Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Outreach Coordinator continues journey



Dr. Jerry Bread has had extensive experience in coordinating outreach programs at the University of Oklahoma and other higher educational institutions. Dr. Bread currently serves in as the Outreach Coordinator in the academic unit of Native American Studies. Dr. Bread reflects on his experiences, as well as other faculty members on his role and work.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Students use class for motivation and inspiration during trouble time.

Norman-The challenges of college often take its toll on students. Students who don’t maintain or achieve a 2.0 grade point average are given the opportunity to continue with trying to achieve their educational goals. Students at the University of Oklahoma who don’t maintain or achieve the minimum GPA are placed in Strategies for Success, a class offered by University College. Jennifer Dye, a former student at OU took the class last semester. “The class wasn’t hard, it was everything that was hard,” Dye said. “Everyone’s going through something different. People are in school so it affects how they work and how well they do,” Dye continued.” Strategies is nice because it encourages you and makes you think why you’re there,” Dye said.
Strategies for Success is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Each student in the class differentiates why they’re there. Dr. Lisa Portwood, the instructor and creator of the class said “There are 400 students in Strategies, and that’s 400 different stories of why they didn’t do so well the previous semester.” Despite her academic mishap in school, Dye is determined to return to OU and graduate. Dye believes Strategies helped her find her motivation to obtain a teaching degree.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Community Comes Together To Share and Learn Language








NORMAN--Seated in an informal circle Davetta Geimausaddle listens to Dane Poolaw as he leads the group in a lesson on conversational Kiowa. Davetta is one of several Kiowa language students who attends a weekly community class devoted to learning the Kiowa language. Leading the class is Dane Poolaw and Carole Willis, both are Kiowa language instructors in the Anthropology department at the University of Oklahoma. The class meets at the historic Jacobsen House on the corner of Chautauqua and Boyd. The class is surrounded by the infamous artwork of the Kiowa Five artists. The class is free and open to anyone interested in learning the Kiowa language.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Motivation inspires the desire to get a college degree

NORMAN-For some, reasons to go to school vary. For some students, their parents are the driving factor and reason to attend and graduate college. Other students have different reasons to attend and graduate with a degree. American Indians are the most to state that getting a degree builds a relationship with their community, family, tribe, or other support group to attend and graduate college. Sarah Kernell, a nurse at the Indian Health Clinic in Oklahoma City said "Yeah, graduating from college was something I wanted to do and to give back to my community." Kernell, is an American Indian from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Kernell is active at both the Norman First American Methodist Church and her tribal community of Hillabee, near Hanna, OK. Many American Indian students in college see the chance of getting their degree and going back to help their tribe or community.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Kiowa Instructor



With the University of Oklahoma facing budget cuts in all of the departments and programs, Kiowa instructor Dane Poolaw has little doubt that his position and other Native Language teaching positions and classes will be cut for the upcoming academic year.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Ole Pub builds strong relationship with college students


Norman, OK- Every college town has one; a favorite bar and grill or “Pub” that every student visits sometime during their college years. Norman has several but one that sticks out amongs the rest is O’Connell’s Pub and Grill. Known for it’s green beer on St. Patrick’s Day and over-capacity limits on a Friday or Saturday night, O’Connell’s is frequented by almost every student at the University of Oklahoma.
With two locations in Norman, O’Connell’s has no problem building its relationship with the patrons at OU. “O’Connell’s build its relationship with students by showing them a good time,” said a waitress at O’Connell’s who wanted to remain anonymous. “Cheap beer, warm burgers, and an OU discount as a way to draw them in,” she continued. “It’s a place to relax, have fun, and forget about school,” she added.
With one prime location on historic Campus Corner and another at the intersection of Lindsey and Jenkins, O’Connell’s is a place that many students have created new relationships and continue with old ones.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Jacobson House builds relationship with American Indian Community



NORMAN, OK- Famous for once being the home of Oscar Jacobsen, a European artists who brought the works of the famous “Kiowa Five Artists” and other southwestern art into the spotlight, the Jacobson House is a link to the American Indian community in Norman. Hanging on the walls are the famous paintings by “the Kiowa Five” and other artists the Jacobson House helps bring American Indians together for community support and involvement. The spring 2010 semester has the house being used on Sundays by the Norman First American Methodist Church in conjunction with their Campus Ministries meal and gathering. Reverend Glen “Chebon” Kernell, Jr. says, “The Jacobson House lets us use the facilities to hold our meetings and provide a venue for us.” Kernell continues, “It allows a person to come see what the Jacobson House stands for, the artwork that is held here, the artists, special shows. It really is just provides a service to the community.” The Jacobson House is located at 609 Chautauqua on the northwest corner of the University of Oklahoma campus. The executive director is Kricket Connywerdy, a Kiowa-Caddo American Indian. The house has Indian taco sales on Tuesday and this semester has introduced a Kiowa community language class on Thursday nights.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

