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SSC Named Certified Healthy Campus

Josh Hutton
Pictured, Community Drug Overdose Prevention Coordinator Zane Winters (left) presents the Certified Healthy Campus award to SSC Wellness Committee Chair Mechell Downey (right) on Dec. 1.

Seminole State College has been recognized by the Oklahoma State Department of Health as a Certified Healthy Campus. Community Drug Overdose Prevention Coordinator Zane Winters (left) presented the award to SSC Wellness Committee Chair Mechell Downey (right) on Dec. 1.

Certified Healthy Campus was created in 2011 to recognize both public and private post-secondary campuses and career technology centers that promote health and wellness for their faculty, staff, students, and even visitors. Promotion of health and wellness can be done in a variety of ways including passing policies that encourage healthy lifestyles and making facilities available for physical activities.

Newly appointed Seminole State College Nursing Director Dr. Misty Gray (seated center) hosted area nursing professional for a meeting with the college’s nursing faculty last week. Seated left to right are faculty members: Ann Benson, Jessica Shelburne, Gray, Damaila Lester and Miranda Stewart. Advisory Board members (standing left to right) are: Dr. Darcy Duncan, Holly Kirkland, Alma Raegan, Brandi Ray, Ashley Fichtner, Cathy Broome, Molley Delaney, Megan Moore, Christa Williams and Rhonda Dalluge.

SSC Welcomes New Nursing Program Director

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College has named Dr. Misty Gray to the position of Acting Nursing Director. Gray replaces Crystal Bray who is leaving the college to accept a position as the Nursing Education Consultant with the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.

Gray has 16 years of experience in home health and hospice, orthopedics, surgery, NICU, nursery, post-partum and emergency nursing. She has also spent seven years as a nursing instructor.

She graduated with her associate degree in nursing from SSC and holds a bachelor’s, a master’s and her doctorate from St. Gregory’s University, Oklahoma Baptist University and Grand Canyon University, respectively.

She also has extensive experience working with state and national accrediting bodies.

“We are very fortunate to have Dr. Gray at the college and appreciate her willingness to take on this critical role on campus,” SSC President Lana Reynolds said.

During her first week as Director, Gray hosted area nursing and health care professionals serving as an advisory board for the program for a luncheon on campus. Those in attendance

included: Cathy Broome, Shawnee CNO, SSM Health; Holly Kirkland, Hospice Coordinator, SSM Health; Christa Williams, AHEC/Student Coordinator, McAlester Regional Health Center; Megan Moore, Nurse Educator, McAlester Regional Health Center; Dr. Darcy Duncan, Director/Associate Professor, School of Nursing, East Central University; Ashley Fichtner, Director of Partner School Outreach, Gordon Cooper Technology Center; Molly Delaney, Instructor, Wes Watkins Technology Center; Alma Reagan, Emergency Department Director, SSM Health; Brandi Ray, Director of Nursing, Creek Nation Community Hospital in Okemah; and Leah Burns, Education Manager, Bethany Children’s Health Center.

Reynolds said the College was appreciative of Bray’s long-time service as an instructor and recently as director of the program.

“We want to thank Ms. Bray for her tireless efforts to carry this important program out of the dark days of the COVID pandemic and to lead a great team in producing knowledgeable and caring nurses,” President Reynolds said.

Earlier in the fall semester, SSC’s nursing program was awarded a congressionally directed grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration in the amount of $1,050,000. The grant is set to bring transformative changes to the department, focusing on the development and expansion of simulation labs.

Gray previously served as a Simulation Lab Coordinator at East Central University and is certified in Simulation Instruction and Management from Robert Morris University.

“We believe her expertise will be instrumental in utilizing new technologies in the classroom and preparing the next generation of nurses,” President Reynolds said.

SSC to Host Night at the Lights

Josh Hutton
SSC students and community members are shown working on craft projects at last year's annual Night at the Lights event.

Seminole State College will host its annual Night at the Lights on Monday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Reynolds Wellness Center. The event is free and open to the public. Guests may enjoy making holiday crafts with SSC students, taking in the “Snowman Wonderland” light display in Magnolia Park and meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Free hot chocolate and cookies will be served.

SSC Psychology Professor Christal Knowles (far right) speaks on a human trafficking panel at the Pavilion on the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion on Nov. 16.

