Jane and Robert Ferguson - Chapman Legacy Society
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Gifts Established:

  • Robert and Jane Ferguson Presidential Scholarship in Business | Est. 2000
brick engraved with name Jane and Robert Ferguson

Jane and Robert Ferguson

Robert and Jane Ferguson became a couple even before graduating from The University of Tulsa. They married in August 1948, a year before they received their degrees — he in business management and she in music. They were a bright pair. Both were members of Phi Gamma Kappa, TU’s premier honor society at the time. And both were active participants in campus life — he as a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and she as a member of Phi Mu Fraternity. Mrs. Ferguson passed away in 2021, and Mr. Ferguson still resides in Houston, Texas, where the couple has lived for many years.

Robert’s fond association with the Collins College of Business continued for decades after his graduation. In a 1996 college newsletter, he cited his longtime participation in TU’s annual Conference of Accountants. He also pointed out that the idea of “lifelong learning” has been important to the university since way back. He recalled, “I still remember the words Dean (M.M.) Hargrove spoke to us during his address to graduating students: ‘Now your education will begin.’”

In that spirit, Mr. Ferguson earned an MBA from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1962, and he and Jane continued to build well upon their beginnings. Mr. Ferguson later became a manager of accounting and refining and spent many years working for Conoco in Ponca City. The couple had two daughters, Carol and Cynthia.

Mr. Ferguson’s philosophy in life and work, well represented by his generosity to TU, has always included helping others achieve their highest potential. This approach involves a policy of graciousness and fair play: “Like giving subordinates credit for their innovative ideas. It’s something you can do all your life,” he said.

As loyal and generous alumni, Robert and Jane Ferguson established a permanent endowment, the Robert and Jane Ferguson Presidential Scholarship in Business. This ongoing scholarship support enhances the academic opportunities for outstanding and deserving students in the Collins College of Business.