Born and raised in Oklahoma, he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in 1996, where he met his future wife, Johnnie-Margaret McConnell. He was highly involved in campus life, serving as the New Sooner Orientation chair and as a resident advisor in Adams Center. After graduation, he would go on to work at OU in Parking and Transportation Services. It was in this role that he was diagnosed with cancer.

“Cody was Mr. Chamber of Commerce,” McConnell said. “His ear-to-ear smile and big hug made everyone feel welcomed. He was OU’s Assistant Director of Transportation when he was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer. He battled it for 27 months before succumbing to the disease.”

Ponder’s passing was an enormous blow to the OU community.

“Cody was like a brother to me,” said Kris Glenn, OU’s director of parking and transportation. “I miss him so much, but I know I’m not alone because Cody had so many friends. That’s just who he was. If he knew you, then he knew your birthday, your aunt’s name and what was going on in your life. Cody invested in people. Cody loved people. I truly think that’s his legacy – the way he impacted people in his life.”

Jenn Doughty, a development officer at the OU Foundation, recalls Cody fondly.

“There are people who change you simply by knowing them,” Doughty said. “Cody was that person for me and for so many others. He had a way of making everyone feel special, whether through a kind word, a quick joke or the sincerity in his smile. He showed me the quiet power of care and friendship, and I try every day to carry forward his warmth and generosity. His legacy of kindness lives on through his fund at Stephenson Cancer Center and in the countless lives he touched so effortlessly.”

While Ponder and McConnell were able to afford Ponder’s medical care, they often overheard other families at Stephenson Cancer Center discussing financial hardships they were facing due to the cost of cancer treatments. After Ponder passed away, McConnell established the Cody Ponder Cancer Center Emergency Fund to alleviate some of that burden.

“Cody was always one to give to others in time and money,” McConnell explained. “I could not think of a better way for his legacy to live on than to set up a fund that could help those who may be financially struggling during their battle.”

For McConnell, being part of the cancer community as a widow and caretaker is a continued reminder of how many are in financial need.

“I wanted Cody’s legacy to live on in providing financial support to enable others to live their best lives with greater ease,” she explained.

With the establishment of the Cody Ponder Cancer Center Emergency Fund came the beginning of Cody’s Run, an annual race McConnell established to honor Cody’s legacy and support the fund. Runners could raise awareness and contribute meaningfully to supporting cancer patients. The spirit of this event continues in the annual Outpace Cancer Race, which allows registrants to donate to Cody’s fund.

“I wanted Cody’s legacy to live on in providing financial support to enable others to live their best lives with greater ease,” McConnell said. “Cody was everyone’s cheerleader when he was here with us on earth. While I want to live to see cancer eradicated, I hope until then my planned gift will ease cancer’s financial stressors to live their best lives.”

Twenty years ago, Kim Cooper-Hart walked away from California’s high-speed tech world and toward something slower, more deliberate. She traded start-up deadlines and software update meetings in Silicon Valley for neighborhoods and green spaces in the heartland of Oklahoma. The payoff was a satisfying sense that her efforts helped people feel more connected to where they live.

Today, the principal planner of Oklahoma City municipal government is shaping a different kind of project: a $250,000 estate commitment to the University of Oklahoma Foundation supporting students in the Gibbs College of Architecture’s Regional and City Planning program. The gift is a natural extension of the philosophy and work ethos she discovered at OU.

“Good planning means making sure good things keep happening, even after you’re not around to see them,” she says. 

A native of San Francisco, Cooper-Hart built her career in management and technology through the 1990s. Then came the Y2K tech scare, which shook up digital and human resources in the industry, leaving her with questions about her future. 

“I had to decide whether I wanted to sit behind a desk all day or find something that mattered more,” she says. Online personality tests suggested several alternatives, ultimately leading her to one field: “Urban planning sounded interesting because I’ve always liked to think in four dimensions. I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’ll never be bored again.’ ”

In her 40s, Cooper-Hart visited Oklahoma to research OU’s Master of Regional and City Planning program—now part of the Division of Planning, Landscape, Architecture and Design, or PLAD, and found the atmosphere unexpectedly welcoming and warm.

