NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is embarking on a new initiative designed to secure the museum’s long-term vitality. Building on recent operational changes that have expanded community engagement and strengthened financial foundations, the museum is preparing to launch the Operational Excellence Endowment with a $25 million goal.
Beginning in fall 2024, the museum adopted a new financial model that combines university support with earned revenue and private philanthropy. Strategic updates – including the reinstatement of admission fees, a redesigned welcome desk, a coffee-forward gathering space and expanded membership offerings – have already had a significant impact.
“The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is one of the state’s premier cultural institutions, and it is crucial to establish a solid financial foundation that will support the museum’s long-term operation,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “Generations of Oklahomans have benefited from the rich cultural experience provided by the museum, and this effort will give future generations the opportunity to have that experience as well.”
The museum, located on OU’s Norman campus, is home to internationally recognized collections of art. Its permanent collection contains more than 20,000 objects, including the Weitzenhoffer Collection of French Impressionism and one of the nation’s most comprehensive holdings of Native American art.
The Operational Excellence Endowment drive will provide resources to support the museum’s exhibitions, community programming and stewardship of its internationally recognized collection. A $5 million matching initiative is kickstarting the effort, encouraging donors to join in advancing the museum’s mission.
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.
A decade-long partnership between the University of Oklahoma and Southcentral Foundation, an Alaska Native-owned, nonprofit health care organization based in Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to grow and strengthen a research workforce serving American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities.
Soami Ellis, a recent OU graduate, has become the university’s first professional helicopter major to earn a CFI rating. This milestone is made possible through a recently established School of Aviation program made in partnership with Semper Fly Helicopters in Norman.
The University of Oklahoma is experiencing a period of transformation few institutions in higher education can match – but OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. says the university’s progress is less a finish line than a foundation for what comes next.
