boyd street magazine: march 2016

March 2016 • Issue 3 • Volume 15

Man of the

People Sooner Basketball Coach Lon KrugerSt. Patrick’s Day

Celebrations

Red Cross Month

Spring BreakSurvival Guide

OU Baseball &Softball Begin

Banking • Mortgage • Insurance • Wealth Management

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/laceyswope.wx@laceyswope

With the exception of the Black Friday ice storm and the day-after-Christmas winter storm, this winter has been very quiet. It was like we jam-packed an entire season’s worth of weather into those two events. January and February were both very mild. January was in the top fifteen driest months on record, and February also ended on a dry note. As a result of the lack of precipitation, wildfires have been a big problem. Unfortunately, several Oklahomans lost their homes as wildfires raged through eastern Oklahoma. That threat will diminish some now that one of our most diverse months has arrived.

March is the month of change! Look around and you can already see it. Dandelions, daffodils, tulips and trees are all beginning to bloom. The vegetation turns a bit greener every day. This is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s like life is being breathed back into the state. As a lover of the outdoors, this means boating, fishing, hiking and hunting seasons are just around the corner. Of course, my true passion is our crazy Oklahoma weather. March can be a quiet month, a snowy month, or like last year, a very stormy month. In 2015, March was the start of our severe weather season. In the News9 weather department, we consider our most dangerous time of the year to begin March 15 and continue until June 15. This is the time of year we stay fully staffed, and stay close to the station. Of course, severe weather can and does happen all 12 months of the year, but these are the months when the necessary ingredients are most readily available.

Last March 25 was a big severe weather day. Moore was hit with another tornado. Thankfully, this tornado caused no deaths, but it did extensive damage to many homes and businesses. I tell you this to remind you that as the outdoors change and become more beautiful, our weather pattern is also changing. As it heats up, the moisture from the Gulf becomes more available, and storm-tracks shift as the jet-stream lifts north. Soak in the beautiful scenery, but start thinking about severe weather. Now is the time to get the shelters cleaned out and to practice severe weather safety with the kiddos. Our severe weather season is about to return.

-Lacey

Swope Scope By: Lacey Swope

Fresh Oyster Weekends, Fried Chicken Sundays (all day) & Tuesdays (after 5pm), and Weekend Brunch (Sat and Sun 10:30am to 2:00pm)

Fresh Oyster Weekends

Weekend Brunch Fried Chicken (all day)Sundays

(after 5 pm)TuesdaysSaturday and Sunday10:30 am to 2:00 pm

405-360-43863750 W. Robinson St. - BrookhavenVillage

Norman, OK 73072

405-366-6291301 W Boyd St.-Campus Corner

Norman, OK 73069

48A New Chapter Begins for Sooner Softball by Josh Helmer

A new group so Sooners aim to replicate past successes.

58 Engineers v. Lawyersby Jeff Provine

More antics of one of the longest-running, and most energetic, rivalries on campus.

62 One College, Infinite Possibilitiesby Lindsay Cuomo

OU’s Largest College Honored Outstanding Alumni.

64 Eight women who changed OUby Jeff Provine

A look back at influential legacies that have shaped our university.

71 Normanite’s Spring Break Survival Guide by Tegan Burkhard & Taylor Hickney

Find all you need to make Spring Break unforgettable right here in Norman.

74 Luigi’s Bistro by Lenae Clements

Family dining with an Italian flare.

76 Syrup: A Cuppa Quality by Tegan Burkhard

Syrup serves up steaming cups of direct trade coffee and freshly steeped pots of direct origin tea.

10 Normanites in the Spotlight: Brad Little and Trey Bates

by Meghan Whiting

The creation of HeyDay and the minds behind it.

16 Celebrate Red Cross Monthby Jenna Smith

The entire month of March is dedicated to the work of the Red Cross.

18Celebrate St. Patrick’s Dayby Cheyenne Dickerson

Your guide to Norman’s ‘green’ celebrations.

24March Mindfulness: Meditation in the Community

by Annie Dunham

Boost your Zen with some local meditation groups.

26 The Year of the Lobby Cheyenne Dickerson

The time of long waves is coming to a close.

40Lon Kruger - A Man of the Peopleby Tyler McComas

Coach Kruger brings back the fans and OU’s winning ways.

44Sooner Baseball Looking for Redemptionby Tyler McComas

Sooner Baseball aims to return to Omaha./boydstreetmagazine@boydstreet

boydstreet.com

March 2016 • Issue 3 • Volume 15

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • Mark Doescher

ART DIRECTORJosh Gateley

MANAGING EDITORLindsay Cuomo

SENIOR EDITORCarleigh Foutch

CONTENT CURATORGrant Schatzman

ASSOCIATE EDITORSGrant Schatzman | Meghan Whiting

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTJenna Smith

PHOTOGRAPHYMark Doescher | Josh Kouri

CONTRIBUTORSStefanie Brickman | Tegan Burkhard Lenae Clements | Lindsay Cuomo

Cheyenne Dickerson | Annie DunhamJosh Helmer | Taylor Hickney

Shannon Hudzinski | Tyler McComas Christian Potts | Jeff ProvineJenna Smith | Lacey Swope

WEB DESIGNBecs Yeager

WEB MANAGERJosh Kouri

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVESJoe Wilhite | Randy LaffoonTracie Gray | Perry Spencer

PUBLISHER

Boyd Street MagazineP.O. Box 721494

Norman, Oklahoma 73070

Phone: (405) 321-2400E-mail: [email protected]

Copyright © Boyd Street Magazine

Any articles, artwork or graphics created by Boyd Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of Boyd Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced

for any reason without permission. Any opinions expressed in Boyd Street are not necessarily that of

Boyd Street management.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Joe Wilhite

10 // BOYD STREET MAGAZINE

The weekend is coming up, and you’re looking for a fun way to spend it. Lucky for Normanites, there’s no need to travel far to find quality entertainment. Parents, children and college students alike are sure to find something they love at HeyDay Entertainment, located at 3201 Market Place. In fact, that’s exactly why the establishment was created. There aren’t many places that can cater to every age range, but then again, there aren’t many places like HeyDay.

So how did this recreation center end up along I-35, the perfect distance for Norman, Moore and OKC citizens alike? It’s all thanks to the perfect chance encounter, facilitated by a mutual friend of two OU alumni who are now the owners and operators of HeyDay, Brad Little and Trey Bates.

Bates, a Normanite born and raised, moved to Texas for work after graduating with a degree in accounting and finance from OU. While he did spend fourteen years in Dallas as CFO of a construction company, he couldn’t stay away from the

Sooner State, or Norman, for long.

“We sold the company, so I was trying to figure out what to do for the rest of my life,” said Bates. “My family was from here and I had young children, so I thought this would be a great place to come back and raise a family.”

When Bates moved back to Norman, he became a real-estate developer. Little did he know that at the same time he was developing the land which HeyDay now sits upon, a fellow OU graduate was thinking up the business plan for the entertainment center.

“I’m a recovering attorney,” says Little, who graduated from OU College of Law. Prior to HeyDay, Little worked at a large law firm in downtown OKC. Like Bates, however, he wasn’t sure that what he was doing was how he wanted to spend the rest of his life. “I was working a lot of hours,” said Little, “and I realized two things: one, I wasn’t enjoying it, and at the time, my son did competitive soccer and my daughter did competitive dance.”

Traveling with his children to games and competitions led to Little and his family spending many weekends in different cities in places like HeyDay. This is when his idea for the business plan that would become Heyday was born. “It just dawned on me after several thousand dollars being spent in those places, that Norman needed something like that,” said Little. “So I took it upon myself to figure out the industry and started doing a lot of research.”

Little’s research included traveling to places like Buffalo, New York and cities in New Jersey to look for the perfect vendors for entertainment activities such as laser tag and mini-golf. Although he did the research, Little is a business defense attorney by trade, and wasn’t completely sure how to go about actually starting a business of his own.

So, after putting together a business plan, he contacted a friend to help him get things off the ground. This is where

Brad Little & Trey Bates

Normanites in the Spotlight

by: Meghan Whiting

Trey Bates and Brad Little in the two-story, state-of-the-art HeyDay bowling center.

Continued on page 12

Photos by: Mark Doescher


things finally aligned for his business plan to become a reality. “My friend said that I needed to meet this guy who was looking to do something similar,” said Little. “That’s when he introduces me to Trey, and the rest is history.”

Opposites attract is definitely the case for the two business partners. But, while they say their personalities are completely different, their goal has always remained the same: create a quality, family-oriented business. “The common theme that drew Brad and me together is the quality of the vendors,” said Bates. “I was looking for

someone that was going to be a quality investment—not something that was going to boom and bust.”

If you’re not an experienced developer, it’s hard to look at an empty lot of land and imagine what it could turn into if the right business was built on it. But if you’ve ever been to Heyday, which first opened in 2007, you couldn’t imagine the piece of land off I-35 without it.

During the eight-plus years since HeyDay opened its front doors, the recreation center has undergone some major

facelifts. In 2014, a multimillion dollar expansion enabled Bates and Little to create a recreation center that more than deserved to be recognized as the winner of the 2015 North American Top Family Entertainment Center of the World, North America, Award.

While the two partners created the business, they say they aren’t the only ones to credit for HeyDay becoming not only a reality, but an award-winning recreation center. “We’re a good team,” said Bates, “but we’re two middle-aged guys, so our perspective is limited.”

In order to make the center a place that could truly cater to anyone of any age, Bates and Little turned to their wives, Tracy Bates and Keri Little, for help.

“The way it looks, the way it appears, the presentation—that’s definitely due to our wives,” said Little. Not only did Tracy and Keri contribute to the design and finishing touches of HeyDay, but they also played a big hand in the renovation.

After the AMF Moore Lanes bowling center announced they would not re-build after the May 20, 2013 tornado, Bates and Little were trying to decide how many bowling lanes they could add in to the renovation. They wanted to max out the number of lanes that could be supported, but they could only have 16 lanes downstairs if they didn’t want to destroy the mini-golf area.

“We were at home one day,” said Little, “and she (Keri) says ‘why can’t we do bowling upstairs, too?’ I thought it would never work, but a few days later, Trey comes to me and says that he’s thinking about bowling upstairs.”

With great minds thinking alike, eight lanes were added to the upstairs balcony, giving HeyDay a total of 24 bowling lanes. HeyDay’s expansion has not only allowed the recreation center to meet the need for bowling in the area, as well as provide multi-level laser tag, an 18 hole mini-golf course, ropes course and arcade games, but it has also been able to satiate almost any guest’s appetite. While still carrying the entire menu of DoubleDave’s Pizza, the renovation enabled them to bring in the locally-acclaimed Boomerang Grill.


“We were on one of our road trips to Texas to tour other facilities,” said Bates, “And Brad said, ‘You know, what we really need is a signature food,’ and I immediately thought about Boomerang and the Theta Burger.” As Bates and Little began the process of trying to find out how they could get a Boomerang Grill re-started, they discovered that there was one original Boomerang still in business in South OKC. “I met with the owner, Mike Lawrence, and I showed him our plan. Long story short, we got him to come work for us,” said Bates.

Having the Boomerang Grill was the last piece of the puzzle that came together. “We have a best-in-class restaurant, a best-in-class facility” said Little, “and, certainly not least, the best-in-class people.” The best in class people are definitely a big reason that Heyday has become as successful as it is today.

Although their number of employees went from 45 to 125 after the renovation, Bates and Little have created an environment which inspires a standard they call ‘The Heyday Way.’ “My wife said that if you can end up having a student telling an employer that they’ve worked at HeyDay, and have that mean something to the employer, then you’ve really done something amazing,” said Bates.

Tying in with the theme of creating a family-oriented business, both partners have had their own kids work at HeyDay. “Six of our eight kids have worked here,” said Little, “And three of Trey’s four kids have worked here. But, even though they’re our kids, we have always made sure that they understand they are just like any other employee, and that there’s a chain of command and certain expectations they have to follow.”

What started for unlikely reasons has led to Bates and Trey creating a family business, one they hope doesn’t stay contained to the plot of land off I-35. “We both want to leave a legacy, and a legacy isn’t just one HeyDay. Obviously, we want to grow this,” said Little. “My phrase lately is ‘you don’t want to be that one hit wonder.’ You want to create something that you can take to another market and replicate.”

