“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.