CAMPUS PROJECTS WITH PURPOSE

SURVIVOR TREE MEMORIAL PLAZA

At the southwest corner of Oklahoma Christian University’s Mabee Learning Center, two special trees stand side by side: One grown from a seedling from the Survivor Tree at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, and one grown from a cutting from the tree that survived the attacks on the World Trade Center. OC is the only site in the world outside of New York City to have survivor trees from the Murrah Building and the World Trade Center side-by-side. This Survivor Tree installation on campus will soon receive a worthy upgrade. OC broke ground April 18, preparing the new plaza to have a permanent Oklahoma flag, New York flag and American flag as well as a larger space to remember the tragedies that changed many lives forever.


50 YEARS OF IBARAKI

In 1974, Oklahoma Christian University President James O. Baird went to Japan to visit Howard Horton, a former OC administrator who was then serving as a teacher at Ibaraki Christian University (IC), planting the seeds for a transformative partnership. Over the last 50 years, more than 2,000 people have traveled to OC from IC or vice versa to help cultivate, nurture and grow the God-given friendship. This year, OC welcomed IC to campus to celebrate their 50th anniversary of partnership. IC President Naomi Ueno, joined by IC administration, faculty, alumni and students, traveled to Oklahoma to fellowship with the faculty, staff and students at OC. The two groups also unveiled a new stone plaque to commemorate years of Kingdom work.

KARLA'S BENCH

Oklahoma Christian University students, faculty and staff raised money to install a bench overlooking the intramural fields in honor of the late OC student Karla Ramirez. According to Cally Lytal (’24), “[Karla] had a gift of making every person she interacted with feel like the most important person in the world. Karla loved others fervently, and she resembled Jesus in everything she did. She was the hardest worker in every room she was in, and she invested wholeheartedly in everything she did. She was the best quarterback, point guard, pitcher and all-around athlete.” The bench reminds the OC community of Karla’s continued impact on and off the field.

DARCI MEMORIAL PARK

This year, Oklahoma Christian University dedicated a memorial on the Eagle Trail to Darci Grisso Thompson (’00), champion of campus health and fitness. Darci graduated from OC in 2000 and spent the next 20 years of her life serving her campus community. Despite her cancer diagnosis in 2013, Darci committed herself to making well-rounded health a priority for not only OC, but also the surrounding community for the next seven years. On March 8, the new park, located on the far northwest corner of the Eagle Trail, was dedicated and officially opened to the community.