Between his Stillwater FFA uniform, Opportunity Orange Scholars t-shirt, nametag and vest from Stillwater Milling Company, Special Olympics athletewear and OSU Cowgirls Softball manager gear, Matt Sitton is Oklahoma State’s own living proof that being a Cowboy isn’t in our clothes, it’s in our character.

“We wanted to give Matt every opportunity he could to be the best he could be, just like you would any child,” said Shelly Legg, Sitton’s mom.

Sitton lives with Down syndrome, a genetic condition caused when a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21.

Sitton’s whole life has been tied closely to Oklahoma State University, from spending his preschool years in the College of Education and Human Sciences’ Cleo L. Craig Child Development Lab to attending the university years later as an Opportunity Orange Scholar.

Opportunity Orange Scholars (OOS) is a non-degree academic certificate program designed specifically to give young adults with intellectual disability the skills they need to become independent and take part in competitive employment opportunities. OOS is extraordinary because of its partners’ ability to recognize talent in OOS students and foster those talents to ensure students’ success, not only in earning a university-recognized academic certificate in Career and Community Studies but also in developing foundational life skills, professionalism and self-advocacy.

Sitton attended OSU as a member of the very first class of Opportunity Orange Scholars on campus, and he was the first from the program to cross the stage during commencement.

“There aren’t even words to describe what that means to me as an alum and as a mom,” Legg said, remembering how it felt to witness her youngest child walk at OSU graduation.

Now living independently and employed by the Stillwater Milling Company as well as the Cowgirl Softball team, Sitton is the prime example of what OOS was designed for.

Beyond his involvement with OOS, Sitton is active in the Stillwater community and the Cowboy Family, representing the Cowboy Code in his everyday life by ending each day giving it everything he had.

“When he does his things, whatever that may be, he really wants to make other people happy,” Legg said.

This week, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a proclamation declaring May 1 as Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) Day in Oklahoma.

The proclamation recognizes the Oklahoma data that demonstrates 78% of IPSE graduates find competitive, integrated employment, compared to just 36% of their peers with disabilities who enter the workforce directly after high school.

Inclusive Postsecondary Education programs transform lives — empowering students, families, communities, and strengthening our state’s workforce.

Opportunity Orange Scholars has been designated as a Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) program, allowing students to access federal financial aid grants, making college more financially accessible.

Supporting OSU’s land-grant mission, OOS highlights the university’s commitment to inclusion by making college an option for young adults with substantial support needs. Sitton demonstrates patience and kindness, with strong friendships and ties to his community. He’s a true contributor to the Cowboy family.