Dear Oaks Monthly Newsletter

All UCO faculty and staff have access to the EAP through Deer Oaks. The EAP provides free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, prevention, and education services for you, dependents living at home or elsewhere, and anyone who lives in your household. View the monthly newsletter on the Hub.

Voter Registration Deadline for October 10 Elections

The deadline to register for the upcoming October 10 elections is today, September 15. Prospective voters who wish to turn in physical application must mail or hand-deliver their application to their local County Election Board by the end of the day.

Additionally, you may register to vote online using Oklahoma’s new Online Voter Registration System. A valid Oklahoma ID and a signature on file with Service Oklahoma is required for this process.

Happy Voting!

Information gathered from the Oklahoma State Election Board

Meet Scott Erickson, D.M.A., Professor of Oboe

Scott Erickson, D.M.A., professor of oboe

The new academic year has brought new names and faces to the School of Music. One of those individuals is Scott Erickson (D.M.A.). After sitting down and interviewing him with standard and student-suggested interview questions, we would love to tell you all about him.

Professor Erickson has been around the world but calls Denver, Colorado home. “I was raised there, and my family is there. It’s where I’m most at home,” Erickson recalls. He has planted roots in Washington state, Florida, and even as far away as Bolivia through his studies. In Washington, Professor Erickson instructed oboe at Central Washington University. Although he spends most of his time on the oboe, his hobbies are far from home.

“I’m an outdoors person; I find myself outside as much as possible. I love camping, biking, hiking, tennis, and even golf… although I’m not great at it.” Erickson laughed when talking about golf. In addition to being outside, he enjoys playing guitar (inside) for his dog, Joey. Joey is a five-year-old rescue from Washington who is claimed to be “the best audience—Joey loves my singing.”

Professionally, Scott Erickson has an extensive resume, performing with the Bold City Contemporary Ensemble in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Bolivia, and taught at the National Conservatory in La Paz. During his time in Bolivia, Scott stayed with a host family who helped him brush up on his Spanish, “In Bolivia, concert season lines up with summer break here in the States, so it worked well. During the second year of my doctorate, I went down and stayed with a host family. I learned so much Spanish but came back and haven’t needed it. I’d really love to get back to it.” He also taught oboe lessons while there.

Two student-submitted questions were asked, both comedic and personal. Scott was excited to answer both. The first, “What is your favorite meme?” the frontrunner was, “Oh–! The really excited kid with the clenched fists! I’ve seen that one a lot lately, and I love it!” The second, “NFL season is back—who’s your favorite player, and should they start their own brand of shoes?” This one got a laugh and good consideration. “Raised in Colorado, I’m a Broncos fan. I’ve gotta go with Peyton Manning (one of the greats!). He should definitely start his own brand of loafers.”

Overall, Scott Erickson is enjoying Oklahoma and says the area is treating him well. He mentioned the variety of food and new things to try—including an OKC Dodgers game.

Thank you for your interview, Scott! The full interview is below.**

**Questions have been edited for clarity.

1. Where are you from or claim to be from?

Denver, CO. I was raised there, and my family is from there. I did my Undergrad in Wyoming, Graduate studies in Florida (Florida State University), did teaching in Washington, and even Bolivia. In Bolivia, orchestra season lines up with summer break, so it works well. I . . .  read more

2024 Truman Scholarships

Beyonce Hammond photo for Truman Scholarship

Each year the Harry S. Truman Foundation awards scholarships to college and university juniors who have outstanding leadership potential and plan to pursue a career in public service. Award recipients receive a $30,000 scholarship to pay for graduate or professional school in public-service related fields such as public policy, public health, political science, public administration, international relations, history, education, or economics.

Applicants must be a US citizen or US national resident of America Samoa, a junior at the time of application, and nominated by UCO to apply. Applications are due February 6, 2024.

Award winners participate in leadership development activities and have opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.

Check out the article about UCO’s latest winner, Beyonce Hammond, in the Spring 2022 Old North Magazine.

Learn more about the awards by visiting the Truman Scholars website and email Michael Springer, Ph.D., director for the Office of High-Impact Practices and UCO’s Truman Scholarship Advisor, for more information and to begin your application.

September 12 Special Elections

Numerous counties across the state will be holding special elections next week on Tuesday, September 12. Sample ballots for the election, as well as polling places can be found on the OK Voter Portal.

In addition, early voting locations are open today until 6:00 PM, and can be found on the Oklahoma State Election Board’s list. It should be noted that if your county is not shown to have a sample ballot, or is not on the list of early voting locations, your county is not holding an election this month. Happy voting!

Information provided by the Oklahoma State Election Board

UCO Criminal Justice Student Selected for Prestigious National Science Foundation Program

UCO School of Criminal Justice student Jimmi Winn presents at the prestigious Research Experience for Undergraduates in the summer of 2023

In the summer of 2023, UCO criminal justice and forensic science senior Jimmi Winn participated in a prestigious eight-week Criminal Justice Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program funded by the National Science Foundation. Jimmi was selected to attend from hundreds of exceptional students from across the nation.

The REU project took place at University of Arkansas at Little Rock and was titled “The Scope and Consequences of Hate Crime Victimization in the South.” During the program, Jimmi learned about data analysis and measurement, academic writing and presenting and research design. She also had the opportunity to attend social events, including tours of the Clinton Presidential Library, Central High School and the Arkansas State Capitol.

Reflecting on this transformative experience, Jimmi shared, “Beyond the wealth of knowledge I gained about the Muslim experience in Arkansas and the broader Southern context, this REU program enabled me to bridge the gap between academic learning at UCO and its practical application in real-world scenarios.”

Jimmi studies under the mentorship of Chunghyeon Seo, Ph.D., UCO assistant professor of criminal justice.

The UCO School of Criminal Justice empowers our students to become the leaders of tomorrow’s criminal justice system. Through our programming, student organizations, curriculum, and partnerships, our students become exceptional working professionals in their communities.

Learn more about the UCO School of Criminal Justice.