Noble Activity Center

To offer students an opportunity to expand their cultural experiences and to pursue their physical fitness, Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU) built the Noble Activity Center. OPSU hosted an open house of the expansive, one-story center on June 23, 2003, and celebrated its dedication at Homecoming 2003.

Designed by Rodney Seawright of Hooker, Oklahoma, and constructed by the Reid and Gary Strickland Company of Amarillo, Texas, the Noble Center’s 51,750 square feet host two basketball courts that are also equipped for volleyball, two racquetball courts, a walking track, commodious locker rooms, three offices, and fitness equipment such as weight machines, stationary bicycles, and treadmills. Too, a saltwater junior-Olympic-sized pool with a depth of 7.5 feet, a computer room, a student/television lounge, and meeting rooms are available. For a membership fee, anyone may utilize all the resources in the Noble Center; students, staff, and faculty may use the facility for free.

In addition, instructors teach courses such as swimming, lifeguard training, aerobics, scuba diving, and dance in the center. Adult Continuing Education courses have been taught for interested persons in the community. The center’s conference rooms often host art students’ senior exhibits, alumni functions, community events, and homecoming activities.

Costing over $5,000,000, the building takes its name from the Noble Family Foundation in Ardmore, Oklahoma, which generously provided $2,500,000 for the center’s construction. Family member Russell Berry “Rusty” Noble graduated from OPSU in 1980 with a degree in agribusiness.