APPLICATION INSIDE!
Head of the Class Quality programs, professors and hands-on learning
Global Impact Service around the world Mac Mania Laptops, iphones and ipods ... oh, my! Spiritual Life Faith, scholarship and service
& Areas of Study Accounting Advertising Art Bible Biochemistry Biology Broadcast Management Broadcast Journalism Business Pre-Law Chemistry Child Development Communication Studies Pre-Law Computer Science Early Childhood Education Economics Education Elementary Music Physical Secondary Electronic Media Engineering Computer Electrical Mechanical English Pre-Law Teaching English as a Foreign Language Writing Family Life Ministry
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Family Studies Finance Forensics Geography Graphic Design History Pre-law Information Systems Interior Design Interactive Media Interdisciplinary Studies International Business International Studies Journalism Languages Management Marketing Mass Communication Master of Arts in Ministry Master of Business Administration Master of Divinity Master of Science in Engineering Mathematics Medical Technology Ministry Missions Music Vocal Instrumental New Media Nursing
Organizational Communication Philosophy Photography Political Science Pre-Chiropractic Pre-Clinical Dietetics Pre-Dental Pre-Dental Hygiene Pre-Law Business Communication Studies English History Pre-Medical Pre-Occupational Therapy Pre-Optometry Pre-Pharmacy Pre-Physical Therapy Pre-Physician Associate Pre-Radiological Science Pre-Veterinary Psychology Public Relations Religious Education Sociology Spanish Sport, Wellness and Recreation Management Theater Performance Vocational Ministry Youth Ministry
on the MAJOR DETAILS www.oc.edu/majors
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Campus Visit
Stop by for a close look at what OC has to offer.
Keep your eyes open for boxes like these throughout the magazine. They’ll give you helpful facts and info about OC.
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List of Majors (Inside front cover) 2 Letter From the Editor List of Contributors OC EXPERIENCE
Water For the World
From the red plains of Oklahoma to the rolling hills of Rwanda, OC students and alumni carry a mission and a message to bring clean water to the people of Africa.
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3 5 6 9 10 12 14 16 18 20 21
Billion-Dollar Deals
OC alum on the fast track, handling finances for major mergers and acquisitions.
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Research & Resilience Professor’s expertise valuable to international organizations … and to Christian families.
By The Numbers Fast Facts OC Campus Visit Value & Significance Academics People / Service Global Metro Campus Connection The OC Web Bloggers WHO WE ARE
24 26 28 30 32 34
Nathan Pope Joy Rainey Tony Weedn John Maple, Jr. Jill Ramsey Lando Hamlett
Academic Department Info 36 Elaine Ekpo 37 Jeff Dimick
38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45
Andrew Silvestri Jennifer Ma Gail Nash / Miranda Brazle Russell Winters Amber Foster / Amanda Peery Peter Cariaga David Crismon Alan Martin
SPORTS 48 OC Alumni in NCAA 49 Eddie Fontaine / Bill Pink 50 Athletic Overview STUDENT LIFE 52 54 55 56 57 58 60 62 63 64
Watch for web links with this icon to get more info on the OC website.
Study Abroad Traditions Surviving First Year Clubs / Intramurals Student Organizations Campus Housing Right On the Money The Main Menu Performing Groups Map
on the
© Oklahoma Christian University 2009 Oklahoma Christian University admits students of any race, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, handicap, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
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CONTRIBUTORS
EDITORS RISA FORRESTER Vice President for Enrollment Management WES McKINZIE Associate Director of Marketing Services DESIGNERS STEPHEN BELL Senior Web Designer JUDSON COPELAND Director of Marketing JONATHAN CURTIS Senior Graphic Designer SCOTT HILL Graphic Designer
Dear Friend, As I sit at my laptop to write this letter, I know you’ll soon be making your college choice. Understanding that you have countless college options, I struggle to find words worthy of an introduction to Oklahoma Christian University. How can I best describe the university I love? Oklahoma Christian is a unique place full of academic life and academic soul. Choosing OC means choosing a university where sharp Christian minds meet to experience real-world learning – biology students conduct undergraduate research, English students read and apply classic works in practical ways, business students simulate stock exchange day trading, and engineering students create and control robotic devices. Faith and learning combine in classrooms as students choose to apply their gifts in their careers and vocations. You don’t have to look further than recent alumni (several of whom are featured in this magazine) to know that our students are destined for significance. Our alumni use their OC college choice as a springboard to minister and serve in their careers, communities, churches and homes. It’s decision time. Where will you choose to go to college? We’re here to help you choose wisely. Let us know how we can help. Blessings, Risa Forrester Vice President for Enrollment Management P.S. Your OC admissions counselor can assist you in making all kinds of important decisions related to your college choice. Find your counselor online at www.oc.edu/counselor.
RACHEL O’DONNELL Graphic Designer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DAN LOVEJOY Alumnus MICHAEL MITCHELL Director of Annual Giving DAVE SEAT Sports Information Director DAWN SHELTON Staff Writer ALLISON SHUMATE Communications Coordinator ANN WHITE Web Content Coordinator MICAH WOOTEN Web Services Coordinator RACHEL YEAKLEY Communications Intern JENN GILL SPENCER GOAD SCOTT HILL JACEY JACOBS KELLIE OLIVE MATT PATTERSON EMOLY WEST PHOTOGRAPHERS JUDSON COPELAND STEVEN CHRISTY esther havens © 2009 OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY P.O. Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136 800.877.5010
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Street Address: 2501 E. Memorial Road Edmond, OK 73013 www.oc.edu
A Look at OC
1st 2
By th3 Numb 3rs
Among CPA represented exam pass rates: Sc hool Oklahoma co lleges and unof Business Administr ation alumni iversities. Students am consistently earn the high Alpha Chi N ong top 10 in nation est pass rate al ational Hon on the CPA or Society’s writing contest: Two exam of all national wri students am ti on ng g co th nt e est. ABET-accr top-10 winne ed rs (includin with three A ited engineering pr g the first-p og BET-accredi lace winner) ted programrams: One of only two in the members of s. th e 11 1-school Cou Straight ye ncil for Chr istian Colle students. ar named National His ges and Uni tory Honor versities Society “B es t Chapter ”: N Varsity athl am ed et be ic st sports of all U.S. un soccer, soft iversities w ball, tennis, : Almost 300 students ith 3,000 or and track an participate fewer in 13 varsity d field. sports, incl uding baseba Undergrad ll, basketba uate studen ll, cross coun t-to-faculty try, golf, ratio Intramural sports
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FAST FACTS Purpose Oklahoma Christian University is a higher learning community that transforms lives for Christian faith, scholarship, and service.
university history
National Recognition • • • • •
One of only two members of the 111-school Council for Christian Colleges and Universities with ABET national accreditation for three engineering programs. Designated by Princeton Review as a Best Western College. Ranked 17th among the 50 most unwired college campuses by Intel Corporation. Named by the John Templeton Foundation as an institution that inspires students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives in its guide, “Colleges That Encourage Character Development.” • Included in the Center for Student Opportunity’s inaugural College Access and Opportunity Guidebook highlighting institutions committed to access, opportunity, and success for the traditionally underserved.
Accreditation What began in 1950 as Central Christian College (with an enrollment of 97) has grown into a comprehensive Christian university serving more than 2,000 students. Affiliated with the churches of Christ, Oklahoma Christian welcomes all students who respect the university’s commitment to academic and spiritual excellence and who respect the academic and spiritual pursuits of their fellow students.
• • • • • •
Oklahoma Christian University: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools School of Business Administration: Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs School of Education: National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education School of Engineering: ABET Department of Music: National Association of Schools of Music Nursing Program: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Accreditation
Service & Missions Affiliations • • • •
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Christian Higher Education Foundation Oklahoma Independent Colleges and Universities
• • •
More than 1,100 undergraduate students (60 percent) involved in ongoing service and ministry opportunities. More than 40 student service and ministry opportunities. 500 students, faculty and staff members participate in mission opportunities each year in more than 30 countries on six continents. Some countries served include Australia, Austria, China, Croatia, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Rwanda, Switzerland and the United States.
LOCATION AND CAMPUS Student Demographics & Enrollment • • • • • •
Total students enrolled: 2,161 Undergraduate: 1,904 Graduate: 259 50 percent men, 50 percent women Countries represented: 33 States represented: 46
Oklahoma Christian University’s 250-acre campus is located in northeast Oklahoma City, the state capital of Oklahoma. The institution borders the city of Edmond. Students enjoy the academic, cultural and recreational benefits of a big city in a safe and comfortable suburban atmosphere. on the WANT TO LEARN MORE? www.oc.edu/profile
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OC EXPERIENCE
VISIT CAMPUS
Some things you just have to see for yourself! OC’s Admissions Office invites you to visit campus. With three campus visit program options, you’ll find an event to meet your needs. And you’re not restricted to just one visit! We hope you’ll choose two or even three of the options below as your schedule allows.
Individual Campus Visit One day; individual student/family visit If you can make just one visit to OC, this is the option for you! It’s especially appropriate for high school seniors. Let our admissions staff tailor a personalized campus visit experience just for your family. You can choose to walk the campus, attend Chapel, enjoy a complimentary lunch, attend class, visit with a faculty member about your chosen major, and meet your admissions counselor. To schedule a campus visit, visit our website at www. oc.edu/visitcampus or call the Admissions Office at 800.877.5010.
Though the Admissions Office will accommodate your visit most anytime, campus isn’t as fun or informational when school is out. Please avoid these dates when planning your visit: • Fall Break – October 15-16 • Thanksgiving Break – November 25-27 • Final Exams and Christmas Break – December 14-January 8 • Martin Luther King, Jr., Day – January 18 • Spring Break – March 15-19 • Final Exams – April 26-30
Campus Connect One day; small-group program Make campus connections at this one-day, small-group program. High school sophomores, juniors, seniors and parents are invited to attend. Campus Connect is pre-planned with a specific schedule of events to give students and parents a comprehensive look at OC. Schedule highlights include a campus walk, class visit, complimentary lunch, financial aid session for parents and more. A limited number of slots are available for each session, so please register early at www.oc.edu/connect.
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VISIT CAMPUS NOW www.oc.edu/visitcampus
Event dates: • Monday, September 7 • Friday, October 9 • Monday, October 19 • Friday, November 6 • Friday, December 4 • Friday, January 15 • Monday, February 15 • Friday, March 26 • Friday, April 16
Fall and Spring Visit Two days; overnight event Fall and Spring Visit provide a weekend of fun and informational activities for future OC students. Both events include Friday campus visits, an overnight stay in one of OC’s residence halls, and Saturday academic programming (academic and student life fairs, academic department showcases, performance scholarship auditions, etc.). Fall Visit features a trip to a local Oklahoma City attraction and a performance of Freshman Fanfare (a variety show put on by the freshman class). Spring Visit includes the muchanticipated annual Spring Sing performance (featuring themed shows by OC’s social service clubs). Both juniors and seniors are invited to attend Fall and Spring Visit. For more information and to register for an event, visit our website at www.oc.edu/visitcampus. • Fall Visit, September 25-26 • Spring Visit, March 5-6
Additional Information Comprehensive information you may find helpful when planning your campus visit is available at www.oc.edu/visitcampus and www.oc.edu/beforeyouvisit. Information at these web addresses includes: • Detailed directions to campus • Parking suggestions • Campus map • Local information about Oklahoma City and Edmond • Overnight stay information (local hotels) • Dining options
Students stroll from the u house to the Mcgraw pavilion for a study break.
And Significance val·ue (val’yü) noun – a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged; also something intrinsically valuable or desirable. val ues (val’yüz) noun – a standard of moral or ethical decisionmaking, giving guidance on how to behave decently and honorably; beliefs regarded as important or useful. You have values. Strong values that mean a lot to you. You want value (and your parents want it, too!). You want a strong education and a great college experience that will prepare you for a significant life and a successful career. There are a lot of great universities out there. And Oklahoma Christian is one of them. You don’t have to sell your education short as a tradeoff for an encouraging Christian environment. These two things are paramount at OC: a commitment to academic excellence and a commitment to Christian excellence. OC’s mission of integrating faith and learning is distinctive in comparison to most other colleges. The remarkable results of that mission are seen in the statistics throughout this magazine. But, more importantly, they’re seen in the lives of our students, faculty, staff and alumni. As an OC student, you’ll reap those benefits, too. You’ll also benefit from OC’s location in Oklahoma City, where you can plug into jobs, internships, inner-city ministry and all the entertainment options the metro has to offer. And while you’ll have a big city in your backyard, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see the world, too. OC’s global reach extends from missions to international study and more. You’ll also be constantly connected through OC’s technology leadership. Every student receives an Apple MacBook laptop and an iPhone or iPod touch to use on OC’s wireless campus, putting the World Wide Web at your fingertips virtually everywhere. Those are just some of the things that make an OC education valuable. They’re just some of the things that make OC a unique place where you can find your calling. Read on … we think you’ll like the View.
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OC EXPERIENCE
Rankings, Success Show OC’s Strength
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CLASS Some people (who should know better) knock began presenting at the Oklahoma Academy of Christian colleges for supposedly offering a subpar Science contest in 1997. education. They think that combining mind and • OC had two of the top 10 winners (including the spirit somehow waters down a school’s academic top paper) in a national writing contest conducted quality. by the Alpha Chi Honor Society. That’s just WRONG. • Over the past year, OC students earned national God designed faith and learning to go hand in hand or regional honors in advertising, business, … and the accomplishments of Oklahoma Christian education, engineering, free enterprise, graphic University and its students, faculty and alumni show design, history, language and literature, mass it can be done well. communication, management, music, psychology, • OC has been designated by Princeton Review as a science, athletics, and more. Best Western College. • OC is one of only two members of the 111-school • For 12 of the past 14 years, OC business students Council for Christian Colleges and Universities have had the highest pass rate on the CPA exam with ABET national accreditation for three of any Oklahoma university. of its engineering programs. See all of OC’s • For 13 straight years and 14 years overall, OC’s accreditations on page 5. chapter of the National History Honor Society has been named the “Best Chapter” of all U.S. universities with 3,000 or fewer students. OC boasts a 15-to-1 student to teacher ratio; 71% of • For the past three years, classes have less than 30 students. 100 percent of OC education graduates passed the mandatory statewide qualifying exams. • Outstanding incoming students receive • In the past two years, 100 percent of OC’s scholarships of $4,000 to $10,000 based on ACT language and literature students who applied to or SAT scores. National Merit Scholars receive graduate school were accepted. additional awards up to full tuition, room, board • Over the past three years, 90 percent of OC’s and fees. science students who applied to medical school As you can see, an OC education is superb, not or graduate school were accepted. subpar. This magazine is filled with just a few of our • OC has had 19 first-place winners since students success stories.
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OC EXPERIENCE
for the world From the red plains of Oklahoma to the rolling hills of Rwanda, Oklahoma Christian students and alumni carry a mission and a message to bring clean water to the people of Africa. In fall 2006, OC student Ryan Groves brought the concept of Wishing Well, founded by his brother at Pepperdine University, to Oklahoma Christian. He found other students committed to the cause of bringing clean water to the villages of Africa. Soon, a movement began. Groves says the impact of Wishing Well on the Oklahoma Christian campus and involvement has been immeasurable. “Three years ago, Africa was only heard about as a mission field for the extreme,” Groves said. “Since Wishing Well started, we’ve seen the plight of the poor and suffering worldwide brought to the center stage of student attention. Those who get involved find themselves not only with a greater understanding of our global community, but appreciate even more the community around them.” Since its inception at OC, Wishing Well has hosted several events on campus, including gallery shows, documentary screenings and concerts. This past summer, six of Wishing Well’s core members went to Rwanda to see firsthand and document the difference accessible, clean water can make in the lives of Africans. “We were able to capture not only the dire circumstances of those without clean water sources, but also stories of hope,” recent OC grad Joshua Burgin said. The group witnessed the immediate impact a simple water pump could bring to individuals and entire villages, and captured the powerful images through photography and video.
