Oakley Farris didn’t view his support of Northern Kentucky University as philanthropy; he saw it as an investment in people, opportunity and the future of Northern Kentucky.
Farris, a Northern Kentucky philanthropist, made his first gift to NKU on Feb. 12, 1997. He continued to support the university until his death on Dec. 1 at age 101. Though both Farris and his late wife, Eva Farris, are no longer here, their lasting impact on NKU will endure for generations of students.
NKU Dean and Professor of Accounting at the Haile College of Business, Hassan HassabElnaby, said that he first met Farris when he began his role at NKU in 2019. From that initial meeting, HassabElnaby said Farris came across as a thoughtful, sharp, and deeply engaging individual who cared profoundly about the region and, most importantly, about people.
“What stood out immediately was not only his business acumen, but his genuine curiosity and his belief in the transformative power of education,” HassabElnaby said.
Farris has multiple scholarships established at NKU. The Eva G. Farris Business Endowed Scholarshipwas established in 2001 and awards scholarships to approximately 100 students each year. The Eva G. Farris Informatics Endowed Scholarship, established in 2014, is awarded to approximately 20 students each year.
NKU Vice President of Advancement Eric Gentry said NKU is nearing 1,000 students who have benefited from both scholarships.
“The impact on the number of students’ lives that he and Eva have touched by these two scholarships is countless,” Gentry said. “These are both endowed scholarships, so these are going to exist in perpetuity. You’re talking about thousands and thousands of students that are going to be able to access an education because of their generosity.”
HassabElnaby said Farris supported initiatives at the Haile College of Business that integrate artificial intelligence with business education and intellectual property commercialization. He said Farris had a forward-looking interest in artificial intelligence and its implications for the economy, national competitiveness and the future of work.
The scholarship Farris most recently established (for students pursuing a minor or research in AI) is named the Eva G. Farris and Oakley B. Farris scholarship.
“He often expressed concern that other nations might advance more rapidly in AI adoption and innovation, and he firmly believed that the United States needed to invest earlier and more intentionally in building AI awareness and talent,” HassabElnaby said. “In his view, that preparation should begin in the K–12 years and continue through higher education, particularly in business disciplines where AI is fundamentally reshaping decision-making and value creation.”
HassabElnaby said these initiatives have already had a meaningful and lasting impact on students.
Farris’s support helped develop an AI-enabled learning platform to enhance the student learning experience and better prepare graduates for AI-driven workplaces. It also helped launch AI-focused pitch competitions at the Haile College of Business, where winning student teams receive scholarships to pursue studies that combine business and artificial intelligence.
Shortly after Hassabelnaby was named dean in 2019, he began working with Farris to create the Eva G. and Oakley Farris Leadership Academy, which launched in 2021. The academy is a cohort-based program designed to develop principled, thoughtful and community-minded leaders.
“What made Oakley truly special was that his support never stopped at financial contributions,” HassabElnaby said. “He attended every graduation ceremony and took a personal interest in the students’ capstone and graduation projects. He made it a point to spend time with graduates, listening to their stories, asking thoughtful questions, and celebrating their achievements. He wanted to know who they were, where they came from, and where they hoped to go.”
Gentry said that students who complete the leadership academy have a leg up because they aren’t just getting an education in the classroom but also outside it.
A feature of the academy that HassabElnaby said Farris strongly valued is its applied leadership project.
Through the project, student teams work on real-world challenges facing businesses, nonprofit organizations or community partners. Students are required to apply leadership concepts, analytical skills and ethical decision-making to deliver practical, impactful solutions. In addition, the academy includes an annual mentorship program in which regional business leaders mentor students for an entire year.
After providing the initial gift that allowed the academy to launch, HassabElnaby said Farris continued to support the academy financially to ensure its growth, sustainability, and long-term impact on students.
“Oakley took a personal interest in the academy and its students,” HassabElnaby said. “He regularly attended academy events, graduations and student project presentations, and he made time to engage directly with students to learn about their projects, experiences and aspirations.”
The Farris name is a strong presence on the NKU campus.
It is honored in locations like:
- Eva G. Farris Special Collections (Steely Library)
- Eva G. Farris Reading Room (Steely Library)
- Eva G. and Oakley Farris Commons (Griffin Hall)
- The Oakley & Eva G. Farris Amphitheatre (Loch Norse/plaza)
- Eva G. Farris Auditorium (MEP)
- Eva G. Farris Virtual Executive Board Room (Business Academic Center)
- Eva G. and Oakley B. Farris Conference Room (HIC)
- Eva G. and Oakley B. Farris Rooftop Patio (HIC)
Farris told NKU Magazine in a 2023 interview that the couple’s contributions to secondary education stemmed from a desire to provide future generations with an experience he wasn’t able to have himself.
“My mom and dad were wonderful parents, but they had a third- and fifth-grade education,” Farris said in 2023. “As a young man, I never dreamed or even thought about going to university.”
Gentry said with NKU being the largest educator in the region, Farris did not view his contributions as philanthropy but as an investment in the region’s future. HassabElnaby said Farris was well aware that nearly 45% of NKU students are first-generation college students, and that mattered greatly to him.
“He believed education could be truly transformational for these students and their families, and he wanted to help create opportunities that would change lives and strengthen the region for generations,” he said.
Beyond NKU, the Farris family helped shape the cultural and economic vitality of Northern Kentucky. Their philanthropic leadership supported public art, neighborhood revitalization, health care, education and cultural institutions across the region. The couple commissioned murals on the Roebling, helped remodel the Carnegie Center for the Arts, and donated to Covington Latin School, among many other efforts.
“Oakley was an exceptional individual whose character was truly rare,” HassabElnaby said. “He carried a deep and genuine optimism, grounded in an unwavering belief in the goodness of people. He saw potential where others might not and consistently challenged those around him to become the best versions of themselves. He did so not out of expectation, but out of confidence in what they could achieve.”