“From the people who handled registration to the professors at the top, everyone wanted me to stay and succeed,” she says. 

Cooper-Hart’s master’s degree work, completed in 2004, led to an internship with the City of Oklahoma City, funded through a federal Brownfield grant. She was soon disabused of what she believed planning was all about, up close and personal.

“It was ‘trial by fire,’ ” she says. “You learn about redevelopment issues in class, but you don’t really understand them until you’re standing in a neighborhood that’s been left behind by urban renewal, hearing people’s stories firsthand, people who don’t trust that you have their best interests at heart.”

A planning job at City Hall led to two decades of public service, from championing neighborhood commercial districts to redeveloping park projects. She’s pleased to see other PLAD graduates joining her in the professional world 

John Harris, professor and director of PLAD, says Cooper-Hart has been a mentor to the program, as well as to its students.

“She’s been a guide to keep us on track, to make sure we’re training our students in the cutting-edge practices of the industry,” Harris says. “Not only does OU owe her a debt of gratitude, but so do Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma, wherever our graduates go.” 

Hans Butzer, dean of the Gibbs College of Architecture, says Cooper-Hart is PLAD’s metaphorical taproot, anchoring the program for decades. The Regional and City Planning program has never been healthier, he says, “which says a lot about Kim’s dedication to her alma mater and career in general.”

A cancer diagnosis a few years ago brought her planner’s mindset into sharper focus. Cooper-Hart felt she had been blessed with a challenging, fulfilling life and could afford to give something back to help generations that follow—OU is, after all, a community, and that’s what planners do. She learned she can direct her retirement distributions to the university without tax penalties.

“I realized I could start giving now instead of waiting. Imagine if 10 or 20 of us did that. It could be huge for Gibbs College,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be one big gift at the end.”

For Cooper-Hart, the ritual of planning never stops; it just expands the horizon. 

“A lot of people go through life and don’t seem to have a plan at all,” she says. “But at a community level, we need to seek each other’s voices about growth and development and create shared understanding about what gets built and why. That’s really what this is about.” 

“I have spent the better part of my career at OU now, and I can say that it is the best job I have ever had,” Thompson said. As a radiation oncologist, he specializes in gynecological and pediatric malignancies and palliative care.

“At OU, I have always felt very supported in whatever clinical endeavor or research interested me, and the equipment available to me to offer treatment to my patients has always been outstanding,” said Thompson. “Because of the support and camaraderie my husband and I have enjoyed through our association with the university, we felt that we should give back to the institution that was so crucial to the development and success of my career.”

Thompson and Becker met with estate planning experts at the OU Foundation to learn how to take the next steps in giving back to the university.

“We have encouraged some of our colleagues to accept visiting professorships here, but the money for airfare, hotel accommodations, an honorarium for the lection and dinner for the residents, faculty and visiting professor has been limited,” Thompson said. “I feel that this is an important part of a broad training in our field.  Endowing the frequent visit and teaching of outside expert faculty will allow our residents an experience that few other programs offer.”

This gift will also allow residents to enjoy catered journal clubs, which prompt participants to read medical research papers and discuss the contents, and provides residents with support for travel to outside meetings where they can present their work and learn from others. Additionally, their support will fund a resident well-being program for stress relief, which will include resources such as health club memberships, yoga instruction and guided meditation.

“It’s important for our residents to balance continued professional growth with restfulness and self-care,” said Christina Henson, M.D., interim chair of the OU Department of Radiation Oncology. “Dr. Thompson and Mr. Becker’s gift will ensure that we can provide plenty of opportunity for both, further strengthening the high quality of education that the Department of Radiation Oncology provides.”

