2016 Issue 1
Develop, Innovate, Prosper
Reach Higher Encourages Adult Students to Achieve Their Goals Reach Higher – Oklahoma’s degree completion program – offers arts or science associate degrees in enterprise development (general studies or business administration) or a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership. The program is designed for working adults who have already earned at least 18 hours of college credit and want to complete an associate degree or for those who have already earned at least 72 hours of college credit and want to finish a bachelor’s degree Other requirements are that a student be at least 21 years old, have a minimum 2.0 GPA from previous college credits and have completed general education requirements as defined by the university the student plans to attend. The Reach Higher bachelor’s degree program provides on-campus and online class options, eight-week classes and five enrollment periods per year. Reach Higher graduate Val Seward said the Reach Higher program has allowed her to achieve more than she expected. “This experience for me has and will open so many doors for myself,” said Seward. “I will be a much better parent.
I will be much more able to support my son. And just to see him light up when I get my A’s, he told me last week I’m his hero…this is going to turn out to be the best thing I have ever done in my life.” Kay Byrd, Reach Higher graduate, says her degree has given her the confidence you can only receive from education. “It’s from knowledge. It’s from connections. It’s from the relationships. It’s from the steady stream of opportunities that the university provides through the testing, through class participation, through relationships with adults who are actually my age who are in those positions, “ said Byrd. “And they serve as a daily reminder of where I’m going and what I can achieve and who I can be.”
Reach Higher Quick Facts: • Free to apply. You will never be asked to provide a credit card number or other form of payment for an application fee. • Oklahoma’s flexible, affordable degree completion program. • For working adults who want to finish their college degree from a state university. • Your second chance to finish your degree - while you keep your normal routine, maintain your normal work hours and still have time for your family. As a Reach Higher student, you can choose your “home institution” from 23 participating Oklahoma public universities, community colleges, and technical branches. Find out more or enroll in Reach Higher at: reachhigheroklahoma.org
Q&A with Tony Hutchison, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education p. 3 Main Street Claremore’s Downtown Renaissance p. 5 Ferra Aerospace Holds Groundbreaking in Grove p. 6
THE STATE OF EDUCATION
Creating a brighter future for Oklahomans
Oklahoma’s education network is working hard to ensure that Oklahoma’s students have the skills necessary to compete in today’s marketplace and achieve a high quality of life. From elementary to continuing adult education, Oklahoma is looking to leading the way.
29% increase TX in Oklahoma students graduating with STEM degrees from 2009 to 2014.
11,000+ 6th to 12th Grade Students enrolled in CareerTech’s Project Lead the Way STEM curriculum, including courses like pre-engineering, biomedical sciences, biotechnology and more.
2nd Nationally for Early Childhood Literacy for implementing a comprehensive system that ensures students develop strong literacy skills and read on grade level by the third grade. Source: National think tank New America
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Best States for Recent Grads Forbes, July 2014.
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higher ed and technical institutions educate students statewide, including 39 public and private colleges and universities, and 29 advanced technology training institutions.
Contact Connie Lake for more information at 405-815-5121 or email connie.lake@okcommerce.gov
Q&A with Tony Hutchison, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Oklahoma recently exceeded its Complete College America target. What does that mean for Oklahomans? For businesses? Tony Hutichison, Vice Chancellor of Strategic Planning, Analysis and Workforce and Economic Development for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education: Oklahoma’s success in the college completion initiative will have very tangible results for Oklahoma business. Not only is the economy changing rapidly, requiring a more educated work force, but a huge demographic, in terms of baby boomers, are moving into retirement years. For Oklahoma to have a workforce that meets the economy’s needs, we will need to make sure more high school graduates proceed on to complete post-secondary credentials ranging from certificates to associate degrees to BAs and graduate programs. The need to churn out a more educated work force is undeniable. While the biggest percentage growth will be at the certificate and associate degree level, there will be significant challenges at the bachelor degree and post baccalaureate levels too. The baby boomers are a highly educated group and replacing them at the same time jobs are requiring even more education is a daunting challenge. How do programs like Reach Higher and Project Finish Line benefit Oklahomans and the businesses that operate in the state? One of the ways we will need to meet this challenge will be through adult degree completion programs. Oklahoma has always had a relatively high percentage of citizens with some college—but no degree. We need to reach out to the citizens and let them
know there are convenient and affordable ways they can finish their educations and get ahead in this economy. Why is it important for Oklahomans to take advantage of degree completion programs offered? For many workers obtaining a degree may make the difference in getting a promotion or pay raise or making them much more marketable if they want a new position with a different company or in new industry. Describe OKHigherEdConnect.org and what it has to offer Oklahoma businesses or businesses looking at operating in the state? OKHigherEdConnect.org is an online searchable database of higher education business support services, offering a one-stop source for services Oklahoma colleges and universities can provide businesses ranging from business plan help to consulting to interns or talented new hires. What traits do today’s a student have that will make them great assets to the state and businesses? Today’s students have strong skill sets that include not only traditional communication skills, but digital skills that can translate into the digital market place. Students have grown up networking on mobile devices and can easily bring their business skills, as well as problem solving skills, to bear to benefit a business. Many students also have strong quantitative and analytic skills that can translate into
Photo Credit: OU, Robert H. Taylor success in IT, finance and engineering related jobs. Completing college is a journey that requires lots of soft skills that employers say they want. How does your team work with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and businesses to ensure a pipeline of talent is ready? We identify the talent pools of specific college graduates to fit the parameters of each Commerce project, and include examples of research and existing public-private partnerships in the same industry to show the current support structure for similar businesses. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have sophisticated databases of graduates, degrees by discipline and how those degrees have been utilized in different industries that may be helpful when the Department of Commerce is looking for workforce solutions. We also connect businesses to colleges and universities through their career services offices. This level of engagement yields a greater pool of qualified applicants for businesses.
