2.23.22

The late Dick Smith bequeaths $11 million for scholarships at Wichita State, KU

Richard ‘Dick’ Smith believed that a good education – paired with hard work – could propel almost anyone to achieve their life and career dreams.

Students at Wichita State and the University of Kansas will be the beneficiaries of Smith’s appreciation for the power of education. In his estate plans, Smith dedicated a gift of $5.5 million each to the WSU Foundation and KU Endowment to endow full-ride scholarships for deserving students at Wichita State and Kansas.

The gifts were revealed on Feb. 9 at an announcement held at Wichita State and attended by leaders of both universities, as well as Smith’s widow, Sondra Langel. A longtime resident of Wichita and the founder of Range Oil Co., Smith died in January 2021 at the age of 87.

At Wichita State, undergraduates from any field of study will be eligible for the Richard ‘Dick’ Smith Scholarship. At KU, his alma mater, Smith specified that the gift be divided equally between scholarships for undergraduates across the university and students studying geology, in which he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1954.

Smith also specified that the scholarships at both institutions cover all expenses related to college, including tuition, fees, books and housing. These full-ride scholarships are considered among the most prestigious a university can award.

In his remarks, Muma said Kansas families are the beneficiaries of Smith’s gift, which is the sixth-largest estate gift to be received by the WSU Foundation.

“While it’s a rare and precious opportunity for Wichita State and KU to receive a gift as sizable as Mr. Smith’s, it’s Kansas families who will ultimately benefit from Dick’s generosity,” Muma said.

Girod expressed gratitude for the gift and lauded Smith’s legacy of philanthropy and support for higher education.

“This remarkable gift will create opportunities for KU and its students for generations to come,” Girod said. “It also reinforces the educational partnership between Wichita State and KU as both strive to create a stronger Kansas through higher education.”

In sharing memories about her late husband, Langel noted that WSU and KU students “will never know the man he was – and he was a man worth knowing.” She described him as a well-educated man, as comfortable in a board room as he was at a dinner party.

Smith’s children, Peter and Susan Smith, were unable to attend the event but said in a statement: “We are very proud of our dad and his caring, thoughtful and supportive gift to the students of WSU and KU. We are excited about what the well-deserving recipients will accomplish.”

Born in Oklahoma City, Smith founded Range Oil Co. in Wichita in 1964. He was a highly regarded member of the oil and gas industry. He served on many boards of charitable and civic organizations of Wichita through the years, including the board of Wesley Hospital for 23 years.

Dale Seuferling, president of KU Endowment, noted that Smith had a multi-decade history of contributions to KU, beginning in 1964 with a $5 gift. “I like the trajectory of his giving since then,” he said with a laugh. Smith’s giving at KU was in the areas of geology, the arts, athletics and the KU-School of Medicine at Wichita.

At Wichita State, Smith primarily supported the fine arts and athletics. “We are deeply grateful for the friendship both Dick and Sondra have given to Wichita State,” said WSU Foundation President Elizabeth King. “With these impactful scholarships, Dick’s legacy is everlasting.”