Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology graduates shined brightly and advanced proudly toward their future during OSUIT’s Summer 2026 Commencement ceremonies.

Commencement ceremonies for OSUIT’s 234th graduating class were held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 14, in Covelle Hall on the OSUIT campus. A combined 337 students graduated. Of those graduates, approximately 175 participated in the ceremonies, walking onto the Covelle stage to receive their degrees or certifications.

Dr. Richie Roberts, who was named provost in late April and began his service at OSUIT on July 1, delivered the keynote speech during both ceremonies.

“Today represents the culmination of years of sacrifice, determination, long hours, early mornings, late nights, exams, projects, labs, clinicals and challenges you may have thought you could not overcome. But you did. And today, we celebrate that achievement,” Roberts said.

Roberts reflected on perseverance and mutual success. He told the graduates that their success is a shared success.

“None of us arrives at this moment standing alone. Behind every graduate seated here today is someone who helped set the posts. Perhaps it was a parent who worked extra hours to help you succeed. A spouse who carried additional responsibilities while you studied. A child who inspired you to pursue something greater. A faculty member who challenged you when you were tempted to settle. A mentor who saw potential in you before you saw it in yourself. A friend who encouraged you not to quit,” Roberts said.

Three outstanding graduates were recognized for their academic excellence during the ceremonies:

• Joshua Ogunseye, Instrumentation and Automation Engineering, BT program, School of Engineering and Construction Technologies (SECT)
• Conley Bynum, AAS, Culinary Arts, School of Technology, Arts, Sciences and Health (STASH)
• Aleesha Howard, AAS, GM, ASEP, School of Transportation and Heavy Equipment (STHE)

Howard said graduating from OSUIT and being honored as an outstanding student means everything to her.

“I've worked so hard for this. I've spent countless hours and weekends and just all of my time trying to graduate with this honor, and this honor is just amazing,” Howard said. “I mean, you don't get this every day, and for my school to pick me out of the whole school, it's a joy.”

Howard’s goal is to become an educator at Kiamichi Tech, where she began her vocational education. Her mother, Marian Adams, believes Howard can do anything.

“There was no doubt in my mind that my daughter could do this. I do admit that her coming from a country background, I never thought she would take the route that she took. But once she started it, she went into it head-on and never looked back, and she has done amazingly,” Adams said.

Ogunseye said OSUIT equipped him with the skills and knowledge he will need to succeed.

“It’s been very eye-opening. I got to meet a lot of great people and have a lot of great mentors. I learned a lot about not only the trade of instrumentation, but a lot of people skills, a lot of business skills, how to carry myself and really just grow as a person,” Ogunseye said.

Many members of Ogunseye’s family were former OSUIT students. He decided in his junior year of high school to continue the family tradition by becoming an OSUIT student.

Having earned his Bachelor of Instrumentation, he now plans to obtain his engineering certification after a few years of working as an instrumentation technician.

“OSUIT helped me start my life. It gave me a great stepping off point to experience a lot of different things, see a lot of different avenues I could take with my life,” he said.

Bynum credits OSUIT with not only giving him a chance to earn an associate in applied science degree in Culinary Arts, but also an opportunity to succeed.

“I had a lot of struggles in the past during school with mental health or otherwise. After overcoming a lot of those challenges, it's really nice to say that with a second try, I was able to accomplish what I was able to do, and this is a field that I feel really good in and that I have a great passion for,” Bynum said.

Bynum plans to continue his current catering company internship and looks forward to running his own private cooking and catering events in the future.

“There are a lot of tech schools that have culinary, but OSUIT provided so much more, and the biggest thing was the networking. They provide so many new possibilities in the state of Oklahoma and also outside it,” he said.

Roberts called upon the graduates to rely on the good foundations within them to succeed in their careers and in life.

“Your integrity. Your work ethic. Your character. Your values. The habits you developed while earning this degree. The perseverance that brought you through difficult semesters. The resilience that helped you recover from setbacks. The determination that kept you moving forward when the outcome was uncertain. Those are the foundations that matter,” Roberts said.

He reminded them that as part of the OSU family, they can always count on the Cowboy Code as a guide for those foundations.

“Many people see the Cowboy Code as a collection of values displayed on a website or hanging on a wall. I see it differently,” Roberts said. “I believe the Cowboy Code is a blueprint for a meaningful life. Be loyal. Be honest. Be kind. Be hardworking. Be unselfish. Be accountable. Be humble. These aren't just aspirations. They are anchors.”

Graduates of the following programs received their degrees during the 10 a.m. ceremony:

• BT Applied Industry Leadership
• BT Applied Technical Leadership
• AS Allied Health Sciences
• AS Business
• AS Enterprise Development
• AS Pre-Education
• AS Pre-Professional Studies
• AAS Applied Technology
• AAS CAT Dealer Prep
• AAS Culinary Arts
• AAS Ford ASSET
• AAS General Motors ASEP
• AAS Komatsu ACT
• AAS MOPAR CAP
• AAS NAEDA Agricultural Equipment Technician
• AAS Nursing
• AAS Pro-Tech
• AAS Toyota T-TEN
• AAS Truck Technician
  

Graduates of the following programs received their degrees during the 2 p.m. ceremony:

• BT Information Technologies
• BT Instrumentation & Automation Engineering Technology
• AS Information Technologies
• AAS Air Conditioning
• AAS Civil Engineering/Survey Technologies
• AAS Construction Technology
• AAS Electrical Construction Technologies
• AAS Engineering Design Drafting Technologies
• AAS Engineering Technologies
• AAS Environmental Health & Safety Technologies
• AAS Graphic Design Technology
• AAS High Voltage Line Technician
• AAS Information Technologies
• AAS Industrial Maintenance Technologies
• AAS Pipeline Integrity Technology
• AAS Power Plant Technology
• AAS 3D Modeling & Animation

Photos from both ceremonies will be added to the OSUIT Facebook page.