NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TULSA, OK PERMIT NO. 147 Alumni Embrace the Future C 800 S. Tucker Drive AMPAIGN Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104-9700 magazineSPRING 2010 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Celebra e our heritage HOMECOMING 2010 Save the date for Homecoming october 15-16, 2010 We hope you will join us in October on the TU campus as the Alumni Association hosts Homecoming 2010. We’ll celebrate TU’s Who would have heritage, so we encourage you to bring your TU memorabilia back to campus. Check the Alumni Web site for more information coming soon at DREAMED? www.tualumni.com Embrace the Future C AMPAIGN The Future is Now Now in TU’s second century, a new generation has stepped for- ore than 100 years ago, a group of business- ward to develop a strategic plan to capture new opportunities. men reached deep into their own pockets During the past four years, these men and women have engaged M to bring higher education to Tulsa. These in the quiet phase of a comprehensive campaign to advance far-sighted civic leaders recognized that the scholarship and research at TU while enhancing a vibrant resi- city’s transformation from small city to regional powerhouse dential campus that attracts the world’s best and brightest to required an institution of higher learning that was equal to live, learn, and play here in Tulsa. This magazine launches the size of their dreams. From those hardscrabble early the public phase of our Embrace the Future campaign by days, The University of Tulsa developed unmatched aca- saluting the business and civic leaders whose investments demic programs and now stands as one of the nation’s top strengthen TU today — and for generations to come. 100 doctoral universities. Embrace the Future Campaign Edition Vision in action Dear Friends, If you have visited campus in the last for innovative programs, talented year or so, you know that Evanston and faculty and outstanding students. South College Avenues have disappeared These advances are happening and that South Tucker Drive now leads because the Board of Trustees and visitors around a grand new entrance university leadership spent more than from Eleventh Street. You know that a year in strategic assessment of TU’s student “residential villages” have role — both in the Tulsa community replaced ramshackle apartments and and in the arena of our nation’s most parking lots. Indeed, everything you prestigious universities. We did not see from the front gate is different and begin by asking how much funding exciting and bespeaks the quality of the we thought we could raise — a typical When we developed line items TU experience. starting point for many campaigns. under each objective, we concluded This issue of the TU Magazine Instead, we asked what it would take that we would need about $400 highlights the sweeping progress made to make TU one of the nation’s Top million. As it happened, this funding possible by our ongoing Embrace the 50-ranked universities. fell in nearly perfect thirds among Future Campaign. This effort, the largest Beginning in late 2005, we analyzed the major categories of (1) student fund-raising initiative in TU history, ourselves in comparison to institutions assistance, (2) faculty support, and (3) has entered its official public phase – like Duke, Washington University and capital projects. the final critical leg that will bring our Vanderbilt. Establishing benchmarks Undaunted by the goal, our ambitions home. In these pages, you and defining goals was no easy process, longtime friends and champions Bob CAMPAIGN FEATURES DEPARTMENTS will read about unmistakable signs of but in the end, we articulated a clear and Roxana Lorton agreed to chair growth — wonderful new and refurbished and compelling framework for TU’s 2 Embrace the Future Campaign Chairs this campaign (see page 2). I am 56 Alumni News buildings; attractive places for recreation future and the resources it would take deeply grateful to the Lortons, to the 4 Recruit and Retain Top Students and reflection; and fortified endowments to realize this vision. 57 Class Notes other trustees who have charted and 13 Advancing Scholarship, Research and invested in a bold course, and to the Economic Development 64 In Memoriam many campaign volunteers and donors Six objectives emerged as our who have affirmed the worthiness of 26 Acquire & Maintain Tools of Learning 65 Bookend campaign cornerstones. These this major undertaking. 