Thanks to the support of ONEOK, Inc., Rogers State University students will have access to food and shelter during power outages caused by storms or other natural disasters.
ONEOK provided the university with a $135,000 grant to fund the purchase of a natural gas generator for the new RSU Student Dining Hall currently under construction at the Claremore campus.
With ONEOK’s support, the university will purchase the generator to provide an emergency backup power source with the capacity to maintain essential power, heat/air and light operations for the building’s basement shelter. The generator also will serve the dining hall’s food preparation and storage systems.
“Earlier this year we saw firsthand the devastation that severe storms can cause and the challenges that arise when electricity is lost at homes, businesses and schools,” said Terry K. Spencer, president, ONEOK. “This contribution will help provide the essential power and peace of mind a university needs during weather-related emergencies.”
“We’re also proud to partner with Rogers State University through its Executive in Residence series. We look forward to interacting with students through a program that can benefit their future career placement and help support our goal to attract and retain high-quality local talent to ONEOK,” added Spencer.
The 17,300-square-foot, two-story dining hall will include an open dining space with capacity to serve up to 1,000 students, kitchen facilities and a basement/storm shelter that can provide protection during severe storms. The $5 million facility will open for the fall 2014 semester.
RSU students, staff and alumni recognized the gift during an Oct. 16 event overlooking the construction site.
RSU President Dr. Larry Rice said the gift from ONEOK has helped provide for the safety and comfort of RSU students.
“We are immensely thankful to ONEOK and its leadership for their investment in RSU, which will allow us to better serve and protect our current students while also providing for future expansion of on-campus housing,” Rice said. “The Student Dining Hall has been a priority for the university’s continued growth to meet the dining needs of our campus residents. With ONEOK’s support, we can better meet the growing demand from prospective students who are turning to RSU for the close knit, residential campus experience our students enjoy.”
About ONEOK, Inc.
ONEOK, Inc. (pronounced ONE-OAK) (NYSE: OKE) is a diversified energy company. ONEOK is the general partner and as of Aug. 12, 2013, owns 41.3 percent of ONEOK Partners, L.P. (NYSE: OKS), one of the largest publicly traded master limited partnerships, which is a leader in the gathering, processing, storage and transportation of natural gas in the U.S. and owns one of the nation’s premier natural gas liquids (NGL) systems, connecting NGL supply in the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions with key market centers. ONEOK is among the largest natural gas distributors in the United States, serving more than 2 million customers in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. ONEOK is a FORTUNE 500 company and is included in Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Stock Index. For more information, visit the website at www.oneok.com.