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
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J. David Nunneley
Arts & Culture Held five U.S. patents in oil and gas before turning full-time sculptor in 1995, with monuments across North America. View bio -
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Richard Risk
Law & Public Service Air Force veteran and Reagan appointee who became an attorney at age 60 and formed the Will Rogers High School Community Foundation. View bio -
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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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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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Now
Herald Givens
Civic Leadership Community volunteer who supported The Little Light House for 35 years and won Leadership Tulsa's Paragon Award. View bio -
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Now
John Ward
Athletics All-American at OSU in football and wrestling, a first-round Vikings draft pick, later called "Mr. County Government." View bio -
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Roberta Scott Hamilton
Civic Leadership Former Miss Tulsa who lost a leg to cancer in 1964 and built a career advocating for people with disabilities worldwide. View bio -
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Ronald Flanagan
Civic Leadership Helped create Tulsa's flood hazard mitigation program, taking the city from most flood-prone to lowest insurance rates. View bio -
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Gordon Morgan
Athletics Coached at Will Rogers from 1962 to 1988, winning four state baseball championships with a 502-198 career record. View bio -
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James Russell
Education Sociologist and author of eight books who took part in the 1964 Tulsa sit-ins and was first editor of New Left Notes. View bio -
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Janet Wright Kizziar
Medicine & Science Psychologist, TV talk show host and twins researcher, and a founding member of Fresh Start Women's Foundation. View bio -
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Linda Chambers Bradshaw
Business & Technology Gymnastics business owner and Will Rogers Memorial authority who founded the Rotary-sponsored Will Rogers Gala. 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)
