by Tyler Slawson
Contributing writer
Tyler Slawson
When I first accepted my internship this summer in Washington DC, I was given several options of places to stay. After much deliberation, I decided to stay in one of the residence halls at The George Washington University. I didn’t expect much different than what I actually saw when I arrived on campus on May 29. What I saw was an urban campus, with most departments made out of townhouses and residence halls made out of former hotels and apartment buildings. In other words, this campus was far different than the campus I call my own.
When I met other interns on the Hill, on campus, or on the Metro, the most common question was “Where do you go to school?” I was always proud to announce that I attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University, even when these other interns boasted of attending larger, more distinguished universities. At this point in the conversation, I usually knew about their university but they knew nothing of mine. This made me think in depth about Southeastern and its place in the world. What things could I say to these people to describe to them who we are?
I would always bring up Reba McEntire, who is no longer known only to country music aficionados but to music fans around the world. I would bring up Billie Letts, a former English professor, whose best-seller, Where the Heart Is, became an Oprah Book Club Pick and a film starring Natalie Portman. I would often bring up that Southeastern was the first university to create an aviation department. I would mention that our business school was one of the four best in the state, based on its accreditation. Another alumnus, Joe Chow, invented Sesame Chicken. Though we have many more, these were the people and programs which I felt inclined to mention. This is what describes my school.
One day while I was working in my office, I was listening to the Casey Anthony trial on the television atop the filing cabinet next to my desk. They were interviewing an expert of some sort. They asked her what education she had. She replied “I graduated from The George Washington University in Washington DC…” GWU indeed has a legacy. Their campus newspaper held a front page photo of this year’s famous commencement speaker: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Their graduation was held on the National Mall. A member of Congress teaches a class on their campus. Even though these accolades made it tempting not to look into a transfer, they even more made me seek out what makes SE a great place to study. We are not, after all, simply a spec on an Oklahoma road map. Southeastern has a legacy too. Even though many have never heard of us, we have a legacy. We have had great professors in the past and we continue to have great professors today. The student population is diverse and always has been. Dr. Parrish often reminds me that it is the subtle things that make the most difference. We may not have many great celebrity alumni, but Southeastern does produce graduates who do make a difference.