Their future plans are to expand the recreation center to serve other communities, but that certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t dedicated to continuing the excellence at what will hopefully one day be known as the “original” HeyDay. “One thing we are really good at is executing the now,” said Bates. “We don’t want to take our eye off the ball, and right now, the ball is making this place fantastic for serving the Moore, Norman and OKC area.”

“I can truly tell people that this was a dream come true,” said Little, whose days of business law are now in the past. “It started on a dining room table on scratch paper, and it evolved into this. I wake up every day loving what I do. And to achieve that in someone’s life is I think the real goal.”


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Celebrate Red Cross MonthIn February of this year, president Obama officially proclaimed March as the month to celebrate the everyday supporters and volunteers of the Red Cross’s initiatives. During this month, the Red Cross continues to build awareness about training and educational events regarding fires, natural disasters and work with military veterans.

Brigette Williams, the regional director of communications for the American Red Cross serving Oklahoma and Kansas, is very proud of the organization’s work due to the incredible volunteers who provide support around the clock. With the ongoing community involvement from volunteers, she does not consider the designation of March to be her favorite month.

“I wouldn’t say Red Cross Month is my favorite month because for me every day is Red Cross Month. Everyday our volunteers do amazing work,” Williams said. “We have some volunteers who treat their volunteering as a job.”

There are many ways for members of the Norman community at large to become

involved with the Red Cross. There are opportunities for individuals to offer their support across various areas from administration to disaster relief initiatives. However, for those who want to be on

the disaster side, they need to be trained before the event happens.

Currently, one of the Red Cross’s highest priorities is the Home Fire Campaign, providing hazardous fire education and training to individuals within their communities. This ongoing program takes place all year and aims to reduce 25% of fires by 2020. The organization is aiding to combat at least seven fires a day and eight fires nationally, according to Williams. The disasters of home fires are often very preventable.

by: Jenna Smith

Williams, who has dedicated 20 years to the Red Cross and serves as a spokesperson for the organization with national and international media during national disasters, recognizes that the

organization has a meaning that resonates with people universally.

“The Red Cross is the most recognized brand next to Coca-Cola worldwide. When I go to other countries and they see the logo, they almost always have a story,” said Williams. “We take care of the immediate need of those impacted. It’s usually an unexpected

event that causes us to be in their lives.”

Red Cross Month is a great way to get involved with the Red Cross. There are opportunities to either become a volunteer, donate blood or even provide a financial donation. For further information about the Red Cross and how you can contribute, visit their website at www.redcross.org.

President Barack Obama

ORANGE SWEET BUNNY CAKESPREP TIME: 0:15 BAKE TIME: 0:28 YIELDS: 11-12 SERVINGS

ECLAIRS AND MACARONSThese beautiful sweets are all the rage at upscale pastry shops! Mastrad has created easy to use Eclair and Macaron kits that have all the tools you will need to make these delicious pastries right in your own kitchen!

Eclairs Kit: $19.99French Macaron Kit (original and heart): $19.99

INGREDIENTS:1/2 cup butter, melted1 1/4 cups sugar2 eggs1 1/2 cups flour***1/4 teaspoon baking powder***

1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt***1/3 cup orange juice1/3 cup buttermilk1/2 teaspoon Nielsen Massey Mexican

Pure Vanilla Extract***

HOMEMADE LOLLIPOPS

PREP & INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease and flour bunny pan. Combine butter, sugar and eggs. In separate bowl combine flour, powder, soda, and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter, sugar egg mixture. Pour in orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Divide batter evenly in bunny pan wells. Pound gently on counter top to remove air bubbles. Bake for 22-28 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before turning cakes out of pan.

INGREDIENTS:2 cups granulated sugar 2/3 cup light corn syrup 3/4 cup water LorAnn pink or red gel food coloring***Heart lollipop molds***Sucker bags & twist ties***

1 dram (1tsp.) LorAnn super-strength flavoring, any flavor such as cinnamon*, raspberry, strawberry or pomegranate***(Dozens of flavors available at the international pantry)

*Please note: the Cinnamon flavor is particularly potent. You may wish to reduce the amount used for this flavor.

PREP & INSTRUCTIONS:Have all ingredients and tools assembled and within easy reach of the stove. The use of metal spoons and measuring utensils is recommended.Lightly spray cavities of clean, dry candy molds with vegetable oil spray. Insert sucker sticks. (You may also want to spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray. If after pouring the candy into the molds you have excess candy, you can pour it onto the foil).

1. In a 2-quart kettle or large saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

2. Insert candy thermometer*** if using, making certain it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Bring mixture to a boil without stirring.

3. Early in the cooking process, “wash down” any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Continue to cook the syrup, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 260º F; add drops of coloring until desired hue is achieved. Do not stir; boiling action will incorporate color into syrup.

4. Remove from heat precisely at 300° F (temperature will continue rising), or until drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water (hard crack stage). After boiling action has ceased, add flavor and stir. USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING FLAVORING TO AVOID RISING STEAM.

5. Carefully pour syrup into prepared molds. Cool completely. Remove lollipops from molds and place in sucker bags. Secure with twist ties. Store hard candy in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate.

***Denotes items available at the international pantry.***

Whether cakes and cookies are your pleasure, or you prefer the timeless classics like candy and chocolates, these desserts will leave your mouth wanting more!


Celebrate St. Patrick’s Dayby: Cheyenne Dickerson

Louie’s, located at 301 W Boyd Street on Campus Corner, is proud to be celebrating this perennial holiday. Specials include: Guiness Draft, Boulevard Irish Red Draft, Guiness Blonde Draft and baby Guiness shots. Guiness, an Irish dark brew, is the front-runner for beer for St. Patty’s Day celebrations, as it comes from Dublin itself with a stout taste and thick, creamy texture.

Also on the menu are wonderful appetizers ranging from chips and queso, spinach and artichoke dip to chicken nachos. The dinner entrees include: home-style pizza of all meats and cheeses, chopped beef

sirloin and an Oklahoma favorite, chicken-fried steak. The great thing about dining and celebrating at Louie’s is the wonderful bar area, which is equipped with high-resolution TV’s, oodles of liquor and a terrific wait staff!

Another great stop on Campus Corner

is the highly celebrated O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille, located at 769 Asp Avenue. As the name implies, this place is perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, with its Irish beer blends, karaoke and live music. To add a touch of spice to their celebration, O’Connell’s sells green beer, celebratory beer mugs and t-shirts.

In addition to the green beer, O’Connell’s also provides many drink specials. The musical guest for this year is still a surprise for bar-goers, but undoubtedly they will be fantastic, as this rustic bar always

Every year, on March 17, people of all sorts go out and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Traditionally, this holiday celebrates Saint Patrick driving out the ‘snakes’ and the arrival of Catholicism in Ireland, but here in the states, we like to see it as a day of social gathering filled with drinks, friends and fun. It also gives us a good reason to dress up in the most lavish and outlandish green outfits. In Norman, especially, there are many places to celebrate the holiday. Here are some of our favorite restaurants and bars where you are certain to have a fun and affordable time!

hosts something unique and fun. With the massive crowd expected, you will need to arrive early to find a seat!

A few streets over, on 102 W Main St, sits another great location for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. In spirit of the holiday,

Brewhouse, open on St. Patrick’s Day from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., is offering $3 mint chocolate chips stout car bombs, $4 thin mint shots and their weekly special of free pool for ladies.

As their website boasts, Brewhouse is Oklahoma’s largest brewery at 30 barrels. That’s 900 gallons at a time. During your visit to Brewhouse, be sure to check out the full-sized pool tables, brewery tours and Mug Club memberships. Monday through Friday, Brewhouse also




offers “half-priced wings from 3-6 p.m. with the purchase of a Brewhouse pint!”

Also located on Main Street is the Irish-inspired pub known as

McNellie’s. This bar offers the feel of a Dublin pub, with unique beers and liquors, while offering tasty and reasonably priced food options. For their St. Patrick’s Day specials, they have discounted Irish Car Bombs and their regular monthly special. They will also have live music as they always do on Thursday nights.

With 200 beers and counting, McNellie’s provides brews with varying taste and stoutness. They offer light and refreshing, malty and toasty, aromatic and bitter, dark and roasted, fruity, ciders and spiced herbal beers. With all those options, just about everyone can find something to suit their taste.

Finally, there is one more popular bar ready to take on this

special time of the year. Service Station Bar & Grill, located in Norman at 502 S. Webster Ave, has seen many holiday celebrations, as it has been in business since 1978. In order to fulfill your drinking and eating needs, Service Station offers wonderful American food such as burgers, sandwiches, steaks and salads paired with drinks from their fully stocked bar. With a full food and drink menu offered online, it’s easy to decide what to order prior to visiting—perfect for those of you running on a tight schedule!

Many of these hot spots are expecting large crowds, so you might want to arrive early to ensure your seat for the fun. Oh, and don’t forget one of the most important things, you must wear green! Have a fabulous, fun and loud time. Happy drinking, all, and be safe this green holiday.

grab some friends and join us for weekend brunch. We offer your brunch favorites on Saturday and

Sunday along with a bloody mary bar!

WE LOVE BEER & WE LOVE BRUNCH.

121 E MAIN STREET / NORMAN, OK / 405.928.5801

Scott enjoys golf. When he is not assisting his clients, Scott can often be found on the golf course. What he enjoys about golf is the challenge and spending time with friends. As the Senior Vice President with BancFirst Norman, what Scott likes best about banking is helping people grow their business.

At BancFirst, we understand many factors can create swings in sales from month to month. Consequently, managing cash flow is critical. So is having access to working capital. That’s why having a dependable financial partner in your foursome is critical.

If you could benefit from having a banking relationship with someone who truly cares about you and your business, give Scott a call. He may not be able to help your golf game, but he can help you avoid those financial traps. And for Scott, providing good service is just par for the course.

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March Mindfulness: Meditation in the Community

by: Annie Dunham

Breathing is an automatic action. Air usually slips in and out of the lungs without being noticed. But, when we’re sick, anxious, or angry, breathing becomes more of a challenge. It’s something we often don’t appreciate until it’s gone. Focusing on the breath is a key part of many types of meditation. If you’re focused on breathing, it’s more difficult to think about that embarrassing thing you did last week, or what you’re going to eat for dinner tonight. Meditation brings awareness to the present. With enough practice, this begins happening in your daily life, too.

I’ve been a meditator for about a year, so I recently decided to visit a couple of the meditation groups in Norman. One was a Zen Buddhist group at Ashtanga Yoga Studio. While there, I met Cindy Cuccia, an accounting professor at OU. She has been practicing meditation since 1997. For Cuccia, meditation offers a sense of perspective and balance.

“It is not that Zen practice makes me perfect in some way that I am not without Zen practice, that I don’t feel angry, sad, resentful, greedy, afraid, et cetera,” shared Cuccia. “Zen practice makes it easier to see that these states come and go, that who I am is not limited or defined by these states and my responses to life circumstances do not need to arise from these states.”

I also visited a group at the Norman Central Public Library, which is led by the Norman Meditation Group. There I spoke with Haven Tobias, a meditator for 15 years. Her reasons for meditating are similar to Cuccia’s; however, she’s mostly interested in benefits that are difficult to measure.

“[Meditation] can lead to a heart that is less judgmental, more compassionate and responsive rather than reactive,” explained Tobias.

There are also medically backed benefits of regular meditation. For example, Dr. Dianne Chambers of Women’s Healthcare of Norman believes that meditation is one of the best ways to naturally reduce stress. Less stress means less vulnerability to physical illness, depression and anxiety, among other things. In some cases, meditation can be as effective as medication in managing these problems.

There are endless reasons to meditate and just as many ways. One can meditate lying down, sitting in a chair or on the floor, or even while folding laundry or walking the dog. You can focus on your breathing, a mental image of a loved one or a single word. You can meditate any way that works for you.

If you’re new to meditating, or want to enrich your practice, visit one of the groups mentioned. Ashtanga Yoga Studio is located at 120 E Tonhawa St., YogaLife at 120 Thompson Dr. and the Norman Public Library at 225 N Webster Ave.


