OSU Center for Health Sciences raises $800,000 in Tulsa event

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences gathered supporters in Tulsa on Thursday for its inaugural Orange Impact event. The gathering secured more than $800,000 to fund student scholarships and build a campus wellness center. The event highlighted campus growth and medical education innovations.

OSU President Jim Hess said financial barriers remain the biggest hurdle for modern students. He noted that students want higher education but struggle with costs.

“Young people aren’t really questioning the relevance of higher education. Their problem is determining how to afford it, and we want to be able to provide every single student desiring higher education with financial support,” Hess said. “If we want to continue to change lives and create opportunities for this next generation, scholarship fundraising is the most pivotal thing we can do.”

Saint Francis Health System served as the presenting sponsor for the gathering. Close to 160 people attended.

Attendees included alumni, legislative leaders, tribal representatives, and healthcare partners in Tulsa. More than a dozen OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine students also attended.

U.S. District Judge Terence Kern, his wife Jeanette Kern, and Tom Headington pledged $500,00 toward the new facility. The project will add a wellness center to the OSU-CHS campus.

Second-year medical student Taylor Spence, from Kingston, OK., spoke about scholarship support. She addressed the crowd about the value of donor funding.

“There is something incredibly meaningful about knowing that someone else believes your education is worth investing in. Right now, I’m still a student learning and asking questions. And yes, someone has decided that what I’m working toward is worth supporting. I don’t take that lightly,” Spence said.

OSU-CHS said students aim to impact their local communities after graduation. U.S. News & World Report ranked the school number 1 in graduates practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas. The publication also ranked it number 8 for graduates in rural areas.

OSU-CHS President Johnny Stephens stated that the rankings reflect regional service.

“Those rankings represent more than institutional success. They represent communities gaining physicians, families gaining access to care, and students transforming their education into service. That is our land-grant mission in action,” Stephens said. “Our students, faculty and staff are answering the call every day by transforming education into service, research into solutions and medical expertise into better health for Oklahomans.”

The academic institution trains osteopathic physicians and health scientists in Tulsa. Medical schools regularly host fundraising events to offset tuition costs and construct specialized student facilities.

Officials celebrated the donor commitments during the evening program. The contributions support future healthcare training.