Rose State College And Southeastern Oklahoma State University Announce Aerospace Partnership Published August 4, 2021

Rose State College (Rose State) and Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Southeastern) have developed a partnership to create a path for students to complete their two-year Enterprise Development Associate in Arts with an Aviation Emphasis at Rose State and continue on to Southeastern to complete a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management in the areas of Production & Operations, Safety or Business.

“This partnership presents ample opportunity for our students to obtain degrees that support the needs of the growing aerospace industry in Oklahoma,” stated Rose State President Dr. Jeanie Webb. “Currently, there are more than 1,500 aerospace-related job openings in the Oklahoma City area alone. Workforce development is a primary focus of ours and this partnership will facilitate the transition from associate degree to bachelor’s degree to entering the aerospace workforce.”

The agreement is effective starting in the 2021-2022 academic year. Both partners recognize the benefit to the student and institution to foster a meaningful academic experience that will contribute to workforce development in the state of Oklahoma.

“We’ve seen how quickly the aerospace industry has grown in our state, with new jobs being created at extremely fast rates over recent years,” Southeastern Oklahoma State University President Dr. Thomas W. Newsom said. “The path we’ve created will enable students to work toward the end goal of in-demand careers in this industry as they progress through Rose State and Southeastern programs.”

Aerospace and defense is the second-largest and fastest-growing industry sector in Oklahoma and our companies need aerospace workers across multiple disciplines. In the past two years, more than 25 aerospace companies have expanded operations, opened new operations or relocated operations to Oklahoma; resulting in almost 4,000 new aerospace jobs being created. The partnership between Rose State and Southeastern seeks to enhance the growth of Oklahoma’s aerospace industry by contributing to its workforce development needs.

The official signing of the agreement will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at the annual Tinker and the Primes event in Midwest City, hosted by Rose State in collaboration with the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce. 

About Rose State College:

Rose State College is a two-year community college in Midwest City, Oklahoma. Founded in 1970, Rose State now welcomes more than 13,000 students each year. Rose State offers more than 60 different degree programs and among the lowest cost of tuition in the State of Oklahoma. 

About Southeastern Oklahoma State University:

Southeastern Oklahoma State University serves 5,300 students at six locations in Oklahoma and Texas, with the main campus located in Durant. Southeastern offers more than 45 degree programs and is nationally known for such fields of study as Aviation, Elementary Education, Sciences, Business and Occupational Safety and Health.