The Year of the

Lobby: Cheyenne Dickerson

Year after year, long, beachy hair has always been the go-to style. However, the past year has shown that this may not be the case much longer. Dignitary magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Marie Clare and Harper’s Bazaar have all reported a new, exotic and fresh style. This new style, labeled the lob, or long bob, has taken the nation by storm, causing many celebrities, it-girls and local gals to chop their long locks for messy, textured, short hair.

The lob is an easy and disorderly yet sexy cut. This versatile style is effortless, requiring no perfect hairline part, curl or volume. It’s as close as many of us can get to wash-and-wear hair. One of the many reasons this style is so loved is because you can make it your own during the styling process, and it draws attention to flattering areas of your upper body such as the jaw line and décolletage.

As with all haircuts, there is no one specific way to achieve this cut and style. Sources say it is best to consult with your stylist in order to meet your specific hair needs. Whatever the method, the cutting style will determine your final outcome. Countless women are turning to textured bobs, while others opt for the blunt style. A textured bob offers a bit of a softer approach. Often with layers framing the face, this option is especially great for thin hair as it can add thickness. The opposite approach, a blunt bob, lacks frayed edges and is typically one length. The blunt look is typically best on gals with thick locks. Whichever you prefer, make sure it will flatter your features.

Lastly, in order to make this cut complete; you will need the right styling products and tools. I encourage you to invest in a good texturizing spray, volumizing boost and hairspray. MAC makeup artist and our resident beauty expert, Alex Bare, who coincidentally has a bob, has some tips for you.

“No one likes a flat lob, so I use a dry volumizing gel on my roots and blow dry my hair upside down,” said Bare. “Then, I flip it over and blow out the look I want.”

If you are ready to try out this new look, check out any of the Norman Supercuts locations for great deals on all your hair essentials.


The Pioneer Library System celebrates the 10th year of its springtime celebration of reading, the PLS Big Read, in March and April with a series of activities, discussions and events surrounding the novel “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury.

The PLS Big Read will feature book discussions in each city, movie showings in Norman and Shawnee, a community presentation of the theatrical version of the novel in April and school and public presentations in April from Sam Weller, the author of “The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury.”

All of the PLS hometown libraries will take a deeper look inside the novel in the presentation “Science Fiction to Fact” during March.

Representatives from Science Museum Oklahoma will present the program, giving a hands-on demonstration of some of the science fiction elements from the novel and the factual basis behind them. The presentation will be for all ages, and Norman’s stops will be 2 p.m. Sunday, March 13 at Norman West library, 300 Norman Center Court, and 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 at Norman Central library, 225 N. Webster Ave.

Local book discussions are planned throughout PLS communities, and anyone who registers to attend and participate in one of those discussions can pick up a complimentary copy of the book at the library.

Discussion times and dates in Norman are 7 p.m. Monday, March 14 at Norman West and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 17 at Norman Central.

And the 1966 movie version of the novel will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 20, at the Evans Theatre Robinson Crossing 6 in Norman, as well as a showing in Shawnee at Cinema Center 8 at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14.

The biggest point of the PLS Big Read is in the title, reading. And there are many ways to get a hold of the novel and participate. In addition to the books available for book discussion participants, copies of the book also are available while supplies last at major Big Read events, like the movies or the public presentations. And extra copies in both traditional and digital formats have been added to the library collection.

Since its establishment by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts has nearly half a century of supporting the arts through financial assistance of more than $4 billion via partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders and philanthropists throughout the United States.

In 2007, the NEA launched a specific push to revitalize the study and celebration of literature with its campaign, The Big Read. The campaign, managed by Arts Midwest, provides competitive grants to support innovative reading programs in selected communities. In each case, communities will select one book as a central focus for programming, book discussions and other activities.

While the format is similar to NEA-funded editions of The Big Read, this year’s PLS Big Read marks the fifth of the 10 put on by PLS to be funded entirely locally, hence the slight change in event name.

by: Christian Potts

PLS Big Read Set to Celebrate 10 Years


The PLS Big Read annually draws large crowds for events, like this presentation by author Michael Chabon during the 2015 edition at the University of Oklahoma.

Sam Weller, left, with “Fahrenheit 451” author Ray Bradbury. Weller wrote the biography of Bradbury, whose most well-known novel is the featured work in this year’s PLS Big Read. Weller will be in Oklahoma in early April for presentations to school students before a pair of free public events in Shawnee and Norman on Friday, April 8.

Past editions of the event presented by the Pioneer Library System have featured “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck (2007); “Bless Me, Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya (2008); “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee (2009); “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiel Hammett (2010); “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien (2011); “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan (2012); “Old School” by Tobias Wolff (2013); “True Grit” by Charles Portis (2014) and “A Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula Le Guin (2015).

This year’s PLS Big Read is sponsored by the Norman Arts Council, Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation and the Pioneer Library System Foundation.

Find out more by visiting any hometown library or going online to www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org.

The Ray Bradbury classic “Fahrenheit 451” is the featured novel in this year’s PLS Big Read, with events scheduled throughout March and April in Norman and throughout the Pioneer Library System.

Spring break isn’t just for party-hearty college students anymore. These days, families are also taking a break from winter and jetting off to sun-drenched climates to frolic on warm beaches.

Spring break for college students spans the first few weeks of March, while families are more inclined to take their spring vacation to coincide with the long Easter weekend, which runs from March

25-27 this year, or Passover, which is April 22-30 this year. The fact that college and public school holidays don’t overlap should ensure that PG-rated co-eds don’t intrude on a G-rated family vacation.

Although toasting spring’s arrival goes back to Greek and Roman celebrations, its modern incarnation is blamed on a Colgate University swimming coach bringing his team to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for training back in 1934.

Sensing a marketing opportunity, Fort Lauderdale organized an annual swim

by: Shannon HudzinskiPresident/CEO OU Federal Credit Union

meet, and the rest is history. Buoyed by the 1961 movie “Where the Boys Are,” starring George Hamilton; and the 1983 “Spring Break” with Tom Cruise and Shelley Long, the annual ritual has exploded. The 1986 arrival of the annual “MTV Spring Break” hasn’t hurt either.

South Florida is still the center of the college spring break universe. So, if you can find a cheap flight and some friends

to share in the cost of a hotel room, grab your bathing suit and beach towel and you are in. Beaches in Florida cities such as Fort Lauderdale and Daytona Beach quickly become oceans of tanned bodies once spring break hits, with crowds as large as 400,000 people.

Orlando, home of Disney World and other resorts, is a surefire hit with both kids and budget-conscious parents. But spring break is also the second-busiest time of year, behind Christmas and New Year’s. Granted, you can survive long lines by arriving early and packing your own

snacks. But if you go to Orlando for spring break, be prepared for company.

One popular strategy for guaranteeing family fun without blowing the budget is vacationing in an all-inclusive resort. Familyvacationcritic.com has a list of the top 50 all-inclusive resorts for families in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and other exotic Caribbean locales. Rates during peak times start at

about $300 per person for a five-day stay. Resorts typically feature pools, beaches, fun-filled activities, and meals-all in a safe family-friendly environment.

Cruises are another popular option, offering activities and services for the whole family, including movies, swimming, waterslides, varied dining options and more.

But spring break doesn’t have to be all about the beach, especially for families. Visiting a budget-friendly city with inexpensive airline flights can be both

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entertaining and an educational option for the entire family.

Los Angeles was the Fiscal Times’ top family spring break destination due to the number of attractions and places to visit. In addition, airfare prices to the city generally don’t experience a spring break surge due to the high volume of flights. Five new hotels, a strong U.S. dollar and a nearby adventure park helped make Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the second most popular spring break family destination.

Las Vegas, Quebec City, Phoenix and New York are other great destination cities for family vacations. Norway also landed on the list due to competition among air carriers that has driven airfares below $200, and Spain was suggested because airfares to Barcelona are on par with flights to South Florida this time of year.

For college students, eight of Kayak’s top 10 spring break destinations for 2015 are within the continental United States and four of those are in Florida.

Home to the annual SXSW Festival, down-home rib joints, great Mexican food and

walkable avenues lined with jumping live-music venues, Austin, Texas topped the list. It was followed by Fort Lauderdale, with its beaches, beachside bars, warm weather and manatees.

Los Angeles was No. 3 on the list, with median airfare at just $352 in late April. Southern California is home to magnificent beaches such as Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice. In addition, plenty of culture can be found in downtown Los Angeles. But be advised that spring is the wet season, and a powerful El Nino is in the forecast this year, so your chances of rain falling on your spring break parade are fairly high.

Miami, or SoBe for South Beach, has a lot going for it as a spring break destination. Its chic Art Deco hotels, fun atmosphere, packed beaches and club culture helped it reach No. 4 on Kayak’s 2015 list. But timing is everything. Median airfares reach a high of nearly $600 in early April, but fall to below $400 later in the month. Try to avoid the Winter Music Conference, scheduled for March 21-24 this year. South Beach hotel rooms will fill up and airfares soar during that time.

The two top spring break destinations outside the continental United States were Los Cabos, Mexico, with beaches, bars, and ocean activities; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, which boasts beaches and rainforests.

Although the typical beach party spring break remains a popular rite of passage for many college students, some are craving alternatives. A group called Break Away offers active citizenship and leadership conferences for college students during spring break. Similarly, Projects Abroad promises an opportunity to make a difference by participating in volunteer projects such as rebuilding homes for the poor in Jamaica, protecting endangered turtles in Mexico or providing educational support for underprivileged children in Costa Rica, Belize, or Fiji.

One thing is certain: Whatever your preference for marking the arrival of spring, there’s something fun and affordable you can try, alone or as a family!

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NATIONAL STUDY: NORMAN REGIONAL IS A HEALTHGRADES FIVE-STAR RECIPIENT FOR ORTHOPEDIC CARENorman Regional announced that it has received 5 stars for the quality of several orthopedic surgeries from Healthgrades, the leading online resource helping consumers make informed decisions in order to find the right doctor, the right hospital, and the right care. This achievement is part of new findings and data released today on Healthgrades.com and in the Healthgrades 2016 Report to the Nation. Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 33 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions. Healthgrades has named Norman Regional a five-star recipient for the following procedures:

· Five-Star Recipient for Total Knee Replacement for 7 Years in a Row (2010-2016)

· Five-Star Recipient for Hip Fracture Treatment for 9 Years in a Row (2008-2016)

· Five-Star Recipient for Back Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2015-2016)

· Five-Star Recipient for Spinal Fusion Surgery in 2016

The new report demonstrates how clinical performance continues to differ dramatically between hospitals both nationally and regionally. This variation in care has a significant impact on health outcomes. For example, from 2012 through 2014, if all hospitals as a group, performed similarly to hospitals receiving 5 stars as a group, on average 222,392 lives could potentially have been saved and 166,086 complications could potentially have been avoided.* A 5-star rating indicates that Norman Regional’s clinical outcomes are statistically significantly better than expected when treating the condition or performing the procedure being evaluated.Of the 15 hospitals located within the Oklahoma City area, Healthgrades’ 2016 study reveals that although these hospitals are just minutes away from each other, risk-adjusted in-hospital complication rates for Total Knee Replacement ranged from 2.1% on the low end to 9.7% on the high end, which is a more than 4.6-fold difference in complication rates.“Recognition from Healthgrades shows the dedication our team has to always giving patients the five-star quality treatment they have come to expect from Norman Regional,” said David Whitaker, President and Chief Executive Officer at Norman Regional. “Great treatment starts before a patient even enters the hospital’s doors. From education before a procedure to rehabilitation after a patient has gone home, Norman Regional offers quality at every step of our patient’s journey.” “The Healthgrades 2016 Report to the Nation reveals striking disparities in quality at the local level, and underscores why it is vital for consumers to understand outcomes performance at alternative hospitals for specific conditions and procedures,” said Evan Marks, Chief Strategy Officer for Healthgrades. “Hospitals with superior outcomes for certain aspects of care may not perform as well in other areas. Moreover, a major metropolitan area may have many hospitals, but only a few may provide better-than-expected outcomes for the specific care a patient needs. Those hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades distinction have demonstrated a commitment to exceptional quality care.” For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 40 million Medicare inpatient records for nearly 4,500 short-term acute care hospitals nationwide, and assessed hospital performance relative to each of 33 common conditions and procedures. Healthgrades recognizes a hospital’s quality achievements for cohort-specific performance, specialty area performance, and overall clinical quality. Individual procedure or condition cohorts are designated as 5 star (statistically significantly better than expected), 3 star (not statistically different from expected), and 1 star (statistically significantly worse than expected) categories. The complete Healthgrades 2016 Report to the Nation with detailed cohort-specific outcomes data, hospital-specific quality achievements, and detailed study methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com/quality. About Norman Regional Health SystemNorman Regional Health System is a multi-campus system that serves the healthcare needs of south central Oklahoma. It is currently comprised of an acute-care facility, Norman Regional, on Porter Avenue, and the Norman Regional HealthPlex, located on Interstate 35 and Tecumseh Road in Norman, OK. Norman Regional Hospital is licensed for 324 beds and offers a full range of services including emergency care, oncology, an intensive care unit, surgery and more. The Norman Regional HealthPlex campus is licensed for 136 beds. It features the services of cardiovascular, spine and orthopedics, women’s and children’s and more. The Norman Regional HealthPlex is also the home of the Chest Pain Center and the HealthPlex Heart Hospital. In 2014, the Health System broke ground on a new facility in Moore, Oklahoma. Norman Regional Health System also provides outpatient diagnostic centers, medical transport services, physician services, centers of excellence, durable medical equipment supplies, a primary care network, community wellness service and employer health services. It has grown to employ more than 2,700 people and have 356 physicians credentialed on the Medical Staff.

by: Tyler McComas

It was March of 2011, and the Oklahoma basketball program found themselves at one of the biggest crossroads they’ve ever faced. While Big 12 rivals Kansas, Kansas State and Texas were enjoying success in the NCAA Tournament, OU was searching for their next head coach.

