NWOSU Logo in white
  • Academics
  • Future Rangers
  • About
  • Athletics
  • Resources
    • Student
      • Email Access
      • Canvas
      • Course Schedules
      • Helpful Videos
      • Library Services
      • Paying For College
      • Self-Service
      • Student Services
      • Transcript Request
      • University Calendar
      • 1098-T Forms
    • Employee
    • Canvas
    • Self-Service
    • Library Services
    • Parent and Family
    • University Calendar
    • Visitors
  • University News
  • Academics
  • Future Rangers
  • About
  • Athletics
  • Resources
    • Student
      • Email Access
      • Canvas
      • Course Schedules
      • Helpful Videos
      • Library Services
      • Paying For College
      • Self-Service
      • Student Services
      • Transcript Request
      • University Calendar
      • 1098-T Forms
    • Employee
    • Canvas
    • Self-Service
    • Library Services
    • Parent and Family
    • University Calendar
    • Visitors
  • University News
  • September 11, 2026
  • Sean Doherty

Applications Due Oct. 1 for Reichenberger Legacy Scholar Program Trip to Philadelphia

Six people in matching black “NWOSU Donovan Reichenberger Scholar 2026” hooded sweatshirts stand in a row on grass at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, with rolling green countryside and a clear blue sky behind them.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University's inaugural class of Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholars and their faculty organizers while visiting the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville, Illinois, in April 2026. Left to right: Dr. Aaron Mason, Keegan Logsdon, Channing Dillinger, Ava Carr, Jacob Arnold and Dr. Eric Schmaltz.
Six Northwestern Oklahoma State University students and faculty members walk single file along a dirt path across a broad grassy plaza at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, with Monks Mound and its wooden staircase rising in the distance beneath a clear blue sky.
The inaugural class of Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholars crosses the Grand Plaza toward Monks Mound at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in April 2026.
Three people from Northwestern Oklahoma State University, seen from behind wearing backpacks, walk across a wide green field toward Monks Mound at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. A large tree stands in front of the flat-topped earthen mound, with a wooden staircase running up its side under a blue sky.
Members of Northwestern Oklahoma State University's inaugural Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholar class walk toward Monks Mound at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville, Illinois, during the program's inaugural trip in April 2026.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University students in hooded sweatshirts and backpacks walk up a gravel path toward a long concrete staircase climbing the grassy slope of Monks Mound. A single figure stands at the top against a blue sky.
Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholars approach the staircase to the summit of Monks Mound, the largest pre-Columbian earthwork north of Mexico, at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville, Illinois.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University students have until Thursday, Oct. 1, to apply for the 2026-2027 Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholar Program, which will send selected students to Philadelphia in February 2027.

The Northwestern Department of Social Sciences runs the program, titled “Rangers Walking Through History — Philadelphia 2027.” Students will explore American exceptionalism and the role Philadelphia may have played in shaping it.

The program gives students real-world exposure to ideas and concepts covered in traditional classroom study through travel and first-hand experience at historic locations. Selected students receive free travel, courtesy of the Reichenberger Legacy Scholar Endowment.

How to Apply

  • Deadline: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026
  • Eligibility: all full-time Northwestern undergraduate and graduate students
  • Not eligible: concurrent high school students
  • Minimum age: 18
  • Online: Apply online for the Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholar Program
  • Download: Download the Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholar application form (PDF)
  • Hardcopy: Email the completed form to Dr. Eric Schmaltz at ejschmaltz@nwosu.edu
  • Questions: Contact Schmaltz by email or at 580-327-8526

Philadelphia Sites Students Will Visit

Students will visit sites vital to the American Revolution and the formation of the U.S. Constitution, including:

  • Christ Church and the Christ Church Burial Ground
  • The Declaration House
  • George Washington’s President’s House Site
  • Independence Hall
  • Congress Hall
  • The Supreme Court Chamber at Old City Hall
  • The First Bank of the United States
  • The National Constitution Center
  • Carpenters’ Hall
  • The Library of the American Philosophical Society
  • The Museum of the American Revolution
  • The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial in the Franklin Institute
  • The Liberty Bell Center
  • The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution
  • The site of the Walnut Street Prison

How the Program Works

The program has two components.

