Twenty-six business and higher education partnerships throughout the state were recently recognized as innovative collaborations that further the education of Oklahoma’s workforce.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Regents Business Partnership Excellence Award is designed to highlight successful partnerships between higher education institutions and businesses and to further cultivate the higher learning environment through State Regents’ Economic Development Grants.
Among the award recipients honored were AllianceHealth Durant and Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
“We are very fortunate to have AllianceHealth Durant in our community,’’ said Southeastern president Thomas Newsom. “During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital’s leadership, along with its physicians and staff, have gone the extra mile to help ensure the health of our citizens and the University. They are a true partner that makes a positive impact on Durant and the surrounding area.’’
AllianceHealth and Southeastern have maintained a mutually beneficial relationship for more than 20 years. During the pandemicand under the leadership of AllianceHealth Durant’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Samrow, hospital physicians provided student-athletes with a variety of tests, including cardiac testing, pulmonary function testing and follow-up care if needed.
Savage Storm team physicians Dr. W. Joseph Harrison and Dr. Amanda Hale led the response, accompanied by Dr. Nirmal Kaur, to ensure SE athletes were spared COVID-19 side effects that would place them with an increased risk to injury or illness.
The expertise of these physicians, and the leadership from Samrow, allowed Southeastern to maintain some sense of normalcy as students continued their education.
Regent Mike Turpen served as master of ceremonies for the event which was held at the Nigh University Center on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma.
