NSU names 10 Centurions to commemorate Founders Day
Published: 2012-03-06
In observation of Northeastern State Universitys Founders Day 2012, the university will add 10 names to its list of NSU Centurions.
This years Centurions will be honored during a special luncheon held Thursday, March 8 in the University Center Sen. Herb Rozell Ballroom in Tahlequah at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children 12-under.
An annual honor established during the 2009 Centennial Founders Day Celebration, the Centurion award is given to people associated with NSUalumni, faculty, staff and students, whether past or presentwho impacted the life of the nominator, the Northeastern community or the public at large.
Listed are those named to the Centurion roster in 2012 (in alphabetical order):
Larry Adair, alumnus who served 22 years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and was speaker from 2001-04. Adair helped to endow the Larry Adair Lectureship Series in Government and Public Policy.
Dr. Raymond Archer, a European theater veteran of the Second World War who taught at NSU from 1968-91. Dr. Archer served as chair of the division of education and psychology. He passed away on Jan. 23.
Lynn and Paula Burris both earned bachelors and masters degrees from NSU in the early 1960s. Lynn played for the 1958 NAIA national championship football team, was inducted into the NSU Hall of Fame in 2006 and served as a district attorney, associate judge and as an adjunct to the NSU Department of Criminal Justice. Paula is former homecoming queen and retired counselor for Tahlequah Public Schools. They celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in August.
Dr. Billy Joe Davis, professor of history, has served as regional coordinator of the National History Day competition for more than 25 years and as state coordinator from 2001-08. He also helped found the annual Symposium on the American Indian at NSU.
John deSteiguer, 1984 alumnus, was named president-elect of Oklahoma Christian University in February. Currently vice president for advancement at OCU, he served as director of development and executive director of the NSU Foundation from 1993-2002. NSU honored him as Outstanding Young Alumnus in 2004.
Dr. Carl Farinelli is a professor of educational foundations and leadership in the College of Education. He has been a member of the NSU faculty for 24 years and was an inaugural winner of the Presidents Model the Way award in 2009 and has performed music with NSUs summer Downtown Country shows.
Jesse Gailey, a 1964 graduate who passed away in January, donated more than $277,000 to support NSU scholarships and an endowed professorship. He was president of Totah Telephone Company until 1998.
Mary G. Ross, an alumna who graduated in 1928, was the great-great-granddaughter of John Ross, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1828-66. She was the first female American Indian engineer and was the first female engineer at Lockheed Corporation. She died in April 2008.
Gregg Wadley, a 1969 graduate, is NSUs first $1 million donor. He donated the funds to establish the Cappitola Cappi Wadley Center for Reading and Technology in Bagley Hall to honor his late mother. He also donated $500,000 to NSU athletics in memory of his father, D.M Doc Wadley.
Dr. Charles Ziehr can be seen at most NSU sporting events. Chuck delayed retirement twice to serve as interim assistant vice president for the Center for Teaching and Learning, which he worked to establish. He also helped implement technologies to improve information transfer and retention on campus.
Founders Day commemorates the day the Oklahoma legislature purchased the Cherokee National Female Seminary and created the Northeastern State Normal School on March 6, 1909.
For more information or to purchase tickets to the Centurion luncheon call Julienne Mann at 918-444-2018 or write to mannb@nsuok.edu. To see a complete list of the past Centurions, visit the Centurions page.