OU Alumni Establish $1 Million Scholarship for Oklahoma Students Emphasizing Carter, Haskell County

NORMAN, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma has received a gift of $1 million from Dr. James R. Turrentine and Regina Turrentine to establish the Dr. James R. Turrentine and Regina Turrentine Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship will benefit Oklahoma students primarily from Carter County and Haskell County, with a priority on incoming freshmen from Ardmore High School and Stigler High School.

“This remarkable gift from James and Regina Turrentine allows OU to continue changing the lives of young Oklahomans who will go on to further benefit our state,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “By giving back to their communities, the Turrentines have paved the way for countless students to follow in their footsteps, both in terms of personal success and community impact.”

Dr. Turrentine is a retired physician who practiced primary care at the Turrentine Family Clinic in Ardmore for more than 50 years. He also provided obstetrical care, delivered babies and performed thousands of surgeries, including the first laparoscopic gallbladder removal in the Ardmore area.

Regina Turrentine is a community volunteer who has held many board positions and received awards for her work over the past 45 years. She is the founder and chair of the Ardmore Beautification Council and has served with the Charles B. Goddard Center Board, Ardmore Main Street Authority, Leadership Oklahoma, Communities in Schools, Southern Oklahoma Medical Alliance Board and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, among other positions. She is the past president and a member of Ryonis Club. At the 2004 Community Leadership Excellence Awards, she was recognized as one of Oklahoma’s most dedicated community leaders.

Both Turrentines grew up in Stigler, Oklahoma, and became high school sweethearts. They attended OU for their undergraduate degrees. Dr. Turrentine earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, continuing his education at the Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery, and pursuing postgraduate education in surgery at OSU Medical Center in Tulsa. Regina Turrentine earned her bachelor’s degree in education with a particular focus on home economics.

“We are both thrilled and humbled by the generosity of the Turrentine family,” said Jeff Blahnik, OU vice president for enrollment management. “This incredible gift will allow incoming freshmen from these high schools to understand immediately that their goals for a world-class educational experience at OU are possible. Our mission at OU is to change lives, and truly, this gift will do just that. We could not be more grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Turrentine for this partnership and gift.”