Category: Travel

University of Oklahoma College of Law

Our final highlight of an epic trip was to the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma in order to attend a tour of OU College of Law. This law school sets itself apart instantly just by the size of the building. It is by far the largest of the three we visited while on this trip, with the courtrooms alone being some of the largest in the nation!

Before getting into the tour, the Director of Admissions, Maddie Ferris, took the time to sit with us and discuss where we are in our respective pre-law journeys and was a resource for all of our burning questions.

This was especially kind, and we greatly appreciate her time. As first-generation students, we are heading into the law field with a lot to learn, and the time with her was very helpful.

We also had a wonderful tour, led by OU Law student Candalyn Lyons. We had the chance to view their beautiful library while gaining insight on the various amenities, opportunities, and the culture of OU Law. We were given an awesome tour, and we learned a lot about the virtues of OU Law. 

Located less than three hours from Dallas, the school’s last incoming class had a median LSAT of 159 and GPA of 3.71. With in-state tuition less than $23,000 annually, the school offers various clinics and boasts a first-time bar-passage rate of greater than 90 percent. As an added bonus, the school is located in pretty Norman, Oklahoma, a college town of moderate size, which is, in turn, about thirty minutes from the much-larger Oklahoma City.

Just that morning we had seen Oklahoma City, and we spent a bit more time that afternoon looking around OU’s campus–which is beautiful!

 We saw numerous pieces of art work by James Surls, Jesus Moroles, a piece by Allan Houser, and we also saw our first “LOVE” sculpture by Robert Indiana.

We were perhaps most impressed by the University’s reading library, which resembles something out of a Harry Potter movie!

This was a great end to a great trip, with much learning about art, the law, architecture, food, and the outdoors.

This trip, a microcosm of the LEAP program’s offerings, cannot be defined nor summarized with an all-encompassing statement, or at least, not in a manner that truly does them justice. However, this tour allowed Cinthia and I to experience a plethora of things that we likely would not have done if not for the amazing opportunities the LEAP Center provides.

In just 8 days, we had 7 dishes with green chili, stayed in 6 different hotels, heavily familiarized ourselves with 5 artists from each of the 4 states we drove through, toured 3 law schools, got stuck in the snow 2 times, and had 1 amazing time doing it all! It was a great trip, full of learning, and we were very grateful to end it on such a high note amidst the friendly hospitality of the Oklahoma prairie.

Art in the US HeARTland

In many respects, the last activities of our trip were a perfect bookend to our initial activities on the trip. We began by visiting an art museum and attending a law-school tour, and we ended it the same way. Our first stop on the art leg of this adventure was the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art

We were immediately met with a tremendous 55-foot Dale Chihuly piece in the entryway of the museum.

It was tempting to jump directly into the Chihuly exhibit, but we restrained ourselves and, instead, saved Chihuly for last.

We enjoyed looking through their permanent collection, which had some of our favorite artists on display. Cinthia especially enjoyed the works by Moran, whom she learned about on this trip. By the end of the trip, it seemed to be second nature for her to recognize a Moran on sight!

In fact, it was a great chance to see many of the artists we had seen on the trip or had reinforced on the trip.

The much-awaited Chihuly exhibit did not disappoint. LEAP Ambassadors have had the privilege to see Chihuly in numerous capacities, each of which are uniquely beautiful. This was the first time, at least in our case, to have seen his pieces in a gallery with lighting designed to complement his works.

This allowed for the glass to shine in ways you couldn’t fathom. My favorite work, “Orange Baskets” won me over with the casted reflection of the light hitting the glass…

…which made a warm, wave-like image on the wall behind it.


Cinthia’s favorite, “Putti Installation”, had beautiful angelic figures made of glass atop a transparent, hollow vase. It was a first for us to see these detailed figures in his work, composed with his signature medium, and it was both eye-catching and exciting!

But in a larger sense, we had the opportunity to view and learn the scope of Chihuly’s work. This included some paintings…

…more chandeliers, and other styles, including his famous Persian ceiling.

But even as we left the Museum, we had one more art-related stop in Oklahoma City. The City has done a wonderful job revitalizing its downtown, and this includes a river walk adorned with art. One stop we had to make was to see the City’s statue of Sisyphus, a must-do since one of Olivia’s favorite books is Camus’s “The Myth of Sisyphus.”

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art

Unbeknownst to Cinthia or me, OU students don’t have to go off campus to see fantastic art–they have an art museum of their own! In fact, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art was one Cinthia’s favorite museums of the entire trip. This University museum had works of art from renowned artists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Degas…

…Van Gogh…

… Pisarro….

…O’Keeffe…

…John Steuart Curry…

….and Monet, the latter of which is a favorite of LEAP Ambassador Jessica Cuevas. They even had a copy from the 1800’s of Giorgio Vasari’s “Works of Vasari: The Lives III”, the first known art history book, in their ‘Treasures of Tuscany’ special exhibit!

