This photograph from an MSU-O brochure circa 1959 neatly sums up the beginning of Oakland University’s journey — from a humble rural spin-off of Michigan State University to a thriving, vibrant 16,500-student-strong university making a difference in the community, state and nation.
As the two OU scientists of yesteryear ponder the contents of their lab beaker, it’s easy to imagine them seeking the correct formula for the result they are trying to achieve. A similar challenge faced the first faculty, students and staff of Oakland University. How do we choose and mix the right ingredients that will achieve the perfect formula for a new university that leads to enduring success?
Forty-five years on, the formula has been a great success. With world-class faculty, a talented student body and dedicated staff, Oakland University has scaled heights never even imagined by its forefathers. Today, The Carnegie Foundation ranks Oakland as one of the country’s 110 Doctoral/Research-Intensive universities; and The Princeton Review named Oakland in its first edition of “The Best Midwestern Colleges, 150 Great Schools to Consider,” a book that showcases the top schools in 11 states based on academic excellence.
These accolades for the distinctive undergraduate experience and the commitment to graduate study that Oakland offers belong to every generation of Oakland students, faculty and staff, for each played a part in finding the right formula for success.