The ������Ƶ Division of Nursing held its Fall White Coat Ceremony and Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society induction Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Montgomery Hall at NOC Enid.

Students receiving white coats included BreAnna Allen, Ponca City; Sonia Allen, Ponca City; Dena Arita, Ponca City; Crystal Backus (Oakes), Ponca City; Cadence Berkenbile, Enid; Ryleigh Bertschy, Fort Worth, Texas; Emma Blenden, Denton, Texas; Anna Bracken, Waukomis; Savannah Brown, Enid; Brooklynn Davis, Enid; Kaylee Gibson, Ponca City; Bridget Graham, Ralston; Rachael Grammer, Longdale; Clayton Harrison, Shady Point; McCage Hartling, Enid; Elizabeth Hopkins, Stillwater; Chelsea Humphrey, Stillwater; Kayla Hunt, Cushing; Vanessa Kerr, Lucien; Savanna Larson, Stillwater; Angela Lee, Eucha; Rita Lopez-Ramirez, Enid; Storm Million, Enid; Nevaeh Mock, Enid; Ashley Myers, Enid; Rebecca Napier, Antlers; Molly Oder, Braman; Oluwaseun Owolabi, Fairview; Bryton Paker, Tonkawa; Sophia Rogers, Stillwater; Jadyn Rother, Okarche; Ashlyn Schenck, Stillwater; Holli Smith, Ponca City; Katherine Stewart, Stillwater; Ruby Valles Pando, Meno; and Audrey White, Perry.

The first White Coat Ceremony was created by Dr. Arnold P. Gold in 1993 to emphasize human caring in the practice of medicine. The ceremony has since expanded to other health care disciplines, including nursing.

During the ceremony, students receive their white coats and recite the Division of Nursing���� Professionalism Pledge, acknowledging the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care. The ceremony symbolizes the responsibility of future nurses to provide compassionate, evidence-based care throughout their careers.

“The white coat ceremony recognizes the students’ willingness to begin a journey that requires courage, dedication, humility and compassion,” said NOC Nursing Division Chair Dr. Vickie Crouch.

“The white coat represents the beginning of the students’ professional identity. They are no longer just simply learners, they are the next generation of nurses who will make a difference in the lives of individuals, families, and the communities that they will serve,” she added.

NOC Nursing Instructor Elaine Briggs addressed the students, emphasizing the responsibilities that come with wearing the white coat.

“This is a celebration but also an initiation,” Briggs said. “By slipping on these coats today, you are stepping out of the classroom and onto hospital floors to care for real human lives.”

Briggs reminded students that their nursing journey will include challenges, difficult exams and the responsibilities of patient care.

“The nursing faculty can guide you and support you but no longer protect you,” she said. “It’s important that you struggle a little to push through those hard days. The learning comes from the struggle and your strength will come from that struggle.”

“You will learn to trust the process,” Briggs added. “There will be times when the uniform gets dirty and that means you are in the process. It means you are learning to be a nurse in the most beautiful way.”

������Ƶ is home to the Theta Omicron chapter of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing’s Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society.

Students are invited to provisional membership after successfully completing the first semester of the nursing program, earning a minimum grade of B in every nursing class and demonstrating high standards of professional behavior.

Full membership is granted during the final semester to students who have maintained high academic standards and demonstrated integrity and professionalism on campus and in clinical settings.

Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society inductees included Kristen Andrade, Enid; Alexis Babot, Newkirk; Megan Holt, Kremlin; Hailee Jackson, Poolville, Texas; Elayna Lancaster, Stillwater; Kirsten Maly, Enid; Daniella Rios-Ramirez, Dover; Isidoro Rojo Fuentes, Fairmont; Saira Rojo Fuentes, Enid; Megan Snyder, Ponca City; Emilie Thompson, Enid; Shaylyn Vogele, Kellyville; and Adrienne Young, Enid.

“Northern Nursing is proud to partner with the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society. Alpha Delta Nu members demonstrate a commitment to advancing their knowledge, embracing evidence-based practice, and contributing to the nursing profession,” Crouch said.

“Their achievement reflects not only the countless hours spent studying and developing clinical skills, but also the determination to grow into safe, compassionate, and professional nurses.”

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The ������Ƶ Speaker Series presents Cristal Pryor on Thursday, Oct. 15 at NOC Enid for Hispanic Heritage Month.

Her talk is titled, “Unidos-Somos Mas – Together We are More.”������ She will speak at 11:30 a.m. in Montgomery Hall inside the Gantz Student Center.

