Fall 2011 Cornerstone

LSU FOUNDATION

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The mission of the LSU Foundation is to foster private financial support for LSU, the LSU AgCenter, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and the LSU System Office.

FALL 2011

Cornerstone EDITOR Sara Crow ART DIRECTOR Elizabeth Scott LSU Senior, Graphic Design

Thank You!

PHOTOGRAPHY Andrea Laborde Scott M. Madere Eddy Perez Rachel Saltzberg Drew Wilbert CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ashley Berthelot Jacquelyn Craddock Wendy Osborn Leudtke Portia Levasseur Scott M. Madere Karen Soniat, PhD PRINTING IPC Printing, LLC

Throughout the Forever LSU campaign, the LSU Foundation’s central office team provided invaluable behind-the-scenes support.

We proudly celebrate their role in the historic campaign.

To share feedback, please contact Sara Crow at scrow@lsufoundation.org or 225-578-8164. www.lsufoundation.org

To read Cornerstone online, use a QR Code reader to take a picture of me!

www.facebook.com/ lsufoundation www.twitter.com/ lsu_foundation

ON THE COVER • Clockwise from top left: graduate student Susannah Montandon in LSU’s Hill Memorial Library (p. 31); LSU Taylor Scholars (p. 22); George Rodrigue’s “A Number One Tiger Fan” (p. 26); illustration inspired by the 2011 LSU Ornament (p. 12); LSU Law Center Assistant Professor Christopher Tyson (p. 29); front porch of the LSU Press building (p. 18)

FOUNDATION Supporting Academic Excellence 2

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

PAGE 3 ILLUSTRATION • The traditional village of Uchisar, in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, as sketched by Jim Richards during the 2010 alumni study tour with Max Conrad

Inside Cornerstone Fall 2011 | Volume 23, Number 2 | LSU Foundation

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Behind every gift to the LSU Foundation is an individual or organization determined to advance the quality of education.

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Center of it All

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WELCOME President and CEO Chairperson of the Board

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FEATURE: Center of it All

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ANNUAL GIVING From Livestock to Live Theater

10 STUDENTS HELPING STUDENTS

Remembering Drew 12 2011 LSU ORNAMENT

Stately Oaks

Brothers J.B., Humphrey “Bubber” and Dr. Henry “Heck” Olinde in LSU’s Memorial Oak Grove

14 MEMBERSHIP

Leading by Example

26 LSU MUSEUM OF ART

Geaux Blue Dog

17 PROFESSORSHIPS

No Other Place

27 PLANNED GIVING

Helping Opportunity to Knock

18 FEATURE: A Home for Readers & Writers

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20 E. J. OURSO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Three Out of 10 22 FEATURE: Taylor Made

24 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

HONORING OTHERS World Class SCHOLARSHIPS 2010-11 ANNUAL REPORT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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Dear Friends,

I appreciate your warm welcome over the past few months. It has been my privilege to be a member of the LSU Foundation Board of Directors since 1981, and I look forward to serving in this new role until a permanent president and CEO is selected.

When I retired as chairman and CEO of Bank One of Louisiana 12 years ago, my wife, Barrie, and I did not expect that I would be at the helm of an organization again. Yet, as longtime supporters of LSU, we are happy to give back through my work here. This position is a good blend of my background in banking and my involvement in community organizations.

I am grateful to my predecessor, Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon, for his exemplary leadership. Bill became president and CEO in August 2004, after retiring from a 34-year career as an aviator and a general officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He played a critical role in the planning, launch and successful completion of the Forever LSU campaign. Also during Bill’s tenure, the foundation expanded its capacity for bringing private dollars to LSU and celebrated a half-century of service.

Bill’s commitment to LSU is unwavering, and though we were disappointed to see him leave, we are happy for him and his wife, Sally, as they look toward enjoying retirement and their plans to travel and spend more time with family.

This is truly an outstanding organization that is integral to the success of the campuses we serve. I am pleased to be part of it.

Sincerely,

G. Lee Griffin (MS Business, 1961) President and CEO, LSU Foundation

Celebrating Maj. Gen. Bill Bowdon Retirement Party • June 3 • Tiger Den Suites

Bowdon with Neila and Cecil Phillips

Board Chairperson Laura Dauzat with Maj. Gen. Bill Bowdon and his wife, Sally Jill Roshto, Bowdon, Lindsay Chustz and Eric Guerin

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

American flag flown on campus May 31 in Bowdon’s honor

Dear LSU Foundation Members and Friends,

My first year as chairperson of the LSU Foundation Board of Directors has been a busy, exciting time. The Forever LSU campaign has ended, but our daily efforts to foster private financial support for LSU, the LSU AgCenter, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center and the LSU System Office have not.

Fulfilling this mission is ever the guiding goal of our board and employees.

