Page "Oklahoma State University–Stillwater" Paragraph 14

In 2006, OSU become the recipient of a gift of $ 165 million from alumnus T. Boone Pickens to the university's athletic department, and in 2008 received another gift from Pickens of $ 100 million for endowed academic chairs.

It was the largest gift for academics ever given in the state.

Ethical concerns have been raised in media reports about the propriety of how some of the Pickens gifts have been made, immediately returned to Pickens, and then placed in hedge funds owned by Pickens ' companies In February, 2010, Pickens announced that he was pledging another $ 100 Million to fund a scholarship endowment as part of a $ 1 Billion fund-raising campaign titled " Branding Success.

" The pledge brought the total pledged or contributed to OSU by Pickens to over $ 500 Million.

The " Branding Success " campaign seeks to raise about $ 500 Million for endowed scholarships and fellowships for students, $ 200 million toward attracting and retaining professors and researchers, $ 200 million for the construction and upgrading of educational and research facilities and $ 100 million to create and sustain programs and services to benefit Oklahomans.

One of the first endowed professorships established through the campaign is the Temple Grandin Endowed Professorship in Animal Behavior and Well-Being, named in honor of animal scientist and autistic expert Temple Grandin.