University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) is a liberal arts college based in Chickasha, a city known for its native American heritage. The institution was founded in 1908 as a college for women, and has been fully co-educational since 1965.

The Core Curriculum at USAO is 46 hours of courses designed to give students a broad understanding in academic fields ranging from history, science, art, mathematics, literature, philosophy, economics, art and theatre. Majors can be selected from Interdisciplinary Studies, Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences & Business, Physical Education, and Education & Speech Language Pathology.

On the first Thursday of April students as USAO celebrate the Spring Triad, which involves cultural and artistic events such as Montmartre Chalk Art festival, the Droverstock music festival, and the Scholastic Meet, the largest statewide competition for high school students.

Built in 1911, the original fourteen buildings of USAO were built in the style of classical architecture, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Three miles west of the campus is the 145 acre Habitat Area, which is utilised as an outdoor classroom area.

Athletics teams at USAO are named the Drovers in reference to the area’s history of cattle driving, and compete in the Sooner Athletic Conference. In total there are nine sports programmes, with basketball, cross country and soccer offered for both men’s and women’s teams. The USAO Fieldhouse has an indoor swimming complex and a basketball stadium that can seat 1600 spectators.

Alumni of USAO include congressman James Vernon Smith, biochemist Gladys Anderson, and Norma Smallwood, the first Native American to win the Miss America pageant. The motto of USAO is ‘College for the Curious Mind’.