The late John A. Bailey was a University of Tulsa alumnus (MS ’59, petroleum engineering) who worked for Sinclair Oil Corporation before joining the staff of The University of Tulsa, where he became a longtime, devoted employee. John’s leadership as Associate Director of the Petroleum Abstracts Service was instrumental to the continued success of this global information service that provides scientific and technical data to the oil industry. He also was a loyal donor to The University of Tulsa through his support of the TU Annual Fund for the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences (now known as the College of Engineering and Computer Science), McFarlin Library’s Special Collections, the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC), the Henneke Endowment for the Heritage Committee, and the Lawless Presidential Scholarship.

Mr. Bailey established an annual award program in 2008, known as The John L. Dowgray McFarlin Library Undergraduate Research Award. This program was named in memory of his co-worker and friend, Dr. John Dowgray, who had served the University in several high-level positions, ending with his tenure as Director of the Petroleum Abstracts Service. The John L. Dowgray McFarlin Library Undergraduate Research Award recognized excellence in undergraduate research papers that incorporated skill and creativity in the application of the services, resources and collections of McFarlin Library. In addition, he established the John A. Bailey/Sinclair Oil Corporation Endowment Fund for the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC). Mr. Bailey developed a strong interest in this academic enrichment program, which matches talented students with faculty mentors for the purposes of research, service and leadership development. Annually distributed earnings from this endowment support activities related to the TURC program. John Bailey also remembered TU in his estate plans, leaving a generous legacy to establish the Hattie V. and Coral M. Bailey Endowed Fund for the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences in memory of his parents. Annual earnings from this endowment are used to enhance academic programs in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. John A. Bailey passed away in 2010 at the age of 75, but his TU legacy is sustained by the important endowments he established to support his alma mater.