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The images, taken by professional photographer Esther Havens, already have been displayed in galleries in New York, taking the message of Wishing Well to audiences far beyond the original, small gatherings on the OC campus. Video taken by another recent graduate, Chase Layman, is being used to create a documentary that will reach a wider audience than ever imagined, thanks in part to help from connections they made in Rwanda. In a strange twist of fate, the group met both Ben Affleck and his business manager, who were impressed by the mission of Wishing Well and are currently in talks with the group to help promote the documentary. Making contacts like these and with humanitarian agencies in Africa, and capturing the powerful stories of those affected by the water crisis, made the less-than-glamorous trip more than worthwhile for Wishing Well’s members. With renewed passion and an understanding for the change that can and needs to be made in Africa, the movement’s momentum is only growing. “What God has done at Oklahoma Christian through Wishing Well is ignite a spark to give hope to the nations,” Groves said. “We ask for prayers and that you will help tell the story of the 1.2 billion people without water to your own community, and see what amazing things God will do when people step out in By Ann White
More than 1,100 undergraduate students (60 percent) are involved in ongoing service and ministry opportunities.
Students in Service Behind on-campus initiatives like the student group Outreach and OC’s nursing program, Oklahoma Christian students are heavily involved in mission opportunities in the United States and abroad. But OC students’ dedication to service goes beyond “traditional” mission work. It’s a spirit of reaching out that permeates the campus community. “It’s great being on a Christian campus. So many people care about issues outside the ‘OC bubble,’” recent OC grad Courtney Knapp said. “Issues like clean water for dry villages worldwide (Wishing Well), clothing widows and orphans (A Hand Called Ruth), and giving shoes to children in need (TOMS) all have a place here at OC.” For every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS gives a pair to a child in need. A group of OC students participated in TOMS’ worldwide “One Day Without Shoes” demonstration in 2009. The students went barefoot all day to represent what more than four billion people experience each day – tired, bruised and dirty feet. In 2008, three young OC alumni started A Hand Called Ruth as a way to provide clothing to kids in children’s homes throughout the world. The non-profit organization takes donations and sells clothing made by professional designers as a way of raising funds to meet the need. OC students and alumni are the driving force behind “Kids for Kids,” which provides goats to impoverished children in the Philippines. The children raise the goats and make a profit by selling the goats’ milk and offspring. The milk also provides a daily supply of calcium and protein to these children. Closer to home, OC’s Student Government Association launched FreeCycle, a free bicycle-leasing program in 2009. The “green” initiative gives students who don’t have other transportation a free and easy way to get around. It also cuts down on fuel costs and consumption.
photo by www.estherhavens.com
Also this past year, a group of more than 300 OC students, faculty and staff from the university banded together to pick up trash in downtown Oklahoma City as part of the “Day in the City” service project. Other recent service initiatives included cancer research fundraisers such as “Race for the Cure,” “Relay for Life” and the women’s basketball “Pink Zone.” Want to get involved or find out more? www.wishingwellafrica.com www.ahandcalledruth.com www.bandsministries.org/goats www.oc.edu View
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A WORLD
OC EXPERIENCE
OC’s Influence Around the Globe
Oklahoma Christian students, faculty, staff and alumni have made an impact all over the globe. Well, almost. This map shows (in green) all the countries the OC family has touched through missions, international studies programs, careers in teaching and ministry, and more. You’ll also notice a few places Oklahoma Christian hasn’t reached … yet. Maybe that’s where you’ll make your impact. The world awaits …
Oklahoma Christian University
HonduraServe
Catacamas, Honduras
Vienna Missions
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
A global influence starts at home. OC’s tight-knit campus in Oklahoma City has served as a launching pad to significant lives and service throughout the world. In addition to the many outreach and international initiatives highlighted throughout this magazine, OC launched a new major and minor in international business for 2009-10. Courses such as global marketing, international management, and international finance will combine with overseas travel opportunities to take your education beyond the classroom.
OC’s bachelor’s degree nursing program emphasizes mission work and community service. Medical mission trips to Honduras link students with Predisan, a Christian mission. Students attend deliveries, take vital signs, and learn about public health in developing countries.
OC alumni Jake and Amanda Haskew, Josh and Kim Hensel, Ira and Kari Lockwood, and Brian and Alisha Brasher are full-time missionaries spreading the word of God in Vienna. The city also serves as the hub of OC’s European Studies Program.
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Vienna, Austria
Ibaraki Christian University
Christ’s Church Kigali, Rwanda
In 1994, an estimated 800,000 people were systematically murdered during a three-month reign of terror in Rwanda. As Christians, though, we know redemption. And there is redemption for Rwanda. Oklahoma Christian is among those reaching out to help the people of this beautiful country.
Ibaraki, Japan OC students, staff, administrators and trustees have taken mission trips to Rwanda. OC’s missionaryin-residence and two other staffers left their positions at Oklahoma Christian to help develop a church and school in the city of Kigali. And there are 30 Rwandan students studying at Oklahoma Christian as part of the Rwandan Presidential Scholars program, a partnership between OC and the Rwanda Ministry of Education. In exchange for their education, the students have pledged to begin their careers in Rwanda and, in the process, help rebuild their homeland. Many of them suffered unspeakable horrors in their young lives as a result of the 1994 genocide. “I am more convinced than ever that a Sovereign God brings good from humanity’s most painful experiences,” said Dave Jenkins, OC’s former missionary-in-residence. “These students are captivating people full of ability and vision. Their stories are ones of resilience. They have truly been chosen for a purpose that is greater than anything our human minds can comprehend.”
Oklahoma Christian’s sister school in Japan hosts OC students on the Pacific Rim Program and sends Japanese students to study at OC as part of an exchange program. Numerous OC alumni have traveled back to Japan to
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OC EXPERIENCE
Big
Big
Experience in the big town
A Step Ahead You know college is a springboard to the rest of your life. And part of college is preparing for your career – not just through studying, but through experience. That means internships, observation and part-time work. Since OC is in a large (and growing) urban area, amazing opportunities await right outside your door. What do you want to be? A teacher ... doctor ... nurse ... minister ... reporter ... engineer ... sportscaster ... counselor ... actor ... musician ... accountant ... sales executive ... lawyer ... manager? Your professors will use their connections to help get you connected. Or, if you’re adventurous, knock on those doors yourself to show that you’re a go-getter. You’ll find OC alumni working in places like the attorney general’s office, Chesapeake Energy, Cox Communications, Edmond Public Schools, Hertz, KWTV-News 9, The
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Oklahoman, Oklahoma City Public Schools, Tinker Air Force Base, and World Neighbors. You’ll also find OC alumni working as doctors in hospitals and clinics around the city, youth ministers and pulpit ministers in churches around the metro, actors performing in a variety of community theaters, and entrepreneurs making their dreams come true. Employers in the metro area and beyond know that OC students are a “good hire.” Our alumni have a reputation for working hard, being ethical and being well-rounded in their abilities. Take advantage of these opportunities while you’re at OC. Apply for internships, contact these companies, and ask to come in and observe. Before you know it, you might end up with a part-time job or with your resumé in that big-time CEO’s hands when graduation day arrives.
BIG
Thunder Roles OC junior Courtney Britt is a marketing intern for the local NBA team: the Oklahoma City Thunder. She works on promotions and activities at all of the Thunder home games, plus other team marketing appearances in the community. Courtney connected with the Thunder when the team’s vice president of marketing came to speak at a meeting of OC’s American Marketing Association student chapter. She sent a followup email to the VP and landed the internship just two weeks later. Courtney is part of a marketing staff of 15 to 20 people that had a blank canvas to work with during the Thunder’s first season in OKC. They played a big part in shaping the fans’ experience and their perceptions of the team. “It’s exciting,” Courtney said. “We’re learning a lot of things – seeing what works and what doesn’t – and interacting with the fans to see what promotions benefit them most.” Getting involved with social clubs and other organizations has benefitted Courtney, who serves as vice president of the university’s AMA chapter. And OC’s metro location has been a plus as well. “A lot of the other interns have to commute, but being so close to the city, I’m able to do more,” Courtney said. “It lets me have more experience than the other interns.” www.nba.com/thunder
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OC EXPERIENCE
CONNECTION At universities without a laptop program, students or personal use, create digital video and music, burn who can’t afford a laptop have to use computer DVDs, edit photos, and more. labs. But at OC, students not only receive an Apple Best of all, students can work virtually anywhere. MacBook laptop ... they also get their choice of an Every building and most outside areas on campus iPhone or an iPod touch. feature wireless network access. And Oklahoma City Students can use their iPhone or iPod touch to features hundreds of free WiFi hotspots. check email, surf the Internet, play music and movies, The OC help desk and networking service staff view photos transferred from their laptops, keep an are the technical backbone of the program. When address book and calendar, and more. The iPhone something goes wrong (and it rarely does), help is a gives students the ability to send text messages, take phone call or email away. Laptops are repaired right pictures and, of course, make phone calls. Everyone at the help desk, and students usually get loaners so also has access to “InTouch”, OC’s native app for the they won’t be out of touch. iPhone and iPod touch, available for free download on the Apple App Store. The MacBooks can run Microsoft Office 2007 under Vista Every fulltime student receives an Apple MacBook and Office 2008 on the Macintosh computer and an iPhone or iPod touch with wireless side. The two versions of Office Internet access and 24/7 support. produce cross-platform files, so that a student using one operating system can send The other half of the successful combination is a a file to another student or faculty member and know rock-solid network with better than 99.9% uptime that the files will be usable. plus excellent spam blocking and virus protection. The MacBooks’ BootPicker software lets the Dr. David Brown, a renowned expert in educational user choose to boot up in either Apple’s Mac OS X technology, called OC “the world leader in the use of 10.5 (Leopard) or Windows Vista. The laptops also laptops for in-classroom instruction.” And it’s easy to come with Parallels Desktop installed so students see why. can run Windows applications alongside Macintosh Wherever they are, OC students can check dinner applications for the best of both worlds. menus, pay bills, audio or video chat with parents, The MacBook program also integrates Apple’s see if a washing machine is available, check grades, iTunes U. This integrates with iTunes to deliver turn in papers, email or IM professors, and yes, even video and audio files to students. OC students leave messages for friends on Facebook. can subscribe to RSS feeds that update students Want to experience OC’s technology leadership automatically whenever new media is added for their for yourself? Plan your visit today at www.oc.edu/ course. Media files will also be available to users off- visitcampus. For more about OC’s wireless laptop campus, allowing churches and individuals to access program and its partnership with Apple, go to OC’s media. www.oc.edu/apple. The MacBook laptops also include Apple’s iLife software. Students can create webpages for courses
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on the OC LAPTOPS www.oc.edu/apple
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OC EXPERIENCE
OC Blogs http://blogs.oc.edu
Double-Click, Double-Quick
OC on YouTube http://www.oc.edu/youtube
OC on Vimeo http://www.oc.edu/vimeo
OC on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/okchristian
OC Athletics on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/oceagles
OC on Facebook http://www.oc.edu/facebook
Academic Catalog http://www.oc.edu/catalog
Admissions http://www.oc.edu/admissions
Athletics http://www.oceagles.com
Calendar http://www.oc.edu/calendar
Financial Services http://www.oc.edu/financial
Health and Wellness Center http://www.oc.edu/health
Housing http://www.oc.edu/ocliving
International Programs
We’ve shoehorned as much information as we could into View, but we know that for some people it’s just not enough. That’s why, scattered throughout the pages
of this magazine, you’ll see “on the web” boxes showing where you can read more, listen more, or even watch more about the exciting things that are happening at Oklahoma Christian University.
http://www.oc.edu/international
Student Handbook http://www.oc.edu/handbook
Videos
Majors from A to Z
Check out OC’s videos online
See what you can be at OC
www.oc.edu/vimeo www.oc.edu/youtube
www.oc.edu/majors
Student Life http://www.oc.edu/studentlife
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OC’S BLOGS blogs.oc.edu
OC bloggers tell it like it is
Courtney Knapp Music Major Get a behind-the-scenes look at life on stage at OC.
College-bound students and their parents are inundated with admissions materials. From viewbooks to catalogs to emails to this magazine, colleges put their best foot forward and get the word out about their programs and campus life. But what’s really happening at those colleges? What do the students think about them? Until recently, it was hard to know. Oklahoma Christian is different in that we hire student bloggers and give them freedom to write about their real-life experiences at OC’s official blog page: blogs.oc.edu. Why take such a risk? Vice President for Enrollment Management Risa Forrester says, “This is a question of believing in OC and believing that students really do love the school and will have a good experience here. While we know some students may have difficulties from time to time, we believe that posting student blogs is the best way to be as transparent as possible.” You’ll see all kinds of people at blogs.oc.edu. We like to feature freshmen to see what the OC experience is like through fresh eyes, but we also feature bloggers from some of our newer academic programs like nursing. “Honestly, it’s a little bit scary.” Forrester said. “We’re so used to being in control of the message. But that’s not what students and parents want to read. They want to know what’s really going on at OC, what college life is really like. We’re determined to give that to them, and we believe in OC. That’s why we’re doing this.”
Pat Smith Engineering Professor Check out the many sides of engineering - the fun, technical and spiritual.
Welcome to the Neighborhood Once you’ve been accepted to Oklahoma Christian University, we want to welcome you to the neighborhood. We’ve created an online community where you can ask questions, chat with current students and staff, and get to know your future classmates. Accepted students can log-in to community.oc.edu to create your profile, make it your own, and get a sneak peek at OC before you arrive on campus. Your future classmates are already there, making friends, asking questions, and settling into their new home. Log in today at community.oc.edu.
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WHO WE ARE
BILLION-DOLLAR
DEALS All In A Day’s Work
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Story Highlights: > Alum turns accounting into an adventure > He worked for world’s third-largest firm straight out of OC > Now he works on deals for big company acquisitions and mergers There are many glamorous jobs in today’s world. OC still hasn’t started a program for international spying, but a few majors are more popular than others for adventurous students. But accounting? Most people picture a tedious job where the highlight of the year is April 15 when taxes are due. Why would anyone looking for an exciting job settle for a career like that? Nathan Pope disagrees. He majored in accounting at OC and now has a job he says is anything but boring. Although he always thought he would be an electrical engineer, it was a basic accounting class his senior year of high school that changed Nathan’s mind and sent him down a new career path. During his time at OC, Nathan jumped right in. He participated in Outreach, Students in Free Enterprise, a social service club and even led the College Republicans. The year
he served as president proved OC has had the No. 1 pass rate on the CPA exam among all successful when Oklahoma universities for 12 of the past 14 years. the campaign to elect OC professor Ken Miller to the company that’s proposed for acquisition and Oklahoma legislature ended in a victory. we’ll do the homework,” Nathan said. “We After Nathan graduated in 2004, he make sure the purchase price is fair and we started working for Ernst & Young, the thirdmake sure that there’s nothing that’s going largest public accounting firm in the world. to blow up to cause the deal to crash.” Nathan did basic auditing for the firm’s Right now, Nathan spends a lot of time in clients. While he says that “nobody looks Houston, working on his first “deal,” which forward to being audited,” the big companies involves the oil and gas industry. He says he are used to it since the Securities and enjoys the travel associated with his work, Exchange Commission requires them to but it can be exhausting. Even though his hire a firm at least once a year to verify the career is hectic, he wants to take advantage accuracy of the numbers in their financial of being young and single while he still can. statements. “I’m a little bit more flexible,” he said. “I’m These days, Nathan is a bit more popular available to work hard and do whatever to with his clients. Instead of making sure move forward in my career.” their financial statements are in order, he’s Nathan admits he does not know where his now part of a group in Dallas that advises career will take him in the next 10 years, but companies when they decide to merge with he says he will stay open-minded. or buy another company. The Transaction He said, “I pray God will use me to further Advisory Services (TAS) groups are a crucial his kingdom, whether it’s getting a high part of the decision-making process that position in a Fortune 500 company or maybe companies go through before making millioneven teaching some day, and just show and billion-dollar deals. people that I’m different.” “If Wal-Mart comes to us and says they want By Allison Shumate to buy up a retail [store], like another grocery store, our TAS group will go to the target
When Nathan moved to Oklahoma to attend OC, his parents and younger brothers made a move as well. The Popes relocated from Dallas to Abilene, Texas, where they connected with Zambia Medical Mission. Each summer, this organization sends a group to the bush of Zambia to help meet physical and spiritual needs. More than 150 Americans help with the mobile eye, dental and medical clinic each year. “It’s very gratifying to see that you can provide direct assistance,” Nathan said. “You can meet somebody’s need. They’re our brothers and sisters in Christ.” Nathan plans to use the majority of his vacation time from Ernst & Young to return to Africa next summer. It will be his third trip to Zambia. “It’s encouraging. It makes you realize what the fundamentals are and what’s most important,” he said. “Just studying the basic message and preaching it to the lost. That’s our mission.”
