On April 23, the Women for OSU Symposium brought the Cowboy family together around a shared belief: philanthropy changes lives at Oklahoma State University.

That impact was reflected throughout the day, as attendees heard from the 2026 Student Philanthropists of the Year Kevin Kuteesa and Carleen Meija Perez, honored Philanthropist of the Year Amy Mitchell, celebrated 17 scholarship recipients and recognized four grant recipients of the Partnering to Impact: Campus Grants Program.

Keynote speaker Jill Donovan stepped onto the stage not as someone who had always known her path, but as someone who had spent years searching for it.

She began her career as an attorney and later became a law professor, yet the work never truly fulfilled her. So, she began trying something new each year, searching for what might spark meaning. Along the way, she pursued opportunities that felt out of reach, including appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

After years of trying, Donovan was invited by the show to share stories about her family’s habit of re-gifting. What should have been a defining moment quickly shifted when her stories were criticized on air, leaving her feeling embarrassed and defeated.

She returned home, cleared out her re-gifting closet and stepped away from what once brought her joy. Even as the show aired successfully, the weight of that moment stayed with her.

Years later, Donovan chose to let it go.

That decision became a turning point. She began filling her closet again, this time with something she created herself, teaching herself to make cuff bracelets. This small step grew into something more.

Rustic Cuff was born.

What began as a personal outlet grew into a thriving business and community, expanding far beyond what she first imagined. Each cuff became more than a piece she created; it became a gesture of hope, something she could give in moments when it was needed most. What once felt like a setback became a purpose that continues to uplift others.

That message carried throughout the symposium, reflected in the stories of the 2026 Student Philanthropists of the Year.

Carleen Mejia Perez shared with the audience one of the most defining moments of her life.

At 17, she sat in a hospital bed, exhausted, as her family gathered around her newborn son. In that moment, everything changed.

Life didn’t slow down. Her days became a constant rhythm of school, work and caring for her child. Nights were spent studying with a baby in her arms, trying to keep up while feeling like she was falling behind.

Some told her that becoming a doctor was not realistic for a teenage mother and a first-generation college student. For a moment, she believed them.

But she kept going. She graduated high school with her son in her arms and continued building a path forward.

Today, she is a medical student, wife and a mother of three, still pursuing the future she once struggled to imagine. Perez founded Sigma Alma Fuerte, a Latinx youth society dedicated to empowering teens through mentorship.

“I’ve created a space for students who are growing up feeling the same uncertainty I once felt,” she shared. “And every time I sit with them, I see myself, the version of me who just needed someone to believe in her. That’s what the Women for OSU scholarship has done for me.”

Her story reflects what becomes possible when someone is supported at the right moment and how that support can multiply into impact for others.

That same message continued through Kevin Kuteesa’s story.

Kuteesa grew up in Kampala, Uganda, raised by her mother after losing her father before she was born. With limited resources, much of her early life was shaped by uncertainty.

Then along came Sandra, a cow that was donated to her family through a nonprofit. That moment changed everything, creating stable income and the ability for her and her siblings to stay in school.

From that experience, Kuteesa learned that access, not charity, transforms lives.

Today, she carries that belief through Prograte Capital Ventures, a social enterprise she co-founded that supports women entrepreneurs in Uganda. Each opportunity reflects the same support that once changed her own future, extending that impact even further.

“With Women for OSU, you are igniting a multiplier effect,” Kuteesa told the audience. “On behalf of all the awardees, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the donors.”

Through her philanthropy, Amy Mitchell, the 2026 Philanthropist of the Year, is helping create opportunities that extend far beyond a single student, shaping experiences and outcomes that will continue to grow for years to come. Alongside her husband, Malone Mitchell III, she supports programs in academics, athletics and entrepreneurship through the Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Seventeen student scholars were recognized not only for academic achievement but for their commitment to service and leadership within their communities. Their work ranges from mentoring younger students to leading campus organizations and serving communities both in Oklahoma and beyond.

The Partnering to Impact: Campus Grants Program awarded four grants supporting innovative, unbudgeted initiatives across campus in health and wellness, education, campus beautification and arts and culture. Each project represents not just an idea, but a solution, one that will continue to benefit the OSU community.

“The Symposium brings together so many moving pieces, students, projects and opportunities,” said Cristy Racy, the director of Women for OSU and senior director of volunteer engagement at the OSU Foundation. “It’s a reminder of how all of that continues to grow well beyond the symposium.”

Photos by: Bryanna Freer

Story by: Estefania Martinez | STATE Magazine