WAVES at OAMC - Edmon Low Library

About the Collection

The WAVES at Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College (OAMC) collection documents the history, training program, and campus legacy of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program during World War II. Established in October 1942, OAMC became one of only three colleges in the United States selected to train WAVES, beginning with an inaugural class of 500 women enrolled in an intensive twelve-week curriculum focused on clerical, administrative, and logistical skills essential to naval operations.

As the program expanded, OAMC grew into one of the nation’s most significant WAVES training sites. More than 10,000 women completed training in Stillwater, with individual classes reaching up to 1,250 trainees. These women lived, studied, and drilled on campus, integrating military discipline with academic instruction to prepare for full military service in the U. S. Navy.

This collection brings together a range of materials that illustrate the WAVES experience at OAMC, including photographs, articles, personal correspondence, administrative documents, and other archival records. Together, these items trace the development of the training school, highlight the daily lives and contributions of the WAVES, and reflect the broader impact of women’s military service during World War II.

Access the Physical Collection

Materials from this collection are available in Special Collections and University Archives. For assistance or to request archival materials, contact (405) 744-6311 or libscua@okstate.edu.