October 6, 2014
Five OBU faculty members were recognized for outstanding accomplishments at the Board of Trustees meeting luncheon Friday, Oct. 3. The event took place in the Geiger Center on the OBU campus in Shawnee. Dr. David W. Whitlock, OBU president, presented the recognitions.
Trustees recognized Dr. Lepaine Sharp-McHenry, dean of the College of Nursing, for earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice; Ryan Meeks, instructor of music and director of bands, for reviving the OBU marching band; Doug Tolin, men's basketball coach, for his selection to the NAIA Hall of Fame; Ford Mastin, track coach, for his selection to the NAIA Hall of Fame; and Executive Vice President Emeritus John Parrish, for his selection to the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.
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| Dr. Lepaine Sharp-McHenry | Ryan Meeks | Doug Tolin |
McHenry was recognized for earning her Doctor of Nursing practice from Union University. She joined the OBU faculty in 2013 as dean of the College of Nursing. She has helped lead in the process of planning the construction for Jane E. and Nick K. Stavros Hall, the future home of the college. Before coming to Bison Hill, McHenry served four years as assistant director of the school of nursing at the University of Arkansas, where she served as a full-time faculty member from 1993-2000 and on the adjunct clinical faculty from 2002-06. She served as an online graduate nursing adjunct faculty member for Regis University from 2007-09 and has served in nursing legal consultation for various law firms since 1998.
Ryan Meeks, instructor of music and director of bands, was honored for reviving the OBU marching band this season. The "Bison Brigade" marching band made their debut at the first home football game Sept. 13. The last time a marching band took the field on Bison Hill was in 1940. Prior to OBU, he served as director of bands for McLoud Public Schools from 2006-10. He has performed multiple times with the Oklahoma Opera and Musical Theatre Company from 2011-12, as well as the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra from 2011-12 and received the Director Excellence Award by the Army All-American Marching Band in 2010.
Men's Basketball Coach and Assistant Professor of KALS Doug Tolin was recognized for his selection to the NAIA Hall of Fame. He is a member of the OBU Athletic Hall of Fame and the all-time leader in men's basketball wins at OBU. He has been the OBU head men's basketball coach since 2000-01, and has led the Bison to 14 consecutive NAIA Tournaments, including the national championship in 2010. Tolin's teams have reached at least the quarterfinal round seven times. Under his leadership, the Bison have played in three NAIA championship games. He was voted SAC Coach of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2010 and 2012, and was NAIA Coach of the Year in 2010.
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| Ford Mastin | John Parrish |
Ford Mastin, track and cross-country coach and assistant professor of KALS, was recognized for his selection to the NAIA Hall of Fame. He is a member of the OBU Athletic Hall of Fame and his cross-country and track and field teams have won eight national championships while producing more than 300 All-Americans. Mastin is a seven-time recipient of the NAIA Regional Coach of the Year award and was named NAIA National Men's Track Coach of the Year in 1998. He has been named both Men's and Women's Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year multiple times. In 2001, he won the OBU Promising Teacher Award and recently received the 2013 NAIA Coach of Character Award.
Executive Vice President Emeritus John Parrish was recognized for his selection to the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame. When Parrish retired from the OBU administration in 2002, he had served Bison Hill for more than 38 years. During his time at OBU, he served in numerous positions, including sports information director, director of public relations and interim president of the university from 2007-08. Parrish has also written and published books about OBU history and served as president of the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society in 2006, 2007 and 2013. He served as chairman of OBU's Centennial Committee from 2005-10 and continues to serve the university as the broadcast voice of Bison football and basketball and as athletic historian. Parrish has received numerous honors and awards from OBU and was named an honorary member of the OBU Alumni Association in 1989. He received OBU's Meritorious Service Award in 1989 and the OBU Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1974.