23 Until her passing in 2018, Striegel positively impacted OSU, her local community and generations of geoscientists. The university named her a matriarchal donor in 2019 to honor her contributions. “Tiny was an essential part of field camp,” Puckette said. “She not only helped us with access to property in the area, but she was also our advocate for getting permits approved in Fremont County when we rebuilt cabins following the flash flood of 2006. Tiny loved the camp and the students. She visited often to read her poetry to the students and staff and visit with students and her friends and former neighbors.” Like Huston and Striegel, Puckette has been a key figure in the development of field camp — something he is excited to see continue under Dr. Brandon Spencer’s leadership. Spencer inherited the field camp director title and taught alongside Puckette for the past three summers. The energy of field camp lies within the students, something both Spencer and Puckette agree on. They explained that the remote nature of the camp in Cañon City influences students to collaborate and create memories together. “We want to see students having fun and making friends,” Spencer said. “Jim and I have talked a lot about keeping the spirit alive and living up to their expectations of field camp.” Although Puckette is retired, he will still be present at OSU as an emeritus professor and mentor to the program. “He’s not going anywhere, honestly,” Spencer said. “He’s passed the torch on, and we hope to have a great time out there for years to come.” This excerpt was taken from a 2024 article by Jade Dudley published in CONNECT Magazine. Read the full article at news.okstate.edu. spring.2025
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAxMjk=