College Expanding Community Development Programs
(Press Release 09-21-07)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

A number of community and college cooperative programs have been enhanced as the result of Eastern Oklahoma State College faculty and staff expanding programs and garnering federal funds to finance community development programs.

More than $9.4 million dollars has been committed to the programs from federal agencies to the Wilburton community college.

Eastern’s nursing program has received a $2 million grant over the next 3 years to expand their Associate Degree Registered Nursing (ADN) program at the SOSU McCurtain County Campus in Idabel, Eastern Branch Campus in McAlester and at the Wilburton campus.

Eastern Director of Nursing Wendy Hubbard says the purpose of the grant is to increase the number of nurses to meet the increasing need in southeastern Oklahoma and to encourage any one interested in caring for others to choose nursing as a career.

Currently, Eastern operates the ADN and LPN to RN programs and is expanding health care initiatives at the McAlester campus in cooperation with McAlester Regional Hospital.

By adding additional faculty and program enhancement by the grant, Eastern has been able to increase the number of enrolling freshmen this year which will increase the number of graduates in future classes.

Eastern nursing graduates will more than double this spring from 32 graduates last year to 67 as a result of the grant.

Partnerships with health and employment agencies in 11 southeast Oklahoma counties will be impacted as a result of the new program.

The U.S. Department of Education named Eastern as one of only nine colleges and universities nationwide to receive million-dollar grants under its GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) program. Eastern will receive $6.7 million over the next six years to help pre-college students succeed with their postsecondary education. The college, with campuses in Wilburton and McAlester is the only grant winner in Oklahoma and one of only 27 in the nation.

Eastern is partnering with 19 junior and senior schools, the Choctaw Nation and a number of regional businesses to address severe gaps in services and resources in five southeastern Oklahoma counties. In the first year of the program more than 1,400 common education students have been reached with tutoring, enrichment and travel programs, summer camps and counseling to build academic skills and college aspirations through federal, local business and Eastern cooperation.

Additional grants of $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women provide the opportunity for Eastern to incorporate with community partners that include Kibois Women’s Shelter, PC-CARE, Wilburton Police Department Latimer County Sherriff’s Department, Eastern Department of Public Safety and numerous organizations to increase services to students and within the community.

Eastern is able to provide cross training and education opportunities for staff, response team members, domestic violence shelters and crisis center staff as well as law enforcement personnel to enhance understanding of services and responder rolls.