United We Can program wins 2024 OSU Public Impact Research award

United We Can program wins 2024 OSU Public Impact Research award

Friday, December 13, 2024

Media Contact: Sydney Trainor | Communications and Media Relations Specialist | 405-744-9782 | [email protected]

By tackling one of education's most critical challenges - keeping students in school and on a path to success - Dr. Ronald Cox, professor of human development and family science, has transformed the lives of countless families across Oklahoma.

Dr. Ronald Cox

For his groundbreaking work in creating United We Can - a program that enhances academic achievement, empowers families and strengthens peer relationships among middle school students - Cox was honored with the 2024 Oklahoma State University Public Impact Research Award during the University Awards Convocation on Dec. 12.

This recognition highlights Cox's commitment to research that extends far beyond academia, addressing real-world problems with solutions that bring communities together and create lasting change.

"I am very honored to receive the Public Impact Research Award," Cox said. "OSU has made innumerable, exceptional contributions to Oklahoma and the world through its tripart research, instruction and extension mission. I feel very privileged and honored that my work has been recognized as being among those contributions."

Cox, an extension specialist and the George Kaiser Family Foundation chair in Child and Family Resilience, started a research study in 2009 to combat school dropout rates. With funding from OSU's College of Human Sciences, he began by conducting a statewide needs assessment, gathering insights through surveys, focus groups and interviews with Hispanic families and service providers.

This foundational research led to the creation of ¡Unidos Se Puede!(United We Can!), a family-based, yearlong program tailored specifically for Hispanic immigrant families. Unlike other programs adapted from traditional U.S. models, this program was uniquely developed with the needs of Hispanic immigrant families in mind. The program aims to foster academic success, reduce risky behaviors like substance use and provide a pathway to high school graduation and higher education for Hispanic adolescents.

"I believe that it is fundamental to the human species to seek out activities that provide a sense of meaning and purpose to life," Cox said. "I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by a team of wonderful colleagues, exceptional staff, and insightful administrators all focused on improving the lives of children, youth, and families in Oklahoma. I am very grateful to OSU for the opportunity to conduct the kind of community-based research that makes an immediate and enduring impact in the lives of Oklahomans."

For its first decade, United We Can served approximately 200 youth and their parents annually across four Tulsa public middle schools. Recognizing its success, Tulsa Public Schools requested an expansion of the program to benefit students of all ethnic backgrounds. Cox and his team adapted the model for African American and other minority families, training TPS parent involvement facilitators to deliver the program in 20 additional schools. By spring 2025, United We Can is expected to reach the entire TPS district, providing a replicable model for other school systems nationwide.

"The parent and family workshops and training, the student mentoring and the student enrichment opportunities have provided an immeasurable benefit to the community we served in Tulsa Public Schools," said Dr. Laura Grisso, TPS executive director of language and cultural services in a letter of support. "This program has facilitated connections and building of relationships between schools and families as well as helping to shape the futures and aspirations of our students as they progress through PK-12 education and plan for postsecondary opportunities."

Since 2013, Cox and his team have directly delivered the program to more than 2,000 families, with ripple effects extending to siblings and other family members. Despite the difficulty in quantifying its full impact due to its community-based implementation, the program has significantly influenced countless lives.

Programs like this are vital because research shows that academic success reduces health, social and behavioral risks. With U.S. population growth increasingly driven by immigrant families - primarily Hispanic - initiatives like Cox's provide critical support for these communities and help build a brighter future for the next generation.

"The lives impacted by this initiative, especially those of immigrant and Hispanic families, demonstrate the transformative power of education in breaking the cycle of poverty," said Mimi Martinez Herrera, Coalition of Hispanic Organizations board chair, in a letter of support. "By nurturing an environment that emphasizes personal and academic growth, United We Can ensures that families are more deeply engaged in their children's education and, ultimately, their future success.

"Dr. Ron Cox's leadership in this program reflects his deep commitment to serving the community authentically. As a dedicated member of COHO for over 10 years, Dr. Cox has consistently shown up for the Hispanic and immigrant communities with compassion and dedication. His work is instrumental in empowering students and families, helping them navigate their educational journeys with greater confidence and support."

Cox's innovative work exemplifies how research can address societal challenges and create lasting change, making his recognition with the Public Impact Research Award a well-deserved honor.

The university's award recipient will become the OSU nominee for the national Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities' Public Impact Research Award.

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