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WHO WE ARE
Story Highlights: > OC grad makes big impact as teacher at inner-city school > Passion for kids grew out of tutoring and student teaching opportunities > Elementary jumped from at-risk list to become one of the best charter schools in U.S. In many ways, Joy Rainey’s career is a childhood dream come true. “I wanted to be a teacher pretty much from birth. I used to line up my stuffed animals and teach them,” she said. When I got a younger sister, I would make her sit and do ‘homework’ that I spent hours making up for her before she could go out and play.” Today, Joy makes an impact on inner-city kids as a teacher at Western Village Academy in Oklahoma City. Teachers like her – along with mentoring relationships with OC and other organizations – have helped Western Village move from an “at-risk” school with low test scores to one of the best 53 charter schools in the United
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States (out of more than 4,000 nationwide). But Western Village’s turnaround is more than a success story. It’s a love story. “I fell in love with the kids and their parents and the families when I tutored there,” Joy said. “A lot of people give up on those kids and assume they can’t do things. I wanted to be someone who wouldn’t give up on them no
burned out,” she said. “Now, I can understand why because it’s so tough. But I just wanted to share my passion with those kids. I sought out experiences like that after that first one because I really enjoyed it.” Joy’s passion for the Western Village kids developed through OC’s longtime relationship with the school. More than 100 OC students participate in after-school tutoring and mentoring sessions at Western Village each year. The partnership also brings Western Village students School of Education graduates enjoy a 100 percent job to OC’s campus placement rate. for various events, highlighted by “Kite matter what. They’re easy to love.” Day.” OC and WV students team up to fly kites Every freshman education major at OC takes together and enjoy picnic lunches. a class called “Schools in American Culture.” “OC is such a huge blessing to Western It’s a course that gives aspiring teachers Village. To give an hour of undivided attention valuable field experience in challenging to any kid – especially some of the kids we have classroom situations. That course gave Joy an here – is such a big deal,” Joy said. “Kite Day is up-close-and-personal look at the struggles the kids’ favorite day of the year. Flying kites, inner-city teachers face. jumping around and screaming in Hardeman “That really put the burning desire in me Auditorium, eating outside with your buddy … because I saw all these teachers who were it’s any kid’s dream come true.”
Western Village has seen its test scores rise dramatically over the last decade. But Joy – and the numerous OC grads who have followed her to teach at the school – see success in more than the numbers. “Far greater than rising test scores are the relationships, the ability to have these working relationships with the kids and their parents,” Joy
Joy Rainey’s passion for children doesn’t stop when the school bell rings at the end of the day. She has served as a foster mother to two children from Western Village and has reached out to families who face challenges many of us can’t fathom. She believes her first chance to be a foster mom was no accident. “The night before the first opportunity became available, I had been with a friend praying specifically that I could find a way to better serve her family,” Joy said. “There was no doubt in my mind when it happened that it was an answer to prayer.” Of course, parenthood comes with its share of challenges, especially for a
said. “Being able to help single moms with five or six kids where the father is incarcerated or who knows where. We have so many teachers who are willing to go in the evenings and on the weekends to support the moms and help the kids. It’s not a job or a career. It’s a complete lifestyle.” By Wes McKinzie
young, single person with a life of her own. But Joy’s lifestyle change also came with many rewards. “The best part was seeing such growth in her maturity, in academics, but most importantly, in her awareness of God – who He is, what He does for her, and how she can rely on Him,” Joy said. “I think that is just a taste of what Heaven will be like. That part is so fulfilling.” Toward the end of her first foster daughter’s stay, Joy recently had another chance to help a child in need. What was supposed to be a temporary situation htas turned into what Joy hopes is a permanent placement. “She was a spur-of-the-moment happy surprise,” Joy said. View
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WHO WE ARE
G N I Y L FY THE SEAT OF HIS PANTS B
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Story Highlights: > Aspiring pilot kept options open with liberal studies major > OC grad is now an instructor pilot in the Air Force > Dreams of piloting Air Force One some day When Tony Weedn arrived on the Oklahoma Christian campus as a freshman, there was a lot he didn’t know. He didn’t know what he was going to study. He didn’t know the lifelong friends he would make in the social service club he didn’t know he would join. He didn’t know he would meet his future wife, Haylee. But even with all these unknowns, Tony came to OC with a flight plan. He was determined to become a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Tony chose liberal studies as his major because it gave him a backup plan in case his dream of becoming a pilot didn’t come true. “With liberal studies, you can pick and choose classes to take within three chosen categories,” Tony said. “I was able to be a radio DJ, design websites and learn a ton about history. It was a great feeling having those diverse possibilities available to me in case I didn’t become a pilot.” But as it turned out, Tony’s classroom dedication and passion for flying kept him from becoming the world’s first web-designing radio DJ with a knack for historical trivia. After spending four years commuting between Oklahoma Christian and his Air Force ROTC unit at the University of Oklahoma, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force as a second lieutenant and earned a pilot slot. Just one month after graduating from OC, Tony started Air Force flight training school. After 14 physically and mentally grueling months, he finished his training with “flying” colors and got his assignment as an instructor pilot. Fast forward a few years, and Tony spends most of his time doing just what his job title implies: teaching his students (many of whom are Air Force Academy graduates) the ins and outs of operating multi-million dollar military aircraft … without injuring themselves or the jets. In addition to the personal satisfaction he
Each year, more than 50 companies visit campus to actively recruit OC seniors for jobs and careers.
gets from sharing his passion for flying with his students, Tony’s role as an instructor pilot is also quickly increasing the number of flight hours he logs. The number of hours in flight is one of the many factors that determine the types of missions a pilot is assigned. And, although he’s leaving things in God’s hands, Tony has his sights set on ONE specific mission. When you ask him about that one specific mission, it doesn’t seem too farfetched when he looks you straight in the eye, flashes a confident smile, and tells you his goal is to fly Air Force One for the president of the United States some day. But even if he does end up running the cockpit for the Commander in Chief, Tony always will look back at OC as the place where he first earned his wings. “I have a ton of favorite memories from OC. If I could come back and start all over again I would do it in a heartbeat,” Tony said. “Do everything you can. Get involved. Don’t look
back in 10 years and wish you would have or should have done something. College can be hard, but you can do it. Fight the good fight. Finish the race.” Now that sounds like a good flight plan. By Michael Mitchell
OC helped me learn more about my faith and how to keep it strong. The hardest thing about the “real world” is not conforming to it. You have to stand strong … and OC taught me those values. I just recently got a letter from one of my students that read: “Tony, I just wanted to say thanks for being such a great example around the flight room both as a Christian and an instructor pilot in general. It is one that I will strive to emulate as I begin my career as a rated pilot. I hope we can stay in touch because I know the Lord has great things in store for you. Thanks!” This is what it’s all about. I carry this letter with me everywhere I fly to remind me of what’s important. My job may be as an instructor pilot, but my goal is to be the best Christ-like example I can be and bring as many people to heaven with me as possible. – Tony Weedn
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WHO WE ARE
The Good Doctor
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Story Highlights: > OC biology major was first in his class at medical school > Six years at prestigious Mayo Clinic helped make him an expert in his field > Now he’s on the cutting edge of treating ‘gut-wrenching’ illnesses Have you ever heard of the Mayo Clinic? Of course you have. Everyone knows it’s one of the best medical facilities in the world. The best treatment. The best research. The best doctors. The best doctors like Dr. John Maple. The 1995 OC graduate spent six years at Mayo, where he completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in gastroenterology. It’s possible he might have stayed there. No offense to the great state of Minnesota, but the winters there are a bit harsh for an Oklahoma native. In 2007, he moved back to Oklahoma City to join the faculty at the OU Medical Center. He is one of only two doctors in the state who have expertise in their specialty area of advanced endoscopic procedures, such as endoscopic ultrasound. Basically, he is on the cutting edge (literally) of research, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses that involve our … to put it frankly … guts. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because his father is the great Dr. John Maple, distinguished professor of history at Oklahoma Christian. If you haven’t heard of the dad, you will when you come to OC, but we’ll get to that later. Because parents like to brag about their kids, we asked Dr. Maple, the dad, to tell us about his namesake. “Yes, we’re quite proud of him,” said the proud father, who is married to proud mother Connie, who works in OC’s Beam Library. “His vita is really impressive. He was first in his class in medical school at OSU-COM and received several awards, including top academic and top clinical student. He’s been courted by medical schools in Missouri, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma to join their faculty. Almost no one else in the state has the level of his training.” The younger John did not seriously consider a career in medicine until after he came to OC
More than 90 percent of graduates who apply to medical school are accepted.
as an engineering major. In high school, he soared in math and science classes (and liked them). So he switched his major to biology and embarked on what he would discover to be his true calling: medicine. The rest is history. Speaking of history, Dr. Maple, the dad, is the revered professor who teaches Western Civilization, a challenging core curriculum class everyone takes. John (the son) remembers his friends thinking he’d get off easy when he took that class. “I guess they thought maybe I would have a key to his dad’s office, or have the answers to the tests,” he said. John didn’t have that kind of edge. His edge was pride and determination to ace his dad’s class. He did. Now that he’s back in Oklahoma, John and his wife, Amy, are thrilled to reconnect with some of their OC friends who stayed in the area, and to settle their three kids (Austin,
Devon and Carys) into life in Oklahoma. At work, John sees his patients, teaches fellows and does important research. And to keep it human, he’s taken his medical skills to the streets, where he’s plugged into a local medical mission. By Dawn Shelton
Oklahoma Christian’s bachelor’s degree nursing program does more than teach the techniques and knowledge needed to be a good nurse. The program’s focus on international and domestic missions gives students real-world opportunities to learn about medicine while making a difference at the same time. Spring break and summer trips to Honduras link students with Predisan, a Christian mission. Students attend deliveries, take vital signs, and learn about public health in developing countries. More importantly, students gain an international perspective and share the gospel with their healing hands. “Every single one of our classes requires community service,” nursing program director Linda Fly said. “It’s part of our mission statement.”
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WHO WE ARE
the 32
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Story Highlights: > OC communications major interned at New York City-based magazine > Her office was across the street from Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall > Her job as an editorial assistant provided valuable experience and contacts Jill Ramsey didn’t know there was a flashlight she couldn’t live without. She didn’t know she would fall in love with riding the subway and never want to drive anywhere ever again. These two things are among the countless discoveries Jill made about herself while living and working in New York City as an intern for Real Simple magazine. Jill is a communications studies major from Desoto, Texas, with minors in international studies and vocational ministry. She will graduate early after coming to OC with several college hours already under her belt. The idea of working at a magazine wasn’t on Jill’s radar. But she and a friend decided to vacation in the Big Apple before spending the summer working at Camp Shiloh. On that trip, Jill met an intern from the women’s interest magazine, Real Simple, who presented her with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Jill discovered that the magazine needed fall interns, so she interviewed for a position during an off weekend from her summer job at Camp Shiloh. Only a few weeks later, she had secured the job. “I knew God had been preparing me, one thing after another,” she said. “I was ready to go out and use the foundation that I had from my time at OC.” Her first day on the job, Jill wasn’t clear on what her actual duties would be. She was given a tour, shown her desk and then whisked off to a meeting of all the new Time Warner employees. Later in the afternoon, she finally got up the courage to ask what her job title was. Her job, as a second editorial assistant, changed every day. Some days were spent answering reader questions for the magazine’s online site. Other days were spent on photo shoots or running around New York City picking up products for the department’s “road tests.”
This is where the OC students have recently enjoyed internships at major flashlights came in. companies in advertising, business, media, professional Jill spent an entire sports, the oil and gas industry, and more. day in a dark closet testing flashlights for a story that ran Simple did, but that doesn’t mean she won’t in the publication’s March issue. After putting chase them. so much time in the research and writing, “If you go with God, you will be just fine,” she the author gave her the chance to share the said. “You have to make decisions for things to story’s byline. happen and then actively pursue them.” She says some of her greatest learning came By Allison Shumate from working with her department editor, who previously had worked at the New York Times and as freelance writer in Paris. “I was constantly at her desk, and she was showing me how things worked,” Jill said. Jill credits her time on the Vienna Studies Program the year before with preparing her for living in New York. “You never imagine you will wake up and that will be your life,” she said. “That you would get off the train in the morning and see Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall across the street from your office.” Jill knows that her future endeavors may not all come as easily as her position at Real
Jill’s knowledge of Camp Shiloh was limited to one brochure when she decided to dedicate her time and effort to this camp for kids from innercity New York. On a graduation trip with her mom, Jill heard about the camp while attending a worship service at Manhattan Church of Christ. Camp Shiloh is located at the base of the Catskill Mountains, 90 miles from downtown New York City. Jill serves as a counselor and teaches classes in Bible and photography at Camp Shiloh. She said that attending the camp is the first experience outside the city for most of the children. “Most of these kids have never seen a mosquito or the stars at night … or sat around a camp fire,” she said. Most of the children attend camp for little or no cost. College students spend their spring breaks passing out flyers and going into New York City’s public schools to find new Shiloh campers. During “quiet times,” counselors pair off with two campers and teach the kids about prayer and talk about how camp is going for them. With a future goal of helping to educate innercity families as a whole, Camp Shiloh is allowing Jill to grow her passion for these children one summer at a time.
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WHO WE ARE
Story Highlights: > Engineering grad got ‘crash course’ in first job > Engineering career with Honda has taken him to Japan and back > He now works as a senior engineer, researching new and future technologies One kid draws cars. Another one takes them apart to see how they work. The third one crashes cars together. Which kid is the future engineer? All of them, of course. But Lando Hamlett didn’t see engineering in his future when he was a kid playing with Hot Wheels. But it was in his future. And when he came to OC as a mechanical engineering major, he knew he was more interested in testing than in design or manufacturing. Lando progressed through OC’s nationallyaccredited engineering program and was recruited and hired by Honda when he graduated in 2000. Job: frontal crash engineer. Location: Japan. He’s back in the United States now, working at Honda’s Ohio headquarters as a senior engineer and safety project leader. He also researches new and future technologies to further enhance occupant safety. “I get to have my hands into more aspects of the vehicle (side impact, rear crash, interior impact, curtain airbags, etc.), so my knowledge base has expanded significantly,” Lando said. “It’s very satisfying knowing that our hard work has potential life-saving benefits to our customers. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is when we receive real-life stories from customers thanking us for designing safe vehicles.” By day, he uses his engineering degree to make a difference. Lando fills a lot of the other hours of his day with his with his wife, Brooke, and their two young sons. He teaches two-year-olds at his congregation and plays on three softball teams. He coaches his son’s soccer team and their family enjoys housing international exchange students. They’ve hosted students from Japan, and another high school student from Germany lives with them now.
