Comprehensive Compassion: The Far-Reaching Impact of a Lifelong Sooner

OU Giving Day is all about making an impact across the University of Oklahoma – and few embody that spirit better than Donna Neel.

As a first-generation college student, OU alumna, former student-athlete and lifelong educator, Donna Neel has an extensive list of affinities at OU. 

She combines this love of softball, education and the university as a whole with her philanthropic efforts to ensure Sooners of tomorrow have access to the same opportunities and experiences she holds so dear.

For OU Giving Day 2025, Donna donated two life-changing gifts to both the Softball Championship Fund and the College of Education General Support Fund.

“Access is what I want my gift to pursue,” Donna said. “There are so many bright and talented young people who just don’t have doors opened for them. If that barrier can be removed, then I want to be part of that.”

Donna’s pay-it-forward mindset was instilled in her from a young age.

She grew up in Muskogee, where her parents raised her with a strong sense of purpose and determination. Believing in the power of generational advancement, they hoped to see their children excel beyond the circumstances in which they were raised.

“My parents always encouraged me to think about college, but with one restriction — it must be in state,” Donna said. “I knew very early on that I wanted to come to OU."

Donna began her freshman year at OU in the fall of 1974 and enrolled in the College of Education.

“I pursued special education,” Donna said. “A lot of people think that if you pursue this field, you must have had an experience with someone in your life that may have needed special education services, but I didn’t. I kind of have this innate need to be a defender of the underserved, a champion for those that need more help.” 

She was a champion of more than just underserved communities, though. In addition to her studies, Donna was a collegiate athlete. In 1976 and 1977 – when Title IX was in its infancy and women’s athletic scholarships were scarce – Donna competed on the OU softball team.

"You have a few significant moments in time that really change your whole path. And you don't realize it until you're on the other side."

“You have a few significant moments in time that really change your whole path,” Donna said. “And you don’t realize it until you’re on the other side.”

While seeking out her own community at OU, Donna came across a bulletin board with a tear-off flyer advertising softball tryouts. She took a tab, attended tryouts at “pneumonia downs” (a former workout and track facility under the spectator stands at Memorial Stadium), and made the team.

“That changed the trajectory of my life,” Donna said.

Donna competed for two years under coaches Amy Dahl and Marita Hynes, legendary early leaders of OU’s softball program. Current head softball coach Patty Gasso credits pioneers like Dahl, Hynes and Donna for building the foundation for today’s wildly successful program. At the 50th anniversary of OU softball, Coach Gasso told the attendees, “We’re standing on your shoulders.”

“That meant a lot,” Donna said.

Donna has established a precedent of excellence for more than just OU softball. After graduation, she began a 46-year career in public education in Blanchard and Norman, serving in the classroom and as a principal. She then transitioned to Lexia Learning, a company that provides training for teachers and resources for students who struggle to read. 

Donna touched so many lives through her dedicated career in education, and she isn’t finished yet. She plans to continue support of both OU’s softball team and College of Education with the hope that her gifts lay the groundwork for students and athletes alike to pursue their dreams at OU and thrive after graduation.

“I'm going to start an endowment with the College of Education, probably targeted for first-generation college students,” Donna said. “And I want women to have the opportunity to participate at the highest level of athletics… everything you do in athletics is transferable to real life.”

The legacy Donna is creating – though Giving Day and beyond – will inspire generations of Sooners. You, too, can be part of OU’s legacy by making your gift today.