The first component begins this fall. Students review online resources, read required texts and meet with faculty to discuss theories associated with American exceptionalism.

Students must complete these requirements to move on. Northwestern Department of Social Sciences faculty members overseeing the program judge student performance at this stage.

The second component is the trip itself in February 2027. Students agree to make the trip and to follow all university and departmental protocols while traveling.

After they return, students write a final assignment on a topic the faculty organizers choose. Students who complete both components may earn the Donovan Reichenberger Legacy Scholar designation and receive a certificate. They can then list the distinction on their resumes for graduate school applications or employment.

The inaugural class — Jacob Arnold, a senior history major from Enid; Ava Carr, a senior history major from Tuttle; Channing Dillinger, a sophomore agriculture major from Hugoton, Kansas; and Keegan Logsdon, a junior political science major from Alva — traveled to Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville, Illinois, in April 2026.

Donovan Reichenberger, Northwestern Oklahoma State University alumnus, faculty member and benefactor, in a studio portrait wearing eyeglasses, a dark suit jacket, white dress shirt and a gray patterned tie against a dark maroon background.

Donovan Reichenberger’s Legacy at Northwestern

Donovan Reichenberger was born Aug. 5, 1926, in Mount Hope, Kansas, and graduated from high school in Sharon, Kansas. He served in the U.S. Navy for 18 years beginning in 1945, with assignments in the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, during World War II and the Korean War.

He married Dorothy Teutschmann on June 6, 1958. After his naval service the couple moved to Alva, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science from Northwestern State College, now Northwestern Oklahoma State University, in 1965. He earned a master’s degree from Wichita State University in 1967 and joined the Northwestern history department that same year.

He also served as Northwestern’s faculty representative for the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference from 1975 until his retirement in December 1992, after 25 years of service. After retiring, he served as chairman of the Centennial Steering Committee and helped plan Northwestern’s 100th anniversary.

In 1996, he and his wife created the Donovan Reichenberger Chair in History. The gift provided non-appropriated funds to benefit Northwestern’s history program. That gift and the couple’s many other contributions continue to support the Northwestern Department of Social Sciences. Dorothy Reichenberger died in 2005. Donovan Reichenberger died Dec. 14, 2020.

Contact Information

  • Program contact: Dr. Eric Schmaltz, Northwestern Department of Social Sciences chair and professor of history — ejschmaltz@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8526

Media Contact:

Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: 580-327-8480

 

Share:

More Posts

A Northwestern fan in a red Rangers shirt holds up a phone to take a selfie with Rowdy, the Ranger mascot in a cowboy hat and chaps, in the stands at Ranger Field during the Family Day football game.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University Family Day Set for Sept. 19 in Alva, Oklahoma

Northwestern Oklahoma State University Family Day Set for Sept. 19 in Alva, Oklahoma A Northwestern fan takes a selfie with Rowdy, the Ranger mascot, during

Ranger Blog Icon

22 Northwestern Seniors Placed in Student Teaching Assignments in Oklahoma, Kansas

22 Northwestern Student Teachers Placed in Oklahoma, Kansas Emma Curry – Chickasha High School Chase Kite – Aline-Cleo High School Kaylyn Aldrich – Pioneer-Pleasant Vale

Dr. Mark J. Sundahl, professor of law and director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University College of Law, wearing clear-framed glasses, a tan suit jacket, a white button-down shirt and a pink patterned bow tie, in front of a softly blurred gallery wall hung with framed artwork.

Space Law Expert Visits Northwestern Sept. 15

Space Law Expert Visits Northwestern Sept. 15 Dr. Mark J. Sundahl, professor of law and director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State

Blood drive flyer with the headline “Fangs Just Wanna Have Fun Blood Drive” in red gothic lettering, surrounded by bats, a cartoon vampire and a black T-shirt printed with “All We Need Is Blood.” Text reads: Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ranger Room, Walk-ins Welcome! All donors get our Fang-tastic T-shirt. Our Blood Institute, 877-340-8777, obi.org. Photo ID required. While supplies last.