Cristal Pryor is a human Resources professional and community leader in Enid, Oklahoma, with a passion for connecting people to opportunities, resources and one another. Born and raised in Enid, Cristal is proud of her Mexican heritage and of the experiences that have shaped her commitment to serving her community.

Pryor was recognized as a 2026 Enid Young Professionals 10 under 40 award recipient, honoring her leadership, professional accomplishments, and commitment to the Enid Community. She serves as Secretary of the Garfield County Hispanic Coalition, serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of Leadership Greater Enid Class XXXVI (36). Cristal is also a graduate of the NextGen Fellowship through United Way, where she further developed her leadership skills and passion for community service.

Through her professional and community involvement, she is passionate about leadership development, representation, and creating opportunities for others to become involved and make a difference in their community.

As a first-generation Mexican American, she brings a personal perspective to this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, “Unidos-Somos Mas – Together We Are More,” sharing how family, culture, community and the people who invest in us can shape who we become.

NOC faculty, staff, and students are all welcome to attend.�� The event is open to the public.

The event will be livestreamed to NOC Tonkawa and NOC Stillwater.

The speaker series is sponsored by the NOC Student Government Association.

������Ƶ, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.

NOC serves nearly 3,100�� students through the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater.�� Of these students about 85% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 69% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.

The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.

For more information about ������Ƶ or giving to the NOC Foundation, please contact the development office at (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at .

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Maestro Jerry Steichen leads the 56-member Gala Orchestra at the Quasquicentennial Concert Saturday night in Tonkawa. (photo by Mallory Kyler/NOC)

NOC celebrates 125 years with Quasquicentennial Concert

��Music, memories and a look toward the future highlighted ������Ƶ’s 125th Anniversary Quasquicentennial Concert Saturday night at the Kinzer Performing Arts Center’s Dineo Heilmann Auditorium.

Maestro Jerry Steichen led the 56-member Gala Orchestra in a number of selections. Guest pianist Dr. Thomas Landers performed “Rhapsody in Blue” at the end of Act I.

NOC Fine Arts faculty Shannon Varner, Chad Anderson and Brandon Haynes, along with Fine Arts Division Chair Dr. Edward Dixon, performed with 43 current and former members of the NOC Roustabouts.

Vice President for Development & Community Relations Sheri Snyder welcomed the audience with a flashback to 1901.

“Imagine this: 125 years ago, a small group of visionaries stood on a patch of Oklahoma soil, believing in the power of education to transform lives,” Snyder said. “They didn’t have the resources we enjoy today, but they had something even more powerful — a dream. A dream that ������Ƶ would be a place where opportunity meets determination, where students from all walks of life could find their path forward.”

During Act I, President Emeritus Dr. Cheryl Evans reflected on NOC’s history.

“Today’s celebration marks 125 years since an institution originally created to prepare students for a university education began a journey that would eventually make it Oklahoma’s first public community college and it is now a multi-campus institution serving over 3,000 students in Tonkawa, Enid, Stillwater and even around the country with online learning,” Evans said.

Evans said NOC’s story began shortly after the opening of the Cherokee Outlet, when Tonkawa-area settlers began looking beyond establishing farms and communities toward educational opportunities for their children.

By 1900, area residents were concerned about the need for secondary education. Territorial representative James Wilkin became a leading advocate for establishing a school in Tonkawa and introduced legislation creating the University Preparatory School. The bill passed and was signed by Territorial Gov. Cassius Barnes in the spring of 1901.

“Through the years, Northern has experienced a lot of change and growth,” Evans said. “We’ve benefitted from the outstanding leadership and support provided by the Oklahoma State Regents as well as from our many distinguished legislators who serve us.”

Evans also read a proclamation from Oklahoma legislators Sen. Bill Coleman and Rep. John Pfeiffer.

President Diana Morris closed the concert by reflecting on NOC’s ability to adapt throughout its history.

“If you read the history of the college, you’ll notice a theme of adaptation and resilience,” Morris said. “NOC’s story is not one of being founded in 1901 and steadily growing. In fact, there was a time it almost disappeared. After closing completely in 1917, NOC reopened, changed its mission several times, changed names, survived through wars and the Great Depression, moved from a preparatory school to a junior college, and eventually became the community college we know today, continually adapting to student and workforce needs.”

Morris said she is committed to building on the successes of her predecessors, including Dr. Joe Kinzer and Evans, both of whom she worked under.

