Dear OSU Friends,
I feel blessed and amazed at all that is being accomplished at OSU and the OSU Foundation. Whenever I get the opportunity, I tell outsiders that the story of our success is pretty simple. You assemble the very best people you can, you provide clear vision and goals for the staff and organization, and then you give OSU’s donors the opportunity to step forward and turn their passions into tomorrow’s OSU realities. This past fiscal year the Foundation has seen our total endowment exceed $300 million, our annual estate gift commitments grow over 300 percent and our investment performance continue a strong four-year string of returns.
It is an exciting time to be a Cowboy!
Within the pages of this issue of Legacy are stories of how and where giving started and why generosity continues from OSU donors. We hope that you find these articles both informative and inspiring. While these articles only touch on a few of OSU’s difference makers, we want to know your own OSU story. We encourage you to contact us at info@ OSUgiving.com with your reflections about “Why I Give to OSU.” Please do not underestimate the power your story can have on another to impact OSU’s next gift. Our donors continue to look toward OSU’s future. Your recognition of the value in endowed and planned gifts provides enduring support that will sustain the university forever to the benefit of generations of future Cowboys.
Our momentum is growing. Our excitement is unparalleled. And our opportunity to capitalize on the successes of yesterday is enormous. I believe that we are positioned for enduring success at OSU. With nearly $55 million in secured planned gifts this past year and the potential to triple our grant-related gifts in the coming year, the OSU Foundation is poised for even greater growth. As we celebrate another successful year of fundraising at OSU and the OSU Foundation, we look to those people whose vision has brought us here. The future of OSU is bright, and it is only because you continue to invest in the students, faculty and programs at Oklahoma State University. Gratefully,
Kirk A. Jewell President and CEO
“Uniting donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence”
OSU Foundation Leadership Monty Butts
Chairman of the Board
Kirk A. Jewell
President and CEO
Bob Clyne
Vice President for Development
Gary Clark
Vice President and General Counsel
Donna Koeppe
Vice President for Administration
Jason Caniglia
Assistant Vice President for Development
Marlo Duffy Turner
Assistant Vice President for Development
Editorial Staff Becky Endicott
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
Christopher Lewis
Creative Services Coordinator
Lisa Frein
Communications Specialist
Leesa Wyzard
Marketing Coordinator
Phil Shockley
University Photographer
Gary Lawson
University Photographer
Kevin McMillan
Contributing Photographer
About Us
Organized in 1961, the Oklahoma State University Foundation has been designated by the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents as the university’s official fundraising agency. The Foundation is a nonprofit corporation, and gifts made to the Foundation are deductible as charitable contributions. The Foundation exists solely to support the university in its mission and strives to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence.
Contact Us
We welcome your comments and thoughtful suggestions for Legacy. Please
contact Becky Endicott at bendicott@OSUgiving.com or (800) 622-4678 with feedback or letters to the editor. Legacy is published annually by the OSU Foundation for donors and friends of the University. Legacy is not published with public funds.
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49 Library News 1 Welcome from President and CEO
contents
7 Legacy Features
51 Musician Shares Passion Through Scholarship
9 Financial Highlights
One alumnus’ challenge resulted in another’s gift to beautify the Edmon Low Library.
Wayne Gallehar combines his passion for music and career in education into a scholarship.
12 Honoring His Wish
54 Educator Memorialized
13 Student’s Dream Takes Flight
56 Why I Give
John Hessel helps keep Robert A. Parman’s legacy alive as a trustee of the Parman Foundation.
Aviation alumnus charts new paths for future teachers.
15 Partnership Produces Professorship
The Family Resource Center serves the spouses and children of graduate students. More than just a couple of degrees bind the Hill family to OSU.
Corporate partners steps up to provide last leg of funding for ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.
65 Education History 101
23 Agriculture Family Roots
Ohio Willow Wind donates software, tools to improve education and training at OSU-Okmulgee.
62 Corporations Go Orange
Engineering students receive boost from $1.5M gift.
19 FRC Needs Resources
Donors open readers’ eyes to the power of generosity and the strength of the Cowboy spirit.
61 Lending a Hand for Orthotics & Prosthetics
Senator and businessman share common goal in educating young children.
18 Family Foundation Steps Up
Judith Hobbs Faulkner will be remembered through an OSU scholarship.
Alumni and Eskimo Joe’s unite to support education scholarships.
67 Fund Scholarship, Honor Legend 25 Commonly Diverse
Inclusion Leadership Program Williams supports at OSU.
27 Tomorrow’s Philanthropists
OSU’s top scholars & leaders unite for OSU’s future.
33 Cowboy Royalty
The Johnsons are a model couple of OSU generosity.
36 An Educator’s Legacy
Planned gifts are a way for Wanda Lee Kalsu to memorialize her own mother and daughter.
37 An Electromagnetic Boost
Corporate partner ETS-Lindgren’s gift helps to build OSU’s national reputation in research.
39 Stepping Up Again
Chesapeake Energy adds to current scholarship program to benefit engineers, geologists.
41 Annual Giving
OSUF eclipses the $1 million mark in annual gifts.
45 The Joneses: Choosing to Give
For Dr. Craig Jones and his family, giving is reflective of receiving.
46 Diary of a Cowboy Caller
Erin LeGrand shares a typical week on the job as a Cowboy Caller.
Tulsa Sports Charities hosts dinner to help support scholarship at OSU.
69 Personal Best
Dr. Ray Booker donates land to benefit Dean Karl Reid’s CEAT Scholars Program.
72 The Doctor is In
Retired OSU medical instructor continues to give back to future physicians.
73 An Orange East Coast
One couple finds two opportunities to give.
75 What’s the Deal with Planned Giving?
Understanding the basics of how your planned gift can impact OSU’s future.
78 Couple Put Planned Gift in Action
Life insurance gift provides unique level of support to educators, business grads.
79 Definition of Family
OSU-Tulsa capitalizes on top faculty giving by rewarding their own.
81 Making a Splash
Innovative technology gift provides environmentally safe solution to Oklahoma’s water issues.
83 Donors: The Next Generation
Teaching today’s children how to provide for tomorrow through thoughtful generosity.
85 Honor Roll
features
2007-08 Calendar
The OSU Foundation will officially launch DonorLink in January 2008 as a member benefit to all donors who made a gift, regardless of amount, to Oklahoma State University in the prior year. The e-newsletter will feature scholarship recipient stories, ticket giveaways, financial planning tips, OSU news and much more. Register to win a Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament gift package in our inaugural issue! This information piece will be distributed quarterly, and seeks to keep you connected to news of the OSU Foundation and the university. To subscribe yourself or a friend, please send e-mail addresses to info@OSUgiving.com.
Wal-Mart Gives to Rise School of Stillwater
Executives and local associates of Wal-Mart recently presented $15,000 to the Mya Gonzales Foundation. The gift will be used to support the creation of the Rise School of Stillwater, a unique preschool which opened in October 2007. The school, which is part of OSU’s College of Human Environmental Sciences, provides exceptional opportunities for children from 18 months to 3 ½ years who have Down syndrome or other developmental disabilities as well as to children who are developing typically. Located in a wing of the Stillwater Head Start building, the school will have two classrooms each staffed with teachers who have master’s degrees and two assistants to provide individualized attention.
Harold Holden Sculpture & Oil October – December 2007
OSU-OKC Announces Largest Gift in History
Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City announced the largest one-time private gift in its history earlier this year with a $1 million gift that fulfills a pledge from John E. Kirkpatrick toward a new Agriculture Resource Center. The gift will support the construction of a new Agriculture Resource Center, a 33,000 square-foot building that will house horticulture, agriculture and veterinary classes on the OSUOKC campus. The building will become operational in the spring of 2008. The new Agriculture Resource Center is needed due to thriving classes, particularly in “urban agriculture” – an emerging field of study that expands traditional agriculture to activities for an urban lifestyle.
Three Cowboy Callers raise more than $120K for OSU
The Foundation recognized Chesley Hoselton, Candace McCreary and Sydney Garner as the top three Cowboy Callers for the 2006-2007 school year after their combined efforts resulted in raising $120,896 to benefit university programs and students. Overall, $880,583 was raised in fiscal year 2006 by nearly 50 student callers who contacted more than 28,000 alumni and friends who played a significant role in OSU’s annual giving efforts. Ten months a year, five days a week OSU students work to raise funds for the university through academic and financial student support.
Youngest OSU Donor Endows Second $10K Scholarship
OSU Foundation announced a second $10,000 scholarship gift received from 24year-old alumna Mita Young to benefit music and art students. The scholarship was established with the help of ExxonMobil’s matching gift program. Young committed the recent gift in honor of retired OSU faculty members Ron and Thora du Bois. Thora was Young’s piano teacher through high school, and Ron taught in the OSU art department. This recent gift creates $20,000 in endowed scholarships Young has committed to the university in the past four years. Her initial endowment provides scholarship support for business students.
John Womack Watercolor January – March 2008
OSU public relations senior and scholarship recipient Abby Taylor launched the Foundation’s first official Scholar Blog last September. Abby’s weekly journal entries provide details about her experiences on campus, life at OSU, participation in student activities and demonstrates how scholarships have opened new windows of opportunity for her at OSU. Access Abby’s journal at http://blog. OSUgiving.com to read about the life of an average OSU student and discover the impact of scholarship gifts.
Shane Brown Photography April – June 2008
DEFINITION: A blog is an online journal that is frequently updated and intended for the general public.
Legacy - NEW MAIL DATE!
In an effort to space out OSU Foundation and university publications, Legacy magazine will move its mail date from late November to mid-September in 2008. We hope you’ll enjoy receiving your publication earlier next year.
Beverley Haston Haines Watercolor July – September 2008
For more information: 800.622.4678 | OSUgiving.com
financial highlights
Your Impact of Giving
The generosity of OSU donors has made a tremendous impact again this year to the benefit of Oklahoma
5,950 Tuition $ 7,390 Room & Board $ 940 Books $
State University. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, the OSU Foundation received an extraordinary level of gift and pledge contributions. Perhaps the most significant outcome came in the form of nearly $55 million in estate gift commitments. Additionally, OSU supporters continue to realize the value of endowment gifts, which will help OSU to continue providing a world-class education to our children and
$
our children’s children. The following charts and graphs indicate our financial success this past fiscal year.
*Costs reflect the average totals an Oklahoma resident would accrue as an undergraduate student taking 15 hours each semester. Out-ofstate residents pay roughly $29,960. Graduate students assume higher tuition rates.
85 Million 2007 Total Gifts
$
34,510 2007 Donors B Athletic Village Acquisition C Intercollegiate Athletics D Alumni Association
Academic Contribution Revenue
Planned Giving 03
$
A General University 42%
11.8
04
A
16.1
$
05
C
Contribution Revenue by Area A Academics
14,280* Total
17.4
06
15.3
$
07
38%
$54.9 0
10
20
8% 43% 1%
D
B
30
(millions of dollars)
60
149.3 169.1
$
05
Eclipsed the $1M mark for first time in Foundation history
50
$
04
1,085,968 Annual Giving
40
Endowments 03
$
B DASNR
5%
C A&S
7%
D Vet Med
2%
E Business
13%
F Education
2%
G Engineering
17%
H HES
5%
I OSU-Tulsa
1%
J OSU-OKM
2%
K OSU-OKC
3%
L OSU-Medicine
1%
$
$
193.2
06
235.6
$
07
$302.5
0
50
100
150
200
(millions of dollars)
250
300
350
Thank You
Honoring His Wish
How well could you be trusted with someone else’s money?
What if the person was deceased and you never even knew them? When Robert A. Parman, a modest and religious insurance salesman, passed away he left very clear instructions as to what should be done with his assets. His will directed his estate be distributed evenly between his surviving spouse, Rose Elizabeth Parman, and toward the establishment of a foundation for the use of charitable organizations and deserving individuals in Oklahoma. Thus when Parman died in 1961 his assets, including a 115 acre farm located next to Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City, were sold and profits were used to maintain ongoing support of the Robert A. Parman Foundation as officially established in 1962. Parman’s instructions regarding the management of the foundation were also clear in that there should be three trustees – a lawyer, a businessman and a preacher.
Sophia Kamenidou
American Floral Endowment Scientific Grant
John Hessel represents the businessman. The chairman of Whitton Supply Co. happened to also be a client of Parman’s lawyer, Jerry L. Hemry, who asked Hessel if he would be willing devote some of his time to help fulfill Parman’s request. “It’s been a pure pleasure to be a trustee,” Hessel said. “I get to work with people who are trying to better themselves.”
In the 21 years since becoming a trustee of the Foundation, Hessel has played a pivotal role in seeing that nearly 1,000 OSU students have been able to pursue their dreams as Parman Scholars. Through annual gifts to the university begining in 1985, more than $1 million has been given to OSU for scholarships from the Parman Foundation making Parman’s last wish an enduring legacy.
“I met a Parman Scholar at an OSU football game once and a couple of years later I got a phone call from her,” Hessel said. “She was in Hawaii attending a seminar on behalf of her company, Dell. She said she never dreamed she would be in Hawaii for business and wanted me to know she never would have gotten there had it not been for the Parman Foundation.”
“For a man to be that generous and have that much forethought as to how his money could benefit people in perpetuity is incredible,” Hessel said. “We’ve educated a lot of people and been able to help a lot of organizations.”
“I feel we’re doing very well by helping these students and fulfilling a big need,” he said.
While Hessel never met or knew Parman he has had the pleasure to meet many of the OSU scholars bearing his name.
Parman died with little family or fanfare, but his life is celebrated every year by numerous deserving and grateful OSU Cowboys who are helping to fulfill Parman’s last request by earning a college degree.
Meet a Parman Foundation Scholar
Trey Petty
Classification: Junior Major: History Hometown: Enid, Oklahoma Area of Research: “Medieval University Life” "With the help of scholarships I have been able to work with many distinguished
history professors at OSU. My research
allows a depth of study that I could not receive without financial assistance.”
Steve Birch, center, credits College of Education professors Steve Marks and Nancy O’Donnell as two mentors whose vision and support ignited a desire to achieve elevated levels of success beyond his years at OSU.
