Hello, Friends: The spring semester at OU started just after Martin Luther King Day, and I found myself considering Dr. King's teachings as they relate to leadership. I've been thinking about courage over the past several months. Courage is an essential virtue for leaders, but it is not easy to develop. By definition, exercising courage is inherently risky. So how do we develop courage? If we follow Aristotle’s view of virtue development, we only become courageous when we practice acting with courage. If we sit around and wait until we feel brave, then we might never take action. We can take inspiration from Dr. King’s 1966 speech at Southern Methodist University, in which he proclaimed “The time is always right to do right."

JHLP’s mission is to build “effective and ethical leaders,” and one of the 26 capabilities we help students develop is “leading change.” I will give you the same charge I gave the students: As you begin the year, what change do you want to lead? What actions can you take? And who can help you?

Speaking of help, JHLP owes much of its success to the efforts of students, faculty, and staff in the Gallogly and Mewbourne Colleges. It continues to be my pleasure to work with such an outstanding group of engineering and science leaders, and I hope you will enjoy seeing the many ways they “do right.”

With appreciation,

Kim Graves Wolfinbarger, Director

JHLP alumni, sponsors, mentors, and friends are invited to join us for three events this spring. All events will take place in the Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, Room 200. For parking information and to register, email jhlp@ou.edu.

Mentor + Alumni Mixer, March 5, 6:00–8:00 PM. Current and former JHLP mentors and Gallogly/Mewbourne College alumni are invited to join the Holmes Leadership Associates for an evening of dinner and networking.

Distinguished Speaker Keynote Address, March 26, 1:30-2:45 PM. Rick Nagel, Managing Director of the Acorn Group and OU Environmental Science alumnus, will share his perspectives on leadership at the intersection of STEM and business. At Acorn, an aerospace & defense investment and buyout group, Nagel leads the strategic direction of the firm and its portfolio assets. He currently serves on the University's Board of Regents and the Board of Directors for the State Chamber of Oklahoma, and is the state president of the Oklahoma Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

JHLP Spring Celebration, April 16, 6:00–8:00 PM. Our academic year ends with the annual dinner celebrating our graduates and campus award winners.

JHLP welcomed 35 new associates to the program in the fall, bringing the total number of current Holmes Leadership Associates to 94. The new group included undergraduate and graduate students active in a variety of student organizations within engineering programs and across campus.

Fay Cobb Payton, PhD, was honored as the Fall 2024 Distinguished Speaker.

DOMINIQUE PITTENGER, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING PROGRAM

JHLP, the Women in Engineering Program (WiE), and the Diversity & Inclusion Program (D&I) collaborated to bring Fay Cobb Payton, PhD, to campus as part of the JHLP Distinguished Speaker Series. An expert in innovation, entrepreneurship, and healthcare engineering, Dr. Payton has recently focused on algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence. Her talk, “Checking Boxes in STEM Leadership Environments,” addressed the impacts of such biases. She charged the students, as aspiring STEM leaders, to look beyond their own experiences when designing systems and to consider the impacts on multiple stakeholder groups. The morning talk was presented to one section of the course Leadership and Management for Engineers. The afternoon presentation was open to all students and the broader University community. Between the two talks, WiE provided an informal lunch chat with a smaller group of students representing JHLP, WiE, D&I, and the OU chapters of the Society of Women Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, Women in Computing, and Alpha Sigma Kappa–Women in Technical Studies. Dr. Payton holds bachelor’s degrees in industrial engineering and accounting, an MBA, and a PhD in Information and Decision Systems. She is currently an Expert at the National Science Foundation, where she previously served as a Program Director in the Division of Computer and Network Systems.

