Oral Roberts University Celebrating Its Golden Anniversary In Tulsa

Tulsa's Oral Roberts University is marking its 50th anniversary this week with a number of special events. 

Evangelist Oral Roberts was the founder of the school which held its first classes in the fall of 1965. Just over 300 students were enrolled at ORU in its first year. Those students came from 39 states and eight countries.

Fifty years later, enrollment has grown to over 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students representing all 50 states and 85 countries.

Oral Roberts University has over 40,000 alumni. Some of those alumni include TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford; ministers Joel Osteen, Carlton Pearson, Kenneth Copeland and Billy Joe Daugherty; motivational speaker Jim Stovell; and sport personalities including basketball player and coach Mark Gottfried, basketball player Greg Sutton and pro golfer Bill Glasson.

One of the most notable structures at Oral Roberts University is the 200-foot tall Prayer Tower at the center of the campus.  An eternal flames burns at the top of that tower.

Another structure is the 60-foot tall, 30-ton bronze sculpture depicting praying hands at the main entrance to the south Tulsa campus.

As part of the 50th anniversary this week, ORU has a number of events planned. They can be found at school's website. You can also register for the 50th Anniversary Global Celebration here.