Elevating Honors: Shaffers’ $1 million gift establishes the Honors College’s first endowed chair
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu
The Honors College is much more than a bullet point on Teri Shaffer’s resume.
Shaffer (Henshaw), a 1984 Oklahoma State University graduate, came to Stillwater from the small community of Comanche, Oklahoma. It was quite the transition to a big college campus, but the honors program made her feel not so small.
Rather than sitting in huge lecture halls, she spent class time in small seminars and gatherings. The academics felt personal, the advisors were especially accommodating and students were encouraged to put themselves out there. That level of individual attention also meant there were high expectations for each student, and Shaffer knew she had to always be prepared.
The work ethic and critical thinking skills she developed in the Honors College allowed her to excel after graduation throughout a business career spanning more than 40 years and numerous leadership roles.
“I got pushed and challenged every day in the honors program,” Shaffer said. “They were always thinking about how to engage students in a different way. It wasn’t enough just to be able to regurgitate material, it required you to learn how to think critically. That has lived with me throughout my career and has been a real differentiator for me.”
To enhance the honors experience for the next generation, Shaffer and her husband, John, made a $1 million gift to establish the first endowed chair in Honors College history. The John and Teri Shaffer Endowed Chair will provide unrestricted support to meet the college’s needs.
“I want to thank John and Teri Shaffer for this remarkable gift,” OSU President Jim Hess said. “This chair will have a lasting impact and further elevate the Honors College on a national level. It reflects the kind of forward-thinking support that reinforces our commitment to academic excellence and will open new doors for our students and faculty.”
The Shaffers’ gift was made to create opportunities for students. They previously funded Pizza with the Profs within the college, a program that has fostered student-faculty connection. This historic gift will take that idea to another level.
The endowed chair will empower the Honors College to expand the kinds of opportunities that set students apart, from unique learning experiences and study abroad to mentorship programs and professional development. It will not only ensure current students graduate ready to thrive in their careers, but it will also help OSU’s nationally recognized program compete for top-tier students.
“I can’t express enough gratitude for John and Teri’s gift, which marks a huge milestone for our college,” Honors College Dean Keith Garbutt said. “In addition to helping us in recruitment, this endowed chair will give us real flexibility to grow and adapt to what our students need most. It allows us to expand our programming and respond to student interests in ways that weren’t possible before.”
Although Teri is the OSU alumna, John’s support for the university is just as important. In fact, he’s why Teri gives back.
When their son was born, John stepped away from his career to raise him, allowing Teri to continue progressing professionally. John was an incredibly active parent, and he always went out of his way for his son when he needed support.
Their son, also named John, passed away earlier this year.
“My husband is who inspires me for philanthropy,” Teri Shaffer said. “His philosophy in life is that everyone in life is going through something, so you have to have compassion and be kind to people. So even when we couldn’t afford to give money, he was always giving his time. He always put family first and was always available for our son during whatever challenging times he was facing.”
Philanthropy has always been important to the Shaffers, but they want to make an even bigger effort to honor their son’s memory.
With the kind of life-changing impact this Honors College gift will make, it’s certainly something he would be proud of.
“We just feel it’s important to give back if you’re in a position to do so,” John Shaffer said. “When I got introduced to OSU, I met people who are a lot like Teri — very friendly, very down-to-earth people. It made me really feel good about what is going on here and who we could help in a small way.”
Photos by: Elizabeth Rogers and Provided
Story by: Grant Ramirez | STATE Magazine