OBU Recognizes Outstanding Seniors During Awards Chapel

April 30, 2026

OBU held its annual Awards Chapel on April 29 in the Recreation and Wellness Center on the OBU campus in Shawnee. The university recognized outstanding seniors within its schools and divisions and presented its four highest student awards.

The university presented the Rosalee Mills Appleby Award to Kali Harriman. The Rosalee Mills Appleby Award is one of the highest honors given to a senior OBU student who demonstrates leadership, scholarship, concern for others and Christian commitment. The award is named for its donor, Rosalee Mills Appleby, a member of the Class of 1920. She served for many years as a missionary, writer and teacher in Brazil. Established in 1936 as OBU’s first award, it has been presented annually since then.

The university presented the W.P. Blake Award to T.K. Hadden. The W.P. Blake Award is one of the highest honors given to a senior OBU student who demonstrates leadership, scholarship, concern for others and Christian commitment. The award is named for the chairman of OBU’s first board of trustees, an Oklahoma Baptist pioneer from Okmulgee. It was established in 2011 to recognize an outstanding student in the graduating class who embodies Blake’s written desire that OBU “perpetuate the heritage of Christian citizenship.”

The Evans T. Moseley Leadership Award was presented to Zion Davis. The award is given to a rising senior who demonstrates the greatest leadership potential. It was established by OBU’s senior class in 1966 to honor the man who served as interim president of the university during that year.

The John Wesley Raley Scholar Award was presented to Aden Harland. The scholarship is awarded annually to a rising senior with a grade-point average of at least 3.0 who plans to continue at OBU. Additional criteria guiding the selection committee’s nomination to the university president include leadership, moral courage, self-determination and communication skills. The John Wesley Raley Scholar receives a scholarship from funds provided by the Fay Taylor Pierson Trust, part of which was designated to establish a memorial to Dr. John Wesley Raley, who served as OBU president from 1934 to 1961 and as chancellor from 1961 to 1965.

Outstanding senior awards were presented to Joshua Wideman from the Paul Dickinson School of Business, Adeline Rengel from the Division of Mathematics, Alyssa Johnson from the Division of Science, Samantha Lehr from the School of Nursing, Kali Harriman from the Henry F. McCabe School of Education, Erin Dyer Shuman from the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Savannah Mayfield from the Division of Language and Literature.

Also receiving outstanding senior awards were Jacob Ostrowski in exercise science and JuliAnna Crews in sports and recreation from the Division of Exercise Science, Sports and Recreation; James Rother in biblical and theological studies, Anna Welch in Christian and cross-cultural ministry and Alexander Hinker in philosophy from the Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry; and McKenzie Stewart in the Division of Art and Design, Josie Watson Sanders in the Division of Communication Arts and Isaac Melton in the Division of Music from the Warren M. Angell School of Visual and Performing Arts.