Friday, June 30, 2023
New STEM Hub to serve educators and students Jake Sellers Staff Reporter
science. I’m not pure mathematics. I’m not an engineer.’ Really, all disciplines touch STEM Oklahoma State Uni- in some way. Rather than STEM being just siloed versity recently launched the STEM Education Hub. disciplines of science, technology, engineering Designed to be an allinclusive center for STEM and mathematics, it is defined more as habits of education resources and mind and ways of applying opportunities, the STEM creativity, design thinkHub will increase awareing, innovation and critical ness and expand STEM education across the OSU thinking.” The online hub can system. be personalized by usThrough collaborative efforts, the STEM ers as they can create a login, search for specific Hub is intended to serve resources and save their K-12 teachers and students, college and univer- favorites. The user can filter the intended audisity students, professors, ence, ranging from Pre-K parents and guardians. This innovative work pro- to college level students, vides STEM resources to as well as adult learners and educators. The hub the public. also includes a variety of “A lot of people subjects spanning from don’t realize they are a part of STEM,” said Susan agriculture to business and veterinary medicine to Stansberry, educational virtual reality. foundations professor. “They think ‘I’m not pure See STEM on 6
Courtesy of OSU As part of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Lusk was chosen to lead the Ferguson College of Agriculture, OSU Extension and OSU Ag Research.
New vice president and dean of OSU agriculture appointed Lauren King Staff Reporter
Courtesy of Judith Kaufman Judy Kaufman, left, and Jan, her wife of 33 years.
Honoring Pride Judith Kaufman Jaycee Hampton News and Lifestyle Assistant Editor Activist, former professor and member of the LGBTQ+ community: Judith Kaufman still carries optimism on her shoulders. The LGBTQ+ community has made monumental strides to get to where they are today, and we have various elders of the community to appreciate and thank this Pride Month. There is no doubt that elders in the LGBTQ+ community helped pave the way for those in the community that will come after them. Homophobia and transphobia were excessively prominent in the 1900s. Their bravery and persistence deserve to be celebrated in remembrance, not only during Pride Month but all year round. This is especially true for Judith Kaufman. As a lesbian, she has had to overcome adversity and remain persistent with her morals and beliefs. Recog-
nizing her, respecting her and getting to know her is a beautiful tribute to this Pride Month. Born in 1955, Kaufman was raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. Survived by her parents and brother, she describes her childhood coexistence as typical, but dysfunctional, in a nuclear family. Out of high school, she attended local Clark University to receive her bachelor’s in psychology, graduating in 1978. Kaufman had no idea she was a lesbian throughout her adolescence and teenage years, but there was something in the back of her mind that craved adventure. She knew she needed to make it out of Worcester and fulfill the longing feeling of finding herself outside of her hometown. “It wasn’t even a thought that I was a lesbian” Kaufman said. “It hadn’t occurred to me, you know, it’s in 1978. We’re still living in a world where you don’t see folks who make their own [sexuality] visible, so I never had that reflection. So I think I knew that I needed to leave home to begin to figure out who I was, and I needed to go far away.” See Pride on 7
Agriculture. Lusk has worked as a professor and head of the Agricultural Economics Department for Jayson L. Lusk was named Purdue University since he left OSU in 2017. vice president and dean of the In his lifetime, Lusk has Division of Agricultural Sciences published five books and more and Natural Resources by Oklathan 270 articles in peer-rehoma State University. viewed journals covering agriLusk has a bachelor’s cultural research and innovation. degree in food technology from Lusk’s latest book, titled “UnTexas Tech University and a doctorate in agricultural econom- naturally Delicious,” explains ics from Kansas State University. how science and technology work with agriculture to improve Lusk began his career as an assistant professor at Mississippi worldwide food insecurity. Lusk has also received State University and worked his numerous awards including the way to the top from there. Borlaug Communication Award Lusk was employed by from the Council for Agricultural OSU from 2005 to 2017 where Science and Technology and the he worked as an agricultural Lou Ann Aday award -- Purdue economics professor and held University’s most prestigious the Willard Sparks Endowed research award in the humaniChair, then worked as a regents ties and social sciences. He has professor. During this time, in served on the executive com2011, Lusk lived in Paris where mittee of the USDA National he conducted research for the Agricultural Research, ExtenFrench National Institute for
sion, Education and Economics Advisory Board. He is also a fellow and past president of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. With renown experience and skill, Lusk is more than qualified for his upcoming position as dean of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at OSU, which he will begin in August. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to come home to a place where I worked for 13 years and help build on the foundation in place to move the college and our state forward,” Lusk said. “It’s an opportunity to make an impact and to make a difference. It’s also a place where the students, faculty and staff are doing good things, and OSU Agriculture is well positioned with support of alumni and stakeholders to have an even bigger impact in Oklahoma and beyond.” See Vice president on 5
Reigning Big 12 Champion KSU returns entire offensive line Davis Cordova Staff Reporter Football season is creeping up, and the Big 12 welcomes four new teams. The O’Colly will rank position groups in the conference each week. Previously, quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers were ranked. This time, it’s the offensive line. 1. Kansas State Cooper Beebe is a projected first-round pick in 2024 and is one of the best offensive linemen in the country. Beebe, a first-team All-American, will lead the best line, which returns all five starters. KT Leveston, Hayden Gillum, Hadley Panzer and Christian Duffie add to the talent on the line with Beebe. The five combine for 116 starts. The line limited opponents to 21 sacks last season and helped running back Deuce Vaughn total more than 1,500 rushing yards.
Chase Davis All five starting offensive linemen return for the Longhorns after opening lanes for Doak Walker Award winner Bijan Robinson last year.
2. Texas A front line anchored by second-team All-Big 12 tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. returns all five starters and looks to be one of the best fronts in college football. Banks Jr. is the leader of this core, but Hayden Connor, Jake Majors, Cole Hutson and Christian Jones all make this frontline the second-best in the conference. The front five helped Texas running back Bijan Robinson run away with the Doak Walker Award last season.
3. West Virginia West Virginia sits around the top of this list because the Mountaineers bring back all five front-line starters, led by Zach Frazier. Frazier allowed one sack in 2022 and was named a firstteam All-Big 12 lineman. Frazier was named to the way-too-early All-American 2023 team by ESPN. The line allowed 20 sacks last season and features two former freshman All-Americans in Wyatt Milum and Tomas Rimac. See Big 12 on 3