Two Rogers State University students are among 10 students in Oklahoma to be selected to participate in the annual Town Hall conference presented by The Oklahoma Academy.
The conference, titled “Municipalities: Effective Governance and Growth,” will be held Nov. 14-17 in Norman, Okla.
The Oklahoma Academy is a non-profit organization founded in 1967 by Gov. Henry Bellmon to identify public policy issues facing Oklahoma and develop non-partisan solutions.
This year’s Town Hall conference will focus on how Oklahoma communities can respond to current economic challenges and achieve growth, according to the organization’s web site.
Keynote speakers include Bill Purcell, former Mayor of Nashville and Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, J. Mac Holladay, CEO of Market Street Services in Atlanta, and Graham Richards, former Mayor of Ft. Wayne, Ind., and an entrepreneurial consultant.
Two RSU students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in public administration were selected to attend the conference, Jane Horton, junior from Owasso, and Philip Jackson, sophomore from Claremore.
Horton relocated to Owasso from Hawaii two years ago. She currently manages operations at her husband’s security company as he prepares for deployment to Afghanistan early next year. She plans to attend law school and eventually run for public office.
Jackson was home educated from kindergarten through high school. He has owned and operated a residential and commercial construction company for nine years.
“Horton and Jackson reflect the high quality of students who have been attracted to the public administration program,” said Dr. Steve Housel, RSU assistant professor of political science.
For more information on The Oklahoma Academy, visit www.oklahomaacademy.org.