OSU Alumnus, Steve Birch (center), joins several elementary education students on campus during the
announcement of his $2.5 million gift to benefit the College of Education.

Oklahoma State University’s College of Education (COE) has received the largest lifetime gift in its history from 1993 alumnus, Steve Birch of Stratford, Conn., with a $2.5 million pledge to endow faculty positions in teacher education and aviation education. The gift is eligible for a match from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to fund chairs providing a total gift of $5 million to the College.

Birch became reengaged with the College earlier this year as a result of a teacher recognition campaign, the annual Celebration of Teaching event, of which Birch helped to organize as a student some 17 years ago. Additionally, his gift also sought to honor his two mentors within the College, Nancy O’Donnell and Steve Marks, whose guidance Birch credits with shaping his future.

“This is a wonderful story of a successful alumnus reconnecting and sharing with his college in a historic way,” said interim OSU System CEO and President Marlene Strathe. “We sincerely appreciate Steve’s commitment to OSU and the huge impact his gift will have on our faculty.”

Birch graduated with a degree in aviation from the College of Education at OSU in 1993. After graduation he concentrated on a number of entrepreneurial business ventures in aviation, and most recently joined Aduromed in 2003 as vice president of business development. The company provides healthcare facilities with environmentally friendly solutions to treat and destroy medical waste.

“It is truly my honor to participate in celebrating a profession that rarely receives the recognition for which it deserves,” said Birch.  “By elevating recognition of the already superior training our future educators receive from the OSU College of Education, graduates will be even more highly sought after nationwide. I am humbled to be able to play a small part in propelling that opportunity for the college. ”

Pamela Fry, education dean, says the Birch endowment, will substantially strengthen OSU’s initiatives for recognition as one of the top education colleges in the nation and characterizes the gift as a transformational one for the college.

“This historic gift provides stable funding for the college that will benefit generations of future students and will enable us to retain and attract outstanding faculty to ensure students in the College of Education learn from the very best. We have great faculty, staff, students and alumni in our COE family and this is certainly an orange letter day for COE and OSU.”

Birch has a long tradition in the teaching profession having a great-grandmother, two aunts and one uncle in the profession and was never provided a choice on whether college was in his future.

“Teachers change the world.  Teachers are the backbone of our communities and nation by being leaders, role models, mentors, and friends - all through sharing experiences like the ones gained here at Oklahoma State,” said Birch.  “I have been extremely lucky to have had multiple teachers throughout my education who influenced my life at various stages.  These impressions were never lost upon me and I strive every day to aspire to the greatness they instilled within me. Placed into perspective of the gift they gave to me, the gift announced here today is insignificant.”

After evaluation of several other Big 12 schools, he chose OSU over the rest for its campus environment and presence of the aviation program within the College of Education. 

“Steve has shown tremendous confidence and appreciation to his alma mater through this transformational gift,” said OSU Foundation President and CEO Kirk Jewell. “His leadership prepares the College of Education to reach new levels of achievement. Steve’s partnership with the College that prepared him for a very successful career is more appreciated than we will be able to fully express.”

The College of Education is comprised of three schools with more than 95 tenure-tracked educational professionals. The College consists of more than 2,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students.

“This generous gift will greatly assist the students at OSU, as well as provide for the future,” said Justin Biassou, aviation junior. “This gift will also assist the aviation department, and will allow us to acquire better technologies to retain future graduates and allow OSU to be more competitive. This is truly an admirable gift by Mr. Birch, and on behalf of the students, we are grateful.”

The Oklahoma State University Foundation serves as the private fundraising organization for OSU, as designated by the OSU Regents. Its mission is to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence.

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