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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Christy Kelley Tate
Arts & Culture Oklahoma film and TV actress who starred in three seasons of Mike Rowe's series "The Way I Heard It" and Lifetime films. View bio -
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Dave Banks
Media & Journalism Emmy-winning cameraman who spent forty years filming news and history in remote and hostile locations worldwide. View bio -
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David Bynum
Education Cell biologist whose Institute for STEM Education at Stony Brook has reached more than 100,000 students to date. View bio -
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David Finch
Media & Journalism Nineteen-time Emmy winner whose handheld camera work walking with golfers changed how sports looked on television. View bio -
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David Gates
Arts & Culture Founder of Bread, who wrote and sang all eleven of the band's Billboard Hot 100 singles between 1970 and 1973. View bio -
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David Rader
Athletics Named head coach at the University of Tulsa in 1988 at age 31, the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I football. View bio -
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David Stewart James
Medicine & Science Championship wrestler who became Oklahoma's first D.O. gastroenterologist and led over 150 clinical research projects. View bio -
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Donald “Babe” Chandler
Athletics Punter who won NFL championships with both the Giants and the Packers and retired after twelve professional seasons. View bio -
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Donald R. Mellott
Business & Technology Owned companies from the age of 26 and gave the first major gift toward Victory Christian Center's Tulsa Dream Center. View bio -
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Elvin Bishop
Arts & Culture Chose the University of Chicago for its blues clubs, co-founded the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and charted in 1976. View bio -
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Ernest Moody
Business & Technology Bought a watchmaker's shop with $200 in savings and built Moody's into the largest family-owned jeweler in Oklahoma. View bio -
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Frank Marcum
Education Tulsa teacher of nearly three decades, a semifinalist for NASA's Teacher in Space program and later a NASA Ambassador. 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)
