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Sooner Stories

 

 

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Sooner Stories

Student life. Campus traditions. Academic excellence.

Discover the endless opportunities waiting here at the University of Oklahoma by diving into Sooner Stories, a blog dedicated to highlighting our student body's latest achievements.

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Chabelli Mendoza's Headshot

How Chabelli Mendoza Found Her Home at OU

Discover how double-major criminology and human relations student Chabelli found her place of belonging at the University of Oklahoma!

Jacobson Hall Renovations of Newest Expansion.

A sneak peek of the Jones Family Welcome Center at Jacobson Hall

Beginning the summer of 2023, the Jones Family Welcome Center at Jacobson Hall has been undergoing renovations. This $15 million update, gifted by longtime supporters Jonny and Brenda Jones, will reveal a reimagined Welcome Center that will continue to be the front door to the University of Oklahoma.

November 19, 2024

Transformative Tutoring Initiative with Hans Edlund

OU is shaping students' futures through the Transformative Tutoring Initiative, which examines the impact of tutoring. Senior Hans Edlund is making a difference as a tutor!


November 18, 2024

OU to Offer First Four-Year Degree Combined with Enhanced FAA Initiative

The University of Oklahoma and the Federal Aviation Administration are launching an Enhanced Air Traffic—Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program that allows qualified OU graduates to proceed directly to an air traffic control facility for on-the-job training, bypassing the FAA Academy.


November 08, 2024

Celebrating National First Generation Day at OU

This week, the University of Oklahoma celebrated our first-generation college community with a special on-campus event for students, faculty, and staff. Student success has always been a hallmark of our university, so we take seriously our commitment to support, encourage, and champion students on their academic journeys.


September 23, 2024

Empowering the Next Generation of Students

Discover how the student organization, Latinos Without Borders (LWB), uses outreach to connect with high schoolers and inspire them to pursue higher education.


Galleries

A son and mother carry items into the OU residence hall.

Move-In Day

August 12, 2024

Students and their supporters from across the country and world arrived to OU's main Norman campus to officially begin the first chapter in their story as a Sooner.

April 20, 2024

Sooner Saturday

OU kicked off the college experience for future OU students at Sooner Saturday, the largest open-house event for high school juniors, transfer students, and admitted seniors! Attendees and their supporters went on campus tours, explored academic programs and student organizations, and learned more about how to pay for college.


March 02, 2024

Admitted Student Day

To celebrate our admitted students, OU hosted its annual event, Admitted Student Day. Future OU students learned about important post-admissions steps, explored housing options ahead of room selections, met their future peers, and celebrated making OU their college choice.


Admissions Counselor
Spotlights

September 27, 2024

Q&A with OU Admissions Counselor Julieta Ibarra

Read OU alum Julieta Ibarra's Q&A to learn more about the OU community, the resources awaiting you, and the college search journey.


February 15, 2023

Q&A With OU Admissions Counselor Katie Dorrough

Sooner born and Sooner bred, OU alum Katie Dorrough returned as an admissions counselor, to help students see the possibilities at OU.


November 30, 2022

Q&A with OU Transfer Admissions Counselor Trevor Javenkoski

Learn more about Trevor Javenkoski, transfer admission counselor and member of the Hopi Nation of Arizona, and his journey as a first-generation college and transfer student.


College Search
Advice

April 03, 2023

Your College Search at OU

From registering for Sooner Saturday to connecting with your OU Admissions Counselor, discover how you can best prepare for your college search with the University of Oklahoma.


April 17, 2023

Parent Survival Guide

The impact of having more free time and the absence of your college student can be monumental, but if approached in a healthy way, there can be advantages. Hear from Tracy Carlson, OU Parent and Family Programs Coordinator, to learn her tips and methods on how to cope and thrive with your college student's absence.


September 11, 2023

Student Application Tips

To help students through the application process, we gathered resources from across campus. These cover everything from common terms seen on the OU application to advice for letters of recommendation and essay writing.


October 14, 2024

Freshman Packing 101

With August just around the corner you might be thinking: What do I need when I come to OU? Don't worry, we gathered packing tips from students across campus to help you prepare!


Student
Experience

April 17, 2024

Inside OU's Residence Life: Meet the Resident Advisors

On every floor of OU's freshman communities, students have access to a resident advisor (RA). In this Q&A with two current RAs, learn how they serve as a unique resource and a pillar of support for their residents!


February 29, 2024

Student Life Experience

From career preparation to local advocacy, hear from current OU students who have found ways to follow their passions outside of the classroom.


September 21, 2023

The School of Geosciences's Freshman Field Trip

A distinct iridium layer divides the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods at Raton Basin near OU's Bartell Field Camp. The bright line, gleaming amid the coal and mudstone, represents an impact that rivals ten-million atomic bombs. While this boundary marks the end for earth’s prehistoric dinosaur friends, it is the first stop on the University of Oklahoma’s School of Geoscience’s field trip.


March 15, 2023

OU Dance Marathon Students Share Their Why

OUDM is the official philanthropy event of the Campus Activities Council. OUDM benefits Oklahoma's children by raising money to fund research to ensure every child in Oklahoma receives the best care possible, regardless of ability to pay. Every year, hundreds of students and alumni come together to help fund life-saving medical research.


Campus
Resources

November 14, 2023

Explore the Engineering Summer Bridge Program

Engineers profoundly shape many aspects of everyday life, from technology and society to resource security and environmental sustainability. The University of Oklahoma recognizes the importance of not only helping create engineers, but also laying a strong foundation of success for OU students through the Engineering Summer Bridge program.


August 22, 2022

Welcome to the Career Center at the University of Oklahoma

Located on the third floor of Oklahoma Memorial Union, the Career Center at the University of Oklahoma is a one-stop shop to help connect students and alumni with the resources they need to achieve a promising career. The Career Center hosts several career fairs a year to expose students to potential employers, hosts free events like professional headshots to use for your online portfolio, and offers job interview preparation like resume critiques and interview prep, and so much more.


August 22, 2022

Peek Inside Bizzell Memorial Library

Inside the Bizzell Memorial Library, students will find professionals who are committed to providing access to resources that fulfill the needs of academic, research, artistic, and scholarly objectives. Librarians and library student workers play a fundamental role in OU's academic and research success.


August 22, 2022

OU Startup Programs at the Tom Love Innovation Hub

Located in the Tom Love Innovation Hub, OU Startup Programs fosters and grows the entrepreneurial spirit on the OU campus and beyond. There are three ways for any OU student to become involved — Startup Community, Startup Accelerator, and Startup Incubator. Through these individualized programs, OU students are supported through the beginning stages of ideation to testing and eventually, funding.