Former names | Southwestern Normal School (1901–1920) Southwestern State Teachers College (1920–1939) Southwestern State College of Diversified Occupations (1939–1941) Southwestern Institute of Technology (1941–1949) Southwestern State College (1949–1974) |
---|---|
Type | Public university |
Established | 1901 |
Parent institution | Regional University System of Oklahoma |
Academic affiliations | Space-grant |
Endowment | $25 million |
President | Diana “Diane” Lovell [1] |
Academic staff | 202 full-time, 1 part-time [2] |
Undergraduates | 4,450 [2] |
Postgraduates | 817 [2] |
Location | , U.S. |
Campus | Rural, 303 acres (123 ha) |
Colors | Navy blue and white |
Nickname | Bulldogs |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division II – GAC |
Website | www |
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) is a public university in Weatherford and Sayre, Oklahoma. It is one of six Regional University System of Oklahoma members.
SWOSU was first established through an act of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1901 as Southwestern Normal School, although no classes were held until 1903. Several towns fought a court battle to become the home of the new school, but Weatherford won the battle. [3] The normal school included both a two-year degree program for teacher education and a preparatory school. In 1920, the preparatory part of the school closed and a four-year baccalaureate degree program replaced it. The first bachelor's degrees by the renamed Southwestern State Teachers College were awarded in the spring of 1921.
The Great Depression brought several attempts to close the school for financial reasons. It had to remove several presidents to survive politically. But it did survive. In 1939, the school added a vocational training curriculum to its teacher-training mission. [3]
The school underwent significant expansion during World War II, adding additional programs in the arts and sciences as well as its School of Pharmacy. After brief periods as Southwestern State College of Diversified Occupations and Southwestern Institute of Technology, the name was formally changed to Southwestern State College by the Oklahoma Legislature. The first graduate degree, a Masters of Teaching, was added in 1953, and the school was officially designated as Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1974. [3]
In 1987, Sayre Junior College in Sayre, Oklahoma was merged with SWOSU, becoming Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Sayre. [4]
There have been 18 presidents that have served at Southwestern Oklahoma State University: [5]
On Southwestern Oklahoma State University's campus, there are several places to eat such as The University Grill, The Bulldog Beanery, Brandy's Quick Stop, and Duke's Diner. [6]
The Weatherford campus has a span of over 100 acres. The campus is the grounds for several diverse buildings, some dating back to the school's opening in 1903, and some as recent as 2014. The new Pioneer Cellular Event Center opened January 2014. SWOSU offers 38 bachelor's degrees, 7 associate degrees, 6 master's degrees and 1 doctorate. Enrollment for SWOSU is approximately 5,200 and the most up-to-date student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1. SWOSU has a Veteran's assistance program as well as a distance learning program. As of June 2017, SWOSU made the ranking in a MSN "Best Schools of 2017" list. SWOSU was ranked #18 in the list. [7]
SWOSU at Sayre was founded in 1938 as a Junior College, but in July 1987 by act of the Oklahoma legislature, it was merged with Southwestern Oklahoma State University. It offers open admission to high school graduates. SWOSU at Sayre offers Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science degrees in both general and specialized areas of study.
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SWOSU's athletic teams are known as the Bulldogs. The university competes at the NCAA Division II level as a member of the Great American Conference (GAC). SWOSU began play in the GAC in the 2012–2013 academic year. SWOSU offers nine different sports including: baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's track and field, women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's rodeo, women's soccer, softball and volleyball.
There are nearly 100 student organizations such as SGA (Student Government Association), CAB (Campus Activities Board), NSO (New Student Orientation), GSM Project (Gender and Sexual Minorities Project, formally SODA (Sexual Orientation Diversity Association)), RHJB (Residence Hall Judicial Board) and Greek Fraternities and Sororities that offer interesting activities to make campus life more exciting for students. The events these organizations put on are typically free to students. SGA is the official governing body of SWOSU students. It is the advocate for student interests, a powerful voice for change and progress, and a dedicated provider of student services and resources. SGA puts on annual events such as SWOSUPalooza.
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Yvonne Kauger is an associate justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, and was appointed to the Court's District 4 seat by Governor George Nigh in 1984, and served as chief justice from 1997 to 1998. She was born in New Cordell, Oklahoma, and grew up in Colony, Oklahoma, and is an honorary member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. Kauger founded the Gallery of the Plains Indian in Colony, Oklahoma and is also the co-founder of the Red Earth organization. Kauger also serves as Symposium Coordinator of the Sovereignty Symposium. Kauger was inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 2001.
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Southwest Oklahoma is a geographical name for the southwest portion of the state of Oklahoma, typically considered to be south of the Canadian River, extending eastward from the Texas border to a line roughly from Weatherford, to Anadarko, to Duncan. Geologically, the region is defined by a failed continental rift known as the Southern Oklahoma Aulacogen. The austere nature of the prairie landscape with intermittent island ranges has made it a favorable place for artists and photographers alike. For tourism purposes, the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department has designated Southwestern Oklahoma as Great Plains Country, and defined it to consist of 14 counties including Roger Mills, Custer, Beckham, Washita, Caddo, Kiowa, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Comanche, Tillman, Cotton, Stephens, and Jefferson counties.
W. Steven Pray is an American pharmacist and academic who is an expert on non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicines. He is the Bernhardt Professor of Nonprescription Products and Devices at Southwestern Oklahoma State University's College of Pharmacy. Pray also volunteers as pharmacy director for the Weatherford Agape Medical Clinic, a free clinic.
SWOSUPalooza is an annual concert on the Weatherford campus of Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). Borrowing its name, in part, from the Lollapalooza festival, the event is sponsored and produced by the SWOSU Student Government Association (SGA), and is considered one of SWOSU's signature events. It showcases local and regional musicians, and frequently brings national recording artists to western Oklahoma as headliners.
The Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs football program represents Southwestern Oklahoma State University in college football and competes in the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). In 2011, SWOSU became a member of the Great American Conference. Prior to this, Southwestern Oklahoma State was a member of the Lone Star Conference from 1998 to 2010. SWOSU's home games are played at Milam in Weatherford, Oklahoma. The programs maintains an all time record of 471–486–37. The team is led by head coach Chet Pobolish who was hired by the university in November 2017.
The Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent Southwestern Oklahoma State University, located in Weatherford, Oklahoma, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Bulldogs compete as members of the Great American Conference for all 10 varsity sports.
Joe Anna Hibler is an American educator. Much of her career was spent teaching business at the university level. Retired from active teaching, she is the former president of Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), an inductee into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame, and currently a regent of the Regional University System of Oklahoma.
Milam Stadium located in Weatherford, Oklahoma is the home stadium of the NCAA Division II college football team the Bulldogs of Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). The stadium boasts a seating capacity of 8,600. The stadium opened in 1936 and is named for, Joe Milam, a former Bulldog coach.
James Ellington "Jenks" Simmons was an American football back who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cleveland Bulldogs and Providence Steam Roller. He played college football at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and attended Sentinel High School in Sentinel, Oklahoma.
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