STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 36
‘ Life-changing in Cowboy Country’
Northern Oklahoma College helps students ease into college life
When Megan Pickering first entered the doors at Northern Oklahoma College, she was a senior in high school, excited to take advantage of the college tuition waiver she had been offered. Nervously, she walked into the office at NOC Stillwater, signed into the waiting area and took a seat. As she waited for her name to be called, a woman approached her, introducing herself as Diana Morris, the vice president for NOC Stillwater at that time.
“ Upon hearing it was my first time signing up for classes, Mrs. Morris invited me into her office,” Pickering said.“( She) pulled my application up on her computer( and) told me that she was always excited to help incoming students to sign up for classes. Mrs. Morris was able to completely erase my nervousness about starting college. Although it was far from her job description, Mrs. Morris has a passion for helping students get comfortable with their college experience.”
“( NOC offers) a way to have that‘ big-campus experience’ with a smaller classroom introduction,” said NOC President Diana Morris.
NOC offers a junior college experience for students who need a little
NOC offers a junior college experience for students who need a little extra help or time to adjust to life on OSU’ s campus.
Pickering, who was home schooled for the majority of her life, came from Pawnee, and the idea of large class sizes was“ extraordinarily daunting,” she said. NOC Gateway provided her with the“ perfect opportunity” to adjust to college life without having the stress of large classes. Several classes that would be hundreds of students at Oklahoma State University were in the 20-30 student range at NOC, she said.
“ With my background, I was relieved to have these smaller classes,” Pickering said.“ Additionally, all the professors were easily accessible during office hours, and most professors made a true effort to get to know their students personally during the course of the semester.”
Pickering said she was offered amazing opportunities through NOC, including a job opportunity as a Math tutor, a President’ s Leadership Council scholarship that covered tuition, fees and book costs, and a mentorship through professors and faculty.
Pickering graduated from NOC in 2022 with an associates of arts in social sciences, going on to get her bachelor’ s degree at OSU and graduating summa cum laude with a degree in pre-medical biology. Her experience is not unlike many other students at NOC. extra help or time to adjust to life on OSU’ s campus.
For more than 20 years, NOC has been offering life changing options for students across Oklahoma. In addition to Stillwater, NOC has campuses in Enid, Tonkawa and at the University Center at Ponca City.
NOC Stillwater was formerly housed at Cowboy Mall and the North Classroom building on the OSU campus, with nursing classes offered at Fountain Square and a child development program previously offered on Perkins Road. NOC purchased land from OSU and opened its NOC Stillwater Classroom Building in August
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 36