Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State University (OSU) is a land-grant, sun-grant, public research university located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act. Enrollment is about 26,000
Originally known as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (Oklahoma A&M), the school first held classes on December 14, 1891. Classes were held for two and one-half years in local churches until the first academic building, later known as Old Central, was dedicated on June 15, 1894, on the southeast corner of campus, which at the time was flat plowed prairie. In 1896, Oklahoma A&M held its first commencement. On May 15, 1957, Oklahoma A&M changed its name to Oklahoma State University.
OSU is one of five U.S. universities where Sun Grant Research Initiative programs have been established by the U.S. Congress in the Sun Grant Research Initiative Act of 2003 for the purposes of researching and developing sustainable and environmentally friendly bio-based energy alternatives. OSU is headquarters for the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association. OSU is home to Fire Protection Publications and the International Fire Service Training Association, the largest publisher of fire and emergency services books in North America.
Originally known as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (Oklahoma A&M), the school first held classes on December 14, 1891. Classes were held for two and one-half years in local churches until the first academic building, later known as Old Central, was dedicated on June 15, 1894, on the southeast corner of campus, which at the time was flat plowed prairie. In 1896, Oklahoma A&M held its first commencement. On May 15, 1957, Oklahoma A&M changed its name to Oklahoma State University.
OSU is one of five U.S. universities where Sun Grant Research Initiative programs have been established by the U.S. Congress in the Sun Grant Research Initiative Act of 2003 for the purposes of researching and developing sustainable and environmentally friendly bio-based energy alternatives. OSU is headquarters for the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association. OSU is home to Fire Protection Publications and the International Fire Service Training Association, the largest publisher of fire and emergency services books in North America.
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| Garth Brooks |
Notable Oklahoma State Alumni: There are more than 200,000 living OSU alumni worldwide. Notable Alumni include: oil tycoon and billionaire philanthropist T. Boone Pickens, actor James Marsden, the "father of the personal computer" Ed Roberts, country singers Garth Brooks and Hoyt Axton, US Senator Tom Coburn, Governor of Oklahoma Mary Fallin, former Prime Minister of South Korea Nam Duck-woo, former Prime Minister of Jordan Adnan Badran, former acting Surgeon General of the United States Robert A. Whitney, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven W. Taylor, David Noel Ramirez Padilla, director of Technologico de Monterrey, Mexico's most prestigious university, former Central Bank of Somalia Governor Yussur A.F. Abrar, and legal scholar Anita Hill; coaching alumni include OSU wrestling head coach John Smith, OSU football head coach Mike Gundy, former OSU basketball coaches Eddie Sutton ad Sean Sutton. The Cowboys have produced several NBA players, including Desmond Mason, Tony Allen, James Anderson, Stephen Graham, JamesOn Curry, Terrel Harris and John Starks; NFL players Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas also attended OSU, as did baseball All Star pitcher Joe Horlen; also in the NFL are former Cowboys Dez Bryant and Dan Bailey of the Dallas Cowboys; and Kevin Williams of the Minnesota Vikings; retired MMA fighter and UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and former UFC welterweight champion Johnny Hendricks wrestled at OSU; MMA fighter Mark Munoz also wrestled at OSU. PGA professional golfers Rickie Fowler, Scott Verplant, Bo Van Pelt, Charles Howell III and Hunter Mahan attended OSU; two-time gold medalist, ESPN analyst, and ASA Hall of Fame inductee Michele Mary Smith played softball at OSU; Houston Nutt and Brent Guy, both former players and teammates, became head coaches after serving as assistants for the Cowboy football program.
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| Boone Pickens |
T. Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State: T. Boone Pickens is a billionaire. He is an OSU alum and Chairman of BP Capital Management, which runs two hedge funds, Capital Commodity and Capital Equity, both of which invest primarily in traditional energy companies such as oil, natural gas, and nuclear power corporations. Pickens first went to Texas A&M on a basketball scholarship. He ultimately lost the scholarship and transferred to what was then Oklahoma A&M. In 1951, he graduated from the university with a degree in geology.
