At 63 pages, the 33rd edition is a compilation of poems, photographs, and artwork chosen by the book’s co-editors, humanities professors Susan Dawson-O’Brien and Dianne Krob. Copies may be purchased for $3 from either Dawson-O’Brien or Krob. Also, books dating back to Pegasus’ early years are also available for $3, while supplies last.

Dawson-O’Brien said Pegasus gives many students a chance to spread their wings, not unlike the publication’s namesake, the mythical flying horse.

“Professor Krob and I have inherited an amazing legacy. It's a gift to work with our talented faculty, staff, and students on this project. For some, the moment opens up opportunities for scholarships and jobs; for others, they realize the possibilities that await them. We are honored to be a part of that process.”

The following is a list of those whose work was selected for inclusion:

For their artwork: Jean-Nicole Black, Oklahoma City; Linda Cooper, Oklahoma City; Brittany Cox, Harrah; Cindy Davis, Choctaw; and Hunter Herrera, Jones.

For their photography: Cherry Aguilar, Oklahoma City; Shelby Darling, Midwest City; Cindy Davis, Choctaw; Pam Fordenbacher, Midwest City; Brennah Lockwood, Oklahoma City; Kimberli Robberson, Edmond; Chelsey Ryder, Chesapeake, Va; Mosetta D. Williams, Midwest City; and Stephanie N. Wheeler, Midwest City.

For their poetry: Cherry Aguilar, Oklahoma City; MariLyn Beaney, Norman; William Bernhardt, Midwest City; M.K. Carey, Nichols Hills; Stephen Copey, Moore; Shelby Darling, Midwest City; Dee Ferguson, Midwest City; Stan J. Greil, Midwest City; Derek J. Nalley, Shawnee; and Meagan Howard, Choctaw.

The deadline to submit work for consideration in Pegasus 2014 is Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. Entry forms will be available soon on the RSC website: www.rose.edu (search for “Pegasus”).

Contact Dawson-O’Brien at 405-733-7518 or Krob at 405-736-0323 for more information.

Rose State College President Terry Britton, whose career at the college spans more than 40 years, delivered his “farewell commencement” speech before graduates on Friday, May 10.

Dr. Terry Britton receives a congratulatory proclamation from State Rep. Gary Banz honoring his service at Rose State College. President Britton will officially step down at the end of June.

Dr. Britton joined Rose State College two years after its beginning, when it was Oscar Rose Junior College. During his tenure, Rose State went from an enrollment of approximately 2000 to more than 11,000 today. Dr. Britton became president in 2006.

Dr. Britton has served as a professor of English and Director of the Learning Resource Center as well as president. A lifelong Oklahoman from the southwestern town of Anadarko, Dr. Britton has published numerous works, including a recent volume of poetry titled, “Along the Washita,” about his days growing up there. Britton asked faculty to use creativity and artistry to look forward and plan for the next steps of the college.

Dr. Jeanie Webb will step up July 1 to become the seventh president of Rose State College, the first woman to hold the position. Dr. Webb has served as Rose State’s vice president of student affairs for 12 years. The Rose State College Board of Regents named Dr. Webb as president in March.

 The Parthenon in Athens, Greece is one of the stops for Rose State College’s overseas tour in 2014. The college began taking reservations this spring, but the price goes up in June.

Troy, the ancient city where the Greeks fought the Trojans over Helen (“The face that launched a thousand ships”) was for centuries only a legend, like Atlantis, or the Throne of Zeus on Mount Olympus.

However, European archeologists discovered the site in the mid-1800s in present-day Turkey, and today is a World Heritage excavation. Troy is real. Visitors can walk the same paths and along the walls as did the heroes Ulysses, Achilles and the others heralded by the ancient blind poet, Homer.

One can also get college credit for such a visit, said Rose State College Humanities professor Theresa Walther, one of the organizers of the trip. However, one does not have to take it as a class.

“We have a lot of people who travel with us who aren’t students,” Walther said. “They just want to travel and tour. But it’s also a fun way to get college credit.”

What about seeing the birthplace of Democracy? Climb to the top of the Acropolis—the hill above Athens, Greece—and view the ruins of the Parthenon and listen for the wind to whisper anciently of Socrates and Plato.

Nearby, one can ascend the steps of Mount Parnassus and view Delphi where the Oracle gave forth prophesies to kings.

