Newsletter

Gaylord College Alumni Association Newsletter

Hear from Gaylord Staff

Letter from Gaylord Interim Dean: David Craig

December 21, 2023

It’s been an exciting six months since I became the interim dean July 1. Thanks to the work of our great faculty, staff and students, we are doing what I hoped: maintaining our momentum across all of our majors and programs, undergraduate and graduate alike. Every week of the semester I am in awe of what I see – whether it’s Creative Media Production students working in the Greenlight Productions film club, Gaylord News students in Washington covering the historic tumult over the speaker of the House, Public Relations and Advertising majors partnering with the Route 66 Centennial Commission, or Professional Writing students creating books and podcasts. Or our graduate students presenting their research in national venues.

Letter from Gaylord Community and Activities Director: Deyna Aragon

December 20, 2023

In April 2021, I moved to Oklahoma from El Paso, Texas. I was born and raised in El Paso. I earned my bachelor’s degree in organizational and corporate communication and my master’s degree in higher education administration from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). As the new Community and Activities Director, it is my personal mission to connect students with opportunities to help them thrive, to help them develop their skills, to help them connect their abilities to their careers.

Letter from Gaylord Director of Development: Breann Miller

December 17, 2023

With great enthusiasm, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Director of Development for Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. My name is Breann Miller, and it’s a genuine privilege and honor for me to work alongside donors, alumni, and friends of Gaylord College like you who are deeply committed to upholding our standards of excellence and making a meaningful impact on Gaylord and OU.

A Message from Our GCAA President

Letter from GCAA President: Ryan Welton

December 17, 2023

Hello and happy holidays to Gaylord College alumni around the world. My name is Ryan, and I started a term as alumni board president this summer. A little bit about me: I graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1992 with a degree in journalism. My sequence was public relations, although I started as a radio / TV / film student. My current role is as the director of digital content for Griffin Media in Oklahoma City, overseeing digital content for News 9 and News On 6 as well as contributing in other parts of the business.

Alumni Features

Gaylord Alum, NewsNation's Libbey Dean Covering '24 Presidential Campaign

December 13, 2023

Sometimes we have to create our own luck and our own destinies, and we do so with hard work, great timing, and mastering the art of the pitch. Lucky for voters nationwide, they will have a Gaylord College graduate from the University of Oklahoma covering the 2024 presidential campaign. It was an opportunity seized by 2022 graduate Libbey Dean earlier this year. Like many Gaylord alumni, she has the work ethic required of a successful journalist, and the hunger to take on big challenges.

2001 Distinguished Alumnus Recipient Mayberry Dies

November 12, 2023

A former University of Oklahoma journalism school distinguished alumnus award winner has died. Paul Douglas (Doug) Mayberry, 92, died this June in Carlsbad, California. Mayberry was a 2001 recipient of the journalism school's Distinguished Alumnus award, given by Jaymac, now the Gaylord College Alumni Association.

Student Features

Gaylord Students Win National Mosaic Award

October 26, 2023

We are excited to share some outstanding news from our talented Gaylord College students. In Spring 2022, students in our advanced advertising portfolio class embarked on a creative journey that has resulted in remarkable recognition. Within this class, students were tasked with selecting a product or service, emphasizing a charitable or public service angle. The goal was to create compelling and impactful campaigns that not only honed their skills but also offered real value to a deserving cause. Art directors Madeline Campion and Carlie Langlois joined forces with copywriter Skylar Gardner for their campaign that focuses on the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and draws attention to the work of the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC).

How Two British Exchange Students Became Beloved Sooner Journalists At Gaylord College

September 11, 2023

It was Freshman Week 2019 at the University of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, and two students sat in a common room enjoying a bite of coffee and cake. Delightful. A friendship was born, and a couple of years later, the Gaylord College legend of Harry & Adam was born, too.

We Want to Hear Your Stories!

Tell us about your accomplishments since graduating from Gaylord College so we can compile them into Class Notes. Whether it's job changes, marriages, children or career advancements, we want to know everything.

Email your stories to gaylordalumni@ou.edu.

Stay Connected with Gaylord College

First, join JayMac and become a part of an outstanding alumni network that goes above and beyond to give back. By joining JayMac, you can introduce Gaylord to prospective students, take a tour of the Gaylord building if you haven’t been home in a while, help current students find internships or jobs and so much more.

Then, visit the JayMac website and social media pages for more information on how to get involved! We can’t wait to hear from you.