STILLWATER, Okla., March 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Oklahoma
State University's planned performing arts center received a major
boost today with a $25 million gift
from alumni Ross and Billie McKnight
to establish an endowment to support programming.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7797251-osu-mcknight-center-performing-arts/
"This visionary gift from the McKnights will ensure our new
performing arts center truly maximizes the opportunities for
cultural enrichment that the magnificent modern facility will
afford," said Oklahoma State University
President Burns Hargis. "As a result of the generosity of the
McKnights, we will be available to present celebrated national and
international performing arts productions and artists that will
enhance the cultural experience on campus, in the Stillwater community and across the
region."
The 93,000-square-foot performing arts center will be named The
McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University. The center will stand
prominently along the southwest corner of University Avenue and
Hester Street within walking
distance of the student union, the Atherton Hotel and the
ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts will be one of
Oklahoma's premier cultural
institutions, creating an environment for artistic expression that
allows Oklahoma State and the
Stillwater community to express —
and be recognized for — their passion for the arts on a global
stage.
"Billie and I made this commitment to fulfill the vision of the
performing arts center to expand the number and type of cultural
opportunities available at Oklahoma
State through vibrant performances and educational
experiences," said Ross McKnight.
"We see our gift enabling students at Oklahoma
State to achieve their fullest potential through interaction
with some of the finest artists in the world. We believe these
experiences will inspire students to express their own talents
through music and performance."
The endowment will allow Oklahoma
State to explore unique opportunities to work with several
of the country's top symphonies, institutions, artists and
traveling musical groups to bring once-in-a-lifetime entertainment
and learning opportunities to Stillwater.
The McKnights' generosity complements a number of donations to
the performing arts center including a $15
million maintenance and operations gift from philanthropists
and OSU alumni Frank and Carol
Morsani.
"The McKnights and others who have already committed gifts to
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts represent a significant
milestone under the leadership of President Burns Hargis toward
achieving the goal of making the arts a vital part of the
Oklahoma State experience," commented
Joe B. Hall, chairman of the
OSU/A&M Board of Regents.
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts will feature
state-of-the-art technology designed to enhance the performance and
audience experience. It will include an acoustically perfected
1,100-seat performance hall, 222-seat recital hall and an outdoor
amphitheater with a large viewing screen for broadcasting
performances in the hall as well as other performances from
anywhere else in the world.
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts will also include a
new home for the Department of Music and its master class
curriculum. Teaching studios for one-on-one lessons and ensemble
rooms for small or large groups will be located in the center.
These spaces will be engineered with the latest acoustics and
technology for instruction, practice and performance.
The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University is expected to open in
2019.
Contacts:
Jennifer Kinnard | OSU Foundation |
405-385- 5185 | jkinnard@osugiving.com
Gary Shutt | OSU Communications |
405-612-5757 | gary.shutt@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University
Foundation, the private fundraising organization for
OSU, exists to unite donor and university passions and priorities
to achieve excellence. The Foundation manages donor contributions
so the university can provide the most advanced educational
opportunities to students. From scholarships to community programs
to important research, OSU donors generously support the spirit and
tradition of Oklahoma State
University's land-grant mission. OSU supporters fuel our
historic growth and unprecedented excitement. We continue to
witness an ongoing transformation at Oklahoma
State, and all gifts help ensure we continue this tradition
of excellence.
Oklahoma State
University is a modern land-grant university that
prepares students for success. OSU has more than 36,000 students
across its five-campus system and more than 25,000 on its combined
Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50
states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, Oklahoma State has graduated more than 260,000
students who have been serving Oklahoma and the world for 125 years.
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SOURCE Oklahoma State University
Foundation