NSU students visit the capital for Oklahoma Promise

Breah Boone

TNE Writer

Oklahoma legislature has set up a program for eighth, ninth and tenth- grade high school

students. The parents of the students must have a certain income at the time the students

apply in order to get Oklahoma Promise, which began in 1996. It is the leading college

access program in the country. Students must also take certain high school courses while

keeping grades up in order to meet the requirements.

There is an issue rising about how Oklahoma Promise is funded. Oklahoma State Regents

of Higher Education is sponsoring Oklahoma Promise Day event Tuesday, April 13. This

event gives students the chance to go to the capital and speak with senators and

representatives.

This semester, over 1,100 NSU students are benefitting from Oklahoma Promise. Jerry

Cook, director of community and government relations, worked with several campus

resources to identify students who might be interested in participating, and he found six

who will attend.

On average, Oklahoma's Promise students earn a higher G.P.A. and earn their degrees at

a higher rate than non- Oklahoma's Promise students. Ben Hardcastle, executive director

of public relations and marketing, is the faculty member who is taking the students to the

capital.

“The goal is to talk to as many members of the legislature as possible to urge them to

continue to protect the program's dedicated funding source,” said Hardcastle.

One student in particular, Shane Hubert, Nowata sophomore, wrote a letter to the

legislature on behalf of how Oklahoma has helped him. Hubert said he sees Oklahoma as

exactly as it sounds; it is a promise they will take care of the students. Hubert is an

involved student on campus, being a director for RBC, president of Lambda Chi Alpha

and is involved in other organizations.

“My mother and I both put in a lot of hard work, and the amount of money I was able to

save, that alone would not be enough for me to be able to attend the university that I went

on to fall in love with at Northeastern State,” said Hubert. “If it wasn’t for this program, I

know without question that I would not be the man that I am today.”

The 1,100 plus students benefitting at NSU each have their own story about how

Oklahoma Promise has impacted them. Tori Evans, Tahlequah sophomore, is one student

who will get to visit Oklahoma City and share her story and the impacts it has made on

her.

“I have been able to be the first generation in my family to attend college and strive to

attain an educational degree,” said Evans. “Because of Oklahoma Promise, I get the

chance to do what my mom didn't get to do and that’s going to college.”

Published 4/14/15

Cutline: This group of five students head off to the capital to speak to senators and the

legislature. They will be giving their stories of how Oklahoma Promise has impacted

them.