Rose State student Blake Lawson, who has gone on previous trips to Ireland and Italy, is excited that this year’s trip has a cruise among the Greek isles — “beach times” are planned in the itinerary.

“I want to see Athens and Troy. I like learning about the Olympians and the Greek gods—but I want to go see those islands on that cruise,” Lawson said. “I’m really excited about that.”

Then, there is the ancient, final bastion of the Roman Empire, what is now Istanbul, Turkey. While the city of Rome fell in AD 476, the Eastern Roman Empire and the city of Constantinople, also called Byzantium, stood for almost a thousand more years, collapsing only about 40 years before Columbus sailed for the New World.

In Istanbul stands what may be the world’s oldest cathedral, the Hagia Sophia (meaning “Holy Wisdom” in Greek).Built by the Emperor Justinian in 532 AD, a grand, domed church, the Hagia (pronounced “Hi-yah”) Sophia was for centuries the world’s largest building, one of the holiest sites in all Christendom, until it fell to Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, who took the city in 1453. While Mehmed turned it into a mosque, more than 500 years later it was converted to a museum, in 1935.

“We also plan to go shopping in the Grand Bazaar,” Walther said. “It’s probably largest and oldest bazaar in the world.”

Rose State College is now accepting participants for the trip to Greece in May 2014. Currently, the tour fee is $3,585 for travelers under 23 or $3,870 for all other travelers. Tour price includes round-trip airfare, group transportation on scheduled tour, hotels with private bathrooms, breakfast daily, dinner daily, full-time tour director, guided sightseeing tours, city walks, entrance into scheduled attractions, and other amenities.

However, Walther said, would-be participants need to enroll before June 21 of this year to lock in these prices, because the trip fees increase thereafter. For more information, call Sherri Mussatto (405) 733-7503, email smussatto@rose.edu , Lori Morrow (405) 733-7507 email lmorrow@rose.edu or Trixie Walther email twalther@rose.edu.

Among the offerings for this year are several exploring the origins of the American experiment with classes on the U.S. Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and on the basics of national defense with Junior ROTC.

“Constitution Avengers” promises to “Make learning about the Constitution and our rights as American Citizens fun.” Students will create a collage of the Preamble to the Constitution, make the Liberty Bell out of clay, and design a “favorite freedom” poster along with other fun, informational activities.

How about “Patriot Pride?” Students can “step back in time as you experience life as our colonial forefathers knew it,” with learning about colonial games and dances, colonial archaeology, or colonial writing with a hornbook and quill pens.

With Jr. ROTC, students participate in activities designed to promote citizenship, patriotism, and team building skills. In addition to developing an appreciation for the importance of physical fitness, overcoming obstacles, and fair competition, the program helps students become familiar with the military services, college opportunities, and careers that can be established through the military. Basic military skills, marching, and drills will also be taught.

In addition, Kids College will have a host of other classes, including Archery, Entrepreneurship, Rocketry, Math Skills, Robotics, Science, Art and many other activities.

Enrollment for Kids College by phone or in person is underway at The Community Learning Center in the Tom Steed building on the Rose State College Campus in Midwest City, just off Interstate 40 and Hudiburg drive. Enrollment may be made in person from Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 7:30 pm, or on Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. Cash, check, or credit card enrollments accepted. To enroll by phone, or for more information, call 405.733.7392, or visit on the web at http://www.rose.edu/kids.

The festival, which is held at the Rose State College amphitheater adjacent to the Performing Arts Theatre, will commence on Thursday, May 2 at 2 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m.; the Festival will then resume at 3 p.m. Friday and continue until 9 p.m. Performance lengths range from 30-to-60 minutes with 15 minutes to set up between acts.

This event is offered free of charge to participants and attendees. For more information, call 405.733.7426. or email jclifton@gmail.com.

Sponsored by the Rose State College American Indian Association, the event features Gourd Dancing, the Free Traditional Powwow Dinner, a Grand Entry and Closing Ceremonies.

Arts & crafts booths are still available for $25 or donated item of equal value (no gift cards accepted). Vendor tables and chairs are provided by the College. Maximum table space is 4’x12’ (no exceptions). Selection of vendor space is on a first come basis once payment has been received.

For more information or booth registration, contact Alan Neitzel at (405) 736-0347 or email aneitzel@rose.edu.

