ORU Makes Historic Investment in the Arts with New Peggy V. Helmerich Media Arts Center

The $38 Million Facility is the Fourth New Building of ORU’s Phase I Expansion. Phase II Will Add New Dining Facilities and Additional Student Housing.

Tulsa, OK, September 13, 2024 –Oral Roberts University (ORU) continued its campus expansion, celebrating the grand opening of the Peggy V. Helmerich Media Arts Center (MAC). With the state-of-the-art facility opening this Fall, it now serves as the new home for ORU's theatre, dance, music, and digital media departments. The new building is part of the University’s ongoing commitment to the arts and future artists. 

The MAC, located on the northwest side of ORU, is the fourth major addition to the expanding campus. The two-story, 74,000-square-foot building features leading-edge technologies and a 400-seat proscenium-style auditorium named after Joyce Bridgman, ORU’s Assistant Professor of Music, who began teaching at ORU in 1967 and in November of 2023, was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Music Teacher Hall of Fame. The building also houses a 130-seat music performance hall and a 100-seat black box theater. These versatile performance spaces will also serve as classrooms, offering students hands-on learning experiences in professional environments. 

ORU President Dr. William M. Wilson expressed his enthusiasm for the new Center, stating, "We believe in the arts at ORU. We are bringing together student storytellers to communicate stories to the world. ORU graduates will perform on Broadway, and they will create Broadway shows with messages that change the world. In the film industry, they will make movies that impact the world. This building expresses ORU’s unwavering mission to produce the highest quality education for next-gen artists.”

 

The MAC will also include a dance studio, dressing rooms, a costume shop, and a scene shop for performing arts programs. Students specializing in film production will work in three specialized sound stages, including a virtual production studio that will house the newest film production tool: an Extended Reality (XR) LED wall. Music students will benefit from orchestral and choral halls. The MAC will welcome the greater Tulsa community to enjoy lectures, concerts, recitals, theatre, and dance performances.

 Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt toured the new ORU arts facility and stated, “I am incredibly honored to see the vision of Oral Roberts University continue to grow and impact the world. It’s inspiring to witness the passion and creativity of young people on this campus, pursuing their dreams and using their talents to make a difference.” He also added, “Just as Oral Roberts was a man completely surrendered to God, who set great things in motion, I believe the students at ORU have the same potential to change their communities, their state, and the world. The new Media Arts Center is another example of ORU’s commitment to empowering students to reach their fullest potential, and I’m excited to see how God will use this facility to shape the next generation of leaders."

Named in honor of Peggy V. (Dow) Helmerich, a celebrated actress, the MAC reflects her enduring commitment to the arts and the Tulsa community. After retiring from acting, Mrs. Helmerich dedicated herself to philanthropic efforts, including establishing the Tulsa Library Trust and the Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award. 

The $38 million facility has been constructed debt-free without tuition dollars, continuing ORU’s tradition of responsible financial stewardship. The grand opening of the MAC also marks the completion of Phase I of ORU's Whole Leaders for the Whole World Campaign, which includes other campus additions, including the new Welcome Center, the J.D. McKean Library, and the Mike Carter Athletic Center.

The following projects from Phase One of the Whole Leaders for the Whole World campaign have been completed: 

•  the Global Learning Center, 
• the Nursing and Engineering Complex, 
• the Stovall Center for Entrepreneurship, 
• the Niko Njotorahardjo Hall,
• the Welcome Center, 
• the J.D. McKean Library, 
• the Mike Carter Athletic Center, 
• and the Peggy V. Helmerich Media Arts Center.

Further improvements include the Fenimore & Fisher College of Business and the Biological Sciences Center, which were renovated and updated. Phase Two will continue the campus expansion with contemporary dining facilities and apartment-style student housing. 

Please click here to learn more about Phase II of the WLWW campaign.  

UNIVERSITY BRIEF

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 15 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 158 nations from 2019 to 2024 to be whole leaders for the whole world.

The Wall Street Journal ranked ORU as the #8 university in the nation for student experience and one of America's Best Colleges (2024). This new category rates the best colleges in the U.S. to have a great experience while attending. This ranking is powered by one of the largest ever independent surveys of verified college students and recent graduates in the United States. Niche recognizes ORU as one of the top 25 most diverse colleges in America, # 1 best Christian college in Oklahoma, and # 1 in Oklahoma for diversity. Princeton Review ranked ORU as the best regional college, and College Raptor ranked ORU as a Hidden Gem in the Southwest.

ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:

• #1 in Undergraduate Teaching
• #2 in Most International Students
• #3 in Best Value
• #6 in Best College for Veterans
• #7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West

For more information, visit www.oru.edu.