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
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 -
Then
Now
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 -
Then
Now
Jean Winfrey
Education Led Tulsa's Little Light House through an $18 million expansion and built it into a global model for special needs education. View bio -
Then
Now
Sheryl Mellott McGuire
Education Special education teacher who founded a preschool for at-risk children and taught leadership at OU for 32 years. 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
David Stewart James
Medicine & Science Championship wrestler who became Oklahoma's first D.O. gastroenterologist and led over 150 clinical research projects. View bio -
Then
Now
James W. Jones
Medicine & Science Heart surgeon who performed or supervised more than 12,000 open heart operations across a thirty-five-year career. View bio -
Then
Now
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 -
Then
Now
Joseph Pelton
Medicine & Science Satellite and space scholar, author of 70 books and over 400 articles, and founder of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation. View bio -
Then
Now
Richard Counts
Medicine & Science Established one of the first U.S. centers for comprehensive hemophilia care, helping transform life expectancy for patients. View bio -
Then
Now
Robert A. Cary
Medicine & Science Developed the first automated instrument for measuring carbon aerosol particles, now used for air quality worldwide. View bio -
Then
Now
Warren G. Guntheroth
Medicine & Science First American physician to publish a paper calling for the Back to Sleep infant position, preventing thousands of SIDS deaths. 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)
