RSU Bartlesville scholarship recipients include Nicholas Burke (from left), Isabella Hazelton, Emily Carroll and Cori Bryson.
Rogers State University Bartlesville students, their supporters and local community leaders enjoyed breakfast together last week at an event to benefit student scholarships at RSU.
Held Thursday, June 5, at The Center in Bartlesville, the RSU Foundation’s Bartlesville Scholarship Fundraising Breakfast raised funds towards scholarships for students attending RSU Bartlesville and those who have transitioned from RSU Bartlesville to the Claremore campus to complete their degree.
Thus far, this year’s breakfast has raised more than $15,000, with more expected in the coming weeks.
Returning as event moderator was RSU Vice President for Development Steve Valencia.
“The scholarships raised at events such as this make a tremendous impact on our students,” Valencia said. “I can tell you first-hand – I visit with a number of those students every year, and for some of them, without those scholarships, they would not be able to go to college. There are students who would not be able to go to college if there wasn’t a campus here in Bartlesville. That access and that financial assistance is so important, so thank you all for supporting this effort and for continually supporting our university and students throughout the year.”
Valencia acknowledged event sponsors, notably President’s Circle sponsors ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66, as well as recognizing special guests, community partners, event supporters, and scholarship recipients from the Bartlesville campus.
RSU President Dr. Don Raleigh speaks to the crowd at the RSU Bartlesville Scholarship Fundraising Breakfast June 5.
Valencia then introduced former Oklahoma Representative Earl Sears, who in turn, introduced the guest speaker, RSU President Dr. Don Raleigh.
“I’m very honored to be here today, especially to be introduced by Representative Sears. He has been an educator, a servant throughout his career, and it means a lot to me to be introduced by someone like him,” Raleigh began. “This is something of a homecoming for us – (wife) Angela grew up here, graduated from Dewey, I graduated from (Claremore) Sequoyah, so we grew up around here, and we spent so much time in Pryor as well. Throughout it all, RSU has been such a strong, strong part of our lives.
“I appreciate everyone being here and supporting our students,” he continued. “We want to make sure we’re reaching out and using our connections to our future and present students to show them what their careers, what their futures can be, and to help them understand that Rogers State University can be that pathway to what they want their futures to be.
“Our world is changing. It’s amazing how quickly things are shifting and changing, especially with AI,” he continued. “We must ensure, in listening to our workforce partners, that we’re providing the workforce with graduates who are on the cutting edge of what’s needed, not only right now, but with an eye for the future. My staff reminds me that we must prepare our students for their future, not our past. Students graduating right now will be working on their careers through 2065, most likely. What is that going to look like? We must think about that. Whatever problems are going to arise in the future, we’ve got to be a part of that solution.”
During his closing remarks, Valencia touched upon some of the university’s new academic programs, enrollment growth, and the upcoming groundbreaking on a new $30 million STEM facility on RSU’s Claremore campus.
At Rogers State University’s Bartlesville campus, students may complete requirements for a Bachelor of Science in business administration with options in management, accounting, and finance, as well as associate degree options in business administration, accounting, elementary education, secondary education, social science – psychology, liberal arts – general, and more.