Thompson and Becker say they are truly proud of their connection to OU and the difference their gift will make.

“Every home game, when we hold our finger in the air with the rest of the crowd, sing the OU Chant and look up as Tinker Air Force Base flyover pilots pass overhead, we are more sure than ever that the best place  our assets can make the world better after our passing is OU.”

Charlene Flick’s path was clear before she turned 11. “I used to get in trouble in the 6th grade for reading Sue Barton, Student Nurse books,” says the University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Zeigler College of Nursing ’74 and ‘89 alumna. As a teenager, she volunteered at a Muskogee, Okla., hospital, finally wearing her own candy striper uniform. 

That early commitment launched a rewarding career spanning pediatric nursing, a master’s degree, teaching and decades of leadership in the field of quality improvement. 

Flick found that her clinical experience, combined with knowledge gained in graduate school, empowered her to have an impact at a different level.

“I saw first-hand what major studies have confirmed: frontline nursing and adequate staffing are crucial to patient outcomes. They can significantly impact mortality rates, adverse events and complications.”

While actively working for improved patient care as a passionate supporter of a national movement, Flick never forgot the challenges nursing students face—particularly in reaching the bachelor’s level.

“The American Nurses Association began advocating for all nurses to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1965,” she explains. “But the latest statistics suggest that only around 72% of nurses have a BSN.” That number falls short of the 80% goal established by the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) in 2010.

A new, need-based scholarship helps address that gap.

A gift from Charlene and her husband, Dan, to the OU Foundation created the Charlene Flick Nursing Scholarship. The Flicks chose to set up a fund through a combination of planned and direct gifts to begin awarding scholarships immediately.

For Tulsa’s Bernice Hernandez, a recipient in the fund’s inaugural year, the dream of becoming a nurse also started early. “Since I was about 6, I knew I wanted to go into the medical field,” she says. “I would have my parents buy me toy medical tools and act as my patients.” 

She stayed focused on that goal through high school and two years at Tulsa Community College while working full time to save money for nursing school. “I knew that starting nursing school, I would have less time to work to pay for my tuition,” she explains.

However, unexpected hardships forced her to use those savings to support her family. Hernandez found herself in a stressful situation, but generosity from the Flicks gave her breathing room.

Hernandez says the Charlene Flick Nursing Scholarship lightened a financial burden. The support allows her to focus on her studies and clinical work, instead of feeling pressure to earn enough money to pay for tuition. 

Five Flick nursing scholarships of $10,000 were awarded this year, one for each OU College of Nursing learning site across the state in Norman, Lawton, Duncan, Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

The Flicks have also helped focus a future caregiver. After graduation, Hernandez hopes to serve the critically ill as an ICU nurse.

“I want to help care for people, and be kind to them while doing it,”  she says.

“I’m not sure that’s entirely accurate,” Paige said, “but I always knew I would be a life-long Sooner.” 

Despite growing up in north central Kansas, “We all bleed crimson,” Ryan Cole, Paige’s brother said. Surrounded by Jayhawks and Wildcats, there weren’t many Sooners in the area at the time, so game days meant huddling in front of the television, cheering every touchdown. 

“Our Thanksgivings when my brother and I were kids often revolved around what time the OU versus Nebraska game would be on,” Paige said. “I loved it!”

 In fact, Ryan still harbors the wound from missing the OU-Nebraska game in 1990 when Paige insisted they go home for Thanksgiving.  “It was a blow-out and we missed it,” Ryan often reminds her.

That love of the University of Oklahoma was first nurtured by their mother, Marilyn Cole, who watched her first OU football game when she was just seven years old. She later attended OU and passed along both her school spirit and her belief in service. Today, Paige, Marilyn and Ryan are active members of the OU Club of Tulsa and the OU Club of Collin County.

For Paige, involvement has never been passive. After graduating from OU and moving to Nashville for her first job, she quickly realized how much she missed the university. 