Pickens founded Mesa Petroleum after first working for Phillips Petroleum. Mesa grew into one of the largest independent oil companies in the world. He has been married five times. He has five children.
Pickens' contributions to OSU total over $1 billion. Much of his donations have been towards athletics at Oklahoma State, but Pickens also has made substantial academic gifts to the university itself, particularly to the School of Geology, which is named for him.
In 2006, OSU received a gift of $165 million from Pickens to the university's athletic department, and in 2008 received another gift from Pickens of $100 million for endowed academic chairs. It was the largest gift for academics ever given in the state. In February 2010, Pickens announced that he was pledging another $100 million to fund a scholarship endowment as part of a $1-billion fund-raising campaign titled "Branding Success."
Pickens founded Mesa Petroleum after first working for Phillips Petroleum. Mesa grew into one of the largest independent oil companies in the world. He has been married five times. He has five children.
Pickens' contributions to OSU total over $1 billion. Much of his donations have been towards athletics at Oklahoma State, but Pickens also has made substantial academic gifts to the university itself, particularly to the School of Geology, which is named for him.
In 2006, OSU received a gift of $165 million from Pickens to the university's athletic department, and in 2008 received another gift from Pickens of $100 million for endowed academic chairs. It was the largest gift for academics ever given in the state. In February 2010, Pickens announced that he was pledging another $100 million to fund a scholarship endowment as part of a $1-billion fund-raising campaign titled "Branding Success."
Oklahoma State Traditions: Here are some traditions observed by Oklahoma State students and alumni:
Colors: School colors are orange and black. The university proclaims the orange as "America's brightest orange."
Mascot: The mascot is Pistol Pete, who has stalked the sidelines at Cowboys games for more than 55 years. Pistol Pete is based on a real person: legendary U.S. Marshal and author Frank Eaton, one of the most enduring symbols of the Old West.
Around 1923, when Oklahoma A&M College was searching for a new mascot to replace their tiger, a group of students saw Frank Eaton leading Stillwater's Sheep Parade. He was approached to see if he would be interested in being the model for the new mascot, and he agreed. A likeness was drawn and began to be used. That caricature was the basis for what is used today as the official Oklahoma State mascot. For thirty-five years, the crusty old cowboy was a living symbol of OSU, representing the colorful past of the area, and in 1958 Pistol Pete officially was adopted as the school's mascot.
Each year, an average of 15 Oklahoma State students audition to portray Pistol Pete. A panel of former "Petes" conducts the tryouts and selects two replacements.
Nickname: Oklahoma State's nickname is Cowboys.
Colors: School colors are orange and black. The university proclaims the orange as "America's brightest orange."
Mascot: The mascot is Pistol Pete, who has stalked the sidelines at Cowboys games for more than 55 years. Pistol Pete is based on a real person: legendary U.S. Marshal and author Frank Eaton, one of the most enduring symbols of the Old West.
Around 1923, when Oklahoma A&M College was searching for a new mascot to replace their tiger, a group of students saw Frank Eaton leading Stillwater's Sheep Parade. He was approached to see if he would be interested in being the model for the new mascot, and he agreed. A likeness was drawn and began to be used. That caricature was the basis for what is used today as the official Oklahoma State mascot. For thirty-five years, the crusty old cowboy was a living symbol of OSU, representing the colorful past of the area, and in 1958 Pistol Pete officially was adopted as the school's mascot.
Each year, an average of 15 Oklahoma State students audition to portray Pistol Pete. A panel of former "Petes" conducts the tryouts and selects two replacements.
Nickname: Oklahoma State's nickname is Cowboys.
Homecoming: Oklahoma State's first homecoming was held in 1913. The first event was lightly attended, as most alumni had forgotten where the school was located. But, today, OSU's homecoming attracts over 70,000 participants each year and is billed by the university as "America's Greatest Homecoming Celebration." The celebration features, among other things, "Walkaround," which highlights elaborate house decorations built by student organizations.
