02/11/2024
A Black History Month Moment
CSC’s 15th President, Dr. Donnie L. Nero Sr. accepts 2019 Trailblazer Award from East Central University’s Black Alumni Assoc. (Credit: theadanews.com)
Dr. Donnie L. Nero Sr.
Connors State College proudly announces the upcoming dedication ceremony for the renaming of its Fine Arts Center in honor of Dr. Donnie L. Nero Sr., the esteemed fifteenth president of the college. The event will take place on February 23, 2024, and will mark a historic moment in recognition of Dr. Nero’s groundbreaking contributions to education and leadership.
Dr. Donnie Nero, who served as the first African American president of a non-historically Black institution in the state of Oklahoma, has left an indelible mark on Connors State College and the broader educational community. His career, which began in the Sapulpa Public Schools and ascended to the presidency of Connors State College, characterized by a commitment to excellence and service.
The dedication ceremony will commence at 10:00 a.m. in the A.D. Stone Student Union Ballroom at the Warner Campus of Connors State College. The event will feature keynote speakers, tributes to Dr. Nero’s legacy, and a symbolic unveiling of the newly named Dr. Donnie Nero Fine Arts Center.
President Ramming expresses the college’s gratitude for Dr. Nero’s transformative leadership, stating, “This dedication is a testament to Dr. Nero’s unwavering commitment to not only Connors State College, but education as a whole across Oklahoma. The Dr. Donnie Nero Fine Arts Center will stand as a lasting tribute to his legacy and a source of inspiration for current and future generations of students.”
Dr. Nero’s achievements include serving on the Governor’s “Edge” Task Force, earning numerous accolades such as the Phi Theta Kappa International Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction, and founding the Oklahoma African American Educators Hall of Fame, Inc. in 2010
Dr. Nero with now current Connors State President Ron Ramming (to his right) and then student body.
While president at Connors State College, Nero served as president of the Oklahoma Council of Two-Year Presidents, and for eleven years, participated in all the Councils’ committees and served as Secretary/Treasurer/President. He severed on the Governor’s “Edge” Task Force, and he also served as President of the Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges. Nero is a founder of the Oklahoma Legal Issues Conference and is a graduate of the Leadership Tulsa Class XVIII. He also served as Oklahoma State Coordinator of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators and was a member of the Oklahoma Global Education Consortium. In 2016, he completed two terms as chair of the Office of Juvenile Affairs and is now ending his tenure on the Board. In addition to serving on boards and committees, he enjoys speaking at high school graduations and various occasions during his travels of thousands of miles for educational purposes. He has provided leadership to countless students, teachers, administrators, and staff and has been a champion of higher education throughout his years in Oklahoma education.
In 2002, East Central University named Dr. Nero named the Distinguished Alumnus and he addressed the 2002 ECU graduation class during the commencement ceremony. In 2010, East Central University inducted Dr. Nero into the ECU Educators Hall of Fame along with Jimmy Scales, making them the first African Americans inducted into the ECU Hall of Fame.
In 2011, the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame inducted Dr. Nero into their Hall of Fame.
Dr. Nero is married to Shirley Ballard Nero, a native of Clearview, Oklahoma. They both are retired and live in Clearview on their DNS Ranch. They have two children and four beautiful grandchildren, Donnie Jr. and wife Carroll and granddaughter Berlin and Tanya and Marvin Blades Jr. and grandson Makai and granddaughters Jordan, and Jada, all of Glenpool, Oklahoma.
The Connors State College community invites alumni, friends, and the public to join in celebrating this momentous occasion. For more information about the dedication ceremony or to RSVP, please contact Brandy McElyea by emailing [email protected]
or calling (918) 463-6343.