“While in Tennessee, I terribly missed my OU connection and knew that when I moved back to Oklahoma, I was going to take full advantage of getting involved and being an engaged alum,” she said.

She has done exactly that. For more than 25 years, Paige has served the OU Club of Tulsa, along with her mother.

Marilyn served on the scholarship committee, later going on to serve as Scholarship Chairman and as a board member.

Paige has served in numerous leadership roles as well, including secretary, scholarship chair, vice president and two terms as president. During her tenure, she helped create signature events such as the Bedlam Run and the club’s annual golf tournament to bring alumni together and raise scholarship funds. She also established The Fern L. Holland Memorial Endowed Scholarship Award to honor a fallen classmate. In addition, the OU Club of Tulsa has awarded hundreds of thousands of scholarship funds to Tulsa area high school seniors and OU-Tulsa students.

“I am super proud that I had a small part in helping others achieve their dreams of attending OU,” Paige said.

As longtime scholarship volunteers, they had seen deserving students come close to attending OU, only to fall short financially. They wanted to change that story. That commitment to helping students bridge the gap between admission and enrollment inspired the Cole Family Scholarship, established in 2025 by Marilyn, Paige and Ryan.

“I have been an OU donor for more than 25 years as giving back has always been very important to me,” Paige said. “I started small – I think my early donations were $25 or $50 – but I was proud to give something and know that those funds might help pay for a class or buy a book or relieve a little bit of stress of how to pay for college.”

Their generosity does not stop with annual gifts. Through a planned gift – an estate commitment that ensures support for OU beyond their lifetimes – Marilyn and Paige are extending their impact even further. 

“I chose to make a planned gift because I believe deeply in helping others succeed and creating opportunities for future students,” Paige said. “Making a planned gift matters because it gives alumni and friends of OU the chance to create a legacy that will outlive their time on campus and continue shaping students’ lives for generations.”

For the Cole family, “Boomer Sooner” was more than just a cheer. It was the beginning of a legacy rooted in a belief in the power of opportunity.

“Planned giving provides closure,” Marilyn said. “I wanted everyone I cared about, including OU, to receive the gift I chose for them. Only after careful thought and preparation was my decision made, hoping it will provide the bright future I want for all students.” 

“Access is what I want my gift to pursue,” Donna said. “There are so many bright and talented young people who just don’t have doors opened for them. If that barrier can be removed, then I want to be part of that.”

She hopes her gifts lay the groundwork for students and athletes alike to pursue their dreams at OU and thrive after graduation.

Donna Neel’s journey from first-generation college student to lifelong educator and advocate is intertwined with her deep affinity for the University of Oklahoma. Now, she is combining her love of softball, education, and OU with her philanthropic efforts to ensure Sooners of tomorrow have access to the same opportunities and experiences she holds so dear.

Donna grew up in Muskogee, where her parents raised her with a strong sense of purpose and determination. Believing in the power of generational advancement, they hoped to see their children excel beyond the circumstances in which they were raised.

“My parents always encouraged me to think about college, but with one restriction — it must be in state,” Donna said. “I knew very early on that I wanted to come to OU.”

Donna began her freshman year at OU in the fall of 1974 and enrolled in the College of Education. 

“I pursued special education,” Donna said. “A lot of people think that if you pursue this field, you must have had an experience with someone in your life that may have needed special education services, but I didn’t. I kind of have this innate need to be a defender of the underserved, a champion for those that need more help,” Donna said. 

She was a champion of more than just underserved communities, though. In addition to her studies, Donna was a collegiate athlete. In 1976 and 1977 – when Title IX was in its infancy and women’s athletic scholarships were scarce – Donna competed on the OU softball team.

“You have a few significant moments in time that really change your whole path,” Donna said. “And you don’t realize it until you’re on the other side.”

While seeking out her own community at OU, Donna came across a bulletin board with a tear-off flyer advertising softball tryouts. She took a tab, attended tryouts at “pneumonia downs” (a former workout and track facility under the spectator stands at Memorial Stadium), and made the team. 

