OSU Agriculture Dean’s Dialogue event commemorates 30th anniversary of OKC bombing
Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Media Contact: Mandy Gross | Sr. Manager of Strategic and VP Communications | 405-744-4063 | mandy.gross@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University Agriculture held a special edition of its Dean’s Dialogue series on Jan. 27 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City.
OSU Agriculture partnered with the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum to bring the Journey of Hope program to campus with special guest Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma secretary of agriculture. Arthur’s mom, Margaret “Peggy” Clark, was killed in the bombing on April 19, 1995.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum plans to visit all 77 counties in Oklahoma to share stories of courage, resilience and strength, said Martha Beliveau, program manager for the Journey of Hope series.
“It was a dark day for Oklahoma, and it shook Oklahoma and America to its core, killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring several hundred more,” Beliveau said. “But what followed that day of darkness have been years of light. And so today, we’re so grateful that Secretary Arthur is here because the Journey of Hope would not be possible without her support and leadership.”
Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture, sat down with Arthur, a Ferguson College of Agriculture alumna and OSU A&M Board of Regents member, to hear her family’s story from that devastating day.
Arthur said her mom worked as a U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinary medical officer, and though her mom’s office was in Oklahoma City, she typically was not in the office every day.
“It was a typical April morning,” she said. “My mom was headed to Stillwater to the College of Veterinary Medicine but had to stop by the office first to pick up some things. Unfortunately for us, my mom did not survive that day. She was one of the last ones to be found. So certainly, at first, you hold out hope that she would be found, but after several days, you think, this is probably not the outcome we want.”
For Arthur, then 13, and her two sisters, Rosslyn Biggs, then 16, and Chelsea Evans, then 6, of Chickasha, Oklahoma, that day changed their lives forever. Their dad, David Spencer, was left raising three daughters, but the “Oklahoma Standard” kicked in, and people shared their time to support a family in need.
“What was wonderful was the concerted effort among the moms in our community — because we were in all three different states of activities — that someone was willing to fill the gap,” Arthur said. “Whether it was prom dress shopping, a junior high band concert or those types of things, people gave up their time, which is the one thing that is most precious to people.”
Arthur hopes people will learn from the terrible event 30 years ago.
“Continuing to tell the story is important,” she said. “This is not typically on the top of my list to talk about this story, as you can imagine. But it’s so important because it’s been such a long time ago. We’ve gotten so far away from it now that there isn’t as much personal memory to it.”
Arthur and her family participate in the Memorial Marathon every April and encourage people to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.
“The Memorial is a great example of seeing some incredible stories of everyone responding to an act of hate with a lot of love,” she said. “We have lots of family members who join us for the Memorial Marathon. It’s a time we like to get together, remember my mom and tell good stories.”
Arthur also serves on the Memorial’s Conscience Committee where family members, first responders and survivors discuss ideas for the Memorial.
“I think the best part about the Memorial is, although a horrible situation happened, everyone in Oklahoma City, everyone in Oklahoma, really everyone around the world, said we’re not going to let that write the story for us in a negative way,” she said. “We’re going to write our own story, which is one of hope and positivity and love instead of responding with hate or violence.”
OSU Agriculture launched the Dean’s Dialogue series in fall 2023 to focus on essential conversations in the agricultural industry.
“I appreciate Secretary Arthur sharing her story with us, although it is not easy,” Lusk said. “We can all learn something by hearing about the events that unfolded that horrific day. I welcome the encouragement from Secretary Arthur not to be filled with hate whenever we disagree with people and find a better way to get along. I didn’t know her mom, but I feel quite confident saying she’d be very proud of Secretary Arthur and her accomplishments.”
For a recap of the event, please view the Dean’s Dialogue highlight video.