We also saw more of key “LEAP” artists, such as Luis Jimenez…

…and Allan Houser.

Amidst all of the southwestern and prairie themed art, the Andy Warhol almost looked out of place–except, of course, it was of John Wayne!

After a trip of learning of various artists and their signature pieces, recognizing their work in museums was beginning to feel like running into an old friend. However, I almost didn’t recognize one of my go-to artists, James Surls!”–whose “Big Standing Bird” was different than what I had seen previously.

We didn’t have any firm expectations coming into the museum, but it was a very favorable surprise!

Panhandle Passage: Amarillo by Morning

by Olivia Discon

Following our adventure at Great Sand Dunes National Park, we made it back to the tip of the Texas Panhandle: Dalhart, TX. Our goal for today, was to get to Amarillo, then to Canyon, TX, and make our way to Oklahoma City. It was–both literally and figuratively–a whirlwind visit. We literally saw our first-ever tumbleweeds.

Cadillac Ranch

As we approached Amarillo well before noon, we stopped at Cadillac Ranch, a unique art installation. We had never seen it before, and what a sight!

Some nice people visiting loaned us some spray paint, and we left our mark!

It was a nice stop amidst the flat Amarillo landscape, made much more colorful by art.

Panhandle Plains Museum

Located on Texas A&M’s West Texas campus, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Musuem. Within the largest history museum in Texas, we had the ability to outline Texas history from indigenous settlement and conquistadors to where we are today.

A collection that served as a great conversation starter was ‘High Fashion to the High Plains’. Here we found an extensive wardrobe from high fashion designers such as Chanel and Emilio Pucci that are representative of the fashions of West Texas over time.

While this is a West Texas museum, we were most enthused with the East Texas representation in their ‘Art of Texas State Parks’ collection!

We saw artist and friend Lee Jamison’s work in the museum’s collection. While we are huge fans of all of Mr. Jamison’s paintings, our favorite one from the museum was of the Grave of Hubris, San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site.

I thoroughly enjoy the vibrancy of the landscapes Mr. Jamison creates, whether or not the scene itself is particularly bright. His paintings serve as a reminder to appreciate even the most simple of your surroundings, as there is an innate intricacy to each of them.

Palo Duro State Canyon Park

On such a fitting note, we ventured to the Palo Duro State Canyon Park to capture the scenic views on our last outdoors trek of the trip.

It may be sheer coincidence, but we truly saved the best hike for last! There was truly so much to see while on this short trail, with a different vista under a beautiful sky at almost every turn.

Maybe it was the fact that we had previously been immersed in scenes covered in pillowy white snow, but there was something awe-inspiring about looking over the cliff to see the red-casted landscape.

Photo by Olivia Discon

We explored far more than we anticipated we would, walking out to every outcrop…

Cinthia Villarreal Enjoys the View (not so much the wind); Photo by Olivia Discon

…looking over ledges…

Photo by Cinthia Villarreal Carrillo

…and climbing as many hills as possible.

We did our best to soak it in…

Photo by Olivia Discon

…and explore the area they call “The Grand Canyon of Texas.”

In fact, we didn’t really want to leave, but we wanted to get one more hike in, so we returned to the car.

Our last hike was the “Hole in the Wall Trail,” so named for obvious reasons!

This short hike involved a walk up to a cave. Although short, it was a somewhat rugged walk, and it was also filled with colors and different types of rocks.

The area immediately outside the cave offered interesting views of the landscape.

Photo by Olivia Discon

In the cave were three different holes in the top, and these looked intriguing to us–so much so that we found a way up to the to the top of the hill.

Olivia: “I don’t think I like this.”

We made it to the top after much climbing and scrambling, and climbed a way into the hole.

We also got interesting photos through the hole, from our vantage point!

Photo by Cinthia Villarreal Carrillo

I may have been a bit apprehensive to make the climb, but Cinthia was a voice of encouragement (or perhaps she was just more confident than I), and we made it to safety.

While we already live and learn in the great state of Texas, this was a completely new and refreshing day for everyone. However, it was not time to turn back home just yet! We packed our bags and headed towards the last state of our Southwest tour, Oklahoma.

Colorado Bound: Sand Dunes, Waterfalls, and Wonder

Zapata Falls

by Cinthia Villarreal

Heading into the third state of our Southwest road trip, we knew exactly how to spend our time, starting with a hike at Zapata Falls! After our short hike at Sun Mountain, we now consider ourselves hiking aficionados.

As we embarked on our short but rewarding hike, Colorado’s natural landscapes rewarded us every step of the way by providing beautiful views of snow, forests, and mountains.

The hike consisted of roughly one mile covered in snow and ice. For our final approach to the waterfall, we made our way along a frozen river, which we traversed gingerly.

Walking deeper into the creek and on top of a few rocks, we were able to witness the power of nature. The delicate, yet forceful-looking waterfall captivated all of us, leaving us with no words. In fact, both Olivia and I audibly gasped at the sight of it.  

