York selected as the College of Education and Human Sciences' Orange Gown recipient

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Media Contact: Christy Lang | Manager, Marketing and Communications | 405-744-9740 | christy.lang@okstate.edu

Cara York’s Oklahoma State University story is one of perseverance, growth and success. York has the prestigious distinction of serving as the orange gown graduate for the College of Education and Human Sciences during the university’s spring commencement May 11.

Given to a senior in each college who has demonstrated dedication to their academics and community, the orange gown recipient carries the gonfalon and leads the college processional.

York, a fashion merchandising major, said she was thrilled to receive the distinction not only because of the prestige it holds but also because of what it means to uphold the values of CEHS over her four years at OSU.

“I love that the College of Education and Human Sciences’ (tagline) is ‘People, Passion, Purpose,’” York said.  “I just love people. I think my love for others is why I wanted to pursue all these opportunities that I've had.”

As a third-generation OSU student, York said it was almost a foregone conclusion that she belonged in Stillwater. 

“I never even took a tour,” York said. “I have bled orange since the day I came out of the womb. I grew up coming to Stillwater for sporting events; It was always OSU or nothing."

Yet, over her first few months at OSU, things did not go as planned. York left a sorority she had dreamed of joining, struggled with the isolation of COVID-19 restrictions and broke up with her long-time boyfriend. Halfway through her freshman year, she did not think she would return to Oklahoma State University and talked with her advisor about transferring closer to home. 

“I just didn't feel home,” York said. “I wasn't finding my place. No matter what I did or how I tried to get involved, it just wasn't for me; nothing clicked.” 

Despite her struggles in the first year, York said her parents encouraged her to remain at OSU. She also found motivation from her professors and teaching assistants, who shared their passion for fashion, merchandising and marketing and inspired her to stay in the degree she wanted to pursue since high school.

“I thought about going into accounting or finance because I love numbers, I love Excel and I love business,” York said. “But I didn’t want to just sit behind a desk all day. So when I found (fashion merchandising) I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, like this is perfect for me.’”

York said her professors and people that she met as COVID-19 restrictions eased made her want to stay in Stillwater and continue pursuing her dreams. 

For the past three years, York has worked at a formal dress boutique near her hometown. 

“Being a retail associate is like the basics of the fashion industry,” York said. “I get to see the ins and outs of it all, and that's really fun because we have classes about what I do as part of our degree. I'll be at the store doing something for my boss, and then it connects to what I do in class.”

York said the small size of the Department of Design and Merchandising has enabled her to make meaningful connections with her peers and the professors, many of whom have turned into mentors over her time at OSU.

York said Dr. Aditya Jayadas is one of the most influential figures in her academic career. Jayadas said York has become one of his favorite students for her selflessness, curiosity and natural leadership.

“In the college, we talk about passion and purpose, and she embodies that,” Jayadas said. “The combination of empathy and humility— she just embodies the principles of being a good student, a good human being, a good citizen. It's rare to see all of these attributes in one student. She is not expecting a pat on the back— she's just doing it because she wants to do it.”

York’s curiosity and desire to learn from others is why Jayadas encouraged her to take one of the biggest, but most rewarding, risks of her academic career and spend a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. York said she originally planned on graduating a semester early, but when she had a change of heart to wait until the spring semester, she went to Jayadas to discuss her options.

Jayadas suggested studying abroad, and York realized she could accomplish a lifelong dream. 

“I had such a short span of time to get everything turned in and apply to all these things," York said. "But it just worked out perfectly that I got to do it right in time. And that was by no accident. I know it was meant to be that I went abroad.”

For York, a self-described perfectionist, a semester in Florence, in an unfamiliar culture immersed in a language she did not speak, seemed terrifying at first. However, as soon as she landed in Italy, York said her time was nothing short of magical.

“I was really living a dream for five months,” York said.  

York and her roommates spent every weekend traveling around Europe or touring Italy with their program hosts. During the week, she took classes structured quite differently from American universities. Adjusting to the European culture was difficult at times, but it forced York to change her outlook on life.

“American culture is so hustle and bustle,” York said. “Taking time for myself and slowing down isn't something that I was used to. And so I remember saying to my friends, ‘We're just going with the flow.’

Before her semester abroad, York said she could never imagine having a go-with-the-flow attitude. Beyond helping York become more comfortable with changing plans, her time abroad inspired York to change her career goals: After spending a semester in a country that embraces luxury, York hopes to one day return to Europe and pursue a career in the luxury fashion industry. 

“It sounds like I’m a fish out of water,” York said. “I mean, I'm just a girl from a small town. Why would a girl from Muskogee ever want to leave and go to Italy to pursue a career in fashion? It's just unheard of.”

York admitted she may not have been brave enough to take the risk to study abroad had she not become more open to new experiences over her time at OSU. She said many of the organizations and opportunities she has treasured the most were things she may not have done without the support of a community she built while in college.

“I was raised to work hard and go after the things that I want,” York said. “And I wanted friends and mentors and a good relationship with my professors. If I just sat in my dorm room, it wasn't just going to come to me — I had to be proactive about it. There were a lot of doors open to me, but I had to take them.” 

York has served as CEHS Student Ambassador, an OSU Housing and Residential Life and was active with Baptist Collegiate Ministries. 

York said it took time as well as trial and error to find the communities she could flourish in. Prone to setting unrealistic expectations, she would not have gotten through her freshman year, let alone the following three years, without the support of her mother.

“My mom said ‘Give yourself grace and give yourself time, be patient with yourself,’” York said. “And that was hard because I'm neither patient nor graceful with myself. But that was the best advice I had gotten my freshman year. She said, ‘College is what you make it,’ and that's what I tell people now whenever I give tours.

“If you go out and pursue opportunities, maybe it'll work and maybe it won't, but at least you can say that you tried, because a lot of people can't say that.”

York is excited to begin a career that will take her far from the small town she grew up in: This summer, York is set to begin an internship in Australia with a luxury fashion brand. 

Even though York is set to leave Stillwater in a few weeks, she said she will always treasure the orange gown and what it means to pursue people, passion and purpose.

“I look up to any of the orange gown recipients because not only do they love their college, but they live it out,” York said. “They live up to that standard through all four years — and it’s hard to uphold that — I think it says a lot about the person itself.”

Story By: Jessica Pearce | jessica.c.pearce@okstate.edu