A New Program, Serving New Students

On this episode of the Tech Times Podcast we chat with Owasso Campus Director Dr. Leslie Clark and Assistant Director Angela Davis about the new Service Careers: Food Service Assistant Program headed to the campus this fall.

Transcript

Announcer: [00:00:00] From Tulsa Tech, helping you make your own path with insights and information about the world of career training, the Tech Times Podcast starts right now. 

Ryan (Host): Hey everyone, and welcome to the Tech Times podcast. I'm your host, Ryan Williams. We are not even finished with our 2025, 26 traditional school year, and yet we are already going to talk about new and exciting things that are coming next school year.

Ryan (Host): So for instance, Tulsa Tech is launching a new service careers food service assistant program at our Owasso campus in August of 2026. Man, I Almost good. Joining us today to provide all of the important info about the new program are Dr. Leslie Clark, campus director and Angela Davis, assistant Director at the Owasso Campus.

Ryan (Host): Welcome to you both. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Thank you, Ryan. 

Angela Davis: Yes. Thank you for having us. 

Ryan (Host): So before we dive into the program, I want to hear from both of you, what [00:01:00] makes you most excited about launching this program? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: We love serving all of our students and we have such a need in our community for serving students who have special needs.

Dr. Leslie Clark: And so this particular program is designed for adult students who have special needs intellectual or developmental disabilities. This is a population that needs career opportunities just like all of our other students. So we're just excited to provide those learning opportunities for them. 

Ryan (Host): Angela, if you had to describe Service Careers, food Service assistant in one sentence to someone hearing about it for the first time, what would you say?

Angela Davis: I would say this program is gonna take these, this population, and it's going to figure out what they're capable to do. And then. They're gonna train them on how to do it, and they're gonna try to figure out how to get a job for them so that they are being productive and that they are able to, yeah, maybe do some things themselves, which is great. 

Ryan (Host): Very cool. Very cool. So this [00:02:00] program is for high school graduates, 18 graduates. 18 to 24 years old? 

Angela Davis: Yes. 

Ryan (Host): Okay. Let's paint a picture for the folks that are listening in. What exactly will students be learning in this program? 

Angela Davis: They're gonna be learning quite a few, restaurant services skills, like basic knife skills maybe some basic sauces your salad makers. You think about like olive garden and all the salads that they have to make basic sandwich making type things. Of course how to inventory, how to stock, how to clean. Sanitation's a big thing. Besides all that, they're also gonna be learning hospitality skills.

Angela Davis: Maybe working the front desk of a hotel, maybe cleaning a hotel room. We have one of our former students in the cert culinary program, vacuums. Vacuums. That's what he does all day long, has a job, has benefits. 

Ryan (Host): Very cool. 

Angela Davis: They figure out what. They are good at and they train 'em how to do it and then they get 'em out there in the workforce with 

Ryan (Host): it.

Ryan (Host): Okay. So let's talk a little bit more about what [00:03:00] kinds of jobs we're talking about. You mentioned the vacuuming and some of the prep work and restaurants. What else may be a qualification they. Earn while in the program, 

Dr. Leslie Clark: they'll earn certification in food service. So they'll have their serve safe allergen, but they'll also have their food handlers, their serve safe food handlers certifications.

Dr. Leslie Clark: So those certifications will enable them to safely handle and serve food, but then they'll also work on skills that would enable them to work successfully in. A hospitality entry level position. 

Ryan (Host): Very cool. What does a typical day look like for a student while in this program? Obviously we're launching it so we don't know quite yet, but is there an ideal.

Ryan (Host): Viewpoint from what the daily stuff will be during the course of their training? 

Angela Davis: They will be here, they're gonna be on the traditional calendar, which is something new, and we're excited to have that. They'll be, they'll start at eight o'clock every morning. With these students, they'll probably be about an hour of [00:04:00] what we call book.

Angela Davis: Type work or they're looking over recipes or they might be watching videos on different different skills, different things that they need to do, and then the rest of the time they will be do working on skills. The nice thing about bringing this program out to Owosso is that we are set up, we have so many areas in this building that already have the supplies, have the materials that they need too.

Angela Davis: Maybe become that sanitation expert or become that bed making expert. We, we already have a whole hotel room in our building,

Announcer: sure. 

