OBU Welcomes Rasnic as Vice President for University Advancement

December 22, 2020

OBU is pleased to welcome Tim Rasnic as vice president for university advancement. He assumed his duties effective Dec. 10. In this role, Rasnic’s primary responsibilities include overseeing development and alumni relations, coordinating the development team in raising funds for the university, and securing financial support for the university.

Rasnic previously enjoyed an extensive career at the University of Oklahoma in alumni and development positions including director of development for regional campaigns and university libraries.  He also served as director of planned giving in the university’s office of development and as the director of development for OU’s Price College of Business.  Rasnic most recently served as executive director of the Oklahoma Zoo Society, where he focused on fundraising and membership.

Rasnic grew up in Navajo, Oklahoma, located in the southwest corner of the state near Altus. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in public affairs and administration from the University of Oklahoma and soon thereafter began his professional career with the OU Alumni Association. His affiliations with professional organizations include the International Leadership Association, the Big 12 Development Officers Organization, the National Committee on Planned Giving, and the Big 12 Planned Giving Council. He also has a significant record of community service, including serving as chair of leadership programs and chair of Tomorrow’s Leaders for the Norman Chamber of Commerce, program chair for the Norman Sooner Rotary Club, and two-term president for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Cleveland County.

Rasnic has also spent time volunteering with organizations including United Way, the U.S. Olympic Festival, Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society, and OU’s Pe-et Honor Society, a special honor society for university juniors who have demonstrated outstanding achievement. He has also enjoyed serving in leadership positions for local athletic booster clubs, including as president of the Norman North Boys Basketball Booster Club and as vice president of the Whittier Athletic Booster Club.

He was honored to be selected as a member of Leadership Oklahoma’s Class XII and served the state’s premier leadership program as vice president for youth programs and as a member of the board of directors. He was one of three LOK alumni who founded and created the Youth Leadership Oklahoma program along with LOK’s executive director. He is also a graduate of Leadership Norman and Leadership Oklahoma City and is a member of the Oklahoma City Rotary Club.

Rasnic feels blessed and honored to lead the OBU advancement and alumni team.

“The strong legacy of Christian higher education and tradition of excellence at OBU attracted me to the position of vice president for university advancement,” he said. “I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to join the OBU family and look forward to continuing and enhancing the outstanding reputation of this wonderful university through our collective effort in fundraising and alumni engagement. For many years as an Oklahoma Baptist, I have witnessed an incredible dedication and commitment from OBU alumni, donors and friends of the university. They collectively subscribe to the importance of providing an impactful and lasting educational experience for those who attend OBU. It is a blessing to be able to accept this position and have the opportunity to contribute to this impressive legacy.”

In this role, Rasnic will work closely with OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas, along with faculty, staff and students, to cultivate and steward donors for the university.

“As we work collaboratively to enhance the programs and facilities at OBU along with the increased investment in faculty and students, we will pursue strategic initiatives for the university that will have a significantly positive impact upon the future of the university. It’s exciting to look toward the work ahead of us and the opportunity to connect with our OBU alumni and donors as we share the steps to even greater success and ask for their commitment and investment.”

One aspect of his duties which Rasnic is particularly excited about is connecting with and working with OBU’s alumni base to connect them to the University’s mission in meaningful and personal ways, drawing on his many years of experience in alumni relations to do so.

“It is vitally important for our university to connect with our alumni and to ask for their support and engagement, especially as we enter this new era with President Thomas and an incredibly dedicated group of administrators, faculty and staff who have a desire to make the OBU experience a positive one for current and future students. We also want to continue that positive experience with our dedicated alumni and find ways for them to maintain involvement no matter how close or far they live from Bison Hill.

“I am thrilled at the prospect of being able to meet and connect with our alumni and update them on our OBU story. We plan to host some interesting, wonderful alumni events on campus in addition to bringing OBU to the various communities where we have a concentration of alumni. We have already participated in some thoughtful conversations about ways we can increase alumni engagement and it will be great to see the impactful results of that effort.”

Thomas is excited to welcome Rasnic to the administrative team and looks forward to the impact his leadership will make upon university advancement and alumni relations.

“Tim Rasnic brings decades of experience to campus, both in fundraising and in working with alumni. As a lifelong Oklahoman and Southern Baptist, he understands the heartbeat of this university and will work tirelessly to connect our alumni to the university’s mission. I am likewise excited for him to lead the development team in making new connections with people who share the vision of OBU and who want to ensure the impact made on Bison Hill will endure for generations to come.”