NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma has set a record for fundraising in a single day, raising more than $30 million during Giving Day 2025. Supporters from all 50 states and 21 countries across the globe contributed nearly 7,000 gifts in recognition of the April 8 event.
Giving Day is OU’s largest annual fundraising event, a community-wide initiative that brings together the entire OU family to support scholarships, programs, faculty and departments across the university.
On this year's Giving Day, 28 donors made a significant impact with leadership gifts totaling $23 million that will enhance initiatives across OU’s three campuses and various athletic programs. Beyond these major gifts, hundreds of Sooners contributed amounts ranging from $10 upward, showcasing the spirit of unity and support that defines the OU community. Each gift, large or small, underscores the monumental impact of the OU family coming together.
The success of Giving Day 2025 is one piece of a larger fundraising push to support the OU community. With the help of Giving Day and generous supporters year-round, the historic Lead On campaign is more than halfway toward its $2 billion goal, all of which will help enhance excellence and affordability across OU’s campuses.
“Giving Day doesn’t just contribute to the success and momentum of the Lead On campaign – it shows our entire community what generosity and philanthropy can do for our university,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “Because of the alumni and friends who supported Giving Day 2025, OU is able to offer exceptional academic and extracurricular experiences for our students and research opportunities for our brilliant faculty.”
OU’s annual Giving Day draws together students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university, who rally each year to support everything from student clubs to department needs. Giving Day also features opportunities for connection, with the ultimate goal of supporting Sooners as they engage with their favorite OU causes.
“Each Giving Day, the OU community astounds us with its dedication to giving back, and this year’s event was no exception,” said Amy Noah, vice president and chief advancement officer for the OU Foundation. “This initiative is so exciting because it reminds all of us that every gift – from a $10 contribution to multi-year commitment – makes a difference for our students, faculty and staff.”
For more information about how to support the University of Oklahoma and the Lead On campaign, visit leadonou.org.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
About the OU Foundation
The University of Oklahoma Foundation is an independent charitable organization that facilitates and manages philanthropic gifts to support the University of Oklahoma. With a culture of integrity, skill and persistence, we align the passions of donors and our alumni with the indelible mission of the University of Oklahoma.
When two University of Oklahoma engineering students, Bryce Goodin and Colton McCullough, stepped onto a competition stage in Boston, they weren't just pitching their invention—they were showcasing the OU’s thriving innovation ecosystem that empowers students from any major to make their ideas real.
Andrew Liew, M.D., associate professor in the Department Of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and associate dean of undergraduate medical education at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine in Tulsa has received the OU College of Medicine’s 2025 Stanton L. Young Master Teacher Award. Rodney Tweten, Ph.D., a George Lynn Cross Professor of Research in the Department Of Microbiology and Immunology in the OU College of Medicine has received the inaugural Stanton L. Young Excellence in Research Award.
New research from the University of Oklahoma sheds light on an understudied area of science: iron levels in the blood and their relationship to cognitive performance in women transitioning into menopause. The findings are good news for women experiencing brain fog and other symptoms.
