Dean Weidner makes $10M gift to establish Weidner Business and Real Estate Center at OSU
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Media Contact: Stephen Howard | Director of Marketing & Communications | 405.744.4363 | stephen.howard@okstate.edu
Dean Weidner, chairman and founder of Weidner Apartment Homes, has made a historic $10 million gift that will establish the Weidner Business and Real Estate Center at Oklahoma State University.
Housed within the Spears School of Business, the center will serve as a hub for world-class real estate education, offering hands-on learning, scholarship opportunities and professional development that will shape the next generation of industry leaders.
“We are tremendously grateful to Dean Weidner for this monumental gift that will position OSU as a national leader in real estate education,” OSU President Jim Hess said. “This investment will empower our students to shape the future of real estate by ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge, experience and connections to lead in a rapidly evolving industry.”
The gift has also established the Weidner Real Estate and Property Management bachelor’s program at OSU, which launched in fall 2025 and is the first of its kind in Oklahoma.
The program focuses on developing the knowledge and skills needed to build, manage and maintain real estate properties and assets in residential, commercial, industrial and other business segments. It was created with collaboration between the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the Department of Finance and the Department of Economics.
“This gift from Mr. Weidner is transformational for both the Spears School of Business and real estate education in Oklahoma,” said Dr. Jim Payne, dean of Spears Business. “The establishment of the Weidner Business and Real Estate Center positions us as a national leader in preparing students for careers in this vital industry. Dean's continued investment in our students demonstrates his commitment to building the next generation of real estate professionals. This gift will provide OSU students with the hands-on learning, industry connections and support they need to succeed. We're deeply grateful to Mr. Weidner for his vision and generosity.”
The gift is a massive boost to The Code Calls, OSU's $2 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign, which was publicly launched last week.
Weidner has been a generous supporter of real estate initiatives at multiple universities over the years throughout the United States and Canada — including OSU, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, the University of Alaska-Anchorage, Ball State University, MacEwan University, the University of Wisconsin-Stout and Western Technical College.
He founded Weidner Apartment Homes in 1977, a company that is driven to improve residents' lives with professionally managed, engaging and comfortable apartment homes that allow them to thrive. It manages properties across 13 states, including seven cities in Oklahoma, and four Canadian provinces.
Weidner hopes this transformational gift will introduce more students to real estate as a career possibility and help them succeed in one of the country’s largest industries.
“Every aspect of real estate requires trained, professional people,” Weidner said. “I believe this training should start at the college level, where students can be exposed to and experiment with this fabulous business. We want to develop real estate professionals from the ground up so they may benefit from having real estate careers — not just a job.”
Weidner Apartment Homes employs many OSU graduates, and Weidner says they set themselves apart by being career-ready.
“Of all the universities we recruit from, OSU students stand out as thinking, dedicated and hard-working,” Weidner said. “Managing real estate requires many skills, but physical work is part of that requirement. You cannot manage real estate sitting in an office or from behind a computer. You must visit it, walk it, fix it and often renovate it. We want folks who have done chores, worked schedules, like physical work and can work independently.”
Weidner previously made a $1 million gift to OSU in 2018 to fund a property management specialization program. It also created the Dean Weidner Property Management Endowed Scholarship Fund to support students pursuing careers in property management. Fifty-four students have been awarded this scholarship, a number that continues to grow.
To date, 94 students have earned the Property and Real Estate Management certificate from Spears Business, and 157 students are currently enrolled in either the bachelor’s degree program or the certificate program.
“Dean Weidner’s impactful gift transcends traditional philanthropy, signifying a vital and dynamic partnership that effectively bridges the gap between academic study and real-world industry demand,” said Dr. Brij Thapa, vice dean of Spears Business. “The Weidner Business and Real Estate Center, bachelor’s degree program and certificate program have fundamentally transformed our approach, enhanced our strategic position and provided students with essential skills for immediate success. They have established Spears Business as a national leader in real estate education, creating a legacy both regionally and nationwide.”