Engineering students graduating with a college GPA of 2.8 or better enjoy a job placement rate of 100 percent.
“Hosting these students has been a real treat for us and especially our children. Exchange students are typically the cream of the crop, so all the students we have hosted have been wonderful,” Lando said. “It is difficult sometimes with the extra child to cart around and the higher grocery bill, but what those students give back to our children far outweighs our troubles.” Lando is used to juggling responsibilities. At an OC student, he played on the tennis team, was active in the Kappa Sigma Tau social club, and served as a youth ministry intern at Memorial Road Church of Christ. “My experience at OC could not have been better,” Lando said. “The professors were great, and their enthusiasm about the subject matter made classes more enjoyable. Since the engineering department works very much like a team, students learn how to work with others, deal with different personalities and overcome difficulties that may arise
due to these differences. The constant flow of homework taught me to prioritize what’s important with what can wait and taught me to finish tasks that I started before other problems would arise. If I had to do it all over, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose OC again.” By Dawn Shelton
Lando Hamlett is a guy who lives his faith out loud. Although it was admittedly hard to be loud while he and his wife lived in Japan on a stint with Honda. And that was only because of the language differences. Lando and Brooke did what it took to connect with Christians and be examples for Jesus to non-believers. That included traveling two-anda-half hours to church sometimes, and other times, attending church with a headset on for translation. Now at home in Ohio, Lando coaches for his son’s soccer teams and his congregation’s men’s softball team. Those are all growth experiences, but the best thing he’s learning is with the twoyear-olds in Bible class. “It is amazing how sincere little kids are about God. It really brings Jesus’ message to light when he said in Matt 18:3, ‘Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,’” he said.
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British Invasion WHO WE ARE
She won’t be selected to be in Gryffindor, but she will be able to eat her meals in the same dining hall that Harry Potter did while attending Hogwarts. But more importantly to OC history/pre-law major Elaine Ekpo, she’ll get to study in the famous Bodleian Library along with more than 18,000 other Oxford University students. “I’m really weird and I love libraries,” Elaine admitted. Elaine found out about the Oxford Scholar Semester program browsing through brochures in OC’s International Programs Office. The semester in Oxford caught her eye and prompted her to join OC’s Honors Program so she could qualify. “It really interested me because I wanted to go to England, specifically Oxford,” she said. “The focus is more on the history of the area … and history is my specialty.” Her adventurous spirit became evident when she came to Oklahoma Christian all the way from her home in California. For her, the Oxford program is perfect. She gets to travel through England and Europe during her free time. But she also anticipates experiencing personal growth. “It’ll challenge my faith in so many ways,” she said. “I’ll be even further away from my family in a completely different culture and in a new country. I think God has a plan for me. I think that’s why he allowed me to go. He’ll help me mature into who he wants me to be.” Elaine’s semester of study in Oxford will also help prepare her for another goal. She wants to study law at Yale after she graduates from Oklahoma Christian. She encourages other students to pursue studying away from OC’s campus for at least one semester. Various opportunities through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities are open to all majors and all students. Besides the Oxford program, other semester-study locations include Australia, Egypt, Latin America and even Hollywood. “Experiencing the world is the first step we can take to finding ourselves,” Elaine said. By Rachel Yeakley
HONORS PROGRAM
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Math, Computer & Information Sciences
The Honors Program is designed for good thinkers who value knowledge for its intrinsic worth and its enabling power. The program offers students an Honors curriculum in place of the general education core curriculum. Students major in many disciplines, bringing diverse insights to their work with other Honors students. The Honors courses are team-taught and interdisciplinary. Professors encourage a high level of participation, foster considerable independent research, and mentor students in writing papers that demonstrate mature, scholarly thinking. Students are encouraged to accept intellectual challenges in order to understand and perform at the highest possible level.
OC Math, Computer and Information Science graduates have a widely-known reputation for quality. Organizations that hire MCIS alumni include IBM, Northrup Grumman, NASA, Chesapeake Energy, and more. Department graduates entering the education field own a 100% pass rate on teacher education certification exams. Kappa Mu Epsilon, the National Mathematics Honor Society, accepted eight OC students last year. OC’s MCIS team placed first among all Oklahoma universities and first among baccalaureate universities (schools without graduate engineering programs) at the 2004 and 2005 South Central ACM programming contests. OC also placed first at the 2005 National CCCU Programming Competition.
Criteria for Admission: High school GPA of 3.5 or higher; ACT score of 28 or SAT of 1240; evidence of strong writing and critical thinking
Career Opportunities: Actuary, Mathematics Teacher, Software Engineer, Systems Administrator, Systems Analyst
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Jeff of All Trades His friends think it’s cool to say he’s a bona fide rocket scientist. Because he is. He’s also a big deal with his job at Boeing in Los Angeles. And an entrepreneur. And an urban missionary. And a community volunteer. Jeff Dimick graduated from OC in 1983. Yep, that’s way before OC’s incoming freshman were even born, but they’ll still walk the same campus, although Jeff has observed some differences. “I live in LA and work with many college age and young adults at church. So nothing surprises me about appearances,” he said. “Here are a few observations: shorts on campus, when did they allow that? And facial hair? That was only by exception when I was in school.” When Jeff, clean shaven and wearing preppy clothes, graduated from Oklahoma Christian with his math/computer science degree, his career launched into an orbit that led him to Boeing, managing a technology that didn’t even exist until 1995. That technology – GPS (short for “global positioning system”) – gives us directions in our cars. It makes sure the ATM machine will give us cash (assuming there’s no zero balance). It even helps ensure our national security. Besides his gig with Boeing, Jeff also is involved with One World Post, a cool, digital editing company that works on shows seen on MTV, VH1 and other networks. He lives in the Los Angeles fast lane during the week. But on weekends, you’ll find him praying and serving at the Hilltop Community Church of Christ, in El Segundo, where he answered God’s call to do mission work. The congregation’s mission is to “accept people where they are and help each other accept where God wants us to be” (from John 8:11). Jeff sometimes comes back to campus as a guest lecturer, and he recently joined the university’s Board of Trustees. “When I travel back to OC, I always enjoy the pace and the focus on people and relationships,” he said. By Dawn Shelton
ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER engineering
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Oklahoma Christian is one of only two universities in the 111-school Council of Christian Colleges and Universities with three ABET-accredited engineering programs. That accreditation means OC’s Mechanical Engineering program meets or exceeds the standards of a rigorous set of engineer-defined criteria. Those standards are evident in OC’s pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (OC’s 87% far exceeds the national average of 73%). OC has a 100% placement rate for engineering grads with college GPAs of 2.8 or higher. Each year, we have more managers seek student names to fill jobs than we have students graduating.
Oklahoma Christian is one of only two universities in the 111-school Council of Christian Colleges and Universities with three ABET-accredited engineering programs. That accreditation means OC’s Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering programs meet or exceed the standards of a rigorous set of engineerdefined criteria. Those standards are evident in OC’s pass rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (OC’s 87% far exceeds the national average of 73%). OC has a 100% placement rate for engineering grads with college GPAs of 2.8 or higher. Engineering alumni also have pursued graduate school or careers in medicine, law, dentistry and politics.
Career Opportunities: Aerospace (the aeronautical industry actually hires more mechanical engineers than aeronautical engineers), Biomedical, Manufacturing, Oil and Power, Transportation
Career Opportunities: Aerospace, Computer/Software Development, Digital Television, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, New Technologies for Airplanes, Cars, Space Vehicles, Phones, Security Systems and Telescopes
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WATCH THE VIDEO www.oc.edu/dimick
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Harvard Man WHO WE ARE
Andrew Silvestri is a Harvard man. After graduating from Oklahoma Christian with a degree in government and legal studies and a minor in international studies, Andrew is living out his lifelong goal at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. “Going to Harvard has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember,” Andrew said. “To see it happen is a dream come true. It’s a blessing from God.” Andrew is working on his master’s degree in public policy with an emphasis in international security and economic development. Ultimately, he wants to run for public office or become an international ambassador. Most students at the Kennedy School have years of professional experience. Only four percent are accepted straight out of college like Andrew was. “I was a little scared that going to a smaller Christian school like OC might hold me back. Really, the opposite was true,” he said. Andrew participated in many activities at OC. He served as Student Government Association president, traveled with the Pacific Rim program, and more. Beyond OC, he worked on U.S. Congressman Ernest Istook’s campaign for governor and for corporation commissioner Denise Bode’s campaign for the U.S. Congress. “Had I not come to OC, I don’t think I would have been able to get involved in the organizations I did or been exposed to the different job opportunities I had,” he said. Andrew was homeschooled for most of his life. He spent his teen years in Portugal, where his parents served as missionaries. That opened Andrew’s eyes to the vast world around him and sparked his passion for international relations. Andrew says God placed several opportunities in front of him at Oklahoma Christian that helped him grow academically and spiritually. He also surrounded himself with positive role models who taught him a lot. “Being around strong leaders helps you become a strong leader yourself. When you are around Godly men and women who are intelligent, ambitious and strong in their faith, you model your life after them and other successful people,” he said. “All of that combined with hard work and God by your side are huge keys to success.” By Wes McKinzie and Jacey Jacobs
HISTORY & POLITICAL SCIENCE
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LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
2006-07 history and political science graduates had a 100% placement rate into graduate school and law school. Among those were: Andrew Silvestri (John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard); Meredith Wright (assistantship and tuition waiver to pursue graduate study in to American History at Kansas); and law school placements for Dan Arnett (Drexel), Rachel Hoover (Faulkner), and Steven Creager (Oklahoma). OC’s chapter of the National History Honor Society has been named the nation’s “Best Chapter” in its category for 13 straight years overall. The university’s Journal of Historical Studies was developed by chapter members and is composed of student research papers.
The L&L department boasts a 100% placement rate for alumni who apply to graduate schools. OC students have many opportunities to practice their craft. Soundings, an outlet for original works by OC students, alumni, faculty and staff, won Best Literary Journal at the 2008 national English honor society convention. Students submit work in regional and national contests through OC’s chapter of the International English Honor Society, and serve as tutors through OC’s writing center and the Community Literacy Program. Each year, OC brings nationally-known writers to campus. Past guests have included Bill McKibben, Kathleen Norris, U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, and Pulitzer Prize winner Marilynne Robinson.
Career Opportunities: Campaigns, Journalism, Law, Legislative Bodies, Libraries and Archives, Museums, Research Institutes, Teaching (primary school, middle school, high school and university level)
Career Opportunities: Author, Creative Writer, Editor, Lawyer, Public Relations Professional, Publisher, Technical Writer, Teacher/Professor
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Olympian Feat The spectacular opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympics wasn’t over yet, and the rave reviews already were pouring in. “When it comes to opening ceremonies,” said NBC’s Bob Costas, “retire the trophy.” The four-hour event, featuring more than 15,000 performers and amazing, first-of-their-kind production elements, received glowing praise from all over the world. Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg called it “arguably the grandest spectacle of the new millennium.” OC alumna Jennifer Ma (93) was a member of the core creative team – led by director Zhang Yimou – that conceived, designed and executed the opening ceremony. As the chief designer of visual and special effects, Jennifer and her team were directly responsible for all pyrotechnic and special effects, LED effects, screen projection and images, interactive elements and non-traditional stage design. Three of the most talked-about highlights from the opening ceremony – the levitating Olympic rings, the pyrotechnic “footprints in the sky” and the lighting of the cauldron – were in her purview. The first one-and-a-half years were spent brainstorming, testing, and drawing. Then the team spent a year finalizing the production, literally going back to the drawing board as different ideas or logistical challenges caused the plans to change. As the Olympics approached, they staged three dress rehearsals in front of a stadium filled with 90,000 people. Though the rehearsals revealed problems and challenges, things went right … very right … at the actual ceremony. “We were totally on edge of our seats. Everything came together so nicely. It went better than any rehearsal,” she said. And better than pretty much any show anywhere … ever. Even though Jennifer’s successful career has taken her to many of the world’s major contemporary art museums, she remains energized by the impact the Olympics had on her, both personally and professionally. “As cliché as it sounds, it was a life-changing experience,” she said. “It’s affected me and changed me in so many ways – artistically speaking, as a person, as a Chinese national, as an artist, as a woman. It has had a profound effect on my relationship with China and the world.” By Wes McKinzie
ART & DESIGN
OC art and design classes are taught by professionals who are experts in their fields. Students have numerous opportunities to develop their talents and present their work. The University Gallery offers several showings each year, featuring works in various genres from OC students and from nationally-known artists. OC’s Brass Ring Awards, a national art and design contest, attracts more than 800 entries each year. Almost 30% of all OC entries received awards at the most recent competition. Graphic design students prepare for their careers in the senior-year Advertising Campaigns course. Students spend a semester developing an ad campaign, then have their work evaluated by a panel of professionals.
Career Opportunities: 3-D Modeling Animator, Art Director, Art Teacher/ Professor, Art Therapist, Graphic Designer, Painter, Scuptor, Web Designer
MUSIC
Oklahoma Christian offers students many opportunities to participate in solo performances in their area of emphasis. Ensemble and group musical experiences include band, choir, chamber music, orchestra, jazz, and musical theatre. OC’s music department is accredited by National Association of Schools of Music and has a 100% pass rate on state teacher certification exams. We are committed to providing student musicians with the finest possible academic and performance programs and facilities. Students have access to what has been recognized as one of the best fine arts complexes in the state. And OC is one of just 70 colleges and universities nationwide to bear the prestigious designation as an All-Steinway School.
Career Opportunities: Director, Music Therapist, Private Instructor, Symphony or Opera Company Performer, Teacher/University Professor, Worship/Youth Minister View
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A Gift Worth Giving WHO WE ARE
Did you ever consider that being able to read is a gift? That’s how OC English Professor Gail Nash sees it. And it’s a gift worth passing on. In addition to teaching her students at Oklahoma Christian, Nash and other volunteers lead a valuable program called the Community Literacy Project. Considering that most OC students grew up in highly-literate homes surrounded by books and conversations, Nash says her students have the responsibility to extend that grace to others. “We don’t need to wait to find technology to cure illiteracy,” Nash said. “We already know how to teach people to read. We don’t need to wait for advances in technology or medicine like are needed to cure cancer. We already know how to cure this problem.” Nash’s passion has caught on with her TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) students and to other OC staff members, who spend lunch hours during the week teaching English to some of OC’s non-English speaking employees who work in custodial and maintenance services. OC student Miranda Brazle is a TEFL major who serves as a student coordinator for the literacy project. “I’m not just helping people; I’m getting experience in my field,” Brazle said. OC’s TEFL degree program provides another advantage; Oklahoma Christian is one of just a few universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in teaching English as a foreign language. In addition to the project’s on-campus emphasis, a group of volunteers also ventures off campus to teach English to others. “We are reaching out to our own OC community and to the Oklahoma City community as well,” Nash said. Brazle says she feels fortunate to help those who need to improve their linguistic skills. She says it’s a great way to connect with people she sees around campus that she hasn’t gotten to know. “Now I can walk around campus and see them and say ‘Hi,’” she said. “I want to encourage them and lift up their day.” By Kellie Olive and Dawn Shelton
EDUCATION
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COMMUNICATION
Oklahoma Christian’s School of Education has produced countless alumni who were successful in the classroom – both as students and as teachers. OC education students boast a 100% pass rate on the Oklahoma General Education Test, Oklahoma Subject Area Tests and the Oklahoma Professional Teaching Exam. OC’s education programs are accredited by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Areas of emphasis include Early Childhood, Elementary, English, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Science, and Social Studies
OC’s communication department is on the forefront of preparing students for a variety of careers in the field. Communication students produce the university newspaper and yearbook, and get hands-on experience producing programs at the school radio station as well as weekly TV newscasts. OC’s theatre students perform five major productions each year. Besides cast opportunities, students can be involved in costume, set, lighting and sound design, or by serving as director or stage manager. Besides the numerous on-campus opportunities, students can get more experience and hone their crafts through local and national internships.