“Teachers change the world. Teachers are the backbone of our communities and nation by being leaders, role models, mentors and friends - all through sharing experiences like the ones gained here at Oklahoma State,” says Birch. This 1993 aviation alumnus decided to turn his passion for those who inspire young minds into reality in the form of an unprecedented gift to the College of Education COEearlier this year. In April 2007 the Stratford, Conn., resident pledged $2.5 million to endow faculty positions in teacher education and aviation education. The gift is eligible for a match from
the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education providing a total gift of $5 million to the college. “I have been extremely lucky to have had multiple teachers throughout my education who influenced my life at various stages. These impressions were never lost upon me and I strive every day to aspire to the greatness they instilled within me. Placed into perspective of the gift they gave to me, the gift announced here today is insignificant,” he says. Birch credits two of those teachers with providing the guidance needed to shape his future while he was attending OSU. His introduction to these two mentors, Dr. Steven Marks and Dr. Nancy O’Donnell, had a profound impact on his life.
“Drs. O’Donnell and Marks were incredibly supportive and approachable,” says Birch. “I could walk into their offices at any time and receive guidance, instruction, and occasionally, they’d find a way to talk me into helping out with one of their many projects!” As a student Birch collaborated with the two professors on a number of COE-related projects, including the annual Celebration of Teaching event, which reengaged Birch with the college earlier this year. “As teachers, we know we’re going to touch lives, but you never expect this,” says O’Donnell, an adjunct professor and former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. “Steve’s gift is a testimony to the impact of teachers and recognition of all that teachers strive to do to make a difference.”
After evaluation of several other Big 12 schools, Birch chose to attend OSU in 1990 because of its campus environment and presence of the aviation program within the COE. “Steve already had a passion for flying when he arrived at OSU, and his efforts to join student organizations and the OSU residential program allowed him to embrace that complete undergraduate experience,” says Marks, aviation department head. When asked if Marks or O’Donnell doubted whether Birch would be successful after his OSU experience, both were quick to answer a resounding, “No.” An active student on campus, Birch served on the Education Student Council, was twice elected as an education senator to the Student Government Association and served as a member of the Flying Aggies.
After graduation Birch concentrated on a number of entrepreneurial business ventures in aviation, and most recently joined Aduromed in 2003 as vice president of business development. The company provides healthcare facilities with environmentally friendly solutions to treat and destroy medical waste. Pamela Fry, education dean, says the Birch endowment, will substantially strengthen OSU’s initiatives for recognition as one of the top education colleges in the nation and characterizes the gift as a transformational one for the college.
including a great-grandmother, two aunts and two uncles. “By elevating recognition of the already superior training our future educators receive from the OSU College of Education, graduates will be even more highly sought after nationwide. I am humbled to be able to play a small part in propelling that opportunity for the college,” he says.
“This historic gift provides stable funding for the college that will benefit generations of future students and will enable us to retain and attract outstanding faculty to ensure students in the College of Education learn from the very best,” says Fry. Birch followed in a long line of family members who served as teachers,
Birch’s love of aviation has spanned more than 30 years as an active pilot.
Partnership Produces
professorship
When Ed Long decided he would give the inheritance from his mother’s estate to early childhood education in the College of Human Environmental Science, he knew the gift would make a difference for the children of the state -
his passion.
The education of Oklahoma
children is the passion Tulsa businessman Bryan Close holds dear also. With the help of the OSU Foundation, Long’s gift and an endowment Close had established were combined to create the Bryan B. Close Endowed Professorship. “Dean Pat Knaub had a vision for the future of early childhood education. Senator Long’s gift had been made and we felt we could leverage both our gifts to make a significant difference for young children in not only my hometown but the entire state as well,” Close says. Close credits the OSU Foundation for creating a win-win for everyone. “Because of the expertise of the OSU Foundation, the gifts were combined to create this professorship,” he said. With matching funds from the Oklahoma State Regents, the professorship is now endowed at $500,000.
Long, a former state senator from Enid now living in Stillwater, said he was thrilled to be able to leverage his gift into a prestigious tool to attract faculty of the highest caliber. “Bryan had the largest chunk of the endowment, so I was thrilled my mother’s estate could make such an impact when it was combined with Bryan’s to complete the endowment,” says Long. “This partnership resulted in an important position that Bryan and I believe will impact early childhood education for generations.” Human development and family science associate professor Amanda Harrist has been named the Bryan B. Close Professor. Harrist teaches courses in human lifespan development, parenting and peer relations in childhood.
Harrist’s research focuses on understanding young children’s adaptive and maladaptive social behavior during early and middle childhood. By examining family interactions and peer group dynamics, her research has led to understanding the development of children’s social competence. Currently she is the principal investigator on an interdisciplinary team to study childhood obesity. The $1 million United States Department of Agriculture funded project Families and Schools for Health (FiSH) targets psychological issues
in the families and peer groups of overweight children. By following data collected from 1,200 first graders, their teachers and parents in rural Oklahoma, the team hopes to identify the relationship between nutrition and child development
and recommend programs that will improve the health of children. Both men agree they are pleased to see young children all over the state will be enhanced by Dr. Harrist’s expertise. Julie Barnard
Donations from Close (right) and former state senator Long (left) were combined and matched by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to provide for the professorship focusing on the education of young children.
Through the generosity of a $1.5 million gift from the Sherman Smith Family Charitable Foundation, qualified students in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology will be eligible for several full tuition scholarships. The formation of the Sherman Smith Family Charitable Foundation Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide significant financial assistance to undergraduate engineering students beginning in fall 2008. Smith is a 1948 mechanical engineering alumnus who was honored as a recipient of the college’s prestigious Hall of Fame in October 2000.
engineering preeminence begins at
The
Sherman Smith’s (above) Foundation scholarships will be administered under the umbrella of the CEAT Scholars program, an endeavor that prepares select engineering students for business and community leadership.
oklahoma state university.
premier undergraduate engineering scholarship program in the nation. contact us for more information at (405) 744-5276. Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Some international students bring more than just their passport and suitcase to OSU. They also bring their spouse and children.
Transporting your family overseas in pursuit of a graduate education is a difficult decision. And living in a foreign land is a difficult adjustment especially if you do not speak the language and are not permitted to work. “A number of spouses hold
degrees from their country but cannot work in the U.S.,” says Jill Rohrbacker, coordinator of the Family Resource Center. Thus OSU’s Family Resource Center provides activities, events and programming to alleviate some of the stress and problems spouses and children may experience when
making an international move. “Often the spouse and children do not know English,” Rohrbacker says. “We provide English classes that teach everything from pronunciation to idioms for the adults, and Westwood schools provide English classes for the children.”
Located literally in their backyard, the Family Resource Center is centered among the seven neighborhoods designated as family housing on campus. The 300 families living in the neighborhoods are 70 percent international and represent 60 countries.
“Our primary mission is to serve the spouse and children,” Rohrbacker says. Pick up the Center’s monthly newsletter and you will see how dedicated staff are meeting that mission. On any given weekday the Center hosts language courses from beginning English and
cultural conversation groups to cooking demonstrations and craft classes. There are also clubs with developmentally appropriate activities catered to children in age groups from 0 – 17 years old. Additionally, family dinners, literacy (Continues on next page)
Thank You
nights and family story hours help keep the entire family connected. “Everything we do is literacy focused,” Rohrbacker says. “We ask students to bring books back in their native language when they go home for the holidays. Since many of our students will go back to their home country, their children are learning both English and their native language. For this reason having books in different languages available is wonderful.” The Center has collected books from every available outlet – students, national publishers, book banks – which has helped to establish a small library. But many more books are still needed, and the Center is calling on the OSU family for help. “We need children’s books especially in the 9-12 years old age range, adult books, books in different languages,” Rohrbacker says. In addition, board books are needed for gift baskets assembled for infants born to families while living on campus.
The Family Resource Center provides after school activities and programs for children of OSU graduate students. Pictured are (from left) Srividya Uppalati, Yvonne Menja, Seok Hee Kim and Bruno Navaresse.
“It’s a ‘welcome to our world’ present and a way of letting new moms and dads know they’re not alone,” Rohrbacker says of the gift baskets. Donations of new books are welcome at the Center as well as time and talent in teaching classes
or conducting various programs of interest. “The Family Resource Center is open to OSU and the Stillwater community,” Rohrbacker says. “It’s a wonderful experience in diversity.”
To make a book donation, volunteer or get more information about the Family Resource Center, please contact Rohrbacker at 405-744-6539 or e-mail jill.rohrbacker@okstate.edu.
Katie Knight
Tom M. Carey President’s Distinguished Scholar
Agriculture
When Eddie Hill lost his wife,
Lorraine, in a car accident in January 1998, the family soon discovered that the thing that binds people together as family has more to do with their hearts than simply their heritage. Son Ray Hill had just started his second semester at OSU majoring in animal science when he received a phone call one night from his dad about his mother’s tragic accident. One hundred and fifty miles away from home and in no condition to drive, Ray credits friends made in OSU’s Iba Hall for enabling him to be by his father’s side on their family farm near Edna, Kan., at 8 a.m. the following morning.
Eddie Hill (right); his son, Ray; and grandson, Dallas, are three
generations of Hills who still call the
100-year-old Hill Farm home.
Thirteen fellow classmates Ray had known for less than a year made the 300 mile roundtrip trek to pay their respects with food, cards and even dry cleaning in tow before, during and after the funeral.
“One of the guys’ families owned a dry cleaning business in Texas so he provided my Dad and I starched, pressed white shirts for the funeral,” says Ray. “I didn’t have to worry about a thing.” When Ray returned to OSU, the missed homework assignments, exams and projects had mounted. But an understanding and compassionate agriculture faculty enabled Ray to finish the semester with passing grades and complete both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science and agricultural education. “OSU was like a second family to me,” says Ray. “I don’t believe I could have returned to school that semester had I been at any school other than OSU.” Those are sentiments Eddie echoes. “I was so impressed with their thoughtfulness and consideration,” says Eddie. “I thought I ought to do something to show my gratitude
to the animal science staff and students who were all like family to Ray and me.” Today, the Hills’ gratitude is repaid each year through two scholarships in the department of animal science. In memory of Eddie’s wife, the Lorraine E. Hill Endowed Memorial Scholarship was established in 1998 and is awarded to a full-time animal science student with first preference given to a resident of Iba Hall. In 2004, Eddie awarded a scholarship to a mechanical engineering student exhibiting financial need. And most recently, Eddie and Ray funded the Hill Farms Endowed Scholarship awarded to an animal science student who provides service to fellow students and the department. “We established the Hill Farms Scholarship in celebration of our centennial and as a service scholarship to be awarded to students helping students,” says Ray. “There are a lot of Cowboys whose extracurricular activity is helping other people. We want this scholarship to recognize some of the people who work behind the scenes.” In December the family will celebrate 100 years since Hill Farms was established with 40 acres. Today the 546 acres are still home to Eddie
Ray Hill (left) and his dad, Eddie (right), established the Hill Farms Endowed Scholarship in celebration of the farms centennial year. Also pictured is Ray’s son, Dallas.
and Ray along with Ray’s wife, Spring Heather; son, Dallas; and Dallas’s future sibling. A self-taught Tool and Die engineer, Eddie works full-time at Ruskin, a U.S. manufacturing company headquartered in Grandview, Mo., and part-time on the farm helping his son develop their newest business venture, Hill Farm Freezer Beef, an all natural beef raised at Hill Farms. Partial funding for the Hill Farm Endowed Scholarship has come through money paid to Eddie by the gas company STP Cherokee for use of their land in housing a pipeline compressor.
“I told them just to make the checks out to OSU,” says Eddie. “It’s like I told my friend, I could go out and buy myself a new truck, but in a couple of months it’s going to look just like the one I have now. At least this way someone will really benefit from that money.” While Eddie may not be an alumnus of OSU like his son, he is a member of the OSU family.
“I’d be an OSU Cowboy myself if they would adopt me,” laughs Eddie.
CommonlyDiverse
Rikki Jones (front row) and other students in the Inclusion Leadership Program attended Stedman Graham's (back row) "The New Diversity" workshop.
What does a natural gas company headquartered in Tulsa, a New York Times bestselling author and Oklahoma State University all have in common?
div• OSU’s recently established
Inclusion Leadership Program (ILP) looks to be a success thanks in part to $150,000 gifted by Williams and a diversity workshop conducted on the OSU Stillwater campus by Stedman Graham. The year-long diversity program pairs OSU students with area high school seniors designed to broaden perspectives about themselves and others, develop inclusion leadership skills, increase knowledge regarding global networking and clear a pathway to successful living within a global society. The program was developed last year by Dr. Cornell Thomas, system vice president for Institutional Diversity at OSU, and made possible by a generous gift of $75,000 from Tulsa-based Williams. Continuing to support the program and its mission, the integrated natural gas company has made a second $75,000 gift to benefit the program in its second year.
•
ers•
“Williams has and continues to be a source of great support for OSU and the Inclusion Leadership Program,” Thomas says. “Students in this program will be better prepared for leadership in this more inclusively diverse world, thanks to Williams.” Additionally, ILP participants were also afforded the opportunity to meet New York Times bestselling author, educator and businessman Graham who conducted a workshop on campus last February. Based on his latest book, “Diversity: Leaders Not Labels – A New Plan for the 21st Century,” Graham facilitated the workshop, “The New Diversity,” aimed at equipping students with the knowledge and tools to meet their full potential. “What is most important is breaking through labels and understanding who you are,” Graham says. “Realize that everyone brings uniqueness, talents and skills that add value to our
•
ity
experiences, work environments, businesses and communities. When you operate from this perspective, you will emerge in the 21st century as a true leader to yourself, to others and to society.” Echoing Graham’s comments, Williams seeks to foster a diverse workforce and their support of the program aligns with Williams’ corporate goals. “Williams appreciates and respects diversity in our workplace, and we believe that leveraging differences adds value to our company,” says Alison Anthony, director of human resources at Williams. “We chose to sponsor the OSU Inclusion Leadership Program because it is strategically aligned to recruit a diverse student body that we hope will someday join us at Williams in our workforce.” Students in the ILP program work as a team to identify successful leadership qualities in local
business leaders and implement those attributes through individual projects to benefit their community.
