Beloved ‘Schusterque’ Makes Comeback at OU-Tulsa

For more than 15 years, OU-Tulsa Student Affairs hosted an annual campus party that was a highlight for many students, staff and faculty. Featuring barbeque, music, games and friendship, it was lovingly dubbed “Schusterque” – a tribute to OU-Tulsa’s 60-acre Schusterman Campus, located in the heart of midtown Tulsa.

“Schusterman campus and barbeque, so Schusterque,” explained Josh Davis, executive director of OU-Tulsa Student Affairs, and longtime organizer of the event.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought an end to Schusterque in 2020, and the same difficult decision had to be made in 2021 to cancel the popular event.

But in 2022, Schusterque made a comeback on June 10, and was better than ever.

“We were determined to make it happen, we had to find a way to do it,” Davis said of planning for the event in 2022.

OU-Tulsa students, faculty and staff, along with their families were invited, and more than 500 people turned out for this year’s gathering.

Previously held in the fall, Schusterque was often the first all-campus event for many students who had started during the summer months or with the fall semester.

“It was set up to be that welcoming, marquee event – to showcase Student Affairs services, but also to make the students aware of the community and the family culture at OU-Tulsa,” Davis said.

Holding this year’s return of Schusterque in June gave students who are finishing their time at the school an opportunity to attend, as well as new students from programs that start in the summer – such as nursing and allied health – which are larger class sizes than ever before.

The history and reputation of Schusterque provided the motivation to reinstate this fun campus tradition.

“In terms of student events and things that occur outside the classroom, with the exception of graduation, Schusterque is the other main event that students always remember,” Davis said. “It is very much a part of the identity and the culture of this campus.”

From the beginning, Schusterque was designed to serve the unique culture and needs of the OU-Tulsa campus. With the average age of students at 35 years old, the opportunity to involve families is valuable.

“Our more traditional-age students are here on campus all the time studying and they want a break, so they go out and enjoy the food and the live music at Schusterque,” Davis said. “And our more non-traditional student population brings their families – their kids especially. It’s a time for their kids to see that school isn’t just book work and taking tests; there are fun aspects, too.”