SSC Professor Speaks on Human Trafficking Panel

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College Psychology Professor Christal Knowles spoke on a panel about human trafficking at the Pavilion on the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion on Nov. 15. The panel was sponsored by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women (OCSW) and was titled “Solutions, Initiatives and Strategies to Stop Human Trafficking in Oklahoma.”

Continue reading “SSC Professor Speaks on Human Trafficking Panel” →

Speaking with the Speaker: McCall Visits SSC Campus

Josh Hutton
Pictured (left to right) are Daylan Saxon, Seminole freshman; Sutton Titsworth, Bristow freshman; Alex Harper, Coweta sophomore; Speaker McCall; and Ryan Carlisle, Arapaho sophomore.

Representatives of the Seminole State College President’s Leadership Class met with Oklahoma Speaker of the House Charles McCall on Nov. 9 prior to his presentation at the Seminole Chamber of Commerce November Forum. The students presented the Speaker with some gifts from the College and spoke with him about their future plans. Pictured (left to right) are Daylan Saxon, Seminole freshman; Sutton Titsworth, Bristow freshman; Alex Harper, Coweta sophomore; Speaker McCall; and Ryan Carlisle, Arapaho sophomore.

SSC Hosts Send-Off Event for Soccer Team’s Fifth Consecutive National Tournament Trip

Josh Hutton
Pictured, SSC head soccer coach, Dan Hill speaks to SSC students, employees, community supporters, family and friends as they line the walls of the union to wish the team well as they head to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

Seminole State College Women’s Soccer Head Coach Dan Hill thanks attendees at a send-off event on Nov. 10 in the E.T. Dunlap Student Union. SSC students, employees, community supporters, family and friends lined the walls of the union to wish the team well as they head to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas. In their first matchup of the tournament, the Trojans will face Cowley Community College on Nov. 12 at 12:30 p.m.

Prior to the event, soccer supporters Ernie Willis (left) and Mark Schell (right) signed a banner encouraging the team.

Prior to the event, soccer supporters Ernie Willis (left) and Mark Schell (right) signed a banner encouraging the team.

Goodie bags were provided by the Student Government Association and Seminole Social’s Sarah Contreras (pictured left) provided nutritional beverages to the team.

Goodie bags were provided by the Student Government Association and Seminole Social’s Sarah Contreras (pictured left) provided nutritional beverages to the team.

Pictured, the women’s soccer team poses in front of the bus before making their departure.

The women’s soccer team poses in front of the bus before making their departure. The team enters the tournament as the second seed. This marks their fifth consecutive year to compete in the national tournament.

Pictured, SSC students, employees, community supporters, family and friends line the sidewalks and hold a banner for the teams bust to break through as they head to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

As the team departed, the bus busted through the banner as the crowd cheered.

Hundreds Attend Tribal Fest at SSC

Josh Hutton
Pictured is an ariel view of SSC students, community members, and hundreds of fifth through twelfth grade students from Butner, Justice, New Lima, Varnum and Seminole in attendance at Tribal Fest.

Seminole State College hosted Tribal Fest on Nov. 1. The event was organized and sponsored by the College’s federal grant programs: Student Support Services/SSS STEM, Talent Search, GEAR UP, NASNTI and Upward Bound. SSC students, community members, and hundreds of fifth through twelfth grade students from Butner, Justice, New Lima, Varnum and Seminole were in attendance. In the Cook Commons, several tribes had booths set up, providing information on education, career, housing, nutrition, graduation regalia and more. The Citizen Potawatomi, Choctaw, Sac and Fox, Muscogee, Chickasaw, Seminole, Absentee Shawnee and Cherokee Nations were all represented.

Pictured, SSC Alumnus and Mr. Indigenous OU Asa Samuels performs fancy dancing.

SSC Alumnus and Mr. Indigenous OU Asa Samuels performed fancy dancing throughout the morning at the event.

Pictured is Sicangu Lakota rapper Frank Waln performing in the Jeff Johnston Auditorium.

Sicangu Lakota rapper Frank Waln performed in the Jeff Johnston Auditorium. Waln has won three Native American Music Awards. In addition to his musical performance, Waln spoke to students about the value of higher education and his personal journey.