Governor’s Scholarship Award Program

Background

Students selected to attend the Oklahoma School of Science and Math (OSSM) based upon their high academic potential and achievement receive a two year immersive and highly challenging high school academic experience that is second to none, public or private, in the United States. With tuition, room and board paid by the State of Oklahoma or through private philanthropy, a student’s selection to OSSM is, in fact, a full-ride scholarship.

Opportunity

Concurrent with the School’s celebration of its 25th graduating class, it is appropriate that the State acknowledges OSSM students as scholarship winners. Accordingly, the term”Governor’s Scholar” with the full support of Governor Mary Fallin is proposed beginning in 2017 for all students selected to attend the residential campus. This title imparts unique status to each OSSM student based upon their high academic potential and achievement and reflects the pride and investment the State of Oklahoma and the Governor have in each of them and in OSSM.

Implementation

Beginning with the class of 2019 (who enter in the fall of 2017), each student attending OSSM as a two-year residential student will be designated as a Governor’s Scholar. An appropriate certificate designating them as a Governor’s Scholar will be provided to each student at convocation. Further, to ensure parity of the designation among all graduates of OSSM, each OSSM graduate will be retroactively provided a formal certificate acknowledging them as Governor’s Scholar, identifying the year of that designation. Also, as part of the 25th-anniversary celebration, it is proposed that the home high school from which students matriculated to OSSM be acknowledged and honored, with each such school receiving a wall plaque upon which names of past and current Governor’s Scholars from that school are entered. This gesture reflects the very close bond that OSSM desires with all Oklahoma schools, thereby elevating awareness and advocacy of advanced math and science instruction statewide.

The OSSM Foundation is proposed as the funding source for certificates and plaques to be provided to the home high schools.

Action

Approval of the Governor’s office and confirmation that Governor Fallin will speak at Convocation on August 13, 2017 at Petree Auditorium on the OCU Campus in Oklahoma City. This will be the initial kick-off to the distinguished Governor’s Scholar Program.