OSU black alumni hosting annual fundraiser and honoring early pioneer

Friday, September 17, 2010

The Oklahoma State University Black Alumni Association will continue its tradition of honoring OSU’s African-American past and supporting its future at the group’s 15th Annual Scholarship Weekend Oct. 22 and 23 in Stillwater.

Weekend events will include a golf tournament at Lakeside Golf Course to raise money for student scholarships and a reception to honor Chester Pittman, ’61, this year’s recipient of the OSU Black Alumni Association’s Trailblazer Award. Pittman was the first black football player to letter at OSU more than 50 years ago.

“We are pleased and excited about the response to our scholarship tournament this year, and early indications are it will be our most successful fundraiser to date,” says Sam Combs III, ’80, president of the OSU Black Alumni Association. “Our passion and commitment is to increase the number of African-American graduates at OSU. This tournament provides much-needed funding that will assist the University in retaining these students and help them continue their education.”

In April, the OSU Black Alumni Association presented ten scholarships to OSU students from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. More than $120,000 has been awarded to students since the inception of the program, which aims to retain high-quality students by annually awarding scholarships for excellence and achievements in academics, leadership and community service.

“This annual golf tournament and Trailblazer reception is a very tangible way for past graduates and friends of OSU to participate in providing financial assistance for future graduates,” says Sam Robertson, ’68, vice president of the OSU Black Alumni Association. “I am proud to be a part of the effort of the OSU Black Alumni Association to ‘pay it forward’ to a widening circle of future alumni.”

The golf tournament will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 22. Player registrations, sponsorships and donations to the scholarship fund can be made online at orangeconnection.org/blackalumni or by contacting Joy Fieldsend at 405.744.8837. The reception to honor Pittman will also be held Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center. It is free and open to the public and will be hosted by OSU Institutional Diversity.

The 15th Annual OSU Black Alumni Association Scholarship Weekend is being held in conjunction with OSU Homecoming 2010: ‘Cowboy Nation’. For more information, visit orangeconnection.org/homecoming.