Isaacs Named Dean of Instruction at SSC

July 11, 2024Josh Hutton

Professor of English Jessica Isaacs has been named the new Dean of Instruction at Seminole State College, effective July 15, 2024.

Isaacs has worked full-time at Seminole State College for the past 22 years. She has served as the Division Chair of the Language Arts and Humanities Division and played a pivotal role in the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in both 2020 and 2010.

“We have so many great opportunities for growth at SSC. As a senior faculty member in this new leadership role, I’m excited to share what I’ve learned, to support faculty any way I can and to help our students succeed,” Isaacs said.

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In this photo Seminole State College Director of Enrollment Management Edith Cathey (right) assists Madalyn Douthit (left), of Seminole, as she completes the scholarship application.

SSC Extends Scholarship Application Deadline Following FAFSA Delay

July 9, 2024July 17, 2024Josh Hutton

Seminole State College has announced an extension of the scholarship application deadline for the Fall 2024 term to July 31, 2024. This decision follows the delay in the availability of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which has impacted many students’ ability to complete their financial aid applications on time.

The extended deadline provides prospective and current students additional time to apply for scholarships amid uncertainties caused by the FAFSA delay. The 2024-25 FAFSA was initially delayed due to a massive overhaul of the application, as required by Congress. As of June 21, the percentage of FAFSA completions by 2024 high school graduates was down 11.8 percent versus the class of 2023 at the same time last year, according to the National College Attainment Network.

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In this photo Seminole State College Athletic Director Leslie Sewell throws the opening pitch of the Oklahoma City Spark’s game against the Chattanooga Steam at Devon Park on July 3.

SSC Athletic Director Throws Opening Pitch at Spark Game

July 3, 2024July 8, 2024Josh Hutton

Seminole State College Athletic Director Leslie Sewell was invited to throw the opening pitch of the Oklahoma City Spark’s game against the Chattanooga Steam at Devon Park on July 3. Sewell has worked at SSC for 14 years. She was named Athletic Director in July of 2023. When she began the role, she was the only female athletic director in all the two-year colleges in Oklahoma. Since she has taken the helm, the SSC women’s volleyball, baseball and women’s soccer teams all won their regional tournaments. Soccer advanced to the national tournament ranked number two in the country.

The Oklahoma City Spark professional softball team had their inaugural season in the summer of 2023. They are led by Head Coach Amber Flores, who also serves as Head Coach for the SSC softball team. The Spark’s regular season runs through July 21.

Posing for a photo are SSC employees who attended the national “Element451: Engage Summit” in Raleigh, North Carolina (pictured left to right) are Davis Kappele, Academic Advisor; Melanie Rinehart, Vice President of Finance, Grants and Enrollment; Edith Cathey, Director of Enrollment Management; Madisen Potter, Recruitment Specialist; and Caitlin Brown, Online Degree Navigator.

SSC Staff Receives National Training

June 27, 2024Josh Hutton

Members of the Seminole State College enrollment management team attended the national “Element451: Engage Summit” in Raleigh, North Carolina this week. The group received training on the specialized Customer Relations Module (CRM) software, which SSC uses for their recruitment, marketing and communication efforts. They also learned about ways to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to better engage with, support and conduct outreach to current and prospective students. SSC employees (pictured left to right) are Davis Kappele, Academic Advisor; Melanie Rinehart, Vice President of Finance, Grants and Enrollment; Edith Cathey, Director of Enrollment Management; Madisen Potter, Recruitment Specialist; and Caitlin Brown, Online Degree Navigator.

In this photo Seminole State College infielder Caden Powell rounds third base.

Trojan Infielder Named NJCAA National Baseball Player of the Year

June 24, 2024Josh Hutton

Seminole State College infielder Caden Powell, of Clinton, was recently named the 2024 NJCAA Division I National Baseball Player of the Year. The last time the SSC Trojans had a national player of the year was in 2008.

Powell had a standout performance this season, achieving a batting average of .502 with 109 hits and 104 RBIs. In 217 at bats, he recorded 32 homeruns, 17 doubles and 7 triples. Powell led the Trojans in runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, triples, homeruns and total bases.

