I am pleased to share the first volume of the Summer 2026 newsletter with you, recapping the 2025-26 academic year. JHLP has accomplished so much this year that the newsletter is being published in two volumes. Much of the content was provided by members of JHLP's Media Committee and graduate assistant Asif Sadri. This publication is enhanced by their unique voices and photography and I very much appreciate their contribution of time and talent. Look for more of their work in Volume 2 next month.

Recently, the Gallogly College established its Office of Career Development for Engineers and Scientists (CDES), intended to prepare students for a successful transition from collegiate life to their next stage of full-time industry employment, further education, or a career in public service. JHLP is the leadership development leg of the CDES stool, which also includes career readiness and campus and career connections. We work closely with OU's Career Center in offering a variety of programs, employer engagement events, and career fairs for Gallogly and Mewbourne College students. Dr. Dominique Pittenger and I serve as co-directors of CDES.

Our staff expanded with the addition of JHLP co-director Ryan Stoddard and administrative assistant Lacey Hart. Dr. Stoddard, an associate professor in the Engineering Pathways program, came to OU from Rose State College, where he served as dean of the Engineering and Science Division. A retired Navy Commander, he served in key leadership roles including Commanding Officer of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron FOUR and Aide to the Secretary of Defense.

Ms. Hart brings extensive experience as an entrepreneur, having owned both a salon and a property management company. She holds a bachelor of arts in integrative studies from OU. Her broad range of skills serves the multiple aspects of her role supporting both JHLP and the broader CDES office.

Many of you have also contributed time, talent, and treasure to help students in the Gallogly and Mewbourne Colleges develop as effective and ethical leaders. Your impact as guest speakers, mentors, workshop facilitators, and donors sets an inspiring example. Thank you.

With appreciation,

Kim Graves Wolfinbarger, PhD

JHLP welcomed 53 new associates to the program for the Fall 2026 cohort, bringing the total number of current Holmes Leadership Associates to 112. The new group included undergraduate and graduate students active in a variety of student organizations within engineering programs and across campus.

Shelly Heuser headlined the Fall 2025 Distinguished Speaker Day, offering students an inspiring look into leadership, growth, and everyday legacy-building. Photo by Hiram Ophiohonren.

By Madeline Barton

In the midst of the Fall 2025 semester, Jerry Holmes Leadership Program hosted its fall Distinguished Speaker Day featuring GCoE Board of Advisors member Shelly Heuser. With a background in chemical engineering and an MBA, Heuser brought over 30 years of industry experience to share with students. Her talk, titled “Laughter, Leadership, and Legacy” explored how these three elements intertwine to shape both professional success and personal fulfillment. 

Heuser guided students through key moments in her career, beginning with her early lessons in exploration. She shared how completing three internships during her undergraduate studies helped her discover her true passion. She explained that she loved one of the internships but would not have realized that if not for the other two internship experiences that she disliked. Her message was clear: Try it. You’ll never know what you love or where you thrive unless you take the first step. Throughout her career, Heuser emphasized the importance of building credibility, capability, and relationships. She described navigating her “career jungle gym”, encouraging students to stay open to new opportunities and to learn from every detour. Notably, she mentioned that the only job she ever directly applied for was one she didn’t get, but through consistent effort and excellence in her current roles, new opportunities continued to find her. Heuser also highlighted the value of continuous learning and the power of stepping outside one’s comfort zone. Feedback, she noted, is one of the most valuable tools for growth, especially constructive feedback. Amidst these lessons, laughter remained a recurring theme. She reminded students that life and work will always bring challenges, but maintaining a sense of humor can help carry them through tough times. 

Closing her talk, Heuser shared a powerful perspective: “Legacy is not something you leave behind, it’s something you build every day”. She encouraged students to lead with laughter, grow their leadership, and create a legacy worth following. Her insight, authenticity, and humor resonated deeply with attendees, leaving everyone with meaningful lessons to apply to their own leadership journeys. 

Students gather lakeside during the JHLP Leadership Retreat for an afternoon of team-building activities.

Retreat participants practice their new skills in giving an receiving feedback by playing "Feedback Improv".

By Madeline Barton

The JHLP leadership retreat, sponsored by Boeing and open to all Gallogly and Mewbourne students, was the perfect opportunity to step away from campus and dive into personal growth. Sharing cabins with other engineering students created a unique environment wherein we networked and got to know each other beyond the classroom. From rock-wall climbing, we learned the power of encouragement: seeing just how far each of us could go when supported by our peers. Whether it was cheering someone to the next hold or teaching someone how to untangle the largest rope knot, we gained first-hand experience in communication, patience, vulnerability, and teamwork. Even simple moments, like making s'mores together, helped us turn complete strangers into familiar faces that we now greet on campus. 

The retreat also focused on some leadership challenges mirroring real-life scenarios. Activities that involved asking for help taught us that vulnerability is not a weakness, but rather an ingredient of profound importance. Building a bridge in teams strengthened our engineering collaboration under pressure, reinforcing how important it is to listen to one another and celebrate every effort-successful or not. This was the most impactful of all the workshops: the conflict management workshop, which showed just how fast situations escalate once emotions take over, and how it is clarity, empathy, and maturity that stand for leading strongly. Through role-playing, we practiced ways of handling frustration constructively as a leader, fellow team member, or employee.

