Bright Shines Your Name
Thursday, August 29, 2019
OSU inducts 48 new members into the Proud & Immortal Society
In the lobby of the Student Union Theater on the second floor, there’s a wall shining brightly with the names of individuals, couples and organizations who have made a difference at Oklahoma State University.
These generous donors make up the Proud & Immortal Society, which recognizes those who have cumulatively given $1 million or more during their lifetime.
“The generosity of this admirable group serves as an example to others and inspires us all to give back just as they have,” said President Burns Hargis. “These honorees encourage all of us to challenge ourselves and to not settle for small dreams.”
Since President Hargis joined the university in 2008, the number of qualifying couples and organizations has risen from 163 to 381. Adding the gifts from this year’s 48 new inductees brings the total cumulative giving of the entire Proud & Immortal Society to more than $2 billion.
“The impact of these gifts has transformed this university,” said Kirk Jewell, president of the OSU Foundation. “The importance is not the gift but what the gift does. It touches lives. It changes programs. It enhances facilities. It really touches every part of campus.”
Brad and Leah Gungoll were among the honorees recognized April 13 at the Proud & Immortal Society dinner. The Gungolls have supported several areas at Oklahoma State, including the College of Arts and Sciences, Student Affairs and OSU-OKC, to name a few.
“We have made many lifelong friends at OSU, and our success has been greatly enhanced by our experience at OSU,” Brad Gungoll said. “We have been given so much from OSU and realize we need to support OSU for those who come after us.”
Brad Gungoll currently serves on the OSU Foundation’s Board of Governors, and Leah Gungoll is a member of the Women for OSU Council. They are also lifetime members of the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association.
The couple also established the Mary Jo Webb Scholarship in honor of Leah Gungoll’s mother, who returned to earn her bachelor’s degree in sociology as a 30-something married mother of four in the 1970s.
“It is incumbent on those that can to help those who are trying and need support,” Brad Gungoll said. “In our small way, we are pleased to help those struggling to achieve at OSU.”
The Gungolls said they were honored and humbled to be included in this group dedicated to the education of students at Oklahoma State.
“OSU has always been an important part of our lives, and we really were unaware of the threshold we made to be a member of the society,” Leah Gungoll said.
The biennial event, which featured OSU alumnus and KWTV anchor Kelly Ogle as emcee and entertainment from the OSU Theatre Department, highlighted the growth of this prestigious group and showed the commitment of donors, alumni and friends.
“The OSU experience continues to evolve and change with every class of students that arrives on campus. These gifts — in the past, present and in the future — continue to enhance that experience. We are beyond grateful for the investment this group has made and the impact they have had at Oklahoma State.”
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48 DONORS INDUCTED THIS YEAR 381 SOCIETY MEMBERS $2 BILLION IN CUMULATIVE GIVING |