An exhibition chronicling the history of Rogers State University can be viewed through the windows of the RSU campus at Fourth St. and University Ave. (Dewey Ave.) in downtown Bartlesville.
The exhibition is a commemoration of the university’s centennial by the Bartlesville campus and will remain on display through the spring.
In the exhibition, a series of panels tells the story of the institution, which was founded in 1909 in Claremore as Eastern University Preparatory School. The school prepared the children of area residents for college. The school closed in 1917 but reopened in 1919 as the Oklahoma Military Academy, one of the nation’s most prestigious military institutions. More than 10,000 cadets attended the OMA, 2,500 of its students served in the armed forces during various conflicts and 108 graduates gave their lives in service to their country.
The OMA operated until 1971 when it became Claremore Junior College. The junior college was later renamed Rogers State College, gaining a reputation of academic quality among two-year institutions in the state. The RSU campus in Pryor was established in 1986 and the Bartlesville campus began operation in 1988.
In 1998, the Oklahoma Legislature renamed the institution Rogers State University, assigning it a new mission to gain accreditation at the baccalaureate level. In 2000, RSU became a four-year university, offering bachelor’s and associate degrees. Today, RSU has nearly 4,000 students on campuses in Claremore, Bartlesville and Pryor.
This spring, the exhibition will move to the Pryor campus and will be permanently installed on the Claremore campus in the fall.
For more information about the history of RSU, or its Centennial Celebration, call (918) 343-7771 or visit www.rsu.edu.