After reaching an Elite Eight in the 2008-09 season, the Sooners went just 27-36 in the next two seasons, with 13 of those wins vacated due to NCAA sanctions.

Coming off back-to-back losing seasons, the first since 1967, the program was in as bad a shape as it’s ever been. Amidst a depleted roster, plummeting attendance and recent NCAA sanctions, OU athletic director Joe Castiglione needed his next hire to do more than just win games. He needed someone who could be the ultimate PR guy to draw back the fans’ interest.

Lon Kruger’s name was thrown out as a contender, but few fans knew of the success that he had enjoyed at schools like Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and UNLV. Few knew he had taken all of those schools to the NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four appearance in 1994 during his stint at Florida. Instead, most concerned themselves with “flashier” hires such as Marquette’s Buzz Williams, Memphis’ Josh Pastner and Illinois’ Bruce Weber.


Man of the

People Sooner Basketball Coach Lon Kruger


But, none of those candidates had the knack for rebuilding a program quite like Kruger. At most of his collegiate stops, that’s exactly what he was hired to do. At every stop, he succeeded. The story was the same when Castiglione officially hired Kruger to coach the Sooners, 18 days after the search began.

“Lon Kruger wins with class, and in the coaching realm, I don’t know if the praise gets any higher,” said Castiglione in a statement on the day of the hire. “His background, ranging from regular trips to the NCAA tournament to his time in the NBA, is among the most unique and complete in college basketball.”

Kruger’s first year was a bit rocky, as expected. A 15-16 season, including a 5-13 mark in Big 12 play, resulted in no post-season tournament for the Sooners. However, the foundation was just being set. Just like with his previous teams, Kruger didn’t make OU fans wait very long to reap the benefits of his hiring. In only his second season, the Sooners made the NCAA Tournament. Since then, Kruger hasn’t missed The Big Dance in his tenure at OU. Last season’s Sweet 16 appearance was the highlight of the Kruger era thus far. And, this year’s team looks primed to eclipse all his previous success at OU.

Thanks to a season where the Sooners have been ranked No. 1 for multiple weeks, the fan base has been re-energized, and the excitement within the OU basketball program is the highest it’s been in 15 years. Kruger is certainly to thank for that, but if you mention it to him, he’ll

crack his infectious smile and immediately give all the credit to his players, assistant coaches, administration and, of course, the fans. That’s just the kind of guy he is.

That would have been enough, right? In the eyes of Sooner fans, just getting back to competing at a national level would have made Kruger a revered figure in Norman. But winning on the court is just where it begins for Kruger. This man of the people has made his impact felt in far more places than just the Lloyd Noble Center. Whether it’s working with various student organizations or being involved in community projects, Kruger has asserted himself as a role model for many, as well as one of the most likeable men in town. At every juncture, the story has been the same. Not flashy or boastful;

instead, he remains humble and true to his Midwestern roots.

However, perhaps the most special part of Kruger’s turnaround is the fact that there’s never been a curtain around the program. From year one, fans have been encouraged to attend practice, no matter the day. Where else can you find a consistent NCAA Tournament team that pulls back the curtains for anyone and everyone to see on a daily basis? It’s unheard of, especially in today’s world. But to Kruger’s credit, he knows how to relate to the fans.

Though the month of February dealt the Sooners their biggest setbacks of the year, they still remain in the mix for a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and are considered a legitimate Final Four contender. After everything he’s done for the OU program and throughout his entire coaching career, there may not be another coach in the country more deserving of the privilege of cutting down the nets in early April. Several coaches would echo that same sentiment. Even if that day comes, don’t expect to see a different side of Kruger. Success has never wavered him, though he’s enjoyed plenty of it.

Was Kruger truly Castiglione’s first choice? Who knows; maybe, maybe not. Regardless, OU basketball is back where it needs to be. And thankfully, it looks like Kruger saved his best rebuild job for last.

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After missing the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons, the Sooners have found themselves in unfamiliar territory. In his third year at the helm, head coach Pete Hughes is well aware of the importance of this season, not only for the program, but for his own interest, as well.

Despite not reaching an NCAA Regional since 2013, the Sooners were picked to finish fourth in the conference by Big 12 coaches, behind TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas. The strength of the Sooners looks to be the front end of their rotation. Jake Elliot and Alec Hanson, who will be the Friday and Saturday starters, both enter their junior seasons with several innings under their belts.

“The strength of our team, if you have the top two guys back in your rotation, it starts there,” said Hughes.

While Elliot and Hanson are the proven commodities in the rotation, finding their third starter is still a decision that has yet to be made.

‘There are three or four guys fighting for that,” said Hughes. “Austin Kerns, a left hander, is probably the front runner right

now. Jake Irvin, a freshman from Minnesota, and Kyle Tyler, a local kid, has pitched very well for us. But, I think that Kerns will be it because you have to have a nice left hander to offset the two other right handers in our rotation.”

Sheldon Neuse enters his junior season as the key offensive cog in the lineup. Returning from a year where he hit .275, with 43 RBIs and six homeruns, he’ll once again be counted on to drive in runs from the middle of the order. Neuse’s numbers were slightly down last year from an explosive freshman season that earned him Big 12 Freshman of the Year. His consistency will be a key factor to OU’s offensive success. But, aside from his offensive performance, or even his defensive presence at shortstop, Neuse will also be the closer for the Sooners. A role he’s been in before, Neuse will be the go-to-guy in late-inning pitching situations.

Senior outfielder Hunter Haley and senior infielder/outfielder Alex Wise look to be the other two main contributors in the lineup. After suffering injury-riddled seasons a year ago, both are back and healthy.

Looking for RedemptionSooner Baseball

by: Tyler McComas

“If I look at our team offensively, I like the balance,” said Hughes. “I love the fact that we will have high walks and low strikeouts, but I worry about our power in more than a couple of spots in our lineup. If you don’t have power then you have to create some offense and you do that with your legs. That is what Alex (Wise) can do. He is a dynamic base runner. He is the guy that can go first to third and steal bases. Hunter Haley will help that dynamic, he was on basically one leg all of last season. Those guys will help us create some offense when the home run threat isn’t there.”

The biggest wild card for this team could be the emergence of junior outfielder Cody Thomas. Perhaps the biggest news of the offseason, Thomas left the football team to focus solely on baseball. Though he took several months off from the game, Thomas was so impressive in preseason scrimmages that he earned a start in the season opener as the DH batting fifth in the order.

“Those are two questions I get, on the new turf and Cody,” said Hughes. “Even if Cody doesn’t play an inning for us, our team is better because of who he is and what he brings to our clubhouse as far as toughness and leadership. His character will make us better. He is a leader. He was in that position in football and he is the same with us. I think that he’s a really good player. It is amazing how talented he is.”

Newcomers, Jack Flansburg and Steele Walker, as well as returnees, Austin O’Brien, Kyle Mendenhall and Quin Walbergh, also have the chance to be every day players.

“Some of our young players are good players. You don’t just luck into playing at the University of Oklahoma, you have to be super talented to play here,” said Hughes.

A tough schedule awaits the Sooners, including, according to Hughes, the most road games in program history. Hughes said the move is about giving his team the best chance to return to postseason play.

“We have the most away games scheduled, maybe in the history of our program at 29. That is all RPI driven. The system isn’t going to change so we have to adjust our schedule and that’s what we did,” continued Hughes.

You can catch the Sooners in action all season long at Sports Talk 1400 AM and 98.5 FM.

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OU is still tinkering with how it will look defensively and on the lineup card.

“Every face in the infield is completely new to the position, which is a challenge but also really exciting at the same time,” Gasso said. “We’ve got a freshman, Sydney Romero, at third base. I’ve moved Kelsey Arnold over from third base to shortstop and she is just phenomenal there.”

It should be another fun year for Oklahoma softball.

Oklahoma’s rotation will be anchored by sophomore standout Paige Parker. In 2015, Parker was named the NFCA Freshman of the Year, an NFCA Second Team All-American and a first-team All-Region honoree. The Independence, Mo., native led the Big 12 in earned run average (1.65), shutouts (9), wins (28) and hits allowed per seven innings (4.16). She also tossed four perfect games, was a seven-time Big 12 Pitcher of the week and became the fourth player in league history to be named both the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and Big 12 freshman of the Year.

But, it’s not just Parker that excites Gasso. She has a plethora of arms behind Parker that the Sooners will rely upon.

“You’re going to have one dominant one, but I think the days of winning with just one pitcher are pretty much over. Paige is

doing her thing. Kelsey Stevens has really come forward. She’s had some really good quality outings in our instra-squad scrimmages, so I’m really excited for her,” Gasso said. “And then we have two freshmen that are really stepping forward and progressing very nicely, Jayden Chestnut from Mustang high school and Brittany Finney from Wichita.”

Finney has been impressive enough that Oklahoma is thinking about using her as a closer.

“She still is learning, but man, we have a great vision for her in the future,” Gasso said. “She’s just got to work to figure some things out, but she’s doing really well.”

Gasso loves what she sees from Chestnut, too.

“Jayden Chestnut is throwing the ball hard, has a good hard riseball and a good changeup. She’s going to be very effective for us as well,” Gasso said.

for Sooner SoftballA New Chapter Begins

by: Josh Helmer

Paige Parker

“I’ve got a battle at second base right now between two freshmen, Shay Knighten and Caleigh Clifton,” Gasso continued. “And, then I have a battle at first base between Kady Self and Paris Townsend. Whitney Montgomery is behind the plate and Lea Wodach is her backup.”

Similar to the infield, the outfield isn’t set in stone quite yet either.

“Lea Wodach has been swinging really well, well enough that she may be getting the start in left field. Nicole Pendley has pretty much wrapped down center field and in right field right now a freshman leads the way in Fale Aviu,” Gasso said. “But, there’s still some battles going on all over.”

“There’s a lot of talent and there’s a lot of battling at positions, which is exactly what you want to see,” added Gasso. “It’s really bringing out the best in those who want to compete.”

Senior Erin Miller is also an option in the outfield, but for now, she’s serving as the Designated Player.

“I’ve been using Erin Miller in the outfield, but really putting a lot of her emphasis offensively so she’s getting a lot of extra swings,” Gasso said.

The biggest question mark for Oklahoma will be how they replace the departed offense that Lauren Chamberlain and Shelby Pendley provided. Even though it will be a different look offensively, the Sooners like what they see.

“We don’t have the big Lauren Chamberlain on the team right now and that’s okay,” said Gasso. “We can win in a lot of ways. This team has a lot of speed.”

