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 |
Cherokee: ᎦᏟᏐᏗ. ᎢᏅ ᎠᎾᎩᏍᏗ.
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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 | Deborah Landry |
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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) |
| Location |
,
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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 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It also has campuses in Muskogee and Broken Arrow, plus online classes. NSU is the oldest college in Oklahoma and one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River.
Tahlequah is the capital of the Cherokee Nation. About 25% of NSU students are American Indian. The university offers many classes about 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 Northeastern State University
How NSU Started
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.
Becoming a State School
On March 6, 1909, after Oklahoma became a state, the state government bought the Cherokee Female Seminary's buildings and land. They turned it into the Northeastern State Normal School. A "normal school" was a place where people learned to become teachers.
Growing into a University
In 1921, the school's name changed to Northeastern State Teachers College. It now offered a full four-year college program. By the 1950s, it became a bigger college, adding more subjects like liberal arts. It also started a program for teachers to earn a fifth year of education.
In 1974, the school began offering master's degrees. So, its name changed to Northeastern Oklahoma State University. In 1985, it became Northeastern State University. In 1979, NSU opened its College of Optometry. This made it one of only 14 schools in the U.S. to offer a special doctor's degree in eye care.
NSU is now the fourth-largest university in Oklahoma. On March 6, 2009, NSU celebrated its 100th birthday!
Tahlequah Campus
The main campus in Tahlequah covers about 200 acres. It was built on the same land as the old Cherokee Female Seminary. The original seminary building is now called Seminary Hall. It is used for classes.
The campus has many buildings for classrooms, labs, dorms, and sports. Recently, the university built a new Science Center. It cost $10 million.
NSU offers 69 different bachelor's degrees and 18 master's degrees. It also has 13 programs to prepare students for professional schools. These programs are in five colleges: Business & Technology, Liberal Arts, Education, Optometry, and Health & Science Professions. There are 26 students for every one teacher. In 2008, over 6,200 students attended the Tahlequah Campus. NSU also has online classes for students who can't come to campus.
Northeastern State University Athletics
The RiverHawks Teams
The sports teams at Northeastern State University are called the RiverHawks. NSU is part of NCAA Division II sports. Most of its 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, cheerleading, and tennis.
Sports Achievements
In 2003, the men's basketball team won the NCAA Division II National Championship. They beat Kentucky Wesleyan 75–64.
Mascot Name Change
On May 23, 2006, Northeastern State University announced a change. They decided to stop using "Redmen" as their mascot name. This change was made because of a 2005 NCAA decision about Native American mascots. On November 14, 2006, the university announced its new athletic name: the RiverHawks.
Campus Life
Student Organizations
There are many groups for students at NSU. The Northeastern Activities Board (NAB) plans fun events, often free for students. The Northeastern State University Student Foundation (NSUSF) also helps with activities. The Northeastern Student Government Association (NSGA) is the official group that speaks for all students. It helps students share their ideas.
The Resident Hall Association (RHA) plans events for students who live on campus. These include "Welcome Week Luau" and "Resident Round-up." Northeastern State University also has several fraternities and sororities.
Jazz Lab
The Jazz Lab building opened in 1993. It's a place where jazz musicians can practice and perform. People can also come to enjoy live music. The Jazz Lab is also where jazz classes and offices are located.
The university offers a special degree in Jazz Studies. It has two student jazz bands and other smaller groups. These groups play different styles of jazz, like fusion and Latin. The NSU Jazz Ensemble performs with famous musicians every year. Many well-known artists have played at the Jazz Lab, including Diana Krall and Wynton Marsalis.
Branch Campuses
Muskogee Campus
NSU's campus in Muskogee opened in 1993. It's a 27,700 square foot building on 23 acres. This campus offers higher-level and graduate classes. These include education, business, nursing, and industrial management.
In 2001, the NSU Muskogee campus opened the Mike Synar Center. It's named after Mike Synar, a former U.S. Congressman. This 40,000 square foot building has offices and classrooms. It also houses the Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.
Broken Arrow Campus
NSU's campus in Broken Arrow opened in 2002 with over 1,000 students. The city of Broken Arrow helped pay for it with a special sales tax. The first part of the campus included an administration building and two classroom buildings.
In 2004, the campus started a $26 million expansion. This was funded by Tulsa County's Vision 2025 project. The expansion doubled the campus size and made room for up to 5,000 more students. It added a library, science labs, and more classrooms. Construction finished in 2007.
Notable alumni
