Woodward, Okla. — By Dr. Janet Cunningham

  The start of the new academic year is always a special time at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. It is always great to welcome back our returning students and we look forward to meeting the new students who have chosen to join the Ranger family.

I had the opportunity to meet many of these students during Freshmen Orientation last Saturday. It became clear very early that day that we have attracted some outstanding young men and women from across the area.

The number of first-time freshmen attending Northwestern has grown in recent years, including many who have chosen to attend classes at our Woodward campus. I am certain that our Woodward campus is providing higher education opportunities to many students who would be unable to attend classes elsewhere because of jobs, family commitments or other factors.

A few years ago, college students were classified as either traditional or non-traditional students. Traditional students were those who sought an atmosphere of typical college life, such as athletic events, Greek systems and living in residence halls. Non-traditional students were those who simply wanted to take classes and wanted nothing else. They usually were older, had families and had limited ability to commute to classes. Today, the lines between traditional and non-traditional students are blurred.

Northwestern works to provide opportunities to students no matter their situation. All three of our campuses serve all categories of students with a single goal in mind – completion of a baccalaureate or master’s degree. Northwestern has made college more accessible than ever before. With three campuses, day and evening classes, plus online options, earning a college degree is within reach of almost everyone.

I would encourage anyone who has given thought to earning a college degree to contact Northwestern. In Woodward, Dr. Deena Fisher and her staff are experts at counseling students about the various opportunities offered by Northwestern. Call or stop by the campus to set up an appointment with our staff.

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Woodward Campus Update

Enrollment numbers once again look very positive and we expect strong numbers at the Woodward campus. We are excited about the future of our operation in Woodward.

The finishing touches are being completed on our science laboratory. The facility will provide additional opportunities to our Woodward students.

Work is expected to begin soon on permanent signage for the campus. The signage will be similar in nature to the new signage that was constructed at the Alva campus. This project will certainly enhance the look of our already beautiful campus.

Northwestern wishes to thank the Woodward emergency management agencies that participated in our recent incident exercise. The cooperation we receive from these agencies is very much appreciated.

The Woodward campus is pleased to host a Santa Fe Trail Symposium on Oct. 1-2. Approximately 100-125 persons are expected to attend the event that will include scholarly presentations on the Santa Fe Trail. More information on the event will be released in the coming weeks.



Dr.. Janet Cunningham is the President of Northwestern Oklahoma State  University.