The Grand Lodge of Oklahoma AF&AM has donated $100,000 to Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant to establish the "Masonic Institute for Professional Development and Lectureship Series." Grand Master Charles R. Belknap made the announcement Thursday.
According to an article in the Durant Daily Democrat, the purposes of the Masonic Institute are:
According to an article in the Durant Daily Democrat, the purposes of the Masonic Institute are:
— To provide professional development programs for school teachers, school administrators and college and university faculty in Southern Oklahoma and North Texas.
— To provide educational professors opportunities to improve their teaching instruction, management and leadership skills.
—To assist the Department of Educational Instruction and Leadership and the Texoma Association for Public School Improvement in the promotion of related events such as the Educational Technology Fair, educational lectures, workshops, and related educational innovative programs.
— To defray the costs of professional speakers’ honorariums and other activities/events associated with the Lectureship Series.
— To assist the Department of Educational Instruction and Leadership (EIL) in its research efforts including publishing activities and other initiatives designed to further the dissemination of knowledge in the educational field.