Giving back to the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education inspires future generations of students, advances scholarly impact, and ensures that the college will remain on the cutting-edge of our increasingly global world.
In order to provide Oklahoma school children with the best possible education, the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education must be able to produce debt-free students.
The College established a Debt Forgiveness Program, a merit- and need-based assistance initiative directed toward outstanding students in the College with significant debt associated with their education. Specifically, this fund will target high need areas in Oklahoma education in order to recruit and retain the nation’s best students.
Currently, the College’s graduate funding is very limited. More graduate scholarship endowments would help OU compete nationally for top graduate students in Education. These scholarships would focus on full-time graduate students who support teaching and research within the College because those students have such a broad impact on the quality of education offered to all Education students.
In order to continually position the college as a leader in the field, it is imperative that we have more endowed scholarship funds for undergraduate students. Ideally,these endowments will generate enough income each year to fund scholarships that will substantially cover the annual cost of tuition, fees and books, which in 2022 is approximately $25,565 a year for in-state students.
Alumni and friends of the college have a variety of options when contributing to the Rainbolt College. Listed below are just a few of the ways in which a difference can be made in the lives of our students today.
Bellwether (bel – weth – er): One that serves as a leader or as a leading indicator of future trends
The Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education asks Bellwether Society donors to contribute $2,000 a year, with a commitment of three years requested. Those donors who contribute at this level will truly be “bellwethers” for the College, inspiring donors at all levels and providing Dean Reeder with important funding for initiatives that will define the college in the next decade.
The $2,000 a year in Bellwether Society contributions will be divided as follows:
Bellwether Society members will be honored as the leaders of the College that they truly are, with recognition in the College’s annual report and invitations to special events at the College. This will include the annual Scholarship Banquet, where Bellwether Society members will have an opportunity to meet the students who received their named scholarship. In addition, Dean Reeder is eager to share news about how Bellwether Society funds are making a difference through emails, or letters to this special group, as well as in one-on-one meetings.
In order to provide Oklahoma schoolchildren with the best possible education, the Rainbolt College is investing in our student's education.
Specifically, we have established a Debt-Forgiveness Program, a merit and need based assistance initiative directed toward outstanding students in the College with significant debt associated with their education. This fund will target high need areas in Oklahoma education in order to recruit and retain the nation’s best students. For each year they teach in the state—up to four years—up to $5,000 of their student loans will be forgiven.
By becoming a Champion for the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, you can provide year-round support for the students and faculty who are working to improve education in Oklahoma and beyond. Funds donated by the JRCoE Champions will benefit the Dean’s discretionary fund, which supports student scholarships, emergency student needs and other initiatives.
The benefits:
Questions? Contact Jenn Doughty at 405-325-5683 or poedoughty@ou.edu
Faculty excellence is fundamental to the success of our College and its students. Yet without increased salaries, our peer universities can be successful in recruiting our best professors. There are a number of ways that private gifts can help the Rainbolt College address this:
Endowed with $500,000 and $1,000,000 respectively, these positions can be created in general or specialized areas and are typically awarded for the term of the holder’s career. These positions can be used to recruit an exciting new faculty member to the College or to retain a top professor.
Endowed with $200,000 gifts, these positions are awarded for a four-year term and recipients receive $10,000 a year, generally as a salary supplement.
Endowed at a variety of levels, these can be used to provide fellowships of $5,000 to $10,000 to outstanding faculty members in support of their teaching or research initiatives.
Questions? Contact Jenn Doughty at 405-325-5683 or poedoughty@ou.edu
Considering that the average OU student debt is currently $21,517, it is difficult for students to choose Education over more lucrative fields. Scholarship funding for Rainbolt College students is on the rise, especially with the establishment of the $1 million Jeannine Rainbolt endowment.
In the 2020 fiscal year, the College awarded just over $349,000 in undergraduate and graduate scholarships. As student needs continue to rise, this funding falls far short of meeting the need for scholarships or the goal of recruiting top students with attractive scholarship offers.
Among our goals:
Questions? Contact Jenn Doughty at 405-325-5683 or poedoughty@ou.edu
The University of Oklahoma President’s Associates program connects alumni and friends of the University who share a collective passion for OU. In an ever-changing environment, their annual leadership donations support the mission of the University in promoting efforts to help students achieve their educational goals and helping faculty maintain excellence in research and instruction.
