Compassionate leaders are committed to ensuring that all people are treated equitably and fairly. In the case of Sue Ann Arnall (B.S. ’77, J.D. ’80), that is precisely what she has demonstrated throughout her long career of philanthropy in the state she calls home.
Arnall was born in Poteau, Oklahoma, and came to The University of Tulsa as an undergraduate. “My father had attended on the GI Bill, and so he was a great fan of the university. He called TU the Harvard of the Midwest. My older sister also went to TU and strongly encouraged me to join her. It was inevitable that I would attend TU,” she said.
Arnall loved music and pursued her talent as a saxophonist. “Vernon Howard was, hands down, my favorite professor for my favorite class, Jazz Band,” she recalled. However, it was her first economics class and, specifically, Professor Steve Steib who guided her down a degree path.
After completing her degree in economics, Arnall went on to attend the UTulsa College of Law. Professors Martin Frey and Gary Allison were influential in her legal education.
Following graduation, Arnall was recruited by the predecessor to Continental Resources to establish and manage the oil and gas marketing departments. What followed was a successful tenure in the energy industry.
Eventually, Arnall was able to turn her attention to a higher calling: helping others.
Established in 2015, the Arnall Family Foundation has invested more than $200 million in initiatives focused on leveling the playing field for marginalized individuals and lowering barriers to social and economic mobility, specifically improving Oklahoma’s foster care system and reducing its incarceration rates. She also served on the Oklahoma County Jail Trust, spearheading efforts to construct a new state-of-the-art facility that meets public safety responsibilities while providing necessary diversion and rehabilitation activities.
“To misquote another TU alum, Mike Turpin, ‘You’re not living if you’re not giving,’” Arnall said. “While I spent the majority of my life working hard, accomplishing historic deals, and gaining wealth from a corporate job, nothing has fulfilled me as much as using all the resources available to me to help others live more meaningful lives by removing barriers to their success.”
As Arnall is motivated to see those in her community succeed, so, too, has she been motivated to see students at her alma mater succeed. For years, she has been a generous supporter of the College of Law, most notably through her creation of the Janet K. Levit Endowed Scholarship in Law, as well as a member of the Dean’s Circle and Chapman Legacy Society. In tandem with her commitment to social justice and racial equity, Arnall established the Arnall Scholar Endowment, which provides 10 scholarships annually to recruit and retain African American students from Oklahoma.
Arnall’s contributions have not gone unrecognized. Among many honors, she has been inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame.
Accolades aside, Arnall receives her greatest joy when she is able to realize her vision of strong and vibrant communities where families thrive.
“Remembering back to where I started, 50 years ago as a naive 18-year-old from Poteau, to today, I never dreamed that TU would even remember me, let alone honor me,” she said. “I have seen a lot, done a lot, and experienced a lot. Without my education from TU, my responses and experiences would not have been the same, and I doubt that I would be able to live my dream of helping others to the degree that I am doing so now.”