Ally Glavas

I lived in our nation’s capital, on a traveling sailboat, in Florida, and as a foreign exchange student in Palermo, Italy, before choosing where to attend college. I traveled the East Coast as a junior in high school visiting larger state schools like the University of Virginia and small liberal arts schools like Bryn Mawr. But in the end, I selected the University of Oklahoma.

Why? Because it had something from each of those schools, all in one place – Norman, Oklahoma.

I wanted the traditional college experience with football, sorority life, and school spirit. But I also wanted a diverse student body, challenging academics, an Honors College, and opportunities to meet world leaders.

The University of Oklahoma provided all of this to me… and more. I planned multicultural events for my sorority, minored in Italian, ran for student body president as a sophomore, joined a pro-bono consulting firm for nonprofits, got involved in local politics, met national historians, activists, and journalists, and earned a fellowship in Washington, D.C. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA in four years, confident I picked the right place, having learned so much more and developed more lifelong friendships than I ever could have imagined.  

After my summer on Capitol Hill, I was determined to pursue a career there. OU alumni events in D.C. helped me make new friends and contacts, leading to my first gig after graduation. Working in political fundraising for three separate entities in a presidential election year gave me valuable experiences, but I still missed my life in Oklahoma.

I moved to Oklahoma City in 2012 and, yet again, my OU connections helped me find a new job and get plugged in. I got involved in volunteering with the Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma thanks to a former professor, and seven years later I serve on the board of directors.

I transitioned from electoral politics to public affairs and then again to traditional public relations. I was named the national Outstanding Young Professional by PRWeek magazine. My boss, an OU alum (surprised?), mentored me along the way in my early years in PR.

Now, as vice president at a marketing and public relations firm in Oklahoma City, I’ve worked on projects for OU, returned to speak to classes, recruited graduates to come work with us, and gained former classmates as clients.

Being a Sooner isn’t just a four-year experience. You become a part of a special community for life, whether in D.C. or Oklahoma, in politics or PR. Everywhere I’ve been, Sooners are accomplishing incredible things and are always willing to help a fellow alum. I hope you’ll join our family.

Ally Glavas Olson
B.A. in Political Science
President, Candor