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>> LEE BEASLEY: You know, the best thing I got at Central besides an education, was Sherry.
>> SHERRY BEASLEY: That’s true.
>> We started dating our freshman year at UCO. In a Freshman English class, freshman
English class together.
>> I’m Sherry Beasley and I went to Central State College which is now UCO and I graduated
in 1969 with an elementary education degree. Ten years later I came back the name was then
Central State University and I have a masters degree in interior design.
>> I’m Lee Beasley, I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1969 with
a dual degree in chemistry and biology. I went on to get a doctorate in dental surgery
and a masters degree in endodontics.
>> Well, I think back when I was a student here, if somebody had helped me financially,
that would’ve made a big difference in my life. I had to work the whole time I was going
to school. The reason that we have provided scholarships is to take a little bit of that
stress off of the student so that they can worry about their studies than their finances.
>> And, I was fortunate enough, my sister and I both went here on scholarship. So, we
really do know what the value of that is.
>> I was a first generation college student in my family so, it was very exciting for
me to be able to go to college.
>> I really do think back at the chance and the opportunity that I was given and think
it’s important to turn around and give that back.
>> The reason I’m involved in the Always Central campaign and the reason that Sherry,
and myself, and Martha Burger are co-chairing it because we feel it’s very important that
we provide funding to keep this university at the level it’s currently at. A lot of
people don’t understand that even though we are a government-supported institution,
only about 33 percent of our money come from the state. We have to provide other funding
besides tuition.
>> I feel at the heart of this campaign, are the students.”=
>> Students are the most important thing at this university. If you don’t have the students,
you just have empty buildings. So, it’s very important that they obtain a good education
here. And, that is what is going to unlock their success and their future.
>> If we’re going to build a strong community and a strong university, we have to give back.
>> If you look at where Oklahoma City is today where we come from, where we’re going there’s
a whole energy in the city and UCO is right in the middle of all of that.
>> The Always Central Campaign, to me, is all about making sure that this university
continues, to grow, to develop, to provide opportunities for students, for faculty, for
the state, just to provide this fabulous resource for our state.