We ask you to join us in a special effort to establish an endowed scholarship to honor the late Katharine June Gross, who served as financial administrator for the Honors College between 1997 and 2011. Kathy’s exemplary work at the Honors College, her belief in the value of higher education, her devotion to all things “OU,” and her gracious personality make the loss of her life a particularly devastating blow to all who knew her.

As many of you may know, Kathy was recently awarded her “20-Year Service” pin as a staff member at the University of Oklahoma. Prior to her joining the Honors College, Kathy worked in the Goddard Medical Center. Her financial expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to the future of the Honors College provided crucial and continuous financial stewardship of the College.  All who worked with Kathy—faculty, staff, and students—could not help but be struck by her competence and professionalism, as well as her dedication to her OU family.

While managing the Honors College budget, Kathy completed her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies. Earning her bachelors degree from the University of Oklahoma was one of the proudest moments of Kathy’s life. A high point of her academic achievement was carrying the College of Liberal Studies banner at Commencement in 2004. No one believed more in the value of higher education than Kathy.

Kathy’s achievements at the University of Oklahoma are all the more remarkable when one considers the health issues that she faced for most of her life. As someone with Type I diabetes, Kathy never let her condition compromise her personal and professional commitments. She fulfilled her responsibilities throughout life with grace, patience, and determination.

We believe that a scholarship in her name offers an appropriate way to honor her memory and serve the OU community in the years to come. It is our goal to create an endowment of at least $10,000 in order to provide an annual $500 scholarship to a student of promise in the Honors College. We hope you will help us reach this goal with a gift today!

NOTE: Please forward to any friends and colleagues that may want to honor Kathy, and support Honors students at the University of Oklahoma.