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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">OSU reports rise in American Indian graduates<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Education Notes The Oklahoman 11/29/2015<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">STILLWATER — The number of American Indian students earning a bachelor’s degree increased 23 percent in one year at Oklahoma State University, according to a survey published
in Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The survey shows the number rose from 193 graduates in 2013 to 238 in 2014. The increase put
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">OSU in second place among all universities nationwide, second only to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah</span>, which was founded specifically for American Indians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“The increase in Native American graduates at OSU is a solid testament to the hard work of the students themselves, and a significant marker of OSU’s commitment to improve
the quality of life for all individuals as an emerging national leader in diversity and inclusion,” Jason Kirksey, vice president and chief diversity officer, said in a news release.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The university recently founded the OSU Center for Sovereign Nations through a major partnership with the Chickasaw Nation. The center is focused on enhancing the university’s
ability to serve the needs of all American Indian students at OSU.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Monotype Corsiva";color:#1F497D">Dr. Linda Mason<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">Coordinator of Grant Writing
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">655 Research Parkway, Suite 200<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">Oklahoma City, OK 73104<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">405-225-9486 desk<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">405-706-8757 cell<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Palatino Linotype","serif";color:#1F497D">405-225-9230 FAX<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:lmason@osrhe.edu"><span style="color:blue">lmason@osrhe.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.okhighered.org/grant-opps/"><span style="color:blue">www.okhighered.org/grant-opps/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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