Hall of Honor at the Â鶹AV has reached 405.
The number of plaques in the Hall increased by five on Thursday, when the Â鶹AV Foundation recognized its distinguished donors during a reception at Le Pavillon in Parc Lafayette.
The yearly ceremony honors donors who make gifts of $10,000 or more to the University.
Commitments of $100,000 or more, and endowed gifts of $50,000 or more, are each represented with a plaque in the Foundation’s Distinguished Donor Hall in Martin Hall. Endowed funds are invested, which means the capital is not spent. Only a portion of the interest earned is tapped. So, endowments are perpetual sources of funding that is distributed for student scholarships, professor salaries, research projects, and University academic and athletic programs.
To create an endowed chair, an institution must first raise at least $600,000 from private contributions, which is then matched by $400,000 from the Louisiana Board of Regents. The total value of an endowed chair is $1 million. The same formula applies to the Endowed Professorship program; $60,000 comes from private donations, leading to a Board of Regents match of $40,000.
To date, the Foundation’s endowment is $148 million; total assets are valued at $178 million.
At this year’s reception, the Foundation commemorated five endowed gifts to the University that total more than $466,000. An additional 23 gifts of $50,000 or $10,000 or more, which help to support University academic and athletic programs, also were recognized. Those gifts total $6 million.
Dr. Julie Bolton Falgout, president and chief executive officer of the Foundation, said distinguished donors play an integral role in supporting the University’s mission.
“We are truly grateful to the University’s many donors, whose amazing generosity speaks volumes about their commitment to higher education,” she said.
Endowments to be added to the Hall of Honor are listed below:
- Gene and Peggy Fortier, Gene and Peggy Fortier First Generation Scholarship in Business
- Lafayette Geological Society, Lafayette Geological Society Michael O’Brien Memorial Field Camp Support Fund
- Terri and Gerald Landry, Gerald Landry State Farm First Generation Scholarship in Business
- Dr. Mary B. Neiheisel, Richard G. Neiheisel Professorship in History
The following individuals and corporations were recognized for their generous contributions to Â鶹AV’s academic and athletic programs:
- Dr. Grant and Melissa Gibson
- Dr. Herman D. Hughes
- Lafayette Music Company
- Richard and Shelia Zepernick
- Frank’s International
- Brad and Leah Mosing
- Donald E. Mosing
- Darnall, Sikes, Gardes and Frederick
- Larry and Janice Sikes
- Jim and Charlotte Doyle
- Cox Communications
- Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center
- David and Barbara Friedrichs
- Tommie and Janice Rogers
- Southern Lifestyle Development Company
- Richard and Sandi Chalmers
- Dupré Logistics, LLC
- Wayne and Connie Elmore
- Dr. David H. Fisher, Sr.
- Scott and Lisa Kerstetter
- B.J. and Candace Ryan
- Rodney and Cindi Savoy and The Savoy Family, LLC
- Whitney Bank