Being even more adventurous, we decided to carefully climb a step of the river into a magnificent cave where we could see the whole waterfall. Witnessing the power and beauty of nature startled us. The waterfall, once loud and unstoppable, stood still and completely frozen in time.  

Great Sand Dunes National Park

After the one-of-a-kind adventure, we headed to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. This was first time Olivia or I had ever visited a national park; to say we were excited would be an understatement.

We had to stop at the Visitor Center to buy souvenirs–and even our own National Parks Passport, which we stamped with a seal provided by the center. 

As we walked over to the dunes, we realized that the small-looking hills we saw on our way were misleading. The dunes were hundreds of feet high, and they towered over us.

With some determination, lots of doubts, and a huge amount of persuasion from Professor Yawn, Olivia and I walked one dune after another, getting higher and higher each time.

This was a true test of our endurance since our feet kept digging into the sand…

….with each step we took which would make us take even more steps and consequently tire us even more.  But getting to the top also made us feel something like champions!

We made sure to capture the moment.

Despite the unanticipated workout, we were overwhelmed by the magnificent features the dunes possessed, how thin coats of snow would rest them, and the golden, transcendental-like appearance the light of the sun would give it.  

As we started the long walk back to the car, the wind picked up to about 40 miles per hour, and, even though we were as cold as we had ever been, we were mesmerized by the way the snow would dance with the breeze on top of the sand, making patterns and moving through waves like it knows exactly what it is doing.

With sand in our shoes and frostbite on our faces, we were able to close out another successful day of firsts for us. 

In the Footsteps of O’Keeffe and Adams: San Francisco de Assisi Mission

By Olivia Discon

While our time in Taos was brief, we wanted to maximize our chance to photograph the famous San Francisco de Assisi Mission. Upon arriving last night, we left our hotel–in temperatures of about eight degrees–to photograph the famous mission.

Construction began in the late 18th century and was completed in 1816. The Spanish settlements featured key aspects of their mission and culture, with churches being centrally located within a plaza that was easy to defend.

Although the Mission has been endlessly photographed and painted, we haven’t seen a lot of night scenes. Part of that may be that, as we found out, is that it is difficult to photograph at night.

To the extent that the temperatures and light allowed, we did our best to photograph the building. With the many lights in the front of the building, we were drawn to the building’s rear, with its beehive buttresses and intriguing contours.

Photo by Olivia Discon

I was able to get a night shot, without some of the distracting street lights. But these lights did drown out some of the stars that we would have liked to have seen. 

Fortunately, we were able to try again early the next day, just as it was being touched by the morning sun. Having the chance to view this structure in two different capacities was not only exciting to witness, but also to photograph!

Cinthia and I got the chance to be creative and capture our separate perceptions of the church and how it interacts with its landscape.

Photo by Cinthia Villarreal Carrillo

Intriguingly, the community meets every June to use a mixture of mud and straw to repair the exterior adobe. Seeing the structure in person, it’s easy to see why the community is attached to it–and why tourists, such as us, flock to it.

Photo by Cinthia Villarreal Carrillo

It’s also easy to see why artists and photographers flock to it. In fact, several people we spoke with described it as one of the most photographed churches in the United States.

San Francisco de Assisi, by Ansel Adams

That is certainly evidence from the different art galleries and museums we visited!

San Francisco de Assisi, by Georgia O’Keeffe

It was, in short, a beautiful way to end our time in New Mexico!

A Santa Fe Sunset from Sun Mountain

With an impending departure from Santa Fe looming, we wanted to get in one more experience: a hike. We had considered the challenging Picacho Peak and the easy Hondo Arroyo, but we opted for a middle option. 

Sun Mountain Trail is listed as a 1.6-mile round trip hike that is still challenging–a function of its 734 feet elevation gain. 

And from what we’ve read, the hike offers impressive views from the top of the trail.

The hike begins in a semi-residential area, and it soon grows steep. 

For Texans such as ourselves, the thin air is a challenge. Denver may be famous as the “mile-high” city, but Santa Fe is a 1.4 miles above sea level. Houston, by comparison, is about 50 feet above sea level, so between the exertion and the thin air, we were breathing heavy.

Photo by Olivia Discon

Stopping for breath had other virtues.

The trail wends its way up the mountain, offering periodic views of the community below, the mountains on the horizon, and the snow that had recently blanketed the area.

As you approach the top, you go through a series of switchbacks which can be difficult, but which offer even better views. 

As you might imagine, it’s windy at the top, but it’s beautiful, especially at sunset. 

Photo by Cinthia Villarreal Carrillo

It was cold, but we stayed in the wind and cold so we could see the sun drop below the horizon, soak in the blue hour, and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. For Cinthia and Olivia, this was the highest elevation ever reach: 7,920 feet. 

It was, we decided, a great vantage point from which to say au revoir to Santa Fe, knowing we will be back one day.