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Officials from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO), student representatives, and project partners from Walker Engineering, Architects in Partnership, Crossland Construction, HP Engineering, and Oklahoma State University’s Long Range Facilities Planning broke ground on the new Student Housing Complex on Dec. 1. The new facility will provide students with suite-style housing to accommodate both single and double occupancy residents. “Following the flood in 2007, NEO has undergone a rebirth,” said President Jeff Hale during the ceremony. “Thanks to the excellent project partners and student leadership, this new housing facility will continue that growth.” The new housing will be initially funded through State Master Lease financing as NEO prepares to complete payments on an existing loan. NEO will only need to fill the new suites to seventy-five percent capacity in order to cover the repayment. NEO’s current housing reaches near capacity each year, as nearly 800 students live on campus. The new suites will offer another option that meets evolving student desires. Currently, an estimated 90% of NEO residence halls are outdated, which severely impacts the NEO recruiting advantage. During the Strategic Goals planning initiative in 2015, new housing and improvements on existing housing were considered crucial. The new student housing will accommodate nearly 100 students in single and double occupancy rooms. Each room will feature a private restroom, easily accessible parking, and modern security features. Construction on the new student housing is estimated to be completed in time for the fall 2017 semester. For more information about the student housing contact Amy Ishmael, vice president for student affairs at aishmael@neo.edu, or to view room availability for the new student housing, contact Scott Donaldson, director of recruitment at scott.donaldson@neo.edu. (Top Photo: NEO administrators and student representatives break ground with projects partners. Bottom Photo: Renderings of the new suite complex)