AT&T Oklahoma has presented a gift of $10,000 toward an endowment to provide scholarships for students selected to participate in the President’s Leadership Class at Rogers State University.
“The university is pleased and grateful to accept this generous gift from AT&T Oklahoma,” said RSU President Larry Rice. “The President’s Leadership Class provides numerous opportunities for outstanding students to expand their knowledge and horizons through a variety of events, lectures and activities. We’re excited about this contribution, which will help us continue this terrific program.”
“Improving our educational system at all levels and ensuring that more students stay in school and graduate are important goals for AT&T,” said Bryan Gonterman, President of AT&T Oklahoma. “An educated workforce will help to bring new businesses to our state, generate better-paying jobs and strengthen our overall economy.”
Gonterman also commended state Sen. Sean Burrage and recently elected state Rep. Marty Quinn, both of Claremore, for their ongoing support of initiatives to improve the quality of education in Oklahoma.
The check was presented to the university by Craig Cromley, area manager – external affairs for AT&T Oklahoma.
The gift is part of a campaign to raise $1 million to establish the endowment, which will provide scholarships to RSU students for generations to come, Rice said. The university presently has gifts and pledges totaling nearly half of its goal for the campaign.
The campaign is being led by the RSU Board of Visitors, an organization of prominent business and community leaders who serve as advisors to the president, and coordinated by the RSU Office of Development.
“We are also grateful to members of our Board of Visitors, who provide visionary leadership to the university, and who have led the effort to establish a permanent scholarship endowment for the President’s Leadership Class,” Rice said.
The Board of Visitors has three major functions: to provide advice to the university on significant issues; to assist the institution in building positive relationships with external constituents; and to support the fundraising initiatives of the RSU Foundation. Members are appointed by the RSU president and serve for a term of three years, which may be renewed. The board meets twice a year.
The President’s Leadership Class (PLC) is a four-year scholarship program designed to develop leadership skills and enhance the academic experience of select RSU students. The program provides an environment for students to foster their personal and professional development. PLC members work closely with student groups and university administration to enhance services to students and the community.
Each class member receives an annual award which covers full tuition and fees (minus any other federal, state, or private grants and scholarships).
PLC members are required to attend all regular meetings, special projects, and official gatherings of the class, volunteer for campus service projects, be active members of student organizations, and remain on-call for campus events. They also are expected to attend selected RSU Alumni programs and RSU Foundation events, accompany university recruiters to selected high schools, live in on-campus student housing during their freshman and sophomore years, while completing a minimum of 30 semester credits per academic year and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
For more information on the PLC, contact Dr. Carolyn Taylor at [email protected] or (918) 343-7627.