Williams Foundation commits $350,000 toward OSU civil engineering professorship
Friday, October 3, 2008
Tulsa-based foundation gift aimed at strengthening industry workforce, improving engineering research initiatives
(October 3, 2008 - Stillwater, OK) - Oklahoma State University announced today a more than $350,000 gift from Williams Foundation to create a civil engineering professorship at OSU. Once fully matched dollar-for-dollar by T. Boone Pickens’ $100 million chair match commitment, as well as the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the gift will have the impact of more than $1.4 million in endowed funds.
The gift will create the Williams Foundation Professorship in Civil Engineering, which will be housed within the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT). Earnings from the endowed position will provide support for salary augmentation, participation in conferences, curriculum development and research expenditures.
“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 the Williams Foundation has done for the benefit of OSU academics and research,” 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 Williams Foundation 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 this summer.
“Williams has many exciting growth opportunities before us and we need to continually add bright employees to help take advantage of these opportunities,” said Phil Wright, President of Williams Gas Pipeline. “In order to recruit and hire the best and brightest talent you must begin with the best education possible. OSU is a vital partner for us. The school historically provides a large number of our recruits each year.”
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.