Where Students Find Their Place

The transition from high school to college is one of the most significant shifts a student faces. It is a time of endless possibilities and new challenges to navigate. Oftentimes, finding community and making friends at university plays a key role in success post-graduation.

At the University of Oklahoma, three premier student organizations – Henderson Scholars, President’s Community Scholars and the President’s Leadership Class – ensure our brightest minds don't just attend college; they find a home, a purpose and a pathway to lead.

At the University of Oklahoma, three premier student organizations ensure our brightest minds don't just attend college; they find a home, a purpose and a pathway to lead.

Henderson Scholarship Program

The Henderson Scholars Program is a four-year scholarship program at OU that supports high-achieving students through leadership development, service learning and a strong sense of community. As OU’s first official Living Learning Community, first-year scholars live together on campus and engage in weekly cohort meetings that ease the transition to college life. Henderson Scholars build lasting connections, gain real-world experience and graduate equipped to lead and serve at OU and beyond.

By living together in those pivotal first months, Henderson Scholars turn a large campus into a close-knit neighborhood. This immersion creates a safety net of peers and mentors that carries them through to graduation. When you support HSP, you are investing in more than a scholarship; you are sustaining a legacy of inclusive excellence that has defined OU’s campus culture for decades. 

President’s Community Scholars

President’s Community Scholars is composed of students who want to make a difference in their community. Through the President’s Community Scholars scholarship, President Joseph Harroz, Jr. recognizes high school scholars from across the country. PCS provides these high-achieving high school students with the best possible first-year experience through service.

For PCS, leadership is a verb. These students aren't just academic stars in the classroom; they are the hands and feet of OU in the Norman community. From local service projects to global initiatives, PCS members learn that the 'best and brightest' are those who use their talents to lift others up. Giving Day support for PCS directly funds the resources these students need to turn their service ideas into real change.

President’s Leadership Class

The President's Leadership Class was created in 1961 to encourage outstanding Oklahoma high school students to remain in-state for their college careers.

Today, 65 years later, the University of Oklahoma's President's Leadership Class attracts students from across the country and has been recognized as one of the nation's top freshman leadership programs. Members of the Class are hand-selected from more than 12,000 applicants to become a part of this tight-knit community of 125 student leaders. 

Since its inception in 1961, PLC has served as a primary engine for keeping Oklahoma’s top talent within state lines. By hand-selecting 125 leaders from a pool of thousands, PLC creates an elite yet supportive environment where the next generation of Oklahoma’s CEOs, doctors and civic leaders begin their journey. Your gift ensures this 65-year tradition of excellence continues to thrive.

While the Henderson Scholars Program, President’s Community Scholar and the President’s Leadership Class each offer a unique path, they share a singular mission: ensuring the brightest minds in Oklahoma – and beyond – have a home here in Norman. Whether through the close-knit bond of a Living Learning Community, the hands-on impact of local service or the 65-year tradition of elite leadership cultivation, these organizations are the heartbeat of the OU experience. 

This Giving Day, your support provides the margin of excellence these programs rely on. Your gift doesn't just fund a scholarship; it fuels a service project in our local community, sustains mentorship for a first-generation student and ensures that Oklahoma’s top talent stays right here to lead our state into the future. 

Join us in supporting these outstanding student organizations at givesooner.org. When you invest in a scholar, you invest in the future for us all.