ANN-SHA HEADLEY, RETREAT AND SPECIAL EVENTS CHAIR

The annual Engineering & Geosciences Student Leadership Retreat, sponsored by Boeing, took place in late October at St. Crispin's Camp near Wewoka, Oklahoma. This two-day intensive event was open to all Gallogly and Mewbourne students, from freshmen to doctoral candidates, and was designed to help students learn practical leadership skills. Holmes Leadership Associates Trinidad Alarcon, Maria Doan, Tina Nguyen, Judah Anttila, John Meuer and Ann-Sha Headley contributed extensively to planning and leading the program. Twenty-four students attended for an enlightening and enjoyable camp experience. Friday’s activities began with icebreakers led by Judah Anttila and John Meuer. Camp staff facilitated high and low ropes activities, setting the stage for the challenging and collaborative weekend.

Boeing representatives Bri Reyna, a Flight Test Engineer, and Alberto Sandoval, a Design and Analysis Engineer, joined the group for dinner and a trivia game about JHLP capabilities, facilitated by Trinidad Alarcon and Ann-Sha Headley. The game prompted in-depth discussions about personal development, leadership, and teamwork. As the trivia game concluded, the energy remained palpable, and a seamlessly transitioned Q&A session unfolded. This segment served as a platform for participants to delve deeper into the career journeys of the Boeing representatives. Inquisitive minds posed thought-provoking questions, gaining valuable insights into the intricacies of the aerospace industry and the varied paths that led Reyna and Sandoval to their current positions.

Tiffany Nguyen and Stryker Herrera calculate the cost of materials for their rocket.

Saturday morning opened with a Hot Wheels precision activity created by Judah and John. Participants designed and built race tracks for miniature cars, then competed with the aim of getting as close as possible to the finish line. The objective was to entice creative thinking skills and encourage teamwork and management skills. The final activity of the day, Blast Off!, was facilitated by Maria and Tina and assisted by the rest of the committee. Students created a water rocket that would be launched with an egg securely encased. Teams were given a small budget to use for “shopping” for construction materials. Extra points were given for creatively designed rockets, longest air time and a whole egg after landing.

Overall, the retreat taught participants about the importance of effective communication, team collaboration and quick thinking. The combination of recreational activities, intellectual discussions, and firsthand interactions with industry leaders made for a truly enriching and memorable retreat experience.

Fabrice Simpore waits for a turn on the climbing wall.

Retreat committee member Maria Doan explains the rules for the water rocket challenge.

Megan Maqqa, Fabrice Simpore, Lebo Nteso, David Colindres, and Catherine Donner pose with the S. S. Holmes.

Student entrepreneurs discuss their successes and challenges with an audience of engineering, science, and business students.

SARAH ONYEMBE, CHAIR, CAMPUS CONNECTIONS COMMITTEE

JHLP collaborated with StartUp OU, an entrepreneurship hub fostering the next generation of innovators, to host the Student Founder Panel in October. Panelists shared their experiences on transforming ideas into successful businesses using the resources available at OU. The Gallogly College was well represented. Panelists Tyler Roman and Luke Terry (both CS) are founders of Turnstyl, an online marketing platform. Ethan Brown (Electrical Engineering) started Helion Illumination with drama student Harrison Best and law student Samuel Moore to deliver “the world’s brightest remote control drone light.” The founders of Zyve, another venture incubator member with OU connections, rounded out the panel.

Engineering student attendees were particularly intrigued by questions delving into the role of engineering in startups. The panelists emphasized the importance of open-mindedness, acknowledging that engineers may not be well-versed in the business aspects of a startup and vice versa. They discussed the inevitability of failure in entrepreneurial ventures, highlighting the significance of determination and courage. 

Following the insightful discussion, the event concluded with networking over pizza, fostering connections between attendees and panelists. Overall, the Student Founder Panel provided a platform for students to explore the intersection of business and engineering in the startup world.

JHLP appreciates the continued support of longtime corporate sponsor The Boeing Company, and of our many individual donors. We also recognize new corporate sponsor Phillips 66, whose gift supported the purchase of mentorship materials. If you would like to discuss a contribution to JHLP, contact Advancement Director Becca Barsetti .