Full Day Registration for the boot camp is $129, including a complimentary lunch. Innovators of all kinds, including artists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries, are encourage to enroll.

The Professional Training Center is located at 1720 Hudiburg Dr, Midwest City, OK 73110, on the Rose State College campus, just off Interstate 40 and Hudiburg drive. Plenty of free parking is available.

Register at www.rose.edu/small-business-development-workshop-registration or call (405) 733-7488.

Called the “Campus Advancement Plan,” or CAP, the bond issue will total $21.9 million in new investments for renovating and repairing campus facilities, many of which have not been updated for decades. The bond issue will renovate the Rose State College Learning Resource Center/Library, the college’s Aquatic Center, its fiber optic computer network, and will make other improvements.

“The passage of this bond by the district’s voters will help ensure that Rose State College can continue to serve its community in the decades to come, providing educational opportunity at an affordable cost. The voters have our sincere thanks, and the thanks of our graduates for generations into the future,” said Rose State College President Terry Britton.

Approximately $2.3 million will go to expanding the Learning Resource Center, including new rooms for testing, tutoring, and for a lecture area, as well as about $4.9 million going to renovation.

The funding also includes more than $2 million for renovations to the Aquatics Center are and lounge. Fiber optics at the college, which have not been updated since 1995, will be improved, along with other associated technology, for almost $5 million.

Other renovations to some of the 40-year-old college’s academic buildings include plumbing and heating and air conditioning upgrades, expected to cost approximately $7.5 million.

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A recent report from the Washington Post states that the Pentagon is in the midst of a major expansion of its cyber division. Private companies as well are increasing efforts to secure trained cyber security workers, said Professor Ken Dewey, the director of Rose State’s program.

Rose State College is the only community college in the U.S. that offers all levels of Federal Committee on the National Security Systems (NSTISSI/CNSS) National Certificates, or cyber security certification. Most can gain those certifications within two years.

“Every one of my students who wants a job has a job, usually within days,” Dewey said.

The college is in the midst of an expansion effort for the program, including new faculty and upgraded networking capabilities through its proposed capital infrastructure plan. Dewey said the expansion is crucial to meet the demand.

In addition to the in-state efforts to expand the program, Rose State College has been designated as a center of excellence in the area of cyber security by the National Security Agency (NSA).

A grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) expanded the number of scholarship positions at the college.
For more information, go to http://www.rose.edu/cyber-security or call 405-733-7977.

In a statement, Britton said the plan would renovate critical infrastructure, primarily in the older buildings on campus, totaling $22 million in new investments. One of the most crucial parts of the CAP plan focuses on the college’s library, or Learning Resources Center (LRC).

Britton noted that the library is used widely by the whole community, including personnel at Tinker Air Force Base, whose library has faced recent cuts. He also pointed out that tutoring, an important part of the college’s student services, is conducted in the library lobby and is at capacity.

“It’s not just a matter of renovation and repair, but it’s a matter of expansion,” Britton said. “When we built it, we didn’t intend to put testing, tutoring, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) services, all in that area.”

The funding would be sought through a community bond issue in the college’s technical district. The amount required would be about $1.67 per month for a typical Midwest City home, or the price of a 20-ounce soda, President Britton said. The investments would occur primarily in:


• Learning spaces. Classroom buildings, the Learning Resources Center/ Library, and support facilities must be modernized to meet ADA regulations. Comfort space for individual and group study is a major priority. Outdated heating, air conditioning, and electrical systems will be replaced.

• Student support services. Space for tutoring and testing is inadequate. In addition, students, the community, local swim teams, and Tinker AFB personnel make great use of the swimming pool—a key recreational facility in dire need of major repair to remain operational and available.

• Technology infrastructure for the 21st century. Critical enhancements will provide fast wireless Internet to support student learning with a new fiber-optic backbone and increased server capacity.

Facts about Rose State College:

• More than 240,000 people of all ages have enrolled at Rose State since 1970.

• Community members make 40,000 visits annually to the Aquatic Center.

• Tinker Air Force Base and district citizens have free access to library resources.

• Half of all Rose State students are adults from the community returning to school to improve their lives.
Rose State Is An Engine For Economic Growth

• Rose State injects over $35 million per year in economic impact into the community through financial aid awards.

• Students with an associate degree earn $346,000 more over a lifetime than those with a high school degree.