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SSC Employee Retires after 35 Years at the College

June 20, 2024June 24, 2024Josh Hutton

Pictured is Seminole State College Medical Laboratory Technology Professor Malinda Browning standing by a cake during her recent retirement reception.

Seminole State College Medical Laboratory Technology Professor Malinda Browning was honored at a retirement reception on June 20. Browning has worked at the College for 35 years. In that time, she has served as the Phlebotomy Program Director, the Medical Laboratory Clinical Coordinator, MLT Program Director and most recently as a faculty member for the MLT Program. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology at Indiana University and her master’s degree in Health Promotion Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.

Posing for a photo with Seminole State College Medical Laboratory Technology Professor Malinda Browning (Center) are Former MLT Program Director Perthena Latchaw (left) and current MLT Program Director Kelly Hankal (right.)

Former MLT Program Director Perthena Latchaw (left) and current MLT Program Director Kelly Hankal (right) joined Browning (center) at the reception to celebrate her retirement.

In this photo SSC Board of Regents Chair Kim Hyden (center right) poses with her fellow Regents (left to right) Ryan Pitts, Robyn Ready, Hyden and Marci Donaho.

SSC Freezes Tuition for Second Year in a Row

June 20, 2024Josh Hutton

At their meeting on June 20, the Seminole State College Board of Regents approved the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes a cost-of-living raise for employees and no increase to tuition.

During the meeting, President Lana Reynolds provided an update on personnel changes and end of the academic year campus activities.

The first two items on the agenda were the consideration of renewing the College’s Memorandum of Understanding with Gordon Cooper Technology Center for SSC’s Physical Therapist Assistant and Medical Laboratory Technology programs. Both programs hold their classes on GCTC’s Shawnee campus. The Board approved the MOU renewals.

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In this photo, SSC freshman and Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship recipient Kynslei Wise, of Stroud, studies for one of her summer courses.

Deadline Approaches for Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship Program

June 20, 2024Josh Hutton

The application deadline for students to enroll in Oklahoma’s Promise, a state scholarship program, is set for July 1. This is the final opportunity for students who were 11th graders in the 2023-24 school year to apply for the scholarship.

Oklahoma’s Promise is a program that provides high school students with the opportunity to secure a tuition scholarship applicable at an Oklahoma college, university or public career technology center. Eligibility is based on family income: $60,000 for families with one or two dependent children, $70,000 for three or four children and $80,000 for five or more children. Special provisions are available for adopted children from certain court-ordered custody and those under court-appointed legal guardians.

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Reynolds Recognized for Service to the Council of Presidents

June 11, 2024Josh Hutton

In this photo Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds (right) is presented with an engraved wooden medallion marking her tenure as Chair by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Vice Chair Dr. Thomas Newsom (left)

Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds (right) was recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education last week for her service as Chair of the Council of Presidents for 2023-2024. At the June meeting of the COP, Reynolds was presented an engraved wooden medallion marking her tenure as Chair by Vice Chair Dr. Thomas Newsom (left), President of Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Middle School Students Attend Rollercoaster Camp

June 11, 2024June 11, 2024Josh Hutton

SSC Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant program hosted an engineering “Coaster Camp” for eighth-grade students on June 5 and 6. As students worked together and problem solved to build their own roller coasters, Mrs. Jenny Davidson, Wewoka High School Geometry and Trigonometry teacher, taught hands-on lessons related to force, motion, and energy.

Students are shown working together and problem solving to build their own roller coasters during the SSC Talent Search/FOCUS federal grant programs engineering “Coaster Camp” for eighth-grade students.

“Coaster Camp” participants were then able to see those lessons on a larger scale with a visit to Frontier City theme park. The Talent Search Central and West Projects are 100% federally funded in the amounts of $388,326 and $277,375 annually. For more information about the Talent Search Program, visit sscok.edu/sponsored-grant-programs/talent-search or call 405-382-9709.