Administration & Finance
Academic Affairs
Employment Services
Jobs @ UCO
Center for Professional and Distance Education (CPDE)
Faculty Enhancement
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Information Technology
Purchasing, Payments & Travel
Facilities Management
Department of Public Safety
Wellness Center

Meet UCO Faculty Members:

We’re proud of our diverse, accomplished faculty, and look for any excuse to shine the spotlight on them! Check back for new featured faculty members soon.

College of Liberal Arts - Department of Mass Communication
- Dr. J. Kole Kleeman, Professor
College of Business Administration - Management Department
- Dr. Daniel Mertens, Assistant Professor
The Jackson College of Graduate Studies - College of Education and Professional Studies
- Dr. Frank Nelson, Coordinator for Masters in Adult Education Program and Professor in Occupational Technology

College of Liberal Arts - Department of History and Geography
- Dr. Patti Loughlin, Associate Professor
College of Liberal Arts - English Department
- Dr. Sandra Mayfield, Professor

Meet UCO Staff Members:

It takes hundreds of UCO staff members to keep our university growing and thriving everyday. From our Vice Presidents to the person who greets you at the front desk of a campus office, we all make helping students with the Central spirit our top priority. Check back often for new featured staff members.

Center for Undergraduate Academic Advisement
- Stephanie Kahne, Senior Academic Adviser
Enrollment Management and Leadership Central
- Scott Monetti, Director of Communications for Enrollment and Director for Leadership Marketing for Leadership Central
Employment Relations and Development
- Blanche Washington, Retired Director
Commuter Student Services
- Nathan Box, Coordinator

Environmental Health and Safety
- Michael Stephens, Code Compliance Officer
Purchasing, Payment Services and Travel
- Britni Brannon, Buyer
Center for Undergraduate Academic Advisement
- Brenda Brent, Assistant Director of Academic Advisement and Nursing Adviser

Submit a Spotlight Nomination

Would you like to recognize someone at UCO for outstanding service? Complete the form below and we will contact you for more information.

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College of Liberal Arts - Department of Mass Communication

Dr. J. Kole Kleeman, Professor

Kole has spent 20 years working for Central, and in 2003, he received the Faculty Merit Award for outstanding teaching and is also a recipient of the 2007 Neely Award for Outstanding Teaching. Kole has publications in Texas Speech Communication Journal, the Journal of the Institute of Justice and International Studies, the American Journal of Semiotics, and has had more than 30 scholarly papers presented at regional, national and international conferences. He is currently working on a textbook to be published by Kendall and Hunt titled “Intro. to Mass Communication: A Critical Cultural Perspective”. Kole said he loves to watch his students grow, and is thrilled to see them develop into productive citizens with rewarding jobs. He leases a 640-acre ranch which he uses for his outdoor hobbies. Kole loves camping and nature, and is a blues musician and singer.

College of Business Administration – Management Department

Dr. Daniel Mertens, Assistant Professor

A new member of the Central community, Daniel teaches Organizational Behavior and Strategic Management classes for the undergraduate Business program and the master’s in Business Administration program. He is also the faculty co-chair of UCO’s Management Club, a member of several departmental committees, and represents the Management Department during the Premier Day presentations. Daniel was recently inducted into the Business Strategy Game Hall of Fame out of more than 4,000 instructors worldwide. Daniel loves to travel, and has taught in Europe and Asia and taken numerous student groups to multiple countries.

The Jackson College of Graduate Studies – College of Education and Professional Studies

Dr. Frank Nelson, Coordinator for Masters in Adult Education Program and Professor in Occupational Technology

Frank first came to Central in 1987 as a Career and Technology Education teacher- educator, but has spent the last five years advising students in the master’s degree in Adult Education program. Frank serves his community by volunteering at three local nursing homes and speaking at multiple aging issues conferences. He is also a member of the Edmond Senior Community Foundation Board which helps provide scholarships for UCO Gerontology students, aboard member on the Oklahoma Career-Tech Hall of Fame Selection Committee, a trainer for the Alcohol and Substance Abuse programs for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and is the music director at Mayfair Heights United Methodist church in Oklahoma City.

College of Liberal Arts - Department of History and Geography

Dr. Patti Loughlin, Associate Professor

As an Associate Professor of History, Patti specializes in 20th century United States and American Indian history, as well as the history of the American West. She serves as the coordinator of Central’s American Democracy Project with the mission to increase civic engagement on campus. Patti has received many awards for her book “Hidden Treasures of the American West” including the Oklahoma Center for the Book Directors Award, Outstanding Book on Oklahoma History from the Oklahoma Historical Society and is a finalist for the Distinguished Book Prize from the University of Nebraska’s Center for Great Plains Studies. Patti also co-authored “Building Traditions, Educating Generations: A History of the University of Central Oklahoma” with Bob Burke, an official Oklahoma Centennial Commission project.

College of Liberal Arts

Dr. Sandra Mayfield, Professor

Sandra has been with Central’s Department of English for 24 years, first as an assistant professor of English and now as a full professor teaching four classes of English literature every semester. Sandra is a member and past president of the Cambridge Club of Edmond, an organization for female UCO professors and wives of male UCO professors. The Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society recently commended Sandra for serving 10 years as sponsor of UCO’s chapter, Chi Gamma. She has also served as the director of Women’s Studies at UCO for the past 10 years, and is also a co-sponsor of UCO’s Association for Women’s Studies. In 2007, Sandra received the Faculty Merit-Credit award for her outstanding departmental service, and said she loves to come to work every day because she gets to interact with the finest students she’s ever known.