• Rose State programs train adults for jobs in demand in Oklahoma, such as health care and aerospace.

The competition is a brainchild of former public school teacher and Rose State College Regent Betty J.C. Wright and inventor/businessman Julian Taylor. Both wanted to provide a way for students to use their math, science and creative thinking skills to create inventions.

The purpose of the exposition for more than two decades has been to foster creativity, problem-solving, inventive thinking and ingenuity, said Wright, coordinator. Students from all educational backgrounds may enter, Wright said.

“We like to help students release their creativity and develop inventions to serve society,” Wright said.

To register, contact Betty Wright – phone: (405) 367-7385, or email - Rwright20@att.net.

The program also features Bassmaster Classic winner George Cochran, Elite Tournament. Pro Kenyon Hill, Grand Lake guide Ivan Martin and Arbuckle guide Bob Myers. This unique program allows students to get eyeball-to-eyeball with top pros to learn their winning techniques. Time is allowed for questions and interaction with each instructor.

Classes will be at the Rose State College Community Learning Center Auditorium on Campus in Midwest City on February 12, February 19, February 26, and March 5 from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Classes are $99. The campus is located just off Interstate 40 and Hudiburg Drive. Plenty of free parking is available.

To enroll, call Rose State College at 733-7392. For more information, visit http://www.rose.edu/fun1.

       Professor Bassett's life will be celebrated in the campus Health Sciences atrium on Tuesday, January 15, 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rose State College Foundation, designated for health science scholarships.

           Oklahoma Honor Flights was organized in the fall of 2009 as an official affiliate of Honor Flight Network, Inc. in Springfield, Ohio. Oklahoma became the 31st state to support the national effort with a non-profit organization created solely to honor Oklahoma’s World War II veterans by flying them to Washington, DC to view the World War II Memorial. Oklahoma Honor Flights founder and organizer, State Rep. Gary Banz, said the effort honors veterans and connects the community with their sacrifice and service.

       “It’s one of the ways we want to engage the generations,” Banz said.

       For more information, visit www.oklahomahonorflights.org.

Sandy Stephens, previously the Director of Business and Industry Services at Mid-Del Technology Center, holds a masters’ degrees in both business and in education. While at Mid-Del, she consulted with area businesses and led a team in the training of those businesses in a variety of specialized programs, said Stan Greil, Vice President, Workforce Development at Rose State.

"Ms. Stephens’ appointment confirms Rose State’s commitment to small businesses,” Greil said. “The future of the communities we serve will be determined, in part, by the success of the area’s entrepreneurial base. Sandy’s experience and expertise will be a key facet in ensuring entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Eastern Oklahoma County.”

The Rose State SBDC is located in the Professional & Training Center, on the west side of campus, at 1720 Hudiburg Drive in Midwest City.

For More information, contact Sandy Stephens at slstephens@rose.edu or by phone at 405-733-7488. The SBDC webpage is: http://www.rose.edu/small-business-development-center .

Kirkland, who commands more than 9500 personnel at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, was designated as the keynote speaker for Rose State College’s Veteran’s Day observances. More than 200 students attended the luncheon.

“We should take justifiable pride in knowing that whatever the outcome of an election, whether for president, school board, or even dog catcher, the authority and power that comes from that position will move in an orderly and peaceful fashion from one person to another,” General Kirkland told students. “This is our Constitutional heritage, and this is the ideal that the veteran cherishes. It should be at the core of our gratitude that we show to those who risk all to preserve it.”

Brigadier General Donald E. Kirkland, Commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Force Base, addresses students at Rose State College in observance of Veteran’s Day. 

In his introduction of General Kirkland to the students, Rose State College President Terry Britton noted the general’s extensive education background and told students that education was a lifelong endeavor that is a road to success.

“General Kirkland has a Bachelor of Science degree in physics, he received a Master of Science degree in Administration , he received a Master of Arts in National Security, and he received a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy. For generals at Tinker Air Force Base, this is typical. Their education does not stop once they get a rank,” President Britton said. “It is a matter of lifelong learning. If you want to change and adapt, you will keep working, struggling toward other degrees, and keep making yourself better and better.”

Kirkland told Britton that his first degree was from a community college like Rose State.

“I have an Associate of Arts degree from Pensacola Junior College. That, in fact, was a wonderful foundation for everything that followed,” General Kirkland said.