Angela Davis: They are gonna have an area that's just their own, that they can do some, if they need some very focused, especially when you're working on like knife skills and stuff like that.

Angela Davis: But then they can also go in into our catering kitchen. They can go into our. Teaching kitchen and do skills in there also. So that's what they'll spend the majority of their day doing. They'll have a lunch from 11 to 1130 and then at two 30 they'll be going home. 

Ryan (Host): Oh, very nice. Tulsa [00:05:00] Tech has been work workshopping this training in our fast.

Ryan (Host): Like adult weekend and evening courses known as Cert Culinary at the time, how does this transformation to a full-time program impact our community and the family seeking this type of training? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yeah, so we've looked at the CERT program in different ways in which we can make the program more accessible.

Dr. Leslie Clark: We are greatly appreciative of the CERT program and the preparation that they have provided for students. And there are some opportunities for financial aid through the Department of Rehabilitation Services that will help better support students than what they were able to qualify for, maybe through the CERT program.

Ryan (Host): So they'll be able to maybe get some financial aid Yes. Through Pell or stuff like that, that's what kind of what changes this. Program being from a part-time to a full-time? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yes. 

Ryan (Host): Okay. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yes. 

Ryan (Host): What are there any differentiations in the application process from maybe our traditional career training programs?

Angela Davis: Yes, the application [00:06:00] process is a little bit different and you can find it at tulsatech.edu. If you go in there and type in your service careers, there's a link to the application. The pretty extensive application, just because with the, especially with the DRS requirements, there's just more paperwork that we have to have.

Angela Davis: Sure. Recommendation letters, we. Have to know more about the student and the students' capabilities and just to make sure that they're right, fit for the program and be able to get the most that they can get 

Ryan (Host): outta the 

Angela Davis: program. 

Ryan (Host): Definitely. Beyond the technical skills, how will this help students prepare for greater independent?

Dr. Leslie Clark: They'll have access to our academic centers and they'll be prepared for resume writing. They'll be prepared for interviews. They'll be prepared for career fairs, and so they'll, their job seeking skills will be greatly improved, or at least those services will be able to provide for them because the ultimate goal is for them to be employed when they leave here.

Dr. Leslie Clark: We want them to be able to get a job. Keep a job and be able to [00:07:00] support themselves financially. 

Ryan (Host): As we've mentioned before, this program is designed for individuals with disabilities. What makes this approach different from our traditional career training programs? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: So we have hospitality and tourism management as a separate program from culinary arts.

Dr. Leslie Clark: I see where we were going as a separate program, and so this particular program for food service assistant, it. It just simply broadens our opportunities to provide employees for our community. Perfect. 

Angela Davis: I do feel like also where the hospitality and the culinary programs. It's a pretty set. This is what everybody is coming out with at the end.

Angela Davis: They're all going through the mother sauces, they're all going through the different baking. Right now we're bread week, where this, it's really, yes we have a set of skills that will be covered, but they're also looking [00:08:00] at the students and trying to figure out where. What they best can be in.

Angela Davis: And so if you've got a student that is not doing well on knife skills, but maybe is doing really well on the stocking and the organizing and inventorying, yes, you're going to show 'em some basic knife skills, but you're gonna really hone in 

Ryan (Host): sure 

Angela Davis: on where that student can be extremely productive and be.

Ryan (Host): So really the differentiation is this individualized 

Angela Davis: Yes. 

Ryan (Host): Type training for each student based on their skill sets and their ability 

Angela Davis: with, within a, yeah, 

Angela Davis: Yeah. Within 

Ryan (Host): the frame of the program. Correct. So that

Angela Davis: correct. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. 

Angela Davis: Okay. And that's why we keep the classes as small. 

Ryan (Host): Sure. 

Angela Davis: And it's a, 

Ryan (Host): yeah, you certainly want a small ratio of teacher to students so that way they can be more engaged in all of that.

Ryan (Host): Yeah. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: So we have a maximum number of 10 students and we'll have a full-time instructor and a part-time skills trainer in there with them. I think that will help just to identify what skills, through all of [00:09:00] these objectives that they're being exposed to, what are the skills that they really develop at a high school level.

