March 8, 2023
By SWOSU Press Release
Everett and Jeanetta Dobson of Edmond have made a major gift in support of Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s (SWOSU) National Aeronautics & Space Administration Human Exploration Rover Challenge (NASA HERC) Team for Academic Year 2022-23.
Each year the NASA HERC features an engineering design challenge to engage students worldwide in the next phase of human space exploration. The annual event, which SWOSU has participated in for more than a decade, is a more complex follow-up to the successful NASA’s Great Moonbuggy Race. The competition challenges high school and college students to create a vehicle designed to traverse the simulated surface of another world. During it’s 20-year run, NASA’s Great Moonbuggy Race engaged more than 10,000 students and demonstrated that these budding scientists and engineers were capable of complex work. The NASA HERC continues that tradition by providing an authentic engineering experience. Student teams design, build, and test technologies that enable rovers to perform in a variety of environments. The HERC inspires participants to become engineers and design NASA’s next-generation space systems.
Everett Dobson is a 1981 SWOSU graduate who was inducted into the SWOSU Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 1999. One of SWOSU’s most generous and longtime benefactors, Dobson has endowed the Everett Dobson Chairs in Business, Marketing, Management and Finance in the Everett Dobson School of Business & Technology at SWOSU and provided the private investment necessary to construct the Everett Dobson Golf Training Facility on SWOSU’s Weatherford campus. In 2015, Dobson was inducted into the SWOSU Presidential Order of Merit in recognition of his 25 years of service on the SWOSU Foundation, Inc. Board of Trustees where he served as Investment Committee chair.
“We are deeply grateful to Everett and Jeanetta Dobson for their generous investment in the 2023 SWOSU NASA HERC,” said SWOSU President, Dr. Diana Lovell. “This is a one-of-a-kind enhanced learning experience for our SWOSU students, which is only made possible thanks to philanthropic partners like the Dobsons.”
For more information about the SWOSU NASA HERC team, please contact the SWOSU Department of Engineering Technology in the Everett Dobson School of Business & Technology at 580-774-3162.
Copyright 2023 Paragon Communications. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
Great Plains Regional Medical Center Honored for Excellent Patient Outcome
Elk City, OK – Great Plains Regional Medical Center (GPRMC) has received a Performance Leadership Award from The Chartis Center for Rural Health. The Elk City hospital received the award for excellence in patient outcomes for 2025.
Saving Millions
Elk City, OK — Fiscal discipline has allowed the City of Elk City to pay off nearly $20 million in outstanding debt since the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Doing this has saved almost $3 million
Rapid DNA Testing Helps Lead to Arrest in Beckham County Storage Break-In Investigation
Elk City, OK – An arrest has been made in connection to a recent storage facility break-in in Beckham County, according to Sheriff Derek Manning. The case, which was first reported last week, involved multiple break-ins at
Dr. Trevor Ellis Receives SWOSU’s 2026 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award
Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University honored Dr. Trevor Ellis with the 2026 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award during the Academic Excellence Banquet on Thursday, March 12. Ellis is professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry
Salt Fork Fire Near Martha 80% Contained as Drought Worsens Across Western Oklahoma
Jackson County, OK — Fire crews continue to make progress on the Salt Fork Fire burning near the town of Martha, northwest of Altus. The Oklahoma Forestry Service reported Wednesday morning the fire is now about 80%
Hibler Makes Gift to Fund New SWOSU Mailroom Delivery Van
Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) is pleased to announce a generous charitable gift from former SWOSU President Dr. Joe Anna Hibler to fund the purchase of a new mailroom van to support campus operations.
