Northwestern Leadership Trust

A new initiative has been launched to fund the advancement of leadership on our campus with endowed funding that will last in perpetuity. This endowment is called the Northwestern Leadership Trust and is designed to replace the President’s Association annual fundraising program.

Those listed below gave to the President's Association in FY20.

Presidential Level Dr. James and Kerri Bell Skeeter and Raye Lyn Bird William and Billie Buckles Community Bank Dr. Janet and Rick Cunningham Dr. Thomas and Sherry Gossett Grant Thornton Foundation Bert and Janice Mackie Max and Jane McDermott OG&E Energy Corp. Foundation, Inc. M. L. Sharp Stephen and Susan Stands Darrell and Grace Wessels

Wayne and Mary Catherine Bliss Dr. Yvonne Carmichael Mike and Rhonda Cook Dr. Deena and Tom Fisher Dr. Bo and Tara Hannaford Thamazin Harrison

John and Dawn Allen Ron and Myra Davison Brad Franz Darrell and Kaye Keltner Dennis Lakely John Logan Dr. Scott and Leslie Maxwell Dr. David Pecha Bob and Monica Schmidt

Associate Level Dr. Charlene Brintnall Dr. Jerry and Donna Brownrigg Dr. Kathy and Gary Earnest Stephen and Patricia Headlee Karen Leu Mary Jo Martin Harvey and Barbara Reeg Dr. Clifton and Judith Savoy Dr. Charles and Jane Tucker Eric Tutwiler Linda Tutwiler

In 2020, the leadership of Northwestern has chosen to make a strategic move to secure funding for a long-term student leadership emphasis at Northwestern with the creation of the Northwestern Leadership Trust. This endowment will provide a predictable long-term source of funding for those leadership programs the President and Senior Staff of Northwestern deem worthy of investment.

From its beginning, Northwestern Oklahoma State University has honed raw leadership aptitude in its students. It started with teacher candidates who became leaders in the classroom and in their communities. As Northwestern expanded beyond a Teachers College, we became a creator of leaders in business, the military, healthcare, science, the arts and – always – education.

The institutional emphasis on freedom of thought, independent research, thorough analysis and critical thinking

established Northwestern as a highly successful creator of young leaders who have grown to make a huge impact on our world.

In 1973, Northwestern began the process of formally recognizing our successful leaders with the first-ever Outstanding Graduate class. In the almost five decades since, we have sought to recognize and promote the success of our institutional alumni as a point of pride and inspiration for all students and alumni who have called Northwestern their University.

In 2000, the President’s Leadership Class (PLC) was launched. This was a deliberate effort to seek out and recruit leadership candidates and enhance their collegiate leadership experience with a fall freshman semester class personally taught by the head executive of Northwestern, the President. Each student was then ...continued

Adair and Susan Brown, Northwestern alumni “Previously, STEM education has been our primary area of emphasis and support. However, we also know that Leadership Development is an integral part of any well-rounded education curriculum.”

William and Billie Buckles

commissioned with the challenge to seize opportunities to lead while a student at Northwestern. This year will celebrate 20 years of this program with tremendous success for our students, both before and after graduation.

Simultaneously, the Presidential Partners Program was created. This special annual giving program allowed the University President the ability to fund items of importance not supported by any other funding source. This was an excellent move for the University but was limited to funding raised from the previous year’s fundraising success. The unpredictability of available funding made planning for long-term programs difficult. In spite of this limitation, there were many strategic executive investments made to include student recruiting scholarships, educational travel for students, band uniforms and scholarship pageants.

In 2007, Northwestern took another step forward by formalizing its leadership emphasis with the addition of a minor in leadership. For the first time, a student could formalize – with collegiate study and credit – the investigation and examination of leadership as an art and science. This same year, the Presidential Partners Program was renamed the President’s Association.

Several donors have already made the long-term commitment to this endowment with pledges and immediate gifts. Effective immediately, all funds given to this account will be restricted to the endowment. This restriction will protect the principle in perpetuity for the long-term benefit of a collegiate leadership emphasis at Northwestern.

There has never been a more relevant and important time in our world to create a source of excellent, ethically-driven, young leaders. For all of us, this is an opportunity to positively change our world for the better. Please join us in our quest to make a better nation and a better world with your personal investment.

The news in today’s environment provides an alarming number of poor leadership examples. While bookstores and the online Amazon marketplace provide an overwhelming number of books on leadership, our nation is struggling to find principled leaders who will stand up and do the right thing when no one is watching.

Since 1957, when Northwestern adopted the motto “Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow,” we have deliberately embraced the responsibility and role of training future leaders. As we elevate the role of Northwestern Oklahoma State University in the 21st century, the need to advance our leadership curriculum has never been more critical.

Today is the time to invest in our future. Together, we can create a premier student leadership education and experience at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. This comprehensive program will provide the leaders we desperately need for tomorrow.

Dr. Janet Cunningham Allen E. "Skeeter" Bird