Fellows on Tulsa Time

Last week, the inaugural class of 1050 Forward Fellows, a group of twelve executive level leaders from micropolitan communities across Oklahoma, gathered for the first time in Tulsa for a two day retreat. The retreat included a trolly tour of Tulsa’s most iconic districts and neighborhoods as well as a walking tour of the Gathering Place.

In addition to visiting some of Tulsa’s most well-known and beloved attractions, Fellows also enjoyed a community dining experience at et.al.. , which was selected as a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2023 by the James Beard Foundation along with only 30 other restaurants from across the county. Special guest Chef Colin Sato shared details about the groundbreaking and collaborative concept of et al. and answered questions from the group.

Gathering Place

1050 Forward Fellows enjoyed a walking tour guided by George Kaiser who shared many special details about the planning and construction of the world-class park.

The power of collaboration when it comes to turning vision into reality was a theme for the retreat.

Fellows met, for the first time, with senior staff from Partners for Rural Impact who will help guide a year long arc of learning for the fellowship focused on results-based accountability. During the instruction portion of the retreat, Fellows reviewed assigned reading and shared reflections. The group also organized into community-based cohorts to analyze data.

Fellows will convene several more times in the coming year with opportunities to visit and explore Ada, Muskogee and Stillwater.