Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tulsa Couple Commit $250,000 Toward Business Professorship at OSU-Tulsa
Regent Helm and wife Fayenelle seek to jointly strengthen OSU and Tulsa TULSA - Oklahoma State University announced today a $250,000 gift from Tulsa residents Jay and Fayenelle Helm to create a business professorship at OSU-Tulsa. Once fully matched dollar-for-dollar by T. Boone Pickens’ $100 million chair match commitment, as well as the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the gift will have the impact of $1 million in endowed funds. The current president of American Residential Group, Helm received a business degree from OSU in 1970. A current member of the OSU A&M Board of Regents, the gift creates the Jay and Fayenelle Helm Professorship located within the business college at OSU-Tulsa. The couple’s daughter graduated last year from OSU’s College of Arts & Sciences. “The response from our alumni and friends has exceeded our wildest expectations,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “Inspired by Boone Pickens’ astounding generosity, donors answered the call to make a lasting difference and open a new and exciting chapter at OSU. We sincerely appreciate everything Jay and Fayenelle have done for OSU and want to say a special thanks for this important gift.” In order to take full advantage of the state’s dollar-for-dollar match, and make the most significant impact on OSU academics, the Helms made the gift prior to the July 1 change in the state’s endowed chair matching program. This gift is part of the $66.8 million in endowed faculty gifts OSU announced recently. Jay began his service on the OSU-Tulsa Alumni Board and the Spears School of Business Alumni Advisory Board in the 90s. He was one of the original OSU-Tulsa Trustees appointed by the governor in 1999. He currently serves as an OSU Board of Regent and remains on the OSU-Tulsa Board of Trustees. “Our philanthropic support of OSU derives from our genuine belief in OSU and specifically in OSU-Tulsa,” said Jay. “We want all students to receive a first rate education in Tulsa and in the State of Oklahoma.” Jean Van Delinder, chair of the OSU Faculty Council, said, “OSU is poised for growth and further prominence but to realize its full potential we must continue to attract and retain top scholars and researchers. These chairs highlight the important role that scholarship and teaching play at Oklahoma State University, and they are made possible through the generous support of donors who value excellence in scholarship and want to help OSU continue to nurture a strong faculty.” Endowed professorships and chairs are academic designations which provide support for faculty salary, graduate assistantships, equipment and research needs, as well as other support. These endowed faculty positions allow a university to attract and retain the best and the brightest academic minds in the world. CONTACT: Gary Shutt Oklahoma State University 405-744-6260 Becky Endicott OSU Foundation 405-385-5151