Career Opportunities: Campaigns, Journalism, Law, Legislative Bodies, Libraries and Archives, Museums, Research Institutes, Teaching (primary school, middle school, high school and university level)
Career Opportunities: Actor, Animator, Director, Editor, Events Planner, Graphic Designer, Mortgage Broker, News Manager, Public Relations Specialist, Sound Engineer, Teacher/Professor, Website Designer, and more!
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on the WATCH THE VIDEO www.oc.edu/literacy
Alum Finds His Calling Want to buy a cell phone? If you buy one at Wal-Mart, you can thank 2004 OC graduate Russell Winters for making your choices affordable and high quality. “Every Wal-Mart store you walk into, you can look at every one of those phones … I pick those phones. I got them to the stores and I put them at the price they are today,” he said. In fact, if you happen to be shopping in Bentonville, Ark., where Russell’s office is located, you might even bump into him at one of the local Wal-Marts. And he won’t hesitate to answer your questions about the phones ... even if he’s there for his own grocery shopping. Russell is in his first year as a buyer for Wal-Mart after performing a similar role for Radio Shack for three years. He majored in marketing management at OC, where he also was actively involved in SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise). One of Russell’s favorite SIFE projects involved identity theft. In 2003, identity theft was much less known. Russell and his teammates paid students $5 to fill out surveys with their social security numbers, personal buying habits and credit card numbers. Later, they revealed what the consequences could have been. The local newspaper ran a front-page article on the project’s results, and the team gave a presentation to an audience of professors and executives from BancFirst. In another project, his SIFE team did some “secret shopping” for a local Radio Shack. Later, the store’s district manager helped Russell land his first job. Russell never imagined he would be where he is today. “Being a buyer is a really great job,” he said. “For me, it’s probably the most perfect job that I could have found at this stage of my career. It lets me exercise a lot of different muscles.” Many of Russell’s professors at OC influenced his career path. Accounting professor Mickey Cowan taught him to be genuine in business environments – to be himself – something Russell remembers to do every day. “If you love what you do and you’re passionate about it, you will absolutely be successful,” Russell said. “When you look at people that are successful, they’re the ones who work the hardest. And the people that are passionate are the ones who work hard.” By Rachel Yeakley
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
CHEMISTRY & PHYSICS
OC business alumni hold high-ranking positions in companies across the nation, proof of a program that challenges students and prepares them for success. OC has had the No. 1 pass rate on the CPA exam among all Oklahoma universities for 12 of the past 14 years. ETS pass rates for OC undergrads are in the 80th percentile; the national average is the 50th percentile. OC’s commitment to professional development is vital to student success. OC student teams have placed first in the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition four times in the last eight years. And OC’s Students in Free Enterprise team has won the regional championship three of the past six years.
OC’s Department of Chemistry & Physics features degree programs in Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Science Education. Undergraduate research is a key component to the department, and students have reaped the benefits of that work. Over the past four years, 90 percent of OC’s science students who applied to medical school or graduate school were accepted. Students also benefit from Philiatros, an organization that allows students to interact with each other and with members of the professional medical community. Guest speakers at meetings include physicians, optometrists and pharmacists, researchers from many biomedical fields, and representatives of graduate and professional schools in the region.
Career Opportunities: Accounting, Commercial Banking, Consulting, Corporate Finance, Financial Planning, Finance, Insurance, Investment Banking, Management, Marketing, Product Management, Retailing
Career Opportunities: Environmental Protection, Forensic Science, Health and Medical, Oil, Gas and Power, Primary and Secondary Education
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Dream Girls WHO WE ARE
Amber Foster is a missionary in Honduras – the last place on earth she thought she’d end up. But a spring break mission trip to this Central American country pretty much sealed her fate. “My job description changes on a daily basis. Sometimes I’m a mother. I’ve been an ambulance driver, a hearse driver, a comforter, a doctor, a teacher, and I’m hopefully always a friend,” she said. “I teach a lot of Bible classes, do a lot of visiting in homes, and cleaning scraped knees. I just do whatever needs done and love every minute of it.” Amber is still in her 20s, but she’s a mom to two teenage boys she took in after their parents died. It’s a testimony to her spirit of doing what needs to be done. “I look back at my time at OC as the time of my life when I grew the most. OC provided me with a loving environment in which to grow and make my faith my own. I was challenged to discover who I was and what I wanted out of my life instead of following a path that was expected of me,” Foster said. Amber says summertime is super busy with youth groups coming from the U.S. to help with house building, working with children and many other projects. Contact her if you’re interested (amberinhonduras@yahoo.com). One of those helpers is Amber’s friend, Amanda Peery. This girl, a religious education major at OC, has big dreams. There’s graduate school. Becoming a therapist. Establishing a center to help children with difficulties. Working in children’s ministry. Extended stays in Honduras. She’s well on her way. Amanda spends her summers interning at Park Plaza Church of Christ in Tulsa. She’s gone on spring break mission trips to Honduras with other students who orchestrate a Vacation Bible School for the children of this third-world country. “You would think some people may be apprehensive about being in another culture and environment, but I’ve seen students just plug right in and fall in love with the people in Honduras,” Amanda said. “I’m amazed to see how people work together on this trip. I think it shows me how important it is for the church to actually function as a body.” By Dawn Shelton
BIOLOGY
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Nursing
OC offers majors in Biology, Medical Technology, and Science Education. The Department of Biology also prepares students for professional programs in dental hygiene, occupational or physical therapy, and pharmacy. 90% of OC graduates have been accepted to medical schools when they meet the respective GPA and MCAT requirements. OC students reap the benefits of undergraduate research opportunities in the Oklahoma City metro area. Since 1996, 100% of OC students who participated in undergraduate research were accepted to professional programs (medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy). OC also offers an advanced cadaver course in a new state-of-the-art lab.
Whether they’re in the mountains of Honduras, the biggest hospital in Oklahoma, or a free clinic in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Christian’s nursing students learn while they serve. The nursing program’s rotations take students all over the world. They might help deliver a baby, teach sanitation, and deliver life-saving oral rehydration therapy all in one week. International and domestic rotations give OC nursing students a range of experiences not available in other programs. And OC’s nursing program has the backing of one of the best science faculties in the state. 90% of OC graduates are accepted to medical schools when they meet the respective GPA and MCAT requirements.
Career Opportunities: Dental Hygienist, Medical Doctor, Medical Research and Technology, Nutritionist, Occupational Therapist, Pharmacist, Physical Therapist, Physician’s Associate, Professor/Teacher, Veterinarian
Career Opportunities: Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse, Emergency, Critical Care, ICU, Cardiology, Home Health Care, Hydrotherapy, Neonatal, Neurology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Thoracics, Transplants, Missions, and more!
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Man with a Mission Peter Cariaga’s family tradition at OC has been history in the making. His grandfather and father both graduated from Oklahoma Christian, then returned to their home country of the Philippines to become influential Christian leaders. His grandfather began what is now Sunrise Christian College, the Philippines’ largest collectively church-owned facility. His dad has helped plant eight churches and leads a national church newspaper and its corresponding website. Peter recently graduated with a Bible and communications double major, just like his father was, and wants to further that scholastic ambition. He hopes to teach or be an administrator at Sunrise some day. “Through OC, I’d like to carry on a tradition of Christian education,” he said. “And I don’t just mean Bible training, preaching, stuff like that. I mean an environment in which you’re different, and people can see that you are Christlike. I really think that OC can help me do that and help nurture that.” As a freshman, Peter jumped at the opportunity to be a part of an OC mission trip to help with relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Rita. Although Peter received service hours for his classes from the trip, he knew it was about much more. “It was a humbling experience. You get to go out and help people that cannot possibly help you back,” he said. “It was a time when we could just serve others, focus on others and do what Jesus would have done, caring for people.” Peter was active in numerous Christian activities on campus. He wanted to invest in people as a student here: “I wanted to get to know people at a real close level and build relationships,” he said. He feels opportunities like that hurricane relief effort and the summer mission trips he’s taken are some of the best ways to accomplish this. “I would encourage even more students to go on mission trips, to get the experience of going out and doing things for other people, not just to benefit from feeling humble or spiritual,” Peter said. “You do it to show people that you care.” By Emoly West
PSYCHOLOGY & FAMILY STUDIES
BIBLICAL STUDIES
Professional development and undergraduate research strengthen the learning opportunities for OC’s psychology and family studies majors. Students work closely with faculty sponsors in independent research projects and in a yearlong senior-level research class. Since 1999, approximately 50 students have presented the results of their empirical research at conferences throughout the region. The OC Psychology Club provides an opportunity for majors to engage in activities that promote the knowledge of the field. Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology, promotes excellence in scholarship and advances the science of psychology. Psi Chi inducts 6-7 new members from OC each year.
Majors and non-majors alike learn from experienced ministers and professors with degrees from Oxford, Notre Dame, Baylor, Wheaton and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, to name a few. In addition to biblical scholarship, students have hands-on ministry prospects through a vocational ministry second major and through mission campaigns. OC offers M.A. and M.Div. programs through the College of Biblical Studies, providing students with opportunities to further their education on the graduate level. Through the website eBibleStudy.org, OC’s Biblical Studies faculty offers fully-developed lessons that equip teachers with important topics for high school and adult classes.
Career Opportunities: Adoption Agencies, Advertising, College Admissions, Law, Management, Medicine, Social Work, Teaching
Career Opportunities: Minister, Missionary, Children’s Minister, Youth Minister Teacher, University Professor
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WHO WE ARE
Renaissance Man Story Highlights: > OC art instructor has successful painting career > His love of history influences his art and his teaching style > Real-world experience help students get their work shown
Walls painted stark-white. No furniture or distractions. Just one easel in the middle of the room. This is where David Crismon spends his time after his 8 to 5 job as an OC art instructor. He doesn’t just teach art, he creates it. In fact, this plain white room is where he has created more than 30 paintings in the last five years. Although he’s not anti-technology, David loves it when his students have “no excuses,” just them and their pencil and paper. If you visit his drawing class, you’ll see his students engrossed in their work, in complete silence. David, a self-professed low-tech artist, says that’s when he knows things are going well. “I just totally strip away a lot of
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stuff,” he said. “I often remind them … do you hear this? There’s nothing going on. They’re not complaining that they’re bored. They’re simply totally engaged in what they’re doing. And I like that. So I try to get that in every class.” David teaches art and design history, along with his painting and drawing classes. He loves “combing through history” and instilling that knowledge in his students. “I think everything that gets done, paintings included, in some way kind of reflects the time that it’s done in. Sometimes it’s the only thing we have from a particular time period to go back and piece together,” he said. The professor’s medium of choice is oil paintings. For five years, he has pursued an idea he calls “Dislocated Histories.” At least 30 paintings resulted from this idea. David looks at an actual painting from centuries ago and recreates it through the eyes of today’s technology. “What would something from the 15th century or the 17th century have to look like today? It wouldn’t look the same. It would be seen with an X-ray machine, video monitors, chemical tests,” he said. With his work showcased in several art galleries around the country, this art instructor’s real-world experience has proven beneficial to his students. He acts as a liaison, introducing galleries to his students and getting them their first professional shows. He sees the dual purpose in his painting. “I think it’s very valuable because it shows the students that we’re not just doing these things and kind of tucking them away under the bed. I don’t do that,” he said. “I think that the focus is to get the work out into the world and make it do something.” To see David’s message-infused paintings for yourself, you can visit Mainsite Gallery in Norman or Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas (www.craigheadgreen.com). By Rachel Yeakley
e c n ie il s e R d n a h c r a e s e R Story Highlights: > OC professor is originally from South Africa > His experience has allowed him to help fellow Africans > His research is used to help refugees throughout U.S. His corner office in the WilliamsBranch Biblical Studies Center is typical of a university professor. The shelves are maxed out with books. The desk is organized. The calendar is full. There are numerous framed diplomas on the wall. But there also are two carved wooden elephants on a shelf, a colorful giraffe in another corner and a safari-themed pillow on a guest chair. There’s a large framed picture of Cape Town, South Africa. It’s a decidedly African theme … and when you hear him speak, you know that Dr. Alan Martin is not “from” here. Dr. Martin, an associate professor of marriage and family ministry, is from South Africa. But it’s not just the décor and cool accent that connects him with home. His educational and professional journey has led him to help fellow Africans from Sudan and Rwanda who now live in the U.S. At Michigan State University, God brought Dr. Martin together with Sudanese refugees who had immigrated from their war-torn country. Dr. Martin was in a doctorate program and he became mentor, counselor and friend to these young men. The Sudanese refugees had witnessed and survived such terror as witnessing one or both of their parents being murdered, having their own lives threatened and running to escape the killers. He expected to find the students suffering from post-traumatic stress. But what he found was resilience … and eventually, a new topic for his dissertation. That dissertation is now a groundbreaking document used throughout the United States. His research is used by organizations that provide counseling and services to refugees.
As providence would have it, Dr. Martin came to Oklahoma Christian in 2006, at the same time the university welcomed its first group of presidential scholars from Rwanda. These students are all survivors of the 1994 genocide and the years of ensuing violence. Most of them were young children when the genocide occurred. They all lost someone. Again, he has found resilience. And hope. As Dr. Martin ministers to the Rwandans and monitors their progress, he finds that they are teaching their fellow OC students about that same resilience, hope and focus. And teaching them more about the world. In the classroom, Dr. Martin teaches one of OC’s most popular classes, Christian Family. The course topics range from selecting a spouse to finances to raising kids. It also addresses divorce and remarriage. “There’s no sugar coating,” he said. Dr. Martin and his wife, Linda, have been married nearly 30 years and have three grown children. He has quickly become part of the OC family as he teaches students about relationships and about our world. By Dawn Shelton
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! O EAGLES ! G ! S E L G A LES GO E S! GO EAG GO EAGLE
SPORTS
FROM OC TO THE Sherri C
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NCAA In addition to the high-level collegiate experience Oklahoma Christian provides for its student-athletes, the university has become a cradle for numerous coaches who now lead NCAA Division I programs. Two of the University of Oklahoma’s most high-profile programs are led by former OC athletes. Sherri Coale, a 1987 OC graduate, is head coach of the OU women’s basketball team. She has won six Big XII Conference regular season championships and four Big XII Tournament crowns, and has advanced to two NCAA Final Fours. Sunny Golloway, a 1984 OC alumnus, is Oklahoma’s head baseball coach. He won six straight conference titles as Oral Roberts University’s head coach, then took OU to the NCAA tournament in his first three of his first
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four years at the helm. Sam Winterbotham, an All-American in both soccer and tennis at OC, is the head tennis coach at the University of Tennessee after spending four years in the same role at the University of Colorado. He graduated from Oklahoma Christian in 1999. Three other former OC tennis players – John Blackburn (Eastern Illinois University), Dann Nelson (Southern Illinois University) and Chris Young (Wichita State University) – also lead NCAA Division I tennis programs. OC alumni Janell Jones (Mercer University) and Dave Wilbers (Arkansas Tech University) join Coale as women’s basketball head coaches in NCAA Division I. Darin Thomas is the head baseball coach at D-I Texas-Arlington.
