91Ӱ��

91Ӱ�� has announced plans for a major transformation of its Metro Campus, with a $57 million renovation that will modernize learning spaces, improve student and faculty areas, and better connect the downtown campus.

91Ӱ�� announced plans for a $57 million renovation of its Metro Campus in downtown Tulsa that will revolutionize the teaching and learning experience for all students on the campus. The work will focus on extensive renovations to the Academic Building, the former headquarters for Sinclair Oil Company, and the Student Union building, the former Manual Arts Building for Central High School.  

The project is a public-private partnership between 91Ӱ�� and the that will develop larger, more functional classrooms to accommodate present-day teaching styles, renovate four 1970s-era science labs, address aging infrastructure, and expand opportunities for students and faculty to connect. In addition, the library will move to the Student Union to accommodate a centralized space for faculty in the Faculty Circle (Center for Innovation, Resources, Collaboration, Learning and Engagement). When complete, the overall project will create a more connected campus experience for students, employees and visitors.

“The Metro Campus has been a workhorse campus for 91Ӱ�� for more than 56 years, serving generations of students and remaining an essential part of downtown Tulsa. I am excited to see this plan come to fruition as 91Ӱ�� continues to grow and serve more Oklahomans than any other college or university in the state,” said 91Ӱ�� President and CEO Leigh Goodson, Ph.D. “Modernizing these spaces will allow us to better support students, faculty, and staff while ensuring Metro Campus remains a strong, welcoming place to learn and work for many years to come.”

The 91Ӱ�� Foundation is raising $30 million in private funds to support the project through its , while the College will allocate an additional $27 million from funds it has saved for several years in order to tackle a project of this magnitude. To date, more than $17.6 million has been raised for the project, including a $6-million lead gift from the Hardesty Family Foundation for the naming of the Hardesty Academic Building.

“We are grateful for the outpouring of support from Tulsa’s philanthropic community, businesses and community leaders who recognize the roll 91Ӱ�� plays in educating Tulsa’s workforce,” said Kari Shults, 91Ӱ�� Foundation President and 91Ӱ�� Vice President for Advancement.

Since 1970, 91Ӱ�� has grown to serve an enrollment of more than 22,000 students annually. The Metro Campus serves more than 5,200 students enrolled in a variety of classes, but 28 percent of the classroom spaces are unused due to size or infrastructure limitations.

The renovations will allow the College to make better use of the downtown Tulsa campus while creating modern spaces that respond to the needs of today’s students and workforce partners. The project also reflects 91Ӱ��’s broader role as an economic engine for the Tulsa region, contributing $1.2 billion annually to the local economy.

A groundbreaking ceremony will take place in December. Construction is expected to take 18 months utilizing a phased method that will mitigate interruptions to classes while keeping significant areas of the building operational to facilitate student success. To learn more, please visit .

Advancing Together Campaign Leadership:

• G.T. Bynum, Tri-Chair
• Susan B. Neal, Tri-Chair
• Rob Martinovich, Tri-Chair
• Joanie Atkinson
• Sean Kouplen
• Phil Lakin
• Caron Lawhorn
• Susan Savage
• Melinda Stinnett

Advancing Together Donors, as of Sept. 14, 2026:

• Hardesty Family Foundation
• Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
• Sanford & Irene Burnstein Family Foundation
• The Helmerich Trust
• Jim and Ronda Norton Family Charitable Fund
• Regent Bank
• Saint Francis Health System
• Mervin Bovaird Foundation
• Bank of Oklahoma
• Morningcrest Healthcare Foundation
• ONE Gas
• Scott Thompson/The DTG Legacy Tulsa Fund
• The Bama Companies
• Jeanette Kern and The Honorable Terry Kern
• Caron and Shawn Lawhorn
• Mary and Rob Martinovich
• Meshri Family
• TTCU Federal Credit Union
• Arvest Foundation
• Robert Burkett and Teresa Meinders Burkett
• CommunityCare of Oklahoma
• Kevin and Susan Gross
• Jimmie and Betty Kilgore
• TD Williamson
• Barnett Family Foundation
• Leigh and Mark Goodson
• Joanie and Tom Atkinson
• Bill and Pat McKamey
• Joseph Parker
• Kari and Matt Shults
• Blevins Family Giving Fund
• Susan and Rick Neal