Britton noted that Rose State was founded in 1970 partially with the intent to serve Tinker personnel and to serve veterans returning from the Vietnam War.

Rose State is designated a “Military Friendly” college by GI Jobs Magazine.

On Wednesday, October 24, from 11:00 am—1:00 pm, Hudiburg will park a brand new truck between the Fine Arts building and the Wellness Center on the Rose State College Campus in Midwest City.

Why? Because the students want to emphasize the fact if someone does not buy cigarettes for a 5-year period, they can afford to purchase the truck.

Rose State College Respiratory Care Practitioner students practice with one of the college’s health science robots. On Wednesday, Oct. 24, the students will provide tests and smoking cessation materials on campus for National Respiratory Health Care Week. 

Respiratory therapy students from Rose State will also conduct Pulmonary Function Tests on site and providing smoking cessation materials for those interested.

Respiratory Care Practitioners (RCPs) are specially trained and licensed respiratory health care professionals assisting physicians in the diagnosis, treatment and management of respiratory diseases. RCPs provide care in hospitals, outpatient centers, physicians’ offices, skilled nursing facilities, and patients’ homes. Rose State College offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in the profession.

For more information about the event, or about Rose State College’s Respiratory Health Care education opportunities, please call 405-733-7571.

Rose State College’s vice president for Information Technology, John Primo, describes himself as “head of the Nerd Herd” at the college’s IT department. From there, he says, it’s a short trip to writing about vampires.

“In August (2012) I was awarded my 25-year ring so I’ve been at the college for about 25 years which is just about over half my life. I came here in June of 1987,” Primo said. “I think most writers do write something they know. A good creative writer…can empathize with what a condition or circumstance is being written about and can write it in a totally believable manner that’s plausible, realistic, and, frankly, compelling.”

 Self-admitted Rose State College computer “nerd” decided to quit daydreaming about writing books and just go do it. His side-gig has grown by five books. His latest book, "Gwen Reaper," is a paranormal young adult novel.

Writing under the moniker “Jaz Primo,” his newest book is in the genre of “Urban Fantasy,” a line of fiction that traces its roots to James Thurber’s “Unicorn in the Garden.” Urban fantasy is about a fantastic, magical element thrust into the normal world, and the consequences that follow. Primo’s new book, “Bringer of Fire,” is about a former Army Special Forces soldier in whom powerful psychic forces emerge that end up bringing the world to the brink of, as Primo puts it, “Evolution or Revolution.” Primo says this is the beginning of a new series; his second.

His first series, the “Sunrise Vampire Series,” follows the fated love between a human man and his dark guardian angel, a female vampire. The series has sold well into three books: Book 1, “Sunrise at Sunset;” Book 2, “A Bloody London Sunset;” and Book 3; “Summit at Sunset.” Additional novels in the series are forthcoming.

John "Jaz" Primo

“Sunrise at Sunset occurred to me a number of years ago,” Primo said. “The characters presented themselves to me not long before I had the cohesive storyline in my mind. It was a very compelling thing to create a vampire character and I’ve always been interested in vampires. It was only when the characters pretty much spontaneously generated themselves in my mind that I realized I had a story that needed to be written.”

He said he has a fourth book in the pipeline for the “Sunset Vampire” series. In addition, he wrote one volume of what is known as a “Paranormal,” Young Adult novel, a book titled “Gwen Reaper” about a youth who falls in love with a mysterious 17-year-old girl with a lethal, mythical family heritage. Primo says his characters, however vivid, just showed up one day on his page and he started writing them.

“They conduct themselves in my imagination like you and I in our daily lives,” Primo said. “I’ll be doing something fairly routine around the house, then suddenly one of my characters starts going through an experience or I see them doing or saying something that helps to evolve the continuing storyline of these characters. They very much do have a life of their own so I take cues from what I see them do and let them guide me through the story that they’re telling."

November 2-3 at 7:30 pm and November 4 at 2:00 pmin thePerforming Arts Theatre With Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg

Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Based upon the Classical Motion Picture

Little Dorothy Gale of Kansas, like so many girls her age, dreams of what lies over the rainbow. One day a twister hits her farm and carries her away over the rainbow to another world. Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy's imagination.

For all audiences

For more information on Dinner Theatre, clickhere.

Prices are $12 for general public, $8 for students at other schools and $5 for Rose State College students, faculty and staff and $5 for senior citizens (age 62+).

