In this photo, pictured from left, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Shawnee Clinical Educator Karen Romine, House Supervisor Mary Love and Seminole State College Assistant Professor of Nursing Butch Cantrell pose for a photo. The co-workers attended the Great 100 Nurses celebration Oct. 4 at the Hard Rock Casino in Catoosa, where Cantrell was honored among 100 Oklahoma nurses recognized for their compassion, contributions to nursing and mentorship.

SSC Instructor Named Among Oklahoma’s 100 Great Nurses

October 9, 2026Josh Hutton

Seminole State College Assistant Professor of Nursing Butch Cantrell’s path to nursing began with an offer from his wife: $100 if he would apply to nursing school.

At the time, he had spent about a decade working in church creative arts, handling music, audio and video. Nursing was not a career he had planned to pursue.

On Oct. 4, Cantrell was recognized among Oklahoma’s Great 100 Nurses during a celebration at the Hard Rock Casino in Catoosa. The Great 100 Nurses Foundation annually honors 100 registered nurses in the state for their concern for humanity, contributions to nursing and dedication to mentoring others.

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In this photo, Seminole State College Office Manager Alisha Riojas, left, and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Brenda Prochaska pose for a photo after they were recognized during the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Forum on Oct. 8. Riojas was named Staff Member of the Month, and Prochaska was named Faculty Member of the Month.

Chamber of Commerce Honors Two SSC Employees

October 8, 2026Josh Hutton

Two Seminole State College employees were recognized for their dedication and service during the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Forum on Thursday, Oct. 8. Office Manager of the Language Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences Divisions Alisha Riojas was honored as Staff Member of the Month, and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Brenda Prochaska was named Faculty Member of the Month.

The Seminole Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, along with the Lions Club and Kontoor Brands/Wrangler, recognizes SSC employees several times during Forum each year. Honorees are nominated from across campus and selected by college administrators.

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In this photo, Seminole State College employees recognized at the 59th annual Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges Conference pose for a photo. Pictured following the awards presentation, from left, are Professional Staff Member of the Year Erin Medley, Faculty Member of the Year Dr. Steve Bolin, Support Staff Member of the Year Carmen Wright and SSC President Lana Reynolds.

SSC Employees Recognized at Statewide Conference

October 6, 2026Josh Hutton

Three Seminole State College employees were honored at the 59th annual Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges Conference on Oct. 2 at Tulsa Community College’s Northeast Campus. During the event, History Professor and Student Success Coordinator Dr. Steve Bolin was named SSC Faculty Member of the Year; Human Resources Specialist Erin Medley was named Professional Staff Member of the Year; and Custodian Carmen Wright was named Support Staff Member of the Year.

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In this photo, Seminole State College and the University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute representatives pose for a group photo. Seated, from left, are SSC President Lana Reynolds and Dr. Teri Reed, Director of the OU Polytechnic Institute. Standing, from left, are SSC Health Sciences Division Chair Emily Carpenter; Dr. Randa Shehab, OU Senior Associate Dean of Engineering; SSC IT Director/CISO Marc Hunter; SSC Dean of Instruction Jessica Isaacs; SSC Vice President for Finance, Grants and Enrollment Melanie Rinehart; SSC Faculty Senate President Lynette Atchley; Dr. John Hassell, OU Associate Professor; Dr. Chenggang Wang, OU Assistant Professor; SSC Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles; SSC STEM Division Chair Wendy Slusher-Rich; SSC Assistant Professor of Computer Science Alicia Bailey; Dr. Johnnie-Margaret McConnell, OU Director of Transfer Student Success; and Danielle Dunn, OU Associate Vice President of Marketing.

SSC, OU Polytechnic Institute Sign Cybersecurity Transfer Agreement

October 5, 2026Josh Hutton

Seminole State College and the University of Oklahoma Polytechnic Institute have established a new articulation agreement designed to provide SSC computer science students with a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.

Representatives from the two institutions signed the agreement Sept. 28. Under the partnership, students completing SSC’s Associate in Science in Computer Science with a Cybersecurity Emphasis can transfer their SSC coursework into the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program at the OU Polytechnic Institute.

The transfer map outlines a 123-credit-hour path to the bachelor’s degree, consisting of 63 credit hours at SSC followed by 60 credit hours through the OU Polytechnic Institute. The bachelor’s completion portion of the cybersecurity program is currently offered at the OU-Tulsa campus.

“This agreement gives our students a clear destination from the moment they begin the program at SSC,” SSC STEM Division Chair Wendy Rich said. “They can build a strong foundation in computer science and cybersecurity here while knowing the work they complete will continue to move them toward a bachelor’s degree. That kind of clarity is extremely valuable for students planning their education and their careers.”

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In this photo, Seven Seminole State College employees, who were recognized as “Legacy Builders” during the College’s annual Fall In-Service on Aug. 12, pose for a group photo. Pictured from left are Physical Therapist Assistant Program Director Dr. Shakira Stafford, Associate Professor of English and Distance Education Coordinator Dr. Mindy Choate, Director of Physical Plant Clint Robertson, Assistant Professor of English Paul Juhasz, Director of Athletics Leslie Sewell, Director of Enrollment Management Edie Cathey and Associate Professor of Agriculture Wendy Rich.

