Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) recognized five retiring faculty and staff members during a retirement reception hosted by the SWOSU Faculty Senate in the SkyView Room of the Pioneer Event Center. Together, the retirees dedicated more than 130 years of service to the university and generations of students, colleagues, and campus organizations they supported throughout their careers.
Each retiree received a retirement clock in recognition of their years of service to SWOSU. The reception also included a commemorative cake decorated with photos from different stages of the retirees’ time at the university. Faculty, staff, friends, and colleagues gathered to celebrate the contributions each retiree made to SWOSU and the Weatherford community.
Retirees recognized during the event included Laura Endicott, instructor of history and government; Dr. Christy Cox, assistant professor in the Pharmacy Experiential Program; Dr. Kevin Collins, professor in the Department of Language and Literature; Dr. Terry Goforth, professor of physics; and Kathy O’Neal, instructor of mathematics.
Endicott served SWOSU for more than 30 years, including 23 years as a full-time faculty member in history and government. During her time at the university, she taught more than 12,000 students and served as a longtime sponsor of both the SWOSU History Club and the SWOSU Catholic Student Association.
She also volunteered with the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry in Weatherford, participated as a judge for the SWOSU History Day regional contest, and co-authored “The History of Weatherford” with John Hayden. Endicott received the Brandy Award and earned multiple nominations for the honor throughout her career.
Cox served SWOSU for more than 31 years in the Pharmacy Experiential Program. She began her career at SWOSU in 1994 as experiential education coordinator and later became director of experiential education. Throughout her time at the university, Cox helped oversee experiential learning opportunities for pharmacy students and contributed to accreditation efforts, curriculum committees, and the continued development of the experiential education program.
Her work and leadership helped shape the experiential education program for more than three decades.
Collins taught at SWOSU for 21 years as a faculty member in language and literature. During his time at the university, he taught generations of students and contributed to scholarship, faculty leadership, and literacy efforts across western Oklahoma. He received the Bernhardt Award in 2016 and served as Faculty Senate president from 2011 to 2012.
Collins also served in leadership roles with the Westcentral Oklahoma Literacy Coalition and the Weatherford Arts Council. His academic work included presentations, publications, and editorial work on critical editions of William Gilmore Simms’ writing.
Goforth served SWOSU for more than 35 years as a faculty member in physics and engineering physics after earning degrees in physics and chemistry from SWOSU in 1981. Throughout her career, she taught physics, astronomy, and chemistry labs while also supporting summer programs for Upward Bound students. She later worked as physics coordinator and engineering physics coordinator within the Department of Chemistry and Physics.
A longtime member of the SWOSU faculty and alumni community, Goforth remained closely connected with former students and alumni throughout her career. Reflecting on her retirement, she said SWOSU and Weatherford will “always” feel like home and added, “I have been, and always shall be, a Bulldog.”
O’Neal served SWOSU for more than 20 years in the Department of Mathematics after first joining the university as an adjunct and temporary instructor in 2000 before becoming a full-time instructor in 2004. During her time at SWOSU, she taught a wide range of mathematics courses and was a Faculty Senator for eight years.
In addition to her work in the classroom, O’Neal supported STEM education opportunities for students through programs such as KESAM, Tech Trek, and SAGE STEAM. Her work with those programs helped encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics among middle school students across Oklahoma.
The SWOSU Faculty Senate is made up of faculty representatives from departments across campus and serves as a voice for faculty participation in university matters. Faculty Senate dues also support campus traditions and recognition events that honor years of service and contributions to the university community.
About Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves over 5,000 scholars and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.
For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit www.swosu.edu.
