Former OSU President Hargis honored at ribbon cutting for Hargis Leadership Institute

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Media Contact: Jeff Hopper | Communications and Media Relations Manager | 405-744-5827 | jeff.hopper@okstate.edu

President emeritus holds book signing for the recently released “One Lucky Cowboy: The Life of Burns Hargis”

Oklahoma State University’s Hargis Leadership Institute will continue to mentor the leaders of today and tomorrow; now in a newly renovated space.

Nearly four years to the day after its launch, HLI was the site of another ribbon-cutting ceremony. This time, for its revamped home on the second floor of the Student Union.

“The Hargis Leadership Institute empowers our students to lead with character, humility and purpose,” OSU President Jim Hess said. “It’s about learning how to lift others, living the Cowboy Code and making a difference in the world."

HLI’s mission is to cultivate leadership by using the foundational pillars of identity, relationships and leadership skills. These pillars ensure that students know who they are, develop meaningful connections with others and cultivate the necessary skills to make a positive change in the communities around them.

As part of HLI, students can develop their leadership skills through curricular and co-curricular programming that includes Lead Week — an annual celebration of leadership with opportunities to learn from leaders statewide and build meaningful connections with fellow future leaders; Lead4Success — a 16-hour leadership program aimed at developing four core skills of self-awareness, learning agility, influence and communication; and numerous other mentorship and learning opportunities.

“It is one of the great professional honors of my life to work with Burns Hargis, as part of the Hargis Leadership Institute,” HLI Director Josh Taylor told attendees at the ribbon cutting event Friday. “I’ve learned a lot about leadership through spending time with Burns — people matter, raise your hand and volunteer, some of the best leaders are the best followers, and that leaders always surround themselves with great people.”

Taylor then implored others to get involved with HLI, citing the impact it can have on student leaders.

“There is no better way to make a difference in the next generation than to invest in the student leaders at Oklahoma State University,” he said. “You can make a difference in the next leaders, next people, next students who will lead universities, cities, states, families, public schools, kindergartens, classrooms, engineering firms, doctors' offices, school boards, nonprofits and more.”

The institute’s namesake, President Emeritus Burns Hargis, said at the inaugural ribbon cutting that the overarching vision of the institute was to help students “find the leader within them.” At Friday’s event, he reflected on the time spent as OSU president and a mentor to future leaders.

“It really was one of the most remarkable good fortunes that we've had, and we've had more than our share over the years, but to get the chance to be president of Oklahoma State University and Ann to be First Cowgirl has just been magical,” Hargis said. “After 14 years … I just want you all to know how honored and how special and thankful we are that we got to do this job.”

Following the ceremony, Hargis celebrated a milestone of his own. He held a signing event celebrating the recent release of “One Lucky Cowboy: The Life of Burns Hargis.” The book — penned by Bob Burke and Gary Shutt — highlights Hargis’ life, his partnership with Ann, and their commitment to making Oklahoma a better place.

“The Hargis Leadership Institute is a place that honors the leadership style of Burns Hargis,” Dr. Hess said. “When our students walk through those doors, they are walking through doors of opportunity. The opportunity to learn leadership skills, professional skills and what it means to serve others.”