SSC Honors Seven Employees as Legacy Builders at Fall In-Service

August 31, 2026August 31, 2026Josh Hutton

Seven Seminole State College employees were recognized as “Legacy Builders” during the College’s annual Fall In-Service on Aug. 12. The recognition was part of this year’s “Brick by Brick: Building on 95 Years of Excellence” theme and highlighted employees whose recent achievements have strengthened the College, advanced student success and expanded SSC’s impact on campus and throughout the state.

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SSC Delivers More than 700 Textbooks to Concurrent Students

August 19, 2026Josh Hutton

In this photo, SSC GEAR UP Lead Coordinator Leah Martin (left) delivers textbooks to Wetumka High School Counselor Randi Bellinger.

SSC GEAR UP Lead Coordinator Leah Martin (left) delivers textbooks to Wetumka High School Counselor Randi Bellinger. As the fall semester began this week, Seminole State College delivered more than 700 textbooks to 420 concurrent students at 38 area high schools. The books were funded through the Scott Empowerment Fund, established following philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $17 million unrestricted gift to the SSC Educational Foundation.

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SSC Builds on 95 Years at Fall In-Service

August 14, 2026Josh Hutton

In this photo, Seminole State College’s full-time faculty and staff pose for a group photo wearing shirts commemorating the College’s 95th anniversary. — Seminole State College’s full-time faculty and staff gathered in Cook Commons on Aug. 13 during Fall 2026 In-Service. Employees wore shirts commemorating the College’s 95th anniversary and this year’s theme, “Brick by Brick: Building on 95 Years of Excellence.” In-Service activities were held Aug. 12-14.

In this photo, Members of SSC’s Administrative Council participate in a panel discussion. Pictured from left are President Lana Reynolds, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles, Vice President for Finance, Enrollment and Grants Melanie Rinehart, Dean of Instruction Jessica Isaacs and Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Security Officer Marc Hunter.

Members of SSC’s Administrative Council participated in a panel discussion Aug. 12 in the Utterback Ballroom, addressing topics including enrollment, campus security, accreditation and the implementation of new technology across campus. Pictured from left are President Lana Reynolds, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Bill Knowles, Vice President for Finance, Enrollment and Grants Melanie Rinehart, Dean of Instruction Jessica Isaacs and Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Security Officer Marc Hunter.

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In this photo, Former University of Oklahoma Women’s Basketball Head Coach Sherri Coale delivers her keynote, “Time Well Spent,” during Seminole State College’s fall in-service on Aug. 12 in the Enoch Kelly Haney Center’s Utterback Ballroom.

Former OU Coach Sherri Coale Speaks at SSC Fall In-Service

August 13, 2026Josh Hutton

Former University of Oklahoma women’s basketball Head Coach Sherri Coale shared lessons from her career and reflections on living intentionally during Seminole State College’s fall in-service on Aug. 12.

Coale presented her keynote, “Time Well Spent,” to approximately 140 full-time SSC faculty and staff in the Enoch Kelly Haney Center’s Utterback Ballroom.

Throughout the presentation, Coale drew from her experiences as a coach, educator and leader to discuss the importance of being intentional with time and recognizing the influence people can have on those around them. She encouraged employees to consider how they invest their time, build relationships and approach the opportunities they are given.

Her message complemented the purpose of SSC’s annual fall in-service, which brings employees together before the start of the academic year for professional development, institutional updates and preparation for the semester ahead.

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SSC Public Relations Team Earns Six Awards at Statewide Conference

July 23, 2026July 23, 2026Josh Hutton

In this photo, Seminole State College Web and Multimedia Coordinator Brooks Nickell, Director of Community Relations Kim Pringle and Director of Communications Josh Hutton display the six awards earned by SSC’s Public Relations team following the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association Awards Ceremony on July 20 at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant. — _{Seminole State College Web and Multimedia Coordinator Brooks Nickell, Director of Community Relations Kim Pringle and Director of Communications Josh Hutton display the six awards earned by SSC’s Public Relations team following the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association Awards Ceremony on July 20 at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant.}

Seminole State College’s Public Relations team earned six awards at the 2026 Oklahoma College Public Relations Association Annual Conference and Awards Competition, held July 19-21 at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant.

Director of Community Relations Kim Pringle, Director of Communications Josh Hutton and Web and Multimedia Coordinator Brooks Nickell represented the College at the annual event, which brings together higher education communications and marketing professionals from across the state.

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Reynolds Selected for Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame

July 22, 2026Josh Hutton

Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds has been selected for induction into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame as a member of its 2026 class.

Reynolds, who became SSC’s fifth president in July 2017, is the first woman to lead the College. She will be recognized for her service and contributions to higher education in Oklahoma.

“I am extremely honored to be receiving this recognition,” Reynolds said. “What a privilege it is to work at a job where you are helping people change their lives through education. I appreciate the state and local Regents, my presidential colleagues, coworkers, and community supporters who are partners in these efforts.”

Reynolds has worked in Oklahoma higher education for more than 35 years, serving in several roles at SSC before becoming president. She is a past chair of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Council of Presidents and the Council of Two-Year Presidents. Reynolds currently serves as chair of the Oklahoma Academy and is a former chair of Leadership Oklahoma. She also serves on several state and national boards focused on education, health and rural communities.

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