Gasso raved about freshman Fale Aviu. She described the San Diego native as “really good offensively.” Aviu and Nicole Pendley are fighting it out for the one and two slots in the batting order.

“Both are pretty similar in their styles, in the way they swing and what they can do. They can bunt and beat it out, they can slap, but they have power as well. They both run well, so they’re pretty equal right now,” Gasso said.

After that Sydney Romero will likely bat third.

“She’s got power. Not Chamberlain power yet, but eventually could be there in her career. This kid can hit anything that you throw up there and hit it hard,” Gasso said.

In the four through six slots, it will be some sort of combination of Erin Miller, Paige Parker, Kady Self and Lea Wodach. Then, Kelsey Arnold, Caleigh Clifton, Whitney Montgomery, Shay Knighten and Paris Townsend will have to be sorted out for the bottom third of the order.

“I’m still trying to figure out where everyone is going to fit,” Gasso said. “Paris Townsend is fighting to bring power into this lineup as well. We’re just working on consistency and seeing the opportunities that these guys get in the next couple of weeks and what they do with them.”

It will be a fun bunch to watch grow throughout the season as they look to add to the Sooners’ 11 Big 12 titles, nine WCWS appearances and two national championships.

“I think one thing we stand upon is the foundation we’ve built this program on. There’s definitely a different look than we’ve seen in a while, but a good, exciting look,” Gasso said.


High School SportsSpring Sports Previews

by: Josh Helmer

BaseballComing off an 18-16 season that ended with back-to-back one-run losses in the Regional tournament, Norman North is excited for the season ahead.

However, they will be replacing a lot of departed production from the pitching position. Shelby Garza and Thomas Hughes ate up a ton of innings a season ago, so filling in the holes in the rotation is priority number one for head coach Brian Aylor. And, the competition for those spots is wide open.

“We lost a ton of innings on the mound,” Aylor said. “I think defensively we’ll be strong, and offensively we’ll be better than we were last year. The big key for us is who is going to step up on that mound and pitch. Those questions are still to be answered at this point.”

Two potential candidates are junior Tyler Cullison and senior Maguire Perrett. Cullison is a returning starter in the outfield. Perrett is also an outfielder with potential as a pitcher. Aylor believes both have the chance to get some time significant time on the mound.

Offensively, the Timberwolves expect to have a strong lineup.

“We’ve got a chance if we wanted to put six left-handed bats in one lineup which is a first for us,” said Aylor. “A big key for our lineup will be getting back senior Leo Gallegos.”

Norman North will also feature seniors Jordan Dean and Tristan Farrell, freshman Dom Hughes, and juniors Hal Hughes and Landen McClellan as pieces to the lineup.

Aylor will be pressed to get his team ready in time for their opening games.

“We have probably the toughest start to a season that we’ve ever had schedule wise right off the bat, so we’ve got to be prepared and ready to go,” Aylor said.

They open the season with a pair of games against Edmond Memorial, travel to Fort Worth for a tournament in Texas, play a road game at Deer Creek and also welcome Westmoore to the schedule.

SlowpitchThe Timberwolves are looking to rebound after a disappointing 6-15 record during the 2014-15 slowpitch campaign. Head coach Beth Freihofer is optimistic about the season ahead.

“We had a lot of girls come out from fast pitch,” Freihofer said. “We’re looking really strong for this year.”

The amount of girls making the transition from fast pitch to slow pitch for the season bodes well for both sports.

“It’s good for them because they’re playing with their school and with their teammates through another season,” Freihofer said.

Norman North will be depending on a key group of juniors that includes Abby Heefner at first base, Kenzie Jones at shortstop, Maddie Morris at third base and Lakayla Scott at second base.

Some of the notable games on the Timberwolves’ schedule are the two dates against Norman High, March 24 and April 12, and a late-season tussle at Moore on April 22.

Boys SoccerThe Norman North boys’ soccer team has enjoyed a run of greatness over the past six seasons. They have collected four state championships and advanced to the state semifinals in 2011 and finished runner-up in 2013. During that stretch, the Timberwolves combined record is 93-10. Norman North went 33-1 the past two seasons to capture back-to-back state titles.

“We obviously lost a lot from last year,” said head coach Geo Claros. “One good thing about being at Norman North is that we always have talented players coming in.”

But, progress must be made.

“One thing that we’ve preached early on in this season is that we can’t be the same team that we are right now three months from now,” explained Claros. “There’s a lot of hunger amongst the boys. We have to have our trademark motto of being the hardest working team on the field each time we step out.”

Senior Jake Neighbors is one of the key pieces to this year’s squad. While he’s typically played in the backfield, Claros plans to move him up top to produce more offensively.

“He is a guy that has been a big part of our team the last couple years,” Carlos said of Neighbors. “He’s a tremendous athlete.”

A pair of sophomores, Jacob Humphers and Noah Liddell, are also likely to play big roles for the Timberwolves.

“We’re definitely younger than we have been, but we have some players that are going to be strong players this year and in our future,” Claros said.

Girls SoccerSimilar to the boys, the Norman North girls’ soccer team has enjoyed great success of late. The Timberwolves won the state championship in 2014 and advanced to the state tournament last season. In those two years, Norman North had a combined record of 28-4.

As with the boys’ team, the girls are facing a lot of turnover.

“We’ve graduated ten players each of the last two years. A lot of the faces that have been playing and starting a long time are now gone,” head coach Don Rother said.

“We actually have twenty freshmen on our varsity and JV teams, which is the largest freshmen class we’ve ever had.”

Though the team is young, it is full of potential.

“Most of our players are freshmen and sophomores, but they’re top-level players, impact players,” said Rother.

The Timberwolves do return Camille Greer, Yazmeen Ryan and Alex Wynn.

Rother speaks highly of Ryan as he believes she is “one of the best players in the state.”

“It’s fun having the same girls, but it’s fun starting back over, too,” Rother said. “They’re young and talented. That’s why I think we’ll be good.”

TrackNorman North is looking to build off one of its best years in program history.

Head coach Jeremy Walker is hoping they can pick up where they left off last year.

“We had a pretty successful season in the state,” said Walker. “The boys finished fourth in the state and our girls finished in the teens.”

The Timberwolves graduated one of the best athletes in its history in Ben Barrett. Barrett won the 2015 state championships in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter runs and is now beginning his collegiate career at N.C. State.

That doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare, though. Norman North returns seniors Ean Beyer and Jude Richardson. Beyer finished runner-up in the mile and two-mile runs, while Richardson was the 2015 shot put state champion with 53’ 7 3/4”. Plus, senior Nathan Womack elected to come out to the team.

“Right now, he might be a guy that we can possibly put in four events,” Walker said.

On the girls’ side, senior Daisha Reece and her younger sister Chavon Reece will be standouts at the long jump and relays, respectively.

“I’m hoping to surround Chavon with some other kids, some young girls that can help her out in the relays,” Walker said. “We’re excited about it. We’re excited to see where we are.”

I hope on St. Patrick’s Day you can find the leprechaun and follow him to his pot of gold! Everyone loves the idea of something for nothing. Unfortu-nately, when you are investing, free pots of gold are really rare. Here are some tips to help your investments be more successful.• Investing is risky, and the reason

we are rewarded with a return is because of this. Only short-term government bonds are defined as

PROSPERITY POINTSFOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY

having a risk-free rate of return. Be cautious if you think an investment opportunity has no risk.

• Although you may need to make an investment decision in a timely fashion, be careful if you feel tremendous pressure to act before you have had a chance to do research or sleep on it. We make better decisions when we give them thought.

• Always understand an investment before you purchase it. Investment products and advice aren’t free, and it’s important that you know what you are paying. Additionally, take time to see why the investment product is a good decision for you and your risk tolerance. If you need assistance, seek the advice of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM practitioner.

Leprechauns are awesome and should always be followed, but investing requires time, patience, and research. You want that gold to stay in YOUR pocket.

Be Prosperous!Peggy Doviak, Ph.D., CFP ®

The Fine Print: This article is educational, not investment advice. Investing is risky, and you can lose money. Talk to your financial team about any strategies before you implement them.

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High School SportsSpring Sports Previews

by: Tyler McComas

BaseballEarlier this season, head coach Brandon Kitch loaded up his team and headed to Enid for a preseason scrimmage. Driving almost two hours for a tune up before the season isn’t exactly a normal occurrence in high school baseball, but he planned this trip for one specific purpose.

“Enid is where the state tournament is,” said Kitch. “I wanted our kids to get a feel of where we want to be at the end of the year.”

That day, the Tigers handled both Enid and Stillwater in a three-way scrimmage, and showed they’re eager to erase the memory of last year’s 11-26 season.

“Since I’ve been here, it’s the best we’ve played,” said Kitch. “I told our kids after that I truly believe we can be here for the state tournament. I honestly believe that.”

Bringing back the winning tradition to the NHS baseball program has been Kitch’s biggest goal since the first day he took over. Now, in his second year at the helm, he feels they’ve made strides to help make this goal a reality.

“I have a group of seniors that really want to win. I also have a group of juniors that really want to win,” continued Kitch. “We have practices that require more attention to detail, and they’ve paid off.”

On the mound, Norman High will have an excellent one-two duo with Jacob Northcutt and Kolin Marley. Both Northcutt and Marley have thrown a lot of innings for the Tigers, and are expected to have stellar seasons once again.

“The front side is going to be really good,” said Kitch. “Kolin Marley has jumped up his velocity and has come a long way. Jacob Northcutt is just great at pounding the strike zone. Hitters really have a tough time squaring the ball up on him.”

Defensively, the Tigers really struggled last year. This offseason, Kitch made sure that problem would be fixed.

“We made changes on the defensive side, and we’ve been much better. So far in the scrimmages, our errors have really cut down,” continued Kitch.

Though things are certainly starting to look up for the Tigers, they were dealt a blow when center fielder Kaleb Nab tore his ACL before the season. Done for the year, Nab’s absence leaves a hole in the outfield, as well as in the middle of the lineup. Justin Cooke, an OU commit, will be counted on even more to help balance out the offensive attack.

However, it’s been a while since there’s been this much optimism around the Norman High baseball program. Major renovations, such as a new scoreboard, outfield wall and leveled playing surface at Tiger Stadium, have only increased the excitement. If this team has truly bought into what Kitch is trying to sell, don’t be surprised if this team is knocking on the door of a state tournament appearance.

SlowpitchMuch like most teams from across the state, the Tigers won’t have their full lineup for the slow pitch season. This is a regular occurrence across the 6A level, as several girls that play fast pitch in the fall, elect to play on the other various spring sports, instead of playing in the slow pitch season

Norman High will be just another one of the teams that will have to adjust, as their best hitter from the fast pitch season, Marisa Fleck, will be on the track team this spring.

But don’t expect to hear head coach Courtne St. Claire use that as an excuse. She’s familiar with the landscape with of high school softball, as she certainly knows the talent her team possesses.

However, the other disadvantage for the Tigers in the slow pitch season, is that it eliminates their biggest strength, which just so happens to be in the circle. Erin

McDonald, who has become one of the best pitchers in the state of Oklahoma, won’t be able to carve up hitters with her fastball and off speed pitches. Instead, the slow pitch season will test how well Norman High is defensively.

If there’s a goal this season, it may be just that for the Tigers. Make strides defensively, and carry that into next year’s slow pitch season. But don’t sleep on Norman High this season, not after what they showed last fall. Even without Fleck, NHS will still have plenty of firepower in the offense. Being able to hit to all fields, as well as being solid defensively, is the name of the game in slow pitch softball. If the Tigers can accomplish both of those, look for them to make a run at the state tournament.

Boys SoccerHead coach Gordon Drummond admits he’s usually pretty optimistic before the start of every season. And with all the success he’s enjoyed at Norman High, he certainly has the right to be. But this season, Drummond is especially excited about the mix of talented juniors and skilled seniors that look to be a dark horse pick in 6A. Much to the pleasure of Drummond, the Tigers will enter this year with experienced players on both ends of the field, as they try to bounce back from a 7-7 season.

“Last year, we played seven sophomores and a freshman,” said Drummond. “We played them regularly. Now, they’re a year older and the assumption is that they’re a year wiser. They are bigger, stronger and more talented. My feeling at this point is that they’ve taken a big step forward. If that’s the case, then I think I have good reason to be optimistic.”