NASPA conference draws large crowd despite economy

Chicago, IL- Student affairs officials from across the United States and some from Canada meet in "Chi-town" for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators annual conference held on March 7-10. The conference brought together an unexpected large crowd as over 4800 registered guests gathered at the Shertaon and Marriott hotels in downtown Chicago. At the opening session on Sunday, Planning Chairman Lori S. White said "We anticipated around 2800 participants for this conference. As of today we have over 4800 registered participants." White continued "We have over 600 programs submitted for the program." The large party of student officials arranged from undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in student affairs to vice presidents and deans of students interested in learning about ways they can help support, foster, and aide their student body.
This conference was valuable as student affair workers came together to learn and develope their ability to affectively serve their students. Mike Segawa, President of NASPA and from the University of Pugent spoke how valuable this conference is in it's relationship of student affairs officials and the students they serve "In a digital age with emails, facebook, and twitter, nothing can get rid of this. Face to face interviewing and networking."
Featured speakers and programs included former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter, and Sister Helen Prejean, a well known advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Gossiping can affect relationshps

We gossip if not everyday then every other day. When asked about gossip and how it relates to relationships, some would say that it's an integral part in hurting a relationship. Angel Ellis, a mother of three and journalist said "Gossip can cause friction in relationships that have trust issues." Some would agree with how Angel puts it.
Daniel King, an agricultural business/pre-law major from Oklahoma State University said "Gossip to me is discussing the minor flasws that someone may have while ignoring the positive qualities that person may bring. King continues, "When I discover someone gossiping, I begin to not trust that person because I fell like anything I say is not secretive."
King may be right. Gossip is really detailing information about someone, mostly about their bad qualities. It seems that gossip can sometimes make a relationship. Don't you like to meet new people who gossip about someone you know and you instantly feel a connection with them?

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Native American students build relationships from across the state at annual conference


STILLWATER-Native American students from across the state gathered at the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater this past weekend to learn new ideas, get motivated, educated and network at the 3rd Annual Oklahoma Native American Students in Higher Education Conference.



Students from the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Northeastern State University, Bacone College, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma State Universtiy- Oklahoma City campus, Southwestern State University,Northern Oklahoma College, Pawnee Nation College and College of the Muscogee Nation, both tribal colleges, were in attendance. The main purpose of the ONASHE Conference is to bring Native American Students in higher educations together.
Joe Thomas, a junior from the University of Oklahoma found the importance of the conference in meeting other Native American students outside his own university important. “I think that’s very important to learn about other cultures and traditions then just inside OU,” Thomas said. Other students felt the same way. Sonny Hawk, a student at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah and Amy Bergseth, a graduate student bot felt the conference was important to meet new people.
Robin Williams, Senior Academic Counselor for Native American students at the Inclusion Center for Academic Excellence at OSU and founder of the ONASHE Conference said “It’s important for Native American Students in Oklahoma to find a place where they can come together, meet each other, find a support network, but also learn about leadership and culture within higher education.” Williams continued, “Also a a cultural component is added…so hopefully that helps students who maybe aren’t familiar with some of the cultural aspects…also helps them learn more about other tribes too.” This year the cultural component included a traditional hand game, a guessing game among Plains tribes and a planned stickball game, a mixture of lacross and basketball among Southeastern tribes, but was canceled due to weather.
The students came together and built relationships with one another from across the state. From this conference they learned that they’re the same in achieving their goal of achieving a higher education. The ONASHE Conference continues to build the future of tribal students in support and encouragement for the future of Native American Students in higher education.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Students Find New Ways to Cope with Valentine's Day Blues

NORMAN- To some, Valentine’s Day brings awareness of being single whether then in a relationship. Students across the campus at the University of Oklahoma in Norman have different ways of coping with this newly identified day known as the “Day of Single Awareness.”
Jennifer Laney, a music education major from Owasso, said “I spent the entire day in bed while watching movies.” Laney shows no sign of having the day’s title wear down her spirits of knowing she’s not in a relationship. “ I don’t need a day to have me know that I’m single,” Laney laughs while eating her favorite boxed dinner from Chicken Express.
Casey Kenny, a senior majoring in Elementary Education, spent the day with her husband as the two prepared for his deployment to the Middle East. “We both know we’re poor so there’s nothing extravagant we have to do for one another,” Kenny said while making the last minute plans for their Sunday get-together. “Next year he’ll be deployed overseas so I’ll probably just make him some cookies and send them over to him,” she says while smiling and pondering the thought of not being in the same country as her husband. “I don’t know what he’ll do for me but I’ll make sure and send him something he can enjoy,” Kenney says while texting her husband.
Zec R., a freshman at OU, makes it blatantly obvious of why he is not in a relationship “ I always have this belief that whoever I’m with, I’ll cheat on them. I don’t want to take that risk, so why date?” Zec is one of the multiple people who mark this day, like Laney, as just another day.
As Facebook statuses exploded across the newsfeed at the end of the day with “best wishes” to both “Single Awareness Day” and “Valentine’s Day” people all over the internet acknowledge this day a day that you’re either in or out of a relationship.

Sunday, February 7, 2010



PWOP:
No child of the nineties would be without his/her Buzz Lightyear. I found this guy standing next to Boba Fett on top of my friend's bookcase. If only Spock were to be joined in their presence, then this picture would be complete.













SENSE OF PLACE
I thought I would get creative and take a picture of Bizzell Library after being covered in ice.