2018 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER SPRING IN 1994 FEW COULD HAVE IMAGINED WHAT AN AMAZING DIFFERENCE THE DAVID BOREN YEARS WOULD MAKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA resident’s Leadership Boren’s beautification efforts, leading to Leadership Wing, University (Faculty) Class alumni returning OU’s designation as one of the 25 most Club restoration, the Center for Creation to the campus – even beautiful campuses in America – but of Economic Wealth and Institute for those who had been here there is so much more. The International Quality Communities, a new School of during the 23 years of Studies emphasis has been transformative, Biomedical Engineering and such student David L. Boren’s tenure leading to a new college, with three study traditions as the Ring Ceremony, Sooner as president – are startled by the ongoing centers abroad in Italy, Mexico and Brazil. Yearbook, Arbor Day, Senior Class Gift, Ptransformation that has taken place. While The OU Health Sciences Center in Adopt-a-Prof, Leadership Carving Party, historic landmarks remain, they look Oklahoma City has added the Stephenson Safe Ride, and programs in expository better than ever. Additions, renovations, Cancer Center (recently named a National writing and religious studies. expansion, beautification – and inside Cancer Institute Designated Cancer New, expanded or renovated those hallowed walls, new programs, even Center), the Harold Hamm Diabetes facilities since 1994 number 60 on new colleges, state-of-the art equipment Center, a new College of Allied Health, the Norman Campus – from Gaylord – supported by exceptional faculty, highly the David L. Boren Student Union and Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to qualified students, public service projects acquisition of the Presbyterian Research the fine arts buildings to Bizzell Library and volunteerism – taking place on all Park. A whole new campus now exists for to classrooms and laboratories, athletic three OU campuses. OU-Tulsa and the nation’s first School of facilities and research centers. The Health Among the more than 30 new Community Medicine has been formed in Sciences Center counts 16 construction programs established, perhaps the first to partnership with the University of Tulsa. and update projects, while five more have assault the senses is First Lady Molly Shi Zipping through just some of other transformed OU-Tulsa. new and repositioned programs: the Add in the private support and Residential Colleges, Faculty-in-Residence, general good will that has characterized Honors Fellows, housing diversity, this period in Sooner history, and the President’s Trophy, flat-rate tuition, conclusion is inevitable: David and Molly OU Cousins, revitalized Oklahoma Shi Boren – and the University they served Memorial Union and addition of its new – have had a colossal run. THE GALLOGLY ERA WILL BEGIN JULY 1, 2018 As the university prepared for a gala one of the world’s largest petrochemical, celebration honoring retiring President polymers and refining companies. David Boren, the OU community was Previously he served for 29 years in also welcoming his successor, OU law executive roles with ConocoPhillips, alumnus and major benefactor James L. Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and “Jim” Gallogly. It was a familiar sight in Phillips Petroleum Company and earlier the packed Molly Shi Boren Ballroom – was in private law practice in Denver. red and white balloons, the music of The The philanthropic support that he Pride, spirit squads and accolades – all for and his wife, Janet, have given to higher this highly regarded business executive education, at OU and elsewhere, is known for his transformative leadership wide-ranging. He is a member of the OU style in management of large and complex Gallogly College of Engineering Board of organizations. Visitors and the University of Colorado Gallogly, 65, is former Chairman and Engineering Advisory Council and serves The Paul Moore statue of President David L. Chief Executive Officer of LyondellBasell, on the executive committee of the M.D. Boren stands in the garden north of Monnet Hall, overlooking Parrington Oval and the statue of his a company he guided in record time from Anderson Cancer Center Board of mentor, President George L. Cross. Chapter 11 bankruptcy to a position as Visitors in Houston. NO SAD GOODBYES, JUST CELEBRATION OF DECADES OF REMARKABLE SERVICE or the past nearly 24 years, David and Molly Shi Boren have hosted an astonishing array of special events. In the belief that the University of Oklahoma should be a destination point for the entire state, they have supervised the transformation of OU’s campuses – Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa – into architecturally impressive, Fgloriously landscaped gems – all the while advancing nationally recognized academic programs. Then they brought in top- tier speakers and name entertainers, sponsored musical and dramatic performances and supported nationally successful