Candidate Filing Begins Aprils 1st
Sayre, OK – Statewide election activity officially begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 1st, when the candidate filing period opens, the Secretary of the Beckham County Election Board said today. Candidates for state offices file with the
Early Voting Begins April 2nd
Sayre, OK – Early voting begins Thursday, April 2nd for voters in Beckham County. Voters who will not be able to make it to the polls on Election Day, have the option of voting early at their
Fatal Crash Reported in Beckham County Early Tuesday
Beckham County, OK – A single-vehicle crash in rural Beckham County early Tuesday morning claimed the life of a Lawton man. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the collision occurred at approximately 3:01 a.m. on March 18
SWOSU Dedicates Jerry and Margaret Hodge Center for Pharmacy and Rural Health
Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) formally dedicated the Jerry and Margaret Hodge Center for Pharmacy and Rural Health on Thursday, March 12, marking a major milestone in the university’s effort to expand healthcare education
Mountain Park Homicide Suspect Found Guilty
Mountain Park, OK – On March 14, 2025, the Mountain Park Police Department requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate a homicide. Around 2:30 a.m., officers responded to a shooting call at a residence off
Early Morning Collision in Roger Mills County Injures Pedestrian
Roger Mills County, OK – A three-unit collision earlier this month in Roger Mills County resulted in injuries to a pedestrian attempting to assist a stranded vehicle. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the incident occurred at
Two Injured in Late Night Collision West of Altus
Jackson County, OK – Two drivers were injured in a two-vehicle collision late Friday night at an intersection west of Altus. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at approximately 11:06 p.m. Friday, March 13,
Two Arrested Following Oilfield Theft Investigation
Dewey County, OK – On June 9, 2025, an Ovintiv Energy security consultant requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate a theft of oilfield equipment. After an internal investigation by the company, it was determined
Wildfires Spark Evacuations, Power Outages Across Western Oklahoma
Beckham County, OK – Multiple wildfires fueled by strong winds kept emergency crews busy across western Oklahoma on Sunday forcing evacuations in parts of Beckham County and drawing responses from numerous fire departments across the region. One
Oklahoma House Passes Archer’s Bill Creating Natural Gas Research Hub
Oklahoma City, OK – The Oklahoma House has approved legislation aimed at positioning the state to host a national research laboratory focused on natural gas and other advanced technologies. House Bill 3176 passed the Oklahoma House on
Fires Being Investigated in Roger Mills County
Roger Mills County, OK — Local firefighters responded Monday to three separate grass fires in Roger Mills County, with authorities saying evidence suggests the fires may have been intentionally set. According to Roger Mills County Sheriff Darren
Reach Higher Scholarships Help Adult Learners Finish Degrees at SWOSU
Weatherford, OK – The Reach Higher degree-finishing program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) awarded over $15,000 in Finish Line scholarships to 10 students enrolled in Reach Higher degree programs, with awards averaging just over $1,500 per
Last Week to Request Absentee Ballots for April 7th Election
Cheyenne, OK – The deadline to request absentee ballots by mail is approaching. Applications must be received by the County Election Board no later than 5 p.m. Monday, March 23rd. Roger Mills County Election Board Secretary Kelly
Deadline to Change Party Affiliation Approaches
Arapaho, OK – Oklahomans who want to change their party affiliation must submit their change no later than March 31, (Custer County Election Board Secretary Ann Brown said today. Voters may change their party affiliation online using
Michael Mendoza Announces Candidacy for Shamrock Mayor
Shamrock, TX – Michael Mendoza has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Shamrock in the upcoming municipal election scheduled for May 2, 2026. Mendoza, branch manager at BOC Bank and a 12 year resident of Shamrock, said
Storage Facility Break-In Under Investigation in Beckham County
Beckham County, OK – Beckham County authorities are investigating a break-in that occurred last week at a storage facility in the county, according to Sheriff Derek Manning. Manning said the incident happened during the night and involved
Inmate Accused of Smuggling Drug-Soaked Contraband Into Beckham County Jail
Sayre, OK – Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning says investigators are looking into an incident in which an inmate allegedly smuggled contraband into the Beckham County Jail in an attempt to sell it to other inmates. According
Mother Arrested After Juvenile Injured in Beckham County Incident
Beckham County, OK – A Beckham County woman has been arrested after a juvenile was injured during a domestic incident, according to Beckham County Sheriff Derek Manning. Sheriff Manning said deputies were called to a residence after
Lawton Man Killed in Kiowa County Rollover Crash
Kiowa County, OK – A Lawton man died Friday morning following a single-vehicle crash in Kiowa County, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The collision occurred at approximately 9:48 a.m. Friday, March 6, on State Highway 19