“That changed the trajectory of my life,” Donna said.

Donna competed for two years under coaches Amy Dahl and Marita Hynes, legendary early leaders of OU’s softball program. Current head softball coach Patty Gasso credits pioneers like Dahl, Hynes, and Donna for building the foundation for today’s wildly successful program. At the 50th anniversary of OU softball, Coach Gasso told the attendees, “We’re standing on your shoulders.” 

“That meant a lot,” Donna said.

Donna has established a precedent of excellence for more than just OU softball. After graduation, she began a 46-year career in public education in Blanchard and Norman, serving in the classroom and as a principal. She then transitioned to Lexia Learning, a company that provides training for teachers and resources for students who struggle to read. 

Donna touched so many lives through her dedicated career in education, and she isn’t finished yet. She plans to give to both OU’s softball team and College of Education.

“Access is what I want my gift to pursue,” Donna said. “There are so many bright and talented young people who just don’t have doors opened for them. If that barrier can be removed, then I want to be part of that.”

She hopes her gifts lay the groundwork for students and athletes alike to pursue their dreams at OU and thrive after graduation.

“I’m going to start an endowment with the College of Education, probably targeted for first-generation college students,” Donna said. “And I want women to have the opportunity to participate at the highest level of athletics… everything you do in athletics is transferable to real life.”

Donna’s thoughtful philanthropy is rooted in decades of disciplined financial planning, much of it inspired by her parents.

“My parents just modeled this so well… they planned so well for their future through disciplined saving, and they were really transparent about it in our home,” she said.

She began saving early in her career, opening an annuity as a 22-year-old teacher in Blanchard. 

“It’s almost embarrassing. You feel inferior when you talk about giving when you’re young, because you feel like the little you have isn’t enough… But I said, ‘Okay, I’ll contribute $25 a month [to savings]’” Donna recalled. “And what that taught me is discipline, financial discipline.”

That early habit of giving and the long-term perspective it cultivated eventually led her to support OU in larger ways. From making annual gifts through the Sooner Club to preparing a legacy gift through her estate, Donna has never lost sight of what OU gave her: opportunity, purpose, and lifelong community.

From the classroom to the softball field, from early saving habits to estate planning, Donna Neel’s story is one of purpose, perseverance, and generosity. Her legacy will ensure that students for generations to come can find the same sense of belonging, opportunity, and pride that she found at OU.

Debbie was raised in Brunswick, Missouri and lived most of her adult life just south of Norman in Noble – a lifelong small town girl.

“Working and living in a small town and understanding the kinds of things that people had to do to make life good and…what resources they had,” Blasiar said. “That’s part of why I went into civics and teaching.”

Debbie studied education in Kansas before moving to start a job in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Knowing the importance of educational hubs, she was thrilled to learn about OU and eventually began working in university administration.

“And that’s when I discovered city planning,” Debbie said.

Many are deterred or intimidated by all the complexities that come with government and public service sectors, but not Debbie. Where some saw only red tape, Debbie saw an opportunity to get creative and make a real impact in her community as a career.

Debbie graduated from OU’s city planning program while working for the university and later earned a master’s degree in human relations. She spent the bulk of her career in outreach at OU, traveling all over the United States for her work.

“I was doing a lot of programs through government funding and that kind of thing to do community work,” Debbie said. “It was pretty amazing all of the different things that we were able to do. It really opened up pathways to ideas, resources, skills and just opportunities that were amazing,” Debbie said.

Debbie spent decades at OU as both a student and an employee, and her involvement continues even after her retirement. She serves as an officer of the OU Retiree’s Association, and she supports OU’s public radio station KGOU.

Her passion for public radio harkens back to her childhood in rural Missouri.

“Growing up, we didn’t have television. We had radio. We listened to the radio all the time, and we got all kinds of information. Not just news and political stuff, but everything. It made a big difference for my grandmother and the rest of my family and for us growing up too.”

