Groups are offering help to students of defunct career college
The state agency that oversees private vocational schools in Oklahoma is checking to see what licensed schools might be willing to take on the students from the now-closed Wright Career College.
Each student must be helped on a case-by-case basis after attempts to move the whole student body to a new institution failed, said Nora House, director of the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools.
House said her staff is working to verify the contact information for Wright students who attended the school’s branches in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Wright students — including those who expected
to graduate May 13 — learned last week the school had closed abruptly. The Kansas-based college with branches in three states filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Friday in Kansas City, Kan.
Students in Oklahoma affected by the closure will receive information from the state agency about nearby schools with comparable programs and the date of the next enrollment cycle, House said.
Community Care College in Sapulpa has agreed to take 15 students from the Tulsa campus, she said.
The agency also is checking with federal officials about how to help students apply to be discharged from their federal student loan debt now that their school has closed.
“As I understand, it’s a relatively simple application,” House said. “They may have to start fresh, but at least they don’t owe money for something they don’t have.”
She said students affected by the closing can call her office at 528-3370 or email hmyers@obpvs.ok.gov.
“More information will be coming,” House said, “because what they received from Wright was so abrupt.”
Offers to help
Meanwhile, a public technology school and a nonprofit agency serving central Oklahoma are reaching out to help students.
Francis Tuttle Technology Center issued an announcement Monday offering to assist the students whose career training plans ended by the sudden closing of the private school.
Francis Tuttle is a part of Oklahoma’s public CareerTech system.
“The assistance we can offer individual students will vary on a case-by-case basis,” Superintendent Tom Friedemann said in the announcement, “but I want to make sure these affected students know that Francis Tuttle wants to talk with them and see what can be done.”
Friedemann noted Francis Tuttle has programs in most of the same career fields for which the Wright students were training. The technology center has partnerships with Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and Oklahoma City Community College, and can help bridge the gap for those seeking associate’s degrees, Friedemann said.
Students can call 717-4900 to speak with a Francis Tuttle adviser, and can attend an informational meeting scheduled next week.
The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. April 26 at Francis Tuttle’s Reno campus, 7301 W Reno Ave.
Francis Tuttle advisers and representatives from other area schools will be available to discuss possible future plans for Wright students. Those interested in attending are asked to refer to francistuttle.edu/wrightstudents for developing details.
Sunbeam Family Services will host an informational meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at its offices, NW 14 and Classen Drive.
CEO Jim Priest said the nonprofit organization wants to help students and families affected by the Wright closing.
Students will be asked to fill out some paperwork to assess their needs, and then will be connected with individuals or groups that may be able to assist them, including educational institutions, Legal Aid and other nonprofits.
For more information, email Priest at jpriest@ sunbeamfamilyservices.org or call 528-7721.