Marlow, Stephens County students earn scholarships

Last week more than $140,000 in cash scholarships and tuition grants were awarded to 130 Oklahoma high school students. These students were the top scorers of the Oklahoma Scholarship Competition and were recognized at the annual Scholarship Awards Assembly on April 23 at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Gaylord-Pickens Museum.

Among the recipients was Katie McPherson from Marlow High School who was awarded a $1,000 Tuition Grant from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Others in Stephens County included Luke and Noah McFatridge from Duncan High School with $1,000 cash scholarships on behalf of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Teen Board and Ann Simmons Alspaugh

Additionally, Joe Castiglione received the 2025 Lee Allan Smith Oklahoma Legacy Award in recognition of his volunteer, civic, and community efforts. The scholarships and Lee Allan Smith awards are given together to inspire students toward service and have the opportunity to hear from community leaders.

 

This February and March, more than 1,600 high school students registered to participate in the Oklahoma Scholarship Competition and take an online Oklahoma history examination to qualify for more than $700,000 in scholarships. Of these, 17 students earned cash scholarships and 113 students earned tuition grants to 29 different Oklahoma universities and colleges. In total, 130 students in 48 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties earned more than $140,000 in scholarships.

"Yesterday's Scholarship Assembly showcased the incredible potential of Oklahoma's high school students," said Gini Moore Campbell, vice president of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. "Witnessing these talented teenagers from across the state receive vital financial support to pursue higher education fills us with immense pride. We are honored that the Oklahoma Hall of Fame can be an integral part of making education more affordable and accessible for the next generation."

 

Individual donors, along with Oklahoma colleges and universities, provided the cash scholarships and tuition grants in the counties of their choice. In addition to schools statewide offering tuition grants to students in various counties, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Christian University, Cameron University, Southern Nazarene University, Rose State College, Tulsa Community College, the University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, and the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma made tuition grants available in all 77 counties.

 

The 2025 Lee Allan Smith Oklahoma Legacy Award was presented to Joe Castiglione at the start of the program. Castiglione was present to accept the award and gave remarks to the scholarship recipients and families in attendance.

 

My message is one of gratitude," said Castiglione. "I'm part of something that we always say is bigger than any one person. So when you get an award [like this]...it's not really my award. I'm standing here before you because of so many other people, so many of their successes."

 

The namesake award honors those whose efforts are similar to the life-long civic efforts of Lee Allan Smith. Castiglione commented on the legacy that Lee Allan Smith has left on our state.

 

"To even be considered for an award with Lee Allan Smith's name on it is truly an honor. I don't know of any person that I have met since I've been in Oklahoma that has made more of an indelible impact on everything and everybody than Lee Allan Smith."

In his 27th year at the helm of the legendary program, Joe Castiglione leads a University of Oklahoma Athletics Department that hardly resembles the one that welcomed him in July 1998. From conference realignment — now in the Southeastern Conference after 28 years in the Big 12 — to fundraising records and significant growth in capital projects, Castiglione has shaped the department’s widespread and longstanding success. In fact, the Sooners have won 25 of their 44 team national championships since he arrived. He has celebrated 114 conference titles in that same period. By creating a positive culture based on core values, Castiglione has made OU Athletics a “destination of choice” and a world-class experience for student-athlete development.