Osage Casino Hotel donation boosts plans for improved student collaboration space at OSU-Tulsa
Friday, February 14, 2025
Media Contact: Aaron Campbell | OSU-Tulsa Communications Coordinator | 918-594-8046 | aaron.ross.campbell@okstate.edu
Updated Main Hall Commons is designed to support working adults and online learners with flexible, student-focused features
Oklahoma State University-Tulsa’s Main Hall Commons area will undergo a major transformation into a modern, collaborative student space, thanks to a $500,000 donation from Osage Casino Hotel. The revitalized area will provide a dynamic environment tailored to meet the needs of today’s students, fostering both individual and group work in a flexible, inviting setting.
“OSU-Tulsa is a vital resource for our local workforce, and we’re proud to champion a space that will bring the learners in our community together,” said Kimberly Pearson, chief executive officer of Osage Casinos. “Earning your degree isn’t easy, especially for working adults juggling other commitments. This is our way of supporting those dedicated students and the community in which our guests, employees and Osage Citizens live and work.”
Renovation work is scheduled to begin later this year.
The Main Hall Commons is the central hub of the building, connecting each wing in a spoke-and-wheel configuration. It provides access to key campus services, including OSU Police, the OSU-Tulsa Library, labs and classrooms.
Plans for the refurbished common area feature new furnishings and interior with a focus on fostering a vibrant and elegant space designed for collaboration and engagement, enhancing the campus experience for students, faculty, staff and community.
“This is an essential space for our students,” said Craig Freeman, OSU-Tulsa vice provost and dean of the OSU College of Professional Studies. “I see student groups gathering, working and studying together here every day. I’ve seen students working here on weekends because it’s the only day they could get someone to watch their kids. Our students are incredible — and they deserve a space that’s worthy of all the hard work they do.”
The Commons also connects to OSU-Tulsa’s new $5 million advanced technology wing, which is set to be complete by this summer. The wing will house industry-aligned, academic OSU Polytech programming that addresses local workforce needs.
This investment in OSU-Tulsa student success from the Osage Casino Hotel complements the Osage Casino Hotel Student Union in North Hall, which became a popular gathering place for students to meet, eat and study upon its completion in Fall 2020.
“We’re grateful for the Osage Casino Hotel’s generous total investment of nearly $1 million in our student spaces,” said Dr. Johnny Stephens, interim president of OSU-Tulsa and president of OSU Center for Health Sciences. “Our students live and work in the Tulsa area — so when our local business and community partners step up to make our campus shine even brighter for our students, they’re investing directly in the Tulsa workforce.”
To learn more about how you can make a difference for OSU-Tulsa students, visit the OSU-Tulsa giving webpage.