Public university in Ada, Oklahoma
East Central University
(
ECU
or
East Central
) is a
public university
in
Ada, Oklahoma
. It is part of Oklahoma's Regional University System. Beyond its flagship campus in Ada, the university has courses available in
McAlester
,
Shawnee
, and
Durant
, as well as online courses. Founded as
East Central State Normal School
in 1909, its present name was adopted in 1985.
[5]
Some of its more prominent alumni include former
Microsoft
COO
B. Kevin Turner
,
Modernist
painter
Leon Polk Smith
, former
NFL
player
Mark Gastineau
, past governors
Robert S. Kerr
and
George Nigh
, former U.S. Representative
Lyle Boren
, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
Tom Colbert
, and U.S. Army General
James D. Thurman
.
ECU is approximately 90 miles (140 km) from Oklahoma City, 115 miles (185 km) from Tulsa and 150 miles (240 km) from Dallas. Today the campus consists of 37 buildings on 135 acres (55 ha); the university typically enrolls more than 3,500 students per semester from more than 30 countries and 25 states.
History
[
edit
]
The
university
was founded as
East Central State Normal School
in 1909, two years after
Oklahoma
was admitted as the 46th
U.S. state
. It was one of the six newly created state funded
normal schools
that were designed to provide four years of "preparatory" (or
high school
) study, followed by two years of
college
work towards teacher certification. The school's establishment was the product of the intense lobbying efforts of the 25,000 Club, a local booster group.
[6]
The club raised funds for faculty salaries so classes could begin that fall in local churches and public school classrooms.
[6]
Graduates of the normal school program received lifetime
teaching
certification
statewide.
[5]
The 1910
Oklahoma Legislature
funded faculty salaries and the construction of a building on a 16-acre (65,000 m
2
) site donated by a Chickasaw allottee.
[6]
In 1919, the normal schools were authorized by the
Oklahoma Legislature
to offer four years of teacher
education
, to offer
bachelor's degrees
, and were designated teachers' colleges.
[5]
From 1910 to 1960, East Central operated Horace Mann Training School, a
teacher education
program designed to equip prospective teachers with classroom skills. From its inception, the training school focused on elementary and junior high students. In 1925, Horace Mann added older students upon achieving a new four-year high school accreditation. In 1953, a new Horace Mann building was completed where the program was housed until Horace Mann Training School was discontinued in 1960.
[7]
Expanding beyond education degrees, in 1939 the school became
East Central State College
.
[6]
Fifteen years later, the regional colleges were allowed to offer graduate degrees. By 1974, the state legislature renamed the state colleges, and it became
East Central Oklahoma State University
?a name it retained until 1985 when it gained its present name.
[5]
Academics
[
edit
]
ECU serves around 4,000 students and is perhaps best known for its Environmental Health Science Program, one of only 30 programs nationally accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council
[8]
East Central is divided into 5 academic units (three colleges and two schools) with 70 degree programs.
[9]
They are:
- College of Education and Psychology
- College of Health and Sciences
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- The Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business
- School of Graduate Studies
Other campuses
[
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]
East Central is no longer one of four participating institutions offering courses at the
Ardmore Higher Education Center
. There are Distance Education sites located in
Shawnee, OK
, through the
Gordon Cooper Technology Center
and
McAlester, OK
through the Eastern Oklahoma State College.
[10]
ECU offers online graduate and undergraduate courses.
Student life
[
edit
]
East Central hosts nearly eighty student organizations. Among them are a local chapter of
Alpha Psi Omega
and
Pi Kappa Delta
as well as the Student Government Association and Campus Activity Board. In addition, there are five Greek organizations at ECU divided among the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association (PHA):
Athletics
[
edit
]
East Central's
athletic
teams (the "Tigers") have competed in the
NCAA
Division II
Great American Conference
(GAC) since 2011, after competing in the
Lone Star Conference
of the
NCAA
from 1997 to 2011. The university hosts 13 sports, 6 men's athletic programs and 7 programs for women. The school's football team won the NAIA national football championship in 1993. Athletics offices are located within the
Kerr Activities Center
.
Notable alumni
[
edit
]
Politics
[
edit
]
ECU has had several graduates move to political office, including five of alumni who were elected to the position of governor.
