March 7, 2026 Issue, Page 13 of 14

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NEWS The Elk City News SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2026 • 13 SWOSU Recognizes 143 Students at 2026 SWOSU Palooza Presented by Distinguished Student Award Ceremony Southwestern Oklahoma The program included re- Qdoba Returns March 27 State University (SWOSU) marks from university leader- recognized students from ship and a featured address by across its academic colleges Dr. Denise Landrum-Geyer, during the 2026 Distinguished the 2025 Bernhardt Academ- Student Award Ceremony on ic Excellence Award recip- Southwestern Oklahoma State Center and will serve as the exclu- Sunday, Feb. 22, at the Fine ient and chair of SWOSU’s University (SWOSU) will host sive meal vendor for the duration of Arts Center in Weatherford. Department of Language and SWOSU Palooza presented by the event. The annual ceremony hon- Literature. Certificates were Qdoba on Friday, March 27, 2026, “We are super excited to have ors undergraduate and gradu- presented by academic and in the Pioneer Events Center on the Jacob Stelly and American Slang ate students selected for their student services administra- SWOSU campus in Weatherford. perform for Palooza this year,” said academic performance and tors representing each college. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the Kambree Hammons, an SGA stu- leadership at the university. A complete list of the 2025– concert will begin at 8 p.m. dent. Recipients are chosen based 26 Distinguished Student SWOSU Palooza is the universi- SGA President Jake Estes said the on a combination of grade Award recipients is available ty’s annual spring concert and has event continues a focus on bringing point average and involve- here: 2025-26 Distinguished been a campus tradition since 2000. emerging artists to campus. “We ment in campus activities, Student Award Nominees. The event is organized in coordina- have always prided ourselves on cocurricular programs, and xlsx. The full list of recipients tion with the Student Government bringing students tomorrow’s stars, service to the university. Un- is organized by college and Association (SGA) and is intended and this year we are excited to bring dergraduate students are se- can be viewed by using the to provide students with a large- Jacob Stelly and American Slang to lected from the top 20 percent tabs at the bottom of the Excel scale live music event on campus campus,” Estes said. of juniors and seniors with- file. each year. Over more than two de- More information about the in their departments, while cades, Palooza has remained one of event is available at www.swosu. graduate students are eligible ABOUT SOUTHWESTERN the most anticipated student events edu/swosupalooza/. after completing at least 15 OKLAHOMA STATE UNI- of the spring semester. graduate credit hours at SWO- VERSITY The event will feature headlin- ABOUT SOUTHWESTERN SU with an A average. Southwestern Oklahoma er Jacob Stelly, a red dirt musician OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVER- This year’s group of 143 re- State University (SWOSU) from Liberty, Texas, who has built SITY cipients represents students was founded in 1901 and of- a following across Texas and Okla- Southwestern Oklahoma State from across the university’s fers over 100 undergraduate homa through regional touring and University (SWOSU) was founded academic programs. and graduate programs across live performances. The opening act in 1901 and offers over 100 under- Together, they reflect the three locations in Weather- will be American Slang, an Oklaho- graduate and graduate programs work required to balance ford, Sayre, and Yukon. The ma-based band known for blend- across three locations in Weather- coursework, campus in- university serves over 5,000 ing rock and country in its original ford, Sayre, and Yukon. The univer- volvement, and service while scholars and prides itself on music, along with select cover songs sity serves over 5,000 scholars and maintaining a high level of affordability, small class sizes, during its shows. prides itself on affordability, small academic performance. The and over 200 faculty and staff The concert is free for current class sizes, and over 200 faculty and ceremony recognizes not only committed to helping students SWOSU students. Members of the staff committed to helping students individual achievement, but achieve their academic and general public may attend for $10, achieve their academic and person- also the broader role these personal goals. payable by credit card at the door. al goals. students play in classrooms, For more information about Re-entry will not be permitted. For more information about organizations, and university Southwestern Oklahoma State Qdoba will operate a food vendor Southwestern Oklahoma State Uni- activities throughout the year. University, visit swosu.edu. station inside the Pioneer Events versity, visit www.swosu.edu. Treasurer Todd Russ Highlights Record Accomplishments, Outlines Vision for 2026 OKLAHOMA CITY (Febru- plemented advanced investment to Oklahomans, including a re- community banks, reinvesting agement to $1.75 billion and ment firms, marketing, and oth- ary 27, 2026) – Oklahoma State platforms, security-lending pro- cord claim of $3.1 million, while state deposits locally, improving increase participation among er service providers. Treasurer Todd Russ today de- grams, and strategic oversight, streamlining operations and ex- liquidity, and supporting farm- current Oklahoma students, tailed his office’s accomplish- generating record investment panding