Southeastern to honor three Former Faculty members at Homecoming

Press Release Date: 09-18-2009

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State University will honor three Distinguished Former Faculty members during its Centennial Homecoming Celebration on Oct. 9-10.

This year’s honorees are the late Claude Adams, along with Jeanette Engles, and Dr. Jack Robinson.

They will be formally honored at the Distinguished Alumni/Former Faculty Awards Banquet on Friday, Oct. 9, at 5:30 p.m. in the Visual and Performing Arts Center.

Claude Richard Adams was the first African-American professor hired at Southeastern when he joined the English Department in 1969.

He served 16 years at Southeastern, where he headed the student component of Triple-T (Training Teacher Trainers), and taught various classes from English Composition to Minority Culture and Literature, until his retirement in 1985. He was a college professor at Stephen F. Austin State College (Texas) before moving to Durant and Southeastern.

He graduated as valedictorian of Macedonia High School (Texarkana, Texas) in 1937 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the top of his class at Jarvis Christian College, Hawkins, Texas, in 1941. He received his Master of Science degree from Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, Texas.

Adams served in the European Theater during World War II and earned his license in surveying from Virginia State University. He started his teaching career at Jarvis Christian College, then spent 21 years in Texas high schools at Macedonia, Texarkana, Arp, Troup, Overton and Nacogdoches.

Adams married Cordelia Cox in 1942 and they had three children: Claudette and husband Norris Carr Jr., Austin, Texas; Claude R. Jr. and Loretta, Dallas, Texas; and Dr. Cordell Adams, Dallas.

A. Jeanette Engles is a native of Caney who grew up in Caddo and graduated from Caddo High School.

She came to Southeastern in 1967 as Assistant Director of Upward Bound. She was named Director of Upward Bound and the TRiO programs in 1968 and held those titles for eight years. She then moved to the Education and Psychology Department in 1975, where she taught psychology and counseling for 28 years until her retirement in 2003.

Engles served as sponsor of the Psychology Club and was an avid supporter of the women’s basketball program at Southeastern.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry at Oklahoma Baptist University and her Master’s in Guidance and Counseling at Oklahoma State University. She did post-graduate work at the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa University and East Texas State University.

Engles started her teaching career as a Recreational and Guidance Specialist at Chilocco Indian School in Chilocco, Okla. She taught biology for two years at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs and also served as a Guidance Counselor at Durant High School for two years.

In addition, Engles worked with the Camp Fire and Boy Scout groups in the city of Durant.

She is the widow of Dr. Leroy Engles, long-time Durant physician. The Engles family established an endowed scholarship in SE’s Science Department in 2006. She has five children: Diane Engles (SE grad), Dr. Craig Engles, Susan Engles, Dr. Laura Engles (SE grad), and Leroy Engles.

Dr. Jack L. Robinson was raised on a farm near Bokchito and graduated from Bokchito High School in 1958.

At Southeastern, he served as a faculty member in the Physical Sciences Department from 1966-2000. He has been a Professor of Chemistry, Director of Institutional Research and Planning (1984-2000), Director of Minority Biomedical Research Support Program, MBRS (1972-1992), Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs and Graduate Dean (1995-1999), Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs (1999), and Special Assistant to the President (part-time Feb. 2000-June 2008).

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in chemistry and mathematics from Southeastern in 1962 and obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Oklahoma in 1966. He joined the Southeastern faculty in 1966 as Assistant Professor of Chemistry. He retired in 2000 and shortly thereafter returned on a part-time basis as Special Assistant to President Glen D. Johnson.

He is now fully retired, sold his cattle in June of this year and travels frequently to Amarillo, Texas, so he and wife Sharon, Vice President of Student Affairs at SE, can visit grandchildren.

Robinson lists career highlights as teaching Analytical Chemistry I and II to bright, highly-motivated young men and women who wanted to pursue careers in the sciences or related medical fields; working with students in the SE Honors Program; and being able to conduct undergraduate research projects with undergrad minority students and helping them prepare to present their research at regional and national conferences.

His volunteer service included serving as consultant-evaluator for the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (1987-June 2009); Accreditation Review Council of NCA (1994-98); and five years, one year as chair, on the MBRS national subcommittee that reviewed grant applications.

Jack and Sharon's blended family include four children and four grand children.