“The NOC Board of Regents and I are excited to watch ������Ƶ continue to adapt and grow for many years to come,” Morris said.

Morris also looked toward NOC’s future, highlighting the $17 million unrestricted gift the college received from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in November 2025, the largest private contribution in NOC history.

Morris described the gift as a “vote of confidence” in NOC’s mission that gives the college flexibility to create scholarships, expand academic programs, improve student services and support long-term strategic goals.

“MacKenzie Scott’s $17 million gift coinciding with NOC’s quasquicentennial year truly brings our tagline of Life Changing to new levels, offering unprecedented flexibility to expand access, improve student outcomes, and strengthen the college’s role as a leader in rural higher education,” Morris said.

“Here’s to the next 125 years of promoting college access, degree completion and workforce success in the Great State of Oklahoma!”

The program concluded with the singing of the NOC Alma Mater.

Earlier Saturday, a silent auction was held at the Renfro Center, while a Louis Vuitton designer bag raffle raised over $30,000 for the NOC First Generation Student Scholarship and Program Support. NOC alum, former Roustabout and current ������Ƶ Foundation Chairman Jackie Conrady drew Evans’ name as the raffle winner during intermission of Saturday’s concert.

10-2, What’s Happening [PDF, 2.23 MB]

������Ƶ will give prospective students and their families an opportunity to experience NOC firsthand during three Northern Encounter recruiting events in October.

Northern Encounter will be held Oct. 13 at NOC Tonkawa, Oct. 20 at NOC Enid and Oct. 27 at NOC Stillwater.

Prospective students and their parents will have an opportunity to tour campus, meet NOC faculty and staff, and learn more about academic programs and services available to students. Information will also be available regarding admissions, scholarships and financial aid.�� Visitors can also learn about NOC clubs, organizations and other opportunities to become involved in campus life.

The events will also include door prizes and free NOC swag.

Registration will be held from 9-9:30 a.m. at each location.

For more information, contact Sarah Jo Otto at 580.628.6668 or Recruiter1@noc.edu , or Michael Donaldson at 580.548.2353 or Recruiter2@noc.edu.

Cutline:�� NOC Criminal Justice students received hands on training at the Enid Police Department.�� Front row (left to right) Aubreonna Dority; Ted Fusselman; Angelina Rodrigues; Eve Veliz; Taryn Ellis.�� Back Row (left to right) Lt. Justin Hodge; Bridget Cole; Penelope Baugus; Grace Smith; Chassidy Morales; Alexa Montes; AJ Harmon; Hayden Grell; PIO Cass Rain.

NOC Criminal Justice students visit Enid Police Department

��������Ƶ’s Criminal Justice Society had the opportunity to visit the Enid Police Department Sept. 26, providing students with an inside look at law enforcement operations, training, and the realities of working in the criminal justice profession.

During the visit, students toured the Enid Police Department and its training facilities while learning more about the responsibilities, challenges, and expectations faced by law enforcement professionals.

“The experience gave students an opportunity to connect concepts discussed in the classroom with the day-to-day realities of policing,” said NOC Criminal Justice director Troy Cochran.

Cochran said a highlight of the visit was the opportunity for students to participate in the department’s use-of-force decision-making simulator.

“Students were placed in realistic, rapidly developing scenarios that required them to assess situations, communicate, make decisions, and determine an appropriate response,” he added.�� “The exercise provided valuable insight into the complexity of police decision-making and demonstrated how quickly circumstances can change during an encounter.”

“The Criminal Justice Society extends its sincere appreciation to Lt. Justin Hodges and Public Information Officer Cass Rains for taking the time to work with the students, answer questions, and provide an honest look at the law enforcement profession,” Cochran concluded.�� “Their willingness to share their experience and expertise helped make the visit both educational and memorable.”

Students on the trip included Aubreonna Dority, Enid; Ted Fusselman, Ponca City; Angelina Rodrigues, Enid; Eve Veliz, Enid; Taryn Ellis, Enid; Bridget Cole, Oklahoma City; Penelope Baugus, Enid; Grace Smith, Stillwater; Chassidy Morales, Morrison; Alexa Montes, Hennessey; AJ Harmon, Blackwell; and Hayden Grell, Tonkawa.

NOC offers Criminal Justice at both Enid and Tonkawa campuses.

������Ƶ will celebrate its 125th anniversary Saturday, Oct. 3, with a day of activities on the NOC Tonkawa campus, including a silent auction and purse raffle, historical exhibition and free Quasquicentennial Concert.

