Tulsa couple places value on educating Oklahomans through $250,000 donation to OSU
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
John & Donnie Brock endow professorship in educational policy and leadership
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The retired chairman of Brighton Energy LLC, Brock has been recognized as an outstanding
entrepreneur and noted for his dedication and innovation within the petroleum industry.
With his wife, Donnie, Brock established the Brock Community Foundation to fund the
Brock International Prize in Education, recognizing an individual who has made a specific
innovation or contribution to the science and art of education.
The gift will create the John A. and Donnie Brock Professorship in Educational Leadership
and Policy 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 John and Donnie 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, the Brocks 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 believe that the most important thing we do is educate our children. The most important
element in educating our children is the education leadership. It appears to me that
that leadership has been weak and that is the reason for the problems in our schools.
Ergo: improve the leadership,” said John. “I'm hoping that improved leadership will
make our schools more effective in the future.”
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.