Arts&Sciences Needs

A note from the Dean

Dean’s Excellence Fund

Funding from this unrestricted account is used by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to assist with areas of greatest need and those for which state funding is not available. Historically, this funding has been used to help attract and retain the best faculty and students.

Endowed Scholarships

Alumni, friends and other loyal OSU supporters may endow a scholarship for students to provide a continued source of assistance and to create a lasting legacy for the donor. These scholarship funds are named at the donor’s request, whether in their names, in honor of loved ones or in tribute to a special OSU faculty member or student. Many donors choose to establish a scholarship fund in memory of a loved one who has passed away, as a way to honor their life and love of OSU. Endowed scholarships require a $10,000 or more initial gift.

Donors determine the qualifications and restrictions for awarding scholarships with the assistance of the OSU Foundation. Criteria for selection often include academic achievement, financial need, leadership capabilities, and field of study. Recipients are chosen by scholarship committees depending on the donor’s preferred restrictions.

Endowed Lecture Series

The College of Arts and Sciences can promote excellence through visiting scholars, lecturers and speakers — allowing students and faculty to interact with the best the world has to offer. We can provide students the best quality education and promote increased knowledge through research to better serve our state and nation.

Graduate Fellowships

Graduate Fellowships provide scholarly recognition and financial support to some of the nation’s top graduate school applicants. Students are able to look to OSU as an institution which not only provides excellent instruction, but also offers competitive financial assistance. These top students add to OSU’s ability to be counted among the nation’s foremost research institutions by significantly contributing to important research projects.

Chairs, Professorships and Deanship

Endowed faculty positions at OSU attract and retain outstanding faculty with national and international recognition for excellent teaching and research. In addition, the added expertise of these scholars provides the leadership to benefit and serve other faculty, students, and the region. Faculty members who hold prestigious chairs and professorships are considered experts in their field and are highly regarded in the academic world.

The priority is to fund these positions in the following departments: Botany, Computer Sciences, Geography, Geology, History, Journalism and Broadcasting, Math, Microbiology, Philosophy, Psychology, Political Science, and Zoology.

Not only do endowed positions recognize a faculty member’s stature in their profession, but the existence of these positions is an essential component of outstanding departments and programs. They greatly enhance OSU’s ability to recruit and retain world-class educators in all academic fields.

Naming opportunities within the College of Arts and Sciences

The new comprehensive campus master plan will provide an environment for many naming opportunities within the College of Arts and Sciences ranging from buildings to wings to classrooms. To learn more about naming opportunities, please contact Suzanne Thompson, Associate Vice President for Development in the College of Arts and Sciences at (405) 744-8214.

In addition to attracting the country’s best and brightest academic stars and creating solid environments where they can shine, lasting resources must be available to take their academic work to the highest level, the reason OSU's President determined that one of OSU’s highest funding priorities is endowing each college. Such endowments will transform academics, allowing the Dean to recruit and retain eminent scholars, provide students with funding to compete in national competitions that bolster rankings, and provide a margin of excellence to the research, instruction, and outreach efforts of OSU.

College of Arts & Sciences Student Success Center

$150,000 Academic and career advising has changed over the last 20 years. The College of Arts and Sciences proposes a 21st Century academic and career advising facility to address change in information technologies. The A&S Student Success Center will combine Student Academic Services, Career Services, Pre-Health Advising Centers and Outreach Program within a single student-centered facility. While people remain our most important resource, Internet-based computing resources will enable students to explore academic and career opportunities with advisors serving as information facilitators.

$500+ Professional development (staff travel to conferences or other training opportunities.
$500+ Student expendable resources (literature, requirement sheets, planning tools, flash drives).
$1,000+ Equipment: student and staff computers; heavy duty network printer; locking file cabinets, copier.
$1,500+ Furniture: staff desks and chairs; student waiting area furniture; student computer and literature kiosks.
$2,500+ Renovation: carpet, paint, walls, doors, window treatments.
$2,500+ Orientation programs: instructor stipends and materials for A&S 1111 and 3111.

