BACKGROUND INFO ABOUT FOUNDATION
The Southern Oklahoma Higher Education was established in 2006 as the supporting foundation for the University Center. The Foundation was established to provide a funding mechanism for capital campaigns to construct new campus facilities and to fund and administer scholarships.
SOHEF SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2010 the Foundation Board of Directors established the 40/60 scholarship program to provide financial assistance to deserving citizens in southern Oklahoma who want to go to college at the University Center.
The Foundation conducts an annual campaign to endow this scholarship program. Up to forty percent of the proceeds from the annual campaign in any given year may be used to address immediate scholarship needs and sixty percent of the proceeds are place in an endowment for future student scholarships.
In 2011 the Foundation Board of Directors changed the name of the scholarship program from the 40/60 Scholarship Program to the Bill H. Darnell Scholarship Program. As the founding director of the University Center, Bill Darnell had a vision for providing higher education opportunities for the citizens of southern Oklahoma. This scholarship program articulates and reinforces that vision by offering financial assistance to individuals who may not have the financial resources to go to college.
Ada Mae Smith Scholarship
The Ada Mae Smith Scholarship Fund is an endowment managed by the Southern Oklahoma Higher Education Foundation to provide scholarships to assist with the costs of college for African-American students residing in Carter County, Oklahoma, who enroll as students at the Ardmore Higher Education Center. During 2010-11 scholarships were awarded to seven students in the amount of $700 each.
McCrory Scholarship
The McCrory Scholarship and Bridge scholarship programs receive funding from local foundations (McCrory Foundation, Henry Bridge Foundation) to provide scholarships to assist with the costs of college for students residing in Carter County, Oklahoma, who enroll as students at the Ardmore Higher Education Center. During 2010-11 McCrory scholarships were awarded to twenty-eight students with an average award amount of $773 and Henry Bridge scholarships were awarded to two students with an average award amount of $1000.
Annual Fund Campaign
During the 2010-11 fiscal year the Foundation Board of Directors established an annual fund and started a campaign called the 40/60 Scholarship Program. The 40/60 Scholarship Program will build a scholarship fund that provides a perpetual source of funding for deserving high school students or working adults in southern Oklahoma who want to go to college at AHEC and do not receive full funding for tuition and books from other sources. Forty percent (40%) of all gifts to the program are used to address current scholarship needs and sixty percent (60%) are placed in an endowment for student scholarships.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA HIGHER EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Mark Cunningham
Gary W. Farabough
Bebe Lodes
Kathleen Maher
Phil McAnnally
Ed Beasley
Steve Merlyn
Steven C. Mills, Chief Executive Officer