Beyond the Classroom | Oklahoma State University

Setting students up for success

Every student comes to OSU with a dream for their future. Along the way there are Student Affairs professionals who work with them as they walk the path of career discovery and preparation. In addition to the excellence delivered through degree attainment, our students achieve success through certain specific capabilities developed through their learning experience, allowing them to impact their communities as servant-leaders.

Our graduates exhibit an understanding of their role in positively impacting the lives of others and graduate with knowledge, skills, values and abilities that enrich their lives.

Learn more about the Ideal Graduate

Professional Preparedness
OSU graduates demonstrate career readiness by embodying a diligent work ethic and effectively implementing their experiences of collaboration, problem solving, and communication. Graduates embrace agile learning for lifelong career development in an ever-expanding diverse and global workplace.

12

career fairs

hosted with 16,170 student participants

1,094

employers

recruited OSU students

10,769

students

attended career services programs

4,070

career assessments

completed by students

16,743

jobs and internships

posted to the OSU Hire System

Engaged Citizenship
An engaged citizen, through respectful discourse, will take an active role in civic life, pursuing meaningful service to enhance local communities and society at large. OSU graduates advocate for policies through actions, which positively affects communities, by embracing differences and new ideas as a lifelong learner.

27,688

volunteer hours

completed by students this academic year

3,020

students

participated in volunteer service

$650,835

raised

in philanthropic efforts by OSU students

Personal Responsibility
Personally responsible graduates demonstrate the ability to navigate challenging situations, display an understanding of personal and career-relevant finance, strive to expand knowledge base, and/or express resilience in problem-solving. Much of this is achieved through student employment, career exploration and graduate assistantships.

$4.52 million

paid

to student employees and graduate students in the Division of Student Affairs

1,392

students employed

in Student Affairs through part-time employment and assistantships

Ethical Leadership
An ethical leader strives for the highest common good. OSU graduates diligently reflect on their own experiences and welcome the lived experiences and contexts of others. They inspire and act with care, authenticity, attention to equity and courage. They embrace responsibility for moral decisions, behaviors and actions.

3,720

students

engaged in intentional leadership development courses, programs and outreach

1 of 25

universities to earn Carnegie Elective Classification

for Leadership for Public Purpose through Hargis Leadership Institute

State of Orange

A Day of Cowboy Service

Held in April of 2024, the inaugural State of Orange: Cowboy Day of Service saw more than 3,500 volunteers across the state of Oklahoma and beyond. Cowboys came together to live out the Cowboy Code and help those in need.

To achieve greater impact, State of Orange partnered with Into the Streets—a semi-annual student event in the Stillwater area focused on one day of meaningful service each semester.

Participants answered the call to volunteer at more than 350 event locations nationwide, demonstrating how the university’s land-grant mission extends beyond the classroom and into the community.