Story Highlights: > Opportunity to play basketball at OC changed Eddie Fontaine’s life > Friends and teammates inspired Eddie to become a Christian > Fellow Eagle Bill Pink impacted Eddie and became a lifelong friend
TRANSITION GAME teammate, Bill Pink, also helped Eddie grow in his faith. They became best friends and even served as “best man” at each other’s weddings. After their respective senior years (in which they both earned Academic All-America honors), their lives took them in different directions. Eddie became a successful graphic designer, but he realized he had a passion for helping young people. He taught graphic design for a while before devoting his life to counseling teenagers. Bill taught education at Oklahoma Christian before working as director of women’s basketball operations for OC alumna Sherri Coale, the head coach at the University of Oklahoma. He now works as the associate dean of the University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Education and Professional Studies. Bill treasures the friendship formed in the Eagles’ Nest years ago, and he sees God’s power in Eddie’s story. “Eddie and I consider each other family to this day. It was a relationship that began growing on a basketball court years ago,” Bill said. “Eddie’s story is just a realization that something like basketball in a community like Oklahoma Christian can be a powerful ministry.” Bill P
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For Eddie Fontaine, the allure of a spiritual environment and a Christian community weren’t even on his radar as he accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Oklahoma Christian. “I just thought that I’d play basketball for a couple years and then probably move back to England to continue playing there,” Eddie said. “Never did I expect that playing basketball at Oklahoma Christian would bring me to where I am today.” At age 20, Eddie was on a London team, but was attending various camps in the United States. OC head coach Dan Hays discovered Eddie through an old college teammate, who coached Eddie’s team, and Coach Hays had an open scholarship. You might call it a coincidence, but Eddie believes it wasn’t so coincidental. “Looking back, I see God’s plan for me and how His hand was in everything,” Eddie said. “It was just the beginning of a greater plan He had for me than I had for myself.” It also began Eddie’s transition from a rowdy kid who just wanted to play ball into a committed Christian man. Coach Hays seeks to develop his team not just as basketball players, but as Christian young men. That approach played a key role in Eddie’s transition. “I began to explore my faith and question things about what I had been taught and my relationship with God began to grow,” Eddie said. “The people I was around were interested in much more spiritual things than I had been involved in. Through their example and influence, my interests began to transition. I could have just grown up as another guy who paid bills and just went through the motions, but that’s not what God intended for me.” Eddie’s future wife Sonja was another Godly influence. His roommate, Jim Bond, ministered to Eddie and eventually baptized him. Eddie’s on the
OC ATHLETICS
www.oceagles.com
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SPORTS
OC EAGLE ATHLETICS Oklahoma Christian has enjoyed across-the-board athletic success for half a century. OC annually qualifies multiple teams for national tournaments and boasts numerous AllAmerican and Scholar-Athlete honorees each year. OC fields teams in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field, men’s golf, and softball. OC has placed as high as seventh in the NAIA’s All-Sports Standings. We’re a member of the NAIA and the Sooner Athletic Conference, the premier small-college conference in the nation. For more info, check out www.oceagles.com.
BASEBALL • The 1972 Eagles placed 3rd in the NAIA College World Series.
• The Lady Eagles have won five SAC titles and advanced to the national tournament 12 times. • Women’s head coach Stephanie Findley won her 475th career game during the 2008-09 season. • The Lady Eagles have earned 36 All-America and 53 Scholar-Athlete honors.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S SOCCER • In 2001, the Eagles won the SAC and Region VI championships and advanced to the NAIA “Elite Eight.” • The Eagles advanced to the NAIA “Elite Eight” again in 2006 and boasted three All-America honorees. • Five Eagles have been selected as SAC players of the year.
GOLF
• Men’s head coach Dan Hays, a NAIA Hall of Famer, has won more than 600 games in his career.
• The Eagles have placed in the NAIA top four for nine straight years, including runnerup finishes in 2001, 2005 and 2008.
• OC has won 10 Sooner Athletic Conference championships.
• 14 Eagles have combined to earn All-America honors 30 times since 2000.
• The OC baseball program returned to • OC is the only school with two winners of the intercollegiate competition in 2007-08 and NAIA National Player of the Year: Jay Mauck defeated No. 2 Oklahoma City just one year and Jarred Merrill. View after its renewal. STUDY ABROAD DETAILS www.oc.edu/gostudy
• Kelsey Cline was the SAC Coach of the Year in 2009 after leading OC to its first conference title. Juan Lizarralde and Fernando Gonzales have won SAC individual championships.
• 10 baseball players have earned NAIA AllAmerica honors and 10 have earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition.
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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
• Jennifer Le won the 2006 ITA regional singles championship and combined with Gabriela Nastasa to win the 2006 and 2007 regional doubles titles. • 25 women’s tennis players have earned AllAmerica honors. • Gabriela Lancman and Jennifer Le won the ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Sportsmanship and Leadership in 2001 and 2007, respectively.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
MEN’S TENNIS • OC won the 2003 men’s national championship and has finished in the national top 10 eight times.
• The Lady Eagles’ cross country team captured the conference and regional championships in 2005.
• The Eagles won conference titles in 1998, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009.
• Peggy Murphy won two national championships in the marathon and earned five of OC’s 14 AllAmerica awards.
• 37 men’s tennis players have earned AllAmerica honors.
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD/ CROSS COUNTRY
• The Lady Eagles went undefeated in the 2006 regular season and won their second conference championship.
• OC’s Jeff Bennett placed fourth in the decathlon at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He won two NAIA championships and an AAU national title.
• The Lady Eagles have advanced to the national tournament in three of the past seven years.
• The Eagles have won 23 individual or relay national championships and have earned AllAmerica honors 151 times.
• OC has earned 12 All-America and 18 ScholarAthlete awards in the past 10 years.
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD/ CROSS COUNTRY
• Josh Wayland won the national championship in the indoor 1,000 meters in 2009.
• Three-time All-American Kathy Nelson won the 1998 Duer Award, the NAIA’s highest academic honor.
SOFTBALL
www.oceagles.com
WOMEN’S TENNIS
• OC advanced to the national tournament in 2002 and 2003. • Tom Heath earned his 450th career win during the 2009 season. • 13 Lady Eagles have earned NAIA All-America honors and 26 have earned NAIA ScholarAthlete recognition. View
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WHO WE ARE
STUDYABROAD OC offers many international and domestic off-campus study opportunities each year.
REFLECTIONS STUDENTS REVISIT THEIR TREKS AROUND THE WORLD
ANNA POTTER • VIENNA With my hands I have touched. I have touched the Berlin Wall and tried to understand how this object divided a people. My hands have touched the cool waters of Switzerland while white water rafting. I have touched the walls of Mamertine Prison, the walls that held in the apostles Peter and Paul.
SPENCER GOAD • VIENNA We took the children to a park where we taught them some American Bible School worship songs and continued our German worship song education. It was such a blast to see the kids imitating us and trying to sing the English words. Our time with the children is such a blessing, and most of us would agree is the best part of the trip. It’s no wonder our Savior always made time for children.
DAVID SKIDMORE • PAC-RIM There we went through perhaps one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It was also one of the most exhausting experiences of my life. Spiritually, it was renewing. We hiked the mountain at night, and reached the summit at 5:09 a.m. There, I watched the sunrise with two great friends. I saw God’s glory as he painted something that even a camera can’t quite capture.
JENN GILL • PAC-RIM Still getting used to the idea of breathing underwater, I concentrated on that. And then I saw it: the Great Barrier Reef. Full of color and life. Creatures swimming all around, coral of all different shapes and sizes. It was beautiful. My mouth dropped open. And my eyes filled with tears. Blues, reds, pinks, purples, greens, yellows. Every color filled my mind. I saw a giant clam, I saw a stingray buried under the ocean sand. I found Nemo. I saw the reef. I felt it. I experienced it. God made it … and I will never forget it.
Oklahoma Christian offers many international and domestic offcampus study opportunities each year. OC’s European Studies Programs are great opportunities to experience much of the history and culture that Europe has to offer firsthand. Choose to spend an entire fall semester abroad studying, traveling and serving, or do the same thing during six weeks in the summer. See St. Paul’s Cathedral where Prince Charles and Diana were married, visit the palace in Vienna where Napoleon lived, and study Michelangelo’s “David” in Florence. The Pacific Rim Studies Program begins every fall semester in China with its famous silk markets, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. It continues in Japan with stops in Tokyo, Kyoto and Ibaraki. Students than head to New Zealand and Australia to study and serve, along with experiencing thrills like “Zorbing,” black water rafting and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. The final stop is Hawaii, highlighted
by Waikiki Beach and a stirring trip to Pearl Harbor. While the European Studies and Pacific Rim Studies programs send the largest groups abroad, OC students have many other off-campus options as well. A year of study at Korea Christian University or Japan’s Ibaraki Christian University comes with a full-tuition scholarship. Additional summer programs include a Canada Shakespeare Tour for fine arts or literature credit, study opportunities in Latin America, and a medical mission trip to Honduras. Through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, students can pursue programs like film school in Los Angeles, political or journalism studies in Washington, D.C., professional musician and music executive training at the Contemporary Music Center in Massachusetts, and international studies in Australia, China, England, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and Uganda. For more info on all of OC’s off-campus study opportunities, go to www.oc.edu/gostudy.
on the
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STUDY ABROAD DETAILS
www.oc.edu/gostudy
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STUDENT LIFE
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r a e Y t s r ir u F o Y g in Surviv The first year can be tough. College is so much different from high school. All the changes can be a big adjustment, but here are some ideas on how to survive that first year away from home … Getting involved on campus is an important step. OC offers so many things to do on and around campus. Get involved with SGA, become a mentor at Western Village Academy or participate in the Freshman Fanfare variety show. These are ways to meet new people, give back to others and have fun. Making the commitment to go to class is a great way to make it through the first year. Yes, some of your classes may start at 8 a.m., but you still need to be there. Get in the habit of going to class every day. Not only will your grades be better, but you can also set a good example. Also, take this time to create (or continue) good study habits. Doing homework at 3 a.m. is fun for a while, but (trust us) it gets old fast.
Get to know your academic advisors. This professor will help guide you toward your degree. Forming a relationship with advisors early on gives them a chance to get to know you and help you find the program that’s right for you. It also gives you another person to turn to when the first year gets tough or you need advice. Making new (and lots of) friends is another great way to survive. Like the old saying goes: the friends you meet in college will be the friends you have for the rest of your life. You will never again meet this many new people at one time, so make sure you make it count. You don’t have to meet everyone, but you won’t meet anyone sitting in your room with the door shut. Don’t wait for others to come to you. Make the first move.
Find a church family. Getting plugged into a local congregation is one of the best ways to survive the first year. By getting involved in a ministry or getting a set of adoptive parents, you can know you have a place to turn and a place where you can make a difference. Also, remember the devotionals that happen on campus throughout the week. From View 63 to the Thursday Night Devo, there are multiple chances to spend time worshipping with fellow Christians. Developing your relationship with God is the best way to stay strong and positive.
Keep in touch with your family back home. Make sure to set aside time to call home or write your parents an e-mail. They want to know how your first year is going and it will give you a chance to share the great experiences you’re having.
Having a good relationship with your roommate is also very important. Spending time getting to know your roommate is great, but make sure you both have other people to hang out with. If you’re always together, you won’t have any stories to share when you get back to the room at night. And don’t worry if, for some reason, you have to switch roommates – it’s not the end of the world and gives you the chance to make another close friend.
To see how freshmen make it through the first year, visit our freshman blogs at blogs.oc.edu.
Stay healthy. Nothing is worse than being sick and not having your mom here to take care of you. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat right and try to get some exercise.
Greetings from Freshman Experience!
We are excited to have such a great class of freshmen, and we can’t wait to get to know you better throughout the year. We’re planning some great activities for you guys. We also want you to come talk to us about any questions or concerns you have about college. We are here to serve you! Come by the Student Life Office and see us!! Amy Janzen, Director of Freshman Experience Amy Kelly, Associate Director of Freshman Experience Cole Montgomery, Freshman Counselor
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SOCIAL
STUDENT LIFE
CLUBS Many OC students join and participate in social clubs. The clubs’ mission is to have a positive impact upon club members, the student body and campus community, and the Oklahoma City metro area. OC’s social clubs participate in activities throughout the year, including Homecoming events and the annual Spring Sing variety show.
INTRAMURALS OC’s intramurals program gives all students the opportunity to participate in athletic events that will enhance their physical, mental, social and spiritual experience at OC. Events include Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Flag Football, Ping Pong, Pool, Sand Volleyball, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Volleyball.
OC’s clubs and organizations do more than play intramurals and perform at Spring Sing. Almost all of OC’s social clubs require their members to do a certain amount of service each semester. Here are some of their recent projects: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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Worked with Luther Church of Christ on an outreach project to the Luther community. Volunteered at Feed the Children Oklahoma City Adopt-a-Highway program Sponsored a child through Compassion International Sang every Wednesday night at the Highland Ridge Nursing Home Volunteered at the Service Center in Luther, Oklahoma Cleaned up an elderly couples’ house in Guthrie Helped the theater department set up their set for an upcoming play Worked with the DOWN ministry at Memorial Road Church of Christ Volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House Volunteered at Special Care Sang at Bryant Nursing Center Mentored at Western Village Volunteered with the Random Acts of Kindness ministry at Memorial Road Church of Christ Organized a warehouse for donated goods at Luther Church of Christ Did general maintenance on a house for a single mother Organized a benefit basketball tournament benefiting Western Village Academy
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Alumni Golf Tournament benefiting Lariat Creek Christian Camp Volunteered for the Alumni Family Fun Nights Volunteered to help freshmen move into the dorms Participated in Day in the City, sponsored by local churches of Christ Volunteered with Capitol Hill Church of Christ Built a fence for a shut-in Helped clean up property in Luther Raised money for Race for the Cure Breast Cancer Research Made care packages for HIM workers Made care packages for girls on overseas trips Made care packages for soldiers overseas Raised money for Cystic Fibrosis Helped coach a disabled boys basketball team Helped build houses through Habitat for Humanity Organized and participated in a campus Toys for Tots drive
Also, at the end of the school year, all the clubs joined together to clean up the campus, picking up trash around the apartment and dorm areas.
Men’s Clubs:
Women’s Clubs:
• Alpha Gamma Omega • Chi Lambda Phi • Delta Gamma Sigma • Kappa Sigma Tau • Omega Psi Omicron • Sigma Chi Sigma
• Beta Beta Sigma • Delta Tau Omega • Gamma Rho • Iota Kappa Phi • Lambda Chi Zeta • Pi Zeta Phi • Theta Theta Theta
STUDENTORGANIZATIONS
Get involved! Besides OC’s social clubs, there are tons of organizations at Oklahoma Christian that can plug you into activities, service and career opportunities. Aerie (Yearbook) AGAPE (Spiritual Club) Alpha Chi (National Honor Society) Alpha Epsilon Rho (Broadcast Society) Alpha Psi Omega (Theatre Organization) American Society of Interior Designers ASHRAE (Engineering Organization) ASME (Mechanical Engineering Organization) Association of Professional Oklahoma Educators BIT (Mathematics Organization) Chamber Singers Chorale Circle K (Service/Leadership Organization) CMENC (College Music Educators) College Republicans College Women for Christ Delta Mu Delta (Business Honor Society) Eagle Angle (Student TV Newscast) Eagle Broadcasting
Family Student Housing Council Homecoming Committee IEEE (Electrical Engineering Organization) INTAM (Organization promoting intercultural friendships) Jazz Band Lighthouse Ministries Minority Student Association Music Production Workshop Music Teachers' National Association New Reign (Traveling Acappella Group) Opera Studio Outreach (Student Missions Organization) Philiatros (Health Professions Club) Pi Lambda Theta (Teacher Education Organization) Psi Chi (Psychology Club) Sigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society) Society of Automotive Engineers Spanish Club
Spring Sing Committee String Ensemble Student Alumni Representatives Student Ambassadors Student Government Association Student Oklahoma Education Association Students in Free Enterprise Summer Singers (Traveling Cover Band) Sweat Band (Basketball Pep Band) Symphonic Band Talon (Student Newspaper) Tau Sigma (History Honor Society) Toastmasters International Unbound (Traveling Drama Group) Western Village Mentors Wind Ensemble Young Christian Democrats Young Republicans
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STUDENT LIFE
CA MPUS HOUSING A recent $34 million housing initiative allows students to enjoy first-class living on OC’s cutting-edge campus.
