student stories

Dr. Kim Castaldi, an Oklahoma State University-Tulsa school administration doctoral candidate, has spent more than 20 years in education.

From speech-language pathologist to director of federal programs and state director of special education, Castaldi has had many experiences. Still, she had one more goal to achieve … earning a doctorate.

The OSU Center for Family Resilience (CFR) team at OSU-Tulsa works to translate research about families and family life into strategies that help communities become resilient.

It’s easy to see that Cory Sales is driven to succeed – both in his career but also in being there for his family. Since 2014, the 40-year-old has earned two associate’s degrees and a bachelor’s degree while working full time and being a husband, dad and grandfather. Though he attended Oklahoma State University-Tulsa a little later in life, his drive to graduate led to his recently being offered the position of senior IT security analyst for all of the Creek Nation casinos in Oklahoma.

When Oklahoma State University-Tulsa’s Black Wall Street History course launched in August, instructor Quraysh Ali Lansana didn’t anticipate the majority of his students would have a direct connection to that history.

Earning a bachelor’s degree can be challenging for any student. But Bessy Valera faced more hurdles than most.

“Growing up in Peru, my mother made sure I knew the importance of education,” said Valera, a recent Oklahoma State University-Tulsa graduate. “Unfortunately, higher education in Peru was completely unaffordable.”

Valera moved to the United States in 1996. Despite the difficulties that came with a language barrier, she found a career and settled in.

Before Jesse Guardiola was an OSU-Tulsa graduate, a Tulsa Police senior officer, and a winner of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Policing, he was a fresh Tulsa Police Department recruit who saw an issue and wanted to make a difference.

“Early on, I saw a divide between Tulsa’s Hispanic community and law enforcement,” Guardiola said.

Whether it’s a job interview, a networking event, an internship or anything in-between, it’s important to stand out – for the right reasons. Professional events usually require professional attire. But what if your closet is more casual than business?

That’s where Bessy Valera found herself last fall, as she prepared for a scholarship banquet in her final semester.