To purchase general public tickets, call 405-297-2264 or purchase online at www.myticketoffice.com Discount tickets may be purchased the day of a performance beginning two hours before show time at the Rose State Performing Arts Theatre box office.

The Foundation Donor Dinner gives donors the chance to dine with scholarship recipients who are a pursuing a college education because of those donations.

The Tower Award, begun in 2010 in celebration of the college's 40th anniversary, honors community leaders for important work and contributions on behalf of Rose State.

This year's Tower Award recipients include Joe and Charlene Cole, Dr. Tony and Julia Thomas, and Midwest Regional Medical Center.

Tickets for the dinner are $50 per person, RSVP by October 22. For more information, call 405-736-0315.

However, that is the case with Rose State College humanities professor Tim Tharp. His 2008 young adult novel, “The Spectacular Now,” is being made into a movie of the same name, wrapping up production this summer in Georgia.

“I was able to see a couple of key scenes being filmed which made me feel that the movie was going to be very well-acted and that the tone will reflect my novel. So I think it will be a really good movie,” Tharp said.

What is next? What it has been for years for Professor Tharp—passing along what he knows to new and willing writers. Tharp was one of the faculty at Rose State College’s two-day writing Short Course, "The Writer in 2012: Navigating the Brave New World,” held September 15 – 16 at Rose State College campus in Midwest City, in the Professional Training Center.

Tharp taught what led him to “The Spectacular Now"young adult writing. Those who have a desire to write fiction for young adults learned the straight scoop first-hand from the author.

“My role as one of the speakers—since my last four novels have been young adult novels—was focusing on voice and style in the young adult novel,” Tharp said. “I think the young adult genre is so important because I never probably have been as influenced by books since I was a teenager or a young adult in my 20s. That is one of the reasons why I am interested in that genre, plus I’m around teenagers all day. I even teach a speech class where they get up and talk in front of me.”

In addition to “The Spectacular Now,” Tharp’s first novel, “Falling Dark (Milkweed Press), was awarded the Milkweed National Fiction Prize. “Knights of the Hill Country” (Knopf Books for Young Readers), his first novel for young adults, was on the American Library Association's Best Books of 2007 list. His most recent novel, “BADD” (Knopf, 2011), tells the story of how war affects the family of a returning soldier.

Tharp hopes that he will continue to connect with writers of young adult fiction.

“Different writers will have different niches,” Tharp said.

New York Times bestselling author William Bernhardt, organizer, said the conference brought some of the nation's most successful writers and literary agents to Oklahoma to share their knowledge and expertise with attendees. Authors shared their secrets and techniques on the art and craft of writing, while the editors and agents addressed the business side of writing.

“That’s why I gave the program this title—Navigating the Brave New World,” Bernhardt said. “There are two tracks to the thing. One is a track about the art and craft of writing, for people who are writing but not sure where to go or how to start, and another is a track about the business of writing, for those who wonder if they need an agent, or need a publisher, or want to know if they can just upload their book and sell it online.”

A nationally bestselling author of twenty-nine books, Bernhardt began hosting an annual writing workshop in 2005. His nationally renowned writing seminars have educated numerous authors now published by major publishing houses. His published books include the acclaimed Ben Kincaid series (from Primary Justice in 1991 to Capitol Betrayal in 2011), Double Jeopardy, The Midnight Before Christmas, Nemesis: The Final Case of Eliot Ness, Dark Eye, two children’s books and two anthologies he edited to raise funds for The Nature Conservancy and The Children’s Legal Defense Fund.

In addition to Bernhardt, the conference faculty included:

• New York Times-bestselling author Phillip Margolin
• New York City-based literary agents Melissa Flashman (Trident Media) and Chris Kepner (Victoria Sanders Agency)
• Historian and voice actor (Cars and Cars 2) Michael Wallis
• Random House editor David Pomerico
• Professor Tim Tharp, author of “The Spectacular Now” and other young adult novels
• Literary fiction writer Rilla Askew
• Poet and performance artist Lauren Zuniga
• Author and teacher J Madison Davis
• Adventure fiction author Mel Odom
• Fiction and nonfiction author John Wooley
• Humorist Barry Friedman
• Author and editor Michael Mason

Justice Gurich is the third woman in history to be appointed to the state’s highest court. With more than 24 years as a judge, The Hon. Gurich was named the 2011 Judge of the Year by the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is a three-time Journal Record Honoree for Woman of the Year (2005, 2008 and 2011).
The Rose State College Foundation’s James F. Howell Country Lawyer Lectureship sponsored Gurich’s talk. The purpose of the program is to help the Rose State community, and visitors, better appreciate the U.S. Constitution’s place in the history and law of the country.