Ryan (Host): This is a course that truly immerses students within their working and environment to help them feel comfortable in their surroundings. What are the requirements to be considered for the program? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: They have to be a Department of Rehabilitation Services client. And through that relationship that we have with DRS that will help us to identify the students that are really in a great position, they may just need to hone some skills or learn some gain some knowledge and abilities before they go out to the workplace.

Dr. Leslie Clark: But because the. The sole goal is for them to be employed. That relationship with the Department of Rehabilitation Services is really key. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. It's crucial to have that relationship with those community partners. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yeah. And the more independent a student is probably the better they're gonna perform in [00:10:00] the class.

Dr. Leslie Clark: Depending on the level of service that they require. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. What kind of growth do you hope to see in students by the time they complete the program? 

Angela Davis: We wanna see 'em out in the workforce. That, that's what our whole goal is. Just get 'em in the workforce. Same thing with these students.

Ryan (Host): Yeah. 

Angela Davis: Find the right spot, find the right skills and get them going in the way that they can go and be productive 

Ryan (Host): citizens of society. Exactly. Yeah. 

Angela Davis: Exactly. 

Ryan (Host): How do we integrate work-based learning or internships into the program? 

Angela Davis: We, this program we will. 

Angela Davis: We. Honestly, we're working on exactly what is that gonna look like.

Angela Davis: The where their current workforce learning is right now in the CIR culinary program is a little bit outta reach, potentially could still be an option for this program, but we're trying to, come up with some places around here in Owosso trying 

Ryan (Host): to build some partnerships in the area. Correct? Yeah, definitely.

Angela Davis: We, and that's again, that's nice about it being up here in [00:11:00] Owosso. We already have such a great already base with our culinary and hospitality programs and they're. Connections with the industry partners and so we're starting there just saying, Hey, this is the students that we have. Who do you have?

Angela Davis: And we do already have some contacts with some potential work-based learning. And 

even 

Ryan (Host): the events here on campus. Yes. And then the conference center will totally lead themselves to some work-based learning for these students as well.

Angela Davis: And truthfully, even them working with our current culinary and our culinary hospitality program could do some work-based learning also.

Ryan (Host): Definitely. 

Angela Davis: Yeah. 

Ryan (Host): What excites you the most about having this program on campus? 

Angela Davis: It's such a great fit. It's such a great fit for the students. It's such a great fit for the instructors and our whole entire hospitality hallway back there are already, as soon as we mention like it was barely out of our mouth and they were already thinking of ways they can collaborate.

Angela Davis: This campus is excited. To get this program and get this these students here because they're gonna thrive. Everybody knows they're gonna thrive. [00:12:00] 

Ryan (Host): So more on that. How will you be able to incorporate this program with the other hospitality programs already on campus? 

Angela Davis: They already got plans. They got plans for napkin folding, because that's one of the big thing that our hospitality program does.

Angela Davis: And they're gonna turn around and then teach them, because that's another skill. Napkin folding setting the table, all that. Most likely we'll be taught by our hospitality kits because that's, they need to know how to. To be able to teach that. 

Ryan (Host): I love that. And then they'll be able to teach the other students, which will help them learn that skill even more 

Angela Davis: correct. And I've already heard something about gingerbread houses too, with the culinary. Yes. That'll 

be 

Ryan (Host): fun. 

Angela Davis: Yeah. Our catering kitchen and our catering, director of catering, he's already made a whole spot in the catering kitchen for them to be able to come in and do some specialized things there.

Angela Davis: Which is fantastic. Just them being here, it we can't even begin to imagine what's what 

Ryan (Host): the possibilities are. Yeah.

Angela Davis: Yes. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: The focus of the Owasso campus is hospitality. We have hospitality and tourism [00:13:00] management, as I mentioned earlier, and culinary arts and photography, and so many event related programs here at the Owasso campus.

Dr. Leslie Clark: This is just a natural fit for them to get connected in those areas and, we have a lot of. Folks on campus that are pretty competitive. So I can, anticipate different contests and competitions Yes. As we go along to make it a lot more fun. Yes. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. What would you say to a family member who's considering this for someone they care about?

Ryan (Host): Considering this program 

Dr. Leslie Clark: come visit Exactly. Come to the campus visit. We're happy to show you the dedicated space. We have a classroom lab, and then we have other areas that are shared spaces. She's already mentioned the catering kitchen, the instructional kitchen. We have another designated space for some cold prep kind of kinds of experiences, and I would just encourage them to come by for a visit and submit the application.

