Healthy students, employees and community members, 17 and older, are encouraged to donate blood at Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Thursday, Dec. 3, in the Ranger Room from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Along with a free t-shirt and free food, donors also will receive free health screenings and Members for Life points to redeem at the Oklahoma Blood Institute’s online store.

Contact Denise Bay, special events coordinator, at dhbay@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8178 to volunteer for this event or with questions regarding the blood drive.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s campuses in Alva, Enid and Woodward will close for Thanksgiving break Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 25-27. No classes will be held during this time, and campus offices will be closed.

Offices will resume normal business hours on Monday, Nov. 30.

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Faculty and staff at Northwestern Oklahoma State University participated in the J.R. Holder Wellness Center fall event “Walktober,” and walked a total of 14,627 minutes, which is equivalent to 243 hours and 47 minutes.

Employees in the Education Center received a traveling plaque for walking the most minutes in Walktober. They walked 6,008 minutes to win the contest between campus buildings. Participants include Tisha Shipley, instructor of education; Dr. Mark Davis, professor of psychology; Dr. Karen Linstrum, assistant professor of psychology; (back row) Copenhaver, Christie Riley, instructor of education; Dr. Sue Diel, Division of Education chair; Natalie Miller, assistant certification officer.

Kyle Haggard, printing services assistant, received the award for walking the most minutes with a total of 1,461 minutes walked.

Miller walked 11 consecutive days and received recognition for that achievement.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University students will be performing with the United Methodist Church Choir Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Members of the Brass Ensemble include Jamie Brien, Arthur Bohlmann, Christopher Jamison and Kacey Dods.

The Northwestern Brass Ensemble will be joining the church choir to perform Eugene Butler’s Festival Piece on “St. Anne.”

The students include Jamie Brien, Seiling freshman, and Kacey Dods, Enid freshman, on trumpet and Arthur Bohlmann, Hooker junior, and Christopher Jamison, Carmen junior, on trombone.

The students are under the direction of Dr. Michael Stone, director of bands at Northwestern.
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Members of the Psychology Club and Student Oklahoma Education Association are teaming up to collect the non-perishable food items at the game with Oklahoma Christian and will begin accepting the items at 5 p.m. The clubs also have set boxes out in various buildings around the Northwestern campus for those who’d like to donate items before or after Monday’s ballgames.

All non-perishable food items will be donated to the Community Food Bank managed by Opportunities, Inc., in Alva on Nov. 24, just in time for Thanksgiving.

“This year there is probably a greater need than in the past,” said Dr. Mark Davis, professor of psychology and sponsor of the Psychology Club. “Every time we’ve had a Northwestern food drive, it has been tremendously successful. We are hoping Ranger fans will step up to the challenge at the Blackout.”

Northwestern’s “Blackout” event also is a chance for all Ranger fans to show Ranger pride through the wearing of black clothing. Fans are encouraged to paint their faces and bring signs to the game to add to the fun atmosphere that has become a tradition in “The Pit,” especially during conference games. However, artificial noise makers are not allowed at the game per Sooner Athletic Conference rules.

Northwestern will help in creating Ranger pride by giving the first 700 fans free black Ranger Nation t-shirts beginning at 5 p.m. Tip off for the Lady Rangers’ game is 6 p.m. with the men following at 8 p.m.

In addition to the t-shirt giveaway, Northwestern students who register by halftime of the women’s game will be eligible to participate in various contests for prizes.

“What better way to kick off the opening of our conference schedule than to create an atmosphere of pride and enthusiasm inside Percefull Fieldhouse that can be carried throughout the remainder of the season, as well as to give back to the community through the donation of non-perishable food items,” said Steve Valencia, associate vice president for University Relations.
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Christina Stallings Roberson from the Oklahoma Forestry Service in Oklahoma City recently held an Environmental Education workshop for secondary education majors at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Northwestern secondary education majors worked with Christina Stallings Roberson from the Oklahoma Forestry Service to learn about creating exciting lesson plans focused around environmental education.

Roberson held a four hour workshop during a class taught by Dr. Steven Mackie, associate professor of education. During Principles and Methods of Teaching, 11 secondary education majors received ideas for lesson plans, mainly ideas pertaining to environmental education. These students will enter schools to begin student teaching next semester.

“With this class and workshop, students will gain practical advice and ideas for lesson plans,” Mackie said. “Roberson comes to Northwestern twice a year, but this is the most in depth workshop she has held here.”

Northwestern seniors who are preparing for student teaching next semester are Tyler Bates, Mooreland; Brandon Bookout and Katy Ferguson, Enid; Carl Gaebler, Hominy; Kelli Krows, Seiling; Amy (Hook) Chase, Heather Lohmann, Ryan Penner and Jake Phillips, Alva; Kristi Patton, Medicine Lodge, Kan.; Alex Shafer, Lubbock, Texas.

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Join three time national fiddle champion Byron Berline and his band - John Hickman, Jim Fish, Greg Burgess, Richard Sharp and Steve Short - as they take the Herod Hall Auditorium stage for an exciting evening of traditional bluegrass and Western swing music. They will perform on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m.

Byron Berline Band

Tickets can be purchased at Holder Drug, Schuhmacher’s, the NWOSU Bookstore or by calling (580) 327-8692. Adult season tickets are $30 (a $40 value) and student season tickets are $15 (a $20 value). Tickets to individual performances will be sold on an “as available” basis at $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Berline’s early career included playing fiddle with bluegrass legends such as Bill Monroe, Dillard and Clark and Country Gazette. His long list of performing and recording credits includes The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, Elton John and many more. He also has extensive television and movie sound track credits and has appeared in “Star Trek,” “Blaze,” “Back to the Future III,” and “Basic Instinct.”

