OSU-Tulsa emphasizes community involvement with new assistant vice president

She is OSU-Tulsa’s new assistant vice president for community engagement and student services, but she is not a new face on campus. Emonica “Nekki” Reagan-Neeley has been working on campus for a total of 27 years, and has spent much of that time as the face of OSU-Tulsa’s outreach efforts.

Reagan-Neeley knows the neighborhood. In fact, it’s hers. She grew up in north Tulsa, went to Booker T. Washington High School, and knows the families and faces in and around Greenwood. According to Reagan-Neeley, it’s important for the university to consider the history, along with the cultural and socio-economic realities of today. “Community outreach allows us to assess, address and create opportunities for continuous learning and growth,” she says.

OSU-Tulsa President Pamela Fry made service to the community one of her top priorities since taking office and knew Reagan-Neeley was an obvious fit for this role.

 “We need to be a positive force in the community,” Fry said. “Nekki embodies that value. I can’t think of a more natural champion for both the university and our neighbors than her.”

Reagan-Neeley earned her bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University in speech communications and her master’s in human relations from the University of Oklahoma. She also is an instructor at Tulsa Community College. Even before accepting her new assistant vice president title, Reagan-Neeley represented the university on boards like the Greenwood Cultural Center and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Society.  She is eager to continue building bridges in the area and is inspired by the impact of some of the university’s recent accomplishments.

“The Ellis Walker Woods Memorial was a big deal,” Reagan-Neeley said. She recalls the importance of the memorial for the university and for those that live around it. “I knew a man who used to come to campus nearly every month and ask about its progress.  Completing that memorial put us on the map. We want to be known for accomplishing great things that benefit the community and the university.”

As an assistant vice president, Reagan-Neeley wants to develop more impactful projects like the Ellis Walker Woods Memorial for the university. But for her, one of the most important steps is simply showing up.

“The community is going to see more of us,” Reagan-Neeley said. “Whether that’s north, east, south or west, they have to know we are here. We are neighbors and we want to be a part of the growth process.”

It takes a team to effectively reach out and be a positive presence in the lives of OSU-Tulsa’s neighbors. One of the first moves Reagan-Neeley wants to make in her new position is to form a community action team to plan activities to give back to Greenwood and what it represents.

For students and faculty who stop by and see Reagan-Neeley often, not much will change. Her office is still in the Student Success Center in North Hall 204, where she will continue to lead OSU-Tulsa’s Student Services areas including the Testing Center, Writing Center, Career Services, Campus Life, Student Disability Services, Multicultural Student Services, and Student Conduct.

“I’ve already been filling this community engagement role,” Reagan-Neeley said. “But now it’s elevated. I’m looking forward to building something great.”