Angela Davis: Yep. 

Ryan (Host): We touched upon this earlier, but what are you most excited to see once the first group of students walks through the [00:14:00] doors this fall? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: I'm most excited to see their progress. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: And. Th their outcomes. Typically, when students come to the Owosso campus, they are wide-eyed and they're, some of them are overwhelmed, not just with the size, but with the architectural beauty of the campus.

Dr. Leslie Clark: And then I think initially. They don't really feel like they belong here because it's so nice. It's so nice. But all of our students eventually learn. Yes, I do belong there. I do fit in here. This is a nice building and it has great people, but I think the key thing is helping them to understand they belong here.

Ryan (Host): Very much. Okay guys, fun question. If you both had to work one role. In the restaurant or tourism industry for a day, what would you pick? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: I would provide nature [00:15:00] tours. Oh. Like for example, Turkey Mountain. I would take people out there and just give them tours of. Just the natural resources that we have there.

Ryan (Host): You could be a trail guide. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Trail guide, yes. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Thank you. There is a job. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: For that I would be a trail guide. 

Ryan (Host): National Park Service. Very cool. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yes. And you 

Angela Davis: point out all the flowers and everything. Yes. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: What's edible? 

Angela Davis: This. That's that. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yes. I can tell the difference between that. Birds sound. Birds. Purple dead nettle.

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yes. And henbit. 

Angela Davis: Okay. Angela? 

Ryan (Host): What? 

Angela Davis: I wanna be a cruise director. 

Ryan (Host): Cruise director? Yeah. Okay. 

Angela Davis: Yeah. 

Ryan (Host): And what would that entail? 

Angela Davis: A cruise director? 

Ryan (Host): Yeah. 

Angela Davis: Have you ever been on a cruise? 

Ryan (Host): No. 

Angela Davis: We're the life of the party. We keep the fun going. 

Ryan (Host): Okay. 

Angela Davis: We're the one when you're sitting, and you're stranded on your cruise, you're like, oh, it's fine.

Angela Davis: This is going on. Let's do trivia. Let's do this, let's do that. 

Ryan (Host): Okay. If we were considering one skill, even outside of a job in the food [00:16:00] service industry, what skill should everyone know? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Communication.

Dr. Leslie Clark: Yeah. 

Ryan (Host): Yeah, for sure. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Professional communication.

Ryan (Host): Have you seen shows about restaurants personable?

Ryan (Host): There's not too much professional communication, but there is some communication 

Angela Davis: but do you know our industry partners? That's what they tell us. For sure. And it really doesn't matter if you're in hospitality. If you're talking to it, you're talking to medical, that, they're all saying that.

Ryan (Host): Right. 

Angela Davis: Communication, 

Ryan (Host): definitely everybody needs to be able to communicate person to person. 

Ryan (Host): And and within the team. If listeners remember one thing about this program, what would you want it to be? 

Dr. Leslie Clark: It's inclusive. 

Angela Davis: Very inclusive. 

Ryan (Host): Would you have a different answer, Angela? 

Angela Davis: No, because my answer was gonna be to what am what are we looking forward to is the collaboration.

Angela Davis: This building is. Extremely collabor collaborative and I can't, we just don't even know. We don't know what's gonna happen when they get here, [00:17:00] but we do know it is gonna happen. 

Ryan (Host): That's the beauty of the creative and that's type of programs you are.

Angela Davis: And that's the exciting part. 

Ryan (Host): Yes. 

Angela Davis: We just need to get 'em on campus.

Angela Davis: Yes. And it'll happen. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: And that collaboration just happens naturally. The outpouring of hospitality. Across the building, not just in those programs that specialize in that, but in all of the programs that are. Here at the Owasso campus. They really care about other people and they really care about working together.

Ryan (Host): I think we see that across the district. Obviously you guys have a great example of that here on this campus, but there's certainly a teamwork element. Yes. That is across the district. Yes. But I can certainly see that with the hospitality type programs here. Thank you so much to both of you for joining us.

Ryan (Host): It's been exciting to talk about this new program. 

Dr. Leslie Clark: Thank you. We're excited. Thank you. Yes. 

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