Oklahoma State University (OSU) officials say a $1.6 million gift from a pair of Iranian brothers will provide the school with more than $6 million thanks to matching funds from oilman Boone Pickens and the state of Oklahoma.
The gift will expand Iranian and Persian Gulf studies.
A ceremony last Thursday honored brothers Jalal and Mo-hammad Farzaneh for their $1.6 million gift to OSU. With the matching funds, the gift will support a faculty chair and four professorships in Iranian and Persian Gulf studies, OSU officials said.
The Farzanehs said their father taught them the importance of education and encouraged all his children to pursue higher education.
“Our late father believed education not only built a person’s character, but was also crucial to building society,” Mohammad Farzaneh said.
Both Farzaneh brothers immigrated to the United States in 1978 and made Oklahoma their home. They graduated from the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 1981 with bachelor’s degrees in environmental design.
Following graduation, the brothers began their construction business, Home Creations. Today, it is cited as Oklahoma’s largest home-building company.
In 1984, the brothers returned to OU to earn master’s degrees in architecture.
In the past five years, the Farzanehs have made similar gifts to OU and Oklahoma City University and have established an endowed scholarship for Iranian international students at the University of Central Oklahoma.
At the ceremony announcing the new gift, guests enjoyed traditional Persian culture including music performed by the Siamak Ensemble, the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi and Persian teas and sweets.