Unfortunately, Oklahoma State's 2015 homecoming celebration was marred by tragedy. A couple of hours prior to the homecoming game, on Saturday, October 24, which was won by Oklahoma State over Kansas, 58-10, four people died and more than 40 were injured when a car careened into a crowd of people during the homecoming parade. The car's female driver was arrested. Details are being investigated.
Unfortunately, Oklahoma State's 2015 homecoming celebration was marred by tragedy. A couple of hours prior to the homecoming game, on Saturday, October 24, which was won by Oklahoma State over Kansas, 58-10, four people died and more than 40 were injured when a car careened into a crowd of people during the homecoming parade. The car's female driver was arrested. Details are being investigated.
Paddle People: The west end zone of Boone Pickens Stadium holds the Paddle People, students who use wooden paddles during the game to increase the stadium’s noise by hitting them against the field’s sidewalls. Recent rule changes in the Big 12 have prohibited the Paddle People from hitting the walls while the ball is in play.
Bedlam: Bedlam is the athletics rivalry between Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma. The first Bedlam football game was played in 1904.
Alma Mater: At the end of every sporting event, win or lose, OSU student-athletes face the student section and sing the alma mater, "Proud and Immortal," which was written by in 1957. In addition to being featured at athletic events, the alma mater is played every hour on the Edmon Low Library carillon on the Oklahoma State campus. Listen to the alma mater: here
Bedlam: Bedlam is the athletics rivalry between Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma. The first Bedlam football game was played in 1904.
Alma Mater: At the end of every sporting event, win or lose, OSU student-athletes face the student section and sing the alma mater, "Proud and Immortal," which was written by in 1957. In addition to being featured at athletic events, the alma mater is played every hour on the Edmon Low Library carillon on the Oklahoma State campus. Listen to the alma mater: here
Marching Band: The Cowboy Marching Band is the marching band of Oklahoma Lite. The first band at Oklahoma A&M was organized in 1905. It consisted of 22 members. The band today features about 300 members. A tradition of the band was the use of the OSU Spirit Drum. It was purchased in the mid-1930s for the R.O.T.C. band. It was believed to be the largest drum in the country at that time.
Listen to the Cowboy Marching Band perform the OSU fight songs: here
Listen to the Cowboy Marching Band perform the OSU fight songs: here
The Spirit Rider and Bullet:
The Cowboy Marching Band has a mascot. It is a black horse named Bullet
and an accompanying spirit rider. During pregame performances and after
an OSU touchdown, Bullet gallops around the field, ridden by the spirit
rider, who holds up the OSU flag.
Songs: Ride 'em Cowboys, the Waving Song and the OSU Chant are the traditional songs.
The Waving Song is featured following a Cowboys score. The OSU band will strike up the tune of "In Old New York" and Cowboys fans will wave their hands from side to side. "In Old New York" came to Oklahoma State more than 100 years ago. Speech instructor H.G. Seldy Seldombridge heard the tune while on a trip to Manhattan, New York, and brought it to Stillwater, where the lyrics were recast to reflect an orange-and-black point of view.
Fans rock up and down while clapping during OSU’s fight song, "Ride 'em Cowboys," which is played several times during pregame festivities.
Listen to Ride 'em Cowboys: here
The Waving Song is featured following a Cowboys score. The OSU band will strike up the tune of "In Old New York" and Cowboys fans will wave their hands from side to side. "In Old New York" came to Oklahoma State more than 100 years ago. Speech instructor H.G. Seldy Seldombridge heard the tune while on a trip to Manhattan, New York, and brought it to Stillwater, where the lyrics were recast to reflect an orange-and-black point of view.
Fans rock up and down while clapping during OSU’s fight song, "Ride 'em Cowboys," which is played several times during pregame festivities.
Listen to Ride 'em Cowboys: here
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