Elizabeth Smart Speaks at the University Of Oklahoma

            The University of Oklahoma Speaker’s Bureau hosted Elizabeth Smart on Thursday, April 19th.

Smart was abducted at the age of 14 from her parent’s home in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her story gained national attention and she was found nine months later just 18 miles away from her home. Before her abduction, she planned to go to Brigham Young University to study the harp and move to New York City.

            “It's very refreshing to be around people who are much closer to my age,” said the 24-year-old. Smart is a correspondent for ABC news and travels the country speaking about her foundation, Elizabeth Smart Foundation. Smart told the story of her abduction to students at Meacham Auditorium, which was completely full.

            “I remember ten years ago being kidnapped, and it being the worst experience of my life,” Smart said. Brian David Mitchell took her from her bedroom, with her sister sleeping next to her in the same bed.

            After nine months, a police officer took her from her kidnappers and took her to the police station. “Very few people can say that one of the happiest days of their lives included being in the basement of a police station,” said Smart.

            Smart has spent the last ten years telling her story and helping other abducted and sexually abused kids seek treatment. She said therapy and her family’s support helped her heal from her experience.

            The day after she came home, her mother promised Elizabeth she would help her move on. 

“She said to me, Elizabeth what this man has done to you is terrible. He has taken nine months of your life away from you, and don’t let him take another minute,” Smart said. “And I haven’t, I won’t ever give him another second.”

                               PHOTO: Kate Brandon

Elizabeth Smart Sound clip

University of Oklahoma Students Volunteer at Central Park Community for Big Event

            Students at the University of Oklahoma participated in The Big Event on Saturday, April 21^st.  Student groups volunteered in the Norman and Oklahoma City areas going to animal shelters, parks, schools, and gardens.

            University students give back to the organizations that contribute to the community and to show them their appreciation.

            One student group attended the Central Park Community Garden in Oklahoma City to plant, clean, and recycle. “Closer To Earth” is a nonprofit group who plants and maintains gardens in the neighborhood. Allen Parleir is the founder of the organization and encourages the community to get involved to grow closer and create a beautiful neighborhood.

            “We invite people who need community service hours for school or through the state, and in almost every case they come back. Not because they need to, but because they want to,” Parleir said, “and eventually they can get jobs from us and get paid.”

            Students from the university worked with those volunteers to plant flowers in a garden. University of Oklahoma Junior, Ellen Burton, said she hopes to see the garden when it is completely finished in a few months. 

            “It’s a rewarding experience,” said Burton, “I can’t wait to come back and see what it looks like when it is finished. Or maybe I’ll come back to volunteer again before then.”

PHOTO: Kate Brandon 

2/6 Upcoming Event - Relay For Life

The University of Oklahoma will host Relay For Life on April 21.

The event will feature an overnight relay run/walk that benefits the American Cancer Society. Relay for Life is a nation-wide event and will be in other parts of Oklahoma throughout the year. The relay starts with a Survivors Lap that recognizes the individuals who have survived any type of cancer.  

Sarah Wible, a Leukemia cancer survivor, will participate in this years Relay for Life hoping to exceed their goal of over $100,000.   

“This event means a lot to me because I am a survivor and it benefits the American Cancer Society,” says Wible, “Last year we raised $90,000 and we hope to exceed that goal this year.”

The event begins will be held from 7 p.m. on April 21 to 7 a.m. on April 22. For more information or to donate to American Cancer Sosciety. go to www.relayforlife.org 

The University of Oklahoma "Branches Out" with 42nd annual Eve Of Nations

The University of Oklahoma hosted the 42^nd annual Eve of Nations last Friday evening. Over one hundred countries were represented through videos, performances, and a fashion show.

            Eve of Nations is the largest cultural event in the state of Oklahoma and over 1,200 people were in attendance. Sixteen performances were showcased and ultimately the Indian Student Association won first place.

One of the performers representing Bangladesh, Melanie Maguire, says her performance was more focused on representing the country than the cash prizes.

“A lot of the organizations put a lot of work into it and get really excited about it because its a competition, but in our case we weren’t so much concerned about competing as we were just having Bangladesh be represented because they’ve never had a dance in Eve of Nations before, so I know they were really excited,” said Maguire.

In addition to the dance showcase, International Advisory Committee presented a fashion show representing over 100 countries. Students wore outfits from continents all around the world. The fashion show played music and videos from each country that was represented.

The International Advisory Committee chose the theme “Branching Out” because it represents the families all around the world and the diversity that the event displays.

  “I think it says a lot about how open minded and receptive we are to the globalization of the world and to world cultures and understanding how to communicate…and be friends with people from Bangladesh or Peru or places around the world, even though we’re from Oklahoma,” Maguire said. 

   PHOTO: Kate Brandon