All the rooms include high-speed network and Internet access. Not that you’ll need it – our completely wireless campus lets you be unleashed as you work and surf on the Apple MacBook and iPhone or iPod touch every fulltime student receives. Check out just some of the amenities of OC’s 10 new or refurbished housing facilities.
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UNIVERSITY HOUSE NORTH/SOUTH OC’s two newest residence halls (one for men and one for women) are identical, featuring single and double suite-style rooms, private bathrooms in each suite and a common living area. All three floors in both halls have a private TV lounge and a laundromat facility. The threestory commons area features study rooms, meditation/prayer rooms and a student activity room. There is a fitness center in each building. University House also includes a “hotel room” available to visiting parents.
NEW STUDENT APARTMENTS Six new three-story complexes for upperclassmen significantly enhance apartment life at OC. Students can choose single bedrooms or double bedrooms. Rooms with two beds have sinks in the rooms. The four-bedroom units have two full bathrooms. Each apartment unit includes a full kitchen, dishwasher, living area, balcony, and full-size washer and dryer.
RM FAILS HALL This men’s residence hall is completely refurbished with new single rooms, private restrooms, enlarged two-man rooms, and enlarged and completely renovated common restrooms. Each room also is outfitted with new furniture. Recent improvements also include new safety features and a revamped lobby and exterior.
TINIUS HALL-EAST This completely-renovated women’s residence hall features suite-style rooms with new modern furniture and sinks/vanity cabinetry in each room. The suite-style restrooms feature new cabinets, tile, showers and fixtures. Single rooms share a private restroom with another room. Recent improvements also include a fitness center, laundromat, bicycle storage facility and an enhanced exterior.
Besides the new and renovated facilities, Oklahoma Christian offers student housing in four additional apartment complexes and seven additional residence halls. All housing is conveniently located and within short walking distance from all classes and other main campus venues. on the
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OC HOUSING
www.oc.edu/living
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OC EXPERIENCE
n O t h Rig the Money More than 96% of OC students receive institutional scholarship aid. Reference the ACT/SAT chart below to see if you’ve already qualified to receive an academic scholarship.
Presidential Academic Success Scholarships (PASS) ACT
SAT
Academic Scholarship (Yearly)
32-36 28-31 25-27 22-24
1400-1600 1240-1390 1130-1230 1010-1120
$10,000 $8,000 $6,000 $4,000
Hutchinson, Kansas
The Rawlins Family Galen and Lora Le Rawlins majored in education at Oklahoma Christian. They’re both teachers, so they know the value of a quality education. They sent all three of their children to OC. Anne graduated with a liberal studies degree. Erin graduated with a nursing degree. Ben is a senior English education major. The Rawlins found out that sending three kids to a private school isn’t the financial kiss of death some make it out to be. “Our children attending a Christian college was always our goal and expectation. We were not going to let the cost change that goal,” Galen said. “After scholarships, there is not a large gap between the cost of public education and private education such as OC.” Vernon, Texas
The Swan Family Although neither Ronnie Swan, farmer and rancher, nor his wife Stephani, a teacher, attended a Christian university, both strongly believe in the value of Christian higher education for their daughters. And they believe in Oklahoma Christian University. “We felt that OC was more in tune with our family values and with how we want to see our kids continue to grow,” Ronnie said. Oldest daughter Corlie got hooked when she saw OC’s Summer Singers perform at a church camp. Sisters Halie and Whitnie have similar stories; their love for OC developed at camp and blossomed when their oldest sister paved the way. Ronnie and Stephani had two girls at OC for eight straight years – years that have been tough in the farm and ranching industry because of record droughts in Texas and Oklahoma. “It’s been a sacrifice, but it’s been well worth it,” Stephani said. “We feel so blessed. We could not have dreamed of anything better for our girls.”
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Additional scholarships and discounts are available, including: • Art, music and theater awards • National Merit Finalist scholarship • Athletic scholarships • Need-based grants • And more! For a complete list of OC scholarships, visit www.oc.edu/ scholarships. Or complete our online financial aid and scholarship estimator at www.oc.edu/estimator.
Oklahoma Christian University students represent a variety of family income backgrounds. As evidenced by the chart below (Income Distribution of OC Students), students from all income ranges are able to attend OC.
Income Distribution of Oklahoma Christian of OC Students, 2008-09 Family Aggregate Gross Income (AGI)
Total # of Students
Total # of New Students
Average Grant/ Scholarship*
Average Student Loan*
Average Total Financial Aid Package*
Below $20,000
215
54
$10,013
$6,487
$15,297
$20,000-$40,000
187
65
$10,074
$7,522
$15,681
$40,000-$60,000
189
67
$9,408
$7,001
$14,894
$60,000-$80,000
200
64
$7,532
$7,755
$13,495
$80,000-$100,000
200
65
$6,722
$6,662
$11,927
Above $100,000
433
149
$6,009
$5,619
$10,365
*The chart above reflects the average amount awarded in scholarship, grants, and loans to students in particular income brackets. It is not intended to reflect exact amounts that will be awarded during a given academic year, but merely as a means to demonstrate eligibility for scholarships and grant, regardless of family income.
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FINANCIAL AID
www.oc.edu/faestimator
$ $ $ $$ Student-led trip to africa to film a documentary exposing the water crisis in Africa. www.wishingwellafrica.com
photo by www.estherhavens.com
STUDENT LIFE
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Deciding where to eat in Oklahoma City just got easier.
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COFFEE Java Dave’s $$ Starbucks* $$ GENERAL Applebee’s* Buffalo Wild Wings Cattlemen’s Charleston’s* Chili’s* Coach’s* Deep Fork Grill Delta Café* Fish City Grill IHOP Jimmy’s Egg* Johnnie’s* La Baguette Louie’s Outback Steakhouse* Pearl’s Seafood Red Lobster Red Robin Redrock Canyon Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili Texas Roadhouse TerraLuna Grille TGI Friday’s Waffle House
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$$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$$ $$$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$
BRICKTOWN RESTAURANTS Abuelo’s $$ Bourbon Street $$ Bricktown Brewery $$ Bricktown Burgers $$ Chelino’s $$ Coach’s $$ Earl’s Rib Palace $$ Hideaway Pizza $$ The Mantel $$$ Marble Slab* $ Mickey Mantle’s $$$ Pearl’s Crabtown $$ Sonic $ Spaghetti Warehouse $$ UnCommon Grounds $ Varsity Sports Grill $$ Zio’s Italian Kitchen $$ FAST FOOD A&W* Arby’s Beyond Juice* Braum’s* Burger King* Carl’s Jr.* Chick-Fil-A* Fazoli’s Jamba Juice* KFC* Long John Silver’s McDonald’s* Sonic* Taco Bell* Taco Bueno Taco Mayo* Wendy’s
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ on the
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FOR MAPS & LINKS
www.oc.edu/eat
PIZZA Domino’s* Hideaway Little Caesar’s* Mazzio’s Milano’s Papa John’s Pizza Hut* Old Chicago
$$ $$ $ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$
ICE CREAM Braum’s $ Cold Stone $ Freddy’s Frozen Custard $
RIBS & BBQ Earl’s Rib Palace* $$ Rib Crib $$ Steve’s Rib $$ MEXICAN Chelino’s* Chipotle Moe’s Southwest* On the Border* Dos Gabachos Qdoba Ted’s Café
$$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $$$
ASIAN Café de Taipei Dot Wo* Fuji Japanese* Panda House* Pei Wei PF Chang’s Royal Gardens* Sushi Neko
$$ $ $$ $$ $$ $$$ $$ $$$
DELI Café 501 City Bites* Jason’s Deli* Jimmy John’s* McAlister’s Deli Mr. Goodcents Panera Bread* Quiznos* Subway*
$$ $$ $$ $$ $$ $ $$ $$ $$
SOUND
ADVICE
Oklahoma Christian’s performing groups have it all.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT GROUPS
The UNIVERSITY CHORALE was founded in 1950 (the school’s first year) and is the oldest musical organization on campus. The group numbers 50-70 singers and draws its membership from all majors. The Chorale has toured and performed throughout the U.S., plus Mexico and Europe. The Chamber Singers is an elite vocal ensemble of 14-20 members selected from within the Chorale. The group performs a diverse repertory. The Chamber Singers tour each year with the Chorale. The Chamber Orchestra is open to OC students with previous experience in high school orchestras or private lessons. The Chamber Orchestra performs in Music Department concerts and other community functions. The Symphonic Band is composed of students from all majors who have high school band experience. The group maintains an active performance schedule on campus, in local venues such as the Festival of the Arts, and on annual tours throughout the United States. The Jazz Ensemble, which features saxophones, trombones, trumpets and a rhythm section, performs big band, Latin, funk and rock music. This group of 15-20 students has earned superior ratings at national jazz festivals and also performs at jazz conferences and on cruise lines. While OC doesn’t have a marching band (no football team!), the highly-respected Sweat Band pumps up the volume at home basketball games. Group membership is typically drawn from within the Jazz Ensemble. The Oklahoma Community Orchestra is OC’s “orchestra-in-residence.” Students and faculty perform in the orchestra along with professional and amateur musicians from the community. The orchestra rehearses weekly on campus and performs four concerts each year.
COVER BAND
The Summer Singers spend their summers traveling around the U.S. performing at camps, youth rallies and other special events. They perform a mix of rock, country and pop music. The Summer Singers tour from the end of May to the beginning of August. They also are available to play on select weekends during the school year. www.oc.edu/summersingers
A CAPPELLA GROUP
Praising God is FUN-damental. Delivering relevant Christian messages with tight vocals and some “tick-ticks” and “bmm-bmms” thrown in, New Reign specializes in a cappella music that catches the ear and speaks to the soul. From introspective worship to upbeat praise, New Reign has a unique ministry that’s important in today’s world. www.oc.edu/newreign
DRAMA GROUP
With Unbound, you never know what you’re going to get, but it’s always a real prize. Don’t expect a typical camp show when you book Unbound. The group tailors its dramatic performances to your theme and communicates the message of Christ in new ways. www.oc.edu/unbound
on the OC GROUPS www.oc.edu/performing
HEAR IT IN OUR VOICE
OC has a new partnership with Keith Lancaster and the renowned group Acappella. The group is based at OC, and several of Acappella’s members are students here. www.oc.edu/acappella
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1 Davisson American Heritage (DAH) • Dept. of History & Political Science • Dept. of Psychology & Family Studies • School of Education 2 Garvey Center for Liberal Arts (LA) • Dept. of Art & Design • Dept. of Communications • Dept. of Music • Hardeman Auditorium • Judd Theatre • McIntosh Conservatory / Recital Hall 3 Harvey Business Center (HBC) • School of Business Administration 4 Herold Science Hall (HSH) • Dept. of Biology • Dept. of Chemistry and Physics 4a Nursing Administrative Building 5 Mabee Learning Center (MLC) • Beam Library • Career Services • Dept. of Language and Literature 6 Prince Engineering Center (PEC) • Dept. of Mathematical, Computer, and Information Sciences • School of Engineering
Academics
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www.oc.edu/virtualtour
Check out a virtual tour of the campus.
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Vose Hall Williams-Branch Center for Biblical Studies (WBC) • • College of Biblical Studies • Scott Chapel
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9 Benson Administration Building • Business Office • Executive Vice President • Special Events 10 Cogswell-Alexander Hall (CAH) • Help Desk • International Programs • Registrar 11 Executive Offices (in MLC) • Advancement • Alumni • Marketing • President’s Office • Vice President for Academic Affairs 12 Gaylord Hall • Admissions • Student Financial Services • Telecounseling 13 Student Life Office (in Univ. Center)
Administration / Offices
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24 29 30
Smiling Hill Boulevard
22 Lawson Commons • Freede Centennial Tower • McGraw Pavilion 23 Gaylord University Center • Bookstore • Health and Wellness Center • Sodexo-Marriott Dining Hall 24 Nowlin Center 25 Thelma Gaylord Forum
Hangouts & Recreation
14 The Barn (Old Gymnasium) 15 Dobson Field 16 Intramural Fields (Two Locations) 17 Payne Athletic Center • Dept. of Athletics • Dept. of Physical Education • Fitness Center / Swimming Pool 18 Soccer Field 19 Softball Field 20 Tennis Courts - Sand Volleyball 21 Vaughn Track
4a
ns
Athletics
16
Be
40 Enterprise Square • Academy of Leadership and Liberty • University Communications 41 Central Plant 42 Maintenance Center 43 Main Entrance
Miscellaneous
26 Davisson Hall 27 RM Fails Hall 28 Gunn-Henderson Hall 29 University Village Apartments 1-4 30 McNally House Apartments 31 University Village Apartments 6 32 Tinius-East Hall 33 Tinius-West Hall • Residence Life Office 34 University House Commons 35 University House North 36 University House South 37 Warlick Hall 38 Wilson-East Hall 39 Wilson-West Hall
Living Quarters
Memorial Road
31
Oklahoma Christian University - 2501 E. Memorial Road, Edmond, OK
AROUND CAMPUS
PACKET
Prefer to apply online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/apply
Process
The following list is a step-by-step guide for completing OC’s admission process. Please complete each step below, with the corresponding paperwork, as soon as possible for priority consideration. Would you rather complete your paperwork on the web? No problem! Visit our website at www.oc.edu/admissions for online forms.
Please keep this copy to reference as you complete the admission process.
For Admittance
1
Application
2
Test Scores
(www.oc.edu/apply)
Please complete all items on the application for admission. A $25 nonrefundable processing fee should accompany the application.
4
Housing Request Form (www.oc.edu/housing)
Please complete and submit a housing request form, including a $100 security deposit (refundable through May 1 minus a $10 processing fee). Space is limited and forms are processed in the order they are received, so it is important to submit your request as soon as possible. For more information about specific residence halls, frequently asked questions, or room layouts and to reserve your room online, visit www.oc.edu/housing.
Transfers Transfer applicants are not required to submit an ACT or SAT score unless basic math and English courses have not been completed. If you have not completed those courses, please send copies of your test scores to OC.
Transcripts
6
Campus Visit/Interview
7
Scholarships and Financial Aid
(www.oc.edu/transcript) First-Time Freshmen High school senior applicants must submit a current high school transcript. Please give the transcript request form to your high school counselor and request a transcript be sent to the university. Upon graduation, students also must send the university a completed transcript reflecting completed courses and class rank. Transfers Transfer students must submit official transcripts from each college previously attended. Transfer students also should submit high school transcripts. Please give the transcript request form to the appropriate personnel at your current and former college(s) and request that a transcript be sent to OC.
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Admission PACKET
www.oc.edu/apply Prefer to apply online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/apply
First-time freshman applicants should identify one character reference (teacher, minister, community leader, etc.). Give the Character Recommendation Form (with a stamped envelope addressed Attn: Admissions Office, Oklahoma Christian University, Box 11000, Oklahoma City, OK 73136) to your selected reference and request that they promptly complete it and return it to OC. If your reference prefers to submit the recommendation online, please direct the reference to the website listed above. Relatives should not serve as references.
Next Steps
SAT www.collegeboard.com 866.756.7346 School Code 6086
You may apply for admission prior to taking the ACT or SAT and send your scores to the university when they are made available.
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(www.oc.edu/character)
Important note: To determine admittance to Oklahoma Christian University, the Admissions Office must receive a student’s application for admission, test scores, current transcript(s) and Character Recommendation Form. Notification of your admissions status will be mailed to you within a week of receipt of completed information.
First-Time Freshmen Applicants must submit ACT or SAT test scores. Please request your scores be sent to OC when registering for the test. After the test date, additional copies can be requested using the following information: ACT www.act.org 319.337.1000 School Code 3415
Character Recommendation Form
on the
(www.oc.edu/visitcampus)
Every student family is encouraged to schedule an official campus visit/interview. Call 800.877.5010 or 405.425.5050 or visit our website for additional information.
