Oklahoma Panhandle State University

OPSU was created by an act of the Oklahoma State Legislature in 1909 as Pan-Handle Agricultural Institute offering secondary agricultural education for the Panhandle area. In 1921, the legislature authorized the school to offer a two year college curriculum, and the name was changed to Panhandle Agricultural and Mechanical College. In 1925, the State Board of Agriculture authorized upper division college courses, and in the summer of 1926, junior and senior level courses were added to the curriculum. Two additional name changes have been ordered by the legislature: in 1967, Oklahoma Panhandle State College of Agriculture and Applied Science; in 1974, Oklahoma Panhandle State University. OPSU is a baccalaureate degree granting institution located in Goodwell, Oklahoma. General governance of the institution is in the hands of the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges. Academic programs and financial support are authorized and coordinated through the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The mission of OPSU is to provide higher education primarily for people of the Oklahoma Panhandle and surrounding areas through academic programs, cultural enrichment, lifelong learning experiences, and public service activities. The educational experiences are designed to prepare students for roles in agriculture, business, education, government, and industry and to enrich their personal lives.