CELEBRATING 125 YEARS AND

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

The LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY campaign seeks SUPPORT for scholarships

and fellowships for our students, to HONOR and REWARD great teachers,

to SUSTAIN programs that improve the health of our citizens and the vitality and quality of

LIFE of our communities, make civic EDUCATION an integral part of

the college experience, preserve and maintain our PRICELESS art and cultural resources,

help fuel our state’s economy and create GLOBAL citizens and leaders. In pursuing these

GOALS, we are ever mindful of the enduring PRIDE and pioneering SPIRIT that

binds one generation of SOONERS to another as expressed in the OU CHANT.

O–K–L–A–H–O–M–A

OUR CHANT ROLLS ON AND ON!

THOUSANDS STRONG

JOIN HEART AND SONG

IN ALMA MATER'S PRAISE

OF CAMPUS BEAUTIFUL BY DAY AND NIGHT

OF COLORS PROUDLY GLEAMING RED AND WHITE

'NEATH A WESTERN SKY

OU'S CHANT WILL NEVER DIE.

LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY!

MILESTONES MARK SIGNIFICANT EVENTS – WHETHER THEY BE IN A PERSON’S LIFE, THE LIFE OF A

NATION, OR THE LIFE OF AN INSTITUTION. IN 2015, THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA WILL CELEBRATE

ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY. THIS IS A TIME NOT ONLY TO REFLECT ON OUR HISTORIC PAST, BUT ALSO

TO BE FORWARD-THINKING ABOUT MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE.

A M E S S A G E F R O M P R E S I D E N T D AV I D B O R E N

OU is large enough to make a real difference through world-class

educational and cultural experiences and life-changing research, but small enough to harbor a strong sense of

family, community and tradition.

OU was established 17 years before Oklahoma achieved statehood on 40 acres of land donated by the citizens of Norman so that the new state university could be located in their small frontier town. Today OU is Oklahoma’s flagship university, where academic excellence and top-tier research combine to fuel bright minds and our state’s economic future.

OU is a vibrant community of educators and innovators, creators and communicators, learners, thinkers and doers, pioneers and visionaries. It is a place where students are challenged and encouraged to work hard and dream big, to develop fully their minds and talents in and out of the classroom, to embrace volunteerism, and to make an impact as ethical citizens and future leaders of our state, nation and world.

OU is also an international university that is both a beacon that attracts students from 120 countries and a passport to the world through study abroad opportunities for our students – many of whom have never ventured far beyond our borders – to broaden their global understanding.

In doing so, we have developed a dynamic international “campus” in Arezzo, Italy, the location of the University’s Signature Study Abroad Program.

We have faculty members who embrace their roles as teachers and mentors, exceptional students who possess great character and intellect, state-of-the-art facilities, thriving research, and nationally ranked programs. We are poised to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities the future holds.

Taking on those challenges – from keeping a college education as affordable as possible to preparing the next generation of highly trained leaders in both the private and public sectors – requires an ever-increasing depth of knowledge, breadth of experience, and financial resources.

I have to admit, however, that in my 20 years as OU’s president, I am more concerned than ever about the national and state trends of defunding education, which affect not just OU, but all public education.

To put OU’s funding situation in perspective: in the 1970s, about 50 percent of OU’s budget came from the state, making it more affordable for students and families. By the time I left the U.S. Senate to come home to OU in 1994, the state was contributing only 32 percent of the budget. It fell to about 17 percent last year, and at the OU medical school only 7 percent of the budget comes from the state.

I know that challenges are not new to OU, and I am continually inspired

and encouraged by the story of OU’s first president, DAVID ROSS BOYD, and

his determination to build a university where none had been before.

The Seed Sower statue, created by artist-in-residence and figurative sculpture professor Paul Moore, is prominently featured on each of OU’s three campuses. Like the character on OU’s official seal, the Seed Sower has a likeness of OU’s first president, David Ross Boyd.

We have been able to make so much progress over the past 20 years on each of our three campuses – thanks in no small part to our donors and friends, who have given because they have seen the results. A few examples:

Our Children’s Hospital, the Stephenson Cancer Center, and the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center are reaching new heights.

We are expanding the School of Community Medicine on the OU-Tulsa Schusterman Center campus in partnership with the University of Tulsa to improve the health of entire communities by educating altruistic medical students, training them to be smart and efficient in their practice, and to care for the medical needs of the underserved.

