Sunday, May 17, 2009
N. O. C. HONOREES
This writer had the pleasure of attending the NOC Alumni Banquet last week. The pleasure was principally that of seeing three of his former “NOC kids” honored as Distinguished Alums. All three were students during my era as president. They were outstanding students, and they have proven themselves to be exemplary citizen leaders.
Ed Kelley, now editor of the Daily Oklahoman, was a sports writer and the editor of the college’s Maverick newspaper. As the student editor, he was highly serious about his journalistic endeavors and demanded the same of his peers. We did not worry about the newspaper, knowing that it was in responsible hands. He sent his sports work directly to area newspapers.
As a sportswriter, Ed Kelley (from Perry) had a colorful style. I have joked many times about the flourish of his language. I have illustrated this by noting that if Ed were writing about a basketball game, he did not write, “The Mavericks met the Mountaineers in a critical game….. .” Instead Ed might write, “The Mavericks charged onto the court with fire in their eyes and their jaws set in rugged determination to best their arch-rival …… .” This may not be entirely correct, but the point is that he had style.
Ed went on to graduate from the University of Oklahoma and began his career with the Oklahoma Publishing Company. He has done a rich body of work there, including a stint as Washington correspondent, and is now editor of the newspaper of widest circulation in the state. He has done well.
Karen Long (from Enid) was a national championship debater. Paired with Gary Hulse (now an Enid businessman) they formed an unbeatable combination in junior college competition and won university contests as well. They brought home so many championship trophies that we actually had to buy two new display cases for them.
Karen was a bright, spunky, pretty, blonde girl with a pleasing personality. Although she could be a formidable adversary in debate, she was quite easy and pleasant to have around. Her time in college was the period of student activism, and many colleges were experiencing difficulties that we did not allow to develop at NOC. But I have often thought what a tussle it might have been if Karen had been one to try to lead a student rebellion.
Karen went on to become an attorney of considerable note and distinction. While she was the attorney for the O.E.A., she assisted Attorney General Jan Cartwright in successful execution of a lawsuit bringing fairness to the income and distribution system of the Oklahoma School Land Trust. The results benefitted NOC to tune of tens of thousands per year.
Karen now works in a large law firm in Tulsa handling school related cases, normally with public schools as clients. She has done tremendous leadership work in setting up and obtaining consensus on criteria for satisfying Title 9 requirements. She has written the most authoritative publication guide for schools in this legal area.
Kay Farrell (also of Enid) was one of my “kids” at NOC. Kay came to us as an adult student in nursing. She excelled in her academic science work, as well as her nursing courses. Kay participated on our state championship College Bowl team. Kay was always an “upper” to be around. She encouraged fellow nursing students, in what is a demanding, and almost cruel, grind in training. It is stressful to students and faculty laboring under an unyielding pressure of the RN examination at the end of their program.
As a faculty member, Kay showed these same qualities. She was academically competent and appropriately empathetic with students. Other than completing her advanced degrees and returning to NOC as a faculty member, Kay went on to teach for NWOSU. She was then on the nursing faculty at the Health Sciences Center at the University of Oklahoma. She still maintains a part-time status with OU, while exerting community service leadership in Enid.
I recall that at her commencement at NOC, Kay requested that our commencement speaker be allowed to present her diploma. That was none other than Bert Mackie, her neighbor in Enid, our good friend, and Oklahoma State Regent for the System at that time.
These honorees were kind enough to give me more than my fair share of the credit for their personal academic and career success. After all these years, it really does feel good to be appreciated.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Ed Kelley, now editor of the Daily Oklahoman, was a sports writer and the editor of the college’s Maverick newspaper. As the student editor, he was highly serious about his journalistic endeavors and demanded the same of his peers. We did not worry about the newspaper, knowing that it was in responsible hands. He sent his sports work directly to area newspapers.
As a sportswriter, Ed Kelley (from Perry) had a colorful style. I have joked many times about the flourish of his language. I have illustrated this by noting that if Ed were writing about a basketball game, he did not write, “The Mavericks met the Mountaineers in a critical game….. .” Instead Ed might write, “The Mavericks charged onto the court with fire in their eyes and their jaws set in rugged determination to best their arch-rival …… .” This may not be entirely correct, but the point is that he had style.
Ed went on to graduate from the University of Oklahoma and began his career with the Oklahoma Publishing Company. He has done a rich body of work there, including a stint as Washington correspondent, and is now editor of the newspaper of widest circulation in the state. He has done well.
Karen Long (from Enid) was a national championship debater. Paired with Gary Hulse (now an Enid businessman) they formed an unbeatable combination in junior college competition and won university contests as well. They brought home so many championship trophies that we actually had to buy two new display cases for them.
Karen was a bright, spunky, pretty, blonde girl with a pleasing personality. Although she could be a formidable adversary in debate, she was quite easy and pleasant to have around. Her time in college was the period of student activism, and many colleges were experiencing difficulties that we did not allow to develop at NOC. But I have often thought what a tussle it might have been if Karen had been one to try to lead a student rebellion.
Karen went on to become an attorney of considerable note and distinction. While she was the attorney for the O.E.A., she assisted Attorney General Jan Cartwright in successful execution of a lawsuit bringing fairness to the income and distribution system of the Oklahoma School Land Trust. The results benefitted NOC to tune of tens of thousands per year.
Karen now works in a large law firm in Tulsa handling school related cases, normally with public schools as clients. She has done tremendous leadership work in setting up and obtaining consensus on criteria for satisfying Title 9 requirements. She has written the most authoritative publication guide for schools in this legal area.
Kay Farrell (also of Enid) was one of my “kids” at NOC. Kay came to us as an adult student in nursing. She excelled in her academic science work, as well as her nursing courses. Kay participated on our state championship College Bowl team. Kay was always an “upper” to be around. She encouraged fellow nursing students, in what is a demanding, and almost cruel, grind in training. It is stressful to students and faculty laboring under an unyielding pressure of the RN examination at the end of their program.
As a faculty member, Kay showed these same qualities. She was academically competent and appropriately empathetic with students. Other than completing her advanced degrees and returning to NOC as a faculty member, Kay went on to teach for NWOSU. She was then on the nursing faculty at the Health Sciences Center at the University of Oklahoma. She still maintains a part-time status with OU, while exerting community service leadership in Enid.
I recall that at her commencement at NOC, Kay requested that our commencement speaker be allowed to present her diploma. That was none other than Bert Mackie, her neighbor in Enid, our good friend, and Oklahoma State Regent for the System at that time.
These honorees were kind enough to give me more than my fair share of the credit for their personal academic and career success. After all these years, it really does feel good to be appreciated.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
