The Cameron University Alumni Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Young Alumni honorees as well as inductees into the CUAA Faculty Hall of Fame. The awards will be presented during the university’s homecoming festivities. Stephen Reagan and Richard Storm will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards. Josh Mindemann and Audrey Shifflet have been named Outstanding Young Alumni, and Dr. Ioannis Argyros and Dr. Sarah Eppler Janda will be inducted into the Faculty Hall of Fame. The awards will be presented during a celebratory awards dinner on Saturday, February 22.
The Distinguished Alumni Award and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award are presented to former Cameron students who have made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments have brought credit to Cameron by distinguishing themselves in their careers, in service to their communities or through continued support of Cameron University. The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to Cameron alumni who received their degree from Cameron more than 10 years ago. The Outstanding Young Alumni Award is presented to Cameron alumni who received their last degree from Cameron no more than 10 years ago.
Distinguished Alumni Award: Stephen Reagan, Class of 1966
Since graduating from Cameron College in 1966, Stephen Reagan has led a multi-faceted life that is earmarked by individual accomplishment, military service, dedication to his community and continued support of Cameron. A native of Claremore, Reagan excelled as a student-athlete as a member of the Aggie team that reached the NJCAA Baseball World Series in 1966. That same year, he earned recognition as the Most Valuable Graduating Sophomore Athlete. Reagan was inducted into the Cameron University Athletics Hall of Fame last year. He remains an ardent supporter of the university, regularly interacting with baseball coach Kyle Williams and providing financial support for the team.
After earning an Associate in Arts degree in Engineering in 1966, he continued his education at the University of Arkansas, where he completed a baccalaureate degree, and Midwestern State University, where he completed a master’s degree. After joining the U.S. Air Force, he earned a dental degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, then completed additional dental training at USAF Medical Centers at Wright-Patterson AFB and Keesler AFB. Reagan enjoyed a successful career as an Air Force dentist before retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
Reagan then became a dental educator, ultimately joining the faculty of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, where he served as director of the Advanced General Dentistry Program. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2012.
Since 2014, Reagan and his wife Alice have volunteered more than 30 hours per week at the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation, where they assist veterans from across the country in filing claims for benefits. For their dedication, the Reagans were honored with the prestigious Veteran Family of the Year Award by the Oklahoma Veterans Council in 2024. Reagan also serves on the board of directors for the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation, which sponsors the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. He raised the necessary funding to honor WWII Medal of Honor recipient Ernest E. Evans with busts that were placed in Evans’ hometown of Muskogee and at the US Naval Academy.
Distinguished Alumni Award: Richard Storm, Class of 1975
Richard Storm was not a traditional student when he enrolled at Cameron University in the early 1970s. A member of the U.S. Army, Storm was assigned to Fort Sill, following a tour of duty in Vietnam that saw him honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism on two occasions, as well as more than 25 other commendations. He was inducted into the Indiana Military Hall of Fame in 2017.
As a Cameron Aggie, Storm was instrumental in the establishment of CU’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter, a landmark event that reflected his commitment to academic excellence. He subsequently served as a chapter officer. A member of President’s Partners, Storm continues to support CU as a valued donor.
After graduating in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree in natural science and completing the Field Artillery Officers career course at Fort Sill, he attended Indiana University Medical School under the Army Medical Scholarship Program.
Storm completed his training in dermatology at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. After graduating in 1983, he was assigned to Ireland Army Hospital at Fort Knox. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1987 and returned to his hometown of Indianapolis to practice medicine. In addition to his practice, he served as a clinical instructor for Indiana University Department of Dermatology for almost 20 years. He was honored with the Indiana University School of Medicine’s Governor Otis R. Bowen, M.D. Distinguished Leadership Award in 2006.
Participation in humanitarian projects and community service has played a significant role in Storm’s life. He has travelled internationally on medical missions and served on the board of directors of a humanitarian corporation doing service projects in Uzbekistan, travelling to that country on two occasions. He currently serves on the board of directors for Ariel Ministries and is a former member of the Board of Regents for Midwestern Theological Seminary.
Storm is a lifetime member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans Helicopter Association and the Distinguished Flying Cross Society. He is a long-standing member of Cameron’s President’s Partners program.
Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Josh Mindemann, Class of 2019
A graduate of Boone-Apache High School, Josh Mindemann chose Cameron University for his higher education for several reasons. Affordability certainly played a role, as did the proximity to his hometown. But more importantly, Mindemann chose Cameron because of the university’s flexible scheduling options. This allowed the father of newborn twins to balance his family responsibilities with his academic goals. Mindemann graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art with a minor in Language Arts.
