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A young woman smiling while standing behind a clear podium with a 'Women for OSU' sign, speaking at an event decorated with orange drapes, greenery and floral arrangements.
Brooklyn Hawkins was named the Student Philanthropist of the Year at the 2025 Women for OSU Symposium.

18 scholarships awarded at Women for OSU Symposium

Monday, April 28, 2025

Media Contact: Jennifer Kinnard | OSU Foundation | 405-334-1022 | jkinnard@OSUgiving.com

Women for OSU awarded a record 18 scholarships to Oklahoma State University students on Thursday at its annual symposium, which was presented by Bank of Oklahoma.

These scholars have a strong passion for philanthropy and display leadership in their communities. The recipients’ dedication to helping others includes making a difference in areas such as food insecurity, animal welfare, mentorship and more. 

Brooklyn Hawkins was selected as the Student Philanthropist of the Year for her work supporting teens battling cancer. The complete list of Women for OSU student scholars includes: 

  • Brooklyn Hawkins | Oklahoma City

Student Philanthropist of the Year

  • Marketing and Management | 2027
  • Ashley Boatright | Sherman, Texas
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine | 2027
  • Teagan Charmasson | Shattuck, Oklahoma
  • Strategic Communications |2026
  • Callie Conyers | Gruver, Texas
  • Human Nutrition: Pre-Medical Sciences | 2026
  • Calen Cox | Crescent, Oklahoma
  • Nutritional Science: Allied Health| 2026
  • Danny Ellerd | Oklahoma City
  • Computer Information Systems | 2026
  • Rani Gandhi | Sallisaw, Oklahoma
  • Aerospace Administration and Operations | 2027
  • Joanna George | Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine | 2026
  • Amara Jackson | Corunna, Michigan
  • Agribusiness | 2026
  • Makalie Lackey | Cashion, Oklahoma
  • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Science in Medical Sciences | 2028
  • Jaime Lewandowski | Chicago
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Psychology | 2026
  • Gabriela Paredes | Ambato, Ecuador
  • Entomology and Plant Pathology | 2026
  • Carolina Quijada | Elk City, Oklahoma
  • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine | 2026
  • Lily Stuckey | Tulsa, Oklahoma
  • Psychology | 2026
  • Anya Thompson | Edmond, Oklahoma
  • Human Nutrition: Pre-Medical Science | 2027
  • Maddie Parker | Stillwater, Oklahoma

Ike and Marybeth Glass Women for OSU Endowed Scholarship

  • Nutritional Science: Allied Health | 2027
  • Madisyn Myers | Omega, Oklahoma

Sandra K. Trennepohl Women for OSU Endowed Scholarship

  • Human Nutrition: Pre-Medical Sciences | 2026
  • Parna Ghosh | West Bengal, India

Sheryl Benbrook Women for OSU Endowed Student Scholarship

  • Integrative Biology | 2026

The 2025 Women for OSU scholarship recipients.

The Women for OSU Symposium celebrates the Cowboy family’s culture of philanthropy. Cindy Cagle was named the 2025 Women for OSU Philanthropist of the Year.  

Cindy and her husband, Roger, have been generous supporters of OSU for decades. They support the Spears School of Business and established the Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement within the college. Since its launch in 2014, CAGLE has awarded scholarships and coordinated study abroad opportunities to prepare students to thrive in a dynamic global business environment.

Along with student scholarships, Women for OSU also awarded a record six Partnering to Impact grants. Partnering to Impact is a donor-funded program that awards grants up to $15,000 to areas at OSU that focus on four initiatives: Health and Wellness, Education, Campus Beautification, or Arts and Culture. This year’s recipients include:

  • Poverty Simulations in Oklahoma - Education to Action
  • Masterclass with Marin Alsop at The McKnight Center
  • Cowgirls on Board: Leadership in Corporate Governance Symposium
  • Summer Stories: Literacy Adventures for Children in Rural Communities
  • Growing STEAM at The Botanic Garden at OSU with StillWonder
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Summer Camp: Enhancing Communication Skills and Parent Support

The event also hosted keynote speaker Princess Sarah Culberson — an internationally known thought leader, award-winning humanitarian and princess of Sierra Leone. Her work addresses issues impacting the west African nation, female empowerment, community and culture as well as education and public health.

From left: Sierra Leone Princess Sarah Culberson speaks at the Women for OSU Symposium, WOSU Chairwoman Lucina Thompson awards Cindy Cagle with the Philanthropist of the Year Award, and OSU alumna Julia Benbrook was the emcee for the event.

Next year’s Women for OSU Symposium will be held on April 23, 2026. It will feature keynote speaker Jill Donovan, an Oklahoma native, entrepreneur, author and founder of the nationally recognized jewelry brand, Rustic Cuff. The company is known for its meaningful designs and messages of hope, as Jill is a passionate advocate for kindness and connection.

If you want to learn about sponsorship opportunities, contact wosu@osugiving.com.

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