Langston named Spring 2019 NSU Outstanding Graduate Student
Published: 2019-05-23
(Tahlequah, Oklahoma) - Jessica Langston, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was selected as the Spring 2019 Northeastern State University Outstanding Graduate Student.
This award recognizes graduate students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and leadership, and a demonstrative impact on fellow students, NSU, their profession or the community. Candidates are nominated and selected entirely by graduate faculty.
Langston successfully defended her thesis, "The Influence of Emotional Intelligence Knowledge on Leadership Style," in April and graduated with her Master of Science in higher education leadership May 11. She received a Bachelor of Arts in history from NSU in 1999.
Langston is the senior scholarship coordinator at NSU and pursued her masters degree while working to help NSU students find funding for their educational path.
Returning to school to work on a masters degree 20 years after my bachelors degree was all about reinventing and proving myself, Langston said. I wanted to work hard and put in the extra effort to produce quality work and get the most out of the higher education leadership program that I possibly could.
Langston set out to take advantage of every opportunity she could. She received scholarship assistance from the NSU Foundation during her graduate studies.
As an older student, you sometimes wonder if student opportunities are really out there for you when you've already established yourself in a full-time position, she said. I assure you, those opportunities are there. The funding made it possible for me to pursue this degree with less debt.
Langston said its difficult to describe what this award means to her.
I'm not the same person I was when I started the program and the fact that the graduate faculty that nominated and selected me for this award saw that is humbling and a great honor, she said. I am so thankful for my experience in the program, for the help of my incredible advisor, Dr. Renée Cambiano, and for the encouragement and congratulations I've received from everyone at NSU. I'm proud to be a two-time graduate of NSU and employee of 20 years as well. NSU has made me who I am, and for that, I am grateful.