Women for OSU Symposium Partners Program Partnering to Impact Grant Recipients Philanthropist of the Year Scholars Council

Partnering to Impact is a donor-funded grant program to support the university in a way that strengthens the engagement of our Women for OSU Partners.

Partnering to Impact Grants

Each year, Partnering to Impact awards grants to areas that focus on the four following initiatives: Health and Wellness, Education, Campus Beautification, or Arts and Culture at Oklahoma State University.

2024 Grant Recipients:

F1RST2GO

Dr. Doug Hallenbeck, Vice President of Student Affairs; Dr. Aleigha Mariott, Assistant Vice President of Campus Life; Scott Alexander, Assistant Director of Student Support & Conduct

A first-generation college student is a student whose parents or guardians do not have a four-year degree from a college or university. First-generation students comprise around 20-25% of OSU’s student population. OSU’s F1RST2GO is a peer mentorship program that assists first-generation, first-year students in developing a lasting support system built of peers and professional staff. F1RST2GO currently serves approximately 160 first-year OSU students. The grant funds provide comprehensive training to F1RST2GO peer mentors, enrichment materials for small group meetings as well as the ability to host intentional and enriching events for F1RST2GO students.

Increasing Access to Civic Education for Underserved Rural Students in Oklahoma

Dr. Joshua Jansa, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science; Dr. Eve Ringsmuth, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science

Oklahoma State University is ideally positioned to teach the next generation about citizenship and government through its civics course, Introduction to American Government. This project aims to build OSU’s Cowboy Concurrent program, which provides tuition-and fee-free courses, to enroll rural Oklahoma high school seniors in Introduction to American Government courses. Grant funds will be utilized to eliminate two barriers to enrollment: limited access to high-speed internet in rural areas and textbook costs.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Rachelle Taylor, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders; Ivy Hover, Graduate Student, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders

Project Summary: The OSU Speech and Hearing Clinic strives to provide optimal services to individuals in the Stillwater community with communication disorders while excelling at higher education at an ASHA accredited program for master-level speech and language pathologists. Currently, the clinic is not able to provide the efficacious treatment of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD) due to the cost of the certification, and currently none of the clinicians or faculty have the required certification. The grant will close this funding gap and allow the clinic to meet the OMD therapy needs of the OSU and Stillwater communities.

Red Pantry Hygiene Expansion

Dr. Aleigha Mariott, Assistant Vice President of Campus Life; Cassidy Wisneski, OSU Student Government Association’s Health & Hygiene Director

Oklahoma State University’s Student Government Association stocks four Red Pantries on the Stillwater campus that serve menstruating students with necessary hygiene products. Since 2023, Red Pantries have provided more than 4,000 products. A large portion of OSU students struggle to meet their basic needs, which impacts their overall success. The grant funds will help SGA expand from four to 10 Red Pantries as well as upgrade all pantries with additional hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, deodorant, mouthwash, lotion and basic needs resources.

Sonia Kovalevksy Day Math Workshop

Dr. Melissa Emory, Assistant Director, Department of Mathematics

Named after a female pioneer in Mathematics, Oklahoma State University will host a Sonia Kovalevsky Day (SK Day) for middle school and junior high school students. The workshops will engage students in hands-on activities, increasing their mathematical knowledge and encouraging students, particularly girls, to take more advanced math courses in their local schools. Students will also attend a career panel to highlight careers in STEM. The grant will cover the costs associated with the SK Day events.

Past Grant Recipients:

2024
  • F1RST2GO, Dr. Doug Hallenbeck, Vice President of Student Affairs; Dr. Aleigha Mariott, Assistant Vice President of Campus Life; Scott Alexander, Assistant Director of Student Support & Conduct
  • Increasing Access to Civic Education for Underserved Rural Students in Oklahoma, Dr. Joshua Jansa, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science; Dr. Eve Ringsmuth, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science
  • Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, Rachelle Taylor, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders; Ivy Hover, Graduate Student, Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Red Pantry Hygiene Expansion, Dr. Aleigha Mariott, Assistant Vice President of Campus Life; Cassidy Wisneski, OSU Student Government Association’s Health & Hygiene Director
  • Sonia Kovalevksy Day Math Workshop, Dr. Melissa Emory, Assistant Director, Department of Mathematics
2023
  • Growing DivHERsity, Taler Adney, Instructor, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
  • Harmonizing Open Educational Resources: Accessibility Beyond Screen Readers Through OSU Community Voices, Mrs. Sasha H. Hanrahan, Speech Coordinator/Teaching Instructor; Dr. Megan Ruby, Adjunct Faculty; Dr. Sarah Hollingsworth, Assistant Teaching Professor
  • Increasing Food Security at OSU-OKC, Ashley Hallenbeck, Student Parent Support Grant Assistant and Diversity/Accessibility Specialist, OSU-OKC; Chris Bingham, Director of Disability Services and Diversity, OSU-OKC
  • Increasing Student Success by Reducing Student Debt: A Free Open Textbook for Required Composition Courses, Dr. Kathy Essmiller, Coordinator, Open OKState, Open Educational Resources Librarian
  • Oklahoma State University Student Farm, Dr. Justin Moss, Professor and Department Head, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture; Sophia Darrow, Coordinator, Department Head, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
2022
  • Break the Chain: Stopping Sex Trafficking with Big Data, Dr. Miriam McGaugh, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, School of Marketing & International Business
  • Fridays are for Careers, Brandee Morgan, Director, Recruitment & Admissions, Oklahoma State University - OKC
  • LeadHERship Spears, Dr. Alexis Smith Washington, Associate Professor & Senior Inclusion Officer | Sarah Teague, Manager - Outreach Programs, Riata Center for Entrepreneurship
  • Opportunity Orange Scholars, Dr. Jennifer Jones, Director, Institute for Developmental Disabilities | Dr. Kami Gallus, Associate Director of Research, Institute for Developmental Disabilities
  • Partnering to Impact the Academic Success of Students with Disabilities, Dr. DJ McMaughan, Assistant Professor in Health Education & Promotion | Dr. Richard Alan Jones, Visiting Assistant Professor in Integrative Biology | Dr. Madeline Brodt, Assistant Professor in Counseling Psychology
  • Supporting Local School Participation in Naisef on the OSU Campus, Dr. Cynthia Orona, Program Coordinator, Water Resources Center | Dr. Nicole Colston, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Natural Resource & Ecology Management
2021
  • Basic Needs Security at OSU, John Mark Day, Ed.D., Director of Leadership & Campus Life
  • Belonging, a Film to Inspiring Teaching Social Acceptance in the Classroom, Amanda W. Harrist, Ph.D., College of Education and Human Sciences Professor
  • Partnering to Impact Nature Trail, Dr. Lou Anella, Director of The Botanic Garden at OSU and Ferguson College of Agriculture Professor, and Dr. Adrine Shufran, OSU Insect Adventure Coordinator and Ferguson College of Agriculture Associate Extension Specialist
  • Sarah Coburn Residency at The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Clint Williams, McKnight Center Director of Development