The University of Oklahoma has received a $10 million gift towards the construction of two first-year residence halls on the former Adamas Center site.
The gift came from the McCasland Foundation, and one of the new halls will be named McCasland Hall.
“The McCasland Foundation has been an incredible partner to OU for generations,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr.
“From the McCasland Field House to their generous contributions to several academic areas, the McCasland family has made a meaningful impact across the university.
With this latest gift, our students will gain a best-in-class living environment that enhances their OU experience from day one, setting the stage for lifelong connections and future achievements.”
The McCasland Foundation was established in 1952 and has supported higher education throughout its years.
The new residence halls will feature lounge rooms, study spaces, music rooms, and storm shelters for around 550 students.
The north hall is expected to open in fall 2025 and the south hall is expected to open in fall 2026.
“Research shows that first-year students who live on campus not only achieve greater academic success but also feel more connected to their peers and the broader university community,” said Jeff Blahnik, chief enrollment officer at OU.
“Our new residence halls are thoughtfully designed to create a welcoming, small community atmosphere where new students can truly feel at home. Thanks to the generous support of the McCasland Foundation, we are able to bring this vision to life and provide an enriching environment for our students.”
The McCasland Foundation’s board of directors includes family members from the second and third generations of the McCasland family.
- H. McCasland Jr. serves as a trustee.
Mary F. Michaelis (née McCasland) is also a trustee.
Barbara Braught holds the position of Executive Director.
These individuals are direct descendants of the foundation’s founder, T. H. McCasland, and continue to uphold the family’s philosophy of giving back to the community.
From an early age Thomas H. Mccasland, Jr., accompanied his father to the oilfield on weekends, learning early about drilling and producing operations. From age 15 through college, he worked summer oilfield-related jobs. Knowing he wanted a life in the energy business, he focused his studies toward that goal.
McCasland graduated with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, served on the Athletic Council and Student Senate, and was Student CEO of the Naval ROTC Unit. He also served as a drilling mud laboratory student instructor. Following graduation from OU, McCasland spent two years active duty with the U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corps in California and Guam, M.I., as an Assistant Public Works Officer, attaining the rank of Lt. JG. Upon release from the Navy, he joined his father in the family’s oil business and spent some 10 years in various areas of oilfield work before entering the contract drilling business full time as Thomas Drilling Company.
During the oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s, he also formed and operated Oil Country Trucking Company and Apache Mud Company. He formed and led Mack Energy Company, the family’s lead oil and gas enterprise, and, in 1985, assumed the leadership of all the McCasland family enterprises—oil and gas exploration, oilfield services, farming and cattle ranching, and banking.
At the time of his retirement he was leading Mack Energy Company, M&M Supply Company, Thomas Drilling Company, EnerWest Trading Company, Southern Gas Company, Jath Oil Company, Investors Trust Company, McCasland Farms, and AmQuest Financial, Inc., which subsequently merged into BancFirst Corporation. As chairman and trustee of the family’s McCasland Foundation, he was active in organizing Duncan Regional Hospital, the Simmons Center and the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center.
His leadership roles include service on the boards of the Oklahoma Heritage Association (now the Oklahoma Hall of Fame), the University of Oklahoma Energy Center, the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Visitors of the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering, and the Board of Trustees for the Dallas Opera, among countless others. The OU College of Engineering honored him with membership in its Distinguished Graduate Society and the College of Earth and Energy honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award.