In 1995 Berline returned to his home state of Oklahoma where he opened a Fiddle Shop in Guthrie, for the purpose of “visiting, trading and jamming” with folks who enjoy their music. In the Fiddle Shop, the Byron Berline Band formed and found themselves in great demand around the state, as well as surrounding states, and have extended their music through Europe.

Regarded as one of the great masters of the banjo, the legendary John Hickman continues his almost 30 year collaboration with Berline. Hickman has played with bluegrass greats like Red Allen, Frank Wakefield and Earl Taylor’s Stoney Mountain Boys.

Jim Fish began his career as a musician playing washboard in a jug band in the early 60s, but the lure of the guitar was too powerful to deny. Fish saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show and began a decades-long interest in guitar as a result. His diverse influences include Don Rich, George Harrison, Roger McGuinn and Clarence White. Fish uses a custom-made “vintaged” Triggs acoustic guitar and a Telecaster with a string-bender device to contribute to the sound of the Byron Berline Band.

Greg Burgess has been playing guitar and fiddle for more than 30 years. Over the years, associations with fiddlers like Clark Forshee, Amos Hedrick, Ace Sewell, Russell O’Neal, and, of course, Byron Berline, helped form Greg’s fiddling style. Greg has won the Oklahoma State Fiddle Championship numerous times, and has been ranked in the top 10 at a number of national level fiddle contests.

Richard Sharp is at home on the left-handed upright and electric bass. Sharp has stayed busy with more recording sessions than can be listed. He has toured with Oklahoma’s own Harlow Wilcox, recording on his Grammy nominated album Groovy Grubworm. He has shared the stage with Hank Thompson, Texas Playboys, Chris Hillman, and Vince Gill, just to name a few.

Steve Short began playing drums with his parents’ family band at a very early age. Since those early days he has recorded and played with every big name imaginable, including three years with Reba McEntyre. Steve is an accomplished recording and sound engineer, and produces the Byron Berline Band’s album projects. He is undoubtedly the most popular recording drummer in the area.

For more information regarding the Concert Series, contact Dr. Stephen Kingsbury, concert series chairman and associate professor of music, at (580) 327-8692 or sakingsbury@nwosu.edu.

The Northwest Oklahoma Concert Series is made possible with the assistance of the Oklahoma Arts Council, the National Endowment for Fine Arts and the Share Trust of Alva.

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Ranger Preview at Northwestern Oklahoma State University saw 376 students for the annual event, setting an all-time attendance record.

Attendance increased by 33 percent over last year. For the fourth straight year, Ranger Preview attendance has been record-breaking.

“It was the best Ranger Preview I have been a part of to date,” said Matt Adair, director of recruitment.

“The crowd was energetic and really seemed to be enjoying the day on campus. The attendance was amazing.”

In total, 700 students and family members were on campus to see all that Northwestern has to offer. Students who attend Ranger Preview automatically receive a $400 scholarship to attend Northwestern and live in Alva.

After filling out applications and visiting with representatives from campus organizations, students and families enjoyed a performance by the Ranger band and cheerleaders. A free lunch for those attending was provided in Coronado Cafeteria.

“We really appreciate the efforts put forth by the faculty members and student organizations to get up early on a Saturday to meet with these students,” Adair said.

Adair also commended his staff in the office of Recruitment: Calleb Mosburg, assistant director of recruitment; Travis Biaggi and Sabrina Watson, recruiters; and Andrea Crawford, office manager, for spending countless hours visiting high schools, calling students and organizing every detail of Ranger Preview.

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Northwestern Oklahoma State University hopes to turn Percefull Fieldhouse into the “Black Sea” on Nov. 23 when the Rangers play host to Oklahoma Christian for a Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader.

As part of the school’s “Blackout” festivities, all Ranger fans are encouraged to wear black clothing, paint their faces and bring signs to the game, and Northwestern will help in that cause by giving the first 700 fans free black Ranger Nation t-shirts. Tip off for the Lady Rangers’ game is 6 p.m. with the men following at 8 p.m.

“The event is similar to our popular Whiteout and Red Alert games, but this year we wanted to fill Percefull with black and make a lasting impression on OC,” said Steve Valencia, associate vice president for university relations. “Our fans have proven over the past couple of years that they can make a big difference by showing up and getting loud. We have big wins in Percefull to prove that and want to add more on Nov. 23.”

In addition to the t-shirt giveaway, Northwestern students who register by halftime of the women’s game will be eligible to participate in various contests for prizes.

“It can be a great environment for the Rangers if everyone comes dressed in black and ready to support our teams,” Valencia said.
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Homecoming at Northwestern Oklahoma State University will be held earlier in the fall semester next year, but alumni and visitors can still expect to share the same Ranger traditions and excitement.

The dates for the 2010 celebration are Thursday, Sept. 23, through Saturday, Sept. 25.

Steve Valencia, associate vice president for university relations and chairman of the Northwestern/Alva Homecoming Committee, said the fact that there are only four scheduled home football games next year left the committee with few options.

The Rangers will play host to its first home game in late August, and one game will be held over the university’s fall break. Another home game date in early November conflicts with the annual Ranger Rodeo.

“Given the home football game schedule and the events already planned for next year, we had little choice but to choose Sept. 23-25 as Homecoming,” Valencia said.

“It’s important to the Homecoming Committee that we notify the public of the early Homecoming date,” Valencia said. “We want to get the word out about the early date so groups can plan accordingly.”

The theme contest for Homecoming 2010 will begin in February.

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