We are the only institution in Oklahoma that has achieved the highest level of research as measured by the Carnegie Foundation, a goal we had been working toward for 50 years. This designation is one of the most important distinguishing measures among institutions of higher education. OU’s Research Campus in Norman was named the nation’s top research park in 2013 by the Association of University Research Parks.

We were the only public or private university in the nation in 2013 to have students receive prestigious Rhodes, Marshall, Goldwater, Truman, Mitchell, and Fulbright Scholarships. What are the odds of that happening in the same year? 20,000 to one!

I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that much of the progress we have been

able to make over the last two decades has been powered by private support.

We are asking our alumni and friends to join us as we celebrate our 125th anniversary and to help us with their support of Live On, University: The Campaign for the University of Oklahoma. The campaign builds on the foundation of excellence that has been created over the past 125 years and helps chart the way to a successful future.

Live On, University is a comprehensive campaign that spans and strengthens our campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa; our colleges and schools, libraries, museums, and many centers.

The goal is to raise $500 million for university-wide initiatives and college-specific priorities, with scholarships and fellowships being the heart of the campaign.

At its core, Live On, University is designed to empower our students and faculty and to improve the institution we love. Through the campaign, we will continue to be:

• the University that keeps students at the heart of all our endeavors.

• the University that provides a distinctive education at a great value where great students are taught by great faculty.

• the University where the values of character, citizenship, and community are woven into the fabric of an OU education.

• the University where students from all walks of life are encouraged to think critically; to be good citizens; and to appreciate beauty and art in all its many forms and people of all cultures. They can take what they learn and enrich their communities – whether they be in Oklahoma, the nation, or other parts of the world.

• the University that embraces technological innovations that enhance classroom learning. We must continue to emphasize the importance of personal interaction in the classroom and in other forms for discussion. “Virtual” experiences alone cannot create the strength of community that is so needed in our society.

• the University that conducts ground-breaking research and develops the technology that creates companies, jobs, and wealth for our citizens, state, and world.

• the University that improves the lives of Oklahomans through innovative outreach and community engagement programs that impact our citizens, schools, neighborhoods and communities.

WE, AS MEMBERS OF THE OU FAMILY, ARE

GENEROUS; WE ARE UNSELFISH; AND WE ARE

GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE

GIVEN TO US. NOW, IT IS OUR TURN. LIVE ON,

UNIVERSITY IS A CHARGE TO EACH ONE OF US

TO STEP FORWARD AND DO THE RIGHT THING

FOR THE GENERATIONS THAT WILL FOLLOW,

JUST AS OUR FOUNDERS DID 125 YEARS AGO.

LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY!

D AV I D L . B O R E N

P R E S I D E N TT H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F O K L A H O M A

O U L I V E S O N T H R O U G H I T S

STUDENTS“The greatest university in the world is of no use if the doors of opportunity are not open.

We have to provide that opportunity to every qualified student who has the heart and soul

to come to the University of Oklahoma. We must think of ways to save students money, especially

students with limited financial means, and make OU affordable for all.” – President Boren

IVONNE GRABOWUndergraduate chemical biosciences major

College of Arts and Sciences

Ivonne is able to attend OU because of scholarships. A first-generation college student, she is a recipient of a generous Will and Helen Webster Scholarship, which she will keep her entire undergraduate career as long as she meets academic requirements. Passionate about giving back to the community, she works with young children to inspire them to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math. Her career goal is to become a physician assistant and provide health care to underserved populations.

OU IN AREZZO

ABOVE RIGHT: President Boren and First Lady Molly Shi Boren with students in Arezzo, Italy, location of OU’s Signature Study Abroad Program. Raising funds for an operational endowment for OU’s Arezzo facility is a key initiative of the Live On, University Campaign.

RIGHT: Emily Muns, a member of the College of Medicine Class of 2017, is a recipient of the Joseph B. and Ann Gordon Singer and Andrea Singer Pollack Scholarship. Scholarships for medical students always will be a priority to help with the rising costs of a medical education.

SCHOLARSHIPS ARE THE KEYS THAT HELP KEEP THE DOORS OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY OPEN. OU has more than doubled its private scholarships in the past five years. Still, 57 percent of students and their families must take out loans to pay for college costs – loans of $22,140 on average and higher for students in professional, advanced and medical- related fields.

With more scholarships, we can help lift the debt burden off their shoulders and allow students to focus more on the content of their education than the cost. With more scholarships, we are able to recruit, retain, and graduate a diverse student body that can be nurtured to meet the demands of an increasingly complex workforce. We also will seek support and promote proven pathways that help students experience academic success and graduate a Sooner.

