In June 1975, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education authorized the creation of a program "to emphasize scholarship and leadership among students at institutions in Oklahoma higher education." The first seminar in October 1975, was an interdisciplinary examination of the general theme, "The Future of Humanity in an Age of Uncertainty," led by Vance Packard and Buckminster Fuller.

That was the beginning of the Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program. Since 1975 more than 4,000 students and 200 scholars have participated in OSLEP. Thousands more Oklahomans have shared this wonderful adventure attending public lectures and forums, which are part of the scholar-leadership experience.

The objectives of the program are:

• to develop qualities of both scholarship and leadership in Oklahoma students
• to bring the best students throughout Oklahoma into contact with each other and with distinguished scholars and leaders in an environment that promotes the exchange of ideas
• to enrich the entire higher education community and the general public
• to direct the energy of the program toward intellectual excitement and academic achievement.

In addition to the leadership skills and academic enrichment, OSLEP provides a vehicle for personal growth and enrichment. Because of the intelligence and diversity of the students in a seminar, they have an unusual opportunity to learn about and with people of different backgrounds and beliefs, ages, and world views. Students learn to be more accepting of these differences, learn that it's possible to accept differences without agreeing with or endorsing them. And students learn that they can compete intellectually with the best students from other universities.

OSLEP and the George B. Kaiser Family Fund of Tulsa Community Foundation and Bank of Oklahoma, N.A. also underwrote an annual lecture series. These were devoted to topics of current importance and feature nationally and internationally famous speakers, such as Jack Valenti, Richard Leakey & Oliver Sacks. In addition the Fund supported scholarships that enabled deserving students to attend OSLEP class. For further information about some of these programs, click here.