Don’t expect Norman High to surrender many goals this year. In fact, they may have the best back end in all of 6A.

“Josh Yarborough and Jack Waters, they’re both captains and central defenders,” said Drummond. “They are experienced. In goal, we’ll have Cooper Clark. Cooper is so talented; I played him in midfield last year. But, when our goal keeper got hurt, I had to move Cooper back to goal keeper, which is his regular position. Cooper is simply an outstanding goal keeper. He has been invited by Region 3 of the USSF Soccer Federation to go to a one week tournament in Argentina. That’s an indication of just how talented this young man is.”

Just like every other coach, Drummond still wants to find out how much depth his team has. He knows what he has in his starters, but quality depth in high school soccer is something that should never be taken for granted.

“I understand [Oklahoma basketball coach] Lon Kruger’s problem with depth,” said Drummond. “That’s always one of the issues you wonder about. You have a good feeling about your starters, but then you’re looking to see who else can help.”

The competition in 6A soccer is arguably as high as it’s ever been. The state of Oklahoma is littered with talent, especially on the west side of the state. Though the Tigers will be much improved, Drummond pointed out who he thinks will be the top contenders for the state title.

“There are three teams that I think are outstanding: Norman North, of course, Edmond North and Edmond Santa Fe,” continued Drummond. “High school soccer has changed so much in the last decade, in that you’re not going to find very many weak teams. I think there’s a lot more balance. Every night you go out, you face a challenge.”

If the Tigers can come along offensively, this team could be very dangerous. Norman High will undoubtedly be in a lot of tight matches, but how they finish in the late minutes will eventually tell the story of the 2016 season.

“Every year, I’m optimistic,” said Drummond. “This is one of the years where I have the right to be optimistic.”

Girls SoccerThere’s a narrative that says the key ingredients to any championship team, are veteran leadership and great team chemistry. If that narrative is true, the Norman High girls soccer team is certainly headed on the right path.

“I think we have great senior leadership and a lot of team chemistry,” said head coach Tyler Hardage. “All the girls really enjoy being around each other, and they could probably hang out with each other, all day every day and not get sick of each other. Those two things in particular, are going to be things that drive this team really far. I can talk strategy and tactics, but those two things are my favorite parts about the team.”

If senior leadership and team chemistry isn’t enough to sell you on this team, then their back line just might. With several starters returning, it just might be the strength of this team.

“I feel really confident about what we have,” said Hardage. “We have three seniors and a junior all starting in the back. Lots of experience, lots of athleticism, I feel really confident about the back line.”

At goal keeper, the Tigers will boast one of the best in all of 6A, as Brennan Hockett returns for her junior season.


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“Brennan is an athlete,” said Hardage. “She’s been a varsity basketball and soccer player since her freshman season. Her hands are amazing, she makes some big time saves. Sometimes you wouldn’t expect a high school kid to do what she does. Having her back there is such a safety net and a key for this team”

In the middle of the field, senior Mady Bowman will be relied on heavily. One of the lone returnees at her position, the Tigers will flow through Bowman in the middle.

“She’ll be pretty crucial for us,” said Hardage. “Everywhere else, we’ll have younger players, but they’re very exciting players to watch.”

Seven starters return for NHS, but they’ll need to find freshman and sophomores who are ready to provide quality depth at the varsity level. Hardage pointed at two players that could help fill that void.

“Sophomore Haley Houston is definitely one,” continued Hardage. “She’s really started to click from last year to this year. She started to come on at the end of last year, but since then to know, she’s really transformed into a quality soccer player. Emma Rice is another one. She was quality, back to last year, but she continues to get better and better every year.”

Make no mistake about, Hardage fully expects this to be a special year for his team. That expectation is very realistic for Norman High. As always, competition in 6A will be extremely tough, but this could very well be a banner year for the Tigers.

“I would like to say that this year will be a big step for Norman High girls soccer,” said Hardage. “We should be able to do some things that we haven’t been able to do in the past couple of years. We plan on making a splash and letting the other top teams know that we can play, too.”

TrackTrack and field has become quite popular at Norman High. Since Sonny Feexico became the head coach five years ago, he’s never seen a better turn out than he has this season. That gradual spike of interest is a direct reflection of the success the Tigers have enjoyed throughout his tenure.

“We have over 120 kids out for track,” said Feexico. “It’s the largest group we’ve ever had. We’ve almost doubled participation in the past five years. That’s what we’ve always wanted, because it’s like I always say, competition breeds success.”

With several new faces on both track teams, Feexico will need that competition to transfer inexperienced underclassmen into runners that are ready to step up in big roles.

“Our track team is fairly young,” continued Feexico. “Our biggest classes are sophomore and freshman. The thing I’m really excited about is how much talent we have at that level to go along with what we have coming back. A lot of those kids are going to contribute this year. I wouldn’t say it’s a learning curve, but it kind of is with the speed and talent they’re going to run against. They’re going to get a taste of it this year, which I think will just make them hungrier for years to come.”

With only one returning senior, the boys’ track team may be the youngest in all of 6A.

“Kyle Baker in our lone senior,” said Feexico. “He’s going to be our leader. Other than that, we really don’t have a lot coming back.

It will be a similar situation on the girls’ sprint side, as they have few returning upperclassmen. Feexico will look to lean on the experienced members of the team while the younger talent continues to develop.

“Eryn Stafford, she’s our senior leader for our sprint group,” said Feexico. “Naomi Brantley, she’s a sophomore that also competed as a state qualifier last year in our sprint relays. We have some other younger girls who have really made big strides and are expected to contribute in a big way. Katie Merkle, who was a state qualifier last year, will also be big for us.”

Coming off a state-runner up finish in cross country, the Norman High girls’ distance team is prepared for another championship. Emmaline Kelly, Camille Henry, Grace Pantalone, Theresa Elmore and Lily Anthony are all returning.

“It’s nice to have all of those girls returning,” said Feexico. “They’re a real talented group for us.”

“On the girls’ side, we have Marisa Fleck, who’s a returning state champion in the shot put,” said Feexico. “She’s also been a state champion in the discus, her sophomore year. Last year was disappointing on her part, because she wasn’t able to defend her title, but I know she’s eager to get out there and get back at it.”

“On the boys’ side, Elijah Smith should perform well,” continued Feexico. “Look for him to have a great year.”

In the pole vault, the Tigers will also have a state qualifier returning in Tate McDonald, who placed sixth last year as a freshman.

“Look for him to improve on that success,” said Feexico. “He’ll be another one of our kids that should have a great year.”

March brings St. Patrick’s Day, the celebration of the patron saint of engineering and, for the OU campus like many others around the country, the celebration of Engineers Week. The College of Engineering was founded in 1909, the same year as OU’s College of Law. Just as siblings often do, the two colleges have had a long history of good-natured torment.

According to campus legend, the original antics were centered on Old Trusty, the mascot cannon long used by the engineers to give booming celebrations. The tradition began in 1915 at midnight to herald the arrival of St. Patrick’s Day. As the Sooner Magazine noted in 1949, the “early-day Engineers were wont to fire in the direction of the Law Barn,” which, before the construction of the Memorial Union, was a straight shot from the entrance of what would come to be known as Felgar Hall after the college’s

Engineers v. Lawyersby: Jeff Provine


first dean. The cannon found plenty of excuses to be fired, which “sometimes resulted in cracked or broken windows” at Monnet Hall.

The lawyers attempted to end the barrage by kidnapping Old Trusty in 1916, but it was President Stratton Brooks himself who quieted the original cannon a few years later. The story, told on the deathbed of the facilities manager at the time, goes that he and Brooks stole the cannon from its hiding place under the electrical shop, filled the barrel with concrete and buried it in a watery grave. There are differences of opinion on whether it was in the South Canadian River or the creek that runs under Southwest 24th Avenue, a few blocks north of Brooks’s namesake street.

The rivalry between the two revved up following World War I as student energy on campus rose to match the general wildness of the Roaring Twenties and

continued on as a distraction during the Great Depression. On St. Patrick’s Day in 1937, the engineers woke up to find the beloved Sigma Tau Pyramid in front of Felgar Hall doused in yellow paint. The engineers took it as a clever return on their own customary prank of green paint on Monnet’s owls, even though the cleanup wasn’t nearly as difficult. The prank, however, was only the beginning.

As the engineers’ annual parade rounded the Oval past the Administration Building and Carnegie Hall, it came to the front of Monnet Hall. With a deafening roar, six-foot flames topped by billowing black smoke exploded in front of the marchers and their horses. The lawyers had set a line of fuel, stopping the parade just below the windows that had suffered so much damage from cannons over the years. The stalled parade became a target for a torrent of eggs and paper bags filled with water.

The Sigma Tau pyramid adorns the entrance to Felgar Hall, Engineering’s oldest building.


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This prank, epic in the classical sense of the word, proved to go a little too far. Students were quoted in The Daily as being thankful the horses they had used for the parade were borrowed from the ROTC and trained against explosions. If they had bolted, people could have been hurt more than “a little egg in the eye.”

With World War II and the G.I. Bill, antics generally calmed down on campus. One tradition, however, continued in the annual contest by lawyers to kidnap the coed who had been elected Queen of Engineering before she could be crowned. There had been varying degrees of success over the years, such as in 1943 when the engineers lost every candidate and, in retaliation, kidnapped, shaved bald, and painted a shamrock on a law victim. In 1947, the lawyers again took the queen and returned her that evening with an orchid in hand. The kidnapping in 1950 reached a peak when the soon-to-be-queen was seized by lawyers pretending to be photographers for Life Magazine, complete with phony business cards.

In 1952, the lawyers and the engineers signed a formal peace pact to end the tradition. A few engineers revolted, and the legend goes that the Loyal Knights of Old Trusty discovered their beloved cannon hanged by the neck with a “suicide” note. The maverick band of engineers then kidnapped their own queen in an effort to keep the tradition alive, but it was over the next year despite their struggle.

By 1954, a band of engineers hoped to reignite the rivalry in a non-kidnapping way by painting a huge shamrock on the side of Monnet Hall. The lawyers sent out a press release with a reply that they were “tired” of it. Embarrassed, the engineers presented written apologies and they cleaned the shamrock off the building.

Yet in the 1960s, the rivalry came back with passion. In 1965, two independent groups of engineers stumbled upon each other as one was painting the Law’s honor society Delta Theta Phi plaque while the other was decorating Monnet Hall with green ribbons and shamrocks. In 1966, the lawyers struck back with the engineer’s Irish motto on their huge banner edited to read “Erin Go Law.” Other pranks proved more long-term, such as the 1968 seeding of grass with fertilizer so that, months later as the other grass turned yellow, a big green ENGR stood out on the Law lawn.

The pranks continue to this day, perhaps most famously with the green mice released in the College of Law’s new building on Timberdell, where the school moved in 1976. In 1984 and again in 1998, mice and reportedly some rats who had been painted green were placed in an elevator. When someone pushed the button, they scurried out into the building for weeks to come.

The lawyers are not to be outdone. Former professor George Tauxe recalled the time that they spiked the punch at the Engineers Banquet with laxatives and then locked the doors to all of the restrooms in the Memorial Union.

Even though he has long since left the university, Parrington still looks out over its halls through classic university pictures.

The latest iteration of the Engineering cannon still stands guard in the quad.

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One College, Infinite Possibilitiesby: Lindsay Cuomo

Celebrating 124 years, the College of Arts and Sciences, OU’s largest college, honored several distinguished alumni for their professional accomplishments, as well as their work with the college, at their annual Kaleidoscope Evening on Friday, Feb. 12. The field of honorees was as diverse as the college itself. From a scientist designing technology that has explored other worlds to a female host on the NFL Network, the honorees represent the broad range of departments and programs under the College of Arts and Sciences. Our very own columnist, David Goodspeed was honored as well.

Goodspeed, currently the assistant vice president of Digital Innovation at OU, sat amongst a very illustrious group of alumni that night.

“It was very humbling for me,” shared Goodspeed. “I am never one to be speechless but this honor left me speechless.”

“To be around those accomplished people with their amazing stories and their passion for the university and the College of Arts and Sciences, we had a connection,” added Goodspeed. “Our differences didn’t matter. The college is what connected us.”

