Division of Access and Community Impact

The Division of Access and Community Impact is dedicated to involving the OSU community in forward-thinking programs and initiatives. Our focus is on fostering an inclusive, celebratory and positive experience for everyone associated with Oklahoma State University.


Areas of Impact

When you support the Division of Access and Community Impact, you help shape the future for Oklahoma State University. By contributing to the fund(s) below, you make our future brighter orange!

Nancy Randolph Davis Memorial Endowed Scholarship

20-68650 - This operating fund benefits students through Institutional Diversity

Retention Initiative for Student Excellence (RISE)

20-03050 - This Operating Funds-General Purpose fund benefits students through GEN UNIV - Academic Affairs.

Access & Community Impact Excellence Fund

20-89900 - This general fund benefits the operation of the Division of Access and Community Impact.

OSU’s fall 2023 freshman class, our largest ever, is also our most diverse at 35%. Notably, among bachelor’s degrees granted by ethnicity, these numbers reflect an increase of more than 110% since 2010. These figures underscore the importance of cultivating a comprehensive experience at OSU as a land-grant institution.

We proudly maintain our status as the most successful University system nationally for American Indians earning a college degree. OSU consistently surpasses other institutions in the nation in this regard.

Diversity and Inclusion 1
Diversity and Inclusion 3

Oklahoma State University's national leadership is evident through the accolades received, including the HEED award for 12 consecutive years, making us one of only seven institutions to achieve this distinction. Our consistent ranking among the Top 100 Degree Producers, as recognized by Diverse Issues in Higher Education for underrepresented minority graduates, further underscores OSU's national prestige. Recognitions such as being voted Top 100 Best for Vets by the Military Times from 2015 to 2022 and earning the Purple Heart University Designation in 2016 contribute to our reputation.

In the realm of philanthropy, the Division of Access and Community Impact Capital Campaign has raised over $7 million, resulting in the creation of more than 50 new Endowed Scholarships.


Meet the Vice President

Kirksey Jason

Dr. Jason F. Kirksey is the Vice President for Access and Community Impact at Oklahoma State University (OSU). He also holds the rank of Associate Professor in the OSU Department of Political Science. Previously, Kirksey held the Hannah D. Atkins Endowed Chair for Political Science and Government Information as an assistant and associate professor in the OSU Department of Political Science from 1995-2010 and was President of the Oklahoma Political Science Association (2002).

Kirksey has served as PI (principal investigator) for approximately $10M in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding at OSU. During his tenure as Vice President, he also provided administrative oversight of an additional $11M in NSF and U.S. Department of Education TRIO grant projects. The four TRIO programs account for approximately $5M in federal grants serving first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities. Most recently, Kirksey serves as co-PI on a $3.75M U.S. Department of Energy grant in the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology.

Throughout his tenure as Vice President at OSU, Kirksey has raised approximately $20M in private, corporate, and foundation support to advance the university’s land-grant mission.

He holds a BA in both Political Science and Economics (1989) and an MA in Political Science (1991) from OSU, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of New Orleans (1997). He is also a 2014 graduate of Class XXVII of Leadership Oklahoma.

Kirksey is a native of Denver, Colorado.