At Oklahoma State University, generosity creates opportunities that stretch across every corner of campus, from classrooms and labs to stages, fields and experiences far beyond Stillwater.

A large part of that impact is created through the transformational giving of the Proud & Immortal Society, which is comprised of donors who have given OSU at least $1 million.

What began in 2015 with 277 inaugural members has grown into a community of 561 supporters who continue to shape OSU in meaningful ways. Over the past decade, that growth reflected more than new membership; it represented a sustained and expanding investment in students, programs and the university’s future.

On April 10, OSU hosted its biennial event celebrating the difference this group is making.

“When I look out across this room, I see people who believe in this university, in our students and who have chosen to invest in something bigger than all of us,” OSU President Jim Hess said. “Let me be clear: what you have done matters. Not just in dollars, but
in lives.”

That impact came into focus through the stories of students Steven Azzaro and Kodie Gough, both of whom spoke at the event.

Azzaro, a graduate student in health and human performance, has taken advantage of opportunities made possible through donor support to explore ideas and turn them into real-world applications. Resources like the Zink Center for Competitive Innovation and Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship gave him the ability to test, refine and move his work forward.

“Through your contributions and the sweat of your brow, each of you gathered here tonight has sent waves through our community in the form of resources, facilities, staff and research that inspire growth and innovation to secure our future,” Azzaro said. “Your charity and belief in OSU are a robust genesis for opportunity across our campus for everyone and most importantly, hope for a better tomorrow.”

As a student leader and representative for The Code Calls campaign, Gough shared how she helped connect her peers to the impact of giving in ways that felt immediate and personal.

As a multi-scholarship recipient, she understood how donor support shaped a student’s path — not just by opening doors, but by creating the confidence to lead and give back.

“What started as a goal to simply graduate with a bachelor’s degree turned into a desire to grow and take advantage of every opportunity this university had to offer,” said Gough, who graduated in May with degrees in marketing and entrepreneurship, a minor in nonprofit management and a certificate in ethical leadership.

OSU Foundation President Blaire Atkinson said members of the Proud & Immortal Society show the world what it looks like to live by the Cowboy Code.

“Time and time again, you’ve answered the call to make a transformational difference — not for recognition, but because it’s simply who you are,” she said.

Atkinson noted that the inaugural honorees included T. Boone Pickens, who frequently encouraged the Cowboy family not to wait to make their impact at OSU.

The 2026 Proud & Immortal class included 52 new members whose generosity earned them a place in OSU’s story, alongside returning honorees who chose to deepen their impact. Since the society’s founding, 114 members had elevated their giving, with 17 increasing their commitment more than once — a signal that this was not a one-time decision, but an ongoing investment in what OSU could be.

“Together, we’re helping OSU and all members of the Cowboy family to dream big in ways that will serve our state, our nation and our world,” Atkinson said.

Photos by: Bryanna Freer

Story by: Amanda Mason | STATE Magazine