Path to Excellence: Building the University of Oklahoma, 1890-2015

Founded by determined pioneers in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is one of the nation’s most beautiful universities. The institution’s visual attractions on its three thriving campuses are matched only by its outstanding reputation for academic excellence. Published in celebration of the University’s quasquicentennial, Path to Excellence is a stunning photographic history of OU’s 125 years of remarkable growth and revitalization.

When the University’s first president, David Ross Boyd, looked out at the vast “stretch of prairie” where the territorial school would be built, he envisioned great possibilities. The University’s first steps on the path to excellence were not always easy, however. Challenges and trials marked its early years. Yet through the perseverance and dedication of students, alumni, faculty, and staff, the modern University took shape.

Showcasing both historical and contemporary photographs, Path to Excellence takes the reader on a captivating journey. We see stately academic buildings known for their fine architectural details. We see lush green lawns, colorful garden spaces, and sculptures by renowned artists. And as these memorable landmarks take root and develop before our eyes, we see the University become the strong institution it is today, reaching for ever higher levels of scholarship, community service, and academic achievement.

John R. Lovett is Curator of the Western History Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries, and William J. Welch Professor of Bibliography.

Bethany R. Mowry is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History, University of Oklahoma.

A Rhodes Scholar, David Boren has served as President of the University of Oklahoma (1994–2018), U.S. Senator from Oklahoma (1979–1994), and Governor of Oklahoma (1975–1979) and chaired the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1987 to 1993. He is the author of A Letter to America.