(www.fafsa.ed.gov, www.oc.edu/scholarships)
OC’s Student Financial Services staff will use your application for admission and supporting admittance forms to determine eligibility for merit scholarships. For additional assistance consideration (including scholarships, grants, student and parent loans, and work study), families should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Indicate the information should be sent to OC by using the school code 003165.
1
About you Name
last
first
middle Social Security Number
Preferred Name Address
city
state
zip
County
(OK residents only)
U.S. Citizen?
Phone Number
Country of Citizenship
Cell Phone
yes
no
Date of Birth
(optional)
Can the university occasionally text message you event and admission process reminders?
yes
no
IM Screen Name
E-mail Address Please provide the email address you use most often. You will receive important information, including financial aid and scholarship reminders, at this address.
Female
Gender
S
T-Shirt Size
Male
M
AOL
Yahoo!
MSN
Other
L
XL
XXL
XXXL
This information is voluntary. It will be used in a nondiscriminatory manner consistent with applicable civil rights laws. (Choose One) African-American
Asian
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
Caucasian
Hispanic
Native American / Alaskan Native
Other
Have you ever attended an OC summer camp?
Church name
city Yes
Church Preference
No
Which one(s)? Have you ever been suspended from an educational institution?
Yes
No
(if yes, please attach a detailed explanation)
Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation?
Yes
No
Cage Camp
Impact
Cornerstone
Zenith
Genesis
Other Athletic Camp
(if yes, please attach a detailed explanation)
on the
Prefer to apply online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/apply
Admission PACKET
3
2
your character reference If you know the name and email address of the person who will serve as your character reference, please complete the blanks below. Your admissions counselor will send the online Character Recommendation Form (www.oc.edu/character) to your reference via email. You should also give your reference a copy of the form in this packet as a reminder. If you haven’t selected your reference or don’t know the email address, no problem. Skip the blanks below and give your reference the form included in this packet.
Character Reference Name last
first
Character Reference E-mail
3
Your fAmily If you are 22 or older, it is not necessary to complete the parent/guardian information below.
Father’s Name last
first
middle
Address
(if different from student)
city
state
zip County
Phone Number
(OK residents only)
Cell Phone
Yes
OC Alum
(optional)
Work Phone
No
(numbers will only be used if other contact options are exhausted)
(optional)
E-mail Address
Mother’s Name last
first
middle
Address
(if different from above)
city
state
(OK residents only)
Cell Phone
OC Alum
(optional)
Work Phone (optional)
Prefer to apply online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/apply
Yes
(numbers will only be used if other contact options are exhausted)
E-mail Address
Admission PACKET
zip County
Phone Number
4
on the
No
Is one of your parents currently employed full-time in one of the following?
Did any of the following family members attend OC?
(check all that apply)
(check all that apply)
Foreign mission field
Church of Christ congregation
Mom
Sibling
Church of Christ-affiliated college or university
Children’s home
Dad
Grandparent
K-12 Christian academy or school
List brothers and sisters in the 9th - 12th grades
Grade
Female
Male
Grade
Female
Male
Grade
Female
Male
Grade
Female
Male
Grade
Female
Male
Address (complete only if different from your own present address)
4
city
state
zip
Your Academic History High School name
city
state High School GPA
Graduation Date ACT Composite Score SAT Critical Reading Score
SAT Mathematics Score
I have not taken the ACT or SAT
Planned test date
SAT Writing Score
List all previous colleges attended (name of institution, city and state, from month and year, to month and year, diploma or degree completed, GPA).
institution
city/state
mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy
activity/club
GPA
diploma or degree completed
Your Activities and Honors Please list significant activities or clubs, etc. in which you participate in school, community and church. Include service, mission, and work experience. List positions held and honors received.
on the
positions held/honors Prefer to apply online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/apply
Admission PACKET
5
5
Your College plans What year do you plan to begin?
What is your current university classification?
Fall Term
First-time college student Previously attended OC
Will you attend OC?
Full-time
Summer Term
Transfer student Non-degree seeking
(If you are a non-degree seeking student, please state your reason for attending in the space provide below.)
Part-time
Do you want to participate in OC’s vocal or instrumental music programs? What is your intended major?
Spring Term
Yes, Instrumental
Yes, Vocal
No
A list of majors and areas of study can be found on the inside front cover of View magazine or on our website at www.oc.edu/majors.
To which other universities have you applied or do intend to apply?
Do you plan to live in OC housing?
Single student
Married student
Live at home
This application serves as the application required for general scholarships. No additional paperwork is required. Have you completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?
Yes
If not, are you planning to complete the FAFSA?
No
Yes
No
Are you a National Merit Finalist, Semifinalist, Commended?
Oklahoma Christian University seeks to admit students who will best succeed and benefit from a distinctly Christian education and environment. OC’s campus community demonstrates Christian values and is committed to the integration of faith and learning. University policies are designed to encourage high standards of moral conduct, individual responsibility and campus accountability. Applicants should understand that a signature below constitutes an agreement to abide by all policies and regulations of Oklahoma Christian University, including the OC Covenant (www.oc.edu/covenant). To the best of my knowledge, the information furnished in this application is true and complete. I agree to uphold all policies and regulations of Oklahoma Christian University. Please return this completed form with a $25 non-refundable processing fee to: Applicant’s Signature
Date
Questions? Call 800.877.5010 or visit our website at www.oc.edu.
Oklahoma Christian University ATTN: Admissions Office Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136
Oklahoma Christian University does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, handicap, or national and ethnic origin. University administration reserves the right to deny admission at their discretion.
6
Admission PACKET
Prefer to apply online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/apply
on the
Transcript Request Form Student Applicant: Please complete this form and submit it to appropriate school personnel. This form may be duplicated for multiple transcript requests. Name last
first
Please send an official copy of my high school or college transcript to the following address:
middle
Address
city Social Security No.
state
zip
Oklahoma Christian University Attn: Registrar’s Office Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136
Date
Signature
About Oklahoma Christian University The University Founded in 1950 as Central Christian College; comprehensive Christian university serving more than 2,000 students; affiliated with the churches of Christ; 14 academic departments operate in one of three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Biblical Studies, and the College of Professional Studies; students choose from more than 60 majors and 30 additional areas of study; graduate degrees include the Master of Arts in Ministry, the Master of Divinity, the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Science in Engineering. National Recognition • One of only two members of the 111-school Council for Christian Colleges and Universities with ABET national accreditation for three engineering programs. • Designated by Princeton Review as a Best Western College. • Ranked 17th among the 50 most unwired college campuses by Intel Corporation. • Named by the John Templeton Foundation as an institution that inspires students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives in its guide, Colleges That Encourage Character Development. • Included in the Center for Student Opportunity’s inaugural College Access and Opportunity Guidebook highlighting institutions committed to access, opportunity, and success for the traditionally underserved. Academic Points of Pride • 90% medical school acceptance rate. • School of Business Administration students consistently earn highest pass rates on CPA exam of all represented Oklahoma colleges/universities. • National History Honor Society named “Best Chapter” of all U.S. universities with 3,000 or fewer students for 13th straight year. • 100% of School of Education graduates consistently pass mandatory statewide qualifying exams. Accreditation • Oklahoma Christian University: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools • School of Business Administration: Association of Collegiate on the
Business Schools and Programs • School of Education: National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education • School of Engineering: Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) • Department of Music: National Association of Schools of Music • Nursing Program: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Accreditation Location and Campus Located in northeast Oklahoma City, the state capital of Oklahoma; borders city of Edmond; students enjoy the academic and recreational benefits of a big city in a safe suburban atmosphere Facts • 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio. • 71 percent of classes contain less than 30 students. • Every fulltime student receives a Apple MacBook laptop and an iPhone or iPod touch; wireless Internet access throughout campus. • 20 study abroad and off-campus learning options. • 60 student organizations. • More than 60% of student body involved in ongoing service and ministry opportunities. • More than 40 student service and ministry opportunities. • 500 students, faculty, and staff members participate in mission opportunities each year in more than 30 countries on six continents. Some countries served include Australia, Austria, China, Croatia, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Rwanda, Switzerland, and the United States. • More than 250 students participate in 13 Varsity sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and track and field. • 96% of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid. Contact: Admission Office Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136 800.877.5010 www.oc.edu | info@oc.edu Admission PACKET Need additional copies? PDF copies available at www.oc.edu/transcript
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8
Admission PACKET
on the
Character Recommendation Form I am an applicant to Oklahoma Christian University. I request this form be completed and submitted to the Admissions Office. I understand the form is confidential and I waive any right to view this record. Name last
first
middle
Signature
Address
city
state
Social Security No.
Please return to: Oklahoma Christian University Attn: Admissions Office Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136
zip
Date
Name
zip
Preparedness for college Spiritual maturity Integrity Ability to get along with others Honesty Leadership ability Lifestyle consistent with OC standards Emotional stability Overall evaluation
Based on this student’s overall character, I: (choose one)
Daytime Phone No.
Address
city
state
P to ref Re e r sp N o on t d
ra ge Be Av lo er w ag e
Av e
nt ll e
Please rate the student applicant in the following areas:
Ex ce
For Reference: Each applicant to Oklahoma Christian University must submit a Character Recommendation Form. We value and appreciate your candid and sincere comments about the student applicant.
A Av bo e r ve ag e
Student Applicant: Please complete the top portion of this form and give it to a teacher, counselor, youth minister, minister, church or community leader, etc., who can serve as a character reference for you. Each student applicant is required to submit one Character Recommendation Form. Receipt of the form in a timely manner is critical for admittance to OC. We suggest you provide an addressed stamped envelope (Oklahoma Christian University, Attn: Admissions Office, Box 11000, Oklahoma City, OK 73136) and recommend a deadline to ensure your reference’s prompt response. If your reference prefers to submit their recommendation online, please direct the reference to www.oc.edu/character.
Signature
Date
Are you an OC alum?
Yes
No
e re n t h co u m sia m st en ic d all re y fo co ra m m dm e is n d si on r re e co se m rv m at e n io d n w do i th re n co o t m m en d pr to ef re e r sp n o on t d
How long have you known the student? What is your relationship to the student? Continue on following page... Comments about student applicant:
on the
Admission PACKET Character recommendation online: Visit our website at www.oc.edu/character
9
• Included in the Center for Student Opportunity’s inaugural College Access and Opportunity Guidebook highlighting institutions committed to access, opportunity, and success for the traditionally underserved.
Are there additional students you recommend as prospective OC students?
Student >1 Name
Daytime Phone No.
Address
city
state
zip
Grad. Year
Academic Points of Pride • 90% medical school acceptance rate. • School of Business Administration students consistently earn highest pass rates on CPA exam of all represented Oklahoma colleges/universities. • National History Honor Society named “Best Chapter” of all U.S. universities with 3,000 or fewer students for 12th straight year. • 100% of School of Education graduates consistently passmandatory statewide qualifying exams.
Student >2 Name
Daytime Phone No.
Address
city
state
zip
Grad. Year
Student >3 Name
Daytime Phone No. Location and Campus Located in northeast Oklahoma City, the state capital of Oklahoma; borders city of Edmond; students enjoy the academic and recreational benefits of a big city in a safe suburban atmosphere
Address
city
state
zip
Grad. Year
About Oklahoma Christian University The University Founded in 1950 as Central Christian College; comprehensive Christian university serving more than 2,000 students; affiliated with the churches of Christ; 14 academic departments operate in one of three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Biblical Studies, and the College of Professional Studies; students choose from more than 60 majors and 30 additional areas of study; graduate degrees include the Master of Arts in Ministry, the Master of Divinity, and the Master of Business Administration. National Recognition • One of only two members of the 111-school Council for Christian Colleges and Universities with ABET national accreditation for three engineering programs. • Designated by Princeton Review as a Best Western College. • Ranked 17th among the 50 most unwired college campuses by Intel Corporation. • Named by the John Templeton Foundation as an institution that inspires students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives in its guide, Colleges That Encourage Character Development.
10
Accreditation • Oklahoma Christian University: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools • School of Business Administration: Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs • School of Education: National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education • School of Engineering: Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) • Department of Music: National Association of Schools of Music • Nursing Program: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Accreditation
Admission PACKET
Character recommendation online: Visit our website at www.oc.edu/character
Facts • 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio. • 71 percent of classes contain less than 30 students. • Every fulltime student receives a Apple MacBook laptop and an iPhone or iPod touch; wireless Internet access throughout campus. • 20 study abroad and off-campus learning options. • 60 student organizations. • More than 60% of student body involved in ongoing service and ministry opportunities. • More than 40 student service and ministry opportunities. • 500 students, faculty, and staff members participate in mission opportunities each year in more than 30 countries on six continents. Some countries served include Australia, Austria, China, Croatia, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Rwanda, Switzerland, and the United States. • More than 250 students participate in 13 Varsity sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and track and field. • 96% of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid.
on the
Contact: Admission Office Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136 800.877.5010 www.oc.edu | info@oc.edu
Housing Request Form 1
Personal information Name
last
first
Preferred Name
middle Social Security Number
Address
city
County
(OK residents only)
state
zip Date of Birth
Phone Number
Are you a ...
Cell Phone
New Freshman
(optional)
Year
When do you plan to begin?
Fall Female
Gender
2
Transferring Student
Spring
Male
Returning Student
Hours
Hours
Housing Options Incoming freshmen please note: Traditional freshman residence halls (for women, Gunn-Henderson East and West and for men, Fails and Warlick) will be filled first. After those halls are full, requests for additional residence hall housing will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. A $100 deposit should accompany this form. Please indicate your first, second, and third choices below: Men _____Fails Hall _____Warlick Hall
Men _____Wilson West (A) _____Wilson East (B) _____University House North
Women _____Gunn-Henderson West (C) _____Gunn-Henderson East (D)
Women _____Tinius East (A) _____Tinius West (B) _____University House South
University village Apartments Requires student to have completed 64 hours and have a minimum 2.0 GPA. A $150 deposit should accompany this form. Men _____Phase 2 _____Phase 3 _____Phase 6
Women _____Phase 4 _____Phase 5 _____Phase 6
Roommate(s) requested:
on the
Admission PACKET Prefer to request housing online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/housing
11
I understand that housing assignments are made according to the date this form and deposit are received by Oklahoma Christian University and will be fulfilled where possible. Final decisions are made by the Office of Residence Life.
Date
Signature
3
rooMmate compatibility If you have not requested a roommate, the Office of Residence Life will use the information below to help select someone with whom you should be compatible. Of the items below, which is most important to you? Indicate importance (one being the most important) by ranking the items one through five in the space provided. Rank
Do you do most of your studying after 11:00 pm?
Yes
No
How important is it that your room be kept neat?
Very Important
Important
When you wake up in the morning, do you:
Like to talk?
Want to be left alone?
Yes
No
High Volume?
Low Volume?
When you are in your room, do you usually have the stereo or TV turned on? If yes, do you usually like:
4
Not Important
Important Information 1. A $100 security deposit ($150 for University Apartments) is required for all housing requests. 2. Should you decide not to attend OC, a refund may be obtained (minus a $10 processing fee). You must send written request to the Office of Residence Life by May 1 to cancel a fall semester request and by November 15 to cancel a spring semester request. 3. Deposits are refundable when a student leaves OC and checks out properly providing there is NO damage to the room. 4. Return this form and deposit immediately. Your housing priority is determined by the date this form AND deposit are both received. Campus housing requests cannot be processed without deposits.
Please return form and deposit to: Oklahoma Christian University Attn: Admissions Office Box 11000 Oklahoma City, OK 73136 Questions? Call 800.877.5010 or visit the website at www.oc.edu/housing.
12
Admission PACKET
Prefer to request housing online? Visit our website at www.oc.edu/housing
on the
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