Aerospace Studies

$100+ Provide funding to the Aerospace Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$10,000+ Undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Aerospace Studies

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Art

$100+ Provide funding to the Art Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be painting supplies, molding clay, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Art
$500,000+ Develop an artist-in-residence program on Doel Reed property in New Mexico and to acquire both Doel Reed and Martha Reed’s collections (art, clothing, jewelry).

Botany

$100+ Provide funding to the Botany Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Botany

Communication Sciences and Disorders

$100+ Provide funding to the CSID Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Chemistry

$100+ Provide funding to the Chemistry Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Chemistry

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Computer Sciences

$100+ Provide funding to the Computer Science Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Computer Sciences.

English

$100+ Provide funding to the English Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in English.

Foreign Languages

$100+ Provide funding to the Foreign Language Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Foreign Languages.

Geography

$100+ Provide funding to the Geography Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000 Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Geography

Geology

Rebuild Les Huston Field Camp in Canon City, Colorado.
$100+ Provide funding to the Geology Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000 Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Geology

History

$100+ Provide funding to the History Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in History

Journalism and Broadcasting

$100+ Provide funding to the JB Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be student entry fees at competitions, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Sponsorship of the First Amendment Congress on our campus in November.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Journalism and Broadcasting

Mathematics

$100+ Provide funding to the Mathematics Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be journal subscriptions, books on mathematics education, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$6,000+ Named Lecture series - The Lecture series will be named after the donor. The main speaker will be a prestigious mathematician. Young professors will be invited. The estimated costs cover an honorarium for the speaker and expenses for two visitors.
$8,000+ Named Annual Math Contest
Mathematics contest for high school students named after the donor. The 2003 budget was about $5,000. At that time we paid only $500 to the person that prepared the test. It is realistic to expect at least a $2,500 cost for this work plus inflation.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Mathematics.

Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

$100+ Provide funding to the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.

Military Science

$100+ Provide funding to the ROTC Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples of currents needs include an ID Tag Machine, projector, PA system, and Gator Utility vehicle.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Military Science.

Music

$100+ Provide funding to the Music Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples of current needs include music stands, vocal scores, new musical instruments, and performance chairs.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars and performers to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Music
$10,000+ Graduate scholarship for a student pursing an advanced degree in Music.
$40,000 Create an endowment to support an annual regional tour for a band, orchestra or choir of OSU students

Philosophy

$100+ Provide funding to the Philosophy Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Philosophy

Physics

$100+ Provide funding to the Physics Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Physics
$120,000+ Construct a control center at the H.S. Mendenhall Observatory which will include will include a heated/cooled telescope control room, a rest room, a kitchenette, and an equipment storeroom. For detailed information, please visit http://physics.okstate.edu/observatory/.

Political Sciences

$100+ Provide funding to the Political Science Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Political Science.

Psychology

$100+ Provide funding to the Psychology Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Psychology.

Sociology

$100+ Provide funding to the Sociology Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Sociology.

Statistics

$100+ Provide funding to the Statistics Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Statistic.

Theatre

$100+ Provide funding to the Theatre Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000 Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Theatre.
$50,000 Professional Theatre Advancement Fund to provide travel support for students to attend professional theatre auditions and portfolio reviews as well as national conferences.

Zoology

$100+ Provide funding to the Zoology Excellence Fund to assist with the greatest area of need. Examples could be research supplies, journals, and scholarship assistance.
$500+ Provide direct tuition assistance to a deserving student.
$1,000+ Provide faculty travel fund to assist faculty travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Provide student travel fund to assist student travel to conferences to present the results of their scholarship.
$1,000+ Department seminar program to enable visits by leading scholars to OSU.
$10,000+ Endowed undergraduate scholarship for students majoring in Zoology.