Joining an elite group, two 2020 Kingfisher County graduates were recently selected as OSU Seniors of Significance for the 20232024 academic year.

Elizabeth Perdue, a Kingfi sher High School graduate, and Nadia Valles, a Hennessey High School graduate, were among the 59 students chosen by Oklahoma State University Alumni Association to receive the honor.

The Seniors of Significance Award recognizes students who excelled in scholarship, leadership and service to campus and community and brought distinction to OSU.

The 59 students represent the top 1 percent of seniors, including all five OSU undergraduate academic colleges.

Majoring in agricultural communications and agribusiness with a minor in law and legal studies, Perdue is a Ferguson College of Agriculture Student Success Leader ambassador.

She is co-editor of the Agricultural Communications Capstone Cowboy Journal and interned for the Ferguson College of Agriculture communications team and for the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents Legislative.

Perdue also served as the Chi Omega personnel chair.

Expressing her excitement to be selected for the honor, Perdue said she’s pleased to see her hard work over the past four years pay off.

“I’m honored to receive it and I’m humbled because I know there are so many great students that go to this university and it’s very competitive in academics and campus involvement,” Perdue said.

“My experience has been nothing short of amazing and I’ve met my best friends and had awesome mentors.”

It’s a place where people want you to be successful and push you to be your better self, she added.

Valles is majoring in political science with a Spanish minor and is a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and a Harry S. Truman Institutional nominee.

She serves on the Multicultural Greek Council Executive Board and as a Henry Clay College Student Congress Oklahoma representative.

Valles is also a Latino Oklahoma Research assistant.

Expressing her reaction to finding out she had been selected for the honor, Valles said she was definitely surprised.

“I know other people who’ve been selected in previous years that I’ve always admired and I’m just glad to have gotten this far,” Valles said.

In high school, she said, she actually wanted to attend the University of Oklahoma and OSU wasn’t on her radar.

“I believe everything happens for a reason and I believe there’s a reason I ended up here in Stillwater,” Valles said.

It has been nothing less than a blessing, she added.

“I’ve had the ability to gain so many mentors from a variety of aspects here on campus and have had opportunities both in Oklahoma and nationwide that have ultimately allowed me to be confident once I graduate that I will be perfectly fine moving on to the real world.”

Valles is the daughter of Jose and Mina Valles.

During her time at HHS, Valles was active in FCCLA, choir, was class president, STUCO president and a state qualifier in speech and debate and state runner-up in policy debate.

She was listed on the superintendent’s honor roll, a member of the National Honor Society and Oklahoma Honor Society, an Oklahoma Academic Scholar and valedictorian of her graduating class.

Valles was also involved in “Newsies” musical and served as an Oklahoma Girls State delegate.

Graduating at the end of the fall semester, Valles plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s in public policy with an intent to pursue a career as a policy analyst, focusing on education and immigration.

Perdue is the daughter of Jim and Debra Perdue.

While attending KHS she was active in 4-H, FFA, student council, cheerleading, Business Professionals of America and held a number of offices in those activities.

She was also a member of the National Honor Society and Oklahoma Honor Society, was named KHS Student of the Month, won the Kingfisher County Distinguished Young Women 2020 competition, is in the Kingfisher County 4-H Hall of Fame and a valedictorian of her graduating class.

During her FFA career, Perdue was a part of national championship teams in conduct of chapter meetings and ag issues competitions. She was also a part of state championship teams in ag issues, conduct of chapter meetings and parliamentary procedure.

As she completes her bachelor’s degree in May 2024, Perdue plans to further her education by pursuing a master’s in agricultural communications.

Ultimately, Perdue said she wants to work in the agricultural industry advocating for agriculture, “whether that be on the communications and marketing side or public relations, but really just telling the stories of agriculturists.” Looking back on her experience at OSU, Valles said, “I’m going to grad school in the fall and I don’t think that I would have gotten that far or realized that was what I wanted to do if it wasn’t for all the support and guidance I received while I was here.”

Also reflecting over her time at OSU, Perdue said one of her absolute favorite experiences has been as an ambassador for the Ferguson College of Agriculture.

“It’s been a really fun experience to share my passion about the college, to encourage students to come here and share everything Ferguson has done for me and all the opportunities that are open for perspective students,” Perdue said.

“My time here has been busy, but it’s been really fun and I’ve learned a lot.”