In summer 2008, OSU experienced an amazing and historic 40 days of fundraising success. Spurred by a $100 million gift from Boone Pickens and a state program that was about to end, more than 900 companies, individuals and foundations donated $68 million to endow more than 240 chairs and professorships.

These endowments give the university the opportunity to boldly – even intrepidly – pursue preeminent scholars by providing support for faculty salary, graduate assistantships, equipment and research needs.

A perfect example of the type of faculty these gifts attract is Dr. Wayne Wanta, the Welch-Bridgewater Chairholder in sports journalism. Wanta brings impressive credentials, not least of which is the year he spent as president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, which accredits journalism schools. Considered one of the world’s top scholars in mass communication, he has lectured and presented in more than 30 countries and published work with 72 people. Among them are University of Kansas assistant professor Scott Reinardy, with whom Wanta recently co-authored the textbook “The Essentials of Sports Reporting and Writing.”

“A big reason I was offered the position was more for my research abilities and the ability I have to work with other people and collaborate,” Wanta says. “I don’t know exactly the number of publications I have – I don’t keep track of that – but I know exactly how many people I’ve worked with. The reason I keep track of that is that’s more important to me. It’s more gratifying to me to get something accepted for publication working with someone else. Then you can actually celebrate with them, go down the hall and give them a high five.

Wanta was lured to Stillwater this fall from the University of Missouri, where he was part of the oldest journalism school in the country. He said his reason for coming to OSU from the well-respected Missouri School of Journalism is that he was offered “a dream job.”

“Lots of people are jealous of the position I have,” says Wanta, who spent eight years as a sports writer before beginning his career in academia. “Sports journalism chair? I can’t think of anything more exciting for me. It offers me a lot of opportunities to do teaching and research and I think the whole university will benefit.”

Dr. Derina Holtzhausen, director of the School of Journalism and Broadcasting, agrees.

“With chairs, drawing preeminent scholars is the first aim, but the direct objective for us is to benefit our students so they can be taught by these people,” Holtzhausen says. “In addition, of course, enhance our research profile. That fits right into a high-profile research university such as OSU.”

Tulsans Bill and Peggy Welch endowed Wanta’s chair during last year’s fundraising blitz. Peggy is a 1973 journalism graduate.

“All you have to do is look in the TV Guide to see that sports is not going away,” she says. “It’s only going to get more and more popular to a point. That’s why we decided to go ahead and do it.”

Bill Welch is not an alumnus. In fact, he has both a bachelor’s and law degree from the University of Oklahoma. He has been a diehard OU football fan since the Bud Wilkinson era. Bill’s best friend growing up was B.A. Bridgewater Jr., son of the Tulsa World sports editor. B.A. Sr. trained another legendary local journalist, subsequent Tulsa World sports editor Bill Connors.

The gift honors Bridgewater and is intended to teach quality sports reporting and writing as exemplified by Bridgewater and Connors. Bill Welch says an OU development officer asked why he made the gift to OSU.

“So I said, ‘You’re welcome to keep in touch but I gave this because Peggy Welch loves Oklahoma State University and I love Peggy Welch.’ It’s just that simple.”

The Welches made their $250,000 gift in response to a challenge from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, who fronted the initial $250,000 and requested a donor match to fully fund the position. That $500,000 was then matched by $500,000 from Pickens’ chair match commitment. It was also matched by the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, giving the endowment a total value of $1.5 million.

Bill Welch said B.A. Jr. – whom Bill calls “Dolph” – was speechless when Bill asked for permission to honor B.A.’s father with the chair. Then both Bill and B.A. Jr. were choked up during the ceremony announcing the chair.

“That’s as much fun as I’ve ever had in my life, seeing (Arts and Sciences Dean) Peter (Sherwood) and (OSU Foundation President and CEO) Kirk (Jewell) and my good friend Dolph all lit up like that,” Bill said. “All it took was Dolph’s reaction when I called to ask his permission to do this to make it worth it.”

Wanta holds what is believed to be the country’s only endowed chair in sports journalism. That is a major development for the first university with a sports journalism major. And it came about because the Welches intrepidly made a department-changing gift.