OSU Institute of Technology and Rogers State University are joining together to develop stronger career pathways for students that will produce an educated and highly skilled workforce for the state.
Articulation agreements between the two institutions were signed Dec. 3, as OSUIT President Bill R. Path and RSU President Larry Rice participated in a signing ceremony held at the MidAmerica Industrial Park at Pryor.
“As institutions of higher education, our primary goals are to equip students for their future and ensure what they learn while enrolled translates to what they need to know when they embark on their careers,” Path said. “Northeast Oklahoma has a workforce deficit in key skilled labor sectors, and we believe that the synergy of OSUIT and RSU can result in a larger pool of talent for employers.”
As a result of the agreements, OSUIT students may now transfer their associate degree seamlessly to RSU and finish their education with a bachelor’s degree in their field. Also, students who transfer from OSUIT to RSU prior to completing their degree may later apply those hours earned from RSU toward an associate degree at OSUIT.
“Both OSUIT and RSU share a mission to provide educational opportunities for Oklahomans and increase the number of state residents who hold college degrees,” Rice said. “We are fully committed to help our students get the maximum value for the college credit they have earned and, most importantly, assist them in the successful completion of their degree.”
The location for the signing symbolized the two institutions’ ongoing partnership with MidAmerica Industrial Park, as both will have campuses at the park when RSU’s new campus opens in January. As Oklahoma’s largest industrial park, MidAmerica is recognized for attracting global manufacturing, processing and distribution firms. The educational partnership between OSUIT and RSU will serve workforce development needs not only for the industrial park, but for business and industry throughout the region.
“The presence of both universities here at MidAmerica has been a win-win for everyone involved,” said David Stewart, MAIP Administrator. “They are taking the lead, through collaborative efforts, to deliver high-quality academic programs which will develop a world-class workforce for the benefit of our regional economy.”
For more information, contact Scott Fry at OSUIT MidAmerica by calling 918-825-4678 or Sherry Alexander at RSU’s Pryor campus by calling 918-825-6117.
About Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology OSU Institute
of Technology is Oklahoma’s only university of applied technology, offering accelerated degree programs — including bachelor of technology degrees in civil engineering, instrumentation engineering, and information technologies as well as associate degrees – to students in 73 Oklahoma counties, 24 states and 16 countries. OSUIT is known for its high academic standards, world-class teaching facilities, unique partnerships with business and industry, and one of the highest career placement rates in the region. For more information about OSUIT, call 918-293-4680 or 1-800-722-4471, or visit www.osuit.edu.