Guest Column: Expanding Opportunity Through Advanced Connectivity at Rose State College

At Rose State College, innovation is rooted in access, access to education, to opportunity, and increasingly, to the advanced technologies shaping today’s workforce and research environment. Expanded high-speed research connectivity is helping us extend that access in powerful new ways for our students and faculty.

Through participation in Oklahoma’s OneOklahoma Friction Free Network (OFFN), Rose State College is gaining access to a high-performance research network designed to support data-intensive work, advanced analytics, and collaboration at scale. This opportunity, supported by a National Science Foundation initiative enabled through partnership with OneNet and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, positions Rose State to strengthen both academic programs and applied research efforts.

For Rose State, OFFN represents a strategic investment in programs aligned with the future workforce, especially in data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. These fields depend on the ability to move, analyze, and interpret large and complex datasets. With friction-free, high-capacity connectivity, faculty can incorporate more advanced tools into instruction, while students gain hands-on experience using technologies and workflows that mirror real-world environments.

This expanded connectivity also opens the door to growth in biotechnology and bioinformatics, areas where data analysis, computational tools, and biological research intersect. As the life sciences become increasingly data-driven, access to advanced cyberinfrastructure is essential. OFFN provides the foundation for exploring new instructional pathways, research initiatives, and partnerships that support emerging biotech applications.

Beyond individual programs, the broader impact of OFFN lies in collaboration. Faculty can engage more easily with research partners across the state and nation, pursue interdisciplinary projects, and mentor students in authentic research experiences. Students benefit from exposure to complex problem-solving, collaborative research models, and career-relevant skills that extend well beyond the classroom.

Rose State’s participation in this statewide research network reflects our commitment to ensuring that students at a community college have access to the same advanced learning opportunities found at larger universities. By aligning infrastructure with academic vision, we are building capacity not only for today’s programs but for future innovation.

As technology continues to reshape higher education and the workforce, Rose State College is leveraging advanced connectivity to stay responsive, relevant, and student-focused. Through OFFN, we are expanding what’s possible, preparing our students to succeed in data-driven fields, and positioning our institution for continued growth in research, collaboration, and discovery.