New York University offers study away programs in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and now in Tulsa.
NYU Tulsa this month started classes for the first time. Students will learn from local lecturers on subjects like Native arts in contemporary America, Black capitalism and revitalizing the American city.
NYU Tulsa Director Lindsey Smith said there is a commonality between the classes.
“Even though they represent an array of disciplines, there’s kind of this thread that weaves through all of them. That is about Tulsa and this area, and how learning here in this particular place can really deepen one’s understanding of a variety of fields.”
Smith, along with being director, is one of the lecturers at NYU Tulsa. She boasts nearly 20 years of education experience at Oklahoma State University.

The group of less than 20 students includes a Texan; Siara Romero comes from San Antonio. She didn’t see herself studying in Tulsa originally.
“Whenever I heard that they were going to have Tulsa as a study away site, I thought that people would be crazy to go there. I did have that initial thought.”
Romero changed her tune when Smith drew her to the program.
Romero mentioned learning about the history of the Greenwood neighborhood as being a highlight during her first two weeks in the city.
NYU Tulsa plans to hold public discussions at their Tulsa Arts District location. They also have internships for their students with local nonprofit organizations.
Just a note, NYU Tulsa was made possible with support from the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The foundation also donates to KWGS but has no say in the editorial process of Public Radio Tulsa.