While the evening highlighted former students, Goodspeed couldn’t help but wonder about the future and what the students of today might accomplish tomorrow.

“As I sat there among some pretty incredible people, my thoughts were drawn to the future students and what they could become thanks to the foundation laid by the ones that have gone before them,” said Goodspeed.

Benton C. Clark, an OU graduate and one of this year’s honorees, went on to earn his doctorate in biophysics from Columbia University and work with NASA to craft equipment that would explore Mars aboard the Viking landers. His recent honor as recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award joins the ranks of

his many other honors including his NASA Public Service Medal, the Wright Brothers Award and the Air Force Service Medal.

Alongside Clark and Goodspeed is N. Bird Runningwater, OU’s first graduate of the Native American Studies program. He was honored for his work with the Sundance Institute’s Native Lab. Born of the Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache peoples, Runningwater has worked with projects such as “Four Sheets to the Wind,” “Sikumi,” “Miss Navajo,” “Shímásání” and “Drunktown’s Finest.” Runningwater has also established filmmaker labs in New Zealand and Australia, which have spawned such projects as “The Strength of Water” (New Zealand), “Samson and Delilah” (Australia) and “Bran Nue Dae” (Australia).

Stacey Dales broke records during her time as a Sooner. She was the first player in the history of the program to record 1,700 points, 600 rebounds and 700 assists. Following her collegiate career, she was the third overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft and played seven seasons in the league. Dales is also an Olympian. She played on the Canadian team in the 2000 Olympics. You can now watch Dales on the NFL Network as she reports on programs including “Around the League,” “NFL Total Access” and “NFL GameDay Morning.”

There were several other honorees at the annual Kaleidoscope Evening, which acts as a night cap on an entire week of celebrations for the college.

“The Kaleidoscope Evening is the big bow on the package,” explained Goodspeed. “We celebrate the great things going on and our unique alumni.”

“The college helped me find myself all those years ago, and it all came full circle at the banquet,” said Goodspeed. “It reenergized me for the future, for my kids and all the kids who want to go to OU. I will continue to work to make it better, just like people did before me.”

Inset - Award winners from left to right (standing) - Stacy Dales, Robyn Biggs, Ioana Cionea, Cindy Gordon, Elizabeth Frame-Ellison, Kelly Damphousse (sitting L to R) - Kevin Butterfield, Ben Clark, David Goodspeed, Bird Runningwater, David Wrobel

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March is Women’s History Month, an expansion of International Women’s Day on March 8. When we take even a moment to look back through the years at all the good done by women, one day was clearly not enough to celebrate, and even with a month we cannot begin to appreciate everything. Here are eight women who helped to make the university, and in many ways our world, what it is today.

Professor Mildred Andrews BoggessOne of the greatest musicians in Oklahoma history played the organ, an instrument known for its powerful, haunting tones. Today the University of Oklahoma’s School of Music holds the American Organ Institute, which includes a full pipe organ workshop listed among the best on the continent, and all this came about thanks to the dedication of Mildred Andrews Boggess.

When she completed her bachelor’s as part of OU’s Class of 1937, Andrews

Women Who Changed OUby: Jeff Provine

wanted to get her master’s in the organ in Norman as well. Unfortunately, OU the school didn’t offer that degree. Although a small woman, one member of the faculty described her as Andrews a “Type-A personality,” and she aimed to rectify what she felt was a disservice to Oklahoma students. Earning her master’s from the University of Michigan and doing graduate work at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, she returned to OU as a faculty member.

Over the next thirty-eight years, Andrews grew the organ department into an impressive body that has earned national recognition. According to the American Organ Institute, “Miss Andrews produced more Fulbright Scholars among organ students, 15 in total, and national organ competition winners, 20 in total, than any other organ professor in American history.” In addition to her weekly accompaniments at St. John’s Episcopal Church, she played concerts on campus, throughout the state and internationally,

including Westminster Abbey at the choirmaster’s personal request. Even after her retirement in 1978, she returned to entertain and educate.

Andrews was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1971. The cathedral-style organ in the lobby of the Catlett Music Center stands named in her honor, funded in large part by Andrews’s own estate.

Carol BurrAlong with journalists like Roy Gittinger and Fayette Copeland, Carol Burr put her writing skills to work telling the story of the University of Oklahoma as it unfolds. Burr herself is an OU graduate, completing the Professional Writing program in 1959 with special distinction as part of a slew of honor societies including Phi Beta Kappa, Theta Sigma Phi, Alpha Lambda Delta, Mortar Board and Tassels.

Burr’s major work has been the OU Foundation’s Sooner Magazine, where she began as a part-time assistant editor

Although now home of the Department of Communications, Burton Hall stands as a testament to Dr. Helen Burton’s work.

8



before graduating and soon gained full control as editor. Under her guidance, Sooner Magazine became the official magazine of the alumni association, a lifeline of the copious energy on campus to graduates suddenly in touch. With a ready firsthand knowledge of the previous quarter century, Burr served to edit The Sooner Story: Ninety Years at the University of Oklahoma 1890-1980 and later contributed to and edited Centennial: Portrait of the University of Oklahoma. She continued on in her editorial position with Sooner Magazine until 2015, retiring after 39 years spent leading the journalistic institution in print and paper and even into the digital age.

Dr. Helen Brown BurtonBurton Hall today hosts the Department of Communication, but it was first the home of the university’s School of Home Economics. Before ubiquitous fast food in a society where practically everything is disposable, Home Economics was a crucial part of managing one’s finances and health.

Dr. Helen Brown Burton served as the director of the School of Home Economics for twenty-three years after joining OU’s faculty in 1927. She already had an impressive resume, including an A.B. degree Cum Laude from Indiana University in 1911, and would go on to complete her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Within a year of coming to OU, she was a fellow in the Oklahoma Academy of Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Burton contributed greatly to our modern understanding of nutrition. She studied the requirements of calcium and phosphorus for the human body and designed methods for increasing calcium intake through eggshells and dry skim milk additives for skeletal health. Burton also made a lifelong study of vitamins, particularly foods containing ascorbic acid and even did a biological assay of the vitamin A in algae grown from sewage as a potential food source.

Dr. Burton left much of her estate to the school when she passed away in 1968, which contributed to several grants for ongoing research. In the late 1980’s, the School of Home Economics came to an end as its fields moved to other schools. Early childhood development shifted to Education, interior design became part of Architecture, and nutrition, in which

Helen Brown Burton was a pioneer, lived on in the College of Allied Health.

Dr. Ada Lois Sipuel FisherThe famous fight to desegregate higher education was settled in the courts of Oklahoma, leading to the landmark Supreme Court case McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents that removed state racial restrictions. Yet, it was Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher who began the civil rights fight in 1946 to open equal education to people of all races. State lawmakers attempted to keep her in her place by founding a “separate but equal” Langston University School of Law, but Fisher kept fighting and was the first African American to enroll in the OU College of Law. Even though her goal had been met and anyone could enter graduate schools in Oklahoma, Mrs. Fisher was hardly one to rest on her laurels.

Following her successful completion of law school in 1952, Mrs. Fisher practiced law in Chickasha and taught as faculty at

Langston University, soon becoming chair of the Department of Social Sciences. She returned to the classroom as a student in 1968, coming back to OU to earn her master’s degree in History. OU granted her yet another degree, an honorary doctorate of humane letters, in 1991. Her work came full circle the next year when Governor David Walters appointed Dr. Fisher to the Board of Regents, where she could act in governance to improve the state of education for all.

Dr. Dora McFarlandAlthough her name might not be immediately recognized, nearly everyone who experienced American public education will know the work of Dr. Dora McFarland. McFarland, along with Eunice Lewis, published Arithmetic for Elementary Teachers: An Introductory Course in 1963, the textbook that was applied nearly universally and outlined the methods to teach youngsters the third of the Three R’s.

The magnificent cathedral-style organ in the entry of Catlett Hall is named in honor of Professor Mildred Andrews Boggess.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE // 65

McFarland came to the University of Oklahoma as she finished her master’s degree in 1921. Outside her doctoral work at the University of Chicago, she completed her dissertation Division Algebras defined by Non-Abelian Groups and a tour of India and Southeast Asia in 1959, McFarland taught a rigorous schedule at OU until her retirement in 1965 at age seventy. With her firm grasp on the principles of mathematics and her dedicated approach in the classroom, she was invited to contribute to the “Tapes for Teaching” educational program, which then led to her work with Lewis on the textbook that would inspire a whole generation of learners.

Dr. Nancy Mergler

The glass ceiling has long been a barrier stopping women from career advancement, but its higher echelons broke at the University of Oklahoma when Dr. Nancy Mergler became senior vice-president and provost. She joined the faculty in 1979 in the Department of Psychology and moved in 1987 to direct the Honors Program. In 1995, freshly appointed President Boren sought to fill the job that in many ways keeps education running and called her to his office. Mergler said she was “stunned” to hear that she had won the position despite being “something of a dark horse candidate.”

In an interview with KGOU, Mergler noted that when she began her position, she was the only woman in the Big 12 amongst provosts. Today about half the provosts in the Big 12 are women. After twenty years in the position, Mergler stepped down to serve as provost emeritus and return to the Honors College.

May OverstreetOne bit of Sooner trivia is that the school colors, crimson and cream, a particular shade of corn, were selected in 1895 by a committee chaired by May Overstreet, the only woman among the university’s first four faculty members.

A look through state archives of newspapers shows May Overstreet to be a true pioneer of education in the early days of Oklahoma. Overstreet came to Beaver City, No Man’s Land, in 1887 and soon moved to the newly opened Oklahoma Territory. As May Overstreet left Beaver, the Christian Endeavor Society posted a notice in the paper stating how much they would miss such an “efficient,

faithful and earnest worker in the Sabbath school as superintendent and teacher,” a lofty position as she was only a teenager at the time.

Upon her appointment, the Norman Transcript posted a front-page congratulatory notice that “Miss May Overstreet, one of the teachers in the public schools during the last school year, was tendered a position in the University of Oklahoma.” Overstreet later went on to teach orthography, reading, and geography at the Caddo County Normal Institute in Anadarko, teaching the next generation of Oklahoma teachers.

Professor Jewel WurtzbaughThe University of Oklahoma has had any number of memorable professors, but few stand out as readily in the minds of elder alumni as English professor Jewel Wurtzbaugh, who came to OU in 1926 after boldly writing President Bizzell to suggest she should teach at the university. Famous for her “authority on the sixteenth-century poet Edmund Spencer,” according to OU Historian David Levy as well as her generally flustered nature and her colloquial Texan expressions spoken with an air of refinement, Wurtzbaugh reportedly lived the dream of every pedestrian on OU’s bicycle-crowded lanes. She’d stabbed her umbrella into the spokes of wheels coming too close, sending the negligent rider sprawling.

Normanite Dr. Doug Hoy recalled his time delivering newspapers on his route, specifically stopping at her house to dismount his bicycle and hand-deliver her paper. He noted with the awe of childhood that Wurtzbaugh received “mail from all over the world and saved foreign stamps” for him. Her whimsy made the world more interesting, such as when she led the campaign that renamed the street called “Jenkins Rear” to the more delightful “Faerie Queen Lane,” now part of the stadium parking lot.

In addition to her scholarly work, Wurtzbaugh also campaigned for equal pay between the sexes, noting that her merits were more noteworthy than some better-paid male colleagues. Even Dean Meacham admitted that Wurtzbaugh “was mentioned as a great teacher more times than any other faculty member.” Today her name is attached to the memorial fund that grants a scholarship to students exhibiting strong dedication to the importance of women’s studies.

1. 2nd Friday Norman Artwalk, March 11. Downtown Norman will be hopping with open art galleries, live music, dinner and drink specials and more. Drop by VisitNorman, 309 E. Main St., to see a photography exhibit featuring the work of veterans from the Norman Veterans Center in collaboration with the Firehouse Arts Center and Oklahoma Arts Council.

2. The Search for Life: Oceans Beyond Earth, March 22. The College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and the National Weather Center will be presenting a public forum discussing space exploration from Galileo’s perspective beginning at 7 p.m. featuring Dr. Kevin Hand, deputy chief scientist of Solar System Exploration. The National Weather Center is located at 120 David L. Boren Blvd.

