Carly Roenbrook videos the speakers at the Gaylord Prize luncheon. (Photos by Helen Ford Wallace.)

The second annual Gaylord Prize was given at the luncheon hosted by University of Oklahoma President David L. Boren, Dean Joe Foote and the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication Board of Visitors recently.  Book author and New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman was the winner of the $25,000. prize.

The Gaylord Prize is funded by an endowment by the Edward L. Gaylord family.

Friedman’s talk to the 350 people who attended featured ideas and imagination. He noted that when you think of an idea, someone far away, or close by has the idea too. “When we are this connected, you have to act on your ideas, or someone else will, ” he said.

Gaylord College students in the audience used IPod nanos to take videos of the event and posted the videos online and on Twitter on their way back to school in Norman. Students also streamed the luncheon live and beamed in one of their fellow students who was studying abroad in South Korea. Ava Doyle told about her experiences as a student journalism and congratulated Friedman.

Carly Roenbrook with her camera of choice.

Bob Ross, Bill Ross and Thomas L. Friedman were at the VIP reception preceding the luncheon.

Judi Freyer and Jan Barrick Plant arrive at lunch.