The Cowboy Code is our north star…we have an obligation to our students, to our state. We’re education, research, Extension…the Code connects all those dots.
A Mission and a Passion: Gail's Story
At first, Gail Muncrief doesn’t look like a stereotypical cowboy. When she walks in the room, her composure makes you sit up a little straighter, while her smile puts you at ease. But sit down for a conversation, and you’ll find she’s been living the Cowboy Code since before it had a name.
“ALL THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IN THE COWBOY CODE, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUT.”
An Oklahoma native and Oklahoma State graduate in home economics education, Muncrief experienced the university’s land-grant mission firsthand as a child. “I grew up in agriculture, so I was introduced to OSU young,” she says.
That introduction made a lasting impression: after graduating high school, Muncrief chose to come to OSU and pursue a double major, becoming an educator herself. What she found on campus was life-changing. “As a student, I had so much support. […] Everyone in the whole college connected with you. They were leaders who recognized you as individuals.”
When Muncrief reflects on the university now, that same fondness comes through. She speaks with the steady confidence and conviction that comes from a lifetime of living the Cowboy Code in word and deed, and doesn’t shy away from it. “All the things we talk about in the Cowboy Code, I had…the opportunity to live out, because of being here at Oklahoma State,” she says. “Wherever I moved, I felt I was prepared.”
But preparation is only part of the picture for Cowboys. To Muncrief, the Cowboy Code is about character. “The Code encapsulates what Oklahoma State’s culture is about,” she says. “It’s our north star...as a land-grant university, we have an obligation […] to our students, to our state. We’re that triangle,” she says as she draws the first and second points of the triangle with her finger in the air. “We’re that education, we’re that research.” Her pointer fingers connect at the triangle’s peak. “And we’re the Extension. The Code connects all of those dots.”
Muncrief’s love for OSU is infectious. As she speaks about the Cowboy Code, her history with the university, and her continued involvement as an alumna and donor, she lights up with joyful conviction in every word. When asked to speak more about her specific areas of passion, she has to take a deep breath. “Let me think about how to answer that,” she laughs. “It’s going to sound like I’m all over the page!”
It doesn’t, of course.
It sounds like a lifelong Keeper of the Code.
“TRUE CONNECTION HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE POSITIVELY IMPACTING OTHERS.”
What do education, nutrition, animal health, athletic performance and social good have in common? One answer is Gail Muncrief. Another answer, which she herself offers, is that they’re all aspects of human science. “I’m passionate about human science,” she says, leaning forward a little in her seat, “Human science covers a lot of areas…there’s a lot of impact that happens.”
That impact takes many forms. It can be very personal and intimate, helping one family at a time through healthcare access. It can also be a major operation that safeguards the food supply not just for Oklahoma, but for all Americans through agriculture research.
“Agriculture…that was the way I grew up. I understand how important it is to society,” Muncrief says. “Oklahoma State is critical in protecting our food supply...whether that be through our cattle, our food sources, our crops.” She notes the new veterinary medicine hospital with excitement, and brings the conversation full circle through athletics and her family’s investment in the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute. “My children were college athletes…our connection with training doctors is huge. We’re doing some really exciting things.”
“ULTIMATELY, THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.”
For all Cowboys, Muncrief is clear, the tenets of the Code are not an abstraction, and dreaming big as the sky isn’t just a turn of phrase. “We’re an educational institution that needs to provide students the opportunity to excel while they’re here, to dream big, to be able to go out in society and be impactful, and to enjoy a life that they dreamed about personally as well as professionally,” she says. “Ultimately, the sky is the limit.”
Muncrief herself is living proof of this. She and her husband Rick are dedicated supporters of OSU, having established the Rick and Gail Muncrief Executive Director role at HPNRI. This is a particular point of pride for the Muncriefs, whose collective passions span across all areas of human wellbeing, among other gifts.
In Muncrief’s eyes, giving back is only natural. “I believe [in] human nature, we’re designed to connect. True connection happens when you’re able to feel like you’re positively impacting others…there’s reward in giving back, feeling impactful, feeling like you’re helping society. It can come in time, energy, financially. Giving back is rewarding for people, and it’s healthy for people.”
It’s a simple idea and it echoes the way Muncrief has been living the Cowboy Code ever since she set foot on campus, and the way Cowboys experience the Code every day, all across Oklahoma. And for those who may not yet be part of the Cowboy community, Muncrief has a simple suggestion.
“You need to come experience it. Come see Oklahoma State. If you don’t know what you want to do or want to study, if you’re searching for answers, if you need information, we can help. Come connect with us. That’s our mission. Our mission is to help.”
