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
-
Then
Now
Preston C. Caruthers
Business & Technology Started his own construction business at 23 and later built Belmont Bay, a waterfront community south of Washington. 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
Richard Meydag
Military Service Flew over 1,000 combat missions in Vietnam and later served as Presidential Helicopter Pilot for Jimmy Carter. View bio -
Then
Now
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 -
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
Robert J. Stuart
Business & Technology State sprint champion and Roper football legend who later helped install the Air Force's first computer system. View bio -
Then
Now
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 -
Then
Now
Rodger Randle
Civic Leadership Elected to the Oklahoma House at 27, twice led the state Senate, and became Tulsa's first mayor under a new city charter. View bio -
Then
Now
Ron Woods
Business & Technology Music teacher turned healthcare founder whose company CareATC served over 150 large employers across 35 states. View bio -
Then
Now
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 -
Then
Now
Ronald Radford
Arts & Culture The only person ever awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in flamenco guitar, and a student of Carlos Montoya and Segovia. View bio -
Then
Now
Russell Myers
Arts & Culture Submitted his first comic strip to the syndicates at sixteen and sold Broom-Hilda in 1970 after years of rejections. View bio
No inductees match those filters yet.
Showing 72 of 80 inductees
Load More Inductees
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)
