geology, a secondary teacher certification, dualdegree programs for those seeking bachelor’s and graduate degrees simultaneously, and it has received federal funding for projects involving unconventional hydrocarbon resources and carbon storage. “Mr. Pickens cared about our students,” Knapp said. “He wanted to know what opportunities our students have for employment. He knew that his geology degree served him well and wanted future generations to have similar opportunities. “More than anything, Mr. Pickens was a most generous man. We not only have the strongest football program and best sports facilities in OSU’s history, but we also have the most scholarships, best faculty, best labs and classrooms and most innovative programs across the OSU campus thanks to his generosity and leadership.” Knapp paraphrased some oft-repeated counsel from Mr. Pickens, who attributed it to his father: “A fool with a plan can beat a genius with no plan.” Thanks to Boone Pickens, his alma mater has both genius and a plan as its students and faculty move forward into a new decade. “Boone taught us to dream big and he definitely led the way,” Anne Greenwood said. “All of us who have chosen OSU will continue to honor Boone’s legacy.” LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Although Mr. Pickens is gone, Anne Greenwood sees his example of generosity living on through others. “He reminded all who love OSU that you don’t have to be a huge donor to make a difference,” she said. “Every OSU alum who chooses to give back is making a change for the better for OSU. They are establishing a legacy of giving back to this university. I believe Boone’s legacy will live on for years to come.” Krutz echoed her sentiments: “Mr. Pickens’ gifts have been truly transformational for the College of Arts and Sciences. Yet his legacy in CAS is bigger than his donations in terms of affecting our psychology as a college. Boone had a swagger, a relentless drive for excellence, a rigor of sorts. That has rubbed off on CAS, leaving us more confident and ambitious than we would be otherwise.” One of CAS’s 24 departments is the Boone Pickens School of Geology — a “crown jewel in the college,” according to Krutz, thanks to Mr. Pickens’ support. The department not only bears the name of its biggest benefactor, but it also uses as its motto a final word of wisdom from Pickens: “Up.” “Mr. Pickens was really a leader among the alumni and a great mentor,” said Dr. Camelia Knapp, head of the Boone Pickens School of Geology. “He was a visionary man with a plan, and he wanted us to be just like him.” Curricular changes are among the ways that the Boone Pickens School of Geology is moving “Up,” Knapp said. The school has added three new geoscience options for the bachelor’s degree in “Boone taught us to dream big and he definitely led the way. All of us who have chosen OSU will continue to honor Boone’s legacy.” ANNE GREENWOOD Camelia Knapp OSU COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES 19
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