David Burr Park

David Burr Park. . This park honors the memory of David A. Burr (1925-1987). For many alumni and friends. Burr became “Mr. OU,” serving as a senior administrator under five University of Oklahoma presidents and three interim presidents. He is the only person to have held three different vice presidencies. Throughout his 37 year tenure, his top priority remained the welfare of Sooner students. He worked to keep this space available as a park for students. , A Kansas native, Burr came to the university in 1948 with the World War II veterans. While completing his 1952 bachelor's degree in journalism, he began editing Sooner Magazine, which won the 1955 Robert Sibley Award from the American Alumni Council as the nation's best alumni magazine. He was the first chairman of the national Editorial Projects for Education, Incorporated, and a founder and long-time director of The Chronicle of Higher Education. , In 1957, Burr became the assistant to the president and director of public relations. To keep outstanding Oklahoma high school graduates in Oklahoma universities, Burr created the President's Leadership Class in 1961 and was its first sponsor. During his 16-year association with PLC, he worked with more than 1,200 student leaders. , As the first vice president for the newly created University Community from 1968-71, Burr worked tirelessly to keep the peace on the campus during a national time of disruptive and often violent student demonstrations. Appointed vice president for University Development in 1971, he was the architect of OU's private fund-raising program. In 16 years he increased university resources by nearly $200 million. , In 1977, with his appointment as the first vice president of University Affairs, Burr added to fund raising the responsibilities for alumni relations, media services, publications, student recruitment, special events and legislative relations. He was university liaison to the Norman community and an active leader in civic and church affairs. , Recipient of many honors and awards, he cherished most the 1983 Distinguished Service Citation, then the university's highest honor, and the David A. Burr PLC Scholarships, established by President's Leadership Class alumni. Following Burr's death in 1987 at age 62, the Sarkeys Foundation endowed the David A. Burr Chair in Letters, and the Noble Foundation spearheaded the endowment of the David A. Burr Merit Scholarships.