Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Fellow
History
The Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Fellows Program is named for the former president of Oklahoma State University who made outstanding contributions to OSU, US higher education, and to nations around the world. Dr. Bennett served as President of Oklahoma A&M College, now known as Oklahoma State University, from 1928 until 1950, when he assumed the leadership of the Point IV Program.
In January of 1949, U.S. President Harry S. Truman outlined a program for peace and freedom, the fourth point of which was “to embark on a bold new program for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of the underdeveloped areas.” This idea was incorporated into what became known as the Point Four Program, which provided developing nations with technical assistance in education, public health, industry, and agriculture. On November 4, 1950, President Truman appointed Dr. Bennett to be Assistant Secretary of State in charge of the Technical Cooperation Administration, which is the predecessor for other US government efforts, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Peace Corps.
President Bennett traveled extensively throughout the world and established more than 105 projects in 33 nations. He, his wife, and several staff died tragically in a plane crash while serving on a Point Four Program assignment in Iran in 1951. The faculty and staff of Oklahoma A&M College played a role in fulfilling President Bennett’s vision by establishing the first agricultural university in Ethiopia, Haramaya University. Oklahoma State University is proud of President Bennett and his leadership in creating the flagship program for US technical assistance to nations around the globe.
The Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Fellows Program, housed in the School of Global Studies at OSU, honors distinguished leaders, both international and local, who have provided leadership in addressing complex global issues, and honorees include many who have served at the highest level of their governments. Bennett Fellows are selected from a wide range of fields and disciplines, including academe, business, government, and non-profit sectors, who have distinguished careers through commitment to international engagement. Many of the honorees have ties to Oklahoma State University, but the program is not limited to OSU alumni, faculty, or staff.
Previous Bennett Fellow Recipients
- 2001
Dr. Lawrence Boger
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- Former President of OSU
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- 2004
Richard Boger
Dr. B. Dell Felder
Dr. Clifton Wharton, Jr
- 2005
Dr. Duck Woo-Nam
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- Former Fiance Minster and Prime Minister of South Korea
- OSU Alum
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- 2006
Gen. Colin Powell
Hon. Wes Watkins
Harriet Fulbright
Ana Salazar
- 2007
Hon. Benjamin Gilman
Conrad Evans
Joy Evans
Col. R. Alan King
Paul Bass
Dr. Robert Sandmeyer
Judge Thomas Bennett
- 2008
Hon. Vicente Fox
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- Former President of Mexico
Dr. M. Peter McPherson
Charles Eitel
Dr. B. Curtis Hamm
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- 2009
M. Steve Forbes
Dr. Adnan Badran
Dr. James Halligan
Michael Hyatt
Dr. Paul Liao
- 2010
Dr. Condoloeezza Rice
Dr. Gebisa Ejeta
Hon. Rodger Randle
Dr. Richard Poole
Don & Cathey Humphrey
- 2011
Jack Welch
Tony Blair
Dr. Alfredo Miranda
- 2012Robert Gates
- 2022
Charles F. "Chic" Dambach
Rosan Roeslani
- Indonesian Ambassador to the United States