Oprah's all-time favorite guest returns to campus

Monday, February 20, 2012

Dr. Tererai Trent embodies what it means to achieve the dreams written on your heart. Trent rose from a young child secretly completing her brother’s homework in a poverty-stricken village in Zimbabwe, to graduating from Oklahoma State University with a bachelors degree and completing a masters degree. She shattered all barriers to become a symbol of hope for women in her home village. OSU Office of Leadership Development is proud to welcome Trent back to the OSU campus as part of the Leadership Development Speaker Series. 

“Tererai Trent's story is one of the most moving stories of determination and vision,” said Blaine Bertrem, Leadership Development graduate assistant. “Everyone in Leadership Development and Campus Life is excited about her visit and can't wait for OSU students to hear from and be inspired by Dr. Trent.”

Raised in a hut with no running water, married by age 11 and mother to three children by age 18, Trent never gave up on her dreams of education. She brought her family to Oklahoma and was able to complete a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a master’s degree with the support of the OSU community. She has been employed by Heifer International, completed a doctorate degree and was named Oprah’s all-time favorite guest. Now, Trent has dreams of building a school in her village to support the education of more than 1,000 children. In 2011, Oprah donated $1.5 million to make this dream a reality.   

Trent will be speaking in an open forum on Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Murray Hall 035.

Oklahoma State University’s Office of Leadership Development molds students into leaders by equipping students with the knowledge and skills to take on the challenges of leadership in a global society. Through classroom education, service-learning opportunities, speaker series and seminars, the Office of Leadership Development enriches the college experience. For more information about the Leadership Development program, please contact Stephen Haseley, Leadership Development coordinator, by email at sph8836@okstate.edu, by phone at (405) 744-5485, or stop by the Office of Leadership Development in 033 Classroom Building.