A new decade is nearly upon us, and with it is a reminder about what the college graduates of this era are poised to do:
Own the 21st century. And nothing short of it.
Don’t believe me? Do the math. Those entering the work force in their early 20s likely will work as long as previous generations, if not more. Which means retirement for many of them will be in the years 2060 or 2070 or perhaps even a bit beyond. That’s a long stretch, in the heart of the century.
John Bonner McBreen, a journalism major who graduated from OU in 1971, died at the age of 68 in March 2018. I did not know him personally, but hear he was a radio legend in Gallup, NM.
A couple of months after John’s death, I received a call from Jay Mason, principal of the Mason and Isaacson, P.A. law firm. Jay called to tell me that John McBreen left Gaylord College an unrestricted gift of $100,000 in his estate. We were grateful beyond words and used this gift to create an endowed scholarship in memory of John and to provide funding for graduate student scholarships and the JayMac alumni association.
In our last newsletter, I shared with you all some impressive statistics – alumni box delivery leading to high enrollment, and the announcement of our second Dean's Leadership Class. But in talking with fellow JayMac Board members, we decided that there was more that we not only wanted to, but absolutely can do.
This is where you all come in. As a diverse group of graduates sprinkled across the globe, the impact that we can have on our peers and the next generation of professionals is a heap of boundless opportunities. I just have one question – will you join us?
It's the holiday season!
While our students may be winding down to enjoy the season with their families, Gaylord College is just gearing up.
2020 is taking us into a new decade and we can’t wait to see the new technology and digital trends our students will get to experience. This past decade changed the way we communicate with one another and it’s incredible watching current students get to the meat of “What’s next?” every semester.
We’re also excited to see what’s next for JayMac. Our network of active alumni has grown exponentially in the past year and we’ve loved getting to hear from each and every one of you about the things you’ve accomplished since leaving Gaylord College.
So, here’s to endings and new beginnings. There’s only a few days left in this decade—what are you going to accomplish?
Carleigh Foutch
Class of 2017
Current journalism student Caitlyn Epes certainly had the internship of a lifetime this past summer, when she served as the photography intern for the National Football League. Gaylord College’s Student Experience Fund allowed Caitlyn to travel to Culver City, CA where she stepped behind the camera and snapped some extraordinary images.
JayMac sat down with Caitlyn to get the inside scoop on what it takes to intern for the NFL.
Patti and Tori Dennis have found themselves in a Freaky Friday situation of sorts.
After growing up in Oklahoma City, Patti attended the University of Oklahoma and then moved to Denver for her career. Now, 40 years later, her daughter, Tori, lives in Oklahoma City after coming to OU from Colorado.
Nearly 50 years after earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma, Bob Burke is still in the thick of the action.
The 1970 journalism alumnus has been a practicing attorney since 1979, best known for his legal specialty in the area of workers’ compensation. However, Burke played a key role for journalists in the recent opioid trial: State v. Johnson & Johnson. He was appointed by Judge Thad Balkman to credential more than 250 journalists for a story that was reported on six continents.
Every semester, students hope to land the internships of their dreams. Some temporarily move from Norman to Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas or New York City for training and one-of-a-kind experiences. For alumnus and Los Angeles-based advertising executive Jim Helberg (‘83), his pie-in-the-sky goal was to return to Gaylord—despite a busy life on the west coast—to teach.
Awards, a bridge named after an alum in Tennesse, and another alumna honored as one of the 2019 Women on the Move.
We all know OU is unlike any other university around. Our school is steeped in rich tradition, but there’s a new tradition around campus, and especially Gaylord, that’s starting to take shape: Hand-delivering admission boxes.
This unique and personalized acceptance letter is more than just a photo opportunity, it’s a character study in what makes the University of Oklahoma so great. Greg Anderson (class of 1984), former public relations student and current secretary of education for the Muskogee Creek Nation, was invited on the admissions box delivery of a lifetime to one of his very own students in Mounds, a small community just south of Tulsa.
Jake Basden, Big Machine Label Group’s senior vice president of publicity and corporate communications, has become the only music company public relations professional named to PRWeek’s annual 40 Under 40 list. Designed to recognize innovative professionals breaking ground in terms of conceptualizing, executing and realizing significant campaigns, the Gaylord College graduate joins executives from many of America’s strongest brands, as well as the most respected agencies.
First, join JayMac and become a part of an outstanding alumni network that goes above and beyond to give back. By joining JayMac, you can introduce Gaylord to prospective students, take a tour of the Gaylord building if you haven’t been home in a while, help current students find internships or jobs and so much more.
Then, visit the JayMac website and social media pages for more information on how to get involved! We can’t wait to hear from you.
Tell us about your accomplishments since graduating from Gaylord College so we can compile them into Class Notes. Whether it's job changes, marriages, children or career advancements, we want to know everything.
Email your stories to gaylordalumni@ou.edu.
CONTACT
Lee Reynolds
Director of Development and Alumni Relations
leereynolds@ou.edu
Katy Koontz
President, JayMac
katykoontz@ou.edu
General Contact
gaylordalumni@ou.edu
DEAN, GAYLORD COLLEGE
Ed Kelley
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS, GAYLORD COLLEGE
Lee Reynolds
PRESIDENT, JAYMAC
Katy Koontz
EDITOR, JAYMAC NEWSLETTER
Carleigh Foutch
GIVING
Make an impact on the lives of our students
Lifetime: $1,000 one-time gift