Business alumna to honor former piano instructor and husband through joint
music & art scholarship

Retired Art Professor Ron du Bois, Mita Young and Dr. Thora du Bois, Emeritus, Music Department

Oklahoma State University [OSU] Foundation announced a second $10,000 scholarship gift received from 24-year-old alumna Mita Young to benefit music and art students. The scholarship was established with the help of Exxon-Mobil’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 art department.

“I love using this outlet to honor people in my life who value their passion: education. Everyone has different passions and interests, and while they may not be mine, these people do it for the greater good of OSU, not themselves. I want to inspire others to live that same way,” says Young.

A high school valedictorian at age 16 and OSU Top Ten Senior Woman, the 2002 Management Information Systems alumna solidified herself in history books five months after her college graduation when she became the youngest alumni to endow a scholarship at OSU at the age of 20.

“The support of piano scholarships at OSU is the lowest in the state, so Mita's endowment is extremely important in encouraging respect for music and art as equally valid components of a university education,” said Thora du Bois.

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.

“Increasing available scholarship dollars is a particularly pressing need as the competition to recruit quality musicians and artists is stiff with scholarship dollars often being the prime determining factor between a bright and talented student enrolling at OSU or another institution,” said Thomas Lanners, head of keyboard studies.

On an alternating basis, the endowment provides one scholarship per year to one music student and one art student in perpetuity.

“Mita Young’s gift to the music and art departments in the form of a scholarship in Thora and Ron du Bois’ names is not only generous but indicative of the loyalty and dedication so prevalent among OSU graduates,” said Sallie McCorkle, head of art department.  “The Department of Art is grateful for this support of our students; especially, from someone who was not an art major!  How fantastic.”

The Spears School of Business (SSB) boasts nine endowed scholarships in the past decade from SSB alumni who made their gift three or less years after graduation, like Young.

“Embracing philanthropy at such a young age reflects the character of our students. I believe the OSU experience helped shape that character,” remarked Joe Haney, Associate Vice President of Development for SSB.

 The Oklahoma State University Foundation serves as the private fundraising organization for OSU, as designated by the OSU Regents. Its mission is to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence.

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