Tulsa seniors through the program while developing their own skills in leadership.
Last year 35 OSU students participated in the program acting as mentors to Tulsa high school students. The same format continues this year as a class of 30 OSU juniors and seniors help guide 30 Oklahoma City, Stillwater and
“We are pleased to see this program be successful,” says Anthony. “It is vital that students today understand the value of diversity and how to embrace it in order to be successful leaders.” Money contributed to the ILP is used to reward students for their completion of the program through
$1,000 stipends (for OSU students) and $1,000 scholarships (for high school students who choose to attend OSU). Additionally a tour of Williams’ corporate headquarters will be hosted and funded through the ILP. Students are recognized with prizes and awards for their projects at a year-end banquet, which also offers a chance to reflect on the ideals and lessons learned through the program.
“Through ILP I learned so much about the traits and roles of a true leader and how to promote inclusiveness in all my relationships. I have worked with teammates of different races, ethnicities, religions and ages, yet we embraced these differences through our projects and we have all accomplished the true meaning of inclusive leadership.”
- Rikki Jones, OSU Industrial Engineering and Management Junior
Their goals and activities range from fundraising and stewardship to networking and benefiting from professional development. They are eager to be inspired by tales from OSU philanthropists. They vow to translate that inspiration into action for their peers. But why is making a difference so important to these young adults? Because for these students – it’s personal. Each and every member of StuFu has benefited from some form of financial assistance since their arrival at OSU. From scholarships to new classrooms, these students know first-hand the impact philanthropy can have on one’s future.
“what is the osu student foundation?” Student response: an organization existing to educate students about philanthropy from those who live it. An organization comprised of passionate students who converge to become an active, integral part of OSU’s charitable processes.
“who is a student foundation member?” Student response: charismatic, involved, mature, forward-thinkers, heart for service, willingness to meet new people, diverse backgrounds, passionate about OSU’s future.
“what’s in store for osu’s philanthropic future?” Student response: the future is limitless. Imagine assembling 35 of OSU’s top student leaders. Imagine their backgrounds are as diverse as their hometowns and majors. Imagine their eagerness to secure funding for fellow students. Imagine their immense love for OSU. Imagination is now reality. Meet the new OSU Student Foundation (StuFu) members. They represent the
university’s premier scholars and leaders – and they are on a mission. “The [organization] has many important and worthwhile objectives, both short and long-term,” says Josh Ward, microbiology and cell & molecular biology junior and StuFu president. “Chief among these objectives is to bridge the gap between donors and students. Increased interaction between donors
and students will inspire not only greater giving on behalf of the donor, but also serve as an invaluable way to educate Oklahoma State’s brightest students on philanthropy and giving.” As members kick-off the inaugural year of the Foundation’s first student organization, students’ enthusiasm is contagious, their goals ambitious and their desire to make a difference reigns supreme.
“I joined the Student Foundation because through my experiences at OSU I’ve earned scholarships, but I never really knew where they came from or who the people were behind these gifts,” says Abby Taylor, public relations senior from Hennessey. “I thought this would be my chance to say ‘thank you’ through my service or maybe even in person!” Among the most important projects the organization plans to complete in its charter year is a student endowed scholarship program. This “by the students, for the students” fundraising project is already in the planning stages. “We’re organizing a comprehensive scholarship campaign and we need participation from students and donors to really embrace the concept resulting in a winning fundraising project,” says David Eyster, chemical engineering junior and StuFu vice president. The event encourages OSU fans of all ages to make a donation to the StuFu
The Student Foundation made its campus debut on Aug. 22 during the annual “Lights on Stillwater” event which gives OSU students a chance to interact with the community and university organizations.
student scholarship fund to benefit needs-based OSU students. To make a donation, or for more information, log on to OSUstudentfoundation.com. As the organization develops, members are looking for ways to make a strong mark in its first year by capitalizing on best practices from peer institutions like Baylor and Kansas State. “Many successful programs from universities across the country are being researched and adapted for Oklahoma State,” says Ward. “Additionally, we want to represent our parent organization, the OSU Foundation, in a manner that reflects the best of Oklahoma State; truly showing donors, the Stillwater community and other universities just how amazing our institution is.” With committees formed to focus on donor relations, stewardship, campus promotions and fundraising, organization adviser, Michal Shaw, says the organization will give members an inside glimpse into the entire philanthropic process.
“With students serving as active participants in the giving process, the experiences they gain from service will be invaluable as they educate their peers and solicit funds from donors,” says Shaw, OSU Foundation donor relations director. “Not only are we building the philanthropists of tomorrow, but we’re encouraging them to take both pride and ownership in the continued success of their alma mater. It’s going to be an exciting year!” With new beginnings come new challenges; challenges that don’t scare these scholars. “While our greatest challenges will be turning our ideas into reality, we’re setup to succeed because of the support we have across the campus,” says Taylor. As the year progresses, activities started, and introductions made, enthusiasm and optimism remains unwavering. “It’s an exciting opportunity to build something from the ground up. Our future is limitless, and we can’t wait to get started,” says Ward.
Meet Student Foundation Officers (Next Page)
Abby Taylor Hennessey, OK Public Relations Stewardship Chair Josh Ward Edmond, OK Microbiology and Cell & Molecular Biology President
"I believe that students’ love of OSU would increase if they knew the people who made their experience happen. We want to create that opportunity for students to thank their donor in person.”
“Increased interaction between donors and students will inspire not only greater giving on behalf of the donor, but also serve as an invaluable way to educate Oklahoma State’s brightest students on philanthropy and giving.”
Omar Hossain Bartlesville, OK Accounting Donor Relations Chair “This is a unique organization that allows us to be on the frontline of observing how OSU
David Eyster Ponca City, OK Chemical Engineering Vice President “Our most exciting challenge is getting students in the habit of giving back to OSU. I can’t think of a better goal for this organization.”
To request an office or home visit from members
operates. If we’re going to progress, we need to know how to be a part of the process.”
Caroline Diedrich Perryton, TX Industrial Engineering Campus Promotions Chair “The greatest benefit of this organization is that even though we get to form a connection with our peers everyday, now we’re able to form a new connection with past Cowboys.”
of the Student Foundation, access OSUgiving.com/stufu.
To make a gift to the campaign or for more information go to: www.OSUstudentfoundation.com
became president and general manager of the family-owned car dealership, Johnsons of Kingfisher, and Judy became the company’s accountant and secretary/treasurer. Raising their family in Kingfisher, the Johnsons were filled with pride as each child was offered and accepted a scholarship at their alma mater, but when the youngest received an alumni-funded scholarship, they became inspired.
He was a president She was a queen. It was 1965 and Michael D. Johnson, a senior accounting major and president of the Men’s Residence Hall Association (MRHA), was interviewing candidates for the first MRHA queen.
Their appreciation for Rob’s scholarship was quickly repaid when they decided to fund a President’s Distinguished Scholarship (PDS) themselves. The President's Distinguished Scholarship, one of OSU’s most highly desired undergraduate scholarships, is a four-year $2,200 per year scholarship funding tuition and books for OSU’s top scholars.
Representing Thatcher Hall was Judith A. Freeman. “I saw her and said ‘that’s the girl I want to date,’” he says. “Before election night I asked her out hoping she would go out with me whether she won or lost.” Judy won the election and served as the MRHA’s first queen. Her beauty was matched by her brains as she was also an accounting major and often the only girl in her classes.
“We thought the PDS was such a neat idea that we started funding the scholarship before we really had the money,” says Mike.
“She was one of the few women to pursue an accounting degree at the time,” says Mike. Mike graduated in 1966, but returned to OSU in the fall, presumably to work on his master’s in accounting, but his real mission was to talk Judy into marrying him. His plan was successful and they were married in December. Shortly thereafter, Mike went to work for a CPA firm in Oklahoma City. Judy graduated in May and went to work for Kerr-McGee. They also pursued their first business venture raising and selling tropical fish. “We really enjoyed our tropical fish store,” says the couple. “It was our
Michael and Judy Johnson at the 1965 Men’s Residence Hall Association Christmas Formal (left) The Johnsons at their home in Kingfisher, Okla.
first effort into owning a business. It was our hobby and we were able to make a little money at it.” Judy continued working at KerrMcGee until she entered her eighth month of pregnancy with their oldest child, Lori. Their second child, David, came soon after and the family moved to Edmond where their youngest son, Robert, was born. After Rob’s birth, Judy went back to
work with Mike at Michael D. Johnson, C.P.A., a firm he started. “The kids grew up at the firm. Mike couldn’t understand how I was able to get my work done with them under my desk all day,” laughs Judy, who has served six years as an OSU Foundation Trustee. In 1981 they returned to Mike’s hometown of Kingfisher where he
Through their dealership, the couple was accustomed to donating to OSU and were pleased with how the gifts were used. “I watched our gifts to OSU and how the university was using them and always felt that what little I could do would help,” says Mike. “OSU didn’t always have a great donor base, so a person could give at any level and it would be appreciated.” As their capacity to give increased so has their generosity. Besides growing their scholarship endowment to support two PDS recipients per year, the couple is also funding the Judy Johnson Professorship in Accounting. Once the endowment is fully funded it will be matched by the
state resulting in a $500,000 gift. “This is just something I wanted to do,” says Mike. “It’s in her name to show how much I appreciated OSU helping me find her.” Additionally, Rob’s influence on his parents’ commitment to help others did not end in college. He is also credited with encouraging his father to serve in his current position as an Oklahoma state senator. Robert soon
joined his father in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives – making history. “We’re the only father-son combo serving at the same time,” says Mike. Whether they’re serving the state or the STATE’s University, this couple remains generous with their time, talent and financial assistance making them true Cowboy royalty.
Family House
Representative Rob Johnson is following in his father’s footsteps, footsteps that Rob himself outlined. When Senator Mike Johnson elected to run for office in the summer of 1998 it was through his son’s prompting and a series of fortunate events which helped blaze his campaign trail to the Capital. “Rob has always been very interested in politics,” says Mike of his OSU political science son. “I always liked politics but was consumed with trying to survive while running my own business. So when Rob suggested I run for senator I wasn’t sure.” For 30 days Mike thought about the idea before he put his name on the ballot and hit the pavement campaigning. “I worked very hard with a lot of help from my family and volunteers,” he says. “We won because we outworked the opponent.” A republican, Mike entered the Senate in the minority party.
“When I was elected there were 15 republicans and 33 democrats,” he says. “My vote hardly ever mattered.” Last year the Senate was divided down the middle and Mike was named appropriations committee co-chairman. “This year was the first time I felt like I was able to advance my ideas,” he says. “I was a part of several legislations to help ensure OSU got appropriations for the agriculture extension office and fire training facility.” Three years ago Rob joined his father in the political arena as a state representative marking the first time a father and son have served in both the Oklahoma State House and Senate at the same time. With three years left before he is term-limited, Mike has no future political plans but will make the best use of the time left to further advance his platform, which includes reducing state income tax, passing a comprehensive tort reform bill and making road and bridge repair a priority. “I’m really excited about the next three years,” he says.
Thank You
Your first painting created in school may have stayed on your mom’s refrigerator for months, but if you were a kindergarten student of Wanda Lee Kalsu chances are she still has your artwork stowed away for safe keeping at her home in Kansas City, Mo. In fact the 1940 foods and institutional management graduate just recently relinquished some of her prized possessions for the benefit of Oakhill Day School’s 60th anniversary, a school she founded in 1947 with 30 preschool and kindergarten students. Today the Kansas City school has grown out of its humble beginnings in church basements to its own building educating 220 students, preschool through the 6th grade.
Justin Biassou
Christiansen Aviation Scholar
Although she retired from the school after 27 years she is not ready to retire from the field of education. At 90, Kalsu has just published her first book, “They Don’t Come with Directions: A Simple Handbook for Parents,” and started writing her second, “Teach Me I’m Five,” born from her amazement at a 5-year-old’s eagerness to learn. “I think children are so much smarter than we give them credit for,” says Kalsu. “If a teacher can stimulate a child to think for himself, that is the most important goal.” It is befitting that Kalsu would dedicate her first book about parenting, to her own mother, Maude,
and her daughter, Charlene, both of whom she outlived when her daughter died last year of a brain tumor. To further memorialize the two special women in her life, Kalsu has planned for gifts in their names to benefit OSU’s College of Human Environmental Sciences. The Maude L. Overmiller Scholarship will be awarded to four human development and family science students with an early childhood education focus who are interested in teaching preschool, kindergarten or first grade. “My mother was an amazing person,” says Kalsu. “She only had an eighth grade education, but she hoped her four daughters would want to go to college because she realized how important it was. She sacrificed just so we could go to school. She taught us to think for ourselves and have confidence in our decisions.” Overmiller’s sacrifices proved worthwhile as all four daughters attended Oklahoma State and all four married OSU graduates.
Additionally Kalsu has made plans to establish the Charlene Kalsu Owings Endowed Fund to be used to benefit the Resource Room within the Center for Early Childhood Teaching and Learning. “Charlene was a good communicator,” says Kalsu. “She cared about people and there was nothing she wouldn’t do to help someone with a problem.” By leaving the residue of her estate to OSU in her will, Kalsu is making plans for the future security and funding of both endowments today. It also means that the home where Kalsu raised her daughter, taught summer art classes in the garage and spent 57 wonderful years with her 6’6” tall OSU basketball player husband Charles, will play a part in continuing this family’s legacy. Kalsu says her endowments at OSU will benefit children and the adults pursuing an education to understand their needs, and for her, that is a happy thought.
(L-R) Karl Reid, OSU college of engineering architecture & technology dean; Mark Mawdsley, ETS-Lindgren managing director Asia operations; Chris Brown, ETSLindgren director of sales; Doug Bailey, ETS-Lindgren Durant plant manager; Stephen McKeever; OSU vice president for research & technology transfer; Kefeng Liu, ETS-Lindgren product development manager; Michael Foegelle, ETS-Lindgren director of technology development; Charles Farris, ETS-Lindgren CF scientific systems.
