ABILENE, Texas — A longtime donor to Abilene Christian University was presented with an honorary doctorate degree by the university recently.
Kay Onstead received an honorary Doctor of Science degree during a private ceremony in Houston. ACU President Dr. Phil Schubert said the degree was awarded to Onstead for her contributions to the university and society.
“Kay’s extraordinary contributions to ACU continue to inspire the generosity of our community,” Schubert said. “I’m thankful for this opportunity to recognize her remarkable legacy and good works. She has exemplified the convergence of faith and excellence and caused all of us to think more courageously about how God is calling us to be world-changers. Kay lives out the mission and vision of ACU and brings honor to us all.”
Over the last 53 years, the generosity of Onstead and her late husband, Robert, touched nearly every corner of ACU’s campus in both tangible and intangible ways, the university said.
She was the lead donor in ACU’s Vision in Action initiative, resulting in a science center named in her husband’s honor. That commitment started the ball rolling on capital projects totaling $95 million that radically changed the face of campus.
Most recently, her $25 million gift in July 2023 created ACU’s first named college – the Robert and Kay Onstead College of Science and Engineering.
Additionally, Onstead has invested heavily in scholarships and endowments to benefit students for generations to come. In 1989, the Onsteads established an endowment dedicated to the children of ministers, a scholarship that funded a portion of Schubert’s ACU education. In 2018, she established the Onstead Opportunity Scholarship to support students with both high achievement and high need. It is now the largest endowed scholarship at ACU.
Three of the Onsteads’ children attended ACU, and five grandchildren have graduated from ACU, so far.
“Awarding this degree to Kay, in recognition of her commitment and generosity, signifies her integral role in our community by making her an alumnus of ACU,” Schubert said.
For more information about the scholarships mentioned, click here.
