Hundreds of little ghosts, goblins, superheroes and princesses visited Seminole State College on Oct. 28 for the College’s annual Trick or Treat Trail event. SSC employees and students passed out candy along the north pond on campus.
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and an advocate for autism awareness and humane livestock handling. She will deliver a live Zoom presentation with audience Q&A at Seminole State College from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10.
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., a pioneering animal behaviorist and advocate for neurodiversity, will deliver a live Zoom presentation with audience Q&A at Seminole State College from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, in the Jeff Johnston Auditorium. The event, free and open to the public, is titled “Animal Welfare Presented Through the Lens of Autism.” No link will be provided. You must attend in person to see the presentation.
Grandin has worked for more than five decades to apply her observations of animal behavior to livestock handling practices. Her work has contributed to the development of curved chutes, lighting adjustments and low-stress systems intended to reduce fear and injuries in cattle and pigs. Today, across North America, a significant share of cattle is handled in center-track restrainer systems based on her designs, and her facility audits are used in processing plants. Her methods are studied by agriculture and veterinary students as examples of how field observation and iterative prototyping can affect industry practices.
SSC sophomore Ethan Rich (left) of Prague poses with former Trojan baseball player and SSC Alumni Hall of Famer Chris Schroeder, Director of the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma, during the Oklahoma Academy Town Hall. Schroeder served as a panelist during the event.Pictured at the 2025 Oklahoma Academy Town Hall in Tulsa, Oct. 26–29: SSC President Lana Reynolds, SSC sophomore Ethan Rich of Prague and SSC Educational Foundation Chair Mark Schell.
Seminole State College sophomore Ethan Rich, of Prague, was selected as one of only ten students from colleges and universities across Oklahoma to participate in the 2025 Oklahoma Academy Town Hall, held Oct. 26–29 at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa. Also representing SSC were President Lana Reynolds and SSC Educational Foundation Chair Mark Schell.
This year’s Town Hall theme, “Forging Our Future Beyond ARPA,” focused on how Oklahoma can build on American Rescue Plan Act investments to strengthen communities and drive long-term resilience. Over four days, participants collaborated with civic leaders, policymakers and community advocates to develop actionable public policy recommendations.
Founded in 1967 as a nonpartisan forum to advance sound public policy, the Oklahoma Academy adopted its Town Hall model in 2001 to convene diverse voices and convert ideas into consensus recommendations. The organization will compile and publish findings from this year’s discussions following the event.
“Ethan represented SSC incredibly well,” President Reynolds said. “We’re proud to see our students engaged in meaningful conversations about Oklahoma’s future.”
SSC Volleyball and Soccer are set to compete in their respective NJCAA Division II postseason tournaments this week. Updates, brackets and live stream links can be found here.
Seminole State College Physical Therapist Assistant program Director Shakira Stafford talks with prospective students inside the PTA lab housed at Gordon Cooper Technology Center during the College’s in-person meet and greet on Oct. 20. Attendees met faculty and current students, learned about curriculum, clinical education, financial aid and explored career opportunities.
Seminole State College held a candlelight vigil on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Lloyd Simmons Field at the Brian Crawford Memorial (BCM) Sports Complex to honor the life of freshman baseball student-athlete Denim Harris. A capacity crowd of over 300 attended, including his Trojan teammates, student-athletes from other SSC teams, faculty and staff, baseball parents and community members.
Seminole State College’s 2025 Leadership Development class led the campus food drive Oct. 6-20, collecting more than 400 boxed, canned and microwaveable items for the Salvation Army, with help from the Student Government Association, Phi Theta Kappa and the SSC volleyball team. Professor of history Marta Osby, who teaches the Leadership Development courses, helped organize the drive.
Seminole State College will host an in-person meet and greet for students interested in the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program on Monday, Oct. 20, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Gordon Cooper Technology Center campus in Shawnee.
Retired employees from Seminole State College, shown here with photos from the college’s historical archives, gathered for a reunion breakfast held in the Haney Center on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Pictured seated (left to right) are: Judy James, Debbie Robertson, Janet Waddell, Debbie Hammond, Patty Bland, Susan Shumaker, Mindy Stufflebeam and Mary Ann Hill. Standing (left to right) are: Ted Hurt, Tom Stephens, Larry Vickers, Rusty Beene, Dan Factor, Dave Helseth, Norma Gillespie, Dr. Noble Jobe, Dr. Linda Goeller, David Cobb, Susan Walker, Mark Spencer, Rick Hanson, Kelly Chastain, Kelly Kirk, Larry Birdwell, Fred Bunyan, Travis Qualls, Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, Dr. Richard Wood and Cynthia Yerby.
Two Seminole State College employees were recognized for their dedication and service during the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Forum on Oct. 9. Professor of History Marta Osby was honored as Faculty Member of the Month, and Health Sciences Office Manager Julie Mathews was named Staff Member of the Month.