Chuck Bunting, associate professor
When ETS-Lindgren gifted a Smart80 Reverberation Chamber valued at $275,000 to OSU, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering came one step closer in its quest to build a national reputation in the field of electromagnetic compatibility. The off-campus research facility will be integrated into undergraduate and graduate level courses at OSU. Instrumentation will support existing research and education tools for the Robust Electromagnetic Testing and Simulation Laboratory at OSU and will provide local academic and industrial research groups a center of expertise in
electromagnetic
compatibility.
Local expertise will be provided by OSU graduates with experience in measurements and simulation. OSU’s Reverberation Chamber in motion. Photo: Travis Dawson
of electrical and computer engineering, believes OSU can be a national leader in the fields of electromagnetic compatibility testing and education. ETS-Lindgren President Bruce Butler strongly supported the university’s goal to enhance technical education and research conducted at the new Multispectral Laboratory. He noted, “ETS-Lindgren is committed to advancing engineering technology globally. Contributing our reverberation chamber to the university was an ideal opportunity for the company and OSU. We can now partner to further science and technology—benefiting engineering on campus and globally.” The Smart-80 Reverberation Chamber, measuring 44 ft long by 20 ft wide by 16 ft high, is used to evaluate the emissions and immunity of electronic devices in the frequency range of 80 MHz to 18 GHz. The reverberation chamber will be colocated with an anechoic chamber offcampus in the University Multispectral
Laboratory complex at Richmond Hills. This unique testing scenario offered at the facility only exists in six other locations in the country. With the ETS-Lindgren gift, OSU can offer a host of educational and testing capabilities that did not exist before at the university. Bunting is excited about the positive response from government and industry sources indicating interest in reverberation chamber testing capabilities at the OSU/UML facility. Bunting is just as excited about incorporating the reverberation chamber into the educational component of the OSU program. He says this training is not offered anywhere else in the United States. Until now, the application of reverberation chamber techniques has been primarily located at government facilities, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Naval Surface Weapons Center, Dahlgren Division. Manufacturers representing
the aircraft industry (Cessna Aircraft Company) and automotive industries (General Motors) have begun implementing reverberation chamber testing to assess electromagnetic compatibility of entire systems. ETS-Lindgren is an international manufacturer of components and systems that measure, shield and control electromagnetic and acoustic energy. The company’s products are used for electromagnetic compatibility, microwave and wireless testing, electromagnetic field measurement, radio frequency personal safety monitoring and control of acoustic environments. Headquartered in Cedar Park, Texas, ETS-Lindgren has manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ESCO Technologies, a leading supplier of engineered products for growing industrial and commercial markets. More information about ETS-Lindgren is available at www.ets-lindgren.com. Jana Smith
American Cancer Society
Coaches vs Cancer The Oklahoma State University Coaches vs Cancer Campaign ranks first in the Big 12, first in the American Cancer Society High Plains Division and third nationally in dollars raised. Both the OSU CvC campaign and former coach Eddie Sutton have been nationally recognized with awards from the American Cancer Society. In the past four years, OSU’s Coaches vs Cancer campaign has raised over $500,000 for the fight against cancer.
Increases Scholarship Support Chesapeake Energy Corporation pledged an additional $500,000 in September to assist with student scholarships in the Boone Pickens School of Geology and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT). The donation raises Chesapeake’s scholarship commitment on the Stillwater campus to $1 million. Chesapeake made a $500,000 donation in 2003 dedicated to students from rural Oklahoma. The five-year program was announced on the Chesapeake campus during a reception for scholarship recipients attended by OSU Interim President Marlene Strathe, university faculty and OSU graduates employed by Chesapeake. Martha Burger, senior vice president for corporate and human resources, and Jeff Fisher, senior vice president for production, made the announcement on behalf of Chesapeake. “We are extremely appreciative of what Chesapeake Energy is doing for Oklahoma State University
R
Chesapeake Senior Vice Presidents (from left) Jennifer Grigsby, Martha Burger and Jeff Fisher join Pistol Pete and
interim OSU President Marlene Strathe (second from right) at Chesapeake headquarters in Oklahoma City for the energy corporation’s announcement of a $500,000 donation to fund scholarships in geology and engineering.
and our students,” said Strathe. “Chesapeake not only is assisting us in our academic mission, but is an excellent employer of our graduates and one of Oklahoma’s leading corporate partners.” “The continued drive for excellence in our higher-education system is one of the most vital missions in securing Oklahoma’s long-term economic future and the thousands of businesses located here,” said Burger. “It’s extremely important for Chesapeake to invest in Oklahoma’s future by supporting higher education across the state. We are grateful Oklahoma State University has supplied us with a great group of employees and hopefully this scholarship program will attract more OSU graduates to our team in the future.” Over the next five years the $500,000 donation will annually fund up to
In the US, one-half of men and one-third of women will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Help fight the battle today. Pledge your support online at o s u c o a c h e s v s c a n c e r. c o m o r e m a i l kendria.cost@okstate.edu Corporate sponsorships are also available.
twelve scholarships in the Boone Pickens School of Geology and up to eight in CEAT. The Chesapeake Rural Scholars Program will award 20 $2,500 scholarships during the 20072008 academic year, the fourth year of the program. The announcement represents the latest addition to the Chesapeake Scholars Program, implemented at more than 35 colleges and universities in 12 states. Since its inception in 2003, the program has donated or pledged more than $4 million in scholarship assistance. The Oklahoma City based corporation is the largest independent producer of natural gas in the U.S. with operations focused on exploratory and developmental drilling and corporate and property acquisitions.
FIGHTING THE BATTLE
on and off the
COURT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY OSU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Sean Sutton and Tonya Goodou
Area: Spears School of Business
Annual Giving: Dollar by dollar it happened.
Needs: Lanny Chasteen Chair, Dean’s Excellence Fund and Scholarship Fund Pledged: $134,860
You, our donors, answered the call, checked the mail and responded by sending
Impact: Funding a chair in accounting, funding business student travel expenses to national conventions and competitions, and providing scholarships to business students
in more than $1 million in support of various causes throughout OSU.
$1,085,968 to be exact. Your overwhelming support marks
the first time the OSU Foundation has raised more than $1 million via annual giving.
Through your gifts to OSU this past year you have supported everything from student scholarships and new equipment to building renovations and faculty recruitment.
And we thank you.
Gone are the days when a university representative would call and ask for a generic donation to support OSU. Today, requests from the OSU Foundation ask you to consider supporting the university as we strive to communicate how your money will be used, who will benefit and what the direct impact will be on future OSU Cowboys.
“This past year we started working with the colleges to develop comprehensive campaigns where we reach out to our donors through the Cowboy Callers, direct mail solicitations and e-solicitations,” says Debbie Nance, director of annual giving. “By prioritizing the needs of each college with its dean we’re able to ask for gifts to support those specific needs.”
Here are the needs you helped meet last year through the annual giving program:
Area: College of Arts & Sciences
Needs: Scholarship Fund and Dean’s Excellence Fund Pledged: $55,646
Impact: Offsetting educational expenses for arts and sciences students, recruiting and retaining professors, and acquiring new technology and resources
Area: College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Area: Alumni Center
Need: Complete financing for the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center Pledged: $86,993 to be matched by ConocoPhillips Impact: Completing building payments
Area: Center for Health Sciences
Need: Dunlap Auditorium renovation Pledged: $9,925
Impact: Remodeling the auditorium to include new tables and chairs and new educational technology so the building may accommodate lecture courses for first year medical students as well as various community and student recruiting events Area: Edmon Low Library
Need: Supplies, equipment and scholarship support Pledged: $2,375
Impact: Helped to meet a $50,000 challenge grant issued by the Rapp Foundation resulting in a $100,000 endowment to support the Veterinary Medicine Library and the President’s Distinguished Scholarship and Distinguished Graduate Fellowship programs
Needs: Priorities established by Dean Karl Reid within the college’s 10 departments
Area: College of Human Environmental Sciences
Impact: Purchasing equipment and technology, supporting students through scholarships and enrichment activities, recruiting faculty and staff, hosting visiting lecturers, providing professional development, and helping students participate in national competitions
Pledged: $6,025
Pledged: $115,893
Need: Center for Early Childhood Teaching and Learning Impact: Purchasing furnishings and equipment for Child Development Lab, Model Teaching Classroom and Resources Room
Perfect Match: Area: College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Need: General Scholarship Fund Pledged: $61,790
Impact: Helping agricultural students offset the cost of tuition and fees through general scholarships
In fiscal year 2007, more than $800,000 was donated to OSU by companies through matching gifts made by their employees. Gifts came from more than 160 national and international companies who offer various types of matching gift programs to numerous charitable organizations like the OSU Foundation. Their contributions coupled with their employees’ initial donation doubled and sometimes even tripled the dollar OSU received toward the employee’s designated fund. The following companies topped our list of donors in terms of dollars contributed to the OSU Foundation through matching gift programs in the last fiscal year:
Area: Graduate College
Need: Graduate College Fund Pledged: $7,950
Impact: Funding graduate students’ travel expenses to national and regional conferences and hosting recruitment events for potential graduate students
Area: Veterinary Medicine
Needs: Scholarship Fund, Veterinary Medicine Advancement Fund and Small Animal Critical Care Unit Pledged: $51,987
Impact: Offsetting educational expenses for veterinary medicine students, recruiting new faculty, funding professional development, hosting alumni activities and upgrading the Small Animal Critical Care Unit with new technology and equipment
ExxonMobil Foundation
$286,294
ConocoPhillips
$79,719
Ernst &Young Foundation
$42,600
Williams
$26,368
Marathon Oil Company Foundation
$23,700
SBC Foundation
$18,390
KPMG Foundation
$17,800
Johnson & Johnson
$17,180
Accenture Foundation Inc.
$15,315
OG&E Company Foundation
$15,260
Double your impact by taking advantage of your company’s matching gift program with your next gift. To find out if your employer offers a corporate matching program, visit us at OSUgiving.com/corporatematching and check for your company’s name.
Area: College of Education
Need: Celebration of Teaching Fund Pledged: $42,400
Impact: Providing scholarships for future teachers
Area: Academic Affairs
Need: Young Scholar Society Fund Pledged: $10,155
Impact: Funding student study in the summer, research, overseas programs, materials and events that showcase scholarly activities for undergraduates
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send you two free super-absorbent, stoneware car coasters.
Every time you make a choice you are turning the
central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into
something a little different than what it was before. – C.S. Lewis
After studying for four years in
preparation for a teaching career, Dr. Craig Jones made a drastic decision – to essentially start all over. In the back of his mind, the Comanche, Okla., native had once considered a career in veterinary medicine, but this dream did not make him feel any different or any more qualified to become a vet than any other young person raised in his rural community. “I grew up on a ranch,” says Jones. “The vet in that area was an integral part of the community. He was just as necessary as a doctor, banker or lawyer to make our community work. Everyone went to school with the thought that it would be neat to be a vet.” Like many children his age, Jones entertained the thought of becoming a veterinarian only briefly before dismissing it as a dream impossible for him to reach. Thus he followed in his mother’s footsteps and pursued his second career choice – teaching. After four years on a rodeo scholarship at Southwestern Oklahoma State
(From left) Stephanie, Lauren, Lindsey and Dr. Craig Jones at his clinic in Cleburne, Texas
University, Jones only lacked a semester of student-teaching to earn his degree and begin his career. But one sentence uttered by Jones’s friend’s father, a veterinarian, would change Jones’s entire life.
his education. While Jones was immensely grateful for the gift, today he is inspired to repay it by establishing the Craig and Stephanie Jones Endowed Scholarship to benefit a veterinary medicine student.
“He said, ‘you like to read, you’re smart, you can do it,’” says Jones referring to the encouragement to pursue a veterinary career. “My friend’s dad gave me the encouragement. He was the one person that believed I could do it and I did it.”
Besides setting an example of generosity for their daughters, Lauren, 10, and Lindsey, 7, it is Jones and his wife Stephanie’s hope that the recipient of their scholarship will feel a relief of financial stress and have the same desire to repay the gift in the future.
With that, Jones took off to Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and endured six more years of college to earn the title of veterinarian in 1989 and establish his own practice, Northside Animal Clinic in Cleburne, Texas, 17 years ago.
“We chose to endow a scholarship because we didn’t want to just help a student, we wanted to help a lifetime of students,” says Jones. “Our purest intention is that each person who receives a scholarship through us will feel the need to do the same thing and, in time, our gift will be the catalyst for several more.”
“There was a lot of effort, emotion and sleepless nights that occurred between wanting to be a vet and being one,” says Jones. One less sleepless night for Jones came by way of a scholarship that helped him continue financing
The couple’s scholarship will serve as a thankful reminder of the generosity Jones received from his donor and quite possibly inspire a trend of giving back.
Keeping in contact with alumni, friends and donors of the university is one of the many ways we successfully raise money on behalf of OSU. Helping us do this are students employed as Cowboy Callers to phone the university’s constituents and encourage gifts to campaigns benefiting several colleges, departments and programs occurring throughout the year for OSU. Inside, one student worker shares the funny, heartwarming and disappointing moments that occur on a weekly basis as a Cowboy Caller.
I really enjoy interacting with alumni and hearing their feelings and opinions on life. I actually have learned a lot about myself and the methods in which I best communicate. Also understanding that you cannot talk to every alumni the same – each requires a different method that a caller must recognize immediately. MONDAY • Today I went into work to try to get a hold of the significant “to call during the day” pile. This pile is mostly made up of older people and those who wish to be called at their professional work place. I enjoy this because I get to talk to secretaries, nurses, and other random people. • Of the 25 calls I made, I received one pledge.
Name: Erin LeGrand Age: 21 Classification: Senior Major: Animal Science with a Production option Hometown: Missouri City, TX
es th LeGrand also serv
Reason for Choosing to Attend OSU: Hands-on animal program When did you begin working as a Cowboy Caller: June 2007 What’s the best part about your job? The atmosphere of the calling room and all the stories and advice the alumni give What’s the worst? The rude hang ups! What has been your most memorable telephone call? The calls that end in a refusal, but for good reason. For example, I spoke with a lady surviving stage 4 ovarian cancer who is using her money to keep herself alive. What can you say to that?!
e university as a Sp
irit Rider.
