Few Oklahoma State University () alumni have done as much to benefit athletics as Mike Gundy. He was a record-setting, four-year starting quarterback at from 1986 to ‘89. He returned to his alma mater in 2005 to become head coach and to lead the Cowboys to national prominence. This past season, he led to a school-record 11 wins capped by a school-record fifth straight bowl appearance, with a 36-10 win over the University of Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.

Coach Gundy and his wife, Kristen, also an graduate, are continuing to make a difference at , announcing today a scholarship gift of $166,667 to endow the quarterback position on the football team. The gift from Mike and Kristen Gundy qualifies for a 2:1 match from the Pickens Legacy Scholarship Match program established by distinguished alumnus T. Boone Pickens. The match pushes the total impact of the gift to $500,000, which will annually produce $25,000 for tuition, fees, books and living expenses for quarterbacks.

“Kristen and I are pleased to support the “Branding Success” campaign for . This university means a great deal to our family. We received a wonderful education here and today we both count it a big honor for me to coach at and for our family to live in Stillwater. As I said the day I was appointed head coach at , ‘This is my New York Yankees job.’ Yes, athletics are indeed important to every major university; but academics are truly most important. This endowed scholarship is one way we can say thank you to for our education and underscore our belief that our players are athletes second and students first.”

Gundy continued, “There is no doubt Kristen and I have been inspired by the leadership of both President Burns Hargis and Athletic Director Mike Holder, as well as the indescribable generosity of T. Boone Pickens. I am confident we will surpass the billion dollar goal of the Branding Success campaign. OSU’s future – academically and athletically – is as bright and promising as ever. Kristen and I want to thank Boone, Burns and Mike for what they are doing everyday to move our exceptional university forward.”

This donation has helped OSU’s student-athlete scholarship endowment campaign surpass the $40 million mark toward a goal of raising $115 million to endow all 229 athletic positions in 18 men and women sports. The student-athletic endow program will benefit all 467 student-athletes who represent . In the past three years, has moved into second place in the Big 12 in student-athletic endowed scholarships.
“This is a generous gift from Coach Gundy and his wife Kristen. Of course, we are pleased with the success we are experiencing with our football program under Coach Gundy’s leadership. As OSU’s President, I am especially pleased with Coach Gundy’s emphasis on graduating his players. Coach is right when he says his players are students first. I personally appreciate his commitment to graduate his players. There is no stronger leadership than leading by example. We appreciate the example Mike and Kristen have set with their scholarship gift,” said V. Burns Hargis, OSU’s President.

“I had no idea how successful the matching program would be at motivating thousands of supporters to become involved in reaching toward the ambitious $500 million Branding Success scholarship goal,” commented T. Boone Pickens, alumnus and national energy and philanthropic leader. “I am always pleased to learn about people who have taken advantage of the match for scholarships and professorships. But, I must say, I was especially pleased to learn of Coach Gundy and his wife’s gift to endow the quarterback position at . Mike and Kristen are real assets to . Like me, they love this university and want nothing more than to see it succeed at the highest level both academically and athletically. I know I speak for many in our loyal fan base who appreciate the wonderful job Mike is doing to build one of the top football programs in the nation the right way.”

The Foundation serves as the private fundraising organization for . The Foundation’s mission is to unite donors and university passions and priorities to achieve excellence.

Oklahoma State University is a proud land-grant institution with a clear focus on preparing students to succeed in life by strongly emphasizing to work with pride, live with courage, speak with honesty and keep all promises. has more than 35,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 23,000 students on its Stillwater campus with a diverse student population representing the 50 states and 118 nations. Established in 1890, has graduated more than 200,000 students.

Updated 04-12-2011

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