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Crook County led a collaboration that included Central Oregon Community College, Oregon State University, other government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, businesses and Meyer Memorial Trust to create new educational opportunities in Crook County, whose once thriving economy had been declining since the 1980s. This collective effort brought degree programs and credit courses to Prineville for the first time since 2003. Students can access all of the requirements for a basic associates degree without ever leaving their community.

The state-of-the-art, 12,000-square-foot building that houses Open Campus (an initiative of Oregon State Univeristy) was funded primarily through U.S. Dept. of Commerce ARRA stimulus funds and a bond levy. The building features some of the most advanced technology in central Oregon. Meyer Memorial Trust provided $200,000 to help furnish additional technology for the center. (Open Campus pilots are also underway in Tillamook and Jefferson Counties.)

More than 300 students enrolled during Winter Term 2012 to access classes that were previously offered 20-35 miles away in Redmond and Bend, saving students more than 1.4 million road miles per year. Many students are enrolling in higher education for the first time, with an average age of 39 years. Photo Credit: Crook County Open Campus