While volunteering at KGOU, she personally witnessed the inner workings of the station.

“It was wonderful to see all of that. Not just hear it, but see it.”

As an expression of her support, Debbie is a proud monthly donor to KGOU, and she intends to leave a gift within her estate to the station. Gifts like these are the lifeblood of KGOU, which depends heavily on private funding to continue operations.

“KGOU has left an incredible legacy over the years, building that station. They keep people connected, certainly with OU and with a lot of the topics that come up on there. They have programs that let you see the world – not just the local area.”

KGOU’s mission to deliver thoughtful storytelling that informs, reflects, connects, and serves communities will continue on thanks to gifts like Debbie’s. But she gives back to her community in more than just the financial sense.

“It’s not just money folks. It’s ideas, contributions of all kinds, and just caring that makes a big difference. It really does.”

Debbie is a true embodiment of the spirit of generosity. To her, giving back – whether it’s through your career, your spare time, or your finances – is second nature. It’s a continuous practice. It’s just what you do. As she put it herself:

“What’s the point of being here if you can’t do something for your community?”

Bob was raised in Tulsa, where he learned about OU from a young age thanks to the high-performing football program led by legendary coach Bud Wilkinson. As Bob grew older and began thinking of his future, he decided to pursue a college education.

“I was very grateful to attend a university that was state supported,” Bob said. “It was relatively affordable. I realized how much that meant and how much it helped me.”

After graduating high school in 1961, he came to Norman, enrolled at OU, and immersed himself in campus life by joining the Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned an undergraduate degree in marketing and finance from the Price College of Business before deciding to pursue an MBA.

“While I was earning my MBA, I was awarded an $800 Lew Wentz Scholarship,” Bob said. “The essence of that was that I got the scholarship and I was obligated to do 200 hours of service for the university.”

By fulfilling this obligation, most of Bob’s MBA expenses were covered by his scholarship. He paid for the remainder of his tuition with money he earned working part-time jobs. Though juggling school and work was difficult at times, he feels the experience set him up for many future successes – which he hopes to recreate for future graduate students.

“My plan is to leave endowed scholarships, primarily for the study of Business Administration, and more particularly, for graduate study in business,” Bob said.

Bob attributes his success in business to his degree, and he hopes future students are inspired by the professional success he found after graduating from OU.

“I drove an old Chevrolet to Albuquerque with $400 in my pocket,” Bob said. “Sixty years later, I’ve accumulated an estate I never dreamed I would have.”

In Albuquerque, Bob worked for Sandia National Laboratories as a mainframe computer programer and EDP auditor. He took a three-year break to program mainframe computers for the U.S. Army, serving in San Antonio, Washington D.C., and El Paso. He earned the rank of captain before returning to Albuquerque.

On typical weekends, Bob enjoyed 36 holes of golf with his friends and hiking in the Sandia Mountains. Between hobbies, Bob invested his money based on the wisdom he absorbed from his beloved OU professors, Dr. Robert Ford and Dr. Vernon Upchurch.

“I was fortunate to be investing in that period when the stock market went through a prolonged bull market, and that enabled me to really build my estate in a way that I would never have thought was possible,” Bob said.

Bob’s estate exceeded his wildest dreams thanks to his OU education and some simple financial wisdom.

“All things in moderation. Work moderately, live moderately, and spend moderately. And anticipate your later years.”

By living a modest life and thoughtfully planning for his future, Bob enabled himself to open doors for hard working graduate students. The scholarship he invests in will foster their ambition and practical pursuits, just as generations before Bob did for him.

“[I hope students] would in turn leverage that money and help them throughout the remainder of their life… I’d be even more flattered if, as they got older, they gave back to the University too.”

Through his generosity, Bob ensures that the seeds of opportunity once planted for him will continue to take root in the lives of Sooners for generations to come.