Evans credits students, staff for NOC accomplishments

Mar. 7—Cheryl Evans smiles as she reflects on her upcoming retirement after 10 years as the president of Northern Oklahoma College.

"It's flown by," she said. "NOC is family, and it's difficult to leave, but I believe it is the right time for me and the right time for the college. An average college president stays about six years. I just wanted to leave on a high note."

She should be doing just that when she leaves her position on June 30, 2021.

Major accomplishments

During Evans' time as president of NOC, which has campuses in Tonkawa, Enid and Stillwater, the college has:

—Been reaccredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, reaccredited by the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission for its associate degree program in nursing and reaccredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs for its associate degree program in business.

—Supported extensive capital outlay for improvement of infrastructure and facilities, including renovation and restoration of NOC's first structure, Central Hall, which was built in 1901 on the Tonkawa campus. Two new residence halls were built — Mavericks Hall in Tonkawa and Jets Hall in Enid — as well as a new classroom building on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater. Marshall Building on the Enid campus also was updated and the Bivins Chapel was restored with an organ.

—Encouraged private and public partnerships, including the Enel Wind Energy partnership and the Autry Technology Respiratory Care program. The school developed long-term relationships with Northwestern Oklahoma State University with the Bridge program and with OSU through the NOC/OSU Gateway program. Both of these programs help NOC students successfully transfer to baccalaureate programs.

—Experienced growth in financial net assets and scholarship awards with the Northern Oklahoma College Foundation. Net assets grew approximately from $5.5 million in 2011 to more than $12 million in 2020. Annual private scholarships have increased from just more than $99,000 awarded to 201 students in 2011-12 to $245,123 for recipients last year.

—Won its first national athletic championship when the NOC Enid Jets took the Division II World Series prize at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in 2019. Artificial turf was installed at Failing Park, the Jets' practice field and second home, a few years earlier.

"The students' accomplishments are the main things," Evans said. "I'm really proud that we have been able to increase the amount of degrees earned. I'm really proud that we were able to navigate some really challenging times with decreased appropriations. We even managed to pay off the bonds on the Enid campus a year early.

"You always wished you had more resources to do things, but it's just like anything else in life. You always want to do more. You have to prioritize."

Storms in life

She emphasized the importance of taking care of the maintenance of the buildings on campus and updating science labs and making improvements on the Bert and Janice Mackie Planetarium on the Enid campus. A new roof was put on the Gantz Center in Enid.

NOC began installing a new software system for the entire institution last year. Full implementation will come at the end of the spring semester, and Evans said it should help with student recruitment and management.

Evans' last full year was particularly challenging with two major blows — a pandemic that forced the school to go with a virtual distance learning plan and back-to-back snowstorms this winter that paralyzed the campus for two weeks. NOC, though, was able to go virtual during the snowstorm.

The school also was able to institute distance learning as the pandemic took hold in Oklahoma, since it had used ITV technology before to teach from campus to campus. Zoom technology allowed the classroom to come to students long distance.

"People understood the concept of distance learning. It was not easy by any means. They worked hard and made it happen. Our students were able to complete their coursework. I think everybody will take the lessons learned, and I don't think it will ever be the same again. We're looking forward to having more of a normal."

During her presidency, Evans saw state funding go from 70% of the budget to less than 30%. Enrollment has declined over the past years. Evans said the economic realities of the pandemic have forced people to take care of basic needs first.

"I expect them to return when things are better in their daily lives," Evans said.

Success of students, staff

But even as enrollments have lowered, the quality of the education has remained.

OSU officials have told Evans that transfers from NOC graduate from OSU at a higher rate than other schools.

The Aspen Institute out of Washington has rated NOC one of the top 10 economic values nationally. The rankings come out every two years, and NOC has been cited four times during Evans' tenure.

"Again, it's the people doing all the hard work that make the value for the students," Evans said. "We're proud how the number of graduates from NOC has increased over the years. It's one thing to say people come to college. It's another to say they have graduated."

Evans pointed out getting a call from a friend in Tulsa to say an NOC graduate was his wife's nurse in the hospital. With Enid a medical hub in Northwest Oklahoma, it's important to have a strong nursing program, Evans said.

The budget cuts have forced NOC to raise tuition, but Evans said the school is still the third- or fourth most-affordable in the state.

NOC's foundation also has been able to increase the number of private scholarships available.

"We have adjusted our college scholarship program to maximize the use of federal funds for students," Evans said. "It's still very affordable. We can help anybody who wants to go to college go to college."

Evans said she wanted to increase the number of endowed chair programs. Evans was the dean at Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid before coming to NOC, so the Bridge program between the two schools, which makes the move from the two-year NOC to the four-year university smoother, also was high priority. She said a majority of NOC graduates usually went to either NWOSU, University of Central Oklahoma or OSU.

"There are so many good memories there," Evans said. "It all comes down to people more than anything."

She was "honored" to be the first female president of NOC. She has seen a growth of women college presidents.

"I worked with some really good men and some really good women," she said. "When it comes down to it, you just want to have good people."

Overseeing a friendly rivalry

She may be more unique being the president over two campuses that have become major rivals — picture the same person being the president of both the University of Oklahoma and OSU.

Enid has more of a metropolitan culture, while Tonkawa is rural and known for its educational offerings that include a nationally recognized sheep herd. The two campuses also each have sports teams — the Mavericks in Tonkawa and Jets in Enid — that play one another yearly in what has become quite a rivalry. Evans said she can recall only one other college having two votes in the National Junior College Athletic Association.

"I love it," she said of the rivalry. "I think it's friendly. It's our own little Bedlam. It's exciting because the students, the players and the fans all seem to be engaged when the Mavericks and Jets play. It doesn't matter what the sport is."

Enid's World Series championship and Tonkawa's sheep herding center have both had an impact, she said.

Evaluating the options

Technology, such as Zoom conferencing and ITV education, has helped connect all the campuses when it comes to education and administration, but there are times Evans said when she admits she wished she could clone herself so she could be at three places at once.

But despite the challenges of overseeing a college, she feels good about the future. A strategic plan has built a solid foundation and the school has been "consistently been investing in technology so we can keep up we need the need."

"Our plan has been in place to add more programs," Evans said. "We are evaluating all the those options. We think many good things will be coming to Northern at all of its locations."

The state of Oklahoma has a list of jobs that will be most needed in the future, and the college is constantly looking at how it can provide for the students interested in those fields.

"We are evaluating that," Evans said, "and increased activities for students. Helping first generation students is a real goal for NOC. Our people really care about the students and take the time to navigate the progress."

In addition to the educational opportunities, financial programs also continue to grow and evolve.

The Enel Wind Energy program has been able to provide scholarships for students as well as training a work force. Evans points out as an example "as you go to college to go work so an investment in higher education is also an investment in Oklahoma. NOC is turning out some great employees for Oklahoma."

Personal plans

Evans grew up in Cherokee and married her childhood sweetheart, Tom.

She is putting 27 years in education behind her — 10 at Northwestern Oklahoma State, seven as dean of the NWOSU-Enid campus and 10 at NOC.

Evans said she is looking forward to retirement and spending more time with her family, two daughters and two grandchildren. She and her husband, Tom, will live on the family farm in Alfalfa County.

"I don't have any plans right now," Evans said. "I never say never, but I've deferred a lot of things in my family life, and I'm going to focus on that for awhile. I have some precious little grandkids. My mom was widowed last year, so hopefully I can clear some things up. Tom and I would love to travel, and we have some plans to do that."

Campbell is a former sports writer and current part-time writer for the News & Eagle, enidnews@enidnews.com.

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