Henry Bellmon Scholarship Announced at OSU-Tulsa

OSU-Tulsa President Gary Trennepohl gathers with OSU graduates Linda Sponsler, Gov. Bellmon event chair and Russ Florence, Tulsa Press Club President to celebrate the creation of the Governor Henry Bellmon/Tulsa Press Club President's Distinguished Scholarship at OSU-Tulsa.

TULSA - A farmer, soldier, educator, senator and governor. Henry Bellmon is a true Oklahoma original.

Bellmon's Oklahoma roots run deep and for many years he has worked to advance the quality of life in Oklahoma. Celebrating his leadership, Bellmon was recently honored by the Tulsa Press Club as its 2006 Headliner honoree. Donations and proceeds from the event will be used to create the Governor Henry Bellmon/Tulsa Press Club President's Distinguished Scholarship at OSU-Tulsa.

The $55,000 endowed scholarship will be OSU-Tulsa's first President's Distinguished Scholarship, which is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship at OSU. The scholarship will be awarded to students with outstanding academic credentials and strong leadership abilities.

"The creation of the Henry Bellmon Scholarship at OSU-Tulsa will create a legacy that helps bring a college education within the reach of talented and deserving students," said OSU-Tulsa President Gary Trennepohl. "It is an honor to have Governor Bellmon's leadership celebrated through a scholarship that creates an investment in our students who are tomorrow's leaders."

During the event, leaders from the media, government and business took turns paying tribute to one of Oklahoma's most distinguished statesmen. The dinner's theme, "An Oklahoma Original," highlighted Bellmon's extraordinary life.

A native of Billings, Oklahoma, Bellmon grew up on a farm his father homesteaded in 1897. Knowing he wanted to be a farmer, Bellmon studied agriculture and graduated from Oklahoma A&M (now OSU) in 1942. Following graduation, Bellmon served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was a tank platoon leader in World War II.

Following the war, he returned to farming and entered politics. Bellmon was elected to the Oklahoma legislature in 1946, and in 1962 was elected Oklahoma's first Republican governor. Under Oklahoma law at the time, he was not able to run for a second term.

Bellmon was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1968 and reelected in 1974. He did not run for a third term. In 1986, he was again elected governor of Oklahoma.

Throughout his career, Bellmon has championed education in Oklahoma, specifically with the passage of HB 1017, an educational reform bill that passed during his second term as

governor. As the state's chief executive officer, economic development and making Oklahoma an attractive place to do business was also a high priority for Bellmon.

Russ Florence, Tulsa Press Club president and vice president of Schnake Turnbo Frank, said no one is more deserving of the recognition than Bellmon.

"Few people in modern Oklahoma have the widespread respect and admiration that Governor Bellmon has," he said. "As a public servant, Governor Bellmon took bold steps in moving our state forward. But he did so with tact and humility, without alienating any part of his constituency. That's the mark of a true leader."

OSU-Tulsa Celebrates Trennepohl Endowed Chair with "A Stately Affair"

TULSA - Oklahoma State University supporters recently honored OSU-Tulsa President Gary Trennepohl by establishing an endowed chair in his name. The President Gary L. Trennepohl Chair in Leadership was funded in part through proceeds from "A Stately Affair," a black-tie gala on May 20th at OSU-Tulsa.

"A Stately Affair" is a new OSU-Tulsa fundraising initiative that will generate private funds for scholarships, community initiatives and program needs. With an emphasis on the creation of Trennepohl's endowed chair, the theme for the 2006 event was "The Best Chair in the House."

Monty Butts, Vice Chairman of the OSU Foundation Board of Governors, said creating a presidential chair was the natural choice to honor Trennepohl and to support top priorities at the university for generations to come.

"President Trennepohl is a highly regarded educator and community leader who is deserving of this prestigious designation," Monty Butts said. "His passion is creating opportunities for students to learn. We are pleased to salute President Trennepohl's ongoing career contributions to education and his commitment to OSU and the city of Tulsa."

Endowed chairs, which provide long-term funding for the university, are also one of the highest forms of honor and recognition that an administrator or faculty member can receive. The goal of the campaign is to raise $1 million in private funds, which will be eligible to be matched by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

"While I am quite honored by this tribute, I'm even more excited about the dramatic impact the creation of this endowed chair will have on OSU-Tulsa's endeavors," Trennepohl said.

Trennepohl joined the leadership of the OSU system in 1995 as the Dean of the College of Business Administration, now known as the William S. Spears School of Business. In 1999, the Tulsa campus officially became part of the OSU System and President Trennepohl was selected as the first president of the university.

Under Trennepohl's management, OSU-Tulsa's enrollment continues to increase with more than 2,600 students today, up from 886 students in 1999. OSU-Tulsa has also successfully increased the number of resident faculty from five to 52, implemented the OSU Stillwater-Tulsa shuttle (BOB, the Big Orange Bus), renovated lab space, added one-stop career counseling and advising centers, constructed a wellness center for students and alumni, and created a TCC/OSU dual admission program.

Trennepohl also provided leadership to help secure more than $50 million to build the Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center (ATRC). The Helmerich ATRC, made possible through Tulsa County's Vision 2025 initiative, the state's higher education bond issue and Walt and Peggy Helmerich of Tulsa, will focus on four strategic research and technology development thrusts that are part of the fabric and future of the Tulsa region - materials science and engineering, bio-based technologies, energy technologies, and information and control technologies.

Aside from his numerous contributions to the academic field, Trennepohl is also an active leader in the community, serving on the boards for the Oklahoma Conference for Community and Justice, Leadership Oklahoma, Boy Scouts of America and BlueCross and BlueShield of Oklahoma. He also was appointed by the Mayor to the city's Economic Development Commission.

"We're all so impressed with the outstanding job that President Trennepohl is doing and we're happy to establish this chair in his name to honor him and provide resources for future presidents of OSU-Tulsa," Butts said. "The Trennepohl chair will help strengthen the foundation for OSU-Tulsa's future."