For Immediate Release – Lawton, OK, June 23, 2008
Endowed lectureships established at
Cameron University
Cameron University President Cindy Ross announced today the establishment of four endowed
lectureships valued at more than $200,000, bringing the total number of endowed faculty positions to 66,
more than any other regional institution in Oklahoma.
“We are truly indebted to the donors of these endowed faculty positions,” said Ross. “Cindy Allen, Bill and
Barbara Scearce, Sanjit Bhattacharya, and Leigh Holmes have forever impacted the Cameron student
body in the most positive way possible – by contributing the funds to provide students academic
experiences that would not otherwise be possible. In addition, The McCasland Foundation and the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, through their matching fund programs, are instrumental in
the establishment of these endowments.”
In memory of her late husband, Cindy Allen donated $12,500 for the Brigadier General Charles B. Allen
Endowed Lectureship in Military Science and Leadership, which will advance the quality of education in the
Military Sciences and Leadership areas in Cameron’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. A
native of Alaska, Brigadier General Allen and his family settled in Lawton, where he attended high school.
He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Cameron. Launching his distinguished military
career when he earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery from Cameron
University in 1977, he served in various command and staff assignments. In 2004, Brigadier General Allen
was serving as the Assistant Division Commander for the 4 th Infantry Division when he died tragically in a
helicopter accident.
- more-
Endowed Faculty Positions, Page 2
Retired dentist Dr. William L. Scearce and his wife Barbara of Lawton established the Dr. William L. and
Barbara Scearce Endowed Lectureship in Political Science to advance the quality of education in the study
of political science. Dr. and Mrs. Scearce are avid Cameron supporters and are members of The
President’s Partners of Cameron University. They have donated $13,450 for the establishment of the
lectureship.
Sanjit Bhattacharya, who earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cameron in 2000
and is now a successful businessman in Oklahoma City, provided $12,500 for the establishment of the
Bhattacharya Endowed Lectureship for Excellence in Research. The purpose of this endowed lectureship is
to advance the quality of research and creative and scholarly activity at Cameron University and in
southwest Oklahoma.
To honor his parents, Dr. Leigh Holmes, Cameron University Emeritus Professor of English, established the
Charles and Edythe Holmes Endowed Lectureship in English with a contribution of $12,500. Charles and
Edythe Holmes earned their first college degrees during the Great Depression. Demonstrating their belief in
the timeless value of higher education, they each went on to earn a master’s degree. The purpose of this
endowment is to advance the study of English at Cameron University and in southwest Oklahoma.
The endowed positions were made official when The University of Oklahoma, Cameron University and
Rogers State University Board of Regents gave approval at a meeting held today at the Noble Conference
Center in Ardmore. Cameron University has received matching funds of $12,500 for each of the endowed
lectureships from The McCasland Foundation of Duncan through its Challenge Grant program. The
resulting endowments, totaling $100,950, will then be submitted to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education to be matched dollar-for-dollar, creating four endowed lectureships with a combined value of
$201,900.
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PR# 08-107
Editors and Broadcasters: For more information, contact Janet E. Willliams, Director
of Media Relations, in the Office of Community Relations at 580.581.2611.