A Cowboy, Without Question

Building a better world together.

Meet Ridge Hughbanks.

 

Growing up in a family of Cowboys in Alva, Oklahoma, OSU senior Ridge Hughbanks always had his sights set on Oklahoma State University. He was steeped in OSU tradition before he stepped foot on campus but didn’t fully grasp what it meant to be a Cowboy until he arrived. 

 

Now he knows. 

 

For Ridge, being a Cowboy is about building a strong work ethic, embracing new perspectives and being there to support one another. Ridge believes the land-grant mission makes OSU a special place, but even amongst land-grant universities, OSU stands above, excelling not just in agriculture but across the board.

 

As an institution OSU is called to serve. Cowboys answer the call, too. 

 

As a traveling FFA officer, Ridge spent last year traversing 37 states, meeting with U.S. senators, EPA and U.S. Dept of Agriculture officials and agriculture industry leaders to advocate for the program and for educational opportunities not just in Oklahoma, but around the nation. 

 

The agribusiness and pre-law major also volunteers at Stillwater community events and at Turning Point Ranch, where he uses therapeutic horseback riding instruction to help kids with special needs and others seeking innovative routes to physical recovery. 

 

For Ridge, the Cowboy way means going above and beyond in service of others. It’s about building a legacy and a better world. 

 

That’s how we build Cowboys.

 

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