If you have attended any game this football season, then you might already be familiar with this student. Honors student Isaac Rosales has been selected as the 2022 drum major for the University of Oklahoma, something in which he takes great pride. Rosales is a Microbiology/Biotechnology, pre-Med major as well as pursuing a master's degree in Public Health. He is graduating in Spring 2023.
Being the drum major is not an easy job. The drum major plays a role in conducting the band during halftime, as well as for other partial-band performances, and he is featured in the pregame performance, performing the iconic strut. Being a part of OU Pride was a major factor for Rosales when choosing a college. Pride has come with its fair share of experiences, but to Rosales, the most memorable has been the Big 12 Championship in 2019, a game in which OU went against Baylor and claimed the win in overtime. That win sent us to Atlanta, Georgia for the College Football Playoffs. Aside from his other responsibilities, Rosales is also a part of Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band service fraternity in which the members assist the school of music in whatever is needed.
Mr. Rosales has also been a member of the Honors College throughout his time at OU. One of the many benefits of being a part of the Honors College is having access to honors sections of courses across the university. In the specialized Perspectives and Colloquium courses in the Honors College, Isaac has been able to improve his reading and writing skills, while also delving into topics he would have otherwise overlooked. The Honors College also provided him with research opportunities that allowed him to connect with his current mentor, Dr. Julia Ober Allen, from the department of Health and Exercise Science. Together with Dr. Ober Allen, he was able to conduct research that sparked his interest in earning a masters degree in Public Health. The culmination of their research was presented at Undergraduate Research Day 2022, on "Implications of Childhood Trauma on Older Adult Substance Abuse."
Given his busy schedule, Isaac has had to learn how to successfully balance his duties as drum major with his academic pursuits, something that was not an easy feat in the beginning. Rosales says "There was definitely a learning curve when it came to this, but I eventually found that mapping out the semester helps ease the chaos." He also maintains an Excel sheet to keep track of deadlines, meetings, and anything else that may come up during the school year.
Rosales plans to attend the OU College of Medicine or OU-TU School of Medicine starting in the fall.
