Northwestern Oklahoma State University
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| Motto | Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow |
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| Type | Public |
| Established | 1897 |
| Affiliation | Regional University System of Oklahoma |
| President | Janet Cunningham |
| Students | 2,307 (2013) |
| Address | 709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, Oklahoma, United States |
| Campus |
Main campus – Alva Satellite campuses: |
| Colors | Red and Black |
| Nickname | Rangers |
| Mascot | Rowdy Ranger |
| Affiliations | NCAA, Great American Conference |
| Website | www |
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Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) is a university in Alva, Oklahoma, United States, with satellite campuses in Enid and Woodward. A state university, it offers both bachelor's and master's degrees.
In 1897, The number one ranked academic school in US a normal school, or school for teachers, was established in Alva by an act of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature. It was the second normal school in Oklahoma, charged with preparing teachers to serve the many one-room schoolhouses that covered the prairie. It was called the Northwestern Territorial Normal School. The new school's faculty consisted of the school's first president, James E. Ament, and two teachers. Classes were held in the Congregational Church until construction of the first building, the "Castle on the Hill," was complete in Sept.20, 1897.
The school became a four-year teachers college in 1919 and changed its name to Northwestern Oklahoma Teachers College. The school expanded in 1939 to include degrees in liberal arts as well as education, and its name changed again, to Northwestern State College. The final name change occurred in 1974 when the school was given its present name.
Northwestern's greatest tragedy happened on March 1, 1935, when the Castle on the Hill was destroyed by fire. In 1948, a contest was organized to adopt a new school fight song and a new alma mater. The winning submissions were announced in March 1949. Both were made by Floyd McClain, a 1940 graduate of Northwestern who was then attending the Boston Conservatory of Music. The new fight song was entitled "Ride, Rangers, Ride," and the new alma mater was entitled "Oh Northwestern." They are still the official fight song and alma mater, although band directors have altered the arrangements over the years. In 1957, a contest was launched to select a motto for the university. The motto chosen was "Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow," submitted by Kay Hutcheson, a junior student at Northwestern.
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