Graduate fellowships always will be a priority as well. Graduate students are the lifeblood of OU. They impact undergraduate education through meaningful mentoring to undergraduates and our faculty in their research labs and classrooms. Many have debt from their undergraduate degrees; many have families; and all require competitive stipends if we are to recruit the best.

Scholarships have helped many of our most notable alumni realize their own goals and dreams. We want students who have the talent and determination to earn an OU degree to have that same chance. When you invest in students, you are initiating a ripple effect that will reach far into the future as OU graduates take their place in the world.

LIVE ON THROUGH ACCESS

LIVE ON THROUGH OPPORTUNITY

LIVE ON THROUGH FUTURE LEADERS

LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY!

O U L I V E S O N T H R O U G H

KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND INNOVATION

Academic excellence and top-tier research combine to fuel

bright minds, our state’s economic future, and tackle real problems

that affect our health, livelihoods, and planet.

OU Honors College Dean David Ray has an informal discussion with students in the Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College. An endowment for a new Presidential Faculty Fellows Program in Honors is a campaign initiative.

OU ACTIVELY EMBRACES AND ENCOURAGES CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION IN OKLAHOMA AND BEYOND. Its scholarly endeavors provide unique educational experiences for students, improve the quality of life for Oklahomans, lead to startup companies and high-technology jobs, and help us better understand and appreciate the world in which we live.

Our students gain by learning from great teachers who are passionate about what they do and are leaders in their fields – whether it’s faculty who write the books, make the scientific breakthroughs, compose the music, or present and perform on the international stage.

Long known for their world-class research in weather and energy-related fields, OU faculty are engaged in an extraordinary range of activity in such significant areas as robotics, genomics, water and climate, bioengineering, structural biology, health sciences, nanosciences, and education, including STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Scientists at the Health Sciences Center and at OU-Tulsa are advancing research and developing new treatments for patients battling diseases like cancer and diabetes, which take a tremendous toll on so many Oklahomans and their families. Biomedical research and related commercial efforts create jobs while advancing patient-centered health care. Like the Research Campus in Norman, the Research Park in Oklahoma City is a resource for learning, discovery, and innovation, and one of Oklahoma’s major engines for economic growth.

Recruiting and retaining top faculty and providing them with the resources they need to engage students, while inspiring critical thinking and creativity through research, ensure that an OU education shapes lives for generations.

CIVIC EDUCATION

TOP: Senior Vice President and Provost Kyle Harper, an associate professor of classics and letters, visits with students after class. Harper also directs the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage. Securing funds to endow the Institute is an important campaign initiative.

BOTTOM: The National Weather Center’s atrium features the suspended Science on a Sphere, which provides a detailed picture of weather conditions around the globe, as well as striking views of the Earth from space. The National Weather Center anchors the Norman campus’ growing Research Campus.

LIVE ON THROUGH GREAT TEACHING

LIVE ON THROUGH INNOVATIVE RESEARCH

LIVE ON THROUGH CREATIVE ACTIVITY

LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY!

RESEARCH BENEFITS

BELOW: The Biomarker Generator, housed in the College of Pharmacy, benefits basic and clinical researchers across the Health Sciences Center campus. Biomarkers are considered one of the most important links in making progress against diseases like cancer, diabetes and neurological problems.

Nighttime lighting casts a warm glow on the beautiful Mary and Howard Lester Wing of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. An endowment for the museum is a key element of the campaign.

O U L I V E S O N T H R O U G H I T S

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENTOU reaches far beyond its campuses to touch and teach as many people as possible,

serving the public through programs that not only enhance and enrich our students’

lives and education, but also extend to the greater community.

OUR BEAUTIFUL CAMPUSES ENCOURAGE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ARE MAGNETS THAT DRAW THOUSANDS OF VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR EACH YEAR. We connect the community with amazing resources that set OU apart. A few examples:

With extraordinary collections and innovative educational activities, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History are world-class treasures for the community, state and nation, inspiring students and people of all ages. The spirit of creativity shapes the University’s cultural environment and helps define our relationship with the greater community.

In the OU Arts District, excellence in the academic classroom is complemented by brilliance in performance on the University’s many stages. With the premier fine arts college in our state and in the heartland of America, OU is truly a remarkable fine arts destination for our students and for the community.

Our Teach-Ins symbolize OU’s deep commitment to civic education and bring together the best teachers from around the country for a daylong exploration of a major theme that has shaped the American heritage of freedom.

