TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The University of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation have signed an agreement to establish the state's first nursing school on tribal land, marking a $30 million investment to address Oklahoma's critical nursing shortage.
The partnership will create a satellite campus at the W.W. Hastings Hospital facility in Tahlequah, with classes beginning online in fall 2026 and the physical campus opening in 2027.
Local News
Cherokee Nation hoping to invest $30M in new satellite nursing school with OU
"I think [OU] is particularly well positioned to do something that this region needs and that we need, which is to bridge people who may have that associate's degree in nursing," Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskins Jr. said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oklahoma ranks 46th nationally for qualified nurses. The state needs more than 2,200 new registered nurses annually over the next decade just to keep pace with demand.
WATCH: OU and the Cherokee Nation partner to create a satellite nursing school in Tahlequah
OU President Joseph Harroz stated that the university has significantly expanded its nursing program to meet the increasing demand.
"Three years ago, we decided to take every qualified nursing applicant. Our classes have skyrocketed from 300 graduates a year to over 600 graduates a year," Harroz said.
OU’s Board of Regents has yet to approve the partnership, but Harroz was confident the board would approve the matter soon.
The Cherokee Nation will invest $30 million to remodel the Hastings facility for the satellite campus and add $5 million in scholarships to support students.
"We're putting millions of dollars on the table to knock down those financial barriers to getting an education at OU," Hoskins said.
The chief emphasized the program will benefit all of northeastern Oklahoma, particularly rural communities struggling with healthcare workforce shortages.
"We're increasing the pipeline but also acclimating students to this great health campus, which is all about rural health care, and so I just think small communities are really going to benefit from this," Hoskins said.
The nursing program will offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees and serve as a pathway for registered nurses with associate degrees to advance their education. The campus expects to start with 42 students and grow from there.
This partnership represents the largest healthcare education investment in Cherokee Nation history and will be OU's sixth nursing campus location.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- 2 News Oklahoma on your schedule | Download on your TV, watch for free. How to watch on your streaming device
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
