Heinzig and McMillan gift $6.75 million to Department of Philosophy to advance ethics and critical thinking at OSU

Friday, September 6, 2024

Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu

Dennis Heinzig yearned for more.

Growing up in Prague, Oklahoma, his environment pressured him to think a certain way and adopt prescribed beliefs. He was looking for answers, and they wouldn’t be found there.

So, Heinzig ventured out into a world that was much larger and different than he expected. One that did not fit the perspective he started with, nor for which he was prepared. It’s where he found philosophy — where his quest for a broader understanding of truth and wisdom really began.

“What philosophy did for me was take the blinders off conceptually,” Heinzig said. “It allowed me to begin to think more objectively about life’s important questions. By going beyond what I was taught one must think or believe, I began to discern what is true and ethical and then live accordingly.”

Heinzig, 63, and his wife, Iona McMillan, have benefited immensely from studying philosophy, and the couple wants as many Oklahoma State University students as possible to have the same opportunity.

In pursuit of that goal, Heinzig and McMillan made the largest donation ever to the OSU Department of Philosophy.

The $6.75 million gift will establish an endowed chair and fund for both Ethics and Critical Thinking as well as an endowed general fund for Philosophy. It has also funded the Heinzig & McMillan Endowed Scholarship for Ethics and Critical Thinking.

The gift is one of the 10 largest ever made to any higher education philosophy program.

“We are deeply grateful for Dennis and Iona’s visionary commitment to advancing critical thinking and ethics at OSU,” department head Scott Gelfand said. “This transformative gift will empower our faculty and students to engage in rigorous inquiry, ethical reflection and meaningful action, contributing to the cultivation of ethical leaders and responsible citizens.”

Heinzig leaving his hometown opened his eyes to the world. For many, that journey begins when they arrive at college. It’s their first time living away from home environment and being positioned to make decisions entirely on their own.

These formative years are critical in a person’s development, making it vital to gain these skills before time is more limited with a career or family.

“Philosophy can help you realize that maybe answers you have memorized are not authentically your answers,” McMillan said. “Part of the college experience is figuring out, what do I believe? What do I think is right and wrong?

“It is a really important time in the formation of a person’s core values that they will use as their life’s compass, determining how they navigate issues they will encounter throughout their life and in any profession.”

Not only will the gift impact philosophy majors, but it will also promote the importance and relevance of the subject to the general student population. Even a little exposure to philosophy, such as a minor, a certificate, or simply taking a single class, can be incredibly valuable for their life and career.

Ethics and critical thinking play a prominent role in OSU’s strategic plan and mission to become the nation’s preeminent land-grant university.

“At OSU, our ideal graduate demonstrates professional preparedness, engaged citizenship, ethical leadership and personal responsibility,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said. “Each of those qualities has roots in philosophy, and when demonstrated, will serve our land-grant mission by equipping graduates to positively impact their communities.

Dennis and Iona’s generosity with this historic gift will help us ensure our graduates are prepared to make a difference in the world.”

The couple has been involved with multiple charities over the years, but it was McMillan’s idea to think about making an impact at OSU, where Heinzig studied philosophy in the master’s program from 1985 to 1987. He also taught a section of the Philosophy of Life course, a class still offered at OSU.

“After a lifetime of contributing to many different causes, we came to the conclusion that the best thing we can do for generations that follow us is to equip them with the tools to help navigate the increasingly complex issues they are and will be facing,” said McMillan, a native of Brazil.

In Stillwater, Heinzig met an immensely influential person in his life — philosophy professor Ed Lawry. Lawry was always supportive and approachable, even helping Heinzig on his own personal time. Most importantly, he taught his students to think about philosophy as applicable to real-life issues.

Philosophy is often viewed as an abstract thought exercise. However, its real value is in how it can be applied to everyday life. The application of philosophy guided Heinzig throughout his 30-year business career.

“As an employer, I found it much harder to train someone to approach business decisions with ethics and critical thinking than it was to teach them knowledge-based job skills. I also found that if the former was lacking, it was generally a waste of time to do the latter,” Heinzig said. “To think carefully and be a good person — those two qualities are required to navigate life’s challenges for the good of oneself and all others.”

In the spirit of Lawry, Heinzig and McMillan hope their gift will help students and faculty appreciate the importance and relevance of philosophy, which has a unique role to play in society. 

The lessons learned can be applied to any field and will hopefully have a positive effect on others around them as well. To that end, the department is offering a new minor: The Art and Science of Critical Thinking.

“We hope our contributions will equip people with critical thinking skills and a deeper ethical understanding that will in time make a meaningful difference in our world,” McMillan said. “Our intention is to disseminate the benefits of philosophy as broadly as possible, equipping new leaders with the tools and understanding required to grapple with a rapidly changing world.”

Advances in technology, medicine and more are coming at a rapid rate. While much of this progress can make the world better, easier and healthier, it can also cause catastrophic damage if the consequences and ethical implications are not considered.

With the funding from this gift, OSU will help foster an environment for students to think proactively. Heinzig referenced the Iroquois tribe, which believes in considering the impact of any big decision seven generations into the future.

“Philosophy is more important than ever before,” Heinzig said. “Today, everything is knowledge based, and knowledge is increasing at an incredible speed. But the problem is our wisdom hasn’t kept up with it.

“We need to double down on the wisdom and the ethics to manage the knowledge that is exploding. Knowledge without wisdom and ethics is reckless and dangerous.”

Philosophy and philanthropy share the same root word, phileo, or brotherly love. In Greek, philosophy means the love of wisdom, while philanthropy means the love of humanity.

Heinzig and McMillan believe the two are intrinsically intertwined, and that, with conflicts raging across the globe, OSU can play a part in making the world a better place.

“OSU is a very special community and has the right mission and environment to show how philosophy is just as impactful and relevant as agriculture, technology or energy to our lives and our future,” Heinzig said. “If we approach our global challenges with deep ethical understanding and critical thinking skills, there is no problem humanity cannot solve.”

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Photo: Provided

Story by: Grant Ramirez | STATE Magazine