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Judith Norton
Director of Public Information
580-477-7701
WOSC Foundation, Inc. Announces Establishment of Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson Distinguished Lectureship in Online Education
Members of the Western Oklahoma State College executive leadership team, WOSC Foundation, Inc. Trustees and the Western Board of Regents and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education met to recognize the gift of Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson of Altus for the establishment of the Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson Distinguished Lectureship in Online Education with the WOSC Foundation, Inc. Partners in Education Excellence Program.
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Chancellor Glen Johnson attended the meeting recognizing the Fergeson Lectureship, which qualifies for a matching dollar-for dollar gift from the State Regents. OSRHE is the coordinating board for Oklahoma’s 25 colleges and universities.
The gift in the amount of $12,500.00 and a pledge in the amount of $12,500.00 for the year 2014 to the WOSC Foundation, Inc. were received from the Fergesons. The gift and pledge were presented to the foundation in order to establish an endowed lectureship to benefit Western and academic progress provided through online education. The funds to establish the lectureship in online education will be matched dollar for dollar from funding provided through a partnership with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The interest income provided from the matched endowment fund will provide specialized funding to enhance the online education opportunities at Western. The benefit of the gift allocation will create endowments totaling $50,000.00 with the interest distributed annually to Western Oklahoma State College.
Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson have called Altus home for nearly 30 years as owners of the NBC Oklahoma bank. Adhering to the values of their rural Texas background, both believe in the importance of being involved in the community. They have belonged to numerous civic and charitable organizations and boards in helping to make Altus and Oklahoma “great places to live”.
“We are very proud and very fortunate to have such a great institution bringing higher education to our community as Western Oklahoma State College,” says Ken Fergeson. “Coming from a rural background, Mary Ann and I realize the need for online access in supporting education. Distances are vast here in the west and WOSC is addressing those distance needs in this way for area students as well as those of our Armed Forces members, far and near, in their quest for education and career promotions.Mary Ann and I hope that with this lectureship gift, special attention can be focused on WOSC’s online offerings where they can bring even more education to more people.”
The Fergesons join an esteemed group of Partners in Education Excellence donors who have given their support to Western at three levels that include: $25,000 Lectureships, $125,000 Professorships and $250,000 Endowed Chairs. Those gifts and their donors are:
Chesser Family Lectureship in Art/History
Randy Cumby Lectureship in Distance Learning Education
Doughty Family Lectureship in Business
Ken and Mary Ann Fergeson in On-Line Education
Eunice Griffin Lectureship in Business
Winston and Ethelda Higgs Lectureship in Business
Russell Kirchoff Lectureship in Agriculture
Jack and Jewell Walker Lectureship in Aviation
Jeff and Kim Wilmes Lectureship in Business
JCMH Professorship in Nursing
JCMH Professorship in Nursing
JCMH Professorship in Radiologic Technology
Great Plains Regional Medical Center Endowed Chair in Nursing
For more information or to support the WOSC Foundation, Inc., contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 580-477-7706.