T. Boone Pickens Foundation Grants Horatio Alger Association $1 Million Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Late Member

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 14, 2024) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced the donation of a $1 million endowed scholarship founded in memory of 2006 Horatio Alger Member, T. Boone Pickens. Initially funded through the T. Boone Pickens Foundation, the State Scholarship will be awarded annually to select Oklahoma students who have achieved success despite adversity and showcase a commitment to furthering their education.

“Boone Pickens’ legacy is one of a generous philanthropist dedicated to helping expand access to higher education. This scholarship is yet another of many ways his legacy will carry on,” said Jay Rosser, a director of the T. Boone Pickens Foundation, and Pickens’ long-time chief of staff. “Boone was incredibly proud to be a member of the Horatio Alger Association, and he valued the opportunity support future generations of leaders through this scholarship.”

Throughout his lifetime, Pickens’ philanthropic giving totaled nearly $1 billion, with more than $700 million giving to Oklahoma State University where the legendary entrepreneur and oil and gas leader earned his geology degree. He went on to form one of the nation’s largest and most well-known independent petroleum exploration and production companies before creating BP Capital in 1997. Pickens believed in being generous with his financial success, giving back to and supporting a wide range of initiatives and causes. In 2006, he formed the T. Boone Pickens Foundation which has provided charitable gifts to support educational programs, medical research, athletics, and at-risk youth. It is the philanthropic arm now guiding his estate giving.

“We are honored the Foundation selected the Association to receive this incredibly generous grant that will go toward our mission of ensuring the American dream for future generations,” stated Terrence Giroux, executive director, Horatio Alger Association. “Mr. Pickens embodied what it means to be a Member and is a true example of what you can achieve through hard work, integrity, perseverance and compassion for others.”

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be high school juniors residing in Oklahoma who demonstrate a critical financial need, display integrity while overcoming hardship, be involved in co-curricular and community service activities, and exhibit a strong commitment toward pursuing and completing a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution after high school graduation.

“This charitable act from Mr. Pickens’s estate will directly impact thousands of deserving students from his home state in the years to come,” said James F. Dicke, chairman, Horatio Alger Association and 2015 Horatio Alger Award recipient. “In his 13 years as a Member, Mr. Pickens displayed an unmatched commitment to giving back to others so they, too, can achieve their dreams.”

The scholarship will be available in 2024. For a complete list of requirements and to learn more, visit https://horatioalger.org/scholarships/. For more information about Horatio Alger Association, follow the organization on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, in 2022, the Association awarded more than $18 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships to over 1,800 students across the United States and Canada, and provided college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. By the 40th anniversary of the Association’s scholarship program in 2024, $262 million will be awarded in undergraduate, graduate, military veteran and career and technical education scholarships to 37,000 deserving students. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.