OSU alumnus Crutchmer inspires graduates with lessons of strength and resilience

Saturday, December 14, 2024

Media Contact: Sydney Trainor | Communications and Media Relations Specialist | 405-744-9782 | sydney.trainor@okstate.edu

Acclaimed journalist and red dirt scribe returns to alma mater to deliver keynote address 

From chasing stories about Oklahoma State University and the red dirt country music scene as a student journalist, to shaping headlines as front-page editor at The New York Times, Josh Crutchmer’s career has come full circle.  

The 2001 OSU graduate returned to his roots Saturday for what he called the greatest honor of his life: delivering the keynote address at OSUs 149th commencement.  

Standing before more than 1,400 graduates in Gallagher-Iba Arena, Crutchmer reminded them there's no limit to the impact they can make on the world.  

The son of a diesel mechanic and an elementary school teacher, Crutchmer grew up in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. His accomplished career as a journalist, author and authoritative expert on red dirt music has taken him around the world and back to the graduation stage in Stillwater. On Saturday, he shared two lessons that he learned along the way. 

“The first of those is that Oklahoma State University is a comfort like no other on Earth,” Crutchmer said. 

As a senior in 2001, covering the Cowboy basketball team wasn’t just a dream come true for Crutchmer — it was, in his eyes, the most important journalism job on campus. 

That perspective was put to the test on Jan. 27, 2001, when Crutchmer, sitting in the Wormy Dog Saloon just blocks from campus, first heard the devastating news about a plane crash involving the men’s basketball team. Together, he and his fellow student reporters created a plan to honor and commemorate the 10 lives lost. 

Although the experience was deeply painful for him and countless others, Crutchmer witnessed the Cowboy family’s resilience as everyone rallied together. While he hopes the graduates never face such tragedy, he assured them that when hard times come, the bonds forged at OSU will always be there to support them. 

The second lesson Crutchmer shared was the importance of giving back. He encouraged graduates to find their own unique ways to contribute to OSU and the communities that shaped them, citing his own example of support for the upcoming Boys from Oklahoma concert in Boone Pickens Stadium.  

“On the other side of it, you will find that life is going to present you, in your own way, with the same opportunity I had. A few of you will become mega-donors, and we thank you for that in advance, but most of you are going to find there's another way for you to lift up Oklahoma State in the eyes of the world,” Crutchmer said. “It may happen in your career. It may happen through someone in your life who you introduce to the world that OSU makes possible. It could just come through leaving a positive legacy and impact on the world. So, the second of my life lessons that I would like to turn into a challenge to you is to look for that opportunity when it arises and take it.”  

OSU President Kayse Shrum; Dr. Lisa Slevitch, OSU faculty chair; Rick Walker, OSU A&M Board of Regents vice chair; and Aubrey Ruffin, Student Government Association president, joined Crutchmer as commencement speakers.   

Walker welcomed the graduating class and noted the last four years represent some of the best times of the graduates' lives.  

“You've overcome a lot of challenges to get here, so celebrate extra today, recognize the obstacles you have conquered and the possibilities that lie ahead of you,” Walker said. “I know you can achieve great things because you've already proven your determination by reaching this milestone despite all the challenges that the world cast your way.  

“Today is not the end of your journey. It's only the beginning. We hope your future accomplishments are filled with success, but if you hit rough times, learn from those mistakes, pick yourself up, brush off, look to the future with optimism and determination. Never give up, dream big dreams, go after them.” 

On behalf of the faculty council, Slevitch shared some practical wisdom with the class.  

“Life rarely goes as planned, and that's actually the best part,” Slevitch said. “You will face moments that test your courage and challenge your convictions in this moment. Let your moral compass be your guide. ... Never stop learning, be bold and do not be afraid to get uncomfortable. The greatest growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone and overcome your fears.”  

As students begin their careers, Slevitch even encouraged them to get a pair of nice-looking, comfortable shoes.  

“Because nothing says questionable life choices like walking through your first week of work in painful shoes,” Slevitch said. “... Go forth, be bold. Show the world what Oklahoma State Cowboys can do. Just do it in comfortable shoes.” 

Ruffin, like several graduates, started her college journey in 2021. For her, embarking on that path came with added weight after recently losing her father.  

The Winnie the Pooh quote: “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?” helped her through the painful moments of saying goodbye to people and places. And she hopes it will help graduates as they leave OSU.  

“Indeed, our time at OSU is something truly special. From late-night studying in the library to cheering in Boone Pickens Stadium, from the deep discussions with professors to the friendships we've made, these moments have shaped us into who we are today. They challenge us to grow to think differently and to embrace the Cowboy spirit of grit and perseverance,” Ruffin said. “Saying goodbye to this place and to the people who have walked beside us is undeniably hard, but let that difficulty remind us of the extraordinary community we've been so privileged to be a part of it's a reflection of the deep bonds we've created, the lessons we've learned, and the experiences that will stay with us forever. The hardest goodbyes reflect how much something or someone has meant to us.” 

Haley Monday walked across the stage walked across the stage Saturday to cap off her undergraduate career in studio art. As she sat on the floor of Gallagher-Iba Arena, emotions flooded her mind while reflecting on her time in the College of Arts and Sciences.  

“It doesn't feel real,” Monday said. “I feel like I'm going to wake up tomorrow and be like, ‘Oh no, that was a dream.’ I think I've spent so many long hours in the studio working and doing all this stuff, so it feels not real.” 

One of the most memorable things she will miss about her time in Stillwater will be learning lessons from her peers in the studio. Looking to the future, Monday plans to move back home to Oklahoma City and start a career while also building a portfolio to possibly continue her studies through graduate school.  

For College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology graduate James Sweeney, walking across the stage to signify the end of his studies as a double major in mechanical and aerospace engineering is just one step toward his future.  

He will continue living the land-grant mission outside of the university by starting his career at Tinker Air Force Base working for the Department of Defense. Sweeney said he will miss how the Cowboy family welcomed him to campus and always made him feel at home.  

“It’s the end of one chapter and the start of another,” Sweeney said.  

Saturday morning’s exercises recognized students from the Ferguson College of Agriculture, the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, and the College of Arts and Sciences. The afternoon consisted of ceremonies for the Spears School of Business, the College of Education and Human Sciences, and the College of Professional Studies. Graduate student ceremonies were held Friday.   

All commencement ceremony videos can be found on insideosu.com.