OSU Students & Faculty Reflect On The Passing Of Boone Pickens

Boone Pickens, an icon in oil and business as well as one of the most famous supporters of Oklahoma State University passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91.

Students and faculty responded to the news expressing appreciation for Pickens and hope to honor his legacy. 

"I was upset. Everyone knows him up here. He's practically a legend. So anytime he's at the football games everyone goes nuts when they show him so its definitely like a piece is going to be missing around here," said OSU junior Eric Creech.

OSU President Burns Hargis released a statement today speaking to the impact Pickens had on the university.

“All of us in the Oklahoma State University family are deeply saddened by the passing of Boone Pickens. At the same time, we join in celebrating his incredible life. He was the ultimate Cowboy. It is impossible to calculate his full impact on Oklahoma State. His historic gifts to academics and athletics not only transformed the university, they inspired thousands of others to join in the transformation. OSU will not be the same without the legendary Boone Pickens, but his mark on our university will last forever,” said Hargis.

Ron Bussert from OSU Tulsa spoke highly about the beloved OSU legend. 

"I think his legacy is an outstanding example of someone who worked hard and stayed true to his values. In the end, he was a very generous person who gave abundantly," Ron Bussert said from OSU Tulsa.

Tom Seng with the University of Tulsa made it a point to say Pickens cared for the school and though he was a business man, not many people in his industry stood out like he did. 

"Today you have these international oil companies, you have large independence, a lot of small family owned operations, a lot of private equity, hedge fund back oil companies, but you don't necessarily see a man stand out like T-Boone did," he said.