An accomplished graphic designer, photographer, painter and filmmaker, Mindemann’s creative endeavors have been honored with numerous accolades. His short films have consistently been recognized with awards by the OklaHomies Short Film Content. In 2019, he won first place in the Wichita Falls Regional Art Battle. His graphic design work has also been awarded. He was the winner of the OLA Sequoyah Book Award Re-Design Contest, and his poster for “The Hit” was named Best Poster for the OKC 48 Hour Film Competition 2017.
In 2022, Mindemann joined the football media department at the University of Arkansas, where he is the senior graphic designer for the Arkansas Razorbacks. In addition to creating graphics for the team’s social media channels, he plays a vital role in recruiting, where his personalized graphics are eye-catching while presenting a positive message about the football program. His workload, while vast, allows him to utilize all his creative skills across a variety of platforms: graphic design, photography, video and more. His creativity has received national recognition from industry peers and has helped catapult the Razorbacks brand into one of the industry leaders for graphic design and motion graphic creation.
Outstanding Young Alumni Award: Captain Audrey Shifflet, Class of 2020
A native of Lawton, Audrey Shifflet graduated from Cameron University in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in strategic communications and a minor in military science; she also commissioned as a field artillery officer through CU’s U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. As a cadet in the Comanche Battalion, Shifflet was recognized with the Sgt. York Award, the Cadet of the Year Award, and the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812 Award.
Selected to become the executive officer at 428th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Sill after completing the Field Artillery Basic Officer Leadership Course, she was subsequently selected as the TRADOC Hero of the Battlefield across all posts in the U.S. Army. The designation commended Shifflet’s optimistic demeanor, eagerness to learn and help others, and her outstanding attributes such as physical fitness, teamwork and resiliency. Shifflet then moved to 1-14 Field Artillery Regiment as platoon leader. Deployed to Europe for 10 months, she instructed foreign partners how to defend their nations against near peer threats. She next served as the executive officer for the Fires Center of Excellence, Headquarters Detachment, where she provided oversight and assistance for over 940 soldiers, contractors, and civilians. Shifflet is currently attending the Field Artillery Captains Career Course.
As a full-time caregiver for her mother, who suffers from dementia, she actively advocates for awareness of this devastating disease. Juggling graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, multiple military courses, personal commitments and professional responsibilities, her unwavering determination to excel academically, professionally and personally is unparalleled.
Faculty Hall of Fame: Dr. Ioannis Argyros
A professor of mathematics, Ioannis Argyros has been a mainstay on the CU campus since 1990. His teaching philosophy focuses on the concept that mathematics is not just a subject to be studied but is a way of thinking that can be applied to solve real-world problems. He encourages his students to approach mathematics with curiosity and creativity, fostering a lifelong love of learning.
His work has significantly advanced the university’s reputation in mathematics, particularly in computational mathematics and numerical analysis. A key factor in Argyros’ academic career is his dedication to engagement with students and colleagues, which has led to numerous collaborative projects, publications and presentations. He has mentored countless students, guiding them through research projects that have led to national recognition. His mentorship extends beyond academic success, helping students develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills and professional competencies. His guidance has been instrumental in helping students secure research opportunities, scholarships and admission to top graduate programs.
Argyros has an impressive body of scholarly publishing, with more than 1,700 published papers, 33 books and 17 chapters in computational mathematics and iterative methods. His work has been featured in prestigious journals such as the Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, Mathematics of Computation, Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications, and Applied Mathematics and Computation. The number of citations of his works is close to 11,000. In additional he serves on the editorial boards of more than 30 mathematics journals.
Faculty Hall of Fame: Dr. Sarah Eppler Janda
A member of the CU faculty since 2001, Sarah Eppler Janda is a professor of history in the Department of Social Sciences. For more than two decades, she has demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentorship of students, dedication to the community and leadership within the university.
Janda’s impact on students and student learning has been recognized with CU’s highest faculty honor, the Harold and Elizabeth Hackler Award for Teaching Excellence. Her lectures are not only informative, but engaging, entertaining and important to understanding various aspect of U.S. history. She mentors history students attending and presenting at regional Phi Alpha Theta conferences, Oklahoma Research Day and other symposia.
Her body of academic publishing focuses primarily on the history of Oklahoma as it pertains to the state’s female leaders, civil rights and activism. She is currently co-authoring an Oklahoma history textbook that will serve as an invaluable resource to teachers and students. She previously authored “Pride of the Wichita: A History of Cameron University,” celebrating the university’s first 100 years.
A two-time chair of the Faculty Senate, Janda is dedicated to promoting shared governance, ensuring that faculty and students’ voices are heard across campus. She is a member of CU’s Faculty Advisory Board and is the university’s coordinator of the Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program. Additional service includes a position on the Faculty Advisory Council of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Within the Department of Social Sciences, Janda is chair of Peer Support Committee, promoting a culture of collegiality, accountability, personal growth and mutual support.
For more information about the Cameron University Alumni Association, call 580-581-2988.
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