Weatherford, OK – Robyn Randol, instructor in the Department of Education and Director of the Registered Apprenticeship Program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), has been selected as a 2026 DaVinci Fellow through the DaVinci Institute’s DaVinci Awards program. The awards recognize individuals whose work demonstrates creativity and innovation across fields such as education, technology, business, and community impact.

Randol was recognized for her work helping develop Oklahoma’s Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway, a new initiative designed to expand entry points into the teaching profession and address teacher shortages across the state. The program creates a route for individuals already working in schools, including paraprofessionals and support staff, to earn a bachelor’s degree in education while remaining employed in their districts.

Traditionally, teacher candidates must complete a full-time student teaching semester that often requires them to leave their current employment. The apprenticeship model allows participants to complete clinical experience requirements while continuing to work in the classroom, combining university coursework with structured on-the-job training and mentorship.

“This pathway creates opportunities for people already serving students in schools to become certified teachers while continuing to work,” Randol said. “I’m excited to see how it can expand access to the profession and help address Oklahoma’s teacher shortage.”

The Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway was approved in Oklahoma in November 2025 as part of a statewide effort to create additional pathways into teaching. The initiative is being developed through collaboration between SWOSU, educators Robyn Randol and Marla Pankratz, and Becky Slothower, apprenticeship developer with the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, as part of Oklahoma’s Registered Teacher Apprenticeship pathway.

The program is currently being piloted with several Oklahoma school districts, including Clinton, Weatherford, El Reno, Mangum, and Darlington, with plans to expand participation as the model develops.

Randol has more than two decades of experience in education and has worked in a variety of roles within Oklahoma schools. Before joining SWOSU in 2021, she served as principal of West Elementary in Weatherford Public Schools and previously taught at multiple grade levels. At SWOSU, she leads the Registered Apprenticeship Program while teaching courses in elementary education and mentoring future educators.

The DaVinci Awards ceremony will be held Friday, March 27, at Oklahoma Innovation Hall in Oklahoma City. The event includes a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. As a DaVinci Fellow, Randol will receive a $1,000 award, a certificate, and the DaVinci Vitruvian Man medallion.

To learn more about the SWOSU Department of Education, visit www.swosu.edu/education/. For more details about the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway, contact Robyn Randol at robyn.randol@swosu.edu.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves over 5,000 scholars and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit www.swosu.edu.

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