OU President David L. Boren announced a $100 million fund-raising campaign for the College of Engineering to build faculty and scholarship endowments and fund research.

The college has already received $32 million in gifts and pledges. Boren hopes the fund-raiser will produce the most sought-after graduates and serve as an engine for economic growth for Oklahoma.

"Our engineering college plays a critical role in keeping top Oklahoma students in the state and attracting top out-of-state students," Boren said. "Its faculty are not only bringing important national research dollars, but they are developing technology that can become the state's new industries."

The campaign will fund a new engineering and technology center to fuel Oklahoma's future.

W. Arthur Porter, engineering dean, said the campaign has been made possible by alumni volunteers.

"The fact that the Campaign for Engineering is close to reaching one-third of its $100 million goal is a testament to the commitment of the

college's alumni and friends and their belief in the importance of this drive to the University of Oklahoma, the College of Engineering and the state of Oklahoma," Porter said.

Charles Stephenson, engineering alumnus, and his wife, Peggy, donated $6 million during the silent phase of the campaign.

Their gift will support the construction of a Multi-Purpose Research Facility on the new research campus on the southern portion of the OU Norman campus. The facility will provide space for high-priority research programs, including those in computer science, computer engineering and robotics research.

Stephenson, chairman of Vintage Petroleum in Tulsa, said he is glad the college will benefit directly from his gift.

"The College of Engineering is such an important part of OU, and its growth is critical to our state," Stephenson said.

William Barkow, engineering alumnus in Nevada, made a $4 million commitment to support the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The money will go towards a scholarship already in his name as well as endowed faculty positions and graduate teaching assistantships.

Barkow said he wants to help fund students' education because he had a hard time paying for school when he attended OU in the early 1940s.

"Although there was no tuition at the time I attended OU, it was very difficult to get money just to pay for lab fees and books," Barkow said. "I lived at home in Oklahoma City and drove fellow students to Norman for the little money I had. I give credit for much of my success to my experience at the university and, in order to give something in return, I want to support future students with their expenses and opportunities while attending OU."

His gift also will provide unrestricted funds to be used at the discretion of the school's director for projects that support its academic mission.

Curtis Mewborne, a 1958 petroleum engineering alumnus of Texas, gave $6 million to endow OU's Mewborne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.

The college has already conducted groundbreaking research in many areas such as bioengineering, software engineering and nanotechnology. Engineering has more than 2,800 students and is ranked in the top five nationally among publicly supported engineering colleges in the enrollment of National Scholars.

The campaign will continue until the college's centennial anniversary in 2006.
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