One of the single most important tools that an economic development professional can have in their arsenal is a strong local university or community college. In Claremore, I have the best of both worlds with Rogers State University and the upcoming Northeast Technology Center campus. These campuses combined will complete over $25 million in local development and construction this spring. But there’s far more to this story.

One hundred years ago, Rogers State University first began on the hill in Claremore as a preparatory school before later becoming Oklahoma Military Academy. RSU is home to over 4,000 students in a wide variety of associates and academic degrees in career fields like Nursing, Business Administration, and Business Information Technology. Today at the 100 hundred year anniversary celebration RSU faculty, administration, and students held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the brand new $13 million Centennial Student Services Center. Centennial Center marks a definable moment in the history of RSU. I was proud to be on hand to celebrate this great moment and look forward to many more days like today on the hill in Claremore. Congratulations RSU!

Tim Hight

Executive Director
CIEDA
www.claremoreusa.com

Tulsa Business Journal Article
Tulsa Business Staff
10/30/2008
RSU Launches Biofuels Assistance Center

Rogers State University provide support for area businesses seeking to develop biofuels from crop residues and various waste products through the establishment of the Biofuels Assistance Center on the Claremore campus.

The new Biofuels Assistance Center, to be located at the RSU Innovation Center, will promote economic expansion in rural northeastern Oklahoma by supporting the production of biofuels including biodiesel and ethanol, said Ray Brown, RSU vice president for economic and community development.

The establishment of the Biofuels Assistance Center was made possible by a grant of $51,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Rural Business Enterprise Grant was funded through the Oklahoma Rural Business Cooperative Service. The USDA Rural Development branch administers several federal grant programs including housing, utility, business and other initiatives to help build and strengthen rural communities.
Helping entrepreneurs develop renewable energy sources is another way to positively impact the rural economy of northeastern Oklahoma, Brown said.

“This region is home to several agricultural products that are potential feedstocks including wheat, soybeans and sorghum,” Brown said. “The availability of these feedstocks plus the woody byproducts from timber mills, old utility poles and railroad cross ties has created an increased interest in developing biofuels.”