Mum's the word
Each fall the talented OU landscaping crew lets the flowerbeds do the boasting. VanVleet Oval is set ablaze with crimson and cream mums that virtually shout, “Boomer! Sooner!” as they burst into bloom. The campus is so lovely “by day and night” that it regularly finds a home on the Top 10 list of the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S., according to theodysseyonline.com.
App-reciating Arezzo
OU students on the university’s Arezzo, Italy, campus find a multitude of ways to serve their Italian host community. Sooners recently came to the rescue when the mayor of Arezzo needed a smart phone app that would help attract tourism to the ancient city. Visiting Gallogly College of Engineering students jumped in, using a combination of classroom experience and background as media-savvy millennials. The app should be guiding the feet of travelers within the next year.
Top 10 Talent
Christina Warinner, co-founder of OU’s Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research Laboratories, was named to ScienceNews The SN 10, which introduces the world to 10 young innovators “who stand out to mentors and peers as people who will make a difference.”
A Perfect Match
Administration at the University of Oklahoma is constantly looking for new ways to engage and enhance student experience. And what could be more personal than helping students find the perfect roommate? A housing questionnaire helps pair students with others who have similar traits—like being an early riser—to ensure the best possible roommate experience. Civil engineering freshman Sarah Elkin was paired with international studies freshman Mary-Kate Mason. So far, so good. “I think it did a really good job,” Elkin says.
A Rose is a Rose
The Rose Sharp Rose Garden on OU’s Norman campus honors OU former First Lady Rose Sharp, who served alongside her husband, President Paul Sharp, from 1971 to 1978. Mrs. Sharp died Sept. 13 in her Norman home at the age of 99. Her husband preceded her in death in 2009. “The OU family will greatly miss Rose Sharp,” OU President David L. Boren said. “As First Lady, she was especially devoted to students and their well-being. She was a truly outstanding member of our university community.”