3. Galileo and Sports, through April 15. As part of the university’s year-long Galileo’s World celebration, the Galileo and Sports display at Headington Hall, 100 E. Lindsey St., features three rare Galileo books purchased by the OU athletic department for the OU Library’s Galileo collection. It is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until April 15.

4. Medieval Fair, April 1-3. The fair is the state’s largest weekend event, the third largest event in Oklahoma and was selected by Events Media Network as one of the top 100 events in the nation. In addition to the period music, jousting, human chess and more, attendees can browse through Reaves Park, which will be transformed into a medieval village lined with more than 200 arts and crafts booths offering unique and handcrafted wares. This is a can’t-miss Norman event.

5. Norman Farm Market, starting April 2. Stroll through aisles of farmer-grown, homegrown and local items at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds, 615 E. Robinson. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday and from 4-7 p.m. every Tuesday, April through October.

by: Stefanie Brickman

VISITNORMANFive Spring Must-dos!

There are plenty of things to do in Norman in March and early April! Make sure you make plans to take part in what Norman has to offer. Here are the musts:

VisitNorman exists to promote the city, to attract overnight meeting, convention, sport and tourism business to the community, and to enhance and contribute to the overall identity and economic wellbeing of the city. VisitNorman’s vision is to be the leader who proactively markets and develops Norman as the preferred destination in Oklahoma.

Have you downloaded our app yet? The VisitNorman app, free in the Apple Store and Google Play, has much more than just in the Eat portion. The Stay portion includes Norman's hotels, motels and B&B options. The Do part features museums, attractions, shopping, arts and culture, historical sites and more. The Events section lists things happening in Norman.

VisitNorman.com has the details about these events and more.

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Normanite’s Spring Break

Survival Guide

by: Tegan Burkhard & Taylor Hickney

1. Clothing: If your free college tank tops won’t fit the bill, or you’ve busted your only set of flip-flops, head over to Campus Corner for a wardrobe update. Ladies can explore racks of clothing at Blush, at 66 Buchanan Ave., to choose the perfect flowing dress to double as a swimsuit cover-up. Guys can head to Threads, which is right next door to Blush for a pair of Southern Tide swim trunks, perfect for reeling the ladies in while lounging near the ocean.

2. Snacks: Stock up on tasty road trip eats beforehand to avoid crunching on stale bags of chips after fueling up at the nearest gas station. Bag a batch of fresh, moist muffins and cinnamon rolls or a handful of Rice Krispie treats at Apple Tree Chocolate, at 754 Asp Ave. Select a bucket of hot & spicy, redskin or nacho cheese peanuts at Mason’s Pecans & Peanuts, at 4913 SE 44th St. Pick up car snacks like gourmet pretzel twists and flatbread crackers at the international pantry, located in the Hollywood Shopping Center at 1618 W. Lindsey St.

3. Gifts: If you’ve managed to score yourself a week’s free stay on your high school bestie’s couch, be sure to thank them with a silly set of socks or a fun, old-fashioned flask from Lohmann’s Good Things, 710 W. Main St. If you’ve booked a cheap stay through an Airbnb host, select unique vintage pieces or Oklahoma-inspired artwork from STASH, 412 E.. Main St., to leave behind as a token of your gratitude for their limitless hospitality.

4. Spirits: For the 21 and over crowd, transport your favorite Oklahoma brew to your Spring Break destination. Stop by Corkscrew Wine & Spirits, 2319 W. Lindsey St., for a range of Southern-brewed 6-packs. Or, head to Joe’s Wine & Spirits, 1330 Alameda St., for larger bottles of your favorite liquors to last the full week of festivities.

5. Coffee: Fuel up with a quick cup of coffee from Cool Beans Coffee, 1230 Alameda St., on your way out of Norman. Wake up your taste buds with a Nutella latte or a peppermint mocha. Caffeinate and cool down with an iced coffee to-go as you head off on your weeklong Spring Break adventure.

6. Car wash: Upon your return to Norman, reward your noble steed for carrying you across the country and back. Wipe away evidence of your less-than-hygienic trip including those crumbs, stains and dirt dotting your backseat, and wash away the leftover bird poop decorating your windshield at Cruise-In Auto Spa, 1235 W. Main St.

Spring Break stands as the ultimate breather from 8-hour days, countless meetings, mile-long essays, the morning rush, homework and late-night study sessions. Lay a little groundwork beforehand to get your overnight bag in order, and you can add adult responsibilities to the week’s “Don’t Sweat It” list. Whether you plan to stay near Norman or travel afar, we’ve got plenty of sunny inspiration to make your Spring Break unforgettable.

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1. The Norman Public Library Central, located at 225 N. Webster, has three different series over the course of the week to keep kids entertained and educated. The first is called “ROBOTS,” where kids learn how to build robots using Processing language. It lasts five days, and is especially good for kids who have always been interested in robots. The second is called “Tween/Teen Web Design,” which also lasts for five days, and is for teenagers wanting to learn how to build a web page from scratch. The third is “Dance Party,” and it’s exactly what it sounds like! A DJ will get the party started at 2 p.m. on Monday. All three are great options to get kids out of the house for a little bit of fun each day of the break.

2. Sponsored by BancFirst, The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, located at 2401 Chautauqua Ave., hosts their annual Spring Break Escape with face painting, crafts, bird shows, jaw-dropping science experiments and more. Standard admission rates apply, $8 for adults and $5 for children. Affordable and accessible, this activity will blow your kids’ minds!

3. Spend a day at HeyDay Entertainment, located at 3201 Market Pl. They offer laser tag, bowling, mini golf, an arcade, a hangout space, a ropes course and a laser maze. With passes at $34.99 per person, HeyDay offers fun for the whole family!

4. When bouts of boredom strike, drag the kids out of the house for a generous trip to Kidoodles Toy Zone, 425 W. Main St. Purchase a new doll, play set or accessories. Wake up the kids’ dormant brain cells with challenging 3D puzzles, jigsaws and brainteasers. Put their crafting skills to the test with a fun dream catcher kit or tubs of modeling dough.

5. Break out of couch potato mode with a competitive round of bowling at Sooner Bowling Center, 550 24th Ave. NW. The kids can let loose and exhaust their endless supplies of energy as they launch their bowling balls toward the awaiting pins. Load the kids up with tater tots, burgers and hot dogs and skip heating up the oven for an at-home meal.

Staycation Saving Grace

Normanite’s Spring Break

Survival Guide

When the kids call for a full week of activities to replace their daily romp through the school playground, pull out this staycation play book to appease their high demands with a well thought out round of distractions provided by Norman and its local businesses.


Luigi’s Bistro is an awarding winning, locally owned and operated Italian restaurant nestled off of I-35 just south of 19th Street in Moore. While Luigi’s has only been in Moore for a little over a year, its Oklahoma roots were established over 60 years ago. The owners’ father and grandfather, “Luigi” Nicholas Scaffetta, opened the first Luigi’s in Chickasha in 1951.

“Based on our research, we think my father opened the first Italian American restaurant in the state of Oklahoma,” shared Sandy Scaffetta-Johnson, part owner of the newest location in Moore.

Mr. Scaffetta’s legacy and love for Italian food is evident as soon as you walk in the front doors. The waiting area is welcoming and filled with the rich family history that is associated with this restaurant and its owners. In fact, much of the staff is part of the Scaffetta family including Luigi’s own daughter, granddaughters and seven great grandchildren. The menu is packed with fresh, made from scratch family recipes.

“I spent a summer teaching my son-in-law, Jorge, our family’s recipes,” said Scaffetta-Johnson. “Jorge has also created several of his own recipes to add to our menu.”

Jorge Chavira, the chef at Luigi’s, took his research even further when he spent time cooking at a pizzeria in Naples, Italy to get a better feel for the flavors. He also attended Carpigiani Gelato University in

order to perfect of one of Luigi’s most popular dessert options.

Luigi’s is extremely family-friendly and can accommodate anything from a couple’s first date to an extended family’s weekly dinner. I have eaten at Luigi’s with both smaller and larger parties, as well as with kids, and in each case was well accommodated.

The menu options are as vast as the personalities in a family. At Luigi’s, you will find Italian favorites such as Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs, pasta, paninis and pizza. But, you will also find hamburgers, seafood and steak. If you are gluten-conscious, there are several gluten free items on the menu as well. Luigi’s also offers a new lunch menu that starts at $6.95 and a children’s menu that features much-loved items like pasta and meatballs and chicken alfredo. For a list of weekly specials, check out Luigi’s website at www.luigisfamiglia.com.

The complementary bread sticks are pretty tasty, and so are their starters. I have tried several, including the bruschetta, homemade meatballs and traditional

by: Lenae Clements

calamari. While they are all great choices, my favorite is the bruschetta. My son thought the meatballs were so good that he asked to order another starter as his meal, which was the perfect size for someone his age.

Luigi’s Bistro

My personal go-to dinner choice is the Luigi’s Panini, a fantastic chicken sandwich with spring lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, basil and provolone cheese. Others have raved about the steaks, pizza and other pasta dishes. If you want to try something less traditional, try a pizzadia. Resembling a quesadilla, each pizzadia is made from scratch and stuffed with pizza toppings.

Luigi’s is one place you won’t want to skip dessert. Their gelato is fantastic! I have never been disappointed with any of the gelato flavors that I have tried. If pastries are your preference, you can choose from homemade cheesecake and almond, chocolate and Italian cream cake, as well as tiramisu.

With its casual and family-friendly atmosphere, Luigi’s is an ideal place for a great lunch or dinner. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Chef & General Manager Jorge and Luigi at the original location in Chickasha

Syrup: A Cuppa QualityRound up your brunch buddies, head to Main Street and step inside Syrup, located at 123 E. Main St., to peruse their vast selection of breakfast foods, ranging from crunchy French toast and sweet cream waffles to cinnamon roll pancakes and breakfast sliders. While you’re browsing the menu, pay close attention to Syrup’s coffee and tea options as well.

Wake up with an espresso macchiato, latte, French press or a cortado. Or, soothe your throat with a pot of earl grey or chamomile tea. With each sip, rest easy knowing you’re getting high quality goods from the individual producers who roasted the beans in your coffee and picked the leaves for your tea.

At Syrup, all coffee beans and tea leaves are direct trade, meaning they have been curated from national companies with small, global producers. Hugo Tea Company in Kansas City culls their organic premium teas, like the Berry Rooibos, direct from original producers. All of the producers Hugo Tea Company use, like the South African farm that grows the rooibos leaves, keep chemicals out of their crops.

“With tea, they pluck it, they dry it and essentially it ends up in your cup,” says MaryBeth Omido, Syrup’s general manager. “So whatever chemicals they’re spraying on it, that’s pretty much what

you’re going to be steeping in your cup of tea if it’s not organic.”

Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland ships high quality roasted beans to Syrup straight from small farms like Nano Challa Cooperative in Ethiopia. As a direct trade provider, Stumptown visits every one of

their producers’ farms to ensure proper labor conditions and best practices are used. Direct trade also means buyers increase their purchase price based on improvements to the quality of the beans.

“There are so many other hands that have touched that coffee, and you’re the one that just gets to be the one that hands it to the customer,” Omido says. “So in that area, we want to represent the hard work of so many people behind us.”

Stumptown has developed a direct relationship with all of its coffee bean

by: Tegan Burkhard

farms, offering suggestions for improving crops and roasting coffee while learning about each culture so they can deliver the highest quality beans straight to their consumers’ cups.

“They have an investment in making sure that they’re well taken care of, that their

farms are well taken care of, that their people are well taken care of,” Omido says.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters knows the exact process behind the roasted beans served at Syrup, since they spend time at Huye Mountain in Rwanda with David Rubanzangabo and Tim Schilling, watching as the men fully wash their coffee beans before putting them in Stumptown’s hands. The Portland company makes trips to La Prosperidad de Chirinos

Cooperative in Peru to observe its 630 members depulp their coffee into wood or concrete tanks before starting the fermentation and drying process.

As each individual producer updates their production process, the quality of the beans increases. In turn, Stumptown Coffee Roasters pays the producer a higher price before sending the beans on to coffee shops like Syrup. So, next time you enjoy a cup of caffeine at Syrup, know you’re drinking high quality products tailored to your taste buds with every sip.


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