Weatherford, OK – The Health Information Management (HIM) program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) will welcome former and current students back to campus Friday, Sept. 18, for its 50th anniversary reunion. Former classmates will have time to catch up, visit with faculty and see how the program has grown over the years. Activities will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Skyview Room at the Pioneer Event Center.

Marion Prichard, who led the program for 37 years, and former Assistant Director Faye Henson will share memories from their years at SWOSU. Together, they helped prepare generations of HIM students and guided the program through decades of change. Many former students will have a chance to visit with two faculty members who were an important part of their time at SWOSU. Attendees will also tour the program’s former and current campus locations, stopping by the Old Science Building for a group photo and heading over to the Jerry & Margaret Hodge Center for Pharmacy & Rural Health.

SWOSU first offered the MRA Degree in 1968, with the campus-based program beginning in 1975 as the Medical Record Administration Program under the Biology Department. Around 1990, the program became Health Information Management as the profession grew beyond traditional medical records and adapted to changing healthcare technology.

SWOSU added its Master of Science in Health Information Management in 2015 and later developed combined degree options that connect HIM with pharmacy and business. Today, SWOSU is the only university in Oklahoma that offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in HIM. Students can complete both programs online, which makes the degrees available to students who cannot relocate to Weatherford.

The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education recently selected both programs as Future Education Model demonstration programs. As early adopters of CAHIIM’s 2026 accreditation standards, SWOSU faculty will test updated approaches to practical experience, project work and student feedback. Their participation gives SWOSU a role in shaping how future HIM professionals are educated.

Former and current HIM students may register at HIM Reunion RSVP through Wednesday, Sept. 9. For more information about SWOSU’s Health Information Management programs, visit swosu.edu/allied-health/health-information-management.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves more than 5,000 students and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit www.swosu.edu.

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