OSU to host first Global Cowboy Gathering in Indonesia

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | mack.burke_iv@okstate.edu

When His Excellency Rosan Perkasa Roeslani came to Stillwater in 2022, it was the first time he had been back on Oklahoma State University’s campus since he graduated 30 years before.

The OSU Alumni Association sponsors more than 110 chapters nationwide, who have events throughout the year, but for international alumni like Roeslani, those reunions haven’t come to fruition yet.

OSU is hoping to change that. Roeslani — former ambassador for Indonesia and most recently campaign chief for president-elect Prabowo Subianto — is one of thousands of international alumni who OSU is hoping to reach with its new initiative: a global reunion every few years with regional reunions annually.

The first Global Cowboy Gathering is set for June 27-29 in Bali, Indonesia.

“It just evolved into this conversation of, ‘Well, let’s do something in that part of the world because we have so many alumni in countries around Indonesia, but don’t focus on just one country. Instead, focus on a region and see how many alumni we can get to come and just build that relationship and that connectivity back with OSU,” said Dr. Ann Caine, OSU Alumni Association president.

Dr. Randy Kluver, associate provost and OSU Global dean, has arranged international reunions before in countries like Mexico, but this is the first effort to get something planned for a regular schedule.

“OSU international alumni have had remarkable success in their careers generally, and yet few of them know any of their fellow Cowboys from around the world,” Kluver said. “Bringing these ‘global’ Cowboys together on an annual basis would help to forge a new and powerful network for Cowboys that would bring numerous benefits to the institution, to the Alumni Association, and to the alumni themselves.”

Caine said it is not only a way for international alumni to reconnect with old classmates, but also for the university to regain its relationship with its former students.

“This is an area that has really been difficult for us,” Caine said. “Because once an international student leaves and they go back home, we may not be able to keep their current contact information. We know that international students, they’re not focused on how we are doing in football. Or, how the campus back here looks. They really want to stay connected through networking and how that helps them in their profession. So, anything that we can do from the Alumni Association to help build that connectivity, and build those relationships back with OSU and Oklahoma, we’re happy to do that.”

For Kluver, having support from Caine, OSU President Kayse Shrum and OSU Foundation President Blaire Atkinson is paramount, he said. The first event in Indonesia would not only allow Caine to speak on the Alumni Association’s aspects, but Shrum could visit universities in the region OSU is working to collaborate with and Atkinson can speak to international alumni about donor opportunities.

“We are in active discussions with the Universitas Pelita Harapan, University of Indonesia, and the Higher Education Partnership Initiative, a USAID funded project run by Arizona State University, about collaborations,” Kluver said. “Holding the event in Bali would enable university personnel who visit, including President Shrum, to also visit these institutions on behalf of the university and advance our partnership goals.”

Dr. Shrum noted the importance for OSU to work with its fellow Big 12 Conference universities and other institutions in the United States as well as forming partnerships with international institutions of higher education.

“Oklahoma State University’s land-grant mission is to serve the state, nation and the world,” Shrum said. “Through international partnerships, we can fulfill our global responsibility of creating servant leaders who take the knowledge they learn at OSU and give back to their communities.”

Atkinson said she is pleased with the progress and emphasis on international engagement. She said OSU’s desire as a land-grant university is to make a global impact and the ability to build and sustain relationships with a global audience is of the utmost importance.

“As someone who is passionate about our land-grant mission, I am eager to see what our alumni and friends around the world are also passionate about,” Atkinson said. “Their vision for the future and global perspective could be a pathway to stronger partnerships that expand our impact as a university.”

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