Published: July 25, 2008 12:27 pm      

Woodward campus close to completion

Construction at Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s new Woodward campus building is ongoing, on schedule and nearing completion, according to Richard Kornele, project superintendent.

“Aug. 18, I believe, is when we’re supposed to have everything wrapped up,” Kornele said. “It’s on schedule.”

“We’re working around the clock to get it ready for the first students,” NWOSU-Woodward Dean Deena Fisher said. Classes are set to begin Aug. 18.

The new facility is located just north of High Plains Technology Center on 34th Street. The building houses administrative offices, business offices, a science lab, a computer lab, a bookstore, a virtual library, a faculty suite, student commons and 13 classrooms at around 20,000 square feet.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new building was held in November of 2006; construction began July 17 of last year.

“This is about 12 years in the making,” Fisher said. “We first opened the Woodward campus doors in 1996.”

Fisher said the Woodward campus started out in the Woodward High School building with administrative offices at HPTC.

The campus now has its own building, thanks in part to the efforts of several area legislators, who helped secure a legislative bond for higher education to finance the construction, Fisher said.

“I think the taxpayers in this area will be pleased how we spent their money,” Fisher said.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “I think our students are going to be very proud to be Northwestern Rangers and in this beautiful building.”