The celebration begins with the NOC Foundation Silent Auction/Purse Raffle from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Renfro Center.�� The concert is at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $25 and include heavy hors d’oeuvres. The event is for patrons 21 and older.

More than 50 items will be available in the silent auction, including OSU Football Suite Tickets, a TS Fork Gift Certificate, a fire pit and other items.

The raffle prize is a Louis Vuitton Diane designer bag valued at $2,700. Raffle tickets are $10 each or 12 for $100, with the drawing held during intermission of the Quasquicentennial Concert.

Funds raised from the auction and raffle will benefit NOC’s First-Generation Scholarship and Program Support.

The college’s 125th anniversary historical exhibition will be open beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Eleanor Hays Art Gallery at the Kinzer Performing Arts Center.

Curated by Gallery Director Audrey Schmitz, the exhibition highlights NOC’s history from its beginnings as University Preparatory School through the present day.

The collection includes a stone mason’s mallet used in the construction of Central Hall, ashes from the 1914 Wilkin Hall fire, vintage Roustabouts costumes, Maurice Brewer’s 1931 football jersey and cleats, historic sports trophies, college yearbooks, student newspapers and other artifacts.

The exhibition also features historical photographs, early diplomas chronicling the institution’s name changes, paintings of campus scenes by NOC Art Professor Emeritus Gene V. Dougherty and 60 framed ����Faces of NOC highlighting alumni success and the college’s impact on former students.

The day’s activities conclude with the free Quasquicentennial Concert at 6:30 p.m. in the KPAC’s Dineo Heilmann Auditorium.

Northern Distinguished Alumnus and Tonkawa native Jerry Steichen will serve as conductor and host for the concert, which features guest pianist Dr. Thomas Lanners, NOC Fine Arts faculty, the Roustabouts and a 57-member professional orchestra.

A special tribute will honor Heilmann, NOC Fine Arts chair emeritus, former Roustabout and Northern Distinguished Alumnus, for his contributions to NOC and the musical community of north central Oklahoma.

A highlight of the concert will be Lanners’ performance of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” on NOC’s nine-foot Steinway concert grand piano. The Roustabouts will also present a musical journey spanning the group’s history from its founding in 1963 through today.

“This concert gives us an opportunity to celebrate not only Northern’s 125-year history, but also the people who have made music and the arts such an important part of that history,” Steichen said. “Bringing so many musicians with longstanding connections to Northern back to Tonkawa makes this a particularly special evening.”

The concert is free and no tickets are required. Doors open at 6 p.m. A reception will follow the concert, providing guests an opportunity to visit with Roustabouts, musicians and guest artists.

The Oct. 3 celebration commemorates NOC’s founding in 1901 as University Preparatory School and its 125 years of serving students and communities across northern Oklahoma.

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A view of Central Hall on the NOC Campus when NOC was the University Preparatory School.

������Ƶ: 125 Years of History

������Ƶ will celebrate its 125th anniversary Oct. 3 with a 6:30 p.m. Quasquicentennial Concert at the Kinzer Performing Arts Center on the NOC Tonkawa campus.

The celebration marks 125 years since an institution originally created to prepare students for a university education began a journey that would eventually make it Oklahoma’s first community college and a multi-campus institution serving students in Tonkawa, Enid and Stillwater.

NOC’s story began shortly after the opening of the Cherokee Outlet, when settlers in the Tonkawa area began looking beyond the immediate necessities of establishing farms and communities and toward educational opportunities for their children. By 1900, area residents were concerned about the need for secondary education. Territorial representative James Wilkin became a leading advocate for establishing a school in Tonkawa and introduced legislation creating the University Preparatory School. The bill passed and was signed by Territorial Gov. Cassius Barnes in the spring of 1901. One of the school’s original purposes was preparing students to transfer to the University of Oklahoma.

The school’s first Board of Regents purchased 20 acres on the east side of Tonkawa from Thomas Martin for $1,500. Construction began on Central Hall in 1901, and the building was completed in March 1902 for $23,000, including furnishings. James Herbert Kelley was selected as the first president and spent the summer of 1902 traveling the countryside by buggy recruiting students. When classes began, 217 students were enrolled and seven faculty members joined Kelley, who also taught science and psychology.

Growth came quickly. Enrollment reached 410 by 1904, requiring additional facilities. That same year, the school held its first graduation exercises in a large tent. More than 900 people attended the three-day celebration, which included athletic events, debates and a baccalaureate before 17 graduates received diplomas. Fine arts and athletics also became important parts of campus life. Football began in 1904, and early teams competed successfully against schools including Oklahoma A&M and the University of Oklahoma. The institution’s reputation grew to the point that it was sometimes known as the “Little Harvard of the Plains.”

