Stocco family named ‘Giving Day champions’

Marcos and Amber Stocco attend a football game with their daughters.

Engineering Dean John Klier, left, Dr. Amber Stocco and Marcos Stocco at the 2022 Felgar Society Gala.

Dr. Amber and Marcos Stocco can add a new title to their résumés—University of Oklahoma “Giving Day champions.” The alumni couple set a record for single-day fundraising with 150 gifts to more than 50 programs during the April event, which supports major areas of focus for “Lead On: The University of Oklahoma’s Campaign for the Future.”

“Amber and I have a lot of interests spread far and wide across the university,” said Marcos, who earned bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and engineering in 1998. He is director of software development at Quest Consultants Inc. in Norman. Amber is a pediatric neurologist at Bethany Children’s Health Center in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

Marcos, who worked at NASA’s Mission Control Center for 14 years, says he logged into the portal on Giving Day to support organizations he already had in mind, like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. But once there, he kept giving small amounts to everything from sports to English societies to international programs and the Honors Program, where the couple met when they were undergrads. As honors students, they took their only class together—Mesoamerican Art and Art History.

Amber earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1998 and Doctor of Medicine in 2004, so the couple’s gifts also went to medical programs and organizations, as well as the performing arts. “I’ve always been indebted to OU for letting me chart my own course and study abroad throughout,” she said. “Our penchant for international travel began with experiences and exposure through OU.” Amber studied abroad for a semester in Birmingham, England, and during her medical training, had rotations in Ireland, Guatemala and India, among other countries.

Amber also appreciates sports, musical theater and opera performances that the university affords their two daughters, ages 12 and 14.

Marcos, a member of the OU Musical Theatre and Opera Guild and self-proclaimed “sports junkie,” said he has turned the family into avid OU softball, gymnastics and volleyball fans, but his focus during Giving Day was on academic programs. He believes contributing to student groups has the most direct benefit.

“One of the programs I supported was the Sooner Competitive Robotics Team,” Marcos said. The team raised funds to attend the 31st annual Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition in Michigan. They came home national champions.

“I want other people to be aware of and enjoy the Giving Day experience,” he said. “I don’t have that much to give, but every little bit helps.”

Learn more about the Lead On Campaign at www.leadonou.org.