NSU Celebrates Another Successful Year

TAHLEQUAH From new buildings to RiverHawks, inaugural lectureships to a record-breaking number of graduates, 2006 has been a year of growth, innovation, and transition at Northeastern State University.

The past year has been incredible for Northeastern, said NSU President Dr. Larry Williams. we've seen our campuses expand, new facilities open, and new programs launched, all while continuing to provide the same quality educational opportunities that make NSU Oklahomas premier regional university.

During 2006, Northeastern conferred a record number of degrees during both Spring and Fall Commencement ceremonies. A record 1,800 undergraduate and graduate candidates received their degrees during the institutions 97th Spring Commencement held in Jack Dobbins Field House on May 6. Fall commencement, held Dec. 16, was also the largest in the Universitys history, with nearly 750 candidates eligible to receive their degrees.

Northeastern continues to produce quality graduates every year, said Williams. Our graduation rates reflect the continued faith the people of Oklahoma have placed in our institution, along with the phenomenal success our graduates discover once they leave our halls.

Northeastern continued to create more advanced learning environments for the institutions students, completing several buildings during the past year. With the Grand Opening of Building G in Broken Arrow and the Science Center in Tahlequah, NSU brought state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to students attending the University.

The first higher education project completed with funds provided by voters through Vision 2025, the Grand Opening celebration for Building G was held Aug. 25, 2006. The classroom facility, part of Phase II construction on the Broken Arrow campus, will be joined by a science building and library in Spring 2007.

We greatly appreciate the faith the people of Broken Arrow and Tulsa County have placed in our University by approving Vision 2025, said Williams. The expanded classroom facility will allow NSUBA to better serve students in the Greater Tulsa Metropolitan Area.

Once completed, the campus will be able to accommodate 8,000 students annually, providing for increased economic growth for the Tulsa metropolitan area through a well-educated work force, which provides incentive for new employers to establish businesses in the region.

At the Universitys main campus in Tahlequah, a much-needed addition was completed for the NSU College of Science and Health Professions in the form of the Science Center, with a Grand Opening celebration held Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006.

The completion of the Science Center marked a milestone for Northeastern and provides greater opportunities for our students pursuing careers in the science and health sectors, said Williams.

Funded by a $10 million revenue bond issued by the University, the NSU Science Center was designed by the Dewberry Design Group in Tulsa as the first phase of renovations to the institutions science facilities. The next project is the renovation of classrooms in the adjacent Science Building, built in 1956, made possible through the higher education bond issue.

Nearly every NSU student who has attended classes in the past fifty years has passed through the halls of the Science Building, said Williams. When I came to NSU in 1997, I placed renovation and expansion of our science facility as a top priority. Students working on an undergraduate degree will be required to take courses offered by the College of Science and Health Professions, and many excel in pre-professional programs that lead them to terminal degrees in the sciences. We owe it to our students to provide the best academic learning environment possible.

The three-story science laboratory building, connected to the current science facility, encompasses 62,000 square feet with space for both teaching and research of physics, chemistry and biology. The facility houses 26 laboratories and can serve more than 400 students per lab session.

Growth took on many forms at the University in 2006, as the NSU Foundation experienced phenomenal and record-breaking support from alumni and friends of the institution. At the end of year, the Foundation had easily surpassed the number of donors and the amount of donations received in 2005.

The NSU Foundation continues to work hand-in-hand with the University to provide a broad array of programs and educational opportunities for our students, said Williams. With the support of our caring alumni and friends, along with the dedication of our faculty and staff, the NSU Foundation will continue to see record growth.

In addition to an all-time record in donations, the NSU Foundation has exceeded $12 million in assets through the continued support of alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and community members.

Donations to the Foundation go to support a number of projects, educational programs, and student scholarships. One such program, the Larry Adair Lectureship Series, launched Sept. 8 with a panel discussion on politics and U.S. Supreme Court appointments.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Jim Edmondson, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith, former U.S. Congressman Brad Carson, and NSU Professor of political science Dr. Justin Halpern were panelists at an open forum, discussing the topic Appointing a Court The Supreme Courts Impact on America.

The Larry Adair Lectureship Series was established in 2004 by friends and family of the retiring Oklahoma Speaker of the House to create an annual forum to address issues in politics, government, and public policy.

Adair was recognized at a dinner following the forum for his commitment to improving the lives of Oklahomans and dedication to education and military veterans.

Representative Larry Adair has dedicated his time, talents, energy, and frankly his life, to the people of Oklahoma, said Williams. His service to the citizens of this state for over 22 years should be commended.

The announcement of the RiverHawks as the new NSU mascot in November was the culmination of a seven-month process that started in May, when Williams announced that the institution would retire use of the name Redmen.

Throughout this process, we have been committed to letting individuals who have a vested interest in this institution guide the change, said Williams. We anticipate RiverHawks will be depicted in a way that inspires pride in the institution, a competitive spirit among our athletes, and a unique identity that we can all support and rally behind.

NSU, in association with Rickabaugh Graphics, is in the process of developing the brand identity for a spirit logo that will be unveiled before Spring Commencement 2007.

With all of the excitement surrounding the kickoff of Oklahomas Centennial at the end of 2006, NSU is also preparing to celebrate 100 years as a state institution. Kicking off in August 2008, Northeastern will host a 17-month celebration commemorating the historic milestone.

A number of special centennial events, projects, and reunions are planned for the celebration. Along with a Centennial fund-raising campaign, the celebration will pay lasting tribute to the Universitys unique heritage and accomplishments and set the stage for a second century of providing outstanding educational opportunities as Oklahomas premier regional university.