Billionaire oil tycoon Harold Hamm donates $150M to the University of Oklahoma to help study a cause that’s personal to him: diabetes

Billionaire oil tycoon Harold Hamm has donated $150 million to the University of Oklahoma to study diabetes, a cause close to his heart. The largest donation in OU's history makes Hamm the university's biggest individual donor, with a lifetime contribution nearing $250 million. The Oklahoma City campus will be renamed the Harold Hamm Health Campus in his honor. $100 million of the latest gift will fund general campus activities, while $50 million will go to the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, with $30 million for director John Kirwan's initiatives and $20 million for research infrastructure.

Hamm, 80, founded Continental Resources in 1967 and grew it into a major oil producer in North Dakota's Bakken shale. His net worth is estimated at nearly $18 billion. Alongside his philanthropy, Hamm has been politically active, backing the Affordable Insulin Now Act and contributing to Oklahoma's healthcare access issues. He hopes his donation will help Oklahoma become a hub for medical breakthroughs and potentially cure diseases like diabetes.