Late OU Law Alumnus Leaves Second-Largest Gift in College History to Fund Student Scholarships

Contact: Rachel Egli
Director of Events
and Continuing Legal Education
Office: (405) 325-2011
r.egli@ou.edu

The University of Oklahoma College of Law today announced the second-largest donation in the college’s history – a nearly $5 million gift from late alumnus Rick Moore (’85).

Moore, who passed away in October, also earned his accounting degree from the Michael F. Price College of Business at OU before attending OU Law. Throughout his career, Moore combined his accounting and law degrees into his law practice until his recent passing.

As an eternal expression of his appreciation to both degree programs and to ensure students do not experience the financial struggles he endured, the Rick Moore Endowed Scholarship will provide a three-year OU Law education tuition-free for an eligible student who earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from OU. Moore’s transformative gift encourages OU accounting students who might be financially precluded from pursuing a law degree to attend OU Law. 

“Rick Moore’s momentous gift will impact generations of law students by providing an exceptional, affordable legal education to the most talented and deserving students,” said OU Interim President Joseph Harroz Jr. “His thoughtfulness and desire to so generously give back to his alma mater are an outstanding example to the entire university community.”

OU Law Interim Dean Katheleen Guzman said the goal of the Rick Moore Endowed Scholarship is to provide annual funding to attract and retain the best and brightest students to the study of accounting and law at OU. 

“Scholarships like Rick Moore’s are critical for our mission and our students,” Guzman said. “OU is saddened by the loss of such an exemplary alumnus and will be forever grateful for Rick Moore’s generosity. As Mr. Moore’s own life reveals, a law degree’s portability and breadth benefit all careers and open many business and legal opportunities. His legacy will be transformative for OU Law and for the lives of OU undergraduates.” 

Despite Moore’s financial struggles and full-time employment during school, he earned excellent grades as well as his CPA and Juris Doctor. Upon graduation, Moore joined the Oklahoma City law firm of McKinney & Stringer, P.C., where he became partner early in his career. After 17 years in Oklahoma, Moore relocated to San Antonio, working for two family foundations at different times, including noted philanthropist Linda Pace. Moore established the Linda Pace Foundation, serving as its president until his death. While with the Linda Pace Foundation, he envisioned a location to house Pace’s art collection, planning the contemporary art center in San Antonio – a vision that was realized with the opening of the Ruby City Art Center on Oct. 13, 2019.