Rose State College News

RSC Student Art Exhibit

            Rose State College is hosting a Student Art Exhibit April 21 – May 7 in the lobby of the RSC Communications Center.  Viewing hours are weekdays from 8:00 - 5 p.m.

Rose State Receives National Recognition

          Rose State College has received national recognition for extraordinary contributions to community service and was one of only 127 colleges and universities from across the United States to be named to 2007 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with “Distinction.”
          The Honor Roll is presented in cooperation with the Campus Compact, a national coalition of nearly 1,000 college and university presidents. It is jointly sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), USA Freedom Corps and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.
Rose State was the only college in the state to be listed on the Presidential Honor Roll with “Distinction” and shares the honor with such notable schools as Stanford University, Marquette University, Cornell University and the University of Norte Dame.
          “The College is pleased to have our Service - Learning Program recognized.  The Service Honor Roll with Distinction is a great reward for the time and effort Service - Learning Coordinator Sherri Mussatto and faculty mentors have invested.  The projects have been of the highest quality and Rose State College will continue to promote and reward the students and their professors,” Rose State College President Terry Britton said.
           One of the 2007 RSC projects was the beautification of the Atkinson Heritage Center. The home
is the former home of the founder of Midwest City and is owned by the RSC Foundation. Students spent a total of 96 hours on the project witch included researching and looking through old photos of the original landscaping. They raised money though a silent auction to buy flowers and shrubs and then planted them.  The landscaping is now fully restored to the former beauty it once held in the 1950’s.
          “Educating students for citizenship and the workforce are the key responsibilities of American higher education, and these colleges and universities are doing an excellent job of fulfilling that role,” U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said when announcing the winners of the Honor Roll.
           For more information on Service-Learning at RSC, visit www.rose.edu and look under Service-Learning, or call Service-Learning Coordinator Sherri Mussatto at 405-733-7503.

Rose State Summer, Fall Enrollment Begins April 7

          Rose State College will begin enrolling for the 2007 summer session and fall semester on Monday, April 7. The first summer session begins June 2 and the second summer session begins June 30. The fall semester begins August 18.
      Rose State offers programs in the divisions of Business and Information Technology, Engineering and Science, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences. Concurrent enrollment for high school juniors and seniors is available.
There are a variety of class options in addition to the traditional 16-week semester. These include eight-week sessions, the fast track program, weekend courses, telecourses and Internet courses,

RSC Students Named to All – Oklahoma Academic Team

             Rose State College students Tiffany Brown, of Midwest City, and Mason Long, of Bethel Acres, have been named to the All –Oklahoma Academic Team.
            The two were recognized by the Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges during an awards luncheon March 6, at the Reed Center in Midwest City.
            The All-Oklahoma Academic Team Program provides statewide recognition to outstanding two year college students. To be eligible, students must be nominated by their college president, be eligible to graduate during the 2008-2009 academic year and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25.
            Oklahoma is one of 35 states participating in the State Academic Team Program. The program provides scholastic recognition to community college students, while promoting excellence at two year colleges.

Pictured are Rose State College students Mason Long (left) and Tiffany Brown (right) with RSC President Dr. Terry Britton. Long and Brown were recently named to the 32 member All-Oklahoma Academic Team.

Rose State College’s Small Business Development Center Receives Award

         The U.S. Small Business Administration has named the Rose State College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), under the Direction of Mike Cure, the Service Excellence and Innovation Center of the Year. The distinction was given to only two centers in the state.
Cure will officially retire in September after working in the Rose State SBDC for 20 years and serving as Director the last eight years. He has served on several Campus committees which include the Small Business Endowment Committee and in 2006 he was named the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center State Star. He has helped thousands of Oklahomans start, run and grow their own business.
            “This job has been very rewarding. I have had the opportunity see dreams come through to fruition. They take the risk and I get to share in the joy,” Cure said. “I will greatly miss the RSC family, they are a great bunch of individuals that really care about RSC and our students/clients.”
            The mission of the SBDC is to provide high quality one-to-one business counseling, economic development assistance, and training to small businesses and prospective small businesses. The office is located in the Tom Steed Center for Career Development, Room 200. For more information or for an appointment, call (405) 733-7348.

