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
Carol Walsh Morsani
Civic Leadership Tampa benefactor and nonprofit board member, named Cultural Contributor of the Year by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce. View bio -
Then
Now
Frank Pitezel
Civic Leadership Bronze Star engineer and utility engineering director who served ten years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. 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 -
Then
Now
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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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 -
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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 -
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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
Anna Lea Brixey Seago
Military Service First woman promoted to Sergeant Major in the history of the 85th Infantry Division, after enlisting at age 34. View bio -
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Now
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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Now
Phillip Butler
Military Service Naval aviator whose own bombs destroyed his jet in 1965; he was then held as a prisoner of war for 2,855 days. View bio -
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Richard Meydag
Military Service Flew over 1,000 combat missions in Vietnam and later served as Presidential Helicopter Pilot for Jimmy Carter. View bio -
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Now
Walter Stuart Yager
Military Service Air Force launch commander who supervised the Viking Mars missions and the 1977 launches of Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft. 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)
