Published: September 22, 2009 07:08 pm      

UCO professor wins foundation ‘Making a Difference’ award

EDMOND — University of Central Oklahoma’s Michael Knight, a professor and chairperson of the Department of Psychology in the College of Education and Professional Studies, is this year’s recipient of the UCO Foundation “Making a Difference Award.”

Knight was randomly selected from a pool of nearly 400 faculty and staff who donate annually to the university through the UCO Foundation.

As the award recipient, and with the help of UCO Transportation and Parking Services, Knight was able to select any parking space on campus to be reserved only for him throughout the fall semester.

He chose a front row space next to CEPS where his office is located.

“To have faculty and staff going above and beyond their daily activities and giving financially is a true testament to their belief in the mission and goals of this university,” said Anne Holzberlein, vice president for Development and executive director of the UCO Foundation.

“Their gifts let our students, community and alumni know that we are invested in making Central the best place to be in the state.”

Knight has been a professor at UCO for the past 35 years and was named chairperson of the Department of Psychology in 1982.

He designated his annual UCO donation to benefit the Dr. Fred’s (William A Frederickson) Mentorship Endowed Fund, which provides research assistant support for CEPS graduate and undergraduate students.

“The main reason I give is because I have it,” said Knight, who also gives regularly to the United Way, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Free to Live.

Frederickson was Knight’s own mentor through school and he believes strongly in what the fund symbolizes and that it directly supports UCO students.

The foundation plans to have another drawing at the end of the semester to select the spring recipient of the Making a Difference Award.

The UCO Foundation raises funds to support the mission and the goals of the university which includes scholarship support for students and development of relationships with alumni, friends, donors and the campus community.

For more information, call the UCO Foundation at 974-2770 or visit www.ucogiving.org.