access with satellite of- ers through lower-interest loans while providing deeper over- THE NATIONAL STAGE ments since taking office in 2023 earnings for the state without fices in Clinton and Muskogee. via the AgLink program. sight to achieve a Morningstar Treasurer Russ emphasized and shared priorities for 2026, raising taxes, exceeding goals by Invest in Oklahoma Initia- Tax Refund Flexibility: Im- rating. ongoing monitoring of federal focusing on financial modern- $122 million over the past three tive: Established the board to plemented a new opt-in system Unclaimed Property: Expand developments that could affect ization, taxpayer accountabili- fiscal years, including $46 mil- deploy state and public entity for state tax refunds, allowing data sharing capabilities among the state including: ty, and innovative programs to lion (11.5%) above estimates in funds into Oklahoma-based pri- Oklahomans to choose a paper state agencies to increase claim Federal “Trump Accounts” for strengthen Oklahoma’s econo- FY25 alone. vate equity, venture capital, and check for tax returns, improving output by 60%. children’s tax-advantaged in- my and public services. Shareholder Engagement & growth funds, right here in the access, convenience, and control Credit Ratings: Work with vestment accounts, with poten- Fiduciary Oversight: Filed six Sooner State supporting job cre- for taxpayers across the state. Fitch Ratings on the current tial coordination considerations KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS shareholder proposals in 2024 ation and businesses. Positive Outlook with the goal for Oklahoma 529 programs. SINCE 2023 and ten in 2025 to strengthen Credit Rating Improve- 2026 PRIORITIES of achieving an upgrade due to Housing Investment Restric- Clean, Transparent Opera- transparency, accountability, ments: Directed strong fiscal Treasurer Russ shared his of- Oklahoma’s fiscal discipline and tions and implications for Real tions: Delivered consecutive and long-term shareholder val- management that led to up- fice vision for 2026 and beyond: diversified portfolio manage- Estate Investment Trusts and ‘clean opinion’ audits of the ue. Two proposals from 2024 grades and positive outlooks Banking & Local Depos- ment. private real estate exposure. Treasurer’s Office and the To- were successful, along with from Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch in its: Reinvested state cash depos- Financial Expertise: Host the Tariff Revenue Strategy as a bacco Settlement Endowment three from 2025 to date, with 2023, reflecting Oklahoma’s dis- its and expanded local collateral first local public finance forum, potential partial replacement Trust, reinforcing accountability additional 2025 proposals car- ciplined budgeting, diversified in Oklahoma banks, targeting presenting advanced strategies for income tax. and fiscal discipline. rying into the 2026 proxy sea- investments, and sound finan- more of the investment portfo- with state, agency, and univer- AI Data Center Energy Policy, Modernized Banking & Cash son. cial policies. lio to remain in-state by year’s sity leaders to improve bond is- affecting infrastructure finance Management: Migrated ten leg- Education Savings, Oklahoma Capital Project Financ- end, strengthening local liquid- suances. and utilities. acy systems to a single, secure, 529 & SEED: Oklahomans used ing: Created in 2023, the $1.2 ity and supporting Oklahoma’s Invest in Oklahoma Expan- Vice President-led “War on and modern platform, im- more than $1 billion in with- billion Legacy Capital Financing banking sector. sion: Grow state and public Fraud” Initiative, tied to bal- proving speed, reliability, and drawals, expanded participa- Fund administered by the Okla- Digital Payments: Modern- entity investments in Oklaho- anced-budget and fraud-recov- transparency for every dollar tion, and reduced management homa Capitol Improvement ize state payment systems to ma-based businesses, private ery priorities. collected, spent, and disbursed fees by half, making college sav- Authority, providing efficient, include easy and secure online equity, venture capital, and Executive Actions on proxy by state agencies. From teacher ings more affordable for fam- cost-saving funding for state in- payments. growth projects, building a new voting reforms and “Investing in paychecks and student-athlete ilies. The SEED program also frastructure projects. The fund State Benefits & Debit portfolio to support local eco- America” policies, emphasizing per diems to fleet payments distributed over 1,300 scholar- also has generated $62.3 million Cards: Renegotiate state-issued nomic development, innova- domestic investment and state and purchases at state parks, ships, helping students access in interest earnings available for debit cards to improve efficien- tion, and job creation. fiduciary alignment. every dollar is processed faster, college, CareerTech, or appren- new projects without raising cy and reduce bureaucracy, in- Service Contracts & Innova- National Banking Task tracked more accurately, and ticeship programs and strength- taxes. corporating modern insights tion: Increase the proportion Force, searching for solutions to protected with enhanced securi- ening Oklahoma’s workforce. Community Banking Sup- and technology. of state contracts provided by crippling regulations placed on ty features. Unclaimed Property: Re- port: Expanded FDIC-protect- Oklahoma 529 Pro- Oklahoma-based entities to local banks. Investing and Returns: Im- turned more than $118 million ed capital access to Oklahoma gram: Grow assets under man- 40%, including banks, invest-