EStatements like “Academic Weapon.” or “I’m locked in.” can be heard by the thriving students of Oklahoma City University. I know my friends and I are guilty of it. This mentality is almost like a badge of honor, where you’re powering through exhaustion, stress, and anxiety to reach your desired goals. In today’s fast-paced world,…
Editorial Letter: A Hello from Kyah and Devin Anthony
Managing Editor Hi Stars! I can’t believe we are already halfway through our fall semester! The Campus has been thrilled to create exciting stories for the OCU community to read and share. Our main goal has been expanding our social media presence, and our unique social media team has been working tirelessly to bring The…
Opinion: Martha Jean Lemon Guest Speaker Delivers Strong Message
Oklahoma City University hosted a special guest lecturer, Dina Gilio-Whitaker, to discuss her book, As Long As Grass Grows. Gilio-Whitaker is an American academic, journalist, and author who writes about the experiences of Indigenous history, culture, and people. A central topic of the event was her book As Long As Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight…
Opinion: Oklahoma City University’s Structured History
Oklahoma City University was founded in the early years of the 20th century under names such as Epworth College, Methodist University of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City College. For over a century, our school has been one of Oklahoma’s highest and most respected learning institutions. However, with age comes consequences, as with the passage of time….
Opinion: Mandating religious texts in public schools is wrong
Before the start of the school year, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued new guidelines for the public school classroom. A specific book, the Bible, would be required in Oklahoma classrooms and included in the school’s curriculum. This book’s mandatory requirement violates the United States Constitution and has already been challenged by many school districts….
A Letter From the New Managing Editor and Editor-In-Chief
Managing Editor Welcome back, Stars! As the new school year begins, I am excited to introduce myself to all of you. My name is Kyah Alexander, and I will be the Managing Editor for the campus newspaper this year! A little about me: I am a junior double majoring in Political Science and Mass Communications…
What makes OCU so special anyways?
OCU is a special school containing hundreds of special individuals. Growing up in two college towns led me to believe that the college experience was just partying and blowing off class, but OCU contains a different breed of student. The small community feel and dedicated student population create a unique atmosphere, with a mix of…
Editorial: Burnout, Finals and Summer
One thing OCU students are unfortunately well acquainted with is burnout, which will not be helped in these final two weeks as we begin to wrap up this semester. As outgoing seniors begin to prepare for their lives in the “real world” and returning students prepare to embark on countless summer adventures, remember to take…
Final thoughts before passing the torch
As I reflect on my time working for The Campus, two words come to mind: change and growth. When I joined the paper during my freshman year, we were still struggling with the effects of Covid-19, the barely beating heart of the paper was kept from flatlining by our former Editor-in-Chief Blake Uhlig, who regularly…
Editorial: Need for transparent communication grows
Transparency is commonly lacking across the campus of Oklahoma City University, especially regarding campus safety and administration addressing those matters. Recently, OCU was featured in the news after a break-in on campus, yet no mention of the event was made to students. However, greater than the lack of communication is the lack of action taken…
Celebrating Women’s History Month: Honoring Resilience and Progress
Women’s History Month has roots in America’s Women’s Suffrage Movement and serves as a time to honor women’s accomplishments and consider the history of women’s rights. The 19th century saw a rise in the movement, defined by powerful support for the right to vote. On March 8, 1857, a group of women from textile factories…
Dance School Offers Diverse Learning Opportunities
When most people think of the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, some of the first things that might come to mind is the amazing performances or the fact the school is known as a “Rockette Factory”. Everyone thinks of the incredible performance program, and how at just about any professional show you…
FAFSA adjustments aim to make process simpler
In recent months, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website has undergone significant modifications, aiming to enhance accessibility and make the application process run smoothly for students. These changes on the website came after “The FAFSA Simplification Act” was passed by Congress in 2022, introducing changes to the application process to simplify and…
Behind the Scenes of Move!
