Class of 2026
Major: Journalism
Minor: Publishing and Editing; Digital Marketing
Aspiring Storyteller
Emma Rowland is a journalism sophomore from Oklahoma City, OK with a minor in editing and publishing. Rowland aspires to enter the print journalism field with specifically editorial and multimedia pieces.
Email (OU): emma.m.rowland-1@ou.edu
On April 19th, 1995, an act of domestic terrorism would take place in the heart of Oklahoma City at the Aflred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 innocent civilians. Countless Oklahomans were altered forever by the aftereffects. News stations from across the nation sent their reporters to cover the tragedy; right in the middle of this coverage was OU alumnus Tony Clark.
The Oklahoma City bombing was an event covered by multitudes of reporters. But out of all of them, Nolan Clay had a particularly vital role: he was writing for the victims. Clay graduated from OU in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and earned his master’s from the University of Missouri in 1984. Clay immediately went into the field reporting for the Oklahoman beginning in 1985. He has provided Oklahomans with essential news for 39 years through his stories, but there was one pivotal story in particular that he would spend 10 years of his career reporting on.
The word “accomplished” is an understatement when describing OU alumna Barbara Sessions. Graduating in 1968 with a B.A. in Public Relations, Sessions furthered her education with an M.A. in history of science and European history. Her deep connection to OU is rooted in the experiences that defined her time at the university, notably her role at the Oklahoma Daily (now OU Daily).
It is an understatement to describe this year’s OU/Texas game as a memorable one. Between the nail-biting score in the last minutes of the game, and the exhilaration of the crowd, it is fair to say that if you were able to attend this year’s Red River Rivalry, you witnessed OU history.
Each year, Gaylord chooses one November evening to recognize those who make the college so exceptionally remarkable. At this year’s Evening of Celebration, held November 15th, The Union Ballroom was filled with alumni and their families, scholarship recipients, scholarship donors, teachers, and faculty who all share a love for the art of storytelling.
Gaylord has no shortage of exceptional students with real life experience. Emma Rowland takes a deep dive to explore what these student's learned and where they are going from here.
