WILBURTON – Six students recently traveled to Alabama as part of Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program, where they explored college campuses and visited historical sites during a multi-day educational tour.
The trip began with a visit to the University of Alabama, where students were welcomed by the out-of-state recruitment team and attended a brief presentation about the university.
They then toured the campus with a student guide, learning about the university’s academic offerings, student life, and rich history.
The University of Alabama is the oldest public institution in the state and has consistently been ranked among the top 50 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. With nearly 35,000 undergraduates, UA offers more than 200 fields of study across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, with a studentfaculty ratio of 19:1.
Students ended the day with a tour of Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, a historic site that once played a vital role in the city’s iron industry. The tour included insights into the industrial process and the working conditions of those employed in the foundry.
On the second day, the group toured Auburn University, led by two current students. Auburn, home to more than 33,000 students and 15 colleges and schools, is known for its balance of liberal arts and applied sciences and has been recognized as the No. 1 university in Alabama. The visit highlighted Auburn’s campus culture, academic opportunities, and strong traditions.
The students then visited the Legacy Museum and other civil rights landmarks in Montgomery. Guided tours provided powerful lessons on the Civil Rights Movement, including a visit to the bus stop where Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat—an event that helped spark national change.
The final day of the tour concluded at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, home to Space Camp and one of the world’s largest collections of U.S.-manned spaceflight hardware. Students explored exhibits including the Orion capsule, Mars Habitat, and International Space Station modules. The museum, which serves as the official NASA Visitor Center for Marshall Space Flight Center and a Smithsonian affiliate, provided a look into the past, present, and future of space exploration.
Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017, which supports services for more than 3,000 students across 39 area schools through 2024. The grant focuses on increasing college readiness and access for students in southeastern Oklahoma.
