Joe Black Honored as an OSU Top Freshman

by Tanner Holubar with OSU News

Each fall semester, the Oklahoma State University Mortar Board selects the Top 20 Freshmen Men and Top 20 Freshmen Women for that school year. There is then a vote to select the overall top 10 freshmen men and women. 

Students apply for this prestigious honor during their sophomore year based on their accomplishments during their first year on campus and are selected based on scholarship, outstanding leadership and community service.  

Four College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology students were named as Top 20 Freshmen: Joe Black, chemical engineering; Reese Huhnke, chemical engineering; Myles Lozano, mechanical and aerospace engineering; and Harrison Oakes, mechanical and aerospace engineering.  

Black, Huhnke and Oakes were selected as Top 10 Freshmen Men. This follows the Top 20 application with an interview and students will be honored during the OSU football game against Baylor on Sept. 27. 

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Joe Black 

From Moore, Oklahoma, Black said he didn’t go into his freshman year with the goal of being named a top student. But he got to campus, immersed himself in CEAT and dove headfirst into opportunities that presented themselves.  

“You commit to working hard on your schoolwork and getting connected on campus, while taking advantage of ways to serve and be a contributor,” Black said. “Everything I did as a freshman just felt like it was the right thing to do at the time. 

“Balancing it all definitely had its challenges, but it was worth it. At the end of the year, you look back and see the difference you made, and also how it changed you into someone better. Being a student at Oklahoma State was a dream come true for me, so being a representative of the university in this capacity is truly humbling.” 

Black was also named a Freshman Research Scholar and worked with Dr. Christopher Fennell, head of the OSU Department of Chemistry, and started working as an undergraduate assistant this semester.  

With a fifth year of tuition available to him through the Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award, he has a goal to pursue a master’s degree. While currently undecided which exact path he will take after graduation, he said he will continue to make strides in chemical engineering research and gaining experience.  

“My career goal is to find a position working on something that adds value to the lives of others and generally makes this world a better place,” Black said.