ADA – East Central University’s Honors Program is welcoming its incoming 2020 class with a record-breaking number of scholarship awards.
ECU’s 2020 Honors class includes 36 scholarship awardees and one high school student, who is taking concurrent ECU classes. Of the scholarship awardees, 30 are receiving four-year Honors scholarships that are worth $20,000 each. This is highest number of scholarships the program has awarded since its inception in 1985.
Honors students at ECU enjoy smaller, discussion-based classes and participate in one of the most active student organizations on campus.
In recent years, Honors students have won awards for their research at national conferences, been chosen as the Great American Conference scholar athlete of the year, won the Nigh Award given to ECU’s outstanding senior, served as drum major of ECU’s Pride of Tigerland Band, served in leadership positions in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, and been voted ECU’s Homecoming Queen.
The 85 scholars who are returning to the Honors Program for the fall 2020 semester include 19 first-generation college students; nine scholar athletes who play for ECU’s Football, Soccer, Cross Country, Baseball and Women’s Basketball teams; and a drum major for the Pride of Tigerland Band.
Recent graduates of ECU’s Honors Program have enjoyed success at prestigious graduate schools including Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Dartmouth, the University of Alabama, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Nebraska, as well as at graduate and medical school programs in Oklahoma and neighboring states.
Eighteen members of this year’s class of incoming first-year Honors students have majors in the College of Health and Sciences, including:
- Britt Bradstreet, Pre-Engineering major from Stratford
- Jillian Brassfield, Biology major from Ada
- Korynn Cowger, Biology (Health Sciences) major from Byng
- Michael Draper, Biology (Clinical Lab Science) major from Ada
- Lauren HerrNeckar, Biology major from Round Rock, Texas
- Amelia Holtzman, Biology major from Ada
- Riley Knickmeyer, Biology major from Vanoss
- Megan Lewis, Biology major from Tuttle
- Joshua Myers, Computer Science major from Vanoss
- Zoie Newman, Biology major from McAlester
- Toby Pyle, Computer Science major from Elmore City
- Glennon Selke, Pre-Veterinary major from Chandler
- Reese Siegle, Pre-Medicine major from Ada
- Reia Storch, Pre-Dental Hygiene major from Oklahoma City
- Logan Thompson, Computer Science major from Plainview
- Gracie Tollett, Biology (Molecular Biology) major from Byng
- Miriam Grace Watters, Pre-Medicine major from Seminole
- Olivia Watters, Pre-Medicine major from Seminole
Six members of the class have majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, including:
- Morgan Anderson, Human Services (Counseling for the Deaf) major from Wilburton
- Kimber Farris, Vocal Music major from Bethel
- Gianna Loboda, English major from Stratford
- Canaan Miller, Mass Communications (Mass Media) major from Ada
- Libby Revel, Instrumental Music (Teaching Certification) major from Moore
- Delanie Seals, a Political Science major from Byng who is also considering majoring in Psychology
Six members of the class have majors in the College of Education and Psychology, including:
- Mindy Corbin, Psychology major from Durant
- Malorie Larman, Elementary Education major from Asher
- Brennan Lynch, Elementary Education major from Edmond
- Karlene Shaffer, Elementary Education major from Southmoore
- Rachel Wallis, Psychology major from Broken Bow
- Trinity Whitehead, Psychology major from Ada
Six members of the class have majors in the School of Business, including:
- Tanner Collins, Business Administration (General Business) major from Dale
- Anna Herd, Accounting major from Pauls Valley
- Parker Milligan, Business major from Washington
- Jordan Odell, Business (Entrepreneurship) major from Asher
- Elena Raymundo, Business Administration (General Business) major from Durant
- Timothy Wakefield, Business Administration (Marketing) major from Ada
Elizabeth Acree of Ada has not declared a major, but is considering Business Administration, Sociology and Chemistry.
ECU’s 2020 Honors class includes several valedictorians and salutatorians, two student council presidents, a three-time state Cross Country qualifier, three drum majors, a baseball state champion, an award-winning video director, All-State and All-District softball players, a two-time All-American cheerleader and cheer captain, a licensed pilot, a three-time state tennis champion, a two-time All-State Choir member, an Academic All-Stater, a drumline captain, the leader of a successful campaign to change a school dress code to include cultural headwear, and five first-generation college students.
To learn more about ECU Honors, like the program’s Facebook page @ecuhonorsprogram. Dr. Steve Benton, program director, may be contacted at 580-559-5877 or sbenton@ecok.edu.
Cutline: Members of East Central University’s Honors Program and some faculty gathered on campus in July for a summer social. The participants wore masks and honored social distancing protocols during the event.
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