Shawnee Hall Grand Opening Set for Oct. 24

September 15, 2025

Shawnee Hall opened its doors in 1915 as the proud new home of a young Baptist university, built on land generously donated by the City of Shawnee. From the beginning, OBU and Shawnee have shared a bond of vision and community, a partnership that has shaped generations.

Now 110 years later, after surviving generations of change and even the direct strike of an EF2 tornado on April 19, 2023, Shawnee Hall will boldly open again. At 10 a.m. Oct. 24, history and the future will meet in one moment, as the Shawnee community and the OBU community gather for the grand opening of this iconic campus landmark.

The ceremony marks a milestone not only in the rebuilding of a structure but in the transformation of OBU under the “Shape the Future” campaign.

The building is home to the Henry F. McCabe Family School of Education, the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and the Marriage and Family Therapy program. It will also be the on-campus home as OBU adds health science degrees including Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (MS-SLP) and Master of Medical Science in Physician Associate Studies (MMS-PA). Each program can be completed in two years or less. Courses will primarily be taught online, with portions of the program delivered in person on the OBU campus through hands-on lab immersion experiences at Shawnee Hall.

Students and faculty will benefit from redesigned classrooms, a lecture theatre, collaborative lounges, and creative learning spaces that preserve Shawnee Hall’s iconic character while preparing it to meet today’s academic needs. It is also the new home of the OBU admissions team, where they will welcome new students, families and guests to Bison Hill.

OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas said, “We have not restored Shawnee Hall to what it was. We have shaped it into what it must become. Investing in facilities is not just about brick and mortar; it’s about creating spaces where students can thrive, dream and prepare to transform the world.”

For more than a century, Shawnee Hall’s limestone columns and classical façade anchored the heart of campus. But on the night a tornado tore through Shawnee in 2023, the building sustained significant damage and its future became uncertain.

But from uncertainty rose opportunity, and Shawnee Hall has been transformed into a new blend of historic architecture and state-of-the-art design. The first floor features modernized classrooms, upgraded offices, and open, light-filled spaces for collaboration.

On the second floor, history and artistry collide. Two 11-foot-wide wooden bison, sculpted from reclaimed Shawnee Hall flooring by Oklahoma City artist Paul Bagley, stand as powerful symbols of resilience. A new lounge retains exposed brick from the original structure while adding modern furnishings and a faux greenery wall, ready for both casual gatherings and formal receptions. The second floor also features a high-tech lab that will anchor four new graduate health science programs.

The third floor houses a versatile 259-seat auditorium with a motorized partition, allowing the space to host lectures, guest speakers, and special events simultaneously. Its advanced AV systems reflect Shawnee Hall’s forward-looking mission: adaptable, inclusive, and ready to support excellence.

“This is more than a building. It’s a declaration of purpose,” Thomas said. “Every person who steps into Shawnee Hall will find themselves in a space designed to inspire, challenge, and equip them to live out their calling.”

Shawnee Hall’s rebirth is just the beginning. The Shape the Future campaign will also reimagine other campus landmarks, including Thurmond Hall, Raley Chapel, and Wood Science Building.

“Every aspect of campus matters to our students and their experience of belonging,” Thomas said. “We want to create spaces where students can gather, reflect, and thrive.”

For those familiar with OBU’s past, Shawnee Hall’s reopening is a reminder of who the university is and who it is becoming. Its restored beauty and innovative function reflect a spirit grounded in faith yet unafraid to embrace progress.

As Oct. 24 approaches, anticipation builds, not just for the ribbon-cutting, but for what it represents. One hundred and ten years after Shawnee Hall first opened, it will open again, not as a museum piece, but as a bridge between the legacy of Bison Hill and the limitless future its students will shape.

OBU leaders say the university is building momentum through investments in academics, campus life enhancements and facility improvements.

“In renewing Shawnee Hall, we are boldly investing in the kind of Christ-centered education that doesn’t just prepare students for jobs but equips them to transform the world,” Thomas said. "This is the goal for the university's Shape the Future Campaign."

To join the Shape the Future Campaign, go to okbu.edu/giving/shape-the-future.