Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Sayre

01/12/2025

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BILLEY RETIRING FROM SWOSU-SAYRE

A classified ad led to a 30-year career in higher education.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University-Sayre Registrar Terry Billey is retiring after working three decades at Beckham County's college campus.

She graduated from Merritt High School in 1984 as Terry Hutchison and enrolled in Sayre Junior College.

She married Carl Billey, and in May 1986, she graduated from SJC with an associate degree in general studies.

"I always tease my daughter, Aly, that she graduated with me since I was pregnant and due at any time," Billey said.

While Carl finished a mortuary science degree, she held a variety of jobs.

These included working for her parents at Hutchison Upholstery in Elk City and for Olan Mills Portrait Studio and Ge**er Preschool in Edmond.

Billey never intended to pursue any of those professions long term, because she thought that she wanted to eventually be an elementary-school teacher.

That changed, though, after returning home to western Oklahoma.

Then, in the summer of 1995, she saw a classified ad in the "Sayre Record" for an Assistant to the Dean at the local college campus. Sayre Junior College merged with SWOSU in 1987 and became SWOSU-Sayre.

She applied, got the job, and went to work for SWOSU-Sayre campus Dean, Don Roberts.

"Don was a great boss, very kind and easygoing," Billey said. "He made me feel like I was working with a good friend."

She enjoyed the job enough to stay, and eventually she continued her college education.

Billey enrolled in the Reach Higher program for working adults in 2008 and took SWOSU, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and Cameron University classes. She earned a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership from SWOSU in 2011.

"Carl liked to tease our son, Ty, that I was going to move into the dorms with him since we took classes at the same time," Billey said.

Working for SWOSU-Sayre full time, taking college classes again, and carving out family time was challenging, but she's glad that she did it.

When SWOSU-Sayre Registrar Kim Seymour retired, Billey stepped into that role in January 2012.

She's worked under four university presidents and eight campus deans in her three decades employed by SWOSU.

A lot has changed in higher education in those 30 years, largely because of technology.

For a commuter campus like SWOSU-Sayre, Zoom classes and online classes have reduced the number of in-person students.

"Now students don't even have to leave home to attend college," Billey said.

Billey loves SWOSU, both as an educational institution and as an employer. Which is why she stayed for 30 years.

"SWOSU has provided me with an excellent education, but most of all, I have felt a real sense of accomplishment as I've worked with so many students and seen their successes," Billey said. "My job has been worthwhile and made a positive impact on a lot of lives."

Billey officially retires on Dec. 31, though she'll get to use some accumulated leave time after the 17th and bid the campus a fond farewell then.

For her next chapter, she'll join Carl at First Response Coffeehouse and Cafe in Sayre, which they own. She's looking forward to visiting with regular customers there and meeting new people, including tourists travelling Route 66.

She's also looking forward to spending more time with Carl.

Reflecting on her 30-year SWOSU-Sayre career, she knows that she'll miss seeing co-workers the most. "We've spent a lot of time together, and they've become like family," Billey said.

Three decades' worth of contributing to students' successes, impacting lives, and enjoying relationships with family-like colleagues.

And it all started with a classified ad.

20/10/2025

https://swosu.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/5/home/requisition/642?c=swosu&sq=req642&fbclid=IwY2xjawNjNr5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHsGqDdCwuLjx8dmKRizlelfBX77IkCo7tHUSn60_uBIS5PdqIMGKp2u5yPnk_aem_a8YU8BHJXelZZ89sp0NjRg

Job Summary: The Administrative Assistant serves as a key support role for both the Sayre and Weatherford campuses, providing clerical, operational, a...

18/07/2025

SWOSU-Sayre is proud to claim Kyle as a former student and the youngest son of SWOSU instructor, Renae Bagzis! 😃

Cheyenne Native Flew with Presidents
by Landry Brewer

It's not every day that a kid from western Oklahoma gets to spend time with the most powerful man in the world.

Kyle Bagzis flew in some rare air for 14 months and transported two men with that designation.

The 2017 Cheyenne High School graduate earned an associate degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University through the Sayre campus in May 2019.

A week later, he left for Marine boot camp.

Now he flies in helicopters.

"As a Crew Chief in the Marine Corps, I fly in the back of the aircraft and assist the pilots as needed," Bagzis said.

He's also the mechanic for the aircraft before and after landing.

After a year of learning how to fly on the CH-53E Super Stallion, he got a phone call from HMX-1, the presidential helicopter squadron. They wanted him to fly with them.

After three years of training flights and flying with former Vice President Harris, Bagzis became a Marine One Crew Chief.

"Marine One" is the designation for any Marine Corps aircraft that carries the President.

"I was handpicked to become one of four Marines to fly the President of the United States, which was an absolute honor," Bagzis said.

He also said that both former President Biden and President Trump were "pretty funny."

Just before one of his first flights with former President Biden, the President picked up some trash off the White House lawn as he walked toward Marine One. "As he got inside the helicopter, he told the pilots, 'I can’t believe your Crew Chief would litter on my lawn,'” Bagzis said.

His pilots enjoyed giving him some grief for that.

Bagzis also flew President Trump on his first flight after returning to office this year.

"As I was picking up President Trump, the First Lady, Elon Musk, and his son, President Trump came up in front of me with Melania and stopped," Bagzis said. "He said to her, 'Let’s just take a second—just look at all of this. I am so happy to be back.'”

Bagzis usually flew the Presidents to an Air Force Base where they would board Air Force One, the presidential airplane, for a longer flight.

He also flew Vice President Vance as well as the Japanese Prime Minister.

Bagzis's Marine One tour recently ended after 14 months, and he's moving to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, where he'll fly on the CH-53E Super Stallion again.