The young school nearly disappeared during its second decade. Wilkin Hall burned in 1914, and political efforts were underway to eliminate several state-supported schools. In 1917, the school’s appropriation was not approved and its doors closed. Approximately 65 students went into military service during World War I, with four losing their lives. Equipment, furnishings, the library and printing plant were sent to other state institutions.

The closure was not permanent. The Oklahoma Legislature approved funding to re-establish the school in 1919, and during the 1920s the institution took an important step toward becoming the college it is today. In 1921, the school became the University Preparatory and Junior Vocational College, beginning its transition from a preparatory school into higher education. The decade coincided with dramatic growth in Tonkawa following discovery of the Three Sands Oil Field. The city’s population grew from approximately 1,800 in 1921 to more than 10,000 by 1923.

The college continued to develop through the Great Depression and World War II. Enrollment grew during the 1930s, while academic programs, fine arts and student activities expanded. During���� World War II, the college offered civilian aviation training, with ground school on campus and flight instruction in Ponca City and Blackwell. The program eventually became part of the Cadet Air Corps training effort. Following the war, returning veterans arrived on campus through the GI Bill and brought new growth to the institution.

Another major change came in 1941 when the school became Northern Oklahoma Junior College. The remaining high school curriculum was gradually eliminated, ending in 1950. The postwar years brought new facilities and programs, including agriculture, student organizations and broadcasting. In 1956, the college opened Easterling Hall and the Memorial Union, and the institution’s band later represented Northern in the Rose Bowl Parade.

Perhaps the most important transition in the modern history of the institution occurred in 1965. Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard became the college’s 10th president, and the school’s name officially changed to ������Ƶ. Vineyard’s early years included significant challenges, but by 1967 NOC had regained full accreditation. The campus expanded with a new student union-cafeteria complex, residence halls and Crowder Science Hall.

The following decades brought continued growth in academics, fine arts, athletics and student life. In the 1970s, high school students were allowed to enroll for college credit for the first time, NOC received a 10-year accreditation from the North Central Association, and the Lady Mavericks basketball team won a national championship in 1978. By fall 1979, enrollment had reached 1,635 students.

Fine arts remained an important part of campus life, with the Roustabouts performing nationally and internationally leading to the construction of the Kinzer Performing Arts Center.�� The 1990s brought expanded agriculture facilities, new academic programs and significant growth in athletics, including the addition of baseball, softball and men’s and women’s soccer.

NOC’s reach changed dramatically during the 1990s with the purchase of the former Phillips University campus in Enid. Northern had offered classes in Enid previously, but the acquisition—made in partnership with the City of Enid and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education—gave NOC a permanent second campus. Enrollment across Tonkawa and Enid grew to approximately 3,000 students.

The college became a three-campus institution in the next decade with the creation of the NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater in cooperation with Oklahoma State University. The period also brought additional facilities in Tonkawa and Enid and continued expansion of academic opportunities. By the early 2010s, the institution that had opened with 217 students in a single building had grown into a multi-campus college serving thousands.

NOC has continued to evolve in recent years. Dr. Cheryl Evans became the institution’s first female president in 2011 and served for a decade. The Pickens Learning Commons opened on the Tonkawa campus in 2022, combining contemporary student learning space with a significant art collection. Diana Morris became NOC’s 15th president in 2024 and was formally inaugurated in January 2025.

In November 2025, NOC received a $17 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the largest gift in college history. As the college entered its 125th anniversary year in 2026, it continued adding chapters to a story that began with a territorial legislator’s belief that young people in northern Oklahoma needed greater educational opportunities.

Other anniversary events include a Silent Auction/Purse Raffle at the Renfro Center from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. to raise funds for the First-Generation Scholarship and Program Support.�� Also, the Eleanor Hays Art Gallery will open its doors for an Historical Exhibition,��September 22 – December 8, 2026, in the Kinzer Performing Arts Center on the Tonkawa campus.�� The exhibit is open from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. daily and during events in the performing arts center.

������Ƶ, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.

NOC serves nearly 3,100�� students through the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater.�� Of these students about 85% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 69% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.

The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.

For more information about ������Ƶ or giving to the NOC Foundation, please contact the development office at (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at .

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9-25, What’s Happening [PDF, 3.55 MB]