Students
in the Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) President’s
Leadership Class (PLC) recently toured the Oklahoma State Capitol
Building. The tour was led by State Representative Anthony Moore
(HD57-Clinton) who serves as Chairman of the Committee on Higher
Education & Career Tech and who has been elected Speaker Pro
Tempore-elect, the second-highest ranking officer in the House.
Moore
and his staff, led by Legislative Assistant Dee Lemon, provided the
SWOSU PLC students with a detailed briefing on state government and
the lawmaking process.
Following
the tour, the SWOSU PLC students were joined by Moore at a dinner at
VAST restaurant in the Devon Tower.
At
the dinner, the SWOSU PLC students had the opportunity to interact
with SWOSU PLC donors; Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO)
Regents Connie Reilly, Tom Kupiec, and Susan Winchester; Oklahoma
Supreme Court Justice Jim Winchester; and a large group of generous
SWOSU alumni and friends who have supported the SWOSU PLC’s mission
including:
Southwest
Distributing founder L.R. Sights
Kevin
& Cindy Wolters
Mike
North, ’80, & Marilyn Flinchum
George
Cohlmia, ’74, & Karla Cohlmia
Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) Chancellor Emeritus Glen
D. Johnson & Melinda Johnson
Blue
Sky Bank President Jarred Jones
Great
Plains Bank President Cody Parker, ’07, & Ashlea Parker, ‘09
Arrow
Marketing & Media Founder Lexi Smith, ‘03
Jonna
Kauger Kirschner
The
dinner was generously hosted by the SWOSU Foundation, Inc. Board of
Trustees. Trustees Stephen Nelson, ’00, and Jerrad Richards, ’14,
were present. SWOSU President Dr. Diana R. Lovell and members of her
Cabinet including Provost Dr. Joel Kendall, Vice President for
Student Services Dr. Adam Johnson, and Vice President for
Administration & Finance Ms. Lori Boyd, ’97 & 2017
Distinguished Alumnae.
SWOSU
PLC students were honored to be joined for the dinner by featured
speaker Gentner Drummond, the Attorney General of the State of
Oklahoma. A seventh-generation Oklahoman, Drummond shared valuable
insights on leadership and achievement. Drummond related stories of
his service in the First Gulf War and of his work as a rancher,
lawyer, and banker along with his tenure as Oklahoma’s Attorney
General.
The
SWOSU PLC is a four-year leadership program for top SWOSU students.
The program was founded in 2006. Each year, approximately 15 of
SWOSU’s top entering freshmen are selected to be PLC Scholars. Each
scholar is awarded a scholarship and receives four years of
leadership training that fosters both intellectual and personal
growth. PLC develops SWOSU students into mature individuals who will
have a profound understanding of leadership and its responsible
application within organizations, communities, and society.
For
more information, please visit www.SWOSU.edu or call the SWOSU Office
of the President at 580-774-3766.