What was the largest gift pledged to you over the phone? $1,000
What are your plans after graduation? I plan to get a job in the horse industry, specifics yet to be determined. The possibilities are managing a horse farm, working with sales or working with a horse association. What advice would you give your fellow Cowboy Callers or future Cowboy Callers? You have to stay positive and always be on your toes! What is one thing you wish all OSU alumni knew BEFORE you called them?
We are simply good college kids trying to raise funds for other good college kids.
TUESDAY • I received four pledges. • The 1940s graduates are usually the nicest, quietest people. • A person said they wished to give $25, so I said, “Can I write you down for $25?” The person said, “No. Mail it to me… I want to write the amount in.” • I really enjoy awesome answering machines. As a caller, I can run into anywhere from 40-90 answering machines a night. The more exciting they are, the bigger the smile on my face. Once I got a message that was so cool, I redialed the number and put it on speaker phone for all the callers to hear. It was the OSU fight song with the guy who does the “voice of the cowboys” saying, “Holy guacamole! You’ve reached . . .” WEDNESDAY • I spoke with a man who graduated in 1960 and I was telling him about the library funds we were raising and he recollected his job of scrubbing the library floors at O-State. • One call went like this: Me: “My name is Erin and I am a student at Oklahoma State University.” Alum: “OSU!!!???!!! That is the greatest school ever!”
THURSDAY • Received a $100 pledge • A man wanted to give to the General Scholarship Fund, but couldn’t get the website to work. I told him I would mail him a pledge card and he was happy. • I always get the farmers’ wives who sigh and say, “darlin he’s out bailin’ hay- you gotta call back later.” • Two hang ups!! • 7:30 p.m. the callers took a break and ate pizza donated by the library. • A lady explained to me she was a 1952 graduate and did the purchase ordering for the OSU library that opened in 1953. FRIDAY • I simply love the old men who in a calm, deep voice say, “well, I guess I’ll have to give you something.” • I get slightly rude, though funny calls especially at dinnertime: Alum: “I am TRYING to EAT my DINNER!! I get a dozen of these calls a night! Well…who are you anyways?” • One man told me he gave last week, then couldn’t remember. So he asked me to stay on the line while he found his checkbook. He thought I needed conversation while he hunted, so he decided to tell me a joke. All the while, he would interject phrases of his hunt while telling the joke. He eventually ended the joke and with it said, “Oh, found it! Wrote the check Monday. Bye.”
Thank You
Whether you like bricks and mortar projects or student services, technological advances or book endowments,
there is an opportunity to make a difference at the OSU Library.
“The diversity of projects at the library makes it easy for us to match our donors’ passions with a real need,” said Chad Haney, director of development. “When our donors are passionate about a variety of things, that is especially exciting for everyone.”
to the Beverly Clerico Plaza of the Edmon Low Library. The Raybourns were the first donors to respond to a challenge gift by John Clerico, who funded the renovation of the plaza, in part, to inspire others to support campus beatification projects.
Steve and Susan Raybourn are longtime library supporters whose gifts have benefited numerous endeavors at the library. Their latest gift was split between a beautification project and the extended library operating hours for finals week.
The remainder of the gift sponsored a portion of the incredibly popular extended hours for finals and prefinals week. Each fall and spring the library remains open 24-hours a day for the last two weeks of the semester, giving students extra time for last minute studies.
Part of the Raybourns’ gift added planters, seating and landscaping
“We are so fortunate to have the backing of people like the Raybourns,” said Haney. “Their support goes well beyond monetary gifts. Susan has been a member of our Board of Directors since 2003, and she’s a great advocate for the library. The Raybourns have done an outstanding job of introducing their friends to the Friends of the OSU Library.” To learn more about the Friends of the OSU Library and the variety of donor opportunities at the library, visit www.library.okstate.edu/friends or call Chad Haney at (405) 744-6323. Bonnie Cain
Jennifer Paustenbaugh
Puterbaugh Professorship for Library Service
One man’s unexpected fortune will soon become a student’s unexpected blessing. When an OSU music student is awarded the Ruth and Wayne Galleher Music Scholarship they can thank Wayne’s love of music and education and Ruth’s passion for saving money. At 10 years old Wayne Galleher was introduced to his first love, music, while attending a school sponsored youth concert at Severance Hall, Cleveland’s historic concert venue. On the program was a performance of a movement from Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E Minor performed by Jascha Heifetz. “I never heard anything so beautiful in my life,” he says. At 12, he began saving his money to purchase his first record, Mendelssohn’s E Minor Concerto, which he could not play until he saved enough money to also buy a record player. After graduating from Lehman High School in Canton, Ohio, in 1949, Galleher and his twin brother
The Ruth and Wayne Galleher Music Scholarship is named for retired teacher Wayne Galleher and his late wife, Ruth. (Above) Galleher performs with the Lehman High School band in 1949. Also pictured on the piano is Galleher’s sister, Connie Lou. Wayne Galleher was a member of a Navy band in the early 1950s.
Charles joined the Navy. Galleher was accepted at the Navy School of Music and found himself assigned to the USS Princeton CV37 during the Korean War. He served 22 months aboard the Princeton before being discharged in San Diego in 1953. Determining that he needed an education, Galleher attended Pasadena City College where he excelled musically and academically before transferring to UCLA to complete his degree in music education. At UCLA Galleher played in the UCLA Band, managed the marching band, played in the varsity band and served as president of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.
His professional career is punctuated with accomplishments like starting the band program at Eastern Oklahoma State Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Eastern Oklahoma State College, with 22 students the first year and an enrollment roster of 80 the second. Later, as a teacher and supervisor of music at the UCLA Elementary School, he developed studies in African, Japanese and Western music. While teaching in Oklahoma, Galleher met fellow faculty member and OSU alumna, Ruth Hargrove who was teaching chemistry. The two were married before returning to Pasadena, Calif., where he taught
band and orchestra in a Pasadena school. Nearly 20 years later the Gallehers returned to Ruth’s hometown, Stillwater, to teach in Stillwater schools and live out the rest of their 46 years together. It was not until Ruth fell ill and later died of complications resulting from a stroke in 2005 that Wayne learned of her financial intellect in creating a handsome nest egg for their retirement. “She could save $1.10 out of every dollar I ever earned,” says Galleher. While making out his own will and considering how to distribute the funds, Galleher thought back to his
own education both at UCLA and California State University where he earned his master’s degree in music and the financial strain it involved. Thus, when his lawyer suggested funding a scholarship Galleher was quick to agree. “I thought there are probably a lot of people out there who would like to go to college but don’t have the means or find it to be a financial struggle,” says Galleher. With that Galleher combined his wife’s educational past with his own and chose OSU’s music department as the recipient of his generosity through an endowed scholarship
for a current or entering music education student. “I did not want someone to have to struggle as I had to struggle to go to school,” says Galleher. “I also felt it would help this department in getting quality, outstanding musicians.” Through his gift, this retired educator will honor his wife’s memory, continue to encourage students pursuing musical talents and create a beautiful symphony of grateful musicians.
OSU’s greatest funding needs don’t necessarily start at the million dollar level. Geography..................................$15 vial for soil samples OSU Medicine...........................$800 physician study carrel KOSU.........................................$125 student audio recorders History.......................................$750 microfilm reader Education...................................$500 playground safety inspection kits Music.........................................$75 piano tuning (department averages 135 tunings a year) Student Support.........................$1.29 one package of Scantrons Journalism & Broadcasting........$32 professional trade magazine subscription Graduate Education...................$500 travel assistance for a graduate student to attend national conference to present research findings Military Science.........................$64 military lensatic tritium compass for land navigation training OSU-Tulsa Library......................$100 provides research books, periodicals, computers & study areas Theatre.......................................$210 model of a giant functional larynx for use in voice & dialects classes Clinical Education......................$545 fetal doppler
Where can
your gift matter most?
Discover the impact your gift, regardless of amount, can make at OSU.
Local Educator Memorialized with
Scholarship at OSU
After 30 years as an educator in Oklahoma, Judith Hobbs Faulkner’s legacy will continue helping students obtain a higher education through a scholarship established in her memory. Students in Lamont, Perry and Buffalo, Okla., are eligible for the Judith Hobbs Faulkner Memorial Endowed Scholarship funded by family and friends of the Lamont native who split her educational career between Perry and Buffalo. “It was befitting to memorialize Judy in this way at a place she so loved,” says Faulkner’s sister Jane McDermott. A true advocate of education, Faulkner held a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Russian education, master’s degree in educational administration and principal’s certificate - all from OSU. She later received elementary certification in Spanish.
Office of Annual Giving 1.800.622.4678 | AnnualGiving@OSUgiving.com 400 S. Monroe | PO Box 1749 | Stillwater, OK 74076-1749
“She always wanted to be a teacher,” says Faulkner’s mother EvaLynn Hobbs.
principal. Shortly after retiring she passed away in an automobile accident at age 57.
Faulkner became more than a teacher and authority figure to her pupils. She was also a coach, a friend, a confidant and a cheerleader.
Memories of Faulkner remain strong in Buffalo where the Bison basketball team dedicated a season to her and the school assembled a scrapbook of Faulkner’s life, which was presented to her family at the former principal’s memorial service held in Buffalo.
“Judy felt education was a tool for kids to reach their goals,” McDermott says. “She had an ability to read kids and was really able to communicate with them.” The first 14 years of Faulkner’s career were spent in Perry where she taught junior high and high school Russian and Spanish. While at Perry, she also helped establish the first girls’ basketball program, even sewing their uniforms. After a short stint in Arkansas, Faulkner returned to Buffalo for another 14 years before retiring as
For Faulkner education and service were a way of life. By providing a scholarship which exists to carry on those same principles, Faulkner’s family is keeping her legacy alive. “Judy would be honored to know that we’re helping the two things she loved most: kids and OSU,” McDermott says.
Thank You
Every year thousands of members of the Cowboy family make generous contributions to the benefit of OSU and its people. Their reasons for giving are as diverse as the areas in which they give. But it was only when we asked “why?” that we began to truly understand the heart of the Cowboy spirit. OSU experiences transformed our donors. Generosity inspired our donors. The need to make a difference is crucial for our donors. Your gifts demonstrate a need to change the world – and we want to hear about it.
Lynndsay Herndon
Sam Harrill President’s Distinguished Scholar
The OSU Foundation’s new campaign is entitled “Why I Give” and seeks to highlight the generosity of OSU’s greatest advocates – You! We hope that your reasons for giving not only inspire readers, but motivate them to become active in making a difference through philanthropy to Oklahoma State. It is our intention that your story will encourage others to join you
in your effort to provide more opportunities and a better OSU experience for others. Simply put – we want to hear why you choose to give back to Oklahoma State University, in your own words. This message will be presented to thousands of OSU supporters across the country in the coming months, and the responses we receive will be used in magazines, newspaper ads and on OSUgiving.com to inspire greater generosity to the benefit of OSU and its students. Please take some time to contemplate why you choose to give back to OSU. We want to hear your quotes, your stories and how you’ve
been impacted by philanthropy. You may choose to be brief or lengthy. Perhaps, giving of your time, talent or service to OSU best demonstrates your giving. Regardless – all responses are greatly appreciated. Please do not underestimate the power your story can have on another to impact OSU’s next gift. Thank you for all you do for Oklahoma State, and thank you for your consideration to take part in our campaign to improve OSU’s future. Our first story of giving begins within our own walls with an OSU Foundation employee, Matt Brock. We encourage you to read his story then contemplate your own.
Read or submit your own “Why I Give” story online now at OSUgiving.com/whyigive.
Matt Brock, Associate VP for Corporations & Foundation Relations, with wife, Holly, and daughter, Sadie.
In Matt's words • • •
As part of an organization that raises funds to support OSU, I think it’s the right thing to do. If we aren’t giving to OSU in a meaningful way while asking others to do so, it could send a message that doesn’t quite add up. We set an extremely important example for donors when we choose to give back to the institution we support on a daily basis. Also, my wife and I want to leave a legacy. Not necessarily one that bears our names, but an unspoken legacy that we know will impact others long after we are gone. Giving makes us feel good - I really do believe our spirits are healthier when we offer part of what we’ve been given for others. These are all important parts of the reason why I give. But the essence of why I give is best captured in the story of an event that transpired in my life not so long ago. It goes something like this: I can’t think of a single good phone call I’ve gotten in my life after midnight. In fact, I can only remember one, which probably means I’ve been spared a lot of misfortune others have not. This particular call came in the middle of the night in January 2003. It was a conversation I’ll never forget. I had just received news that my Marine Corps Reserve Unit was being mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I had less than a week to get my affairs in order and report to my unit in Kansas before we’d head out to California and who knows where after that. My assignment was for a year with the possibility of a yearlong extension afterward.
This news was certainly lifealtering. Though I thought about it briefly when I enlisted, I never really thought about it. I was proud to serve my country, but the prospect of being separated from my wife, friends and work for a year was horribly upsetting. There was something else, too, that made this call particularly difficult. We learned two days before that we were pregnant with our first child. I could tell you about all the emotions and uncertainty we were facing, but I don’t need to. You’ve been there – a loved one has been sick, you’ve lost a job or moved to a new town and had to start over. We tried to find answers for all the questions situations like ours often bring. Would I be safe? Would I get to experience the birth of my daughter? Would I come home at all? Those questions never get answered immediately, do they? They didn’t for us. But as we were preparing to leave, I remember a knock at our front door. A gentleman we knew from church – not horribly well, an acquaintance really – stopped by to wish us well. After he said a few words, he handed me a check for $1,000 and said “I just want you to know that we’re thinking of you and hope this can help in some way.” A simple but incredibly meaningful act. An act that taught me key lessons and is the major influence as to why I give to OSU or anywhere else. A few things about that gesture really stick out to me: He gave knowing he would probably get nothing in return – I wasn’t in a position to repay him. There was nothing spectacular about the amount of money he gave – though
it was a lot to us, by the standards of many it wasn’t much at all – he just wanted to do something. And, he had no way of knowing what would ever happen to the money – that wasn’t his motive. His gift said, without words, “I believe in you. I believe in what you are doing. I have a heart to help you succeed.” Students who come to OSU face the same uncertainties many of us face at various times in our lives – even those we face now. Some leave home for the first time in their lives. Some have no clue who they are or what they want to be. And some, quite frankly, have no idea if they will make it through. So these students, just like someone once did for me, need those around them to ask these questions: 1. Do I believe in them? Do you remember a time long ago or very recently when you were in their shoes? Were you blessed enough to have someone support you? You can be that person for someone who has no one else. 2. Do I believe in what they are doing? Do you think they can make a difference because of their experience at OSU? Has higher education allowed you or someone in your family to be more than you could have otherwise? 3. Do I want them to succeed? Are you willing to be part of their future, no matter how small you think your contribution? “Just a little” to you may mean the world to someone else. We answered “yes” to all of these questions. That’s why we give to OSU. We believe in our students and what they will do to change the world. We want them to succeed.
