Retired veterinarian gifts $10 million to OSU

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Gifts to eventually grow to $200M benefiting the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
 
(April 10, 2008  STILLWATER, OKLA. – The Oklahoma State University (OSU) Foundation announced today two planned gifts totaling $10 million from Dr. Harold Ivie, of San Mateo, Calif., to benefit the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at OSU.

The endowments, to be funded through charitable remainder trusts, will primarily benefit the areas of small animal medicine and basic sciences once the principal investments reach $100 million each.

“Dr. Ivie has a vision for OSU to have the top veterinary school in the United States,” said Gary Clark, former vice president and general counsel of the OSU Foundation, who worked with Ivie in planning the structure of the gifts. “His gifts provide the opportunity for that dream to become reality.”  

The retired small animal practitioner is a member of the second class to graduate from then Oklahoma Agriculture and Mechanical College’s veterinary school in 1952.

A stint in the Navy during World War II introduced Ivie to the West coast, and the Tulsa native moved to California two days following graduation.

Ivie’s gifts were prompted by his desire to see OSU’s veterinary college become one of national recognition and prominence.

“My hope is that OSU will continue to attract top notch students. And top notch faculty will graduate the best veterinarians in the country,” Ivie said. “I want to see OSU at the top of the list for veterinary colleges in the United States or in all of North America. I want to help make [OSU] the premier institution for veterinary medicine education.  But for this goal to become a reality will require help from many others along the way, as well.”

Once the gifts reach maturity, typical expenditures could include faculty salary enhancements; endowed chairs and professorships; graduate student and residency fellowships; financial assistance for undergraduate students; imaging, nuclear and laser technology units; clinical, surgical and postmortem pathology areas; anesthesiology unit; cancer treatment center; public health disease control, food and water safety; and much more.

“Our alumni have distinguished themselves in many aspects of veterinary medicine,” said Dr. Michael Lorenz, dean of the Veterinary Center. “We are very grateful to Dr. Ivie for this generous gift to the veterinary college. It will help transform our college in many dramatic ways.”

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.

For more information on the OSU Foundation, log on to our Web site at www.OSUgiving.com   or call 405-385-5100.