Boeing employees Kristina Browning, Nick Vilardo, Chris Comillas, and Devnath Ghosh joined the group for Friday's dinner and a panel discussion about leadership development in the workplace and the role collegiate experiences played in their own progress as professionals. Kristina is an HLA alumna, and it was exciting to see one of our own pursuing a successful engineering career and giving back to JHLP.

Retreat activities were organized and led by members of JHLP's Leadership Retreat Committee, chaired by Lebo Nteso. Sessions were facilitated by Daniela Delbando and Amen Ftirich. Other committee members included Payton Blessinger and Timin Akinloye. This semester's theme, Developing Self-Awareness, guided every moment of the retreat. Each activity connected to JHLP Capability 1: understanding who we are, who we can become, and how our strengths, values, and motivations shape our leadership potential. From practicing self-confidence to giving and receiving feedback, from solidifying our character to learning intellectual humility, the weekend let us grow in a very intentional and wholehearted way. We came back exhausted but inspired, carrying invaluable lessons that will continue to inspire us as leaders today and in years to come. This year’s retreat broke an all-time attendance record, and we cannot wait to see what next year’s retreat will accomplish.

By Madeline Barton

The Jerry Holmes Leadership Program hosted its first HLA meeting of the year at the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester on Tuesday, September 2nd. The meeting began with an icebreaker activity in which members rotated between tables, introduced themselves, and responded to a series of guided questions within a set time. Following the icebreaker, the program provided an overview of its six committees, each of which plays a vital role in supporting and enhancing different aspects of JHLP. The committees include Membership, Retreat & Special Events, Media, Mentor-Alumni Relations, Campus Connections, and Graduate Students. Each committee introduced its purpose and outlined its planned activities for the year, and members completed forms indicating their committee preferences. The program also reviewed expectations for the year and highlighted upcoming events. Since the meeting took place shortly before the career fair, several company recruiters were in attendance.

Overall, the meeting set a positive and engaging tone for the year, providing members with valuable connections, clear direction, and a renewed sense of purpose within the Jerry Holmes Leadership Program. 

From left: Emily Stark, Timi Akinloye, David Colindres, Aiden Shepard, Bonkhe Magongo. Photo by Madeline Barton.

By Madeline Barton

In October, the Jerry Holmes Leadership Program welcomed new associates into the program. Upon entry, each new HLA received a JHLP pin and a copy of The Mentee’s Guide by Lois J. Zachary, a valuable resource to support their leadership development alongside their mentors. 

The evening began with professional headshots provided through the Career Center, followed by dinner and an interactive icebreaker organized by the Membership Committee to help students learn new faces and make connections. For the activity, participants paired up to introduce one another, then joined another pair to find a shared similarity among all four group members. The exercise created an easy and engaging way for HLAs to meet new faces, start conversations, and begin building meaningful relationships within the program. Dr. Stoddard and Dr. Wolfinbarger also shared program updates and spoke about JHLP’s mission to develop leadership capabilities across disciplines. A short video featuring General Jerry Holmes offered inspiration as he reflected on his journey from military service to teaching and the values that shape the program today. 

The meeting concluded with an internship panel hosted by HLA David Colindres, featuring four HLAs who shared their Summer 2025 experiences. The panelists included Emily Stark (Dow Chemical), Timi Akinloye (Turner Construction Company), Aiden Shepard (Valero), and Bonkhe Magongo (Bobrick Washroom Equipment). Panelists offered advice on interview preparation, networking strategies, finding confidence in new roles, and job-seeking as an international student. They also discussed what to look for when seeking full-time opportunities and shared key lessons learned on the job. The panel served as an encouraging and practical resource for students preparing to take the next steps in their professional and leadership journeys. 

Dr. Ryan Stoddard leads an interactive workshop on leadership strengths and self-awareness at the November JHLP meeting. Photo by Hiram Ophiohonren.

Holmes Leadership Associates Tega Botti, DeeDee Chitsa, and Lillian Mukaneza collaborate in group activities exploring self-awareness and leadership development. Photo by Hiram Ophiohonren.

By Megan Maqque Huanca

The November HLA meeting emphasized balancing leadership strengths and using reflection as a development tool. The session featured an interactive workshop led by Dr. Ryan Stoddard, who stressed the importance of self-awareness in identifying personal strengths, strategies for honing those skills, and the critical role that asking for help plays in effective leadership. Following this, Jerry Holmes Associates participated in small-group discussions focused on open reflection. Guided by prompts to revisit their previous and current leadership positions and experiences, associates analyzed their actions and considered alternative approaches by applying skills learned and honed through JHLP.

Membership Committee Chair Audrey Navarrete led HLAs in a discussion of the biggest issues plaguing student life, letting students have the floor to share their honest views and apply their skills to think of an alternatives that would solve or mediate the issue.

The JHLP Media Committee expanded its efforts this year with outreach on Instagram and LinkedIn, detailed newsletter articles, and outstanding photography. Led by co-chairs Madeline Barton and Megan Maqque, the committee members included chief photographer Hiram Ophiohonren and Dee Dee Chitsa, Lily Mosisa, Abby Odom, Tristan Curry, and Sydney Pierce.

JHLP appreciates the continued support of longtime corporate sponsor The Boeing Company and of our dedicated individual donors. If you would like to discuss a contribution to JHLP, contact Executive Director of Advancement, Stephanie Buettner.