Five Oklahoma high school seniors have been named Chancellor Hans Brisch Scholars for outstanding leadership, civic involvement and academic talent.
Lydia Bullard, Durant High School; Addison Edwards, Stillwater High School; Hadley Ott, Lomega High School; Fatima Rangel-Villanueva, Dove Science Academy High School, Oklahoma City; and Kadence Stapleton, Coweta High School will each receive a $2,000 scholarship through the Chancellor Hans Brisch Scholarship program.
The Chancellor’s Scholars Program was created in 1990 with private funds. The program was renamed in 2006 to honor Brisch, who served as chancellor of the Oklahoma state system of higher education for 15 years. Brisch retired in 2003 and passed away in February 2006.
Bullard, Edwards, Ott, Rangel-Villanueva and Stapleton were selected from nominations made by high school principals statewide.
“We are proud to recognize these outstanding Oklahoma student leaders for their dedication to academic excellence and commitment to serving others,” said Chancellor Sean Burrage. “We congratulate them on their accomplishments to date and look forward to their continued success as they pursue higher education.”
Bullard graduated first in her class while completing honors, advanced placement (AP) and concurrent coursework. A three-time Ben Carson Scholar, she served as president of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) Durant chapter and led service initiatives including a Toys for Tots drive and participation in the Adopt a Lion Christmas Blessings program. She also served on the Choctaw Nation Youth Advisory Board, where she organized community outreach projects, and volunteered through her church and local programs. Bullard was also selected to help lead the Journey to Hope Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial program, where she welcomed guests, distributed materials, and participated in planting a Survivor Tree sapling to promote kindness and service within her school community. Bullard plans to attend Redlands Community College to double major in animal science and agribusiness.
Edwards graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average and earned recognition as an AP Scholar with distinction. She served as Beta Club vice president and co-directed Stillwater Makes a Change, a student-led effort that raises more than $70,000 annually for local nonprofits. Through her involvement in various service and leadership programs, she helped organize food drives for students during school breaks, collected clothing and supplies for wildfire victims, gathered donations for hurricane relief efforts, and supported local domestic violence awareness initiatives, and as a member of the Momentum Youth Group at Stillwater First United Methodist Church, she contributed more than 450 hours of community service. She also volunteered through the Stillwater Medical Youth Volunteer Program and participated in community outreach projects through the Stillwater Leadership Class. Edwards plans to continue her academic and leadership journey at OSU.
Ott graduated as valedictorian, earning academic honors in English, history, algebra, chemistry, and physical science. She served as Student Council president, FFA president, senior class president, and basketball team captain, and was a three-time American Farmers and Ranchers State Speech Champion. Through FFA, she held officer roles as secretary, vice president, and president while also participating in the Oklahoma FFA Foundation Leadership Internship program. She helped lead Lomega’s annual Veterans Day program, organized food drives, volunteered with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, and supported deployed military members through the “Hugs for Heroes” program. She contributed to the Salvation Army Angel Tree program and helped coordinate student-led service projects through Student Council. Ott plans to continue her education at Oklahoma State University.
Rangel-Villanueva demonstrated academic excellence while completing AP and concurrent enrollment coursework. She held key leadership roles, including president of Health Occupations Students of America, president of the OU Health Volunteer Teen Board, National Honor Society vice president, Student Council, and League of United Latin American Citizens Youth Council vice president. She contributed more than 2,000 volunteer hours, including over 600 at OU Health Medical Center, where she supported patients, staff and future health care professionals. She also organized mentorship programs for first-generation students, led community service initiatives reaching thousands of families, and supported literacy and faith-based education efforts. She served on the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Teen Board, Oklahoma National Memorial & Museum Teen Board and OMRF Teen Leaders in Philanthropy board. Rangel-Villanueva plans to pursue a career in healthcare at the University of Oklahoma.
Stapleton graduated as valedictorian. She completed AP coursework, was named state runner-up in veterinary science, and received honors including the Coweta 4-H Hall of Fame Award and the Coweta Veterinary Science Excellence Award. She contributed more than 450 hours of community service, including volunteering at Oneta Animal Care, where she assisted veterinarians with exams and surgeries, cared for animals and supported daily clinic operations, and with Puppy Haven Rescue and Easley Exotic Animal Farm. She read to local elementary students and assisted teachers with classroom activities and volunteered at events hosted by the Coweta Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma Blood Institute, and Gathering Place. She was active in FFA, National Honor Society, student council, athletics and band, serving as drum major and mentoring younger athletes. Stapleton plans to attend OSU to major in animal science.
Brisch Scholars are academically talented high school seniors with outstanding leadership ability who demonstrate a commitment to improving the learning environment of the school or positively impacting the community. In the 36 years since its inception, the Chancellor’s Scholars program has provided scholarships for 116 deserving students. Private gifts, including professional honoraria from the current and past chancellors, support the program, which honors not only Brisch but the office of the chancellor and all individuals who serve Oklahoma in that position.