Oklahoma State University’s College of Arts and Sciences honored 25 of its most successful alumni Sept. 27 during the 2019 CAS Distinguished Alumni & Hall of Fame Ceremony at the Wes Watkins Center for International Trade & Development. Ardoth Hassler and Dr. George Thompson were both inducted into the Hall of Fame, while Brent Butcher and Maddy Cunningham were named Rising Stars. There were also 21 Distinguished Alumni recipients.

“This is an exciting evening, when we celebrate the success of some of our most accomplished alumni,” said Glen Krutz, dean of CAS. “We have the opportunity to learn of the rich and fulfilling careers and lives that have stemmed from their Arts and Sciences degrees here at OSU.”

Induction into the CAS Hall of Fame is the highest honor the college awards upon its alumni. It recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and made significant contributions through distinguished service. 

The Rising Star award celebrates alumni who have graduated in the past 10 years and reached major milestones in their careers, shown exemplary service to the community and/or proven commitments to volunteerism. 

Distinguished Alumni recipients bring distinction to OSU through extraordinary achievements in their fields as well as demonstrated records of distinguished service. 

Hassler joins the CAS Hall of Fame as a Department of Mathematics honoree. She is a 1972 alumna who worked as a scientific programmer for 45 years. She was a leader in computing and information technology in higher education. She is retired and enjoys volunteer work, choral singing, quilting, and hiking with her husband, Jim.

“Thank you very much for this honor,” Hassler said. “I am truly overwhelmed. … My OSU education fostered a 45-year career in IT and higher education. The technical foundation I had in math and computer science at OSU launched me on that path.”

Thompson was nominated by the Department of Integrative Biology, where he graduated in 1966 with a physiology degree. He then received his M.D. from the University of Oklahoma. He recently retired as the director of pediatric orthopedics at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as professor of orthopedic surgery and pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University.

“It’s a real honor to receive this award,” Thompson said. “I have so many fond memories of my time in Stillwater. Oklahoma State is always on my mind. … I love Oklahoma State University, and the values it instilled in me throughout my academic career.”

Butcher is a 2009 sociology graduate. He came from a proud OSU family and is currently the vice president of sales for Red Stag Logistics. He was awarded the CBYX scholarship from the U.S. State Department, where he represented and acted as an official ambassador to Germany.

Cunningham has double degrees in multimedia journalism and theater from 2016. She joined the Emmy-award-winning 20/20 team and has covered numerous notable topics such as American serial killer Ted Bundy, infamous figure skater Tonya Harding and the tumultuous Watergate political scandal.

The Distinguished Alumni and their respective departments are: 

The emcee of the ceremony was Adley Stump, a 2011 strategic communication graduate. She first rose to fame after joining Blake Shelton’s team on The Voice. Stump has turned her career to social media after several or her videos went viral. Her videos have totaled more than 500 million views across Facebook and Instagram. She hosts The Adley Show on Facebook Watch, which averages over 3 million viewers every week.

“It’s such an honor to help with the recognition of fellow alumni who have utilized the education and training they received at OSU to achieve academically and succeed in their careers,” Stump said. “I am proud to be a graduate of a college with such successful alumni.”

The stream of the event can be watched at this link. Photos are posted here.

For more information about the 2019 honorees and past recipients, as well as to nominate deserving individuals, visit cashonors.okstate.edu.