Education, Health and Aviation Top 10 Seniors
Monday, April 22, 2019
The College of Education, Health and Aviation has announced its Top 10 Seniors for
2019. These students have demonstrated exceptional qualities of leadership, academic
excellence and community service throughout their time at Oklahoma State University.
Honorees were selected by the college’s Student Affairs Committee, and they will be
recognized at the College of Education, Health and Aviation Excellence Awards reception
on Friday, May 10 at 3 p.m.
Paige Burgess (Claremore, Oklahoma) graduates in Fall 2019 with a degree in recreation management
and recreational therapy, option in recreational therapy. She has served in a variety
of leadership roles, including vice president of finance and academic mentor for the
Therapeutic Recreation Majors Club, brand ambassador and fundraising committee member
for Down Syndrome Rocks, recruitment chair and education chair for Pi Beta Phi Fraternity
for Women and philanthropy committee member for the Native American Student Association.
Burgess has also volunteered as a student therapist for OSU’s Warm Water Therapy Lab,
where she engaged with Stillwater students who have special needs. For three years,
she volunteered at the Oklahoma WONDERtorium, facilitating exploration, creativity
and learning through play with children.
Sydnie Fleming (Stillwater, Oklahoma) will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Applied
Exercise Science, option in strength and conditioning. This past year, she worked
as an intern in the OSU Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Lab, assisting and supporting
faculty research projects. Fleming served as the communications director for the Student
Government Association and was also a Homecoming Steering Committee member. She has
also been heavily involved in Cowboython, OSU’s largest on-campus philanthropic organization
that works year round to raise funds and awareness for the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital
Foundation. As the college’s orange robe recipient, Fleming will lead her fellow Education,
Health and Aviation students into the spring commencement ceremony.
Shelbi Gambrell (Meeker, Oklahoma) will graduate in May with a degree in elementary education, and
she will begin her teaching career at Westwood Elementary School in Stillwater in
August. Gambrell served on Education, Health and Aviation Student Council throughout
her four years on campus, including serving as vice president and president of the
organization. She spent two summers co-teaching as part of the OSU Choctaw Nation
Summer Internship program in Durant, Oklahoma and also implemented the Letters of
Gratitude campaign, using personal testimonies and words of thank you to empower teachers
across Oklahoma and beyond. Additionally, Gambrell was named Senior of Significance
by the OSU Alumni Association.
Lauren Gray (Alva, Oklahoma) graduates in May with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.
She has dedicated much of her time to community service, volunteering with the Stillwater
Humane Society, the Oklahoma Blood Institute, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and
Habitat for Humanity. Gray serves as an ambassador for the college and spent four
years serving on the Education, Health and Aviation Student Council. She has also
been a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Omega Phi Alpha and Blue Key Honors
Society. Prior to student teaching, Gray participated in the Excellence in Collaborative
and Experiential Learning (ExCEL) program as an intern at Will Rogers Elementary School
in Stillwater.
David Koch (Houston, Texas) will graduate in Fall 2019 with a degree in aerospace administration
and operations, option in professional pilot. He has accumulated over 400 hours of
total flight time and holds licenses as a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor.
Koch is president of the OSU Flying Aggies and captain of the flight team. Additionally,
he serves as the student representative on the OSU Aviation Safety Committee and is
a member of OSU’s student chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives.
Koch was instrumental in helping the aviation program apply for and be selected as
a participant in the 2019 Top Hawk program, a partnership between Textron Aviation
and top university aviation schools that provides students access to the Cessna Skyhawk.
Sarah Miller (Boulder, Colorado) graduates in May with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Exercise
Science. She completed a summer internship with Impact Sports Performance in Colorado,
where she developed and conducted strength and conditioning sessions. Miller is a
member of the OSU Women’s Equestrian Team and currently serves as team captain. Her
team recognized her leadership two years in a row, both as outstanding sophomore and
outstanding junior. Miller has devoted significant time to philanthropy, including
work with Coaches vs. Cancer, Special Olympics and Our Daily Bread Food and Resource
Center.
Abigail Peterson (Choctaw, Oklahoma) will graduate in Fall 2019 with a degree in recreation management
and recreational therapy, option in recreational therapy and minor in psychology.
She currently works as a clinical psychology teaching assistant and assists the OSU
Family Resource Center as a programming assistant. Peterson completed a summer internship
with Cunningham Children’s Home in Illinois, planning and implementing special therapies
and interventions. Peterson is an active member of the Recreational Therapy Majors
Club; Pre-Occupational Therapy Student Association; College of Education, Health and
Aviation Student Ambassadors; Education, Health and Aviation Student Council; and
the American Therapeutic Recreation Association.
Rachel Quesenbury (Tulsa, Oklahoma) graduates in May with a degree in elementary education. She completed
her student teaching internship at Highland Park Elementary School in Stillwater.
Quesenbury spends a significant time tutoring students, including American Sign Language
and language arts for adult English language learners in the OSU LASSO Center. In
2017, she traveled to Paris, France to study abroad. Quesenbury is a member of Alpha
Xi Delta Women’s Fraternity, the American Sign Language Club and OSU’s Student Mobilization
organization. She has been involved with Autism Speaks, serving as philanthropy chair
and executing fundraisers and other events for the organization.
Paige Richardson (Winfield, Kansas) will graduate in May with a degree in career and technical education.
She is actively involved with the Sigma Phi Lambda Christian sorority, having served
a variety of leadership roles over the past two years. Since arriving at OSU, she
has been a proud and spirited member of OSU’s Paddle People. Richardson has spent
multiple summers as a counselor at Camp Horizon in Kansas, and she was also on the
operation staff at OSU’s Colvin Recreation Center. Her volunteer commitments include
The Coffee House, Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center, the Oklahoma WONDERtorium,
Habitat for Humanity and World Vision International. Richardson is also a member of
Phi Kappa Phi honors society.
Alexandra Speer (Tulsa, Oklahoma) graduates in May with a Bachelor of Science in Health Education and Promotion, option in exercise and health. Speer currently interns at Stillwater High School as a nurse assistant. She has spent significant time job shadowing in preparation for a career in occupational therapy, including observing at Stillwater Medical Center, Total Health Rehab, Tulsa Bone and Joint Physical Therapy, Tulsa Pediatric and OSU Health Services. For two semesters, Speer worked with OSU’s Share the W.E.A.L.T.H., a peer health education program that promotes positive health behaviors among students. Additionally, she has been a member of Education, Health and Aviation Student Council, Pre-Occupational Therapy Club, Health Promotions Club, Pre-Health Professionals Club and Chi Omega Fraternity.
Rachel Potts | 405-744-8320 | rachel.potts@okstate.edu