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Although the Stevens Alumni House renovation project was complete in 2009, work continues at the historic structure to improve the function and appearance of the building with two new projects announced in January.

Although it is several months until the next USAO Alumni Hall of Fame and Young Alumni awards ceremony, the search is already underway for this year’s recipients. Nominations will be accepted through April 1.

In a post-Enron, post-Bernie Madoff world, the phrase “creative economist” is almost always followed by discussion of a trial and a lengthy prison term. When applied to Dr. Erik Guzik, associate professor of economics at the University of Science and Arts, however, it is in recognition of his journey to understand the mechanisms of creativity as well as his mission to improve the way that children are educated in the 21st century through a revolutionary technology known as Virtual Problem Solving (VPS).

Several OCW, OCLA and USAO alumni received a call from the college in the spring and summer of 2011. That call may have been from one of the members of the Student Advancement Team at USAO. The SAT was formed to boost alumni giving to the university. Four students worked the Call Center tirelessly over the course of the trimester to raise more than $11,000 from 145 donors.

More than 60 students from the University of Science and Arts partnered with local businesses for a day of volunteerism aimed at making a difference for Chickasha families and the institutions that serve them.

Drovers invested a Friday this past March doing yardwork for homebound patients, reading to elementary children and improving city institutions in an event known as Drover Difference Day.

The USAO Alumni Association is giving individuals another way to honor friends, professors, classmates and family who have passed away with the Memorial Scholarship.

“The Memorial Scholarship is an annual scholarship given in honor of those who have passed away. The scholarship may include several names and, depending on the amount, given to many different students,” said Eric Feuerborn, director of alumni development.

To Dr. Jeannette Loutsch, the fight against cancer is personal. Since she lost both parents to cancer in 2002, Loutsch, assistant professor of biology at USAO, makes it her mission to raise awareness about certain types of cancer and to teach young people how to check for cancerous tissue.

“Feb. 23, 2002, my mom died after a 16-year battle with cancer,” she said, adding that her father died later that year. “That’s why I do it. So someone else doesn’t have to deal with this … It was terrible, and I lived 12 hours away.”

A pianist, accompanist and vocal coach with a world-wide reputation, an award-winning author and political science professor and the recipient of the 2010-11 National VFW Elementary Teacher of the Year award will be inducted in the USAO Alumni Hall of Fame this year.
 

Though Dr. Ingrid Shafer retired from active teaching at the University of Science and Arts in 2009, you could hardly tell it from the number of hats she still wears on the university's behalf.

Her full title, professor emerita of philosophy and religion, Mary Jo Ragan professor of interdisciplinary studies and editor-in-chief of Crosstimbers magazine only hints at all that Shafer has done since her retirement.

In 2010, she served as the Area Chair for Religion and Culture at the Popular Culture Association national meetings in St. Louis.

In an effort to better connect USAO graduates with available employment, the USAO offices of alumni development and career services are teaming up to offer new employment programs.

Inspired in part by the addition of several public art pieces on the USAO campus, the Chickasha Area Arts Council, the City of Chickasha and the university are collaborating on a project that will make downtown Chickasha a hub for the arts in the community and the area.