class on Aug. 17 as Seminole State College welcomed students back to campus for the start of the fall semester.

In this photo, Assistant Professor of Life Sciences Truitt Eubank, center, assists SSC students Alivia Wapskineh of McCloud, left, and Christian Herlehy of Shawnee during an Introduction to Environmental Science lab.

Assistant Professor of Life Sciences Truitt Eubank, center, assists SSC students Alivia Wapskineh of McCloud, left, and Christian Herlehy of Shawnee during an Introduction to Environmental Science lab.

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This Photo is a portrait of SSC President Lana Reynolds.

SSC Celebrates 95 Years and Looks Ahead

Josh Hutton

By Lana Reynolds, SSC President

This fall will mark 95 years of service to this region for Seminole State College. That milestone invites us to look back, but more importantly, it calls us to look forward with purpose.

Long before we were Seminole State College, and before Seminole Junior College became an independent institution, we began as an extension of Seminole High School. The College provided grades 13 and 14 for local students seeking access to higher education close to home.

In those early years, Superintendent John G. Mitchell urged parents to consider the value of Seminole Junior College with a simple but powerful promise: “Give us your cooperation today, and we will endeavor to repay you with a higher form of citizenship tomorrow.”

Nearly a century later, that promise still defines who we are. At SSC, we prepare students for transfer, careers and meaningful work through academic pathways, workforce training and early college opportunities. But our mission has never stopped at academic preparation. We also seek to shape citizens who serve, lead and contribute to their communities. That commitment is reflected in the way our students volunteer, support veterans, assist with community events and represent the College in civic programs across the state.

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This photo is a portrait of Daniel Clerke.

USA Esports Team Manager Daniel Clerke to Speak at SSC

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College will host Daniel Clerke, National Team Manager for USA Esports, for a presentation titled “Beyond the Game: Leadership, Competition and Careers in Esports” from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, in the Jeff Johnston Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Clerke will take attendees behind the scenes of competitive esports, exploring the leadership, competition and career opportunities that have emerged as the industry has grown. He has spent 14 years building championship teams at the professional and collegiate levels. His teams have earned more than $11 million in prize winnings, captured world championships in Call of Duty and Smite and won 24 collegiate national championships.

Clerke currently serves as National Team Manager for USA Esports as the organization prepares to represent the United States at the Esports Nations Cup. In that role, he oversees operational aspects of the national team program, including the selection of game coaches and coordination of competitive rosters.

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SSC Delivers More than 700 Textbooks to Concurrent Students

Josh Hutton
In this photo, SSC GEAR UP Lead Coordinator Leah Martin (left) delivers textbooks to Wetumka High School Counselor Randi Bellinger.

SSC GEAR UP Lead Coordinator Leah Martin (left) delivers textbooks to Wetumka High School Counselor Randi Bellinger. As the fall semester began this week, Seminole State College delivered more than 700 textbooks to 420 concurrent students at 38 area high schools. The books were funded through the Scott Empowerment Fund, established following philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $17 million unrestricted gift to the SSC Educational Foundation.

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SSC to Offer Math Refresher Course for Parents

Josh Hutton
This photo is a portrait of Dr. Linda Goeller.
Dr. Linda Goeller

Seminole State College will offer “Math 4 Parents,” a community course designed to help parents and grandparents build confidence when assisting children with math homework, on Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Room 102 of the Enoch Kelly Haney Center.

The course will be led by SSC Vice President Emeritus Dr. Linda Goeller, a former mathematics professor at the College. The practical refresher will focus on math skills commonly encountered by students in fourth through sixth grades.

Topics will include addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions, decimals, basic algebra and basic geometry. Participants will also have an opportunity to bring questions about concepts they may have encountered while helping children with homework.

The goal of the course is to give parents and grandparents a stronger understanding of foundational math concepts and greater confidence when working through assignments with students.

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