Oklahoma State University OSU and the New York Philharmonic have announced a residency partnership marking the opening of the new McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at OSU in October, 2019. The partnership is made possible in part by the visionary $25 million programming gift to OSU by alumni Billie and Ross McKnight. The McKnights’ gift established a program endowment to benefit all students, faculty and the Stillwater community by bringing top-tier residency programs and performances to OSU.