SSC student-athletes help children with holiday crafts during Seminole State College’s Night at the Lights event at the Reynolds Wellness Center on Dec. 8. Families also enjoyed complimentary hot chocolate and cookies throughout the evening.
Continue reading “SSC Lights Up the Night with Holiday Fun”
Several Seminole State College community athletic boosters donated funds to provide the SSC Soccer team with sweatshirts commemorating their recent trip to the NJCAA National Tournament. It was the seventh consecutive trip to nationals for Coach Dan Hill and his program. The team finished their season among the Top 4 Division 1 teams in the nation.
Donors presented the sweatshirts to the team and coaches at halftime of the Dec. 3 home men’s basketball game. Pictured left to right prior to the half-court presentation are: Kim Hyden, Jim Hardin, Dr. Jim Hardin, Les Walker, Curtis Morgan, Pam Morgan, Sue Snodgrass, Mark Schell, Rita Story-Schell and Hope Pickering.
Members of the Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class had a lesson in business and social etiquette on Dec. 4. Carey Sue Vega, owner of Etiquette Expert in Oklahoma City, spoke to the group at Gigi’s Lunch Counter in Seminole.
The group heard tips on cell phone usage, email and telephone correspondence, job interview preparation, formal dinner etiquette, the importance of hand-written thank-you notes, ideas on how to network and how to make appropriate small talk.
Vega is a native Oklahoman who has done etiquette consultant work for businesses, attorneys, doctors and organizations around the world. For 10 years, she served as a cruise director for the Norwegian Cruise Line.
Vega has been featured in numerous radio and television shows and magazine articles, sharing her etiquette expertise. She prides herself as being a “regular person” who tries to use professionalism to her advantage.
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Dr. Ricky Streight visits with attendees during a retirement reception in his honor Dec. 3 in the E.T. Dunlap Student Union on the Seminole State College campus. Streight has dedicated 18 years of service to SSC over two tenures, beginning in 1986 as an instructor before moving into administration, then returning in 2021 as a full-time professor teaching the calculus series, differential equations and developing computer science courses. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, four master’s degrees in strategic studies, computer science, data analysis and mathematics, and a doctorate in higher education from the University of Oklahoma; he and his wife, Sherri, reside in Shawnee.
Seminole State College will host its annual Night at the Lights on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Reynolds Wellness Center in Seminole. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Guests can enjoy making holiday crafts with SSC students, exploring the “Snowman Wonderland” light display in Magnolia Park and savoring complimentary hot chocolate and cookies.
Seminole State College has received a $17 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott through her foundation, Yield Giving, the largest single donation in the college’s 94-year history.
The gift will be managed by the Seminole State College Educational Foundation, the college’s nonprofit fundraising arm, and will be used to expand scholarships, strengthen student success initiatives, reward employee performance and advance key priorities outlined in SSC’s 2023-26 strategic plan.
“This is a once-in-a-generation moment for Seminole State College,” SSC President Lana Reynolds said. “MacKenzie Scott’s extraordinary generosity is a powerful vote of confidence in our students, our mission and the communities we serve. This gift will allow us to remove financial barriers, build new pathways to degrees and careers, and ensure that more students from our region can thrive here at SSC.”
Continue reading “SSC Receives Historic $17 Million Gift From MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving”
Five business students from Seminole State College traveled to the Stonecipher School of Business at East Central University in Ada on Nov. 12 to compete in a series of business-focused events. The team returned with a collection of awards and cash prizes ranging from $25 to $250.
The day began with the Tiger Tank business pitch competition, modeled after the television show “Shark Tank.” Three SSC students presented their entrepreneurial ideas to a panel of judges. Katie Simpson of Columbus, Kansas, earned second runner-up for her pitch, Next Level Athletics, a sports training complex aimed at developing young athletes. Savannah Averitt of Seminole and Ava Freeze of Prague took first place in the underclassmen division with their concept, Savalon, a full-service family salon with a welcoming, community-centered focus.
Continue reading “SSC Business Students Win at ECU Competition”
Seminole State College’s new esports team has completed its inaugural season in the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports (NJCAAE), highlighted by a playoff run in Overwatch 2 and strong showings in Chess and Mario Kart.
SSC joined the NJCAAE in October 2025 and currently competes in Division III. All members of the existing Esports Club tried out and earned a place on the competitive team. The club has been meeting in Tanner 202, a dedicated gaming space equipped with 24 gaming PCs and gaming chairs, with team practices held on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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Seminole State College will host a Reach Higher: Draft Day enrollment event on Monday, Dec. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Raymond Harber Fieldhouse to help working adults return to college and complete their degrees.
“We understand returning to college can be overwhelming especially for adult students,” Laura Votaw, SSC Coordinator of Distance Education, said. “The Reach Higher event is designed to make that process approachable and fun.”
The come-and-go event will connect adult learners with SSC staff to discuss transfer credits, flexible class formats and individualized paths to graduation. Attendees will receive free admission to the SSC men’s basketball game against Clarendon College, along with concession stand vouchers, and will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with student-athletes from multiple sports.
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Rep. Brian Hill (R-Mustang) visited Seminole on Nov. 19 as part of a tour of Oklahoma’s colleges and universities. An advocate economic development in rural areas of the State, Hill heard about recent infrastructure improvements, new businesses and housing expansion from a group of community leaders representing the City of Seminole, the Seminole Chamber of Commerce, the Seminole Economic Development Council and local financial institutions.
Continue reading “Rep. Hill Tours SSC Campus”