Cutline: The pond on the NOC Enid Campus is being revitalized through a TSET grant.
NOC receives grant to revitalize pond on Enid campus
Northern Oklahoma College has partnered with Oklahoma State University on a plan to rejuvenate the area around the pond on the NOC Enid campus.
The two schools have received a $147,000 grant from the state’s Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) to create the plan.
TSET Built Environment Grants have a goal of improving health through improvements to infrastructure.
“Our environment impacts our health,” Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director, said. “Thoughtfully designed downtowns, parks, community centers and other public spaces encourage active lifestyles to keep us moving and healthy. We look forward to seeing how these projects impact communities throughout the state.”
NOC Enid Vice President Jeremy Hise said he noticed the pond’s water level had dropped and he was “worried about the health of the pond.”
Hise then contacted Jaime Schussler, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Oklahoma State University, and she worked on the grant request.
The grant was awarded for “development of a plan to improve a pond and expand access to recreational opportunities on the Northern Oklahoma College campus,” according to a news release from TSET.
Schussler gave an overview of the history of the project.
“In late Spring, Jeremy (Hise) contacted the Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC) with concerns about the pond status on NOC Enid’s campus,” she said. “When the OCC folks visited campus, they spoke a lot about storm water, which is my area of research. I’ve been very lucky to get to work with the OCC on some other storm water projects, so they connected me with Jeremy for another site tour to see if I could offer any recommendations.”
After a visit to the Enid campus in May, Schussler and Hise began working toward potential improvements to the pond, both immediate and long term.
“We knew that these improvements would be longer-term projects and started looking for grant opportunities,” she said. Since the beginning, it has been a team effort, and I feel very lucky to be a part of it. There is great energy and a lot of genuine people on this project team who want to see it be a success for NOC and the City of Enid.”
Schussler added that OSU students in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CIVE) got involved in the project and some of those students will work alongside a senior design group for the project.
“We are working on contract documents with TSET now, but plan to hit the ground running in early January,” she said. “I’ve been working with Jeremy to compile a list of stakeholders that will be included in our kickoff meeting and subsequent community surveys. We will also be monitoring the hydrology and water quality around the pond area and use this to calibrate our storm water models. Based on stakeholder feedback and the storm water models, we hope to develop a plan for NOC Enid’s campus that will restore the pond health and provide access to recreational activities in the area. If all goes well, we hope to use the products from this planning grant toward an implementation grant.” “This project wouldn’t be possible without Jeremy taking the steps to learn about the pond and factors affecting it,” she said. “Jeremy has a lot of pride in NOC Enid’s campus and motivation to improve it for the students and surrounding community. I am so thankful that the OCC connected me with the project, and that I get to work on this grant with such an awesome project team. I am working with people who truly understand the vision, and I believe the project will have a lasting impact in Enid.”
“We’re trying to figure out how to improve the pond,” Hise said. “We’re going to conduct a survey of the community to find out how best to use it. I think there’s a lot of potential out there,” Hise said. “I’m so excited, and I can’t thank the folks at OSU enough for their assistance.”
Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.
NOC serves nearly 4,000 students through the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater. Of these students about 80% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 75% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.
For more information about Northern Oklahoma College please call (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at www.noc.edu.
-30-