The
Code
Calls.
“At Oklahoma State, we don’t just talk about big dreams — we chase them. The Cowboy Code reminds us to give our all, stand for what matters and finish what we start. This campaign is our chance to do just that. Let’s open doors for every student, eliminate barriers and show the world what it means to do the impossible—routinely. The time is now. Let’s answer the call.”
- Dr. Jim Hess, President, Oklahoma State University
The Campaign for Oklahoma State University
Where Character Meets Opportunity
At Oklahoma State, we create uncommon outcomes through our character, community and opportunity. We eliminate barriers and champion hard work. We don’t limit our sights to what’s easy or expected. We imagine more for ourselves, our state and the world. Then we go to work. Here, effort meets access. Support meets ambition. Doing the impossible? That’s just routine.
We end the day knowing we gave it everything we had.
The Code Calls. How Will You Answer?
There’s a rhythm to life at OSU — a pulse that beats with integrity, grit and generosity. The Cowboy Code isn’t just a set of values. It’s a call to rise, to serve, to lead. OSU’s comprehensive campaign answers that call with bold ambition and a commitment to elevate every corner of our university. It is a charge to turn big dreams into deeds done, to do the impossible — and then do it again. Free to question, excel, break through. It’s all done in a day’s work, and a life’s purpose. When you walk the Cowboy Way, you never walk alone.
We have a passion to do what’s right, even when it’s hard.
Our Word Is Our Bond
Promises aren’t just made — they’re kept. We make good on our promises. So, when we say we’re on it — we are. That’s the Cowboy Way. It’s a code of character, a legacy of action and a future forged in trust.
Being a Cowboy isn’t in our clothes, it’s in our character.
A Bold Vision for Oklahoma State University
We call on all Cowboys to invest in our future. This campaign is built on the unwavering belief that strengthening communities, empowering economies, innovating industries is all in a day’s work. The Code Calls us to give and act.
Together, we will elevate the impact of OSU like never before. Now is the time to harness what we do best. Private gifts fuel OSU and provide our resilient and gritty students with the opportunities to do the impossible every day.
“The Code Calls us to step up, show up and fuel the next generation of big dreams. At OSU, we make the impossible seem routine because we are a community rooted in resilience, hard work and heart. This campaign is a movement to tell the world what it truly means to be a Cowboy.”
- Blaire Atkinson, President, OSU Foundation
Living the Code Through Generosity
Seize the Sky
We don’t just dream big — we chase those dreams across wide open skies. From the labs to the livestock barns, from Oklahoma to the world, OSU students and faculty are reaching higher. This campaign fuels that ascent, unlocking new possibilities through philanthropy and purpose.
We dream as big as the sky.
Built to Last
This isn’t a moment — it’s a movement. Every gift, every goal, every story shared in this campaign builds something enduring. We’re investing in people, programs and places that will shape generations. Because at OSU, we build with intention. And we build to last.
We know challenges come with pain, but pain will not win.
The Power of Place
Oklahoma State University is more than a university system — it’s a community rooted in resilience and radiating possibility. This campaign celebrates the spirit of OSU, where innovation meets tradition, and where every student is empowered to thrive.
We finish what we start.
Fuel the Future
Philanthropy is the spark. This campaign is the engine. Together, we’re driving OSU forward —accelerating research, expanding access and transforming lives. The future isn’t waiting. And neither are we.
We stand for what matters, even if we stand alone.
Our Pillars
Living the Cowboy Way
It’s a promise to ourselves and to our state, to transform sky-wide ambition into rising action. We meet people where they are and stop problems in their tracks. The Cowboy family is a tradition and lifelong connection. We shape leaders of character. We prioritize values like integrity, collaboration and resilience. That shows up in how our graduates lead and serve with courage and compassion to solve the world’s greatest problems.
Through alumni, faculty and peer mentorship, student leadership development, as well as mental health, Homecoming, family and legacy programming, OSU is rooted in the Cowboy Code. Oklahoma State University produces leaders you can trust. OSU is committed to connecting every student to an alumni mentor or alumni career network to aid in their long-term career success.
Answering the Call:
Love’s Travel Stops’ transformational $1.08 million gift established the Tom Love Scholars Program. In addition to financial support, scholars receive valuable networking, mentoring and professional development opportunities through Love’s Travel Stops.
Answering the Call:
A group of Cowboy families invested at least $1 million each to launch OSU’s prestigious leadership program, the Horizon Scholars. Inspired by how OSU influenced their lives, these families are investing in the next generation of Cowboys. OSU welcomes the first cohort in fall 2026.
Creating Life-Changing Opportunities
Answering the Call:
Carl and Marilynn Thoma’s $2 million per-year gift establishes the Thoma Scholars Program, which provides life-changing scholarships to rural students from Northwest Oklahoma, West Texas and Eastern New Mexico.
