Former OSU art professor gives $250,000 to encourage students to become art educators
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Gift will establish art education professorship in the College of Education
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A former OSU art professor and art education advocate, Oaks received a Ed.D. from
OSU in 1971. The gift will create the Audrey E. Oaks Professorship in Art Education
located within the College of Education.
“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 Audrey is 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, Oaks 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.
“I have enjoyed and profited personally from art education all of my life, yet I think
it is an area in danger of being eliminated from school curriculums,” said Oaks.
“I would like others to have the opportunity to enjoy art education and am hopeful
this professorship will entice a person interested in the field to teach and encourage
others to incorporate art education in their curriculums.”
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.