| Dr. Foley's primary areas of scholarship are
American Studies with an emphasis on Oklahoma
music and culture, Native American Studies, and
Cinema. His 31 years of radio experience
also provides RSU with an excellent advisor and mentor
for broadcasting majors. He currently serves as
the faculty consultant
at the campus radio station, KRSC-FM, where he
produces a weekly Native American current events and
music program, and mentors students in basic studio
operations. He has established a college music format which allows
students a chance to operate a progressive music radio
format and learn operational skills appropriate for
entry level positions in commercial radio, and counsels student music
directors in their reporting to the national
publication. College Media Journal. Dr. Foley is also
a published poet, the author of the Oklahoma
Music Guide, and has also produced a widely-shown
documentary, Savage Country, which explores the
use of American Indian mascots in Oklahoma high school
football, in addition to several other cultural and
experimental videos. Foley received a Ph. D. in English from Oklahoma State University in 2000, an M. A. in English with an emphasis in creative writing from New York University in 1992, and a B. A. in English from New York University in 1987. His doctoral dissertation explores the cultural history of Muskogee, Oklahoma from 1795 to 1945 to explain why the town produced more noted jazz musicians than any other town of comparable size in American history. He is an honor graduate of the U.S. Department of Defense Information School with specialized training in public affairs and radio/tv broadcasting, and was graduated by Muskogee High School in 1979. Dr. Foley also produces the annual Native American Storytelling and Traditional Arts Festival at RSU, held each year on the fourth Saturday of November, advises the RSU Native American Student Association, and coordinates the RSU Graduation Honor Powwow the 2nd weekend of May. His radio program, "Native Air," is broadcast on both KRSC-FM and on KUSH-1600 AM in Cushing, Oklahoma and was chosen by readers of Native American Times as one of their favorite Indian radio programs in the 2000, 2001, and 2003 surveys. He also reports a weekly Americana music chart to the Americana Music Association for KUSH. From 1995 to 2003, he served as a founding member on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc., a non-profit organization which produces the yearly induction ceremonies for the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Currently, he serves as the chair of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Induction Selection Committee, and as an ex-officio board member. Additionally, Dr. Foley serves on the advisory board for the Pawnee Nation College in Pawnee, Oklahoma, and as of July, 2005, he accepted role of President of the Oklahoma Folklife Council . In 2008, Foley chaired the statewide panel to coordinate the nomination and selection of a legislatively designated rock song for the state of Oklahoma which will be announced in January 2009. |