But “Twilight”?

It’s true, according to the American Library Association. As recently as 2010, Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer, was one of the Association’s Top Ten Challenged books, most often on the basis of the would-be-book-banners’ religious viewpoints and for its depiction of violence. One school in California ordered all copies to be removed from the library—an order rescinded a short while later.

Not all books are so lucky, which is why the Rose State College Learning Resources Center is conducting activities for Banned Books week, September 30 – October 6, 2012.

In 2007 in Oklahoma, “The Bermudez Triangle,” by Maureen Johnson was ordered pulled from the shelves of the Bartlesville Mid-High Library due to its alleged depiction of homosexuality.

“The book was removed from the library. Only two of the eight committee members had read the book,” notes the report from the Oklahoma Library Association. Eventually, the book was put on a segregated shelf in the library where readership was monitored.

The attempted banning of books is alive throughout the country, and in Oklahoma as well, says Barbara Pfrehm, coordinator for this year’s Banned Books Week at Rose State College. Pfrehm works in the campus library, or Learning Resources Center.

“There are always the classics,” Pfrehm says. “’Huckleberry Finn’ for its racial overtones, ‘Catcher in the Rye’ for its profanity. In Oklahoma, the depiction of homosexuality often makes a book a target.”

Of the five challenged titles in Oklahoma, three were on the list because of issues surrounding sexual orientation. For instance, “A Tale of Two Daddies,” by Vanita Oelschlager, was asked to be removed from a library because the patron “didn't want her children exposed to this ‘alternative’ lifestyle.”

It was kept on the shelf. “We serve a diverse community,” noted the librarian’s report, suggesting that parents should be the one to monitor such access.

Not all such situations are sexuality-oriented. In 2006, notes the Oklahoma report, the Diary of Anne Frank was challenged when a superintendent and principal met with an unnamed English teacher in an unnamed school “to request book not be taught in the next school year after complaints by a parent concerning (that the book was) promoting Jewish religion.”

Rose State Banned Book Week:

Join the staff at Rose State College’s Learning Resources Center through the first week of October to celebrate the freedom to read. All events are free and open to the public.
The week’s highlights:

· Monday, Oct 1. Read-out. Everyone is welcomed to bring a favorite banned book and join this first impromptu gathering to share excerpts from banned or controversial books. You might get to experience your own favorite instructor read from a banned book. Monday and Tuesday will feature different readers and books.
10:30 am in front of LRC

· Tuesday, Oct 2. Read-out. Everyone is welcomed to bring a favorite banned book and join this second impromptu gathering to share excerpts from banned or controversial books. You might get to experience your own favorite instructor read from a banned book. Monday and Tuesday will feature different readers and books.
12 noon in front of LRC

· Wednesday, Oct 3. Panel debate. Should we or shouldn’t we? Don’t miss this panel of local Rose State College experts who will debate banning materials in libraries. When, if ever, is censorship appropriate? Faculty Panelists: Dick Frost, Michael Grady, Jim Hochtritt, and John Wood. Moderated by Ben Fenwick.
2:30-3:30 pm, LRC, Rm 109/110

· All week. Banned Book Display. Come view some books that have been banned or challenged in libraries.

Library Resources Center, 1st floor

For more detailed information go to < http://www.rose.edu/banned-books-week >.

The list of challenged books in Oklahoma for 2012, according to the Oklahoma Library Association:

“Daddy Pappa and Me,” by Newman, Leslea “Customer didn't want her children exposed to this "alternative" lifestyle.”

“I know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” Rounds, Glen “It might make kids think about dying.”

“Kitty, Kitty, Bang, Bang,” Cairo "’pornographic’ language; wouldn't be good for someone under 18 to get hold of.”

“Mommy, Mama and Me,” Newman, Leslea “Customer didn't want her children exposed to this ‘alternative’ lifestyle.

“Tale of Two Daddies,” Oelschlager, Vanita “Customer didn't want her children exposed to this ‘alternative’ lifestyle.