Northeastern State University facts for kids
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Former names
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Northeastern State Normal School (1909–1921) Northeastern State Teachers College (1921–1939) Northeastern State College (1939–1974) Northeastern Oklahoma State University (1974–1985) |
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| Motto |
ᎦᏟᏐᏗ. ᎢᏅ ᎠᎾᎩᏍᏗ. (Cherokee)
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Motto in English
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Gather Here. Go Far. |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | March 6, 1909 |
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Parent institution
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Regional University System of Oklahoma |
| President | Rodney Hanley |
| Provost | Carla Swearingen |
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Academic staff
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325 |
| Students | 8,548 (Fall 2014) |
| Undergraduates | 7,418 (Fall 2014) |
| Postgraduates | 1,130 (Fall 2014) |
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United States
35°55′30″N 94°58′03″W / 35.925100°N 94.967542°W |
| Campus | 200 acres (0.81 km2) (Tahlequah) |
| Colors | NSU green and gray |
| Nickname | RiverHawks |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division II – The MIAA |
| Mascot | Rowdy the RiverHawk |
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Northeastern State University (NSU) is a public university located mainly in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It also has campuses in Muskogee and Broken Arrow, plus many online courses. NSU is the oldest university in Oklahoma. It is also one of the oldest universities west of the Mississippi River.
Tahlequah is the capital of the Cherokee Nation. About one-fourth of the students at NSU are American Indian. The university offers many classes focused on Native American languages. You can even major in Cherokee language Education. Some classes are taught in Cherokee for those who speak it as their first language.
Contents
History of NSU
On May 7, 1851, the Cherokee Nation started the Cherokee National Female Seminary in Tahlequah. They also opened a male seminary that same year. This happened after the Cherokee people were moved to Indian Territory. They built these schools to help their future generations.
After Oklahoma became a state, on March 6, 1909, the State Legislature created the Northeastern State Normal School in Tahlequah. This school was for training teachers. The state bought the building, land, and equipment of the Cherokee Female Seminary for this new school.
In 1921, the school's name changed to Northeastern State Teachers College. It had grown to offer a full four-year program. By the 1950s, Northeastern became a bigger state college. It added more subjects like liberal arts and started a fifth-year program. This program helped prepare teachers for elementary and high schools.
In 1974, the Oklahoma Legislature changed the school's name to Northeastern Oklahoma State University. This was because it started offering master's degree programs. In 1985, its name changed again to Northeastern State University. NSU opened its College of Optometry in 1979.
In the early 2000s, NSU became the fourth-largest university in Oklahoma. On March 6, 2009, NSU celebrated its 100th birthday with special events.
NSU Presidents Over Time
- Albert Sydney Wyly, 1909
- Frank Redd, 1909–1911
- Frank E. Buck, 1911–1912
- W.E. Gill, 1912–1914
- George W. Gable, 1914–1919
- William T. Ford, 1919–1923
- Monroe P. Hammond, 1923–1935
- J.M. Hackler (acting), 1935–1936
- John Samuel Vaughan, 1936–1951
- Louis H. Bally (acting), 1951
- Harrell E. Garrison, 1951–1970
- Robert E. Collier, 1970–1977
- Elwin Fite (acting), 1977–1978
- W. Roger Webb, 1978–1997
- Larry B. Williams, 1997–2007
- Kim Cherry (interim), 2007–2008
- Don Betz, 2008–2011
- Martin Tadlock (interim), 2011
- Steve Turner, 2012–2023
- Rodney Hanley, 2023-present
Tahlequah Campus Life
The Tahlequah campus covers over 200 acres. It was built on the land of the old Cherokee Female Seminary. The original seminary building is now called Seminary Hall and is used for classes. The campus has many buildings for classrooms, labs, dorms, and sports. NSU recently built a new Science Center.
NSU offers many different study programs. There are 69 undergraduate degrees and 18 graduate degrees. Students can also prepare for careers in fields like optometry. The university has five main colleges: Business & Technology, Liberal Arts, Education, Optometry, and Health & Science Professions. There are 26 students for every teacher. NSU also has online programs for students who cannot attend classes in person.
NSU Athletics: The RiverHawks
The sports teams at Northeastern State (NSU) are called the RiverHawks. The university is part of NCAA Division II. Most of its sports teams play in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). The men's soccer team plays in the Great American Conference (GAC).
NSU has 11 different sports teams. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, and soccer. Women's sports include basketball, golf, soccer, softball, spirit squads, and tennis.
Sports Achievements
In 2003, the men's basketball team won the NCAA Division II National Championship. They beat Kentucky Wesleyan with a score of 75–64.
Mascot Name Change
On May 23, 2006, Northeastern State University announced a change to its mascot name. They decided to stop using "Redmen" and chose a new mascot. This change was made because of a decision by the NCAA in 2005. On November 14, 2006, the university announced its new athletic name: the RiverHawks.
Student Life at NSU
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
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| White | 44% |
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| American Indian/Alaska Native | 22% |
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| Two or more races | 15% |
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| Hispanic | 8% |
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| Black | 5% |
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| Asian | 3% |
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| International student | 2% |
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| Unknown | 2% |
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| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income | 46% |
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| Affluent | 54% |
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Student Organizations
NSU has several student groups that plan fun activities, often for free. These include the Northeastern Activities Board (NAB) and the Northeastern State University Student Foundation (NSUSF). The Northeastern Student Government Association (NSGA) is the official group that speaks for all NSU students. Its goal is to represent students and share their ideas. The Residence Hall Association (RHA) helps students who live on campus. They host events like "Welcome Week Luau" and "Resident Round-up."
Greek Life
Northeastern State University has several fraternities and sororities on its Tahlequah campus. These are social organizations for students.
Jazz Program
The Jazz Lab was created in 1993. It is where the jazz program offices and classes are located. The university offers a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a focus on Jazz Studies. There are two student jazz bands and several smaller groups. These groups play different styles of jazz, from fusion to Latin. The NSU Jazz Ensemble performs with guest artists every year at the Jazz Lab.
NSU Campuses
Muskogee Campus
NSU's Muskogee campus opened in 1993. It is a 27,700 square foot building on 23 acres. This campus offers higher-level and graduate courses. These include programs in education, business, nursing, and industrial management. In 2001, the NSU Muskogee campus opened the Mike Synar Center. This center is named after Mike Synar, a former U.S. Congressman. The Mike Synar Center is a 40,000 square foot building used for offices and classrooms. It also houses the Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs for the campus.
Broken Arrow Campus
NSU's Broken Arrow campus opened in 2002 with over 1,000 students. The money for this campus came from a sales tax approved by voters in Broken Arrow. The first part of the campus included an administration building, a maintenance building, and two classroom buildings. In 2004, the campus started a big expansion. This project doubled the size of the campus. It also made room for up to 5,000 more students. A library and new science and classroom buildings were added. Construction finished in the fall of 2007.
Notable Alumni