In Your words • • •
“I give because I care and because I can.”
• • • Ray Booker, ’57
“Support is personal. My daughter, who has the qualifications to be accepted to just about any university she chooses, is now
attending OSU. I want her to have a great OSU experience and receive the education she deserves. My financial support is a part of that.
Each of us may be creating a special opportunity for someone close to us.”
• • • Gary Byrd, ’76
“OSU gave me a great educational foundation for my business career both in engineering and finance. It also was a place
where I made lifelong friendships through my fraternity. The opportunity to give back is a very welcome one!”
• • • Don Humphreys, ’71
“I give to OSU in appreciation of all that OSU has given to me. The educational, leadership and
personal development opportunities that I had as a student have helped shape who I am today.”
• • • Ashley Price, ’04
“The power of many modest gifts given regularly can be strong just as one very large gift!
This is the Cowboy Faithful! I decided I wanted to be counted as one of the faithful.”
• • • Judy Williams, ’64
“It is plain and simple. The idea of giving to OSU is as natural as taking a breath of fresh air. During my time at OSU I couldn’t afford to pay for my college education and associated living expenses without financial assistance.
OSU ‘Cowboyed Up’ as my partner along the journey toward completing my two degrees. I look upon
financial giving to OSU as a rare opportunity to pass along to future students a chance to experience the personal touch which I
It’s only fitting, isn’t it? It’s the right thing to do.” • • • Stephen Reel,’70 & ’74 experienced thirty to forty years ago.
“I give to the Library, because I grew to love it when I was an MBA student. I want it to be the best.”
“When I spend money, I want a return on it.
will the next. Even when I’m not here to see it – it’s a good feeling to leave this world knowing you’ve helped create that domino effect. And that, my friend, is a mighty good return.”
• • • Mike Lorenz,
Dean of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
“We are motivated to give to OSU not only because we wish to support and give back to our alma mater, but also
because of the friends and relationships we have developed through the years as students and later as alumni.
We also want to be role models for our children and grandchildren that they too can make a difference, and leave a legacy in the world in which we live.”
• • • John Linehan ’61 & Caroline ’61
“Education and educators have changed my life! Today, as a teacher, I find nothing more rewarding than to see that lightbulb go off in a student's mind. If my gift can give one OSU student, teacher, department or dean the ability to more fully
enact the mission of our university, then the joy is entirely mine.”
• • • Beth Caniglia, OSU sociology professor
• • • Stephen Birch, ’93
Giving back to our alma mater ensures we have a strong, healthy economy for generations of Oklahomans to come.”
• • • Lola Lehman, ’32
“My gift to the College of Education was fulfillment of a personal goal. I had to give back to the future educators on behalf of those who came before and remain undervalued in salary - our hard working teachers. My hope and desire is to demonstrate to all education alumni that we can be as financially supportive as other colleges on campus.”
“OSU is the backbone for Oklahoma’s rural economy.
The Lorenz Family Endowment will support two scholarships for veterinary students designed to fill a gap in our current scholarship program.”
• • • Mark Burlingame, ’82 & ’88
As we give back, the next generation will do the same thing and so
“Our family believes in philanthropy. During my college days at OSU, I received scholarships that made it possible for me to complete my undergraduate and professional degrees.
In short,
• • • Cara Cowan Watts, ’97
“As you may know, I’m a businessman, and I look for returns on my investments.
For my money, OSU has been the best investment that I ever made.”
• • • Bud Seretean, ’49
“Since joining the OSU Foundation, we have become much more aware of the opportunity to make a difference at the institution that has opened so many doors for us.
There is such tremendous need for scholarships and program support; more than I
ever understood before arriving here in 2003. My wife and I are blessed to be able to give back, and OSU has always been a priority to our family. We support the Alumni Association, College of Education, athletics and other important programs. Again, we are very
grateful to be able to give. We are honored to play a role in changing lives and futures and to be connected to something as important and impacting as OSU.
It is not easy to explain why we give, but it is easy to know that we should.”
• • • Kirk & Jan Jewell,
Kirk is the OSU Foundation President and CEO
• • • Tell us why YOU give at info@OSUgiving.com
• • • Ray Booker, ‘57
"I give because I care and because I can."
• • • Tell us why YOU give at info@OSUgiving.com
Kirk is the OSU Foundation President and CEO
• • • Kirk & Jan Jewell,
Ohio Willow Wood Supports OSU Okmulgee’s Orthotics & Prosthetics Program
Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee’s Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician program recently received a boost in technology thanks to Ohio Willow Wood’s Orthotic and Prosthetic University donation program. The prosthetics manufacturer donated OMEGA® Tracer® software and shape capture tools to the OSU-Okmulgee program so students can become experienced with how computer aided design (CAD) systems are applied to orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) industry applications.
bone on her left leg and without two toes on her left foot, so she has been in and out of hospitals all her life, having surgeries and being refitted with new prostheses. She recently received a new cast using the Omega Ring, which she says offered a cleaner way of casting.
Ohio Willow Wood helps support university O&P programs in the United States, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom. “Ohio Willow Wood is committed to the advancement of the orthotic and prosthetic profession,” said Tami Beatty, coordinator of the company’s university donation program. “Education is
“With the addition of the CAD system that is being donated, our O&P students will expand their skills,” says Jerry Wilson, division chair at OSUOkmulgee. “The employers seeking a high performing technician will be able to locate one from our program, thanks to Ohio Willow Wood’s donation.” Keith Crownover, faculty and program director at OSU-Okmulgee, says the CAD system will teach students how to work with patients once they are employed by a clinic. “The system will teach students how they will be able to increase the amount of time spent with patients instead of time spent on paperwork or fabrication, as well as automatically document every step of patient activities, including shape capture and modification and ordering fabrication,” says Crownover. Stephanie McHenry, an OSU-Okmulgee Orthotics and Prosthetics student from Salem, Ark., has a special reason to pursue a career in Orthotics and Prosthetics – she wears a prosthetic leg. She was born without a fibular
Keith Crownover (left), acting O&P program director at Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee, has already put the OMEGA® Tracer® system to use, designing a new prosthesis for a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Indian Tribe. Ohio Willow Wood’s OMEGA Tracer training consultant David Gerecke (center) installed the CAD system at the university and conducted staff training in late March.
“I did not have all the plaster when I was cast, since the Omega Ring takes pictures of the limb,” Stephanie says. “The completed mold from the CAD system was really efficient and was a direct replica of my limb. The final socket has an amazing fit. From the technical aspect, the mold is lighterweight, easier to modify, and easier to handle. From start to finish, I had a socket in under 24 hours.”
the key. Today’s students need to be knowledgeable about the latest technology and products available and how they can benefit amputees as well as prosthetic facilities. CAD is a huge area of growth in O&P. Today’s students must be comfortable working in a CAD-environment in order to be wellbalanced upon graduation and entry into the O&P workforce.” Sharon Smith
Dan Gilliam, ConocoPhillips manager community relations; Bret Ralston, Red Man Pipe Supply marketing specialist; Terry Saint, Red Man Pipe Supply manager marketing & business development; John Newmeister, Matrix Service Company vice president marketing & business development; Jason Turner, Matrix Service Company treasury director; and Russell Bass, OSU Alumni Association president and CEO. (Story begins on next page)
In 2005, the OSU Alumni
Association dedicated the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center – a facility designed to bring together alumni, family and friends of the university and improve the education of current students. The campaign for the $16 million building was all privatelyfunded and heavily supported by a $7.5 million donation from ConocoPhillips.
corporation. Dan Gilliam, who oversees community relations for the company in Bartlesville, Okla., says the company is proud to stand beside OSU and support its mission of educating the masses.
building fund. Founded by Lewis Ketchum in 1977, the company has more than 1,000 employees in 22 states, distributing products to oilfield and industrial customers throughout the U.S. and beyond.
president & CEO of Red Man Pipe & Supply Co. “We are very proud of what OSU does and, along with our friends at ConocoPhillips, we are glad to help further the educational process there.”
“We recruit more students from OSU than any other entity because we’ve seen the value these topnotch students add to our company,”
Red Man’s support for higher education began at OSU more than 10 years ago with the Lewis D. Ketchum Scholarship Fund,
Another corporation interested in the betterment of an OSU education is Matrix Service Company, which donated $50,000 to the building fund. Founded in 1984, Matrix is also based in Tulsa and has more than a dozen locations around the U.S. and several in Canada, all dedicated to industrial construction, repair and maintenance of facilities in the petroleum and chemical industries.
A portion of ConocoPhillips’ donation to the campaign enabled a partnership with the OSU Alumni Association to create the ConocoPhillips Business Partners program, designed to connect the Association with other corporations interested in funding the building.
No private corporation has been a greater supporter of OSU than Houston-based ConocoPhillips, whose donation toward the Alumni Center was the largest gift to the university from a private
Thanks to corporations like these and other contributions from alumni and friends, the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center is now a reality and has quickly become an integral part of the university and its mission. With
the building fund complete, the center will now turn its attention toward the maintenance fund, which will ensure future generations of Cowboys will always have a place to call home on the OSU campus. If you are interested in donating to the maintenance endowment to sustain the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, contact the OSU Foundation at (800) 622-4678 or make a gift online at OSUgiving.com. Chase Carter
“Matrix benefits greatly from the resources that we can derive from OSU,” says Les Austin, vice president of finance for Matrix. “We have more than 20 employees that are graduates of the Spears School of Business and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The entire OSU system provides great opportunities for individuals looking to work in our industry.”
Red Man Pipe & Supply Co., Matrix Service Company and OakTree Software all have joined the program and made donations toward the campaign. Thanks to their support, the building has been paid off and a maintenance endowment has been launched. “These three companies came on board with us through the support of the ConocoPhillips Business Partners,” says Jeff Cathey, former OSU Alumni Association development director. “They all wanted to support higher education and OSU.”
“My husband and I have wanted to do something for a long time to give back to our university,” Wilson says. “When OSU and ConocoPhillips approached us, it just made sense to make this donation and support our school.”
© Robert Benson Photography
Gilliam says. “We’ve been longtime supporters of OSU and the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center is our way of giving back to the university.” Leading off the ConocoPhillips Business Partners program is Red Man Pipe & Supply Co., a Tulsa-based company that donated $100,000 to help complete the
established to honor Ketchum and his commitment to higher education by helping minority students further their studies. "Red Man has always believed that Native Americans and other minority students might need a hand up, not a hand out, and that higher education is the key to success," says Craig Ketchum,
The final ConocoPhillips Business Partner began with a couple who knows first-hand the great opportunities provided at OSU. OSU alumni Lisa and Bryan Wilson are the owners of Tulsa-based OakTree Software, a leading provider of information technology consulting in Oklahoma and surrounding states. Their pledge of $25,000 to the building fund is but one example in many of OSU alumni who have realized what their alma mater gave to them. © Robert Benson Photography
thanking a teacher John Smith is one of America’s
most celebrated wrestlers and a 1988 graduate from OSU’s College of
Education. Smith has numerous
athletic accomplishments both as an
athlete and coach. Accomplishments
include two Olympic gold medals, two
individual NCAA Championship titles and five national team titles, making
him the winningest wrestling coach in
OSU history. Smith gives credit to the teacher who nurtured his dreams and
encouraged him to succeed on the mat and in the classroom.
Earlier this year, OSU’s College of Education (COE) embarked upon a campaign to recognize the impact teachers have on all of us. By devising a way to say “thank you” to a special teacher, the COE called upon its alumni, friends and passionate educators to
pay proper tribute to these life-changing teachers. The call was certainly answered. “Thousands of grateful students made gifts in honor of teachers around the world and shared their stories of change and inspiration,” said Dean Pam Fry. “The campaign’s conclusion announced $40,000 had been secured for future teacher scholarships.” In addition, an extra $7,000 was added to the fund by Eskimo Joe’s as a result of T-shirt sales the company earned after creating a special commemorative shirt honoring teachers.
The end result of this successful campaign is endowing a scholarship that will assist future teachers forever. Additionally, the fund will also help the COE recognize, recruit and sustain quality educators in the profession. For more information on the teacher campaign, to make a gift or purchase an Eskimo Joe’s commemorative T-shirt, log on to OSUgiving.com/teacher or e-mail bsolomon@OSUgiving.com.
“Elaine Jackson was my 10th grade English teacher at Del City High School. She believed in
me and gave me the confidence to succeed in school. Her
extra effort and encouragement motivated me to believe in myself.
Thank you Ms. Jackson!”
-John Smith
O
SU
Tulsa Sports Charities
Thank You
Fund Scholarship, Honor Legends
Honoring sports legends, admiring journalistic integrity and advancing education are all accomplished in one night with the Tulsa Sports Charities. A relatively new charitable organization, Tulsa Sports Charities (TSC) was chartered in 2005 with a simple purpose in mind. “Our goal is to raise a lot of money, have a lot of fun doing it and give it away,” says Gary Bartlett, ’72 marketing and president of Tulsa Sports Charities. With that goal TSC began hosting the Legends in Sports Rivalry Dinner featuring monumental names in sports that have been pitted against each other at some point in their competitive careers. Funds are raised through dinner ticket sales and features an open Q&A session with Oklahoma legends. Experiencing great success, the dinners have featured legends like Eddie Sutton, Barry Switzer and Tom Osborne with nearly 800 people in attendance.