Just before spring break, the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment produced their annual spring show Move! Dance For the World of Entertainment. Typically, what people enjoy most about the dance show is the incredible and talented dancers that bring the stage to life with the vision of the choreographers. However, there is…
2023-24 Hoops Season in Review
The season has come and gone for the Oklahoma City University Men’s basketball team. The Stars finished with a 10-18 record while tallying an 8-14 record within Sooner Athletic Conference play. Coach Mark Berokoff’s squad finished just one game away of the last qualifying spot for a trip to the SAC postseason tournament. Yet the…
From Poles to Possibilities: A Patriotic Campus
What is more of an eyesore than an empty flagpole? Every day I walk past the lone flagpole in front of the Gold Star Memorial Building to go to class. As I walk past that flagpole, it reminds me of when I became an Eagle Scout and the number of flag ceremonies I took part…
In the Tapestry of Womanhood
In the tapestry of womanhood, the thread of black womanhood weaves a complex and often misunderstood narrative. As a black woman myself, I’ve faced these challenges firsthand. From the echoing footsteps of history to the everyday struggles we face, being a black woman is a deeply personal journey that many people don’t understand. One of…
Becoming Bejeweled: Taylor Swift, Body Image, and My Daughter’s Inspiration
“This is the moment of truth,” I said, peering at my husband in the passenger seat. Dread and apprehension knotted within me as I continued, “Am I really going into church without my pants on?” From the backseat, my six-year-old daughter, always attentive, joyfully exclaimed, “Of course you are, Momma!” It all started innocently enough,…
Editorial: OCU is defined by its close community
The campus community that Oklahoma City University has is unique and is spurred on by two main factors: the small size of the school and students supporting students. Between performance majors that allow students to showcase their talents through productions, the twenty-two different sports the university offers, the countless clubs and student organizations that allow…
Reflections on Local Attacks on Diversity Equity and Inclusion
In recent years, Oklahoma, like many other states, has seen unprecedented incursions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by government leaders. This comes after several opponents of DEI sparked claims that public school curricula are divisive and discriminatory. On Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed an executive order banning public funds from…
Why I Love My Sorority
When I first decided to come to Oklahoma City University, I did a lot of research on activities I could possibly get involved with. That research was tough for a while as I suffer from social anxiety, so it was very difficult for me to see myself truly getting involved with a lot of things…
Poverty in America: Awareness Matters
Poverty is right up there with abortion, gun laws, legalization of drugs, climate change, COVID-19 recovery, human rights, international agreements and so much more. Who caused it? Who is controlling, feeding into, or profiting from it? Who is most affected? Matthew Desmond, author of Poverty: By America, came to Oklahoma City University this past year…
Are OCU athletics starting to lose their edge?
Oklahoma City University boasts about being the “Home of Champions” holding 73 national titles, 3 NAIA Learfield Cups, several Sooner Athletic Conference Championships and a streak of at least one national championship won for the past twenty-eight years. These 73 titles raise OCU above not only their thirty-six Oklahoma peers, with the closest school in…
The good, the bad, the OCU dining services
Oklahoma City University’s Dining Services, like most parts of our campus community, seem to be making improvements for inclusivity, with dietary restrictions being a major focus for the Dining Services in the past few years. Throughout my three years at OCU, I’ve seen Kitchen 1904 opened and embraced by students and faculty, the change from…
Staying in control at “over committed university”
Mental, physical, and emotional health is an extremely important aspect to thriving, not only as a student but as a person, so as the spring semester of the 2023-24 academic year begins, remember to prioritize yourself. Oklahoma City University holds the true but not so endearing nickname of “Over Committed University,” which can be seen…
Why I love living in Walker Hall (as an RA)
Walker Hall, the notorious, main first-year dorm, is renowned around campus as a sucky but necessary part of coming to OCU. Almost every first-year student lives in Walker and becomes acquainted with its quirks – including its sad excuse for a laundry room and often out of order elevators. Yet, I chose, as an upper-class…