“Grandma Neva and Grandpa Joe [Pyatt] live in Cheyenne, where my parents, Mike and Renae Bagzis, also live,” Bagzis said.

Though the kid from Cheyenne spent more than a year in rare air and transported two iterations of the most powerful man in the world, he remembers who he is and where he’s from.

Like a Kipling poem, Kyle Bagzis was able to fly with Presidents without losing the common touch.

11/06/2025

02/06/2025

Zaryn Thomas took concurrent classes during high school, earning 32 college credit hours before graduation. She just graduated from high school as Salutatorian of her class and earned her place on the Superintendent's Honor Roll and National Honor Society 🎉. During her senior year of high school she enrolled in massage therapy school, and will soon graduate from that as well. But her educational journey isn't over yet - she has been offered a significant 4-year scholarship with the opportunity to interview for a full ride! Way to go Zaryn!! We congratulate you for a job well done 🏆📚

15/05/2025

On behalf of SWOSU, Associate Registrar Terry Billey presented scholarships worth $48,500 to graduating seniors at Cheyenne High School on Monday. Way to go Seniors!!

17/04/2025

Sayre’s own Cathy Baker, Director of Counseling and Assessment, had a chance to speak with upcoming freshman at New Student Orientation this morning. Go Dawgs!

12/03/2025

A CAUTIONARY TALE FOR THE CLASS OF 2025

Travis Brewer took 13 ½ years to complete a 4-year bachelor's degree.

The 1983 Elk City High School graduate says he was indecisive, unaware, and uninformed as an 18-year-old, which made pursuing life after high school more difficult than it should have been.

He hopes that May's graduates avoid the kinds of wrong turns that he took after high school.

These turns included declaring seven different majors at four different college campuses over 13 years.

As an ECHS senior, Brewer considered attending the University of Oklahoma to study Business before going to law school.

He had been accepted into OU's President's Leadership Class, an honor that includes a scholarship. But he turned down PLC and OU.

He regrets that decision.

Brewer was an all-state singer in high school, and he had attended summer chorus camp at SWOSU in Weatherford. "Music kept calling me, and I was familiar with SWOSU and the music faculty, so a degree in music seemed like a good idea," Brewer said.

Also, Weatherford was closer to home than Norman, and SWOSU was cheaper than OU.

"The cost at Southwestern was $15 per credit hour, so a 3-hour course was $45 plus fees," Brewer said. "I earned enough in scholarships from ECHS and SWOSU to pay for all of my first year in school."

After two semesters at SWOSU, he moved home, commuted to Sayre Junior College two more semesters, and earned an associate degree in 1985.

He returned to SWOSU, then transferred to OU, and finally wound up at the University of Central Oklahoma.

After majoring in Music, Business, Physical Education, Pre-Physical Therapy, Psychology, and Sociology, he landed on Community Health at UCO, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1996.

"I managed to cram four years of college into 13 ½," Brewer joked about his educational odyssey.

Why did earning a 4-year degree take so long?

"I had no clue what I was doing coming out of high school," Brewer said. "Looking back, I was not prepared for the college experience."

He didn't know what he wanted to do with his life, so he initially just floated through college. Lack of money was also a problem, so he dropped out of college for a while.

Age and life experience focused him.

"Being older and wiser certainly helped," Brewer said about finishing his bachelor's degree. "And I had taken a steady job with the Oklahoma City Health Department, which allowed me to afford school and still pay my bills."

He finally had the bachelor's degree in Community Health, and he kept going.

Brewer earned a master's degree in Adult Education from UCO in 1999, then a Ph.D. in Applied Technology and Performance Improvement from the University of North Texas in 2007.

Since earning his doctorate, he's worked for Fluor, Flowserve, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and Royal Caribbean. He currently works for Carlisle Companies in Scottsdale, Ariz. as a Global Talent Development Executive.

Brewer also taught online Principles of Training and Development, Leadership Development, and Project Management classes for the University of North Texas for 10 years.

But reaching this point in life started with growing up and prioritizing education.

If he could go back in time, Brewer would give his teenage self some advice.

"I would tell myself that nothing comes for free and without hard work and sacrifice," Brewer said. "I would also tell my 18-year-old self to research careers before deciding on a major. Start college, stick it out, and finish your degree in four years so you can get a job and begin investing for retirement."

He has similar advice for the class of 2025.

"If you want to go to college, know why," Brewer said. "Talk to others about their career. Find out what excites you. If it requires a college degree, research the schools that offer this type of degree. If college isn't your thing, consider learning a trade. Whatever you decide to do with your life, do it with pride and integrity."

Good advice about getting on a right path from someone who took some wrong turns out of high school.

12/03/2025

Along with other business professionals, Registrar, Terry Billey, enjoyed an opportunity to speak with high School Seniors from Cheyenne, Reydon and local homeschoolers at the Cheyenne Education Foundation’s Life 101 class. 38 students attended the event to learn a variety of life lessons such as secondary education choices & costs, banking & budgeting basics, employment services, housing, utilities, insurance, clothing costs, heath & personal care, and numerous other life-related topics. What an amazing event!

19/02/2025

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ALL SWOSU campuses will remain closed on Wednesday, February 19, due to continued weather conditions. Classes may continue virtually, and students should check Canvas for updates. If the Weatherford campus experiences a power outage, the Memorial Student Center will remain open all night as a warming station. Students, please follow instructions provided by ResLife.

In addition, adjusted hours for campus facilities are as follows:
- Wellness Center: CLOSED
- Al Harris Library: CLOSED
- SWOSU Bookstore: OPEN 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
- Duke’s Diner: OPEN 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. & 4:30-6:30 p.m.
- University Grill: OPEN 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Stay safe! ❄️