On August 21, 2015, Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis welcomed leaders of the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations to officially launch the OSU Center for Sovereign Nation Engagement and Partnerships. The multidisciplinary center will be a place of connection and relationship building among Sovereign Nation partners, students and faculty and has a three-fold mission: ensure the sovereignty of American Indian Nations is respected and recognized in the creation and implementation of initiatives across the OSU system; increase the number of American Indian graduates from OSU and increase the number and quality of partnerships between OSU and Sovereign Tribal Nations.