Hall of Fame
The Ropers Who Made a Difference.
Celebrating the Will Rogers alumni who have gone on to shape Tulsa, and the world, through their work, their service, and the lives they’ve touched.
Will Rogers has a long tradition of honoring its distinguished alumni at special ceremonies held over the years. The Hall of Fame was the Foundation’s first initiative, long before the Foundation’s mission grew to include direct support for today’s students. It remains the Foundation’s way of saying: this school produces people worth celebrating, and their stories are worth telling.
Each year, a new class of inductees is added, chosen by a selection committee from nominations submitted by the Will Rogers community.
Search below to explore inductees by name, year, or field of endeavor.
Class of Excellence
All Inductees
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Then
Now
Anita Bryant Dry
Arts & Culture Singer, TV personality and author, voted the most admired woman in America three years running by Good Housekeeping. View bio -
Then
Now
Anna Lea Brixey Seago
Military Service First woman promoted to Sergeant Major in the history of the 85th Infantry Division, after enlisting at age 34. View bio -
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Now
Archie Goodwin
Arts & Culture Comic book writer and editor of Creepy and Eerie who set up Epic Comics at Marvel and adapted Star Wars into comics. View bio -
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Now
Art Fleak
Law & Public Service Wrote Oklahoma's first juvenile criminal code and became Tulsa County's first Juvenile Public Defender in 1973. View bio -
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Now
Barbara Hencke Thompson
Education Taught French in all 106 Oklahoma City public elementary schools and was named an Officer of the Legion of Honor. View bio -
Then
Now
Bill Hinkle
Business & Technology Advertising creative director who won 28 national ADDY awards and co-founded TU's advertising program in 1994. View bio -
Then
Now
Bill Van Burkleo
Medicine & Science College football player and Cowboys draftee who became a rural family physician and Oklahoma emergency medical director. View bio -
Then
Now
Billy Joe Johnston
Arts & Culture Dove Award songwriter and advertising executive who helped pioneer McDonald's Happy Meal and won two Will Rogers Medallions. View bio -
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Now
Carol Walsh Morsani
Civic Leadership Tampa benefactor and nonprofit board member, named Cultural Contributor of the Year by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce. View bio -
Then
Now
Charles Bell
Arts & Culture Corporate comptroller turned full-time painter, recognized as a pioneer of Photorealism for his large-scale still lifes. View bio -
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Charles Kimball
Education Middle East scholar who met with the Ayatollah Khomeini at age 29 to help open talks during the Iran hostage crisis. View bio -
Then
Now
Charlotte Wilson Heth
Education Ethnomusicologist of American Indian music, UCLA professor emerita, and citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. View bio
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Hall of Fame Nominations
Know Someone Who Deserves This Recognition?
The Hall of Fame honors Will Rogers alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to their field and to their community. Nominations are reviewed annually by our selection committee. To be considered for an induction class, a nomination must be submitted or postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on August 31; later nominations may be held for the class after.
- Must be a graduate of Will Rogers High School (now Will Rogers College Middle and High School)
- Demonstrated excellence in their field of endeavor
- Positive impact on their community or society at large
Full eligibility requirements, the review timeline, and what to include in a nomination are outlined in our Nomination Rules and Procedures.
Nominations are closed for this year.
View Nomination Rules and Procedures (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
