PHOTO: Jess Bruno

Campus Activities Council hosts Elizabeth Smart on Thursday at 8 pm.

Elizabeth Smart, founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation and American activist and contributor for ABC news, shared her 2002 kidnapping experience with students on Thursday, April 19 hosted by CAC in the Meacham Auditorium at the Union.

“I remember the next words that I heard was 'I have a knife at your throat get up',” Elizabeth Smart said.

Smart was kidnapped from her bed in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 5, 2002 at the age of 14. Smart spent nine months she spent with her two captors Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee as the state of Utah had an ongoing investigation in her disappearance.

“I made a decision that I would survive,” Smart said. “Didn’t matter if I was with them three months or three years.”

Smart explained the trials she endured during her nine months of captivity and shared personal experience with the audience.

“He told me that if I tried anything funny my life would come to a quick end.” Smart said.

Students heard Smart’s story and how it impacted her life and caused her to develop a passion for abused children and start the Elizabeth Smart Foundation which speaks out against crime against children.

Smart inspired students with her story and outcome of her situation.

“She was inspiring because she taught us that even when we feel like we’ve hit rock bottom we can come back from it and work our way to the very top.” Natalie Gilbert, an OU student who attended the event, said.

Smart travels around the country speaking at different schools and conventions sharing her story and speaking out against crime against children.

“I think there is a special place in hell for people that hurt children.” Smart said.

For more information about Elizabeth Smart and the Elizabeth Smart Foundation visit http://elizabethsmartfoundation.org/ 

OU Price College of Business presents is members 

with many future career opportunities through 
JCPenny Leadership.

The JCPenny leadership program in the Price college of Business hosted Richard Fisher, currently the President and CEO of the Dallas Reserve Bank, Tuesday afternoon, for all JCPenny students.

“Through JCPenny we attend many different workshops, distinguished speakers, and philanthropies, that we learn about not only the business world but different areas of study as well,” Kelsey Harms, a sophomore JCPenny member, said. “I had little knowledge on any of the things he talked about prior to the event and it was really cool hearing and learning more information on different sectors in the world.”

Throughout the year, JCPenny leadership has hosted things for their members such as, Women in the Business Leadership Conference, A Leadership and Diversity Conference hosted by Parker Leadership Conference, Numerous Information Sessions hosted by different companies, Executive in Residence by Max Weitzenhoffer who is on the OU Board of Regents, and have read the Steve Jobs book and discussed it, Harms said.

The team consists of 80 members who are all business majors and go through a tough interview and application process to get into the club and receive its’ many benefits.

“JCPenny has benefitted me overall in life by having numerous networking activities, different philanthropies, and taught me more about professionalism. It has helped me interact with companies that recruit at OU to get my foot in the door and form relationships with them,” Harms said. “Also, at career fairs when I give my resume to different employers, JCPenny leadership stands out and they circle it since it is a selective high achieving program for business students.

The students are provided with a wide variety of speakers and conferences to attend that teach them more about their aspired career field and help them learn more about business.

“It gives you a lot of opportunities to network with other students and learn more about possible future careers by getting to meet business leaders from around the country,” Carter Tesh, another JCPenny member, said.

For information about the Price College of Business JCPenny leadership program and opportunities in Price go to http://www.ou.edu/content/price/jcpl.html

Kelsey Harms talks about JCPenny leadership and how it has affected her major and time in the Price College of Business.
BRUNO: Video

Students sing and dance portraying their culture at the Native 
American Youth Language Fair Monday and Tuesday at Sam Noble.

Students accepting their awards and placement.

PHOTO: Jess Bruno

Students from all over Oklahoma came together on Monday and Tuesday at the Sam Noble Museum to share their language and culture through interpretive dance, song and even poetry at the 10th Annual Native American Youth Language Fair.

This fair brings together 600-800 students every spring who are learning their native american languages and gives them the opportunity to present their language and culture, according to the Sam Noble Department of Native American languages website.

"Them starting at a young age will allow them to teach other kids and eventually keep the culture alive,"Wilson Littlehead, an OU who is a part of the Sac and Foc Nation of Oklahoma, said.

The Sac and Foc Nation is dying, we only have three native speakers, Littlehead said.

The children enrolled in the native american language programs are given a chance to learn about their own culture and keep their language alive.

"We're overwhelmed with English," Joyce Twins, a Cheyenne professor here at OU, said. "The TV we watch and all the electronic things are all in English. My tribe is looking at creating Cheyenne computer games so the children can learn more that way."

Twins believes the public school system can do more with their money to teach the native american children their language, and help them learn about their culture.

"There is money in the public schools that can be utilized. They need to fix their spending to include that," Twins said.

The annual Native American Youth Language Fair gives these students an opportunity to embrace their heritage, practice their language, and gives them a chance to keep their language and culture alive in the U.S. today by sharing it with the public.

For more information about the annual Native American Youth Language Fair you can visit http://nal.snomnh.ou.edu/onaylf

Littlehead shares his reaction to the Fair: