Jones Gift unlocks the potential to impact future generations of OU students

Jonny and Brenda Jones recently made a $15 million gift to support the renovation and expansion of Jacobson Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the Norman campus.

For Jonny and Brenda Jones, it wasn’t about the building. Their deep affection for the University of Oklahoma and a desire for more success in recruiting top students prompted a landmark commitment to their alma mater.

The Joneses recently made a $15 million gift to the OU Foundation to support the renovation and expansion of Jacobson Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the Norman campus and current home of the OU Visitor Center. Planned renovations include updating the 17,300-square-foot building, improving functionality, and preserving historic character while also expanding the existing space.

In recognition of their gift, the OU Board of Regents approved naming the Jones Family Welcome Center.

“The Welcome Center, for us, is the first place that students and families come—their first impression of OU when they visit campus,” said Brenda Jones. “It should be a welcoming place. Our hope is that this gift will help to influence their beginning at OU, to help open the door for their total experience.”

The Joneses, who call Austin, Texas, home these days, met on a blind date on OU’s Norman campus while both were students. The family is proud of their long-standing, generational ties to the university, going back to 1919 when Jonny’s grandfather, Alva Vance Jones, enrolled at OU. It was the same year Jacobson Hall was built. “We are currently four generations strong and estimate at least 40 of us are alumni, between Brenda’s side and my side,” Jonny said.

While he grew up in the small West Texas town of Albany, she grew up in Oklahoma City. At OU, Jonny earned a 1982 Bachelor of Science in geology and Brenda earned a 1984 Bachelor of Science degree in special education. In 1988, Jonny founded Jones Energy, an exploration, production and acquisition company. He successfully took the company public on the New York Stock Exchange, where the market cap grew to greater than $1 billion. He currently is CEO for McArron Partners LP, an investment firm.

The Joneses are longtime university supporters, and their projects have ranged from Owen Field to geology and geophysics programs. They also are serving as co-chairs for “Lead On: The University of Oklahoma’s Campaign for the Future,” which launched Oct. 14.

“The true inspiration for this gift from Jonny and Brenda was to position the university to continue to recruit top students who want to make a difference,” said Amy Noah, vice president and chief advancement officer at the OU Foundation. “The gift also aligns with key components of our university’s strategic plan.”

“Each year Brenda and I evaluate and set financial goals for ourselves and our family, and we felt we had the resources to make a more substantial gift. But we also wanted to find something we could both be enthusiastic about,” said Jonny.

The Joneses said they had never previously made what they consider to be a generational gift to the university.

“When we saw the condition of Jacobson and met the team there, we were overwhelmed with the potential, but also the need. This effort just resonated with us. We didn’t only see Jacobson Hall, the building. We saw OU,” he related. “We are even happier now than when we made the commitment. It’s amazing how much energy this has given the recruiting team and the impact it is going to have long term by just being able to recruit the best and brightest kids to OU— for generations to come.”