Eastern Recognized For Partnerships With Community Businesses
(Press Release 05-02-08)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Eastern Oklahoma State College was among 21 institutions throughout the state recently recognized for their outstanding partnerships with community businesses.

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Economic Development Grant for the Partnership Recognition Program is designed to highlight successful partnerships between higher education institutions and businesses and to further cultivate the higher learning environment through State Regents’ Economic Development Grants.

The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant has been a large part of the economic base of Pittsburg County and the surrounding region since 1942, when the U.S. Navy purchased almost 42,000 acres nine miles south of McAlester. Education has always been a high priority at the plant and in the region. The Defense Ammunition Center became a tenant of MCAAP in 1998, and since 2002, EOSC has been providing training for DAC. A minimum of 60 new DAC interns complete ammunition and computer training courses each year, and EOSC is partnering with DAC to develop two associate degree programs –ammunition management and quality assurance specialist (ammunition surveillance) [QUASAS].

"If we're to improve Oklahoma's future, we need creative collaborations like this program," said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. "The partnership between business and higher education benefits us three-fold: Businesses retain employees, employees improve their education and the immediate needs of the business community are being addressed."

Institutions involved in these partnerships provide $500 for tuition waivers to employees of the partnering businesses, internships for current students of the institutions to work at the partnering businesses or faculty externships with the partnering businesses. The State Regents provide a $500 match to the waivers.

The Partnership Recognition Program is an annual event. For more information, visit www.okhighered.org/eco-devo.

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