Our land-grant mission comes to life by removing barriers to college and offering opportunity that powers the next generation of Cowboys with character, helping them excel. Through donor-funded renewable scholarships, career and academic advising and targeted student services, talented, hardworking students earn a degree with new possibilities. At OSU, effort — combined with character, community and opportunity — transforms a student’s future.
This comprehensive campaign will position OSU to be the most competitive university in producing career-ready, hardworking graduates prepared to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. OSU will compete as the top university by actively recruiting high-potential, high-achieving students with an entrepreneurial spirit. We will unapologetically pursue students who embody the Cowboy Code.
Oklahoma State University commits to connecting all deserving OSU students to:
- A donor-funded scholarship award that invests in future Cowboys and the communities we serve.
- A career advisor from the time they arrive on campus to ensure they are competitive in the rapidly changing workforce.
- World-class experiences, such as study abroad, research endeavors, leadership development, exposure to the visual and performing arts as well as provide community service and volunteerism opportunities.
- Best in class academic and athletic programs.
Leading with Humility
We are home to some of the country’s top-ranked programs in medicine, hospitality and tourism, arts, veterinary medicine, business, fire safety, aerospace, agriculture and more. We lead in hands-on learning through the Mary K. Chapman Nursing Simulation Laboratory, Unmanned Systems Research Institute, ENDEAVOR Lab, Watson Trading Floor, Student Farm, Cleo L. Craig Child Development Lab and the Helmerich Research Center. Our graduates are job-ready and lead with humility while delivering serious outcomes, including numerous Goldwater, Truman and Fulbright Scholarships. OSU’s investments reach students through scholarship, leadership development, endowed chairs and professorships, undergraduate research, hands-on learning infrastructure, workforce development and global partnerships.
Answering the Call:
Dr. James and Elizabeth Wise’s transformational $2 million gift established the James and Elizabeth Wise Endowed Chair of Veterinary Ophthalmology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. This investment helps ensure that animals receive top-tier eye care while supporting CVM’s innovative research and development of prepared veterinarians.
Answering the Call:
Oklahoma Genetics Inc.’s $5 million gift and Oklahoma Wheat Commission’s $1 million commitment led the way for the new Agronomy Discovery Center to advance OSU’s mission to nourish the world.
Powering Progress
We apply knowledge to improve lives. We equip people to solve problems and strengthen the communities we serve and power progress. Our work connects local needs to global challenges, grounded in impact and driven by a sense of purpose. We move our state and region forward through initiatives and operations such as the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE), Human Performance Nutrition and Research Institute (HPNRI), Hamm Institute for American Energy, Agronomy Discovery Center and Beef Center of Excellence.
OSU lives out its land-grant mission through continued investments in OSU Extension, innovation in agriculture, health, aerospace, energy, science and technology as well as interdisciplinary research for public good as well as community engagement and partnerships.
The Cowboy Code
The Cowboy Code is a set of enduring principles that reflect the Oklahoma State University spirit. It’s not about slogans or trends — it’s about how Cowboys show up, work hard, and follow through. These values are lived daily by students, alumni, faculty, and donors, and they define what it means to be part of the OSU family.
Executive Campaign Board
The Executive Campaign Board (ECB) and National Campaign Committee (NCC) have played an essential role in shaping and advancing The Code Calls comprehensive campaign. Their leadership and dedication have been instrumental to our success and will continue to drive momentum as we move forward.
Joe Eastin
Dallas, Texas
Jessica & Bryan Begley
Southlake, Texas
Gina & Tucker Bridwell
Abilene, Texas
Angie & Brian Callahan
Dallas, Texas
Julie Connelly
Dallas, Texas
Kayleen & Larry Ferguson
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Joe Hall
Elk City, Oklahoma
Shelly & Gant Lambertz
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Gail & Rick Muncrief
Edmond, Oklahoma
Jamie & Darton Zink
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Billie & Ross McKnight, Honorary
Throckmorton, Texas
Barry Sanders, Campaign Champion
Farmington Hills, Michigan
We’re building something bold at Oklahoma State — and we need you with us. This campaign isn’t just about raising dollars; it’s about raising expectations for what’s possible. We’re asking you to help reimagine what this university can be for every student who walks through our doors. If you believe in the power of education and the grit that defines this place, now’s the time to step up. The Code Calls. How will you answer?
Join us in answering the call
Now is the time to invest in OSU’s future as we embark on a historic comprehensive campaign. Together, the Cowboy family is prepared to meet this moment with optimism and urgency, ensuring a legacy that thrives for generations to come.Your support will transform lives and create lasting impact.