$12 million gift to university from Norman H. Asbjornson family aims to expand scholarships and high‑impact learning opportunities for students across engineering, business and related innovation‑focused fields
The University of Tulsa has received a $12 million gift from the Asbjornson Foundation that will dramatically expand scholarships and high‑impact learning opportunities for students across engineering, business and related innovation‑focused fields.
The foundation is family governed. Trustees or key figures typically include: Norman H. Asbjornson (principal officer), family members such as Scott Asbjornson (former AAON CFO), Erika Asbjornson, and Erik Asbjornson.
University leaders describe the commitment as “transformative,” noting that it is structured to reduce financial barriers while opening doors to global study, research, and experiential learning that many students might otherwise forego.
The gift establishes a suite of endowed funds designed to support both undergraduate and graduate students, with particular emphasis on those pursuing degrees in engineering, computer science, data science, finance and other technology‑driven disciplines.
Priority will be given to students from Montana and to transfer students from the Tulsa area, reflecting the Asbjornson family’s ties to both regions and its long‑standing interest in education and workforce development.
By investing in these resources, the foundation and the university aim to create a lasting engine of access and opportunity that will serve generations of students.
The largest component of the commitment is the Norman H. Asbjornson Undergraduate Scholarship Endowment for Engineering, Business, and Entrepreneurship, which will fund scholarships for full‑time undergraduates in high‑demand, innovation‑oriented programs.
University officials say the endowment is intended to allow students to focus more fully on learning, discovery, and leadership development, rather than juggling excessive work hours or debt concerns to pay for their education. A parallel Norman H. Asbjornson Graduate Scholarship Endowment for Engineering, Business and Entrepreneurship will broaden access to advanced study, helping Tulsa attract and retain graduate students capable of driving research, applied innovation, and technology‑enabled leadership in their fields.
Recognizing that key learning often occurs outside the traditional academic year, the gift also establishes the Norman H. Asbjornson Summer Tuition Scholarship Endowment to support undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in summer coursework.
University leaders note that this fund will help students maintain academic momentum, accelerate time to degree, and add minors or additional majors that can deepen their expertise and flexibility in the job market. For many students, summer enrollment has historically been constrained by finances; the new endowment is intended to turn what has been a barrier into a strategic advantage.
Beyond tuition, the Asbjornson Foundation is investing heavily in experiences that university leaders argue can be just as life‑changing as any single course.
New Norman H. Asbjornson Endowed Stipends for Global Experiences will support study-abroad programs and other international learning opportunities, enabling students to develop cultural fluency, global networks, and a more nuanced understanding of their chosen fields in an interconnected world.
Complementing that, the Norman H. Asbjornson Endowed Stipends for Experiential Learning will help fund research projects, conference participation, leadership programs, and professional development activities that put students in real-world settings where they can test ideas, build confidence, and forge professional pathways.
In public statements, UTulsa interim president Rick Dickson called the Asbjornson Foundation’s philanthropy “extraordinary” and emphasized its multigenerational impact, noting that the gift is structured to serve students not only today but also decades into the future.