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Main Street Claremore’s Downtown Renaissance A collaborative spirit leads to a successful public-private partnership The downtown district is the heart and soul of Claremore. It’s a place that other communities are hard-pressed to find in their own backyard,” said Jackson. “Within the deep history found in these buildings and places is a bright future. ~ Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street Executive Director
When Claremore Main Street Executive Director Jessica Jackson speaks to locals about the number of developments underway, she is met with the buzz of excitement and curiosity. “The downtown district is the heart and soul of Claremore. It’s a place that other communities are hard-pressed to find in their own backyard,” said Jackson. “Within the deep history found in these buildings and places is a bright future.” It doesn’t take long to recall the many strides the downtown district has made in the last year and the Claremore Main Street Board of Directors says that there is no sign in sight of the momentum slowing down. “2015 has been a defining year for our district,” said Brandon Irby, Main Street Board Member and Chair of the Economic Restructuring Committee. “Partnerships with the City of Claremore coupled with private investments into the district have resulted in exciting expansions and developments that are well underway. This and a collaborative spirit have brought many new exciting features to downtown.” That collaborative spirit led to a successful public-private partnership. Claremore City Council approved an agreement between the City of Claremore and Main Street Tavern, LLC at the June 15, 2015 council meeting. The lease agreement, with option to purchase the former Senior Citizens Building, comes as the result of focused effort by the Claremore Industrial and Economic Development Authority to recruit a unique dining experience to the downtown district.
A few weeks following the announcement, local media company and cultural movement “More Claremore” began to make plans to purchase the blighted building across the street from the former Senior Citizens Building. This week the building is open for business. “Almost two years ago, my brother and I decided that we loved Claremore. This wasn’t something new, but it was time to set out to let everyone know how wonderful our community is,” said Amy Gordon, co-founder of moreClaremore.com. Gordon and her brother, Robert Melton, are fourth generation Claremore citizens with deep roots in the community. They began moreClaremore.com as an incubator business at the Innovation Center at Rogers State University and quickly outgrew their space. “We began looking for a place that would meet the needs of our growing business, but our goal was to build a space that would physically tell the message we’ve been sharing. The new office celebrates Claremore,” Gordon said. They quickly identified a blighted building one block north of the historic Will Rogers Boulevard in downtown Claremore. It was a diamond in the rough, but what they learned next is nothing short of a story-book ending. “When we learned that this exact same building was the location that our great-grandfather began his first business we were speechless,” Gordon remembers. “Come to find out, our family has been on Missouri Street in Claremore since 1929. I am so excited to have this historic location come full circle and return to our family.”
Sayre Industrial Park Site Ready Certification Earlier this month, Sayre Industrial Park completed infrastructure making it the newest “Certified Site” by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Sayre Industrial Park is a 160 acres industrial park located ½ a mile from I-40 at Exit 20. Located at the Anadarko Basin in one of the fastest growing counties in the U.S., it will make a great shovel-ready, site for quick construction of an industrial facility looking to grow in that area. Incentives are available for companies creating 40 or more jobs in the community. Amy Gordon and her brother Robert Melton, founders of moreClaremore.com. George Melton started his first grocery store in Claremore in 1929. Today the building, known as the North Block Commons, is full of modern and quirky amenities. Exposed brick walls and restored tin ceilings tie the building’s origins into its new purpose. According to Gordon, the space is a place for others to join moreClaremore.com as they continue to push the message about Claremore forward. Some consider it office space, but they consider it a place for collaboration and shared working. Their first tenant is a Washington D.C. transplant who grew excited about raising their family in Claremore following their discovery of moreClaremore.com and the growing community of young families who are active in the city. “The transformation of this building is a story worth sharing,” comments Jackson. “When I tell my Main Street colleagues across the state what is happening in Claremore, their ears perk up. This is an exciting new chapter in the continued development of downtown Claremore.” Interested citizens are welcomed to visit the newly renovated North Block Commons building located at 115 N. Missouri, one block north of Will Rogers Boulevard in downtown Claremore. Claremore Main Street, Inc. is a local organization focused on the historic preservation and economic restructuring of the downtown Claremore district. It is recognized by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and is responsible for championing the past decade of growth in the downtown district.
