FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                    November 7, 2007

NORTHWESTERN’S RANGER PREVIEW HAS LARGE TURNOUT

            Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Ranger Preview introduced 276 high school seniors from more than 80 high schools to the university’s campus Saturday. Counting parents and families, more than 500 people were guests of the university.

            Brad Franz, dean of student affairs and enrollment management, said the number of seniors who attended this year is up 20 percent from last year and that 10 more high schools were represented.

High school seniors and their guests filed into Percefull Fieldhouse Saturday for Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Ranger Preview. The Ranger Band and cheerleaders kicked the morning off by introducing the 276 seniors and their families to the school’s fight song, “Ride, Rangers, Ride.” For more photos, click here.

            Those attending came from many of the communities in Northwestern’s 13-county service area, but some also came from the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas, the Oklahoma panhandle, southern Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota.

            By attending Ranger Preview, each high school senior will receive a $400 scholarship upon their admittance to Northwestern as a full-time student at the Alva campus. This scholarship is made possible by a program developed by the City of Alva.

Franz said that every student attending Ranger Preview applied for admission and scholarships to the university while on campus Saturday. Through the generosity of Alva’s Community Bank, the $15 application fee for each student was covered.

            Community Bank also provided $100 scholarships for five lucky students who won them through a random drawing and gave away 10 t-shirts that say “Riding High with NWOSU and Community Bank.” The bank also provided each high school senior in attendance with a Northwestern t-shirt.

            Terry Ross, president of the bank, said the reason he agreed to pay the students’ application for admission fee, as well as provide five scholarships, was to show his bank’s support and commitment for Northwestern, its student body and employees.

            “Community Bank realizes the importance of Northwestern to our community,” Ross said. “By us paying the application fee, I think more prospective students completed their applications instead of taking it home to think about it.

            “It was great day for Northwestern and demonstrates that Northwestern is definitely headed in the right direction.”

            Following registration, Dr. Steve Lohmann, vice president for academic affairs, explained to the large crowd what it means to be Ranger, and Dr. Janet Cunningham, university president, welcomed them to campus. The Ranger band and cheerleaders introduced the students to the school’s fight song, “Ride, Rangers, Ride.”

            Northwestern Scholar Ambassadors and the President’s Leadership Class provided the seniors with complete campus tours before taking them to the Student Center to meet with many of the university student groups, which had set up display tables to share information about their organizations.  The students also had an opportunity to meet with faculty members about their departments. To round out the morning’s events, a Rowdy Ranger cookout took place in Percefull Fieldhouse for all in attendance.

            “I was very pleased for the day,” Franz said. “We had a large turnout of seniors for the event and felt it was very successful. Our faculty and staff had a chance to meet many of the students, and the students had an opportunity to get a good feel for Northwestern. Director of Recruitment Matt Adair and the recruitment staff did an excellent job in spreading the word this fall about all the opportunities awaiting them at Northwestern.”

-NW-

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