32 Realign Curriculum for an Increasingly are: Samuel Johnson keenly observed, International World “The future is purchased by the n Recruit & Retain Top Students present.” Today, through these down 38 Extend TU’s Legacy of Community payments of hard work and generous n Advance Scholarship, Partnership and Service giving, our friends are purchasing an Alumni Research & Economic exciting future for TU, our state and 46 Build Reputation in NCAA Athletics Development magazine SPRING 2010 the world. I encourage you to take the 52 Our Campaign Cabinet n Acquire & Maintain Tools of time to read about our progress, and Learning I invite you to join the thousands who have already supported this ambitious n Realign Curriculum for an vision. Steadman Upham Karen Kilgore, EDITOR/WRITER Increasingly International The University of Tulsa PRESIDENT Leslie Cairns (MA ’99), CREATIVE DIRECTOR World All the best, Alumni Magazine Janis I. Zink PHOTOGRAPHY senior vice president for planning and Walt Beazley, n Extend TU’s Legacy of The University of Tulsa Magazine OUTREACH ISSN 1544-5763 is published by The University of Tulsa, The University of Tulsa does not discriminate on the basis of Community Partnership and 800 S. Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104-9700. Publication Joan Crenshaw Nesbitt (BA ’86) personal status or group characteristics including but not limited to Service dates may vary according to the University’s calendar, vice president, institutional advancement the classes protected under federal and state law in its programs, services, aids, or benefits. Inquiries regarding implementation of this events and scheduling. n Build Reputation in NCAA Amy Freiberger (BSBA ’96, MBA ’99) policy may be addressed to the Office of Human Resources, 800 S. director of alumni relations Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104-9700, (918) 631-2616. Requests for Division I Athletics POSTMASTER: Send change of address to The Jeffrey Rudd (BSBA ’01) accommodation of disabilities may be addressed to the University’s Steadman Upham University of Tulsa Magazine, Office of Alumni Relations, 504 Coordinator, Dr. Jane Corso, (918) 631-2315. To ensure associate director of alumni relations President The University of Tulsa, 800 S. Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK availability of an interpreter, five to seven days notice is needed; 48 74104-9700. Nancy Meyer (BS ’72) hours is recommended for all other accommodations. TU#9240 assistant director of alumni relations TO CONTACT US OR TO COMMENT ON THIS MAGAZINE: Katy Hough (918) 631-2555 • (800) 219-4688 • [email protected] coordinator of alumni relations Our Campaign Leaders A bright thread weaving through TU’s proud history: the Lorton family’s commitment rustee and alumnus Bob Lorton beloved music professor and composer Béla Rózsa. are rallying the friends and resources that will propel “Tulsa’s future will depend on innovation, insightful (BA ’64) remembers attending the Rózsa devoted 29 years to TU’s School of Music as a TU into the future — and ultimately into the ranks of leadership, and the rich perspectives that come groundbreaking for Lorton Hall, a gift teacher, department head, and resident creative force. the nation’s 50 finest universities. from a broad-based education. Bob and Roxana T to TU from his grandparents. Bob’s Now, Bob and Roxana have added another “To grasp the full magnitude of Bob and Roxana’s are passionate ambassadors for TU’s role in Tulsa’s wife, Roxana (BA ’63), also a trustee chapter to the story of their family’s service. By leadership in this campaign, we have to understand progress, and the response we are enjoying in and alumna, grew up on campus, the daughter of cochairing the Embrace the Future Campaign, they what is at stake,” said TU President Steadman Upham. this campaign underscores the strength of their leadership.” A large part of the Lortons’ motivation is perhaps best stated by the campaign’s tagline: “It’s all about people.” “We said ‘yes’ to the leadership position because people we deeply care about asked us to take up the cause,” explains Roxana. “And we are having a great time, discovering that everyone wants to hear the TU story and be on a winning team!” Jan Zink, TU’s senior vice president for planning and outreach, describes the Lortons as peerless fundraisers — a role they previously fulfilled as cochairs of TU’s New Century Campaign (1993-1998). “There are several reasons for their success, but I think the major source of their fundraising effectiveness is that they are, themselves, uncommonly generous. It would be difficult to find a worthy cause in Tulsa which they have not enthusiastically supported,” Zink observes. Most recently, the Lortons have helped fund TU’s transformation along Eleventh Street with gifts to Collins Hall and Lorton Village. Another generous gift launched construction of the single most ambitious facility in university history — the Roxana Rózsa and Robert Eugene Lorton Performance Center. According to Zink, the couple contributes “Bob and Roxana Lorton have attacked the campaign another key ingredient: fun. “Bob told me he would ‘do this only if we can have some fun with with unbridled enthusiasm and energy. They have led by it,’” she said. “I have watched amazed as they example, dreamed big, and played a giant role in creating have turned campaign solicitations into a series of the vision of what The University of Tulsa can become.