athletic competitions. They made students an essential part of the equation, along with faculty, staff, alumni and community members. Weekend after weekend, and weekdays, too, there was And one more time, President Boren lifts his forefinger and joins in the singing of always something going on at the University of Oklahoma. “The OU Chant.” On April 20-22, 2018, the University Community returned the favor to the retiring presidential couple. It was a Celebration to remember. THE APPRECIATION DINNER On Friday night in the Embassy Suites Ballroom, an estimated 1,800 gathered to thank the Borens for those two decades, to toast their good health, wish them well in the years to come and view an impressive array of video tributes. And what would a Boren event be without a noted keynote speaker? In this case it was a familiar face, the best-selling historian and Boren friend David McCullough. The evening concluded with The Pride of Oklahoma leading the crowd in “Boomer Sooner,” “Oklahoma!” and “The OU Chant.” PLC AND CRIMSON CLUB TOO – Several An estimated 1,800 celebrants sat down to dinner in the Embassy Suites Ballroom on April 20 in tribute to members of PLC double as members of Crimson OU’s 13th president, David L. Boren, Oklahoma’s most famous and honored public servant, on his retirement Club, serving as hosts for OU’s special events – and after more than 23 years as the University of Oklahoma’s chief executive. none was more special than the Celebration Dinner for retiring President David L. Boren. Left to right at top are Annie Coffey, Christine Murrain and Dylan Rodolf; bottom, from left, are Maddie Roper, Gagan Moorthy and Michael Thomas. 2 OU Regent Phil and Jo Albert, of Tulsa, who are also PLC parents, attended the preview party for the unveiling of the Boren statue. While the actual statue stood in a driving rain just The unveiling of his statue of President David Boren outside Oklahoma Memorial Union, President brought a deluge of congratulations to the acclaimed Boren demonstrates his approval of the statue’s sculptor, OU’s Paul Moore. representation unveiled in the Will Rogers Room. THE DEDICATION STUDENT LEADERS REUNITED THE PRESIDENT’S CONCERT Heavy rain on Saturday morning – Following the dedication ceremony, One of the Borens’ favorite events, reminiscent of the weather on Presidential it was the alumni’s turn to gather for a the annual President’s Concert, capped Inauguration Day in 1995 – moved the Leadership Reunion Lunch in the Union’s off the weekend festivities on Sunday, ceremonial portion of the unveiling Will Rogers and Clarke-Anderson Rooms. taking on special meaning for the retiring of the Paul Moore statue of the 13th Former members of the President’s presidential couple. Featured were the President inside the Union. The statue Leadership Class, Crimson Club, Pe-et, combined OU Choirs, select soloists and itself stood unfazed in the garden west and the President’s Community Scholars the University Orchestra, performing of the Oklahoma Memorial Union, next caught up and shared memories that Copeland’s “Appalachian Spring” to Monnet Hall where a young David flowed like water from the many Boren- and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Boren earned his OU law degree. From inspired fountains throughout the campus. “Pathétique.” that vantage point, the Boren statue has a clear view of the statue of his mentor, George L. Cross. OU staff members at the Leadership Reunion luncheon – Craig Hayes, left, Not only was First Lady Molly Shi Boren delighted with the soaring music of the Nanette Shadid Hathaway and Jill Quintana Hughes – were members of PLC President’s Concert, she was overcome when senior Skye Singleton, who has been ’91, were PLC student advisers, named to Pe-et and graduated in President David the soloist leading “The OU Chant” at events this year, presented her with an arm Boren’s first OU Class of 1995. Hathaway is the current PLC director. bouquet of flowers in – you guessed it – red and white. 3 THE UNIVERSITY HAS ITS 14TH PRESIDENT AND PLC HAS ITS 8TH PRESIDENTIAL SPONSOR long with all the other responsibilities and challenges that a new president of the University of Oklahoma inherits is the special relationship with the 125 Afreshmen members of the President’s George L. Cross J. Herbert Hollomon Leadership Class by serving as PLC’s 1943-1968 1968-1970 principal sponsor. It doesn’t take long for the new chief executive to realize that this is a unique group of young people, carefully chosen for their leadership potential, capable of contributing PLC Student Advisers Emily Humphreys, left, and immeasurably to the quality of campus Carlos Rubio Regalado, right, were part of a group of campus leaders welcoming President Designate life and eventually to the community, state Jim Gallogly at a pre-announcement reception in the and nation. Presidents, having their own Crawford University Club. priorities, participate in the life of PLC in different ways, some more directly than others. But there is never any doubt that William S.