The recent $50 million gift from the Ferguson Family Foundation to the New Frontiers campaign will transform Oklahoma State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in a variety of ways, including its name. The college will be named the Ferguson College of Agriculture in recognition of the gift, which is among the largest in OSU’s history. The New Frontiers campaign is raising funds for an innovative research and teaching building. The Ferguson College of Agriculture is one of only four named agricultural colleges in the nation and only one of three named after a philanthropic gift. The Ferguson Family Foundation’s gift will be split evenly to help fund the new facility and to create an endowment supporting the college.

Why is the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources changing its name and does this affect our two state agencies?

The change in our name to the Ferguson College of Agriculture honors the gift from the Ferguson Family Foundation and our history of cultivating innovative solutions to help feed the world.

The naming of our college in honor of the Ferguson Family Foundation represents the Foundation’s dedication and commitment to invest in our students and in the future of agriculture in Oklahoma. The renaming of the college and construction of a new agricultural hall will improve recruitment and retention efforts, elevate research and Extension capabilities and create opportunities for life-changing discoveries in the agricultural, food and natural resource industries.

The Ferguson College of Agriculture will continue a transformation, beyond the new name, and will emerge as a leader in agricultural, food and natural resource programs across the country and around the world.

The new facility to be funded by the campaign will transform our efforts to be more collaborative and will provide space for multi-disciplinary scientific work in research, extension and teaching. It will provide unique student-centered spaces and classrooms.

Will there be less emphasis on sciences and natural resources?

In OSU Agriculture, we do far more than agriculture and natural resources. Our work also encompasses food science, biomedical sciences, home and community education, elder care, leadership, youth programs, and much, much more. A scientific approach is key to all work and study areas within the college and the division, and is not limited to agriculture. As we embrace this new name, it helps us redefine agriculture to more fully capture what we do.

The Ferguson College of Agriculture will embody our commitment to the land-grant mission and our dedication to teaching, research and Extension, with the promise to change the way we grow food and fiber and care for the natural environment we rely on.

This project will change and modernize our research and the way we teach scientific subjects, allowing us to better serve our students, the citizen of our state, and many others as a modern, land-grant institution. The new space will allow us to be more collaborative and will provide space for multi-disciplinary scientific work in research, extension and teaching. It will create unique student-centered spaces and classrooms, as well as modern research laboratories.

What does this mean for current and future students, as well as alumni?

The New Frontiers campaign and name change to the Ferguson College of Agriculture mark an exciting and pivotal time in the history of OSU Agriculture. Building upon our strong foundation, this transformation will enhance our emphasis on hands-on learning, faculty advising and student involvement, all aimed at the mission of feeding the world. The collaborative spirit and personal connections students experience in the Ferguson College of Agriculture will continue to create an environment where students and faculty work together to address issues not only for Oklahomans, but also on a global scale. For our alumni, the pride and traditions we have in our college will continue as we celebrate this next chapter in our shared story.

Who are the Fergusons?

Kayleen and Larry Ferguson met while student employees of the OSU dairy program in 1975. In 2015, the university announced the Ferguson Family Foundation’s lead gift for new student living quarters, a new free stall barn and other improvements at our Ferguson Family Dairy Center. Larry is the retired president and CEO of Schreiber Foods, the worlds’ largest employee-owned dairy company. Kayleen is a retired educator. Through the Ferguson Family Foundation, they also support many initiatives in their communities and churches.