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Pictured is Former Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Turpen, who will serve as the keynote speaker at a workshop for high school counselors and administrators on March 29 at Seminole State College.

SSC to Host Workshop for Area Counselors and Administrators

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College will host a free workshop for high school counselors, principals and superintendents, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on March 29 at the Enoch Kelly Haney Center. Chair of the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education Mike Turpen will be the featured speaker.

The event will open with a buffet breakfast and a welcome message from SSC President Lana Reynolds.

At 9:00 a.m., Oklahoma College Assistance Program Student Portal Coordinator Theresa Shaklee will discuss the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). Then SSC’s Director of Advisement and Recruitment Britney Honsinger will provide an overview on concurrent enrollment for high school students.

Turpen will deliver the keynote titled “Seven Reasons Why Being a High School Counselor Is the Best Job in the Whole World” at 10:30 a.m. Turpen served as Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1983-1987. He is currently a member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and is a co-host on the KFOR-TV political news show Flashpoint.

The event will conclude with an informational panel moderated by SSC Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles. Discussions about academic placement and remediation will

be led by Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Amanda Estey and Assistant Professor of Agriculture and Returning Student Advisor Wendy Rich. Registrar Sheila Morris will provide an overview on transcripts and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Vice President for Fiscal Affairs Melanie Rinehart and Director of Financial Aid Edie Cathey will present on financial aid and resources for payment.

Certificates of completion are awarded for staff development upon request. To request registration information, email Director of Advisement and Recruitment Britney Honsinger at b.honsinger@sscok.edu or call 405-382-9751.

Posing for a photo are SSC Nursing students who presented at the Wewoka High School were (pictured left to right): Courtney Mathis, Connor Martin, Dusten Lancaster, Gisela Williams and Christy Bailey.

SSC Nursing Students Present at Wewoka High School

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College nursing students recently visited Wewoka High School to present to students about general wellness and personal care. This was an opportunity for the nursing students to practice the skills involved with educating the public.

“This can be a hard skill to master and teaching in a public setting can be very scary. Being able to teach in a variety of settings, including schools is important for nurses to learn,” Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Ann Benson said. “We are so appreciative of Wewoka Public Schools and School Counselor Randi Bellinger for allowing us to come.”

Each high school student in attendance was provided a goodie bag of wellness items from the nursing students.

SSC President’s Leadership Class Tours Okla. Bureau of Narcotics

Josh Hutton
The Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class toured the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in Oklahoma City on March 9. Mark Woodward (left), OBN Public Information and Education Officer, and Agent Anthony Moore (right) spoke with the students about a wide array of activities the OBN tackles, including the monitoring of marijuana grow operations in the state, safe disposal of prescription and illegal substances, as well as various training for officers within OBN.

The Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class toured the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in Oklahoma City on March 9. Mark Woodward (left), OBN Public Information and Education Officer, and Agent Anthony Moore (right) spoke with the students about a wide array of activities the OBN tackles, including the monitoring of marijuana grow operations in the state, safe disposal of prescription and illegal substances, as well as various training for officers within OBN.

Agent Shaun Manes (left) demonstrated how OBN utilizes drones in investigations. PLC students also learned about the K9 program and heard from OBN Director Donnie Anderson, OBN Agents Anthony Moore, Dallas Lang, Attorney General Office Agents Christopher Culbreath and Brent Green.

Agent Shaun Manes (left) demonstrated how OBN utilizes drones in investigations. PLC students also learned about the K9 program and heard from OBN Director Donnie Anderson, OBN Agents Anthony Moore, Dallas Lang, Attorney General Office Agents Christopher Culbreath and Brent Green.

Seminole State College Professors of History Jeffrey Christiansen (left) and Marta Osby (centered) volunteered at The Academy of Seminole’s first History Fair, organized by TAOS History Instructor Kyle Moore (right), on March 7.

SSC Professors Judge TAOS History Fair

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College History Professors Jeffrey Christiansen and Marta Osby volunteered their time to judge the first History Fair held by The Academy of Seminole (TAOS) on March 7.

The two judges scored 55 different exhibits and read and scored 34 research papers. The event was overseen by Kyle Moore, who organized the event and serves as history instructor at the Academy.

“Our history fair was a smashing success, and we could not have done this without their help. I cannot thank them enough for their generosity and expertise. Marta and Jeffrey went above and beyond for us,” Moore said.

