Meet the 2011 Alumni Hall of Fame Honorees
Published:
November-05-2011
Photo Cutline:
Newly inducted members of the USAO Alumni Hall of Fame stop for a photo with President John Feaver after Saturday's ceremony. The annual event is a highlight of the USAO Alumni Homecoming. From left are Christopher Price of North Carolina, winner of the Young Alumni Award, and hall of fame honorees fire safety expert Dr. Robert England of Stillwater, concert pianist and educator Margaret Singer of Paris, and visionary elementary educator Annette Dake of Bridge Creek. At right is USAO President John Feaver.
Four exceptional individuals who are distinguishing themselves in diverse fields were honored Nov. 5 by the USAO Alumni Association.
They include:
Christopher Price, Young Alumni Award
An interest in collecting baseball cards started Christopher Price (Class of '07) on a path that finds him now preserving natural resources for future generations.
After graduation, Price began work in museum studies in the master’s program at the University of Oklahoma. He worked with the Cleveland County Historical Society and, through both efforts, became more focused on his interests in cultural resource management. Read more.
Dr. Robert England, Alumni Hall of Fame
A co-author of five books and numerous journal articles, Dr. Robert England has distinguished himself as an educator, political scientist and a developer of fire leadership and management programs.
In 1997, he was named the graduate director of the political science department at OSU. That same year, England co-created a new program at the university, a master’s of science in fire and emergency management administration, the first program of its kind in the United States, and served as director of the program for several years.
In 2004, he was the founding editor of the International Fire Service Journal of Fire Leadership and Management, the first refereed journal of its kind in the United States. Read more.
Margaret Singer, Alumni Hall of Fame
From the campus of the Oklahoma College for Women to the glamour of the Paris Opera, Margaret Ann McConnel Singer has forged a legacy of artistic excellence and generosity that has touched thousands of lives.
Singer came to OCW in 1957 from the town of Crescent to study piano with Jacques Abram, artist in residence. Singer was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship in 1960 and traveled to England to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In the mid-1990s, Singer was invited to join the Paris Opera to work with the apprentice coaches, a task she revels in to this day. Read more.
Annette Dake, Alumni Hall of Fame
Whether inspiring her students to reach out to U.S. veterans or influencing state policymakers to raise awareness about childhood obesity, Annette Dake has set a high standard for fellow and future educators.
In 2003, Dake became the service learning coordinator for Bridge Creek Schools. The initiatives that have grown out of Bridge Creek’s service-learning programs have had statewide repercussions. Concerned about the rising numbers of childhood obesity, Dake inspired her students to engage the Oklahoma legislature on the issue of student fitness.
In 2005, Governor Brad Henry signed HB1647, “The Oklahoma Kids’ Fitness Challenge” into law as a direct result of the students’ advocacy. Read more.
