By Molly Turner
2000s

The 2000s have been a decade of huge growth and change for NSU and our nation. It has been a decade of technology, war and hope.

Our decade began with what many see as the nation’s greatest tragedy since Pearl Harbor. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 took 2,819 lives. Just 26 days later, the United States began bombing Afghanistan

In 2001, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” was released in theatres. Since then, four more films have been made with a fifth due in July 2009. The “Potter” movies have broken box office records. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” J.K. Rowling’s final installment to the seven-part series debuted July 21, 2007, officially ending an era.

People have changed the way they interact with each other. In 2004, Harvard sophomore, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook, an all new social networking site. First open only to college students, Facebook is now open to anyone and everyone. It is used as a way for friends to connect, old and new.

On September 24, 2005, NSU made more history by crowning Muriel Saunders, a 71-year-old graduate student, homecoming queen. Saunders even appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

In May of 2005, Carrie Underwood won “American Idol.” Underwood was an NSU senior at the time and graduated the following year with magna cum laude honors. On her official Web site, she credits her start to NSU’s DowntownCountry.

“It was mainly there that I learned what it was like to be in front of a crowd,” said Underwood.

Cell phones have also greatly advanced. No longer just for making a call, people can now text message, take photos or use the internet. In 2007, Apple announced the iPhone, a revolutionary mobile device. Since then, other mobile companies have been racing to catch up.

Of course, a huge moment in history was the election of the first black president, Barack Obama. Since his inauguration, he has also broken other records. For example, Obama was the first sitting president to go on “The Tonight Show.”

Video games have also played a huge part in this decade. “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” have revolutionized music themed games. There are now nationwide “Guitar Hero” contests with cash prizes.

This decade, NSU has seen a few presidents, beginning with Dr. Larry Williams. When Dr. Williams was placed on medical leave, he announced he would retire from higher education as of June 30, 2008. The regents appointed Kim Cherry as acting president until Dr. Don Betz started July 1, 2008. Dr. Betz’s inauguration is scheduled for May 1 as the university’s 17th president.

The university grew and developed greatly in the 2000s. The Mike Synar center at the Muskogee campus opened as well as the Broken Arrow campus and the new dormitories, Seminary Suites. The university also welcomed the first Japanese students during this decade.

On March 6, 2009, the university celebrated Founders Day, NSU’s centennial. The university built a new Centennial Plaza with a Sequoyah statue. Other parts of the celebration included one hundred centurion awards for people who influenced and impacted the university throughout the century, one hundred $100 scholarships and a student festival.

As we close one century we begin a new one, taking with us the memories and lessons learned from the past and looking towards a brighter future.