By Sam Harp, Gaylord College Class of 2025
Keith White found journalism at a young age -- or, rather, it found him. Raised in a newspaper publishing family in Grandfield, OK, White was immersed in journalism from an early age. There, he learned skills that would propel him into the ranks of Gaylord College, the OU Daily and a 47-year-long career in journalism, earning his way to editor positions at prestigious publications such as the National Journal Group, The Hill and Congressional Quarterly (CQ). For his past experiences, White attributes a significant part of his success to the opportunities granted to him by what would become the Student Experience Fund.
Before graduating with a journalism degree from OU in 1974 and covering statehouses in multiple states and national politics, White was a photographer for OU’s Sooner yearbook. Leveraging the skills he learned from his family’s business, he gained work in the OU Daily’s print press room when OU’s journalism school (now Gaylord College) was still located in Copeland Hall. It wasn’t long before White “elbowed” his way into the newsroom; his determination paid off as he became managing editor and was among the first five students to report directly from the Oklahoma State Capitol.
White’s passion for journalism burned bright: In the summers, he would return home to report for his family’s paper. Initially focusing on sports, his curiosity gradually shifted towards the dynamic world of politics. In 1973 he covered the corruption conspiracy surrounding Oklahoma Gov. David Hall. “There’s a lot of stuff you can cover locally, and that’s always good experience,” said White.
When White returned to Norman, his creative fire continued. At the OU Daily, he covered the heated presidential race between Sen. Humphrey and Sen. McGovern for the Democratic nomination. He witnessed President Gerald Ford speaking in Tulsa. He covered a torrential flood that killed nine in Enid, OK, and was among the first press allowed to enter the Oklahoma State Prison at McAlester in 1973 following a deadly prisoner riot. “These are all just things that we thought, ‘This sounds interesting, why don’t we go do that?’ And we just took off and did it,” said White. He maintains that all of these opportunities were made possible with the help of funding for the students from the school.
The fund also enabled him to attend Society of Professional Journalists conventions across the country. “It’s one thing to go through the classes and work your way to a degree … but the more exposure you get to the outside world, going to conferences and reporting assignments, it’s very eye-opening and I think it helps better prepare you for what you’re going to face when you get out in the world.”
White hopes that his gifts to the Experience Fund enable students to report on significant events, working alongside seasoned political journalists in settings like Washington or national party conventions. “If you can see what it takes if you can see how it’s done, that’s a valuable experience,” he said. “The more you can provide money to help kids do that, the better off everybody’s going to be.”
Joy Akande, like many other Gaylord College students, has taken initiative during her time so far at the University of Oklahoma. Joy is a current senior studying advertising and is a current co-team lead for Gaylord College Media’s marketing team. She also is a creative lead in Gaylord’s Lindsey + Asp, a student-led advertisement and public relations team that focuses on youth culture. Joy utilizes these organizations to express her love for creating content and showing others what it’s like to be a student at OU.
For many students, the path to higher education is linear. For others, it is winding. For Artra Nelson, a soon-to-be graduate of Gaylord College, this path included a stint in the Navy, a degree in political science, and a growing passion for public relations.
As graduation approaches, Aniketh Koneru, a senior Public Relations major, reflects on her Gaylord College experience. Her four years here have been shaped not only by the supportive community of peers and mentors but also the incredible opportunities that she took hold of. With the encouragement of others, Aniketh utilized the Student Experience Fund to elevate her voice to a national level.
Renteria is a junior majoring in public relations and minoring in Spanish and human relations, and is very involved on campus– she’s a resident advisor, a Henderson Scholar, in the President’s Community Scholars, in Crimson Club and will be a Gaylord ambassador this upcoming year. She has also received a slew of awards during her time at OU so far, including the Regents Award for Outstanding Juniors.