Our campuses are strikingly beautiful places that encourage community, and our students and faculty take what they learn here and work with Oklahoma communities to help them create vibrant main streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces that are attractive and livable.

The Health Sciences Center campus provides a warm and comforting environment for its patients and their families who come from all parts of the state to seek healing and hope there.

OU-Tulsa partners with more than 100 community agencies to engage in research, interdisciplinary study and service-learning opportunities that address some of the Tulsa area’s most pressing challenges.

LIVE ON THROUGH INSPIRATION

LIVE ON THROUGH OUTREACH

LIVE ON THROUGH ENGAGEMENT

LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

ABOVE: Medical students Taylor Smith and Matthew Le treat a patient at the School of Community Medicine’s Bedlam Evening Clinic, which offers free medical care to underserved individuals in the Tulsa community. 

MAKING HISTORY

ABOVE: The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History received the 2014 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, becoming the first Oklahoma institution to ever receive this top honor. Ten winners - five museums and five libraries - were selected from nationwide nominations. Museum director Michael Mares accepted the medal from First Lady Michelle Obama at a ceremony at the White House.

O U L I V E S O N T H R O U G H YO U

WE ARE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF OUR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS –

SOONERS WHOSE HEARTS SWELL WITH PRIDE WHEN THEY SING THE OU CHANT,

WHO INSTINCTIVELY REPLY “SOONER” WHEN THEY HEAR “BOOMER,”

WHO MADE FRIENDSHIPS AND MEMORIES HERE TO LAST A LIFETIME,

TO ALL THOSE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN MADE FULLER, RICHER AND

HEALTHIER BECAUSE OF our University.

Live On, University

F U N D I N G 1 0 1 : University Revenue Components

In the 1970s, state appropriations contributed to 50 percent of the University’s operating budget. In 1994, it fell to 32 percent. For 2015, that number is projected at only 15 percent. Now more than ever the University needs the generous support of alumni and friends to fill the gap left behind by declining state funds.

F Y 1 9 7 7 F Y 1 9 9 5 F Y 2 0 1 5(Projected)

46%32%

34%

41% 52% 51%

13% 16%

15%

S TAT E A P P R O P R I AT I O N S

T U I T I O N A N D F E E S

O T H E R S O U R C E S

L E A D E R S H I PCAMPAIGN

“The 125th Anniversary Campaign for the University of Oklahoma is an exciting step that will continue to build on the momentum created under the leadership of President David L. Boren. It is an honor to serve as co-chair of this endeavor. The two-year, $500 million campaign initiative includes scholarships as its primary focus; however, other elements of the University such as the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art to the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage will be positively impacted. This effort provides an excellent opportunity to truly celebrate our rich history. I am most confident that alumni and friends will join us in ensuring this is a truly successful endeavor.”

J I M D AY, C O - C H A I R

“I am thrilled to serve as co-chair of the Live On, University Campaign. Some of my fondest memories are from my days as a student at the University of Oklahoma. With my parents having three daughters at OU at the same time, the scholarships I received during my years at OU were a significant help to both my parents and me. My husband and I believe strongly in “paying it forward” to help others achieve their educational goals and dreams. The University of Oklahoma is an outstanding educational institution, and I am honored to serve in whatever capacity that will allow the University to continue to provide exceptional educational opportunities for future generations.”

B O N N I E K E N N E DY, C O - C H A I R

2014-2015 OU BOARD OF REGENTSEXECUTIVE CABINET MEMBERSArchie Dunham Curtis MewbourneJim and Christy Everest Michael PriceJim Gallogly Francis and Kathleen RooneyHarold Hamm Richard and Ellen SandorRik and Janell Helmerich Charles and Peggy Stephenson Cliff Hudson Randall StephensonCathey Humphreys Robert Zinke

TOM CLARK, Chairman JON R. STUART, Vice ChairmanCLAYTON I. BENNETTBILL W. BURGESS JR. KIRK D. HUMPHREYSLESLIE J. RAINBOLT-FORBES, M.D. A. MAX WEITZENHOFFER

We invite you to JOIN us in celebrating the 125th anniversary

and to continue the LEGACY of giving that is a HALLMARK

of the University of Oklahoma.

LIVE ON, UNIVERSITY!

This publication, printed by University Printing Services, is issued by the University of Oklahoma. 4,000 copies have been prepared and distributed at no cost to the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma, 09/01. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

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