Beloved former OSU-Tulsa president receives dedication in her honor
Thursday, December 14, 2023
Retired Oklahoma State University-Tulsa president Pamela Fry was honored in a ceremony on campus last week dedicating a bench in honor of her service and transformative tenure.
“Dr. Fry has shown a relentless focus on the success and wellbeing of students, especially those who have experienced challenges or are often overlooked in a college environment,” OSU-Tulsa Interim President Johnny Stephens said at the ceremony. “As OSU-Tulsa helped working adults and others who sometimes found themselves asking ‘is college really for me?’ Pam was always there to say ‘yes it is’ – and not just that, but ‘yes, we’ll help.’”
The bench, which sits in the OSU-Tulsa courtyard between the auditorium and Stanely E. White Hall, was unveiled to a crowd of current and former OSU faculty and staff, as well as Tulsa-area leaders and influencers, who gathered to celebrate Fry and share their memories of her impact at OSU.
“Under her leadership, the doors of this campus were open not just to all of Tulsa, but particularly to the neighborhoods around campus,” said Karen Keith, Tulsa County Commissioner for Tulsa’s District 2. “Today, her commitment and personal investment in relationships are still important and impactful. I so appreciated her vision to embrace the history of this land and her desire to help us all learn more through education.”
“I was attending an OSU-Tulsa graduation ceremony, and when they said a young woman’s name who was crossing the stage, I heard a young boy in the back of the room yell, ’way to go, Mom!’” said Gary Clark, retired OSU senior vice president and general counsel. “Those four words mean so much to me – think about the sacrifices, the struggles and the pride that come with that. Pam has had a part in all of that. So I hope some day that young man comes and sits on your bench and thinks about those sacrifices.”
As OSU-Tulsa’s third president and the first woman to hold the office, Fry created new academic programs and initiatives focused on serving the workforce needs of Tulsa, such as the Tulsa-based OSU College of Professional Studies and College Park. She also worked closely with local community leaders to facilitate partnerships with the people and organizations surrounding the campus, something that became a hallmark of her presidency.
The new bench features an engraving that memorializes OSU-Tulsa’s appreciation for Fry’s service to campus and community, and a nod to her induction in the OK Higher Education Hall of Fame this year.
A visibly touched Fry thanked everyone who has been a piece of OSU-Tulsa’s success through the years.
“I truly have no words that adequately convey how much this means to me,” Fry said. “Thanks to all the amazing faculty and staff and students and community members here that are truly the heart and soul of OSU-Tulsa.”
Fry also received a framed watercolor print of the bench in the OSU-Tulsa courtyard.
Despite the ceremony being a tribute to Fry’s contributions, her remarks were largely focused on the success of others.
“Those individuals who made sacrifices to be here – hopefully we’re creating this opportunity for them to have prosperity that will serve them and their families for generations,” she said. “That’s what this is all about, in my mind.”
