rendering of plant science teaching lab — This conceptual rendering of the Lew Meibergen Teaching Lab, named by the Meibergen family, will support hands-on learning in applied ecology, natural history, wildlife techniques, dendrology, range education and forestry. The plant science teaching lab will be located on the second floor of the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall. (Rendering by Studio Architecture)

New home to benefit OSU Agriculture’s award-winning faculty and staff

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Media Contact: Mandy Gross | Senior Manager of Strategic Communications and Special Projects | 405-744-4063 | mandy.gross@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University Agriculture is known for having some of the brightest professors, researchers and specialists in the state, region and nation. Soon, their expertise will be heightened with the opening of the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall.

The excellent reputation of OSU Agriculture is evident from the number of honors our faculty and staff received during the University Awards Convocation held recently, said Thomas G. Coon, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture.

“Our faculty and staff go above and beyond what is expected of them and make significant contributions to not only OSU Agriculture, but also the university, state and nation,” Coon said. “The New Frontiers Agricultural Hall will help promote innovation to advance our teaching, research and Extension efforts and bring even more distinction to OSU Agriculture.”

Scheduled to open for classes in fall 2024, the new home for the Ferguson College of Agriculture, OSU Extension and OSU Ag Research will enhance collaboration and utilize flexible laboratory spaces and interactive classrooms that will harness students’ energy and the excitement of innovation.

Since launching the New Frontiers campaign in January 2020, 628 donors have committed more than $50 million through gifts and pledges, helping to reach the fundraising goal in record time. Many of these donors are OSU Agriculture faculty and staff who understand the need for a new state-of-the-art facility.

Brett Carver, regents professor and wheat genetics chair in the OSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and New Frontiers donor, recently received the Eminent Faculty Award for his contributions to instruction and service to the university.

“New buildings don’t necessarily produce new results,” Carver said. “What produces new results is new thinking, and the right learning environment is fertile ground for new thinking and can take place in a classroom or laboratory. I think this facility is that fertile ground for new thinking.”

As OSU aims to recruit the country’s most esteemed agricultural faculty, researchers and students, the $115 million facility will change and modernize OSU Agriculture, Coon said.

“It will enhance our teaching, research and Extension efforts to foster learning now and for generations to come,” he said. “We’ll become even more collaborative, bringing all of OSU Agriculture’s expertise to bear on the challenges and opportunities facing the state of Oklahoma.”

The New Frontiers campaign was launched in January 2020 to build a new state-of-the-art facility for OSU Agriculture. The New Frontiers Agricultural Hall, expected to open in fall 2024, further advances teaching, research and Extension efforts that are critical to the state’s economy, citizens’ safety and quality of life. By advancing OSU Agriculture and its programs, New Frontiers is fostering innovation to help feed the world.

Story By: Alyssa Hardaway | alyssa.hardaway@okstate.edu