Northwestern President’s Leadership Class to Sponsor Blood Drive Sept. 9-10

Northwestern President’s Leadership Class to Sponsor Blood Drive Sept. 9-10 ALVA, Okla. — Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s President’s Leadership Class (PLC) is partnering with Our

PrevPrevious22 Northwestern Seniors Placed in Student Teaching Assignments in Oklahoma, Kansas
NextNorthwestern Oklahoma State University Family Day Set for Sept. 19 in Alva, OklahomaNext
NWOSU Logo in white
  • 709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, OK 73717
  • Phone: (580) 327-1700
Navigation
  • Academics
  • Future Rangers
  • About
  • Athletics
  • Resources
    • Student
      • Email Access
      • Canvas
      • Course Schedules
      • Helpful Videos
      • Library Services
      • Paying For College
      • Self-Service
      • Student Services
      • Transcript Request
      • University Calendar
      • 1098-T Forms
    • Employee
    • Canvas
    • Self-Service
    • Library Services
    • Parent and Family
    • University Calendar
    • Visitors
  • University News
  • Academics
  • Future Rangers
  • About
  • Athletics
  • Resources
    • Student
      • Email Access
      • Canvas
      • Course Schedules
      • Helpful Videos
      • Library Services
      • Paying For College
      • Self-Service
      • Student Services
      • Transcript Request
      • University Calendar
      • 1098-T Forms
    • Employee
    • Canvas
    • Self-Service
    • Library Services
    • Parent and Family
    • University Calendar
    • Visitors
  • University News
Quick Links
  • University News
  • Online Application
  • Title IX Info
  • Sitemap
  • Employee Directory
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Snapchat Youtube Flickr Pinterest Linkedin

Mission Statement

Northwestern Oklahoma State University provides quality educational and cultural opportunities to learners with diverse needs by cultivating ethical leadership and service, critical thinking and fiscal responsibility.

RUSO logo in white

Privacy Policy | Powered by High Five Media

  • About
    • History
    • Leadership
    • Our Traditions
    • Strategic Plan
    • Employment
    • Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness
    • University Relations
    • Enid Campus
    • Woodward Campus
  • Academics
    • Academic Calendar
    • Degree Options
    • Honors Program
    • School of Arts & Sciences
    • School of Professional Studies
    • Graduate Studies
    • Course Schedules
    • Course Rotations
    • Plans of Study
    • Paying For College
    • Study Abroad
  • Admissions
    • Visit Northwestern
    • Online Programs
    • Transfer Student Information
    • Office of Recruitment
    • Prospective Student Questionnaire
  • Student Life
    • Living on Campus
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Student Services
    • Academic Success Center
    • Library Services
    • Career Services
  • Resources
    • Email Access
    • Self-Service
    • Canvas
    • Library
    • NWOSU Bookstore
    • Campus Safety
  • Athletics
  • Alumni
  • About
    • History
    • Leadership
    • Our Traditions
    • Strategic Plan
    • Employment
    • Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness
    • University Relations
    • Enid Campus
    • Woodward Campus
  • Academics
    • Academic Calendar
    • Degree Options
    • Honors Program
    • School of Arts & Sciences
    • School of Professional Studies
    • Graduate Studies
    • Course Schedules
    • Course Rotations
    • Plans of Study
    • Paying For College
    • Study Abroad
  • Admissions
    • Visit Northwestern
    • Online Programs
    • Transfer Student Information
    • Office of Recruitment
    • Prospective Student Questionnaire
  • Student Life
    • Living on Campus
    • Clubs and Organizations
    • Student Services
    • Academic Success Center
    • Library Services
    • Career Services
  • Resources
    • Email Access
    • Self-Service
    • Canvas
    • Library
    • NWOSU Bookstore
    • Campus Safety
  • Athletics
  • Alumni