The objective of the Oklahoma Site Ready certification program is to make business relocation, expansion, and development in Oklahoma as inviting as possible. A site’s successful completion of the Site Ready process guarantees a prospective incoming business that the site is ready for construction. To become certified as “site ready,” site owners and/ or community leaders must complete an application identifying key data about the site to aid site selectors in their searches. An objective third party then assists the Oklahoma Department of Commerce in evaluating the applications to ensure sites meet program requirements. Once certified, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce offers detailed, site-specific information, including proximity to major transportation routes, area labor force statistics, utilities, cost of living details, and business incentives for site selectors’ considerations. The site is also listed (for no additional charge) on LocateOK.com “This is the culmination of a comprehensive review of all the assets that the City of Sayre has to offer for the recruitment of business and industry. We are excited to have completed the Site Ready certification process,” said Teri Helig CEcD. “The Sayre Site Ready site is located half way between Oklahoma City, and Amarillo, Texas on Interstate 40 and is ½ mile south of the interstate. I spent a lot of time researching all the assets that are available in the City of Sayre. The City of Sayre accessed state and federal funds to construct the roads, water and sewer for the industrial park.” The Oklahoma Site Ready certification program targets industries such as aerospace, research, industrial and rural business. Visit OKcommerce.gov/siteready for more information. To inquire about applying, contact Kathy Gain at 405-815-5214 or kathy.gain@OKcommerce.gov.
Search Available Buildings & Industrial Sites with a Click, at LocateOK.com.
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Ferra Aerospace Holds Groundbreaking in Grove Australian-based Ferra Aerospace Inc. recently held a groundbreaking in Grove, Okla., for a new 35,000-square-foot plant. The company manufactures aerospace parts, including air frame and wing components. According to Mike Tackkett, Ferra project manager, some of the aerospace parts are for the F-35 fighters and the Blackhawk helicopters. Tackkett pointed to the aerospace growth in Grove as an key factor in choosing the community. “Pride Plating is well known worldwide, and we started using them,” Tackkett said. “We also needed machining suppliers, and Grove was well situated — close to a lot of great suppliers.” Pride Plating Inc. is a Grove-based aerospace company. Ferra employs 11 workers and is planning to hire between 12 and 15 more employees when the business is up and running, which should be by mid-July, Tackkett said. By 2020, the company is expected to employ 100 workers. “The starting salary is around $34,000 plus benefits,” Tackkett said. In the past 12 months, Ferra has spent $1.2 million in manufacturing and processing services in Grove and northeast Oklahoma, Tackkett said. The company is using Brewer Construction out of Chouteau to build the new manufacturing plant. The new plant will be built on a 10-acre plat and the company has first rights on an adjacent 60 acres, he said.
A rendering of the new Ferra Buildng Ferra was approved in 2013 by the Oklahoma Commerce Department to receive up to $302,287 for creating up to 36 new jobs over 10 years at the Grove plant through the Small Employer Quality Jobs Program. Ferra Director Karl Strauss said the rural setting, the community, state support as well as support from other businesses were all reasons he chose Grove for Ferra’s expansion. “We could have built in Los Angeles and the city would have said, ‘This is just another business,’” Strauss said. “Everyone in Grove has been friendly and welcomed the company.” According to its website, Ferra is a supplier to the some of the largest organizations in the world, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman and Airbus.
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful’s 25th Annual Environmental Excellence Awards Celebrates Stewards Across the State Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) held its 25th Annual Environmental Excellence Awards Celebration on Monday, November 30, 2015 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Organizations were recognized for their outstanding efforts in environmental stewardship and beautification.
the White Fields Service Project.
• City of Oklahoma City Utilities Department was recognized with the Government Programs Award for their innovative and sustainable methods to control vegetation along the Hefner Canal with the Hefner Canal Goats Project.
• Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Poteau was recognized with the Nonprofit > 40,001 – State Award for their efforts in environmental education through the Pollinator Conservation and Education Project.
• The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, The International Bridge Turnpike and Tunnel Association and partners were recognized with the Team Builder Award for their work on
• Owasso Strong Neighborhood Initiative - Owasso CARES was awarded Affiliate of the Year and the Great American Cleanup™ ODOT Trash Off Best for their exceptional
• Cox Media Group was recognized with the Great American Cleanup™ Rookie Effort Business Award for their “Green Up Green Country” litter pick-up event and Mix 96-KRAV public service campaign.