- Charles W. Blackwell
(Class of 1964), first Ambassador of the
Chickasaw Nation
to the United States from 1995 until 2013.
[12]
- Lyle Boren
, former U.S. Congressman
- Cindy Byrd
,
Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector
[13]
- Rudolph Hargrave
, Former Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
- Frank W. Davis (Oklahoma politician)
(Class of 1958), late member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Robert S. Kerr
, former Governor of the State of Oklahoma, and U.S. Senator
- Ernest McFarland
, former Arizona Governor
- George Nigh
, former Governor of the State of Oklahoma
- Dustin Rowe
, current Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
Professional sports
[
edit
]
Several ECU grads have excelled in the area of professional sports:
- Harry "The Cat" Brecheen
, former baseball player
- Armonty Bryant
, former professional football player
- Brad Calip
,
College Football Hall of Fame
football player
- Mark Gastineau
, former professional football player
- Todd Graham
, former
Arizona State Sun Devils
Head Football Coach
- Dewey McClain
, football player
- David Moore
,
Chicago Bears
wide receiver
- Trinity Benson
,
Detroit Lions
wide receiver
- Caleb Holley
, Canadian Football League wide receiver
- Gil Morgan
, professional golfer
- Clifford Thrift
, former
San Diego Chargers
,
Chicago Bears
and
Los Angeles Rams
professional football player
- Jerry Walker
, former major league baseball player and front-office executive
- Lloyd Waner
, baseball hall-of-famer
- Paul Waner
, baseball hall-of-famer
Other notable alumni
[
edit
]
- Wade Burleson
, author, historian, and teacher
- Hallie Brown Ford
, philanthropist
- Aaron Gwyn
, professor and author
- Lillard Hill
, broadcast journalist
- Kenneth Hite
, professional author and game designer
- Jennifer McLoud-Mann
, mathematician
- Leon Polk Smith
, Artist
- Harland Stonecipher
, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. Founder, Chairman & CEO
- B. Kevin Turner
, Former COO of
Microsoft
, CEO of
Sam's Club
and CIO of
Walmart
[14]
- La Vern E. Weber
,
United States Army
Lieutenant General
and
Chief of the National Guard Bureau
References
[
edit
]
- ^
[
https://www.ecok.edu/sites/default/files/website_files/ECU_Foundation/2019-FS-6-30-ECU%20Foundation%2C%20Inc.-FINAL.pdf
East Central University
Foundation, Inc.]
- ^
"About East Central University"
.
East Central University
. May 31, 2018.
- ^
"East Central University"
.
- ^
ECU Identity Standards
. Retrieved
April 26,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
About ECU
Archived
2007-12-22 at the
Wayback Machine
,
Eastern Central University
(accessed June 9, 2010).
- ^
a
b
c
d
Turner, Alvin O., "
East Central University
Archived
2010-07-29 at the
Wayback Machine
,"
Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
Archived
May 31, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
(accessed June 9, 2010).
- ^
Ingram, Susan (2009).
East Central University 1909-2009, Celebrating 100 Years, Encompass the Past, Enrich the Future
. Ada, Oklahoma: East Central University. p. 39
. Retrieved
October 11,
2023
.
- ^
"NEHSPAC -"
.
www.ehacoffice.org
. Retrieved
April 13,
2018
.
- ^
"Academics-East Central University-Ada, Oklahoma"
.
ecok.edu
. Archived from
the original
on 2008-01-01
. Retrieved
April 13,
2018
.
- ^
"Distance Education-Centers and Programs-East Central University-Ada, Oklahoma"
.
ecok.edu
. Archived from
the original
on 2013-09-01
. Retrieved
April 13,
2018
.
- ^
"Involvement"
.
East Central University
. 2018-03-02
. Retrieved
2019-10-21
.
- ^
"Chickasaw Nation Ambassador Charles W. Blackwell ? a Man of Vision"
.
KXII
. January 4, 2013. Archived from
the original
on January 8, 2013
. Retrieved
January 20,
2013
.
- ^
Ellis, Ashley (6 November 2018).
"Republican Cindy Byrd to be next Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector"
. KTUL
. Retrieved
January 29,
2019
.
- ^
McMillon, Lynn (1 August 2013).
"Microsoft's Kevin Turner on digital faith"
.
The Christian Chronicle
.
External links
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Public institutions
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Regional University System of Oklahoma
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