Rogers State University will celebrate the start of construction on its $1.3 million RSU Pryor campus expansion with a groundbreaking ceremony at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 29.
The public is invited to attend and refreshments will be served at the event to be held on the RSU Pryor campus. Dr. Joe Wiley, RSU President, and Dr. Larry Rice, RSU President Designate, will be joined by several special guests to break ground on the project.
The approximately 7,400 square-foot expansion will include five classrooms, five offices, computer lab, commons area and restrooms. The expansion will be built adjacent to the existing campus building located 421 S. Elliott St. and will be constructed to match the existing architecture.
Pryor-based Vargas Construction will serve as the construction contractor.
RSU is the only four-year university serving the Pryor and Mayes County area and on average more than 350 students attend the RSU Pryor campus each semester.
“This expansion will help RSU bring even more higher education opportunities to Mayes County and we are grateful for the community and state support we have received for this project,” said RSU President Joe Wiley.
The $1.3 million project is being funded by a $300,000 grant from the Oliver Dewey Mayor Foundation in combination with funds from a state higher education bond issue and private contributions.
 Construction will begin this spring and details of the expansion plan are being finalized, said Sherry Alexander, RSU Pryor campus director.
“The Pryor campus has grown beyond our current facility and we are excited about the much-needed expansion because it will allow us to better serve our students,” Alexander said. “The additional space will enable us to offer more courses, including more science courses, as well as increasing student access to computers.”
In addition to the new building, the expansion will include additional surface parking.
For more information about RSU’s Pryor campus, call (918) 825-6117. More information about helping to support the expansion of the Pryor campus is available by calling the RSU Foundation at (918) 343-7773.