Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) has announced plans to expand its campus.

OKWU President Dr. Jim Dunn said the Eagle Campus Expansion Plan looks specifically at the improvement of the outdoor athletic space that currently exists at the junction of Nowata Road and Silver Lake Road in Bartlesville. He said OKWU wants to have more play space as a university.

OKWU is attempting to put turf their athletic fields. Dr. Dunn said the university is looking to move its Softball Field from northern Bartlesville off of Tuxedo Boulevard to the OKWU Sports Complex along Silverlake Road. He said they're going to add a track for their track team, because they currently have to borrow track facilities in the Bartlesville area.

Eventually, OKWU would love to build a Field House. Dunn said the Field House will provide an indoor athletic and practice space, wight rooms, locker rooms, restrooms, and concession stand. He said there would even be paved parking for the athletes and fans of OKWU. There is even hopes to expand the Mueller Sports Complex on campus.

The Fields and Track Project portion of the Eagle Campus Expansion includes an expansion of a new track and field, in addition to turfing fields for baseball, softball, and soccer. OKWU hopes to Championship turf fields for baseball, softball and soccer while building a new track and field and cross-country course. This would be done in an effort to support athletic success, recruitment, intramurals, and university and community events. A state goal of raising $3 millions has been set before breaking ground for the project with $500,000 already being pledged. To view the sponsorship menu, click here.

There is also the OKWU Field House Project. OKWU envisions a new multipurpose facility with indoor fields, training rooms, and locker rooms (pictured above and below). The university hopes a dynamic field house would allow for all-weather practicing, training camps, community events, and more. Some of the features include:

• Field House (approximately 55,000 square feet) elevating the OKWU campus experience for retention and recruitment
• Indoor turf field (approximately half a soccer field)
• Athletic offices, concessions, locker rooms, fitness and training areas
• Dynamic flex space function as classroom space and a hospitality suite
• Facility use would include university activities, training camps, and community events

The Eagle Campus Expansion also calls for improvements at the Mueller Sports Complex. This includes upgraded sports facilities for basketball, volleyball, wrestling, intramurals and more. OKWU hopes to enhance access to health and wellness facilities for all students, faculty and staff while increasing the flexibility of both athletic and academic calendars.

The university has the renderings and the concepts for the expansion projects. Dunn said just to put the athletic fields into turf will cost a minimum of $6 million. He said the overall project, if done right, would cost close to $20 million.

OKWU is in the middle of seeking grants from major foundations. Dunn said they haven't started their capital campaign in an effort to look for private and individual donors quite yet. He said it's quite a dilemma in the middle of a pandemic when 50 millions people have lost their jobs at some point in time in the last year.

Dunn said they're still doing their homework when it comes to their launch of a capital campaign and they're still waiting on environmental studies to determine what they can do with their current footprint at Nowata and Silverlake Roads since its in a floodplain. He said they want to make their athletic space as first class as they can.

In a study, OKWU found that 74-percent of students report that campus recreation facilities influenced their decisions to continue attending their chosen university. The university also found that 67-percent of students report that campus recreation facilities and programs influenced their decision of which university to attend. In other words, OKWU believes this Eagle Campus Expansion will help them in the areas of student retention and student recruitment.

Dr. Dunn said retention is all about student experience. Dunn said the renaissance of facilities and keeping them first class is what students and parents expect today. He said providing the experience and atmosphere where students feel good about where they're playing and what the conditions are like on a daily basis helps with a positive outlook on campus.

Everyone like to be involved and engaged with top-notch facilities as Dunn said its the expectation of a university to provide state-of-the-art buildings. Dunn said the Eagle Campus Expansion is something that has been looked at for quite some time. He said OKWU is trying to move the plan forward in order to make it more of a reality.

To give or see the OKWU expansion plans for yourself, click here.