OSU Alumni Association honoring Mitchell with the Distinguished Alumni Award

Friday, September 11, 2015

STILLWATER, Okla. (Sept. 11, 2015) – The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association is honoring Dr. Cassie Mitchell as one of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. Mitchell, along with five other recipients, will be recognized at a reception at the CononcoPhillips OSU Alumni Center of Friday, September 18 and during the UTSA vs. OSU football game on September 19 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Mitchell graduated from OSU in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. During her time at OSU, she received the National Goldwater Scholarship, the National American Institute of Chemical Engineers Scholarship and USA Today First Team Academic All-American honors. She also founded Chemkidz, a program that teaches chemical engineering principles to elementary students.

Mitchell went on to receive her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering with an emphasis in neuroengineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. She currently is a research engineer and professor in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. Mitchell describes her work as a “neuropathology forecaster” who predicts disease mechanisms, prognosis and potential treatment outcomes.

Shortly after high school graduation, Mitchell had an autoimmune reaction that triggered a neurological condition called Devics Neuromyelitis Optica, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down and with significant hand/wrist limitations. Since that time, she has gone on to pursue several Paralympic endeavors including paracycling in which she became the first female quadriplegic national champion. In 2012, Mitchell made the London USA Paralympic Track & Field team where she competed in T51-52 100m and 200m and the F51-52 discus. She placed fourth in all three categories.  In June 2015, Mitchell broke two world records in the women’s T51 100m and 200m.  She is currently training for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janerio, Brazil.

Mitchell volunteers as a mentor for newly injured patients at the Shepherd Center Spinal Cord and Brain Rehabilitation Hospital and as a research mentor for the high school gifted and talented program at Fulton County Public Schools. She currently resides in Atlanta.

For more information about the OSU Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award and to RSVP for the reception on Sept. 18, visit orangeconnection.org/DAA.

RELEASE CONTACT: Chase Carter | OSU Alumni Association | 405.744.2066 | chase.carter@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association serves as a lifelong connection between alumni and OSU. As a member organization, the Alumni Association serves more than 210,000 alumni living worldwide, as well as OSU students, faculty, staff and friends. By supporting the extensive alumni network from OSU, the Alumni Association provides a connection back to the university through a number of outreach programs as well as a complete directory to connect alumni to each other. Get Connected – Stay Connected – orangeconnection.org!