Alumni Team Together to Fund $250,000 Counseling Psychology Diversity Professorship at OSU

Ledbetter & Lemon demonstrate commitment to promotion and affirmation of diversity

Oklahoma State University announced today a $250,000 combined gift from Belle Terre, N.Y. resident Dr. Myron Ledbetter and Oklahoma City resident Bob Lemon to endow a professorship in counseling psychology and diversity.  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 provide $1 million of impact in endowed funds.

The two alumni were united in an effort to support the College of Education’s commitment to the promotion and affirmation of diversity in the broadest sense.  The chair will support a faculty member who is committed to research and practice in counseling psychology with an emphasis on diversity, with the definition of diversity being consistent with the college’s stance to highly value the dignity and worth of individuals inclusive of their gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, age, physical and mental abilities, religious beliefs, socioeconomic class, and other identities.

“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 what Myron and Bob are doing for OSU academics and research.” 

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

The gift will create the Myron C. Ledbetter and Robert D. Lemon Counseling Psychology Diversity Professorship Fund located within the College of Education.

The faculty chair will teach courses in these areas at undergraduate and graduate levels, supervise clinical therapy work and seek continued funding for research activities.  Additionally, he/she will focus on these many aspects of human diversity, but will specifically address sexual orientation and gender identity issues in context with all other forms of diversity.

“This was a gift I’ve wanted to make for awhile, and it seemed like the right time,” said Ledbetter.  “I would hope the gift spurs more attention to diversity groups, encourage involvement with those groups and give voice to minorities.”

Lemon added, “In an age when diversity issues cry out desperately for understanding and educated leadership, I was absolutely thrilled to learn about this opportunity at OSU.  I hope the impact will be perpetual, broad and deep, because there’s nothing more important than the way people think about other human beings.”

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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