While the dinner itself honors legends on the playing field, funds raised from the event honor a local sports legend of the pen. This year the organization honored Bill Connors, ’54 journalism and longtime sports editor at the Tulsa World who died in 2000, and his wife, Nita. The OSU Bill and Nita Connors Scholarship in Sports Media is awarded to a freshman in the newly formed sports media degree program. “I thought it was a real neat idea to honor Bill and Nita in this way,” says Bartlett. “He was wellrespected in his profession as evident with men like Barry Switzer, Pat Jones and Eddie Sutton serving as his pall bearers.”
TSC plans to contribute to the endowment over the next four years and continue Connors’ legacy by providing financial assistance to future sports journalists. “The School of Journalism and Broadcasting is grateful to Tulsa Sports Charities for their awareness of the importance of sports media education, and for their dedication to honor Bill Connors as one of the genuine legends in sports journalism,” says Tom Weir, director of the School of Journalism and Broadcasting. “The School has a real strength in sports, and with the introduction of our new degree in sports media and the new Conners’ Scholarship, we can give students a great background in this exciting industry.”
Connors written words will forever be archived as historical documentation in the sports world, and his name and legacy will forever be memorialized at OSU. Dean Peter Sherwood (right) presents David Youngblood with the Bill and Nita Connors Scholarship in Sports Media.
Brett Carver
Wheat Genetics Chair in Agriculture
A chance reunion with a college
friend sparked Booker’s increased involvement with his alma mater, and honoring that friend has been the latest motivation for his recent gift to the university.
There are several reasons donors offer as to why they generously give to OSU – to memorialize a loved one, benefit an area of special interest or honor an educator. For Dr. Ray Booker, ’57 mechanical engineering, his gifts represents all of the above.
That friend and former classmate was College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT) Dean Karl Reid. As the two friends shared career, life and personal stories since their parting in the late 1950s, Reid discovered Booker’s navigation of a successful career combining his engineering background, love for aviation and study of meteorology at Pennsylvania State University. Reid soon followed up with Booker extending an invitation to join the CEAT Associates. The founder of Aeromet Inc., now L-3 Communications Aeromet, has been an asset to the college ever since. As Booker reconnected with the college, he experienced first-hand the passionate and successful dean his former college buddy had become.
Most impressive to Booker was the scholarship program Reid developed into a premier program incorporating the right combination of real-word experience, professional development, mentor guidance and international travel to accompany a world-class engineering education. “He loves working with students,” says Booker. “The CEAT Scholars Program is his pride and joy.” So inspired by Reid’s devotion to the college and his students, Booker continues to serve as a CEAT Associate and has gifted 318 acres of land with the proceeds of the sale to be used to fund more scholarships under the umbrella of the CEAT Scholars Program. Once the funds are received by the college, it is Booker’s intention that the dollars will establish a $5,000 scholarship for five students renewable for up to four years. Scholarship stipulations also give preference to students hailing from rural areas lacking opportunity with equal consideration given to academic achievement and financial need. Besides honoring his friend and benefiting college students, Booker also views his gift as a way to help his industry which is facing a declining number of engineering graduates and jobs that are shipped overseas.
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“I want to help reestablish the U.S. as the technology capital of the world,” says Booker. “A successful engineer is more likely to be an entrepreneur who will form his/her own company and, in turn, hire more engineers.”
to honor OSU students & profession
Booker hopes his gift is only one of many to come, which will fully endow a CEAT Scholars Program. Once endowed the CEAT Scholars Program’s name will be changed to honor Reid and leave a lasting legacy of his hard work and dedication to the students, the college and the industry. “I’m just amazed at what [Reid]’s been able to accomplish,” says Booker. “He’s done so much for so many people that I just admire him and the legacy he’s going to leave.”
They say “once a teacher, always a teacher” and retired OSU Center for Health Sciences physiology professor emeritus Loren G. Martin, Ph.D. brings those words to life. Dean Karl Reid, far left, has devoted much of his career to establishing patnerships with industry leaders that provide enrichment programs and providing international experiences for students.
To join the CEAT Associates by honoring Reid through endowing scholarships within the CEAT Scholars Program, please contact the OSU Foundation at (405) 744-3747 or make a direct gift online at OSUgiving.com.
Thank You
Dr. Martin retired in 1998 after 29 years of teaching; 18 of them at OSU-CHS, and he recently established the Loren G. Martin Endowed Scholarship as part of his estate planning. Recipients of the $10,000 scholarship will be fulltime OSU-CHS students who excel in pharmacology and physiology. “I wanted to do something for the profession of osteopathic medicine that I admired so much after 18 years of teaching at OSU. I wanted both to honor students and tie my gift to my profession,” he says. Dr. Martin made numerous contributions at OSU-CHS including developing an annual family practice update, pioneering AIDS seminars and setting up a videotape series for continuing medical education credit. His efforts in medical education resulted in numerous awards including a number of outstanding educator awards presented by students at
Kelsey Mosley
John & Millie Naff President’s Distinguished Scholar
OSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Martin has extensively studied cardiovascular physiology and the protective effects of estrogen, a subject he remains enthusiastic about today.
When planning his estate he sought ways to fund causes including pets, nurse education, special education, teaching and, of course, physiology. He has a genuine love for OSU-CHS and its students. The Foundation has enabled him to support both. Marla Schaefer Photo: Terry Drenner
He still teaches, volunteering to conduct a weeklong cardiovascular and science program at a school in Vinita. “The goal was to get students excited about science. We ran EKGs and interpreted them together,” he said. He also worked with gifted students in Pryor, teaching them chemistry and the physics of EKGs, then showing how it all works together. He is an active retiree and devotes time to helping others, assisting good causes and tending to his dogs, a llama, garden and greenhouse on his home acreage near Big Cabin, Okla.
“I have had a great life of teaching and research. I wanted to pay back OSU-CHS, an institution that has given me so much. The OSU Foundation was absolutely the best way to do it.” Dr. Loren G. Martin
An orange East Coast Marilyn and Kenneth Cummings have attended or taught at four universities across the United States, but they only call one home.
“OSU has always been at the core of our hearts,” the couple echoes. After graduating in 1961 with an
Marilyn and Kenneth Cummings, 1961 OSU agricultural education graduate, stand outside their New Jersey home.
agricultural education degree from
sponsored several research projects at OSU over the years.”
OSU, Kenneth began working for
Morton Salt Co. During a business trip, Kenneth was seated on a
While Kenneth was earning Church & Dwight accolades as a major contributor to the animal nutrition industry in the U.S., Marilyn worked as an independent interior designer.
plane next to the graduate student coordinator for animal sciences
at Purdue University. The chance encounter led to an opportunity
for both Marilyn and Kenneth to continue their education.
“It was an incredible opportunity for us,” Marilyn says. Marilyn was pursuing a business degree at OSU, but left school after her first year in the summer of 1962 to marry Kenneth. “It worked out wonderfully well, as I had the chance to take a year off and think about what I really wanted to do,” she says. As it turned out, Marilyn really wanted to get a degree in vocational home economics and a master’s in housing and interior design, while Kenneth completed his master’s and doctorate in animal science. The couple spent the next several years of their lives using their degrees to educate others at Purdue,
Marilyn Cummings honors her father Harry L. Greene (above) through a scholarship in his name at OSU. Also pictured is Greene’s wife, Priscilla.
Mississippi State University and Colorado State University. Their knowledge and command in their fields led both to leadership positions in their respective departments. When the opportunity arose for Kenneth to coordinate animal research for Church & Dwight Co. (makers of Arm & Hammer baking soda) he moved the couple to New Jersey, but his ties to academia remained strong. “I visited nearly every land-grant school in the country and funded a lot of research at many of them,” he says. “Church & Dwight has a reputation as a leader in the area of animal research, and we’ve
Today, she parlays her design talents into a restoration and preservation passion. Measuring tape in hand, Cummings spends her days researching and documenting 18th century houses and farmsteads in Delaware Township, NJ, where the couple resides. The goal of her extensive project is to record and hopefully save these homes from destruction; and perhaps in the process have them placed on the registry of historic places. Employing advanced technology, Cummings has each site graphically reproduced and recorded so that each home is preserved – even if only on compact disc. Last year when Kenneth retired from Church & Dwight, the company wanted to show their appreciation for his 27 years of
service. But in lieu of gifts, the couple asked that the company contribute to a scholarship at OSU. “I thought my undergraduate education was top notch,” Kenneth added. “I received a first-class education at OSU.” Through the Kenneth R. Cummings/Church & Dwight Endowed Scholarship each year an animal sciences student at OSU will receive financial assistance as they prepare to enter Kenneth’s beloved industry. “When I was a freshman I received a small Sears scholarship and I remember how important it was in terms of extra money,” Kenneth says. “Another reason I was so interested in establishing a scholarship is to hopefully encourage and make it easier for an undergraduate student to continue their education in the field of animal sciences.” Soon after Kenneth’s gift was put in motion, Marilyn received an unexpected gift via mail from her father.
Kenneth Cummings’ long-time employer Church & Dwight honored him at his retirement by helping establish the Kenneth R. Cummings/Church & Dwight Endowed Scholarship at OSU.
“Several months later my Dad sent me a check out of the blue,” she said. “I decided I wanted to do something meaningful for him with the money.” With the same attitude as her husband, Marilyn matched her father’s gift and sent it to OSU’s College of Human Environmental Sciences (HES) to endow a scholarship in both her and her father’s name. Through their generosity, the Harry L. Greene and Marilyn Greene Cummings Endowed Scholarship will share Marilyn’s passion for architectural design and her family’s charitable nature to benefit an HES student. After being a part of so many universities in a variety of roles, why did the Cummings choose to bless OSU with their generosity? “OSU is a family thing,” Marilyn says. “Everybody in our family was touched in one way or another by OSU.” The New Jersey transplants may have only spent a brief time at Oklahoma State, but their familys’ names will live here forever.
What’s the Deal with
Planned Giving? "What man fears most is not so much extinction, but extinction without significance." This quote from American psychologist Ernest Becker identifies the deep need people have for lasting personal significance. Many OSU alumni and friends share this same sentiment. While they care very deeply about their university, they are not in a position to give back to OSU during their lifetime. The good news is that most people might be able to give a significant gift at their death – but they do not know how. Planned giving is simply making a difference at OSU through a charitable gift made possible with deferred gifts such as your estate or life insurance. Whatever avenue you choose, financial planning for the future allows you to direct estate funds to the area of your choice at OSU. As we celebrate many milestones, we’re reminded of how far our university
Fall 2007
has come over the years and of our continued promise of tomorrow’s success. This promise is ensured by the many OSU supporters who have demonstrated forethought and vision to sustain the university’s excellence well into the future through endowments – contributions that will live on in perpetuity.
This year, generous OSU benefactors committed more than $54 million toward OSU’s future
through planned gifts, more than tripling the largest amount the university has ever received within one year. OSU supporters continue to realize the value of endowment gifts, which will help OSU continue providing a world-class education to our children and our children’s children. We are grateful to the many donors who have made significant
commitments of support to OSU through their estate plans. We have a ways to go, but we remain hopeful that we can one day generate the percentage of annual contributions that mature planned giving programs can produce, like Harvard. Donors who choose to establish planned gifts to benefit Oklahoma State University ensure their legacy will continue for many generations. But many are confused about how they can impact OSU long-term. There are many ways of making a gift that builds a permanent legacy of support for OSU, while creating financial benefits for you and your loved ones. Each person's financial situation is different - and our planned giving staff is here to assist you at any time, and help you decide which of the planned giving options best suits your needs.
Below are brief summaries on some of the most common types of planned gifts:
The Most Common Approach:
Estate Gifts
The most common planned charitable gifts are those made through a donor’s will or revocable living trust. Such gifts, which are collectively referred to as “estate gifts,” come from the assets (rather than the income) of the donor and are realized only at the death of the donor and/or a surviving beneficiary. Therefore, donors are often able to provide a more substantial gift to OSU upon death than they would be able to make during their lifetime. Such gifts leave a lasting legacy at OSU for years to come, continuing donors’ valuable annual support beyond their lifetime. For Those Who Require Income for the Rest of Their Life :
Charitable Gift Annuities
A charitable gift annuity is an agreement between a donor and the OSU Foundation. Under the terms of this agreement, we agree to pay a fixed lifetime annuity payment to one or more beneficiaries in exchange for the donor’s charitable gift of $5,000 or more to benefit OSU after the death(s) of the beneficiary(ies). Charitable gift annuities are ideal for donors who want to make an impact at OSU but do not wish (or cannot afford) to completely forgo the income they would have received from the contributed cash or property. A Simple Approach:
Insurance
One method of providing for Oklahoma State University upon a donor’s death is through life insurance. Whether it is an old policy that has outlived its original purpose or a new policy purchased specifically to benefit OSU, a gift of life insurance allows you to leave a much larger gift than may have been possible during your lifetime.
Benefits:
In recognition of their special relationship with the university, Heritage Society members will receive: • A distinctive commemorative plate • STATE magazine (April, August & December issues) • Invitations to major campus events • Special informational publications • Legacy magazine subscription • Donorlink e-newsletter • Recognition on Heritage Society honor roll (if desired) Most importantly, Heritage Society members will have the satisfaction of knowing that they have left an enduring legacy and helped shape Oklahoma State University for generations to come.
