A FATEFUL STOP…ON THE WAY TO STILLWATER

By Carter Tesh, OU Club of Houston scholarship recipient 2011

When I was a senior in high school I applied to schools all over the country. I had grown up dreaming of going to school on the east coast and had always thought that a smaller, private school would suit me more than a public university close to home. After the application process was over and I had been admitted to a number of schools I began visiting each campus to get a feel for the environment and type of students at each school.

My first encounter with OU came as I was driving up to Stillwater for weekend visit at Oklahoma State. We stopped in Norman for lunch and ended up taking a campus tour. I couldn’t have been more impressed with the business school and the beautiful campus that I had never seen before. Needless to say, the impromptu visit left me with a great impression and I decided to apply even after I had been accepted to other schools.

When it came down to choosing a school, I chose OU because of the academics and social life. No other school I had been considering combined such an impressive business school with an interesting and diverse college town. Plenty of other schools I was considering, such as Baylor and Syracuse, had excellent academic programs but did not have the excitement of a legendary college football program or the friendly atmosphere composed of both students and professors. OU is far enough from Houston to where I feel like I am experiencing a different part of the country, but still close enough to drive home for holidays and breaks.

After I decided on OU, I signed up for a weekend called Camp Crimson that is offered for incoming freshman. The three-day event introduced me to the campus, academic resources, and other incoming freshman. Not many schools have programs like this, and it was great for someone like me who did not know very many people. By the time school started in August, I had already made friends and knew my way around campus.

As anyone in college can attest to, freshman year is an exciting and confusing time. You have just left home and are balancing living on your own with challenging classes that even your hardest high school AP courses could not compare to. Fortunately, OU has many resources for freshman to get involved in campus organizations and find their niche. I became involved with Campus Activities Council my freshman year and helped plan campus wide events and concerts. I also pledged a social fraternity, Sigma Chi, and became involved in OU’s greek life. I barely had time to think about home because I was having a blast meeting new friends, taking leadership positions on campus, and spending countless hours at the Bizzel (the main library).

Fast forward three years later and I am still loving life in Norman. I am a Junior in the Price College of Business majoring in Finance and minoring in Political Science. I am still involved on campus and in my fraternity, but also in several clubs in the business school including the JCPenney Leadership Program, a selective program for Price Business students where we have the opportunity to meet high level executives from Fortune 500 companies such as Devon and ExxonMobil. OU has so many opportunities outside of the classroom to get involved and network with companies and alumni.

While most of my classes are in the business school, I can attest to the strength of the other colleges within OU. The Gaylord College of Communication brings in students from all over the country and I have friends who have accepted internships and job offers at prestigious media and broadcasting companies all over the world. If you put in the work and effort, the possibilities available to you at OU really are incredible.

I would have to say the most impressive thing about OU is that it has the resources of a large, public university such as UT but the small class size and friendly atmosphere that you would find at a smaller, private school. I’m proud to know that I am not just another number at OU. If I had one last piece of advice for a high school senior it would be to erase any preconceived notions you have about a college you are interested in. Form your own opinion based on what is most important to you and you will end up at the school that fits you—OU ended up being the perfect school for me and hopefully you will find that it could be perfect for you as well.