NEWS
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Nearly 600 alumni, faculty, students and friends gathered on Sept. 4 at the Omni Oklahoma City Downtown Hotel for the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine’s Evening of Excellence. The annual gala was especially meaningful this year as the college celebrated its 125th anniversary and inducted four extraordinary leaders into its Hall of Fame.
For more than a century, the OU College of Medicine has trained generations of physicians and advanced health care in Oklahoma and beyond. This year’s honorees exemplify that legacy through their service, leadership and commitment to improving lives.
Mary Zoe Baker, M.D.
A gifted endocrinologist, educator and clinician, Mary Zoe Baker, M.D., has dedicated more than four decades to the OU College of Medicine. After earning her medical degree from OU in 1982, where she served as senior class president, she returned as faculty in 1988 and has since advanced through roles that now include Interim Section Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. Known as a mentor and role model, she has guided countless students and residents while maintaining a thriving practice and advancing research in her field. Her teaching excellence has been recognized with one of the college’s highest honors, the student-selected Aesculapian Award.
Baker’s career reflects her belief that “medicine is a team sport.” Throughout her journey, she has leaned on and given back to a community of colleagues and friends, including the “Birthday Club,” a circle of classmates who went on to establish a scholarship supporting future female physicians. Her story is one of resilience as well, overcoming an early rejection from medical school with determination that ultimately inspired others. Admired for her global perspective, warmth and dedication, Baker continues to serve as a leader in the ongoing work of education, patient care and mentorship.
Charles B. Pasque, M.D.
For nearly 30 years, Charles Pasque, M.D., has been a cornerstone of orthopedic surgery at OU. As a faculty leader and longtime director of the Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program, he expanded training opportunities, introduced state-of-the-art simulation labs, and ensured a perfect board certification rate for his residents. He has also been a constant presence for OU Athletics, serving as a team physician for a wide range of sports, and he has cared for athletes and patients alike with compassion and skill. His service extends into the community, including more than two decades volunteering with Special Olympics Oklahoma.
Pasque served more than 30 years in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, retiring with the rank of captain and completing three overseas deployments. He is believed to be the first Navy officer to earn the Army’s prestigious Expert Field Medical Badge, a recognition of his extraordinary endurance and expertise. Colleagues describe him as the consummate physician, one who practices “the old-fashioned way — with compassion and conviction.” Whether in the operating room or on the sidelines, Pasque embodies service and selfless dedication.
George Selby, M.D.
Over a career spanning 35 years, George Selby, M.D., transformed cancer care in Oklahoma and brought hope to thousands of families. As director of the Transplant and Cellular Therapy program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, he led efforts that resulted in more than 100 children each year receiving bone marrow transplants and cellular therapies. His decision to train in pediatric stem cell therapy at the University of Minnesota and bring that expertise back to Oklahoma changed the trajectory of care for children with leukemia across the state. Colleagues and patients alike have been touched by his unique combination of competence, vision and humility.
Selby’s path to medicine was shaped by a wide range of life experiences – from cab driver and cattle rancher to rodent exterminator at a chicken farm – before entering the OU College of Medicine. His colleagues recall not only his brilliance but also his warmth, whether teaching, mentoring, or quietly encouraging patients through difficult journeys. Retirement has not slowed him down: He now volunteers with Cavett Kids, teaches swim lessons, and continues to inspire others with his adventurous spirit. To those who know him, Selby is more than a physician – he is a healer, mentor, husband, father and friend whose lifelong service continues to ripple outward.
Leslie Simcox Hudson, Ph.D.
Recipient of the Distinguished Community Service Award, Leslie Simcox Hudson, Ph.D., has devoted her career to advancing public health, education and community well-being. Trained in epidemiology at OU, she began her career as a faculty member in biostatistics and epidemiology before stepping into roles in service and philanthropy. With her husband Clifford, she established scholarships and fellowships to support future public health leaders at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, which now bears her family’s name. She continues to shape public health education as an advisory board member for the college.
Her influence extends well beyond the university. Hudson played a key role in founding the Oklahoma City-County Health Department Foundation, continuing to serve on its board, and she serves as a trustee of the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, championing initiatives that improve access to care and support vulnerable populations. Her leadership has helped reduce teen birth rates in Oklahoma County, strengthen youth health initiatives, and advance organizations such as Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma and Thrive: A Sexual Health Collective for Youth. Described as a “quiet force” who brings people together, she is admired for her empathy, wisdom and unwavering commitment to community service.
A Night of Celebration
The Evening of Excellence highlighted not only the College of Medicine’s proud past but also its vision for the future, one rooted in education, innovation and service to others. As the college enters its next 125 years, the stories of these Hall of Fame inductees stand as lasting reminders of what it means to lead with skill, compassion and purpose.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Three University of Oklahoma graduate students have been named winners of the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, which challenges participants to explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience.
Sarah Sharif, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to create innovative light detectors that pick up mid-wave and long-wave infrared signals at higher temperatures than previously considered achievable.
A team from OU and WVU recently earned a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how concept cigarillos influence the potential for addiction. The results will be used to inform the FDA’s impending flavor ban on cigar products and could have wider-reaching implications for other tobacco products that come in flavors, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