Planned Giving:
IRARollover The Pension Protection Act of 2006, signed by President George W. Bush in August 2006, has created charitable giving opportunities for certain eligible donors to provide outright gifts to qualified charities from retirement accounts until the end of this year. Specifically, the law allows an individual retirement account (IRA) owner, who is at least 70 ½ years old, to directly transfer up to $100,000 per year tax-free to an eligible charitable organization, like the Oklahoma State University Foundation. In fact, Oklahoma State University Foundation, as a qualified charity, was the grateful recipient of IRA rollover gifts amounting to almost $428,000 for the 2007 fiscal year. Of that, approximately $300,000 was endowed, accounting for more than two percent of the total $14,365,000 added to the endowment for the fiscal year. This method of giving may be particularly attractive to individuals who are paying a large amount of income tax because they are required to take a minimum IRA distribution that they do
Fall 2007
“We simply hope that these gifts will encourage alumni to step up in support of Oklahoma State. We both believe that what’s really important is not what we’ve done, but how we did it.”
not really need. With the charitable IRA rollover, the gift counts toward your required minimum distribution but is not included in your income. Eligible donors interested in making IRA gifts must be mindful that all gifts must be transferred directly from the IRA to the qualified charity. (Distributions from employer-sponsored retirement plans, including SIMPLE IRAs and simplified employee pension [SEP] plans are not eligible.) These gifts may not be made to support donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities or charitable trusts. Unless the law is amended before the end of the year, the opportunity to roll over IRA monies to charity expires on December 31, 2007. Persons interested in taking advantage of the law for such charitable gifts to the OSU Foundation may contact the Office of Planned Giving at (800)622-4678 or plannedgiving@OSUgiving.com. Our planned giving officers can provide additional information and a sample letter to be used when contacting your fund representative for the proper transfer of the gift.
You Can Help
Once a donor has chosen to include OSU as a part of their planned gift, they receive a lifetime membership into the Heritage Society. The Heritage Society honors alumni and friends who make a commitment to Oklahoma State University by will, revocable living trust, life insurance, life-income gift, beneficiary designation on a retirement account or other deferred gift arrangement. With so many different planned giving options available, establishing an estate gift can often be a confusing process. The OSU Foundation is happy to assist donors in creating an estate gift. The Office of Planned Giving will work with you to meet your specific needs and wishes. The future of our beloved university is bright, in part, because of the forethought of planned giving donors. We hope you will consider us in your charitable plans for the future. Please contact the Office of Planned Giving with further questions at (800)622-4678 or plannedgiving@OSUgiving.com.
When Houston residents Chuck
and Kim Watson began to think about how they would like to leave a lasting legacy at OSU, their reasons for giving were simple. “Oklahoma State University has always meant a lot to our family, and we simply feel blessed to be able to give back in a way that will impact generations of future Cowboys,” says Chuck. The family’s greatest lifetime commitment occurred earlier this year with a gift that will endure at the university forever. In July, the Watson family committed a unique gift to Oklahoma State that forecasts an exciting future for
prospective business and education students with the announcement of a $20 million life insurance gift to benefit the College of Education (COE) and the Spears School of Business (SSB) equally. The gift will provide substantial support for both colleges that will endure forever through a permanent endowment. “We are so blessed to give back to our university that gave so much to us,” says Kim. “What a joy it is to touch lives for the future. Through this gift, many future leaders and teachers will continue to benefit from the OSU experience for years to come, and that is our greatest blessing.” Chuck is a ’72 economics alumnus, and Kim is a ’73 elementary
education alumna. All three of their children obtained degrees from OSU within the SSB and the COE including their youngest, Carly, who graduated from the university in May. Chuck and Kim share a devotion for activities that benefit the lives of others. “We simply hope that these gifts will encourage alumni to step up in support of Oklahoma State,” says Chuck. “We both believe that what’s really important is not what we’ve done, but how we did it. People forget exactly what you did, but they will remember how you did it. The manner in which one achieves success is greater than the success itself.”
“The Family Fund luncheon is all about camaraderie, friendship and coming together as a family to share
C A M P A I G N
in the success of
The Definition of Family OSU-Tulsa Faculty and Staff Lead by Example with OSU’s Family Fund. They may not be considered a family in the traditional definition of the word, but in every other way, the faculty and staff of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa have created a dedicated family who takes care of their own. OSU-Tulsa has successfully developed an annual fundraising event that supports the university through faculty and staff donations. OSU-Tulsa’s Family Fund luncheon, created as part of OSU’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, “Bringing Dreams to Life,” has generated numerous contributions and inspired a genuine feeling of spirit and family among its faculty and staff. And what a spirit it is. OSUTulsa leads the OSU System in the percentage of faculty and staff who participate in the fundraising campaign. Nearly 47 percent of OSU-Tulsa’s faculty and staff donated to the Family Fund last year. “I’m not at all surprised that OSU-Tulsa’s generous faculty and staff lead by example,” says OSUTulsa President Gary Trennepohl. “Their pride and loyalty to OSU is displayed every day through
commitment and service – whether that’s monetary or going out of their way to assist a student or fellow employee.” The Family Fund enables faculty and staff to support the university in their own way. Donors may choose to support their own academic department, community outreach programs, facility and service progress or scholarships for OSUTulsa students, faculty and staff. Each year on the Monday prior to Thanksgiving, the OSU Foundation hosts an event to encourage participation in the program. Ben Leslie, director of development at OSU-Tulsa, says the annual Family Fund luncheon is successful because it focuses on fellowship rather than a solicitation for donations. Dr. Margaret White, associate professor of management, has been giving to the Family Fund since OSU-Tulsa was established in 1999. She feels it’s important to play a part in the university’s development that has given so much to her. “Being part of a university community is great—the energy of learning and growing that is present on a campus is to be enjoyed,”
our university. The campaign is successful because we have faculty and staff that truly care and are passionate about the future of OSU-Tulsa. They give because they want to, not because someone asked.”
Ben Leslie, director of development OSU-Tulsa
OSU-Tulsa staff scholarship recipient Ricky Schultz proudly displays his diploma alongside his wife and son.
White says. “I am grateful I found this career path and very fortunate to have a career I love and a life that is fulfilling. By giving back to OSU, hopefully, I can help others find their niche in the world.” The OSU Family Fund faculty and staff scholarships receive many contributions each year because donors see an immediate impact from their gifts. “The Family Fund scholarships are an excellent example of the commitment our faculty and staff members display to encourage their
colleagues to earn an advanced degree,” Trennepohl says. OSU-Tulsa network specialist Ricky Schultz is a recipient of the Family Fund staff scholarship. Schultz recently completed his bachelor’s degree in business management and has now begun work on his MBA at OSU-Tulsa.
“What I like the most about the Family Fund is that it’s given to OSU employees by OSU employees,” Schultz says. “The scholarship feels like a vote of confidence from the great people who work here and love OSU as much as I do.” Schultz says that although he is currently receiving a scholarship as he works toward his master’s degree, he also contributes to the Family Fund.
“I know there are other OSU-Tulsa employees who want to continue their education and I want to help give them the same opportunities that I received,” Schultz says. In the simplest terms, that is exactly the goal of the OSU Family Fund campaign, and OSU-Tulsa has set the standard for building a community that exemplifies the true meaning of family. Trish McBeath
automatically added to the soft water in the proper proportion. An electrical charge is applied to the saline solution as it passes through an electrolytic cell, according to SanAquel. “Generators apply an electrical current to a drinkable water solution,” Muriana says. “The small amount of salt in the water serves to conduct the current.”
How it’s used Electrolyzed water can be used in place of harsh chemicals to disinfect all surface areas in any type of food processing or harvest facility. In addition to disinfecting the outer surfaces of fruits and vegetables, electrolyzed water can be used to kill harmful bacteria on the surfaces of meat carcasses, according to SanAquel.
Produced by applying electricity to a solution of salt and water, electrolyzed water has antimicrobial properties strong enough to kill a variety of bacteria, molds, fungi and viruses. SanAquel LLC, a new venture company in Bristow, Okla., is taking this not-so-new technology and applying it in an innovative way, says Peter Muriana, food microbiologist at the Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center at OSU. “Although it’s not a new process, few companies are demonstrating SanAquel’s vision to implement electrolyzed water throughout a processing environment using automated generators, PVC plumbing
and spray nozzles to mist and fog the liquid as a sanitizing solution into bacteria-sensitive areas in processing facilities,” Muriana says. Now clients of the FAPC can reap the benefits of this sanitizing agent. Unitherm Food Systems, a sister company of SanAquel also located in Bristow donated two electrolyzed water generators to the FAPC. SanAquel is dedicated to developing and marketing food industry sanitizing applications based on electrolyzed water technology, says Douglass Phillips, executive vice president of sales and marketing for SanAquel.
How it’s produced SanAquel technology produces an electrochemically created biocide, or antimicrobial agent, by applying an electrical charge to a brine solution, which consists of water and a small amount of salt, Muriana says. “The electrolytic process results in the formation of water with an antimicrobial effect,” Muriana says. “This electrolyzed water is similar to the weak bleach solutions placed in swimming pools, but is more effective against harmful foodborne bacteria.” The system uses water straight from the tap. If tap water is hard, the process begins with passing the water through a water softener. A brine solution, table salt and water, is
The solution is non-toxic and eliminates bacteria, yeast, molds and viruses on food, food processing equipment or any other hard surface, says Jake Nelson, FAPC value-added meat processing specialist. “At the FAPC, the electrolyzed water generators have been installed in-line with our steam pasteurization unit and will be used for researching electrolyzed water’s effects on pathogens that may be found on freshly slaughtered carcasses, including beef, pork and lamb,” Nelson says. The use of electrolyzed water does not stop with meat and poultry. FAPC researchers are currently examining its uses in other processing areas, including sanitary washes for fresh produce, vegetables, fresh-cut melons and shell egg processing. Researchers are even addressing the use of electrolyzed
water in animal production quarters, as well as in animal drinking water, Nelson says.
to quantify than the ‘hard costs’ associated with the purchase of chemical sanitizers.”
“Results show this state-of-the-art process could give food processors in Oklahoma a way to continue to improve their methods to make food safe for Oklahoma consumers,” says J. Roy Escoubas, FAPC director.
Muriana also recognizes the safety benefits of using electrolyzed water as a sanitizing medium.
Benefits Using electrolyzed water is cost effective because it eliminates chemical shipping and storage costs, Phillips says. “While it is cost effective in large scale food production facilities, its primary benefits are its efficacy, safety in handling and environmental friendliness,” Phillips says. “These latter three items are ‘soft costs’ that are more difficult Photo: Mandy Gross
“A big advantage of electrolyzed water over other types of antimicrobials is electrolyzed water is safe to spray even in the presence of humans, which can hardly be said for other sanitizing solutions that may cause respiratory problems and must only be used after a production shift,” Muriana says. For more information about the FAPC or about making donations to the center, please contact Chuck Willoughby, FAPC business and marketing relations manager, by calling 405-744-6071 or e-mailing chuck.willoughby@okstate.edu. Lacie Stockstill
To fail to instill these values in young people risks losing the heart of our society and the giving and volunteering that sustain it.
donors: the next generation By Eugene R. Tempel & Dwight F. Burlingame
Parents serve as trusted advisors to children in myriad ways throughout their lives. One of the most valuable roles parents can play, whether their children are youth or adults, is to help them understand the importance of philanthropy and to assist them in discovering their own philanthropic values. Parents, educators and nonprofit leaders must help foster philanthropic mindsets and behaviors in future generations. Philanthropy is the space in society where innovative approaches are developed to address complex social problems. It encourages pluralism and diversity of ideas, and serves as a check on the government and business sectors. It addresses the spectrum of community needs, from meeting basic human needs to enriching culture and creating a better future.
Boston College’s John J. Havens and Paul Schervish estimate that more than $41 trillion in wealth will be transferred to younger generations by 2052. More people are earning wealth - and giving it away - at younger ages. To put this wealth to the best possible use, young people must understand philanthropy and their place in it. Beyond these trends, we all have a responsibility to help develop children who care for others, regardless of the economic status or background. Philanthropic practices help a child develop compassion, altruism and good citizenship. They also nurture children’s psychological needs by benefiting both society and the philanthropic individual. Leading by example and exposing children to a variety of opportunities is one of the most important ways to engage children, who then acquire philanthropic values, in part, by observing and participating alongside family members, teachers and other adult mentors. The process can begin in children as young as toddlers. Using language such as “You are helping our family” can help them understand why they should contribute to their family, school and community. Experts says that elementary school age children
start to reach out to others and parents should begin to tell family stories of philanthropy, including both giving and receiving. By middle school, children are open to the realization that philanthropy is a tradition that exists around the world and should be involved in a regular, planned volunteer experience. In high school, leadership development and transferring key knowledge about the nonprofit sector are important, and youth should be encouraged to become active in personal giving and to explore careers in philanthropy. The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) recommends that parents maintain a strong connection with the unique interests and talents of their children as they grow. At each step, parents can help young people to self-identify their own unique talents, how they want to spend their time, and the valuable material gifts that they want to give away. As children grow into young adults and begin to develop their own views, experts emphasize the need to help children discover their own philanthropic calling. According to NCFP, “Allowing a child to establish and pursue his or her own philanthropic agenda can be a valuable way of both reinforcing the importance of giving back to the community and allowing them exercise their independence.”
Young adults of financial or other privilege, face particular challenges in identifying and shaping their own philanthropic paths. A number of organizations and programs have emerged to provide multigenerational or next-generation resources to help with this. Organizations such as 21/64, Resource Generation, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP), and GENERous exploRATIONS offer publications, workshops, conferences, networking and peer learning to assist these young philanthropists. Whether by guiding inner-city toddlers or advising wealthy young professionals, everyone working in nonprofit organizations supported by philanthropy have a role and stake in the success of continuing the philanthropic tradition. By establishing the value of philanthropic giving and communicating this regularly to youth, parents and educators and nonprofit leaders provide a valuable foundation for a lifelong understanding of philanthropy and how one's time, talent, and treasure contribute to a civil society. Eugene R. Tempel is executive director and Dwight F. Burlingame is associate executive director and director of academic programs for the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University in Indianapolis. This article originally appeared in NPT Weekly, a publication of The NonProfit Times. To subscribe to The NPT Weekly e-Newsletter, go to www.nptimes.com
Thank You
OSU Student Foundation
Office of Annual Giving 1.800.622.4678 | AnnualGiving@OSUgiving.com 400 S. Monroe | PO Box 1749 | Stillwater, OK 74076-1749
Whether you earned your degree, benefited from a scholarship, received guidance from a professor or simply serve as a fan of all things orange, we hope life’s path still connects you to Oklahoma State University. We thank you for the paths you have forged this year and for the torch you continue to carry for our future. On behalf of countless lives touched - WE THANK YOU.
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