Rose State College Hosts Law Day Speaker

            Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins will be the featured speaker at the seventh annual James F. Howell “Country Lawyer” Lectureship at Rose State College held Monday, April 28 in the Student Center. A free lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. and Askins will begin speaking at 12:30 p.m.
Askins will speak in recognition of National Law Day, a day set aside each year for people across the country to celebrate the law and the legal system. This year’s Law Day theme is “The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity.”  
            “We are honored to have Askins, who is a former judge and lawyer as our speaker,” said Howell. “She will remind us about the importance of the rule of law in Oklahoma and in America.” 
Askins, a Duncan native, was sworn in as Oklahoma’s 15th Lieutenant Governor in 2007, giving her the rare distinction of being involved in public service in all three branches of governments. She was the first woman to become Democratic Leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She served for eight years as a Judge of the District Court. She’s also been Chairman of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board and a legal counsel in the governor’s office.
            The lecture is open to the public. For more information, call 736-0315.

Rose State Publishes 'Pegasus'

            Poetry, artwork, essays and short stories by 30 Rose State College students and faculty members have been published in the campus literary publication “Pegasus 2008.” The book will be released during an art reception held Tuesday, April 22 from 4-6 p.m. in the Communications Center lobby.
            The annual compilation of these works is a 28-year tradition at Rose State. Professors Susan Dawson-O’Brien and Theresa Walther are the faculty editors.
             “We are so pleased with the quality of work submitted this year,” said Walther. “It is truly a showcase of the best work created by the RSC community.”
             This years book includes award winning work by RSC students. Disorder by Kerri Rivera won the James Axley Creative Writing Award in Fiction and Meteorology Girl Blues by Jade hall won the James Axley Creative writing Award in Poetry.
            Copies of “Pegasus 2008” will be available at the reception for $3. For more information, contact Dawson-O’Brien at (405) 733-7518 or the Humanities Division at (405) 733-7380.

FNB Charity Golf Classic Tournament to Benefit Rose State College Foundation

            First National Bank invites golfers to the 11th annual Charity Golf Classic on Friday, May 16, at the John Conrad Golf Course in Midwest City. The shotgun start is at 12:30 p.m.
            The proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Rose State College Foundation. Over its history the tournament has raised in excess of $300,000 that has been awarded in college scholarships.
            “This tournament has truly made a difference in the lives of young people. By helping students realize their dreams through higher education, we help our citizens, community and our country enjoy a better quality of life,” said Bill Croak, FNB senior vice president and tournament coordinator.
            Several sponsorship packages are available to companies, organizations and individuals. The Gold Sponsor is a fee of $1,000 and includes team entry for four people and the Silver Sponsor is a fee of $750 for a team of two people. Individuals may participate in the tournament for $250. All participants will receive a catered lunch and dinner, refreshments, team photo and tournament souvenirs. Gold and Sliver sponsors will also receive their sponsor name in advertising and special designation in the RSC Foundation Founders Club. The tournament will include multiple contests including chances for a new car and a Rolex watch.
            Midwest Regional Medical Center is the tournament title sponsor and First National Bank, BancFirst, Jim Long/Investment Centers of America, Cole and Reed P.C., Phillips, McFall, McCafferey, McVay and Murrah, P.C., Pepsi, Tom Jordan Building Co., Fiserv, Cherokee Painting, Barnes & Friederich Funeral Home and Hudiburg Auto Group are the presenting sponsors. The entry deadline is April 26. For more information or to register, contact Croak or Camille Phillips at (405) 739-8776 or at bcroak@fnbmwc.com.

Pictured: Plans are underway for the 11th annual First National Bank Golf Classic on Friday, May 15 in Midwest City. The tournament will benefit the Rose State College Foundation. Pictured from left are RSC President, Dr. Terry Britton; Midwest Regional Hospital CEO, Doug Arnold and President and Chairman of the Board of First National Bank, Robert Croak.

RSC Theatre Presents A Ten Minute Play Festival

            An evening of ten-minute plays will close the 2007-2008 Rose State College theatre season April 24-26 at 7:30 p.m. and April 27 at 2 p.m. in the H.B. Atkinson Theatre on campus.
            The “Ten Minute Play Festival” is directed by Rick Nelson and will feature some comedy, drama and original plays from RSC and University of Central Oklahoma playwriting students.
            “A ten minute play attempts to capture theatrical lightning in a very short time to better focus on the audience and actors on the given theme or idea. There will be something for everyone,” Nelson said.
            Ticket costs are $3 for the general public, free to RSC students, faculty, staff and senior citizens and $2 for all other students. Dinner Theatre will be held prior to the April 24 production. Costs for Dinner Theatre are $16 for the general public, $14 for RSC students, faculty, staff and senior citizens and $10 for children 12 and under.
            For more information about the show, call the RSC Theatre Department at (405) 733-7430 or for more information about Dinner Theatre, call the RSC Office of Special Events at (405) 733-0313.