Rozell scholarship recipients announced at NSU

Recognized for their demonstrations of leadership and service to the community, Northeastern State University students Jacob Jones and Tarah Satterfield are the recipients of the 2015-16 Senator Herb Rozell Scholarship.

Jones studies graphic design and currently serves as the vice president of Underground Graphics, RiverHawks Against Trash and the standards chairman of Lambda Chi Alpha. He is also a member of the Order of Omega and a Baccalaureate Scholar with the Honors Program. He has been a recipient of the Tribal Award from the Cherokee Nation each semester at NSU, and this semester, he was awarded the AAAA Scholarship Foundation award.

Satterfield, who is majoring in cellular biology, currently serves as a RiverHawk Ambassador, is a member of the Northeastern Activities Board and the Traditions Council and is president in the RISE Scholarship Program. Since 2012, she has been a Ford Scholar of the Charles Lafayette Ford Memorial Scholarship.

Jones and Satterfield both agree that campus involvement while at a university is essential to an individuals success.

"I think my involvement on campus has shaped my attitude toward leadership," Jones said. "I truly believe that leading by example is the best way to invoke an impact on those around you. A ton of amazing opportunities that I have been granted are directly related to my campus involvement at NSU."

For Satterfield, getting involved is also a way for students to sort out their ideas about their futures both personally and professionally.

"Campus involvement allows students to become more connected to their school as well as helps them to build the campus community," she said. "Students getting involved in campus organizations of their interest will allow them to discover their passions and strengths. NSU has provided me with ample opportunities to serve on committees for not only student programs but also for university sanctioned committees with faculty and administrators. That is a true testament to the ways the leadership of NSU have allowed students to influence the campus; to turn the university into a home."

The scholarship program recognizes NSU seniors who exhibit tremendous campus and community leadership, outstanding scholastic achievement, and commitment to excellence for the future. It is funded by private donations to the NSU Foundation.

Each year the recipients of the scholarship lead planning and execution of NSU's annual Big Event on the last Saturday of March.

Jones, who has participated in and loved being a part of the Big Event every year, jumped at the opportunity to apply for the scholarship.

"Some of my favorite memories from my freshman year are from community service events, such as the Big Event," Jones said. "After serving on the Big Events committee for two years, I knew I was ready to apply for this scholarship that would put myself in the co-directors chair."

Jones and Satterfield have already been brainstorming ideas for this years Big Event. Together, they have decided that the goals for March 2016 will be to engage freshmen and to re-energize upperclassmen. Although exact details remain secret, they agreed that NSU is in for an amazing event.

Jake and I have been talking about how important it is to stress why we have the Big Event and why students should get involved. Thats why we've restructured our committee in a way that will better utilize all those students who want to be a helping hand in the planning and executing process, Satterfield said.

The Senator Herb Rozell Scholars Program was established in 2004 by Rozells friends and family upon the senators retirement from the state legislature.

It was established to honor his outstanding works, spanning 28 years of public service to the people of District 3 and the state of Oklahoma.

The scholarship awards $1,000 per semester to two undergraduate students who have completed at least 90 credit hours and have maintained a 3.25 GPA. Each year, the previous Rozell Scholarship recipients are a part of the interview process for the upcoming recipients.

For more information about the Senator Herb Rozell Scholarship, contact Helen Lahrman at lahrman@nsuok.edu or 918-444-2644.

Published: 2015-09-25 16:52:36.930000