Green and Gold Gala Marks New Milestone on Bison Hill, Energizes Support for OBU’s Future
April 24, 2025
About 700 alumni, friends and supporters gathered April 1 on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University for a night that marked not just the 10th Green and Gold Gala, but a defining moment in OBU’s historic journey toward the future.
Held for the first time on Bison Hill, the biennial event broke new ground with a record sponsorship total of $391,000, which was $132,000 more than the previous event, and a tremendous fundraising total of $502,885 for the university’s bold Shape the Future campaign. The evening fused celebration with purpose, casting a renewed vision for academic excellence, campus transformation and Christ-centered community.
Guests explored firsthand the revitalization of Shawnee Hall and Raley Chapel, the expansion of STEM spaces in Thurmond Hall and the transformation of the Wood Science Building, key projects in the Shape the Future campaign.
OBU President Dr. Heath A. Thomas noted that the powerful response underscored how seeing the progress in person helps connect alumni and friends to OBU’s mission.
“I’ve had so many alums and friends say, ‘It’s one thing to hear the stories about Bison Hill, but it’s another thing to be on campus, going through the tours and connecting with old friends.’ It makes all the difference in the world,” Thomas said. “The outpouring of support verbally and financially has been incredible. We didn’t break records for the Gala, we shattered them. We give thanks for the momentum that generates for the future.”
The Shape the Future campaign is central to OBU’s strategic direction, aiming to strengthen academic investment, enhance student life and modernize facilities. Despite unprecedented challenges in recent years, including a global pandemic, multiple weather disasters and the April 2023 EF2 tornado that damaged every building on campus, OBU continues to advance with faith and resolve.
“Just seeing where we’ve been and what we’ve had to go through over the past five years and everybody coming together, everybody across campus linking arms and saying we are going to do this,” Thomas said, “is amazing.”
The gala was emceed by Kirk Humphreys, former mayor of Oklahoma City and chairman emeritus of Humphreys Capital. Guests gathered in the Recreation and Wellness Center, which stood as a symbol of recovery and renewal.
Keynote speaker Dr. John C. Maxwell, world-renowned leadership expert and best-selling author, delivered an inspiring address that challenged the OBU community to think bigger, lead with faith, and make room for God-sized vision.
“Get out of the people pile,” Maxwell urged, describing OBU as a place that equips students to rise above the ordinary and change lives. Drawing from Ephesians 3:20, he emphasized the “God room,” the space between what we can do on our own and what only God can accomplish.
“Wouldn’t it be incredible if you not only taught the students to get out of the people pile, but they learned here in this culture, in this atmosphere, in this environment to have ‘God room’ in their life?” he asked the crowd.
The Green and Gold Gala served not as a conclusion but a launching point. The energy and unity displayed at the event signal a movement that will continue to unfold.
“We are going to take the strength of today and build on it so that we can have all the momentum that we need to move forward and remain in the Shape the Future vision”, Thomas said. “This is going to build momentum to carry us forward.”
As the OBU community continues to navigate its recovery and look toward the horizon, the gala also underscored a powerful truth: the future of Bison Hill is not just imagined, it is being shaped.
To learn more about the Shape the Future campaign and join in its mission, visit the campaign website.