The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities named Oklahoma State University the winner of its national community engagement award for 2017. The C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship recognizes how colleges have redesigned their learning, discovery and engagement missions to become even more involved with their communities.
“This is a wonderful honor and exciting national recognition of Oklahoma State’s health initiative with the Chickasaw Nation,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “It’s a humbling acknowledgement of our founding commitment to serve and engage in our communities. I want to thank and congratulate the many OSU employees and students who carry out our land-grant mission in countless ways.”
OSU’s health collaborative with the Chickasaw Nation includes the Eagle Adventure program for children in the first through third grades. The program embraces the Native American tribe’s storytelling tradition to educate participants on practices that prevent Type 2 diabetes through dietary and physical activity.
Named in honor of one of APLU’s past presidents, the C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship award includes a sculpture and a $20,000 prize. The award funds will be used to expand and strengthen programs, activities, and training events that enhance OSU’s partnerships with the sovereign tribal nations and other communities.