Holberton School is coming to Tulsa, Oklahoma

[Rattle Trap]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/techcrunch.com/2019/09/25/holberton-school-is-coming-to-tulsa-oklahoma/amp/

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

Another win for GKFF. Interesting type of college. You pay via 17% of your salary for 42 months after graduation. If you stay in Tulsa, GKFF foots 7% of that so it is only 10% of your salary.

It's going to be at 15 N Cheyenne which is basically next door to Welltown Brewery:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/15+N+Cheyenne+Ave,+Tulsa,+OK+74103/@36.1561567,-95.9953734,3a,90y,83.4h,87.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjEMt5IZpm-qWMiw61dXXLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x87b6eb77e6c07635:0x4f745dc2e6fca720!8m2!3d36.1562827!4d-95.9948669

I like that stretch of Cheyenne and think it has potential with several old warehouse/store fronts that have potential.

[SXSW]

Is this at all affiliated with the other GKFF project on Boulder?  They mentioned they want to eventually set up more of an urban campus in Tulsa.

I can't help but think there needs to be some kind of link to nearby OSU-Tulsa that could benefit both schools.  

[ComeOnBenjals]

Sounds like a fantastic program for Tulsa! Anything to grow the pool of IT professionals in Tulsa is great. 

[Jacobei]

I'm currently on week 3 of the program here.  It is supremely exciting to see people from all over the country (and a few international students) come to Tulsa for this.  I get to introduce people from the Bay Area, Detroit, Puerto Rico to Tulsa. Most live downtown and simply walk everywhere.  The space is great and soon when the second and third cohorts start there will be  between 100 -120 students based out of this location.  It is helping to fill a hole between the arts district, the CBD, and the Arena.  I can't wait to take people out to see a baseball game in spring!

The big bonus here is that The Foundation offers a generous living stipend which is forgiven if the recipient remains in Tulsa for 4 years after graduation.  Students from all over have a big financial incentive to stay here and work in tech.

Side note on this, the man who owns the building owns the entire block.  He is  currently cleaning out the old wood working spaces next door.  Not sure if he has immediate plans for the space, but he has a market for a restaurant now.

[TulsaGoldenHurriCAN]

I'm currently on week 3 of the program here.  It is supremely exciting to see people from all over the country (and a few international students) come to Tulsa for this.  I get to introduce people from the Bay Area, Detroit, Puerto Rico to Tulsa. Most live downtown and simply walk everywhere.  The space is great and soon when the second and third cohorts start there will be  between 100 -120 students based out of this location.  It is helping to fill a hole between the arts district, the CBD, and the Arena.  I can't wait to take people out to see a baseball game in spring!

The big bonus here is that The Foundation offers a generous living stipend which is forgiven if the recipient remains in Tulsa for 4 years after graduation.  Students from all over have a big financial incentive to stay here and work in tech.

Side note on this, the man who owns the building owns the entire block.  He is  currently cleaning out the old wood working spaces next door.  Not sure if he has immediate plans for the space, but he has a market for a restaurant now.

Interesting to hear an insider's persepective! I know someone who took one of the other coding schools that GKFF brought in. It is really exciting what these could do for Tulsa and that they are bringing in people from all over. We definitely need more to take advantage of all the great developments downtown.

[ComeOnBenjals]

Cool insight, thanks for sharing! Looking at that area on google maps, looks like it has a lot of potential

[Jacobei]

tulsaworld.com/news/tuition-deferred-coding-school-in-tulsa-hosts-grand-opening/article_280e2b9f-d455-5cd5-bcc8-599c64638d1a.html

We had our grand opening yesterday, even though we've been open for a month or more.  It was nice to meet with some of the local businesses that will be our potential employers.

[SXSW]

Holbertson is doubling in size by building an expansion on the vacant lot to the north.  The new 3 story building on Cheyenne will have a roof deck amenity space.



https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2021/03/17/holberton-school-tulsa-to-more-than-double-in-size-by-2022/

[Jacobei]

Yep. We're all excited about this. Even those of us who will have graduated already by then. That part of downtown will be Totally different in the next 5 years with this and other projects.

[LandArchPoke]

Yep. We're all excited about this. Even those of us who will have graduated already by then. That part of downtown will be Totally different in the next 5 years with this and other projects.

Any idea what the current enrollment is?

Now just if OSU and TU could get their act together we might have a pretty solid pipeline to tech talent graduating in Tulsa every year.

[SXSW]

Any idea what the current enrollment is?

Now just if OSU and TU could get their act together we might have a pretty solid pipeline to tech talent graduating in Tulsa every year.

GKFF is working directly with TU on building up their cybersecurity program.  I'd like to see the Tandy School of Computer Science expand as well.  It would make sense for OSU to have all of its computer engineering-related programs consolidated in Tulsa.

[Jacobei]

Any idea what the current enrollment is?

Now just if OSU and TU could get their act together we might have a pretty solid pipeline to tech talent graduating in Tulsa every year.

I would say we've got about 120 people total. Since we are still all remote, the different cohorts are a bit siloed.

And since it's all GKFF we as Holbies were allowed to attend the cybersecurity summit at TU recently.  That was really inspiring. And that program is absolutely world class.

[Jacobei]

https://ktul.com/news/local/holberton-groundbreaking

We had the groundbreaking for the new space a couple weeks ago.  Good Schmooze fest.

Oh and, on a semi-related note, the spaces next door are being renovated by by Chip Gaberino for use as offices and (eventually) the new home for The Saturn Room.

[shavethewhales]

I'm excited to see Holberton grow! We need that talent base so bad! Not sure how I feel about the frontage design, but this type of design either works out in person or not, it's hard to tell from a rendering. Either way it will catch some eyeballs on that sleepy street. Now if we can do something with that old warehouse on the other side of the streeet...

I was wondering what was going on with Saturn room. I remember them making that announcement, and then it tapered off. I figured they realized it wasn't much of an improvement. Holberton school is cool, but there's not much else there. Their current location is also not exactly ideal since it is kind of hidden, but it's also not much of a walk from the busy part of the arts district once people realize it is there. They also just added a nicer patio feature and have a view of downtown. Not sure what they would get out of that new location, but maybe the answer is simply cheaper rent/mortgage and that can make a lot of difference business-wise.