You've always been my "Shero"

University of Tulsa alumnae Susan Boyd and Genave King Rogers banded together to provide the business college and community with a much-needed program.

by Jimmie Erwin

Whatever your expectations are when you read the impressive list of Susan Boyd's credentials, you are in for a surprise when you meet her. Boyd is bright, warm, and decidedly down-to-earth.  Her 100-watt smile lights up a room and laughter punctuates her conversations.

After graduating with a bachelor of science and master of science from Oklahoma State University, Boyd acquired her juris doctorate at The University of Tulsa College of Law in 1983.  She became a corporate attorney for  the Otasco group and joined the faculty of the College of Business Administration as an adjunct professor of business law.  Later she joined her husband's family private law practice, and continued teaching.

Her career combination of corporate, private practice and teaching business law planted the seed of a great idea.  Boyd explains, " I became convinced that we needed more business law education because every business decision made is compounded and affected by the legal system.

"It is estimated that 50 percent of all business decisions are directly related to a law."

She eagerly took the idea to the dean of the college.  While he agreed it was a viable idea worthy of a trial, the university was already committed to two funding-raising projects and unwilling to take on a third.

Most people would have shrugged, filed the idea away, and given up.  But Susan Boyd isn't "most people."  Despite here lack of fund-raising experience, she accepted the challenge to find "seed money" to finance the three-year trial. 

Following the advice of the late Scott Sanditen, she approached leaders in the business and legal communities about serving on an advisory  board to guide the formation of the Business Law Center.

To her surprise, they not only agreed to give their time, they also pledged funds.  She met her project's initial requirement and came up with three years of seed money.  The next part was to develop courses and offer them to students to check the level of interest.

The first class, offered in the spring of 1998, was Employment Law.  Boyd says it is perhaps not the most intriguing subject for students, but she'd hoped to interest the minimum requirement of 20 students.  She was overwhelmed when 90 people -- students from a various majors and Tulsa business people -- enrolled.  That degree of interest continued throughout the trial period.

However, acquiring permanent funding from the university when there were so many competing interests was a question.  It became clear that an endowment was needed to sustain the program permanently.

That need was met in the person of Genave King Rogers.  In 1938, Rogers became the first woman to graduate from the University of Tulsa's College of Business Administration.  A frequent and generous contributor to the community and TU, Rogers has often been recognized for her service.

Boyd knew Rogers only by reputation, but was delighted when she saw Rogers' video acceptance of the Distinguished Alumna Award at the College of Business Administration's 1999 Annual Honors and Awards Banquet.  She says, "Genave was so funny, the audience was in stitches.  We nearly missed her response when asked to name the course she would recommend to business students, if she could choose only one.  She responded,  ' Business Law' and I knew she was my kind of woman."

During a later meeting at Rogers' office, Boyd says, "We immediately clicked and felt we had known each other forever."

Rogers accepted her invitation to join the advisory board, but wanted to hear more about the direction the Business Law Center was taking.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Boyd was delighted to discuss her vision for the Center.

When the need for an endowment was mentioned, Rogers immediately volunteered to provide it.

Boyd recalls, "I was in shock, amazed at her generosity.  She gave us an initial endowment and is preparing to give us another."  In recognition, the BLC has been renamed the Genave King Rogers Business Law Center.

These two have become close friends and share a strong, mutual admiration for each other.  Boyd says, "We speak the same language.  She is my 'shero' -- what I want to be when I grow up."  Since both are avid fans of college sports, they often attend TU sporting events together.

Rogers says, "Susan is wonderful-- bright, beautiful, enthusiastic, and well-informed about many things."  Rogers is excited that the center "gives students a practical understanding of law as it applies to business," and adds, "It prepares students to live in this complex world."

Boyd makes every effort to introduce students to area business and legal leaders.

"This is an area where Genave is so hands-on-- she doesn't just give money and then step back.  She participates and lets the students know her.  We have an annual open house at which we invite the advisory board members, people like Genave, and local attorneys Rod Buck and Mike Joyce,  to come for the sole purpose of networking with our students."

Boyd notes that at a recent gathering, she asked members to tell students what path their careers had followed.

"As I expected, not a single one of them was in a position now that they thought they would be in when they graduated.

"I feel this is a great message for the students, because sometimes they focus on a single goal.  I want them to realize that there are many directions that their lives will take-- and to take advantage of every educational opportunity so when an opportunity to take a twist in their career path comes along, they'll be prepared to take it."

Boyd's husband, Jeff, whom she met while attending TU Law School, is -- like his wife -- an excellent example of a career that successfully combines law and business.  After years in private practice, Jeff is presently the corporate attorney and chief financial officer of a local corporation.

Boyd says that the students' Business Law Society gives its 20 members other ways to explore career possibilities.  They are presently debating whether their '03 field trip should be to visit the owner of the Dallas Mavericks to learn more about sports law, investigate the military's JAG corps, or visit corporate accountants with legal background to discuss "life after Enron."

Boyd's future plans include the BLC hosting mock trial competitions for high school students who are interested in law.  Her students will run the competitions and act as judges.  The winners would qualify for scholarship funds.  She wants to set up a speaker series with speakers and topics chosen by -- and for -- the students, and wants to set up grants for undergraduate research projects.

She also recruits for TU.  " I represented the CBA in talking to football recruits who are interested in studying business.  Our new football coach, Steve Kragthorpe, is wonderful -- he has a business degree and MBA and emphasizes the student part of student athlete."

She tells prospects that, should they become professional athletes, they will need to know what should -- and shouldn't -- be in a contract and how to manage their financial interests; things a business law specialization can prepare them to handle.

The Boyds are admitted 'TU FANatics' with a den decorated in school colors and filled with TU sports memorabilia.  They attend most university sporting events, and are raising two children whom Boyd is sure are "future TU students."

Boyd isn't just a favorite teacher, she is a trusted confidant whose door is open and whose schedule remains flexible enough to provide reassurance to a troubled student or a comforting shoulder to one who has just ended a relationship.  It's a good bet that to most of her students, Boyd is also a "shero" and who they want to be when they group up.

The Genave King Rogers Business Law Center at the University of Tulsa

Provides business and pre-law students a new course of study, the Business Law Specialization.  It is housed within the College of Business Administration's Department of Management and Marketing.

Susan Boyd, director and Endowed Fellow of the Center, describes the curriculum.  "We don't teach theory.   Our curriculum is hands on."  Students learn about tort and criminal law, contracts, property, wills, law for entrepreneurs, family-owned and small business, ethics, and social responsibility.

The Center provides educational resources for Tulsa's business and legal communities in conjunction with the College of Business Administration's Family-owned Business Institute and its Center for Executive and Professional Development.

This article appeared in the May 2003 Issue of the TulsaPeople Magazine and has been reprinted with permission.

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