CareerTech recognizes OSUIT president with distinguished service award

Monday, August 9, 2010

Dr. Robert Klabenes, president of Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology - Okmulgee, received the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education Distinguished Service Award recently. The award was presented at the 43rd Annual CareerTech Summer Conference held Aug. 2-3 at the Tulsa Convention Center.

The event attracts some 3,500 CareerTech educators from across the state and is one of the largest professional development educator conferences in the state.

The Distinguished Service Award is one of the most prestigious awards given by the Oklahoma ACTE, the professional organization for the state's CareerTech administrators, teachers and staff members.

This award recognizes individuals or organizations outside the field of career and technology education for meritorious contributions to the significant statewide improvement, promotion, development and progress of career and technology education.

“We recognize Oklahoma leaders with the Oklahoma ACTE Distinguished Service Award for their commitment to partnering to benefit the lives of Oklahoma students and the Oklahoma economy,” said Phil Berkenbile, CareerTech state director.

Klabenes began his education career in 1962 as a classroom teacher of junior high mathematics. Three years later he was promoted to an administrative role that launched his career in educational administration.

During his tenure, Klabenes has created a unique niche for OSUIT in Oklahoma’s system of public higher education. The niche is an advanced technological education that culminates in an Associate in Applied Science degree or a Bachelor of Technology degree that allow graduates to enter the workforce as “technical” professionals immediately upon graduation.

He also has generated active involvement from business and industry to work with the institution’s faculty on a continual basis to assure that the students studies align with the needs of employers.