Leaders Luncheon

Pictured (left to right) seated on the couch are: SGA officers - Vice President Trenton Stewart of Holdenville, President Benjamin Parker of Shawnee and Secretary Elizabeth Smith of Agra. Standing (left to right) are: SSC President Lana Reynolds, Director of Board Relations and Administrative Operations Mechell Downey, Director of Information Technology and Information Security Officer Marc Hunter, Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Amanda Estey, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs Melanie Rinehart and SGA Sponsor Talina Lee.

Seminole State College Student Government officers met with members of the college’s Administrative Council on Oct. 23 for lunch and a discussion of topics surrounding enrollment, physical safety, personal data security, food service and sports activities. Pictured (left to right) seated on the couch are: SGA officers – Vice President Trenton Stewart of Holdenville, President Benjamin Parker of Shawnee and Secretary Elizabeth Smith of Agra. Standing (left to right) are: SSC President Lana Reynolds, Director of Board Relations and Administrative Operations Mechell Downey, Director of Information Technology and Information Security Officer Marc Hunter, Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Amanda Estey, Vice President for Fiscal Affairs Melanie Rinehart and SGA Sponsor Talina Lee.

SSC Leadership Students Visit the Gathering Place

Pictured is the Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class.

The Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class toured the Gathering Place public park in Tulsa on Oct. 5. The 66.5-acre park features unique playgrounds, gardens, trails, boat rentals, restaurants and hosts several concerts and outdoor events throughout the year.

Pictured are PLC students as they learn about the development of the park and current programming from Senior Vice President of Operations and Programming Cheryl Christensen.

During their visit, PLC students learned about the development of the park and current programming from Senior Vice President of Operations and Programming Cheryl Christensen. The students took a guided tour with volunteer docents who detailed facts about the park. Their trip concluded with a presentation on the history and importance of Route 66 from Ken Busby, the Executive Director and CEO of the Route 66 Alliance.

Pictured is SSC PLC student Kamryn Lydens, of Coweta, as she explores the Land of the River Giants attraction at the Gathering Place on Oct. 5.

SSC PLC student Kamryn Lydens, of Coweta, explores the Land of the River Giants attraction at the Gathering Place on Oct. 5.

SSC Honor Society Members Attend Regional Conference

Seminole State College recently sent two Phi Theta Kappa student officers, Abby Ridley and Hannah Ridley, alongside club advisors Andrew Davis and Edith Cathey, to the Oklahoma/Arkansas 2023 Regional Convention, hosted by Northeastern State University – Broken Arrow Campus. The conference provided leadership and community service training, and brought university admissions experts to provide students advice on transferring to four-year institutions. The conference also facilitated students across the region to meet and share ideas about the mission of Phi Theta Kappa.

The Seminole State College chapter of Phi Theta Kappa was also recognized with two certificates of merit for its ongoing engagement with the regional organization, as well as its commitment to providing its members leadership and scholarship opportunities and engaging in campus and community service projects.

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is an international organization that recognizes the academic achievement of college students and provides community leadership and service opportunities for its members. Students must complete 12 credit hours and maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher to be eligible to join.

SSC President’s Leadership Class Tours Port of Catoosa

Members of the Seminole State College President's Leadership Class are pictured during their tour of the Port of Catoosa, northeast of Tulsa on March 28.

Members of the Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class toured the Port of Catoosa, northeast of Tulsa on March 28. The shipping complex and 2,500-acre industrial park has an estimated $300 million economic impact on the state. The complex hosts over 71 companies and employs more than 2,600 Oklahomans. Millions of tons of bulk freight are moved by barge each year through the Port of Catoosa, which is one of the largest, most inland river-ports in the United States.

Members of the Seminole State College President's Leadership Class pose for a group photo in front of the Blue Whale of Catoosa, a waterfront attraction along Route 66, just east of the town of Catoosa.

PLC students also stopped by the Blue Whale of Catoosa, a waterfront attraction along Route 66, just east of the town of Catoosa.

SSC Interscholastic Meet Winners Announced

Students from 31 schools across the state competed in Seminole State College’s 49th annual Interscholastic Meet on March 23. Nearly 700 students attended the event.

Individual entries were separated into two divisions. Division I was composed of students from schools classified as 3A, 4A and 5A. Students from 2A and A class schools competed in Division II.

Exams were administered to students in 12 different subject areas during morning and early-afternoon testing sessions. Four art categories were offered as well: sculpture, painting, drawing and best in show. The top three winners within each subject were awarded medals.

A trophy was awarded to the top school in each division based on accumulation of points and medal placing. Preston High School was the winner of the Division I trophy. This year the runner-up was Plainview High School. In Division II, there was an one-point difference between first and second, with Allen High School taking the Division II trophy and Liberty Academy claiming runner-up.

Continue reading “SSC Interscholastic Meet Winners Announced”

SSC Honor Society Inducts New Members

Twelve Seminole State College students were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society for Two-Year Colleges on March 22.

Students were selected based on their scholarship, leadership and commitment to the community. The chapter facilitates leadership and scholarship opportunities for its members and organizes campus and community service activities.

Continue reading “SSC Honor Society Inducts New Members”

SSC to Host Osage Language Workshop

Seminole State College will host an Osage language workshop every Wednesday from March 29 to April 19. Sessions will take place in room 104 of the Boren Library from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Braxton Redeagle, the Director of the Osage Nation language department, will lead the workshop. He previously taught Osage I and Osage II for a world language credit in Skiatook and Hominy High Schools as a certified teacher.

He grew up in Pawhuska and is a member of the Waxakolin committee for the Inlonshka dances. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, where he was an active member of the Society of Native American Gentlemen and various other organizations that promote academics, health, culture and fellowship for students.

“The history, culture, and worldview captured by the language are unique in many respects, which leads to unique stories, expressions and terminology,” Redeagle said. “However, the language follows common linguistic principles and has features seen in languages all over the world, including multiple cognate languages that are mutually intelligible to various degrees.”

The workshop is made possible through a partnership between SSC’s Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program, SSC’s Business and Industry department and the Osage Nation.

To sign up for the workshop, visit sscok.edu and select Community and On-Demand Courses from the Academics tab. For more information contact NASNTI Engagement Specialist Kay Wallace at k.wallace@sscok.edu or 405-382-9646.

SSC Trojans Player Welcomes Family and Friends from Netherlands

Seminole State College freshman pitcher Gio DeGraauw, of Hilversum, Netherlands, was reunited with his father, uncle and two family friends this week. His biggest fans made the long trip to watch a few games in person and experience the sights and sounds of Oklahoma. The group posed for a photo following the Trojan baseball team’s 14-4 victory over Cowley County Community College of Arkansas City, Kansas on March 21. Pictured (left to right): Wynand DeGraauw, Gio’s uncle; Henk Rosendal, family friend; Gio DeGraauw; Edwin DeGraauw, Gio’s father; and Harald Bartleds, family friend.

Seminole State College freshman pitcher Gio DeGraauw, of Hilversum, Netherlands, was reunited with his father, uncle and two family friends this week. His biggest fans made the long trip to watch a few games in person and experience the sights and sounds of Oklahoma. The group posed for a photo following the Trojan baseball team’s 14-4 victory over Cowley County Community College of Arkansas City, Kansas on March 21. Pictured (left to right): Wynand DeGraauw, Gio’s uncle; Henk Rosendal, family friend; Gio DeGraauw; Edwin DeGraauw, Gio’s father; and Harald Bartleds, family friend.

SSC to Host Workshop for Area Counselors and Administrators

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.