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McAlester native Forrest J. “Frosty” Troy will be the fourth presenter in the Julian Rothbaum Lectureship Series to be held in Mitchell Auditorium on the Wilburton campus of Eastern Oklahoma State College 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Described as an editor, radio and television commentator, critic, humorist and one of the most dynamic public speakers in the country, Troy is recognized nationally for his upbeat presentations on public education, free enterprise and politics. Troy, throughout his more than 30 year career, remains a blunt defender of public education.

Troy is the editor of The Oklahoma Observer, a journal of commentary published semi-monthly. The Observer has won 17 national and 48 state and local awards since he launched the publication more than 33 years ago.

He has earned the Oklahoma Friend of Education Award, the National Friend of Education Award and has been cited as Outstanding Investigative Reporter by the Washington Journalist Review. Troy was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, received the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award which he shared with ABC’s Peter Jennings and more than four dozen other journalism awards. He has garnered many civic awards including Scouting’s God and Country Award and the American Legion’s Patriotism Award. The Oklahoma Observer holds the motto “To Comfort the Afflicted and Afflict the Comfortable.”

Troy will be the second native of McAlester in the lectureship series following former Oklahoma Governor George Nigh who served in the Oklahoma legislature, as Lt. Gov. and President of the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond.

Economists Dr. Robert Dauffenbach from OU and Dr. Larkin Warner of OSU along with Rep. Mike Mass were speakers during the inaugural Julian J. Rothbaum Lectureship in Public Policy in 2002. They were followed by Oklahoma Chancellor for Higher Education Dr. Paul Risser in 2003.

Hartshorne native Rothbaum donated $25,000 to Eastern Oklahoma State College Development Foundation that was matched by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to become a $50,000 endowed fund within the foundation to make the lectureship an annual event. Rothbaum was a Tulsa attorney with interests in the oil and gas industries.

The lectureship is designed to enhance the ability of Eastern to bring to the campus recognized authorities to address issues of public affairs at the national, state or local level.

Rothbaum was a longtime oilman, banker, lawyer, philanthropist and former member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. He was a strong and outstanding advocate for higher education and remained an integral part of the political process and public affairs during his life.