Oklahoma Joins Mathematics Pathways to Completion Project Leaders and policymakers in five states, including Oklahoma, will develop state mathematics task forces and work to improve college student success through a new initiative from The University of Texas at Austin’s Charles A. Dana Center. The project currently works with 50 community college systems and 28 universities in Texas and seven other states, and this expansion will bring the project to five additional states: Arkansas, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma and Washington. The three-year project is funded by a $2 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Dana Center will work with mathematics leaders and policymakers in the expansion states to replicate these successes and develop each state’s mathematics task force. The task force supports faculty leadership, sets the vision and creates the momentum to promote mathematics “pathways.” The focus of the project is to provide students with new math pathways that give them choices among several different courses or course sequences in which they learn rigorous mathematics relevant to their chosen field of study. The math pathways approach requires shifting the focus from individual courses toward identifying full pathways that provide a cohesive learning experience. “We are pleased that Oklahoma has been selected to work with the Dana Center as part of the Mathematics Pathways to Completion Project,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “This is a unique opportunity to customize and strengthen the math learning experience for Oklahoma students and significantly improve math learning outcomes in our state.”
This is a unique opportunity to customize and strengthen the math learning experience for Oklahoma students and significantly improve math learning outcomes in our state. ~ Chancellor Glen D. Johnson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Ed. After one year of implementation in Texas, 23 percent of students enrolled in the New Mathways Project’s developmental math course successfully completed a collegecredit-bearing math course within one year, compared to the statewide average of 8 percent. Campuses that more fully implemented the program had 43 percent of students earn college credit within one year. The New Mathways Project model is guided by four principles to ensure high-quality implementation across many college systems and states: • •
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Multiple pathways with relevant and challenging mathematics content aligned to specific fields of study. Acceleration that allows students to complete a collegelevel math course more quickly than in the traditional developmental math sequence. Intentional use of strategies to help students develop skills. Curriculum design and pedagogy based on proven practice.
participation in KOB programs and relentless energy that goes above and beyond to keep Owasso litter free.
> 40,001 – City Award for their commitment to healthy food, healthy students and sustainable communities.
• Huber Engineered Woods, LLC in Broken Bow was recognized with the Business Award for their efforts to encourage pine reforestation through the “Trees for Oklahoma Seedling Program.”
• Ardmore Soup Kitchen was recognized with the Nonprofit 15,001-40,000 Population Service Area Award for beautifying a historical structure and repurposing it to serve community needs.
• Marathon Oil was recognized with the Great American Cleanup™ Achievement Award for their volunteer efforts and support during the clean up and debris removal after the May 6, 2015 tornadoes.
As KOB’s only fundraising event, funds raised from the event will go to KOB programming.
• The University of Central Oklahoma Office of Sustainability and Volunteer Service Learning Center were recognized with the Collegiate Effort Award for their creative community garden design. • Earth Rebirth in Norman was recognized with the Nonprofit
For 25 years Keep Oklahoma Beautiful has been recognizing Oklahomans who support the mission to empower Oklahoma citizens to preserve and enhance the state’s natural beauty and ensure a healthy, sustainable environment. For more information about KOB, a complete list of award winning programs and how you can participate, visit keepoklahomabeautiful.com
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(PRSRT STD) US POSTAGE PD OKLA. CITY, OK PERMIT NO.41
900 N. Stiles Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73104-324
Upcoming Events
NEW PIONEER A PRODUCT OF THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY Monday, January 18, 2016 State Offices Closed
EDITOR: Kimberly Hickerson, Project Manager
KEEP OKLAHOMA BEAUTIFUL: REGIONAL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT WORKSHOPS El Reno Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Muskogee Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Join us at our FREE Regional Community Improvement Workshops that focus on a variety of topics for community organizations, chambers of commerce, volunteers, municipal and county officials. You must register through the KOB website to attend. Registration deadline: January 18, 2016 Those who miss this deadline may still attend for $10. Register Here: http://bit.ly/KOBWorkshop
CONTRIBUTORS: Stefanie Appleton, Bryan Boone PHOTO CREDITS: Oklahoma Department of Commerce Oklahoma Department of Tourism FOR NEW PIONEER SUBMISSIONS AND STORY IDEAS CONTACT: Kimberly Hickerson Editor-in-Chief - New Pioneer Oklahoma Department of Commerce 900 N. Stiles Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73104 (405) 815-5240 kimberly.hickerson@okcommerce.gov facebook.com/OKcommerce @OKcommerce OKcommerce.gov issuu.com/newpioneerOK