NSU-Muskogee Occupational Therapy Program Receives $200,000 Gift

A $200,000 gift from the family of Jesse and Marilyn Gailey, Northeastern State University - Muskogee will have a multifunctional living skills teaching laboratory by 2014.

The school says the lab will allow master's degree candidates at Northeastern's new occupational therapy program to further their physical and occupational therapy skills in a real-world environment.

In a news release, NSU says the living skills lab will have all the comforts of home—a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and washer/dryer for students to practice their skills.

NSU President Steve Turner cited the event as a important day for Muskogee and NSU.

"The Gailey family's contribution today makes almost half a million dollars to support NSU academic programs—endowed chairs, scholarships, and now, in allied health with occupational therapy," said Steve Turner. "Whether you're a baby boomer or a millennial, allied health is a component that is going to help an enormous amount of people. That's what we are doing today by announcing and launching this initiative. If it doesn't touch you now—it will."

NSU says an Eastern Oklahoma Regional Healthcare Workforce Summit held in September 2010, stated an "occupational therapist" is one of the most critical healthcare occupations needed in the region.

A 1964 graduate of NSU, Jesse Gailey was the president of Totah Telephone from 1966-1998 and served as chair the board of Totah Communications until his death in 2012.