Accounting Donors Pool Resources to Raise More than
$400,000 for Accounting Professorship at OSU

OSU accounting advisory board leads charge on fundraising
initiative to honor professor Patrick Dorr

Oklahoma State University announced today more than $400,000 received from 140 donors to create an accounting professorship at OSU honoring current accounting professor Dr. Patrick Dorr.  Once fully matched dollar-for-dollar by T. Boone Pickens’ $100 million chair match commitment, as well as the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the gift will have the impact of more than $1.6 million in endowed funds.

The Patrick Dorr Professorship in Accounting will be housed within OSU’s Spears School of Business.  Efforts from the pooled donor group sought to establish the professorship in the hopes that is would attract the very best accounting faculty and students to OSU while strengthening fund programs within the School of Accounting. 

“The response from our alumni and friends has exceeded our wildest expectations,” said OSU President Burns Hargis.  “Inspired by Boone Pickens’ astounding generosity, donors answered the call to make a lasting difference and open a new and exciting chapter at OSU.  We sincerely appreciate the combined efforts of these accounting donors to bring this professorship to fruition for the benefit of future students and faculty within the school of accounting.” 

In order to take full advantage of the state’s dollar-for-dollar match, and make the most significant impact on OSU academics, donors made the gifts prior to the July 1 change in the state’s endowed chair matching program.  These gifts are part of the $66.8 million in endowed faculty gifts OSU announced recently.  

Accounting Advisory Board members hope the end result of this professorship will be recognition of the School of Accounting as one of the top ten Accounting Schools in the country.

“Many donors participated in the fundraising for the Pat Dorr Professorship to
recognize Pat for his outstanding leadership both in the classroom and within the School of Accounting,” said John Linehan, chairman of the School of Accounting Advisory Board. “Some said raising these funds could not be done within the 40 days; some said it is possible but not very likely; and some said we can do it. Thanks to all who believed and made it happen.”

Jean Van Delinder, chair of the OSU Faculty Council, said, “OSU is poised for growth and further prominence but to realize its full potential we must continue to attract and retain top scholars and researchers. These chairs highlight the important role that scholarship and teaching play at Oklahoma State University, and they are made possible through the generous support of donors who value excellence in scholarship and want to help OSU continue to nurture a strong faculty.”

Endowed professorships and chairs are academic designations which provide support for faculty salary, graduate assistantships, equipment and research needs, as well as other support.  These endowed faculty positions allow a university to attract and retain the best and the brightest academic minds in the world.

Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, Oklahoma State University is a five-campus, public land-grant educational system that improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach.  OSU has more than 32,000 students across its system and nearly 21,000 on its Stillwater campus; with students from all 50 states and around 110 nations.  Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 200,000 students who have made a lasting impact on Oklahoma and the world.  

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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