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Cotton farmer’s nearly $1 million estate to benefit OSU ag programs
STILLWATER, Okla. – Arthur L. Reed never attended Oklahoma State University. In fact, the Cox City, Okla. native never even went to college. However, he wanted his remaining assets to benefit generations of agriculture students, faculty and Oklahomans dependent on cutting-edge agricultural and natural resource research.
Therefore, the OSU Foundation announced today the establishment of the Arthur L. Reed Endowed Chair, made possible through a nearly $1 million estate gift by Reed, a cotton and cattle farmer.
Reed left his estate, totaling more than $900,000, to the OSU Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR), which is comprised of the college and two statewide agencies: the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system and the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
The purpose of the Arthur L. Reed Chair is to encourage excellence in teaching, research and outreach in the division, with special emphasis on development of soil management practices to meet the needs of changing agriculture.
“Through this gift we are going to be able to attract highly qualified research faculty members who will add to our strong reputation of renowned scientific investigation,” said Robert E. Whitson, vice president, dean and director of DASNR. “The land-grant mission starts with unbiased scientific discovery, which then makes its way into classrooms, ensuring our students are receiving the best possible training, and extension programs, which affect the quality of people’s lives on local, state, regional, national and international scales.”
As a cotton and cattle producer and oil field worker, Reed was involved in agriculture throughout his life and saw the continued need for research and development in this area.
“A significant amount of support for DASNR comes from estate and other deferred gifts,” said Gary Clark, former vice president and general counsel at the OSU Foundation. “Many of DASNR’s supporters have made plans to create endowments out of their estates. Such plans often allow them to make larger gifts to a cause they support than they would otherwise be able to do.”
One of OSU’s strategic objectives is to rank among the top 75 research universities in the country, and gifts like Reed’s will support the university in reaching this long-term goal.
The OSU Foundation serves as the private fundraising organization for the university, as designated by the OSU Regents. Its mission is to unite donor and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence. For more information on the OSU Foundation, call 405-385-5100 or access the organization’s Web site at http://www.OSUgiving.com on the Internet.
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REPORTER/MEDIA CONTACT:
Becky Endicott
OSU Foundation
Oklahoma State
University
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-385-5151
E-Mail: bendicott@OSUgiving.com
Oklahoma State University, U. S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local governments cooperating. Oklahoma State University in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures, and is an equal opportunity employer.
