| Cameron University | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1908 |
| Type | Public |
| President | Cindy Ross |
| Students | 5,589 |
| Undergraduates | 5,202 |
| Postgraduates | 387 |
| Location | Lawton, Oklahoma, United States |
| Colors | Gold and Black |
| Nickname | Ole Kim |
| Mascot | Aggie |
| Affiliations | Lone Star Conference, NCAA Division II |
| Website | http://www.cameron.edu |
Cameron University is a four-year, state-funded university located in Lawton, Oklahoma, that offers more than 50 degrees through two-year, four-year and graduate programs. The degree programs emphasize the liberal arts, science and technology and graduate and professional studies. Cameron is the only Oklahoma university which offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at one site.
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Oklahoma Legislature created six agricultural high schools in each judicial district just a year after statehood in 1908. Lawton was chosen to receive a high school over Anadarko in April, 1909, due to their having already set aside a portion of land for a higher educational institution. The University Improvement Association, under the auspices of the Lawton Chamber of Commerce, organized the effort to acquire 220 acres (0.89 km2) of land two miles west of the town. Its original goal was to secure a private Baptist college. Arrangements with the Baptists fell through in the summer of 1908. The Catholic Church approached the Association with an offer to form an all-male institution on the site. This plan was not acceptable to the town leaders. Cameron State School of Agriculture was named for the Rev. E. D. Cameron, a Baptist minister and Oklahoma’s first State Superintendent of Schools. The first classes were held on Statehood Day, November 16, 1909, in the basement of a bank building while a new campus building was constructed.
Cameron added junior college work in 1927 when local higher education needs exceeded what was available in Southwest Oklahoma. With this changed function came a new name — Cameron State Agricultural College. High school courses were dropped and Cameron became solely a junior college in 1941 when the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education was formed and joined the group of institutions governed by the Board of Regents of Oklahoma A&M Colleges.
Baccalaureate degrees were authorized in 1966 by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, following action by the Legislature. The institution’s name was shortened to Cameron College in 1971, then changed to Cameron University in 1974. As the 1970s continued, Cameron demonstrated its dedication to expanded academic offerings through the construction of a fine arts facility designed to serve students in theatre, music, broadcasting and speech communication.
Dr. Donald J. Owen served as Cameron's President from 1969-1980. A Cameron graduate himself, Owen worked to build academic programs and develop relationships with the Lawton community, as well as the Oklahoma State University system, under which CU fell during his tenure. Cameron's sports teams, particularly football and basketball, excelled during that time, and a new President's home was constructed on Gore Blvd west of the campus.
In 1988, State Regents expanded Cameron’s functions to include offerings at the master's degree level. This change in function was the first granted to an Oklahoma institution since Cameron was given the authority to offer bachelor's degrees more than 20 years earlier. In the 1990s Cameron University came under the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.
Don Davis was President of Cameron University from 1980 to 2002. His father, Clarence L. Davis was President of Cameron from 1957-1960. As a child, Davis lived in the President's house on campus with his mother, father and sister. Where this house once stood now stands a state of the art science center. As a former legislator from Lawton, Davis was able to secure funding for Cameron that allowed it to grow into the premier institute for higher education in southwestern Oklahoma. Also During Davis' tenure a classical radio station, KCCU 89.3, was founded. Numerous renowned scholars, including Richard Leakey, Cornel West, and James Burke have spoken at Cameron's annual Academic Festival.
In May 2004, Cameron took over the Duncan Higher Education Center in Duncan, Oklahoma and renamed it Cameron University - Duncan.
In June 2005 the State Regents approved the first Masters of Science in Entrepreneurial Studies in the state and the first graduate certificate program in the state. The Entrepreneurial Studies program was rated by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top 10 limited curriculum programs in the nation. In 2006 the Masters of Science in Entrepreneurial Studies program was the first runner-up behind the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill for the Model graduate program in Entrepreneurship by the U.S. Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship. In 2008 the program was named the model graduate program in entrepreneurship with the Small Business Institute international program. At the core of the program is the SBI model and the academic research process. Program is headed by Dr. Shawn M. Carraher [Endowed Chair, Professor of Business (Management & Global Entrepreneurship) native American, and Director of the academic portions of the Center for Emerging Technology & Entrepreneurial Studies] whose research focuses on international strategic issues in entrepreneurial healthcare and hospitality organizations. Over 300 student outreach projects have been completed and over 100 academic presentations coauthored by students.
Most courses are offered weekdays and evenings. Cameron utilizes television, the Internet, and a statewide fiber-optics network to deliver classes around the world. Students may participate in independent study, cooperative education, pre-professional studies, teacher certification, and the Army ROTC program. In addition, Cameron offers an honors program, early admission, advanced standing, and college-level examination programs although 58% of entering students require remedial work with median ACT scores at the 9th percentile. Entry into the honors program requires that one be average based upon national standards.
A wide range of organizations and interest groups are located on campus, including departmental, minority, professional, political and religious organizations, and various honorary and recognition societies. Students can also become involved in student government, choral groups, a jazz ensemble, theater, or Greek life.
Intercollegiate sports play an important role in Cameron’s campus life. University men play basketball coached by Wade Alexander, baseball coached by Todd Holland, golf coached by Jerry Hrnciar, cross country coached by Matt Aguero, and tennis coached by James Helvey, while Cameron women participate in basketball coached by Tom Webb, volleyball coached by Doug Tabbert, softball coached by Beth Watson, golf coached by Rick Goodwin, cheerleading coached by Korie Brox and Brooke Wojcik, and tennis coached by James Helvey. The athletic department is run by Jim Jackson the Athletic Director and Kim Vinson the Associate Athletic Director. Sports imformation is run by Jacob Russell the Sports Imformation Director. Cameron competes in the Lone Star Conference of the NCAA’s Division II.
In 1987, Cameron defeated Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 30-2 to win the NAIA Division I Football National Championship. Cameron had previously won a national championship as a junior college as well, but the university discontinued football in 1993 due to the costs of maintaining the program, particularly the need to replace the artificial turf at the stadium, even though the stadium plays host to local high school football still today. Cameron has also won NAIA national championships in men's basketball (1980) and men's golf (1983).
Cameron celebrated its 100th birthday in 2008-09 with an observance entitled Cameron University: Changing Lives for 100 Years, 1908-2008.
As part of the Centennial Observance, Cameron launched an ambitious $8,500,000 Changing Lives Campaign, the first comprehensive campaign in Cameron's history. Campaign goals include:
| Student Activities Complex | $6,500,000 |
| Centennial Gardens | $500,000 |
| Endowed Faculty Positions | $650,000 |
| Student Scholarships | $600,000 |
| University Advancement | $250,000 |
Cameron increased the goal to $10,000,000 with a Dig Deeper Challenge to meet the goals for the Student Activities Complex, a state-of-the-art student center, and the Centennial Gardens, a beautiful place to study, relax, play and interact.
2 years into the 3-year campaign, over $9 million had been raised. At the completion of the campaign over $11 million was raised with endowed faculty positions surpassing its goal of $650K by more than 100% even though the money does not support actual faculty positions.
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