2025 Women for OSU Symposium celebrates global service and cross-cultural connection

2025 Women for OSU Symposium celebrates global service and cross-cultural connection

Friday, September 19, 2025

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | [email protected]

The 2025 Women for OSU Symposium united a vibrant community of philanthropists, students and university leaders to celebrate the power of generosity and the far-reaching impact of service.

Princess Sarah Culberson, this year's keynote speaker, inspired attendees with her remarkable life story. Born in West Virginia and adopted as an infant, she later discovered her royal heritage in Sierra Leone as the granddaughter of a Paramount Chief. She co-founded Sierra Leone Rising, a nonprofit that develops clean water infrastructure, leads public health programs and empowers the community through education, financial literacy and entrepreneurship in rural Sierra Leone.

During her visit to Oklahoma State University, Culberson met with students and faculty and engaged in a meaningful conversation with Dr. Scott Stoodley, director of the Environmental Science Graduate Program. Their discussion highlighted ongoing collaborative efforts between OSU and Njala University in Sierra Leone, where OSU students are contributing to sustainable food systems and community well-being through hands-on global research and service.

"The difference you're making with OSU students here and internationally touches my heart," Culberson said. "It makes such a difference, the work you are doing."

Her message of service and global understanding aligned closely with the mission of Cindy Cagle, who was honored as the 2025 Women for OSU Philanthropist of the Year. Alongside her husband, Roger, Cagle has supported student global experiences through the Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement (CAGLE) in the Spears School of Business.

Established in 2014, the CAGLE Center has served as a gateway for more than 2,900 students to engage in international study experiences, leadership development and cultural exchange. It has become a cornerstone of OSU's global learning efforts, offering immersive programs that prepare students to navigate and contribute to an interconnected world.

"I think study abroad is important for students because it broadens their horizons, makes them more self-confident and gets them out of their comfort zone," Cagle said.

The symposium also honored Brooklyn Hawkins as the 2025 Student Philanthropist of the Year. Hawkins, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma during her senior year of high school, turned her experience into advocacy. She founded In the Middle of a Miracle, a nonprofit supporting teens with cancer through peer mentorship, advocacy and scholarship opportunities.

"It bothered me that there were other teenagers in my shoes going through the same thing and there was no voice, no one speaking up for us," Hawkins said. "I decided I was going to take responsibility. I was going to be the voice and make a difference."

In addition to these individual honors, the event celebrated 17 student scholars whose academic excellence and dedication to community service embody the spirit of Women for OSU.

Six Partnering to Impact grants were also awarded to support unbudgeted projects that promote health and wellness, education, campus beautification and arts and culture at OSU. The 2025 recipients include: Poverty Simulations in Oklahoma - Education to Action; Masterclass with Marin Alsop at The McKnight Center; Cowgirls on Board: Leadership in Corporate Governance Symposium; Summer Stories: Literacy Adventures for Children in Rural Communities; Growing STEAM at The Botanic Garden at OSU with StillWonder; and Autism Spectrum Disorder Summer Camp: Enhancing Communication Skills and Parent Support.

"This symposium reminds us that when people come together with a shared purpose, the ripple effect of their generosity can transform lives and communities," said Annie Wells, senior director of development at the OSU Foundation.

Photos by: Bryanna Freer and Estefania Martinez

Story by: Estefania Martinez | STATE Magazine