Late Cheyenne business leader creates professorship to honor son

-

 A longtime Cheyenne business leader, whose generosity to the community lives on even after her death in 2001, continues her tradition of philanthropy with a $250,000 bequest to the OU College of Engineering. The Nettie Vincent Boggs Testamentary Trust has established a professorship in engineering at the University of Oklahoma in honor of Boggs’ son, John Vincent “Vince” Boggs. Gifted both academically and musically, Vince earned three degrees at the University, including a PhD in nuclear engineering, before his death in a motorcycle accident in 1971. “Supporting education was very important to Nettie,” said Janith Moore, trustee of the Nettie Boggs Trust. “I think she felt that providing for the education of others was a meaningful way to honor Vince and keep his memory alive. The youngest of eight children, Nettie Ellen Vincent Boggs was born in Texas in 1911 and moved to Cheyenne as a child. She spent nearly all of her 90 years in Cheyenne. A bright and inquisitive student, she excelled academically and, like her son, was named valedictorian of her high school graduating class. Her family did not have the means to provide a college education, but Boggs attended business school in Oklahoma City and returned to Cheyenne to work in a bank. In 1936 she married local businessman Lisle Boggs. The couple was active in civic and business organizations, including the Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce. “Nettie loved her numbers,” said Moore, who grew to be a close friend to Boggs, as well as her personal assistant. “She was happy making money, but not spending it. She lived in a modest stucco house and did not spend money on herself.” Although small in stature, Boggs was known for her ramrod straight posture and even straighter business ethics and acumen. Moore said Nettie loved nothing more than “getting in there and negotiating deals with men who towered over her—she called it ‘dickering.’ “She was a tough business woman, but she had so much warmth and humor once you got to know her,” said Moore. “She could be intimidating; she was always in control of her business and her life.” One thing she could not control was the untimely death of her beloved son. Now her gift to the University will leave a lasting legacy for generations of future OU students. “We are extremely grateful to Nettie Boggs for her generous legacy and to Trustee Janith Moore for her careful stewardship of Nettie’s wishes,” said OU Engineering Dean Tom Landers. “This new professorship will strengthen our ability to recruit and retain the nation’s top engineering faculty and will provide an enhanced level of educational opportunities for our students. I can think of no better way to honor Vince’s outstanding academic career at OU than by his mother’s investment in the education of others.”

Popular posts from this blog

OU Engineering Welcomes 14 New Faculty Members for 2023-24

-
Image
OU Engineering has welcomed 14 new faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year. This marks a milestone in the college's growth journey, with faculty numbers increasing from just over 100 in 2017 to 175 in 2023. OU Engineering is committed to expanding its faculty ranks, aiming for over 200 faculty members by the 2025-26 academic year, says OU Engineering Dean John Klier. To achieve this goal, the college has initiated more than 20 faculty searches. The State of Oklahoma continues to acknowledge the need for more engineers. They recently responded to OU Engineering’s request for additional recurring funding. The funding will play a crucial role in offering undergraduate student tuition waivers, supporting graduate students and helping recruit new faculty and staff. These positions will be phased in over the next three years. "OU Engineering extends its gratitude for the ongoing support from the State of Oklahoma as it continues to address the growing demand for engineers,&quo
Read more

OU Engineering 1 of 28 Teams Nationwide to Receive DEPSCoR Grant

-
Image
University of Oklahoma engineering researcher Reza Foudazi, Ph.D., has been selected to receive a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense under the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or DEPSCoR. The highly competitive grant was awarded to only 28 academic teams nationwide.  An associate professor in the School of Sustainable Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, Foudazi’s research centers on the exploration of electrochemical energy storage systems that incorporate multivalent ions. He says the systems are of interest due to their potential for higher energy density when compared to conventional lithium-based systems.  “We are dedicated to advancing the field of electrochemical energy storage. The primary goal of this research is to understand the fundamental design principles behind nanostructured thermoresponsive electrolytes for multivalent ions,” Foudazi said.  Foudazi's team will produce ionogel electrolytes by using block copol
Read more

OU Engineering Students Shine in Community Projects

-
Image
At the University of Oklahoma, a transformative course called Pathways to Engineering Thinking is leaving a mark on OU students and the community. In the first-year engineering course, over 800 students across 16 sections collaborated to tackle real-world challenges presented by community partners. Their projects ranged from developing prosthetic limbs for injured animals to creating innovative solutions for community gardens and zoos. The course aims to guide students through the engineering design process, emphasizing collaborative teamwork and problem-solving skills.  This semester’s projects reached many areas of the community. Partnerships with the OU Food Pantry, OU Community Garden, Oklahoma City Zoo, OU Engineering K-12 Outreach, a local dog rescue and the City of Norman provided students with real-world challenges to address. Each team delved into issues presented by the partners, working toward delivering functional design solutions by the semester’s end. The heart of the cou
Read more