OSU Couple Announce $20M life insurance gift to benefit Colleges of Education, Business   Oklahoma State University today announced a $20 million life insurance gift from alumni Kim and Chuck Watson of Houston, Texas, to benefit the College of Education (COE) and the Spears School of Business (SSB) equally. “This remarkable gift will benefit a countless number of future Oklahoma State University students,” said Marlene Strathe, interim OSU System CEO and President. “We applaud Kim and Chuck Watson for their continued generosity and thank them for their loving commitment to OSU.” The major gift announcement came on the heels of the SSB’s dedication of the Chuck L. Watson Trading Floor resulting from a $2 million gift to the planned business building project. Additionally, the Watsons presented a substantial gift last fall to the COE for the college’s Student Academic Success Center.

Chuck and Kim Watson

“We are so blessed to give back to our university that gave so much to us,” said Kim, an alumna of the COE. “What a joy it is to touch lives for the future.  Many future leaders/teachers will be using the Student Academic Success Center for years to come.”

Half of the life insurance gift, one of the single largest gifts ever to the College of Education, will be used to sustain the College’s national prominence and allow it to compete internationally. 

“We thank the Watsons for this tremendous act of generosity,” said Pamela Fry, Dean of the College of Education. “The Watson family has made a commitment to OSU that will not only last their lifetime, but for the lifetime of their children and children’s children.”

Additionally, the Business School will benefit from $10 million of the gift.

“The Spears School of Business would like to thank Kim and Chuck Watson for the largest commitment of life insurance in the School’s history,” said Sara Freedman, Dean of the Spears School of Business. “As a graduate of the Spears School, Chuck, along with his family, have been lifelong supporters of OSU and this commitment will provide a family legacy at the Spears School in their name.”  

“ I appreciated the flexibility I was given as an undergraduate to pattern my degree to what I wanted to do in life,” Chuck said. “ 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.”

The COE Student Academic Success Center will provide support in the areas of career services, academic advising and counseling, tutoring using technology and information on financial aid for all COE undergraduate and graduate students. The newly named Watson Trading Floor originally opened in 2001 with the Watson’s help and initiative, and a portion of the gift will allow the finance department to make upgrades to the room.

Chuck Watson is the co-founder and chairman of Eagle Energy Partners, a Houston-based energy marketer established in 2003 which focuses on the purchase, distribution and sale of natural gas and electric power. Kim is a retired teacher.

Chuck is a ’72 economics alumnus and Kim is a ’73 elementary education alumna of Oklahoma State University. All three of their children obtained degrees from OSU within the SSB and the COE including their youngest who graduated from the university in May.

“Kim and Chuck have provided significant resources for the university over the years.” said Kirk A. Jewell, OSU Foundation president and CEO. “Their example illustrates the opportunity that exists for many donors to create a significant legacy at OSU through life insurance and other types of deferred gifts.”

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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