The students were judged according to their grades with winners for each grade along with an overall “Grand” winner. The categories of different types of submissions included exhibits, research papers, websites, and documentaries. The subject of the fair was “Civil Rights and Minorities’ Contributions to Society.” Two other SSC history faculty members, Dr. Steve Bolin and Division Chair Sam Rivera, also supported the event and scored a portion of the papers.

(Pictured left to right) SSC language arts and humanities professors Paul Juhasz, Yasminda Choate and Dr. Andrew Davis recently presented at the Southwest Popular and American Culture Conference

SSC Professors Present at Conference

Josh Hutton

Three Seminole State College language arts and humanities professors presented at the 2023 Southwest Popular and American Culture Conference during the week of Feb. 21-25. The mission of the SWPACA is to promote an innovative and nontraditional academic movement in humanities and social sciences celebrating America’s cultural heritages. The annual conference provides an outlet for scholars, writers, and others interested in popular/American culture to share ideas in a professional atmosphere and increase awareness and improve public perceptions of America’s cultural traditions and diverse populations.

Assistant Professor of English Paul Juhasz, author of “Ronin,” which was nominated for the Oklahoma Book Award in 2022, read from his most recent prose poetry collection; “Inner Life of Comics.” The collection was published by Turning Plow Press in the fall 2022. Associate Professor of English Yasminda Choate read her most recent non-fiction humor essay, “Please Don’t Call Me Pretty,” and Associate Professor of English Dr. Andrew Davis presented his academic research, “Transnational Queer Cinema and Its Audiences: Analyzing Circumstance and Its Marketing and Reception.” In addition to their representation of SSC with well-received presentations, the three attended sessions throughout the week, learning about recent scholarship in popular culture and pedagogy within the humanities. Their participation in the conference was generously funded through the faculty professional development fund.

SSC President and Student Read at Wilson Elementary

Josh Hutton
Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds and SSC President’s Leadership Class student Hailey Wallace, a sophomore from Wellston, read to Wilson Elementary School students.

Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds and SSC President’s Leadership Class student Hailey Wallace, a sophomore from Wellston, were among several community guest readers to visit Wilson Elementary School this week.

Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds and SSC President’s Leadership Class student Hailey Wallace, a sophomore from Wellston, are pictured reading “If I Ran the Zoo” by Dr. Seuss, to Mrs. Sonia Scott’s third grade class.

Reynolds and Wallace stopped by Mrs. Sonia Scott’s third grade class to read “If I Ran the Zoo” by Dr. Seuss on March 2. The reading was part of the national birthday celebration of the children’s book author and “Read Across America” week.

SSC nursing students participated in a disaster response simulation on Feb. 22 in the Enoch Kelly Haney Center. Pictured (left to right): Melissa Johnston, Cierra Stevenson, Bryan Davis, Dariyan Fancher, Katty Nelson, Jessica Taylor and Amanda Flores.

SSC Holds Disaster Training Event for Nursing Students

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College held a disaster training event for nursing students on Feb. 22 inside the Enoch Kelly Haney Center on campus.

Students participated in a training module designed to help them understand what qualifies as a disaster, how to triage patients, manage resources and how to work with other agencies to access quick medical care. Before the hands-on training, students attended a lecture about incident command, treating patients and communication techniques in a time of crisis.

Following the lecture, the nursing students were able to put their disaster response skills to the test during a simulation drill, where students responded to the aftermath of a bombing. The loading bay of the Haney Center served as the site of the incident. Students took on different roles. Some students took on the role of victims with various injuries, while other students were asked to perform search and rescue, triage patients and tend to their medical and psychological needs.

Pictured are SSC Nursing Students, as they take on various roles during the simulation. Victims were transported from the site of the incident to a makeshift treatment center set up in a nursing classroom, where they were treated by their classmates.
Students took on various roles during the simulation. Victims were transported from the site of the incident to a makeshift treatment center set up in a nursing classroom, where they were treated by their classmates.

“Disaster training is becoming more and more important. We are proud of our nursing students who embrace the philosophy that nursing is an intricate part of any successful disaster response,” Crystal Bray, SSC Nursing Program Director, said. “In the future, we hope to work with area hospitals, Emergency Medical Services and Police to expand the training for our nursing students, as well as area healthcare professionals and response teams.”