Four Southeastern Oklahoma State University students, along with recent graduates and current faculty members, presented their research at the annual convention of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA) last week.

Kieu Nguyen ’26 presented “Taxonomically and Ecologically Diverse Marine Vertebrate Assemblage at the End of the Cretaceous in Texas (USA).” Nguyen’s presentation won first place in the Undergraduate Student Poster Competition’s Systemics and Evolutionary Biology section.

The Metrocrest Area Chamber will host the National Civics Bee® Metrocrest Local Finals on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Dallas College Brookhaven Campus Performing Hall.

Blake Cooper, Park Place Lexus Plano New Car Sales Director; Cassidy Dorain, Teacher of the Year from Scott Elementary; Katie Ryan, secondary Teacher of the Year from Heritage High School and Gabriel Delgado, Park Place Lexus Plano New Car Sales Manager

“Jeffrey Rosen reinforces that leadership is not about accumulating power, but about cultivating the conditions in which others can flourish,” said Josie Cernero ’27. Rosen then took the stage, delivering an address comparing the political philosophies of Hamilton and Jefferson and stressing the need for thoughtful, informed civic engagement. “Here's a crucial point of order, even though justices and presidents have sometimes betrayed their principles—at least Hamilton and Jefferson gave them principles to betray,” said Rosen. “It's principles that are the one thing that stands between us and violence.”

Author and civic advocate Pete Davis will speak at this year’s Will Mann Richardson Lecture Series on Thursday, April 9 from 11:00 a.m. – noon in Sherman Hall, Hoxie Thompson Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Arthur Tran of Southeastern Oklahoma State University receives the “Best Paper Award” at the 65th Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Finance Association in Dallas. (courtesy photo)

Groups of volunteers will clean and beautify locations throughout Sherman and beyond. Saturday, April 4: IDEA Center Landscaping and Eisenhower State Park. Saturday, April 11: Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Lake Campus, and Eisenhower State Park. Saturday, April 18: Texas Ramp Project and Texoma Earth Day Festival Saturday, April 25: Sneed Prairie

Emma Benoit, Motivational Speaker, leads a panel discussion with high school students, at the Peer to Peer Conference hosted by The Grace Loncar Foundation, Grant Halliburton Foundation and The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation. (photo credit: Simon Luna Studios)

Photos by Buzz Photos

Application deadlines are as follows:
Leadership Launch — April 5, 2026
Cattle Raisers Roundup — May 3, 2026

Dr. Mila Zhu’s new book, The StrataPlay Methodology: A Lorekeeper’s Game Design in Postqualitative Inquiry, will be the highlight of a Faculty Feature: Research Edition event.

Carson Joe Veenstra, Cora McKinney, and Rodger Nixon on the House of Representatives floor prior to the Higher Education Day program

This year¡¯s theme, ¡°Let Hope Rise,¡± emphasizes resilience, empathy, and the power of peer leadership in suicide prevention.

(L-R) Brent Omdahl, Heidi Rushing, President O’Day, Dr. Rahul Renu, Clay Barnett, Kent Sharp, Mayor Teamann, Dr. Beth Gill. The Sherman Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) has approved a grant of $500,000 to Austin College to support engineering equipment that will be housed in the planned Harris Engineering Center.

Kai Jones receives recognition as the first runner-up for the Dr. Anthony Fauci Award in STEM and Classics at the annual conference of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS).

(L-R) Carrie Curtis ’28 and Mahima Jetty ’28 won Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation.