OSU honors resilience, community at Survivor Tree Rededication
Monday, April 28, 2025
Media Contact: Jeff Hopper | Communications and Media Relations Manager | 405-744-5827 | jeff.hopper@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University community gathered Friday near Theta Pond to rededicate the campus’s Survivor Tree, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.
Hosted by OSU Landscape Services and the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters, the ceremony honored the resilience symbolized by the Survivor Tree — a descendant of the American elm that withstood the April 19, 1995, bombing at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
“We came here today to remember those we lost, those who survived and those whose lives were changed forever,” said Caitlin Gipson, university arborist. “Our tree was first dedicated in 2000, and while its intrinsic value has served our campus for 25 years, its history inspires us to be resilient and keep hope.”
The event, which coincided with National Arbor Day, emphasized the broader importance of trees as living memorials and sources of community strength.
“Our campus is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful in the nation,” said Sydny Hager, student chair of the Society of American Foresters. “The original Survivor Tree casts a long legacy now spanning 30 years of Oklahoman community resilience, hope and spirit. Our campus descendant of this tree now does the same.”
The ceremony carried a deeply personal meaning for many attendees, including Blayne ArthurOklahoma secretary of agriculture and OSU/A&M regent. Arthur shared her family’s connection to the tragedy, recalling that her mother, USDA employee Margaret “Peggy” Clark, lost her life in the bombing.
“What we saw here in Oklahoma was a response of love, compassion, kindness and people working together,” Arthur said. “The Survivor Tree has become a symbol of resilience. It reminds us that there are far more good people in the world than bad, and that light and hope can grow even from the darkest of days.”
Mark Bays, a 1982 OSU forestry graduate who has been involved with the Survivor Tree since the early days of recovery, reflected on the lasting impact the tree has had across Oklahoma and the nation.
“We didn't know if this tree was going to make it or not,” Bays said. “We started collecting seeds from the tree that first year. Now, Survivor Tree seedlings have been planted all across the country as reminders of hope and resilience.”
The ceremony included a hands-on opportunity for participants to help spread mulch around the Survivor Tree and plant a new tree on campus in honor of National Arbor Day.
The Survivor Tree stands as a lasting testament on OSU’s campus: a symbol that even after profound loss, growth, remembrance and hope will endure.
Story By: Matthew Hunter | matthew.hunter10@okstate.edu