Center for Undergraduate Academic Advisement

Stephanie Kahne, Senior Academic Adviser

As a Senior Academic Adviser, Stephanie advises students from majors including Community Health, Kinesiology, Physical Education/Health and General Studies. In early 2010, Stephanie received the Oklahoma Academic Advising Association (OACADA) Outstanding Adviser of the Year Award. At Central, Stephanie is an alumni member of Leadership UCO, a member of the faculty senate and teaches a Success Central class. She loves working with her students to help them realize they can obtain their goal of receiving a bachelor's degree and feels it's most rewarding to see their excitement when they find out they're finished. Stephanie makes it a priority each semester to walk the graduates from the College of Education and Professional Studies, allowing her the opportunity to congratulate her students one last time.

Enrollment Management

Scott Monetti, Director of Communications for Enrollment and Director for Leadership Marketing for Leadership Central

Along with his love for working with students, Scott channels his love of puzzles into constantly trying to think of new ways for improvement while creating positive change. Scott’s responsibilities range from advising and teaching a class for Central’s Transfer Leadership Council to coordinating marketing efforts for Leadership Central to departmental communications for Enrollment Management. As the advisor to the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Scott spends several Saturdays each semester working on Habitat houses. Scott recently married his wife Lauri, a past employee of Central.

Employment Relations and Development

Blanche Washington, Retired Director

Blanche recently retired after 25 years of service to Central. She first began at Central as the assistant director of Personnel in 1985, and was named director of Personnel in 1987 when the department was restructured to form Human Resources. In 2003, Human Resources was separated into two departments – Employment Services and Employee Relations and Development – and Blanche was named director of Employee Relations. During her retirement, Blanche plans to spend time with her family and friends, especially her four granddaughters, and do some contract work. As an ordained minister, Blanche will continue her ministerial and community involvement while completing her mini book series focusing on “life issues”, with the first group to be released at the end of 2010. Blanche said her favorite part of her job was interacting with employees on a one-on-one basis by assisting them through critical work and life challenges.

Commuter Student Services

Nathan Box, Coordinator

Nathan and his student leaders use the phrase, “Never forget who we are working for,” as a guide in everything they do. Nathan builds programming and creates services to meet the needs of commuter, off-campus and nontraditional students in hopes they become active and engaged members of the Central and local community. Nathan’s community involvement includes Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Oklahoma, BBBS Young Professionals Committee, Edmond Beautiful, Bowl for Kids Sake Committee and volunteers as an advisor for Central’s chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Environmental Health and Safety

Michael Stephens, Code Compliance Officer

Chances are you have seen Michael on campus inspecting campus facilities, promoting fire safety, and reviewing and approving new construction and renovation/remodel projects to make sure each are compliant with established codes, regulations, statutes and applicable administrative rules. With his health and safety duties at Central, Michael said he loves interaction with students, staff and faculty to ensure their safety, and a simple “thanks” makes his day. Michael previously worked as captain and fire marshal for the City of Yukon Fire Department, the fire chief and security chief at Oklahoma City’s General Motors Assembly Plant, and an inspector for Simplex Grinnell. Michael also has won two gold medals while competing in the national Firefighters Olympics. Michael and his wife Glenda have three daughters and seven grandchildren.

Purchasing, Payment Services and Travel

Britni Brannon, Buyer

Britni began working as a buyer in the Purchasing, Payment Services and Travel department at Central nearly three years ago, and said she most enjoys being able to work with all of the different departments and people from across campus. Britni is primarily responsible for purchases for all of Academic Affairs and Information Technology, which includes anything from paper to computers to booking hotels for employee travel. She is also responsible for many bids and contracts for the university. Britni received her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Advertising from Central in 2002, and whenever she has spare time available, she enjoys spending time with her husband Todd, and two-year-old son, Alex.

Center for Undergraduate Academic Advisement

Brenda Brent, Assistant Director of Academic Advisement and Nursing Adviser

Brenda started her career at Central in 1993 as freshman adviser and has since moved up into her current advising roles. Her favorite part about her job is when a student tells her that her encouragement helped them reach their goal. Brenda is the sponsor for UCO’s Pre-Dental Society, serves on the university’s Pre-Medical Advisory Committee, and is a recipient of the 2007 Outstanding Academic Adviser Award from the Oklahoma Academic Advising Association (OACADA). Brenda received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and master’s degree in Adult Education from Central, and has two children who are both graduates of Central.

University of

Central Oklahoma

Services

Faculty and Staff

Meet UCO Faculty Members:

Meet UCO Staff Members:

Submit a Spotlight Nomination

Dr. J. Kole Kleeman, Professor

Dr. Daniel Mertens, Assistant Professor

Dr. Frank Nelson, Coordinator for Masters in Adult Education Program and Professor in Occupational Technology

Dr. Patti Loughlin, Associate Professor

Dr. Sandra Mayfield, Professor

Stephanie Kahne, Senior Academic Adviser

Scott Monetti, Director of Communications for Enrollment and Director for Leadership Marketing for Leadership Central

Blanche Washington, Retired Director

Nathan Box, Coordinator

Michael Stephens, Code Compliance Officer

Britni Brannon, Buyer

Brenda Brent, Assistant Director of Academic Advisement and Nursing Adviser