CAS CONNECT 2014

10 In 2012, Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis and his wife, Ann, led the initia- tive to provide new uniforms to the OSU Cowboy Marching Band. In fact, the pants of the uniform can only be achieved through a combination of dyes, resulting in a new color that could be called “America’s Brightest Orange.” OSU’s marching band ‘makes the dream work’ Drumming Up Success Two years later, the Cowboy Marching Band still drums up success and is as orange and as big as ever. Doug Henderson, director of the Cowboy Marching Band, appreciates the support and success the band has received in the four years he has been at OSU and cred- its part of that with the amazing teamwork between the band’s members and staff. “To have 300 or more people feel like they play an important role in the total product and be on the same page is not an easy thing,” Henderson says. “When I was in grad school, we had this phrase, ‘Teamwork makes the dream work.’ Everyone kind of gets it now and under- stands what their role is.” To make the dream work, Henderson collab- orates with Dr. Ben Lorenzo and Wayne Bovenschen, assistant directors of the marching band, to plan for the band’s continued success, including space to accommodate the band’s growth, sustained recruitment efforts, support from OSU administration and the success of OSU athletics. “We want to get people in the stands earlier, and the bottom line was let’s win some games and that will happen,” Bovenschen says. “It’s already happening, and there are other things non-football related that the president supports, too. Whenever he has a big event, he contacts the band to see if it’s possible to have us play.” The OSU Cowboy Marching Band parades in uni forms that include pants custom dyed “America’s Brightest Orange.” GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING