Orange Impact: OSU-Tulsa celebrates Main Hall renovation, touts growing workforce development impact in Green Country

Orange Impact: OSU-Tulsa celebrates Main Hall renovation, touts growing workforce development impact in Green Country

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | [email protected]

OSU leaders highlight education, research and partnerships shaping the future of industry and health care in northeastern Oklahoma

Oklahoma State University President Jim Hess and university leaders cut the ribbon on a newly renovated hall Thursday at OSU-Tulsa as part of the Orange Impact event highlighting the university's growing role in workforce development, health care innovation and economic growth across northeastern Oklahoma.

The modernized space of the 1300 wing features flexible classrooms and labs for hands-on learning in engineering and technology - programs preparing students for high-demand careers and strengthening Tulsa's workforce. But the focus of Orange Impact went far beyond the footprint of the reimagined 11,000-plus-square-foot wing in OSU-Tulsa's Main Hall.

"Today we cut a ribbon, but what we are really opening is opportunity," Dr. Hess said. "This renovation represents a promise to every student that when you walk through these doors, you have a place designed for your growth, your learning and your future.

"Through OSU-Tulsa, OSU Center for Health Sciences and OSU Institute of Technology, we are deploying the full strength of the OSU System to serve Green Country. Our campuses, faculty and programs are working together to meet the workforce needs of this region - from health care and technology to engineering and business - ensuring Oklahomans have access to the education and training that lead to rewarding careers."

More than 150 guests, including local business leaders, elected officials and donors, attended Orange Impact to learn more about Hess' vision. Other Orange Impact speakers included Dr. Johnny Stephens, president of OSU-Tulsa and the OSU Center for Health Sciences, and Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Together, they outlined how OSU is aligning education, research and partnerships to strengthen the region's workforce and industry capacity. Two current OSU students were also present to discuss how the new space will help them in their academic careers.

Stephens emphasized that OSU-Tulsa and OSU-CHS are designed to meet real-world needs by connecting students directly to high-demand careers.

"OSU-Tulsa is OSU's anchor in northeastern Oklahoma, connecting our strengths to the needs of Tulsa's people, economy and communities," Stephens said. "Our graduates are stepping into professional and leadership roles employers struggle to fill - the engineers, accountants and health care administrators that power this region's economy."

Stephens also shared updates on the OSU Academic Medical District, a more than $650 million investment underway in downtown Tulsa, which includes new hospital facilities, clinics, biomedical research facilities and a new veteran's hospital.

"These investments will transform Tulsa's health care landscape and create nearly 100 new residency slots," he said. "That is critical to improving health outcomes because doctors who train here tend to stay here."

Hess also emphasized the critical role OSUIT plays in technical training and Tulsa's long-term economic success.

"For more than 75 years, OSUIT has delivered hands-on technical education that fuels Oklahoma's workforce," Hess said. "By working in concert with OSU-Tulsa and OSU-CHS, we're ensuring that students have seamless pathways from technical certifications to advanced degrees - all aligned with the needs of Oklahoma employers."

Neal praised OSU's role in fueling regional competitiveness.

"Oklahoma State University is a cornerstone of Tulsa's workforce strategy," Neal said. "From engineering to health sciences, OSU is helping build the talent pipeline that keeps our economy strong. When education, business and government move forward together, the entire region benefits."