Officials have scheduled a May 7 groundbreaking for a new Rogers State University campus at the MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor.
The groundbreaking ceremony, which is open to the public, will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, May 7, 2012, at the site located on Oklahoma 69A just west of the park’s administrative offices.
MidAmerica is providing funding for the 83-acre site, facility construction, and site work to include all roads, parking lots, landscaping and utility placements. MidAmerica and RSU will enter into a long-term lease for the facility allowing the university to relocate its Pryor campus to the industrial park.
The 38,400-square-foot building will be more than twice the size of the existing campus. The two-story facility will feature classrooms, computer labs, science labs, library, student lounge, food service and dining facilities, bookstore, meeting rooms and a 150-seat auditorium to be used for classroom use and the general public, administrative and faculty offices and an outside patio area.
The RSU Pryor campus will join Northeastern Technology Center and Oklahoma State Institute of Technology, which both operate branch campuses at the park.
“The partnership between MidAmerica and RSU creates a critical mass of educational opportunities at the industrial park, which enables us to retain current companies while also recruiting new well-paying, high-tech firms to the site,” said Sanders Mitchell, MidAmerica administrator.
RSU President Dr. Larry Rice said expanding RSU’s presence in Pryor will better enable the university to meet its mission to educate and prepare students for making a difference in Mayes County and northeastern Oklahoma.
“The new RSU Pryor campus will be well suited to meet the educational needs of Mayes residents,” Rice said. “The expanded facilities also will uniquely position the university to continue meeting the region’s economic development needs by partnering with MidAmerica and other regional business and industry to provide a better educated workforce,” Rice said.
Construction is expected to begin in May 2012 with anticipated completion date in summer 2013. Classes will begin at the new campus during the fall 2013 semester.
ABOUT MIDAMERICA INDUSTRIAL PARK
Founded in 1960, MidAmerica is the nation’s largest rural industrial park and Oklahoma’s largest industrial park with 9,000 acres. MidAmerica is owned and operated by a self-sustaining public trust established to enhance economic development efforts in northeastern Oklahoma. MidAmerica does not rely on the support of state or federal tax dollars. More than 80 firms are located at the park, including many divisions of Global and Fortune 500 companies. The park has a 365-acre airport with a 5,000-foot runway, and operates its own water and wastewater treatment plants.
ABOUT ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY
As the state’s fastest growing regional university, Rogers State University is recognized for its high-quality academic programs, personalized attention to student needs and innovative distance learning options. RSU offers a variety of bachelor’s and associate degrees to assist students in achieving their personal and professional goals. More than 4,600 students are enrolled at our campuses in Claremore, Pryor, Bartlesville, and RSU Online.