Rose State Makes History With The Official Opening Of The Village @ Rose State Published August 27, 2015

Students Advocate For On-campus Living And Rose State Makes It Happen

Midwest City, Okla. (August 27, 2015) – The vision began with a group of ambitious student leaders. The request was simple: build apartments for students to live on campus. Twenty four months later, three three-story buildings have risen, 100% full of students. Now, Rose State College is the first urban community college in the state to offer residence life.

Those who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Village @ Rose State were greeted by students who are excited to be the first residents of the newly constructed apartment complex on campus.  The residents were joined by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Chancellor Glen Johnson, Rose State President, Jeanie Webb, Regents, other students, and community members to celebrate the momentous occasion.  President Webb started the ceremony with some background on how the housing project started. Webb said, “This was, for us, an out-of-the box decision; for an urban community college to do something to connect our students to this campus. I feel so fortunate because our students believed in the project.” While Webb has been a proponent for bringing housing to campus for many years, it was the student senate who were able to voice their desire for on-campus housing that spurred the beginnings of the ambitious building project.

Chancellor Johnson addressed the crowd and said, “Student housing should be and is a part of the learning process. The Village will provide a very important role in the lives of students. When they leave Rose State College, they will have skills and knowledge to be engaged citizens, involved in their communities.”  And that is the goal for students who live in the Village @ Rose State – to become involved in the Rose State community and to take that level of engagement with them to their next institution and into the workforce.

Eric Campbell, President of Student Senate ended the program with a special thank you for the support administrators show for students. Campbell said, “We are lucky to have an administration and Board of Regents who listen…it’s another way to show Rose State truly cares about their students.”

The Village @ Rose State started the fall semester at 100% occupancy with a waiting list.  The housing addition has room for 170 students.

Photo cutline: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Chancellor, Glen Johnson, Rose State College President, Jeanie Webb and the Rose State College Board of Regents officially open the Village @ Rose State with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

About Rose State College:
Rose State College is a community college offering more than 60 degree and skilled-occupational programs conveniently located seven minutes from downtown Oklahoma City. www.rose.edu