Ferguson College of Agriculture

Barbara McCray is OSU Plant and Soil Science’s Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory Business Office Manager from San Diego, California. Her father was a truck driver, and they moved from across the U.S., before they found their way to Oklahoma in 1980. Barbara graduated from Enid High School and was accepted to Oklahoma State University. 

 

“I was a member of the OSU Marching Band and Concert Band,” she said. 

 

An OSU alumna, Barbara graduated in 1995 with a degree in math and statistics. She returned to OSU in 1996 to obtain another degree in accounting, and graduated in 1998.

 

Barbara had also landed a student position in the office of the OSU Soils Testing Lab.

“As time went on, this became my full-time position in 1996,” she said. 

 

In 1999, Barbara married her husband, Randy, and later had two wonderful boys. 

“I have been blessed with my family and friends along the way,” she said.

 

In 1997, Barbara was an active member of the OSU Alumni Band until she switched to Scouting with her two boys. 

 

“I am a very proud mom of two Eagle Scouts, and now I have a legacy, as my oldest attended OSU in 2019 and graduated in 2023 as a music major and band director!” she said.

 

At OSU, Barbara manages the office at the OSU Soils Testing Lab. She said the great thing about her job is the variation from day to day. 

 

“I get to talk to amazing Extension people, handle samples from the beginning process to the end, as well as maintain the data and accounts receivable for the lab,” she said. 

 

Barbara also loves that she can step in the lab and assist when needed.

 

During her time here, Barbara received the Distinguished Service Award in 2003. 

 

“Being part of the Outstanding Group Award in Extension is a proud moment, not only for myself, but for the lab,” she said. “And achieving it within 29 years at OSU is not too bad.”

 

Some of the biggest changes she has seen at OSU are the improvements in their lab, from equipment updates to the number of samples received, and to her full-time employee growth.

 

Barbara is very passionate about OSU, with the university being very dear to her heart. 

 

“I love the small community vibe around here,” she said. 

Agriculture is a major part of OSU and the state, not to mention the lab itself. What the Soils Lab provides is very important, and Barbara said she loves that she gets to be a part of that. 

 

“I just bleed Orange and Black. GO POKES!”

 

An interesting way Barbara has kept PR up was a time when she indirectly asked Coach Gundy’s dad out for lunch. 

 

“Mistakenly, I dialed the wrong number, and he was very kind and told me he would get lunch if he was in town,” she said. “It certainly makes for a good laugh and reminder to double-check the numbers I dial!”

 

Outside of work, Barbara loves spending time with her family and friends, baking, scrapbooking and doing photography.