Heroes of the Hill awards were presented to Dr. Richard Mosier (from left), Lisa Surritte (on behalf of her late mother, Carlene Webber), Donne Pitman (on behalf of the H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust), and members of the Podpechan family (on behalf of Frank W. Podpechan). Also receiving a Heroes of the Hill award was Stratton Taylor (accepted by Clayton Taylor).
The Rogers State University Foundation held a special event this past weekend to celebrate five decades of philanthropy, honor those who helped in its successes and to look ahead to future growth.
The RSU Foundation 50th Anniversary Celebration and Dinner was held Saturday, Aug. 19 in the Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center on the university’s Claremore campus.
Opening remarks were made by Vice President for Development and Master of Ceremonies Steve Valencia.
“Welcome to RSU as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the chartering of the Rogers State University Foundation,” Valencia began. “The Foundation’s mission is simple – to support the mission of Rogers State University by providing aid for charitable and educational purposes. The Foundation functions independently of the university but works in partnership with RSU through a joint operating agreement.
“As Vice President for Development at RSU, I serve as the university’s liaison to the Foundation and its leadership,” he continued. “Through this role, I have the privilege of working closely with a number of successful, talented and passionate individuals who govern the Foundation as members of its Board of Directors.”
One such individual with whom Valencia works closely is Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Nick Harris.
“What a great evening and a great cause,” Harris said. “I’ve had the pleasure to serve as the chairman of the RSU Foundation Board of Directors for the past two years and on behalf of the board, I welcome each of you to tonight’s festivities in which we, the Foundation, celebrate 50 years of changing lives. Tonight, we recognize the work of the Foundation, but we honor the work of those who made that work possible – from those who will be honored tonight, past and current board members and most importantly, those who – through their generosity and belief in the mission of Rogers State University – have contributed to the Foundation for the past 50 years.
“The impact of graduates from this university and its predecessor institutions – Oklahoma Military Academy, Claremore Junior College – have been felt in every corner of northeast Oklahoma and the world,” he said. “While tonight we celebrate our past accomplishments, we also look forward. Some may say that public education faces a challenging future. That may be the case, but everyone in this room tonight has the ability to make RSU’s future one filled with opportunities for growth, impact and success.”
Harris then recognized Foundation board members past and present, after which Valencia returned to the podium and recognized a few individuals who had made special contributions to the success of the Foundation – Dr. Danette Boyle and the late Bill Flanagan and Bobbye Mooney.
“Dr. Danette Boyle has spent most of her life in service to Claremore Junior College and eventually Rogers State,” he said. “She has played a prominent role in securing most of the Foundation’s endowments and its largest gifts. Through her work as director of the Oklahoma Military Academy Alumni Association, she has successfully worked to create a bond between the Academy and its cadets, and today’s RSU students. The Foundation and RSU are beneficiaries of a lifetime of work and we owe her a debt of gratitude.”
Valencia then acknowledged the loss of Bobbye Mooney and Bill Flanagan, both of whom provided leadership to the board, secured new donors and personally contributed to the Foundation’s causes.
RSU President Dr. Larry Rice speaks during the RSU Foundations 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Following this, RSU President Dr. Larry Rice took to the podium for his remarks.
“This is a day of celebration on the Hill. The people in this room are the reason why we’re having this celebration and I want to start by saying thank you to our Development team and the Foundation Board,” Rice said. “These events don’t happen by accident, and they’ve worked hard to put this event together to allow us to celebrate the accomplishments of the Foundation over the last 50 years.
“Someone else I’d like to pay special recognition to tonight is State Regent Anita Holloway, who’s our liaison on the OU Board of Regents and who is a champion for RSU in so many ways,” he said. “We’re so thankful for her support and work on behalf of RSU.”
Rice further acknowledged Foundation Board Chairman Nick Harris, Foundation board members, Valencia, and his wife, RSU First Lady Peggy Rice.
RSU Foundation Board Chairman Nick Harris (left) and RSU President Dr. Larry Rice (right) congratulate Dr. Richard Mosier (center) as a recipient of the Heroes of the Hill award.
“During tonight’s program, we’ll be honoring the recipients of the Heroes of the Hill award,” he said. “You’ll be hearing about all of them later, but I wouldn’t be here – and you wouldn’t be here – if it wasn’t for Richard Mosier (former president of Claremore Junior College and Rogers State College).
Dr. Mosier was instrumental in making the transition from Oklahoma Military Academy to Claremore Junior College where as president one of his first initiatives was the establishment of a Foundation to support the College, which later became the RSU Foundation. He’s a visionary leader. Today, as the president of Rogers State University, I get to stand on the shoulders of his accomplishments, so thank you, Dr. Mosier.”
Rice further acknowledged the evening’s other award recipients, including Donne Pitman with the Chapman Trust, after which Chapman Dining Hall is named; Sen. Stratton Taylor, himself a Claremore Junior College alumnus and champion for RSU, helping the university become a four-year baccalaureate degree granting institution; the late Carlene Webber, who gave decades of devotion to the Foundation; and Frank Podpechan and the Podpechan family, who established one of the three largest endowments at RSU and whose family gave the lead gift for the Podpechan Family Auditorium in the Health Sciences building.
“Students are at the heart of the Foundation’s mission,” Rice said. “Everything the Foundation does, all of the funds you give so generously, are designed to improve the educational quality and career outcomes of the students at RSU.”
“What a tremendous impact the Foundation has made in its first 50 years,” he said. “I’m excited to see what wonderful things will happen in the coming years because of the Foundation’s work on behalf of our students. The future is bright at Rogers State University.”
Following Rice, keynote speaker Marnie Taylor, president and CEO of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits, spoke on the impact of RSU and the work of the Foundation, and the importance of the partnership between philanthropy and higher education.
The presentation of the Heroes of the Hill awards followed the keynote, with Department Chair and Professor of Fine Arts Dr. Hugh Foley reading the biographies of the respective award recipients.
Clayton Taylor (center) accepted the Heroes of Hill award on behalf of Sen. Stratton Taylor. Taylor is flanked by RSU Foundation Board Chairman Nick Harris (left) and RSU President Dr. Larry Rice (right).
Honorees noted for their extraordinary contributions to the Foundation included former university president Dr. Richard H. Mosier; Frank W. Podpechan, accepted by Joe Podpechan and members of the Podpechan family; Stratton Taylor, accepted by Clayton Taylor; Carlene Webber (posthumously), accepted by her daughter Lisa Surritte; and the H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Charitable Trust, accepted by Donne Pitman.
The evening ended with Valencia again thanking the Heroes of the Hill and making a landmark announcement.
“As the Foundation celebrates this milestone, we have another milestone that has been reached,” he said. “Dr. Rice, you have frequently reminded me that you wanted to see the Foundation set a record for scholarship dollars awarded in a single year. We worked hard, and I think we’re going to give you a million reasons to smile.
“For the first time ever, the Foundation has awarded more than 1 million dollars in scholarship support for our students — $1,001,624 — and that’s something to celebrate.”
To make a tax-deductible donation to the RSU Foundation or for more information, call 918-343-8357 or visit www.rsu.edu/foundation.