Watson family demonstrates desire to elevate university

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(STILLWATER, Ok., July 31, 2008) -- Oklahoma State University has announced a $1 million gift from Houston residents Kim and Chuck Watson to create two chairs: one in business and another in education at OSU. Once fully matched dollar-for-dollar by T. Boone Pickels' $100 million chair match commitment, as well as the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the gifts will have the impact of $4 million in endowed funds.

Kim Watson is a retired teacher and active in women's ministry. Chuck Watson is the chairman of Global Commodities for Lehman Brothers in Houston. Kim is a '73 elementary education alumna and Chuck is a '72 economics alumnus. All three of their children also obtained degrees from OSU within the business school and the college of education.

"Kim and Chuck Watson have been loyal and generous supporters of OSU and have made a real impact on our business school and our education college. We sincerely appreciate their most recent gift, which will make a lasting difference and help open a new and exciting chapter at OSU," said OSU President Burns Hargis.

In order to take full advantage of the state's dollar-for-dollar match, and make the most significant impact on OSU academics, the Watsons 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 Kim and Chuck Watson Chair in Business located within the Spears School of Business, and the Kim and Chuck Watson Chair in Education located within the College of Education.

"Kim and I have been longtime supporters of OSU, and when Burns Hargis asked us to participate in the Professorship/Chair matching program, we were happy to get involved," said Chuck. "A chair for the Spears School and the College of Education will help elevate the university to be one of the best schools in the country. My wife and I, along with our three children, graduated from OSU. We believe OSU provides a solid foundation for students to succeed both academically and socially in today's environment."

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.