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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Lynette Bennett Danskin
Arts & Culture Broadway, film and TV performer who wrote and starred in the PBS one-woman show Will Rogers' Romance with Betty and America. View bio -
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Paula Combest Unruh
Civic Leadership Reagan appointee who became the first woman to serve as principal deputy director general of the Commercial Service. View bio -
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Richard Counts
Medicine & Science Established one of the first U.S. centers for comprehensive hemophilia care, helping transform life expectancy for patients. 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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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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Fred Sanders
Business & Technology Aerospace engineer on the Mercury, Gemini and Skylab programs who won NASA's Prestigious Public Service Award in 1974. View bio -
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Nancy Jo Daulton Beier
Arts & Culture Made her European debut as Tosca in Flensburg and sang dramatic soprano roles in German and Danish opera houses. View bio -
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Neil R. Sparks
Military Service Awarded the Navy Cross for a 1967 helicopter rescue 200 miles inside North Vietnam under intense enemy ground fire. View bio -
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Paul Davis
Arts & Culture Push Pin Studios illustrator known for his posters for Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival and solo museum shows. View bio -
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Tom Harrison
Faith & Ministry Senior pastor at Asbury United Methodist in Tulsa since 1993 and author of twelve books heard on Tulsa FM radio. View bio -
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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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Lee Mayberry
Athletics Led the 1988 Ropers to a state championship, scored 1,940 points at Arkansas, and played seven seasons in the NBA. 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)