I am grateful to Lee Griffin for serving as president and CEO until we identify a permanent successor for Maj. Gen. Bill Bowdon. We were lucky to have Bill with us for seven years and are appreciative of the legacy he left. Lee will focus on working with the strong teams we have in place at the foundation and on the campuses we support to develop a strategic plan for defining and meeting our top fundraising priorities.

Continued growth of our family of LSU Foundation members is a top priority. Through their support of the LSU Foundation Operating Fund, our members’ generosity has resulted in a stronger, better LSU that is less reliant on state funding and more adept at achieving academic excellence.

I know I speak for the entire board when I share how much we appreciate all of our members for their loyalty and partnership.

With gratitude for your support,

Laura L. Dauzat (BS Agriculture, 1972) Chairperson, LSU Foundation Board of Directors

Membership Reception New Orleans • Aug. 16 Home of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Laborde • Co-hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Crosby III and Mr. and Mrs. Gene W. Lafitte Sr.

Lee and Barrie Griffin, David and Liz Means, Luellen and Norman Hodgins

Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite and 2010 LSU Homecoming Queen Kristin Davis These neighbors were pleasantly surprised to see each other. Earlier in the summer, Applewhite was locked out of her house, and Davis came to the rescue!

(top) LSU AgCenter Chancellor Bill Richardson and wife CC, Kim and Robert Crosby (bottom) LSU Chancellor Mike Martin, Betsy Laborde, Laura Dauzat, Lee Griffin, Gary Laborde

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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In early October, three generations of the Olinde family gathered in LSU’s Memorial Oak Grove so we could capture the spirit behind the naming of the LSU Olinde Career Center. The family’s gift was made possible through the generosity of Humphrey T. “Bubber” Olinde, a 1948 graduate of what is now the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business.

Bubber came in from nearby New Roads, La., to join more than a dozen

of his loved ones—just a fraction of this close-knit family—for a portrait near the LSU Student Union. Sometime during the 2012-13 school year, the Union will become home to the center bearing the Olinde name. Bubber’s support through a $1.5 million gift will have a dramatic impact on LSU Career Services’ ability to serve students and alumni and the employers and graduate/professional schools that recruit on campus. (above) Humphrey T. “Bubber” Olinde, seated on the front row, with his family in LSU’s Memorial Oak Grove; (right top) West Entrance to LSU Student Union; (right bottom) LSU Recruitment Center, level two of the LSU Olinde Career Center

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

was looking toward the future with what he can do in the present,” Mary Feduccia, PhD, director of Career Services, said of Bubber’s decision to support LSU through this project.

Feduccia’s team is a one-stop shop for students seeking career-planning guidance. Specialists in career decisions, experiential education, job searching, and employer relations provide one-onone help to the campus community and LSU alumni. Each year, the office hosts more than one dozen discipline-specific recruiting and networking events for students. The team also welcomes over 1,000 organizations through events and its On-Campus Interviewing Program, spanning nine weeks each semester.

Whereas Career Services is now housed in one location on the outskirts of campus and another in the basement of a Quad building, the new center will be centrally located in the Union.

“This will be the first time we’ll be together as one office in the hub of campus,” says Trey Truitt, associate director for employment services, adding, “It will give us the internal visibility we’ve needed.”

The Olinde Career Center will be outfitted with expanded, private interview rooms; suites that allow for future growth; a workforce development center comprised by an interactive multimedia library; a lounge/business center for visiting recruiters; a global teleconferencing room; and an employer greeter room.

The new, two-level space will also include a suite for the LSU Student Financial Management Center (SFMC), which helps students to create and maintain financially responsible behaviors. With just a few such programs in the country, LSU is ahead of the curve in making the SFMC available to students.

Emily Hester, coordinator in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Life & Enrollment, says, “We are preparing you not just for your experience in college, but for life after college.”

In addition to housing Career Services and the SFMC, The Olinde Career Center’s “smart” classroom will be equipped with audiovisual tools, voice conferencing, LAN connections and wireless Internet access. That space will be made available to student groups, faculty and staff, extending services beyond those who visit the center for career-planning help.

Several companies and individuals have joined the Olinde family as career center partners, through both naming opportunities and individual gifts.

Career Services has seen increased interest since its Career Expo moved into the LSU Student Union.

“When we moved into the Union and could show them the space, there was immediate interest,” Truitt

David, Beau, Henry and Andy Olinde, nephews of Bubber Olinde

says of employers’ reactions to the project.

The forward-thinking nature of The Olinde Career Center suits Bubber’s longstanding commitment to supporting education. He and his family are active in their respective professional communities and generous in their volunteerism and philanthropic giving to the causes they find most meaningful.

“Uncle H.T. has always supported education at LSU and at home in New Roads,” says Henry Olinde Jr. “He wanted to do something that would be permanent. Being an LSU alumnus, he thought giving back to LSU would be a good way to achieve his purpose.”

Bubber’s nephews (including Henry and his brothers Michael and David) and his brothers J.B. and Dr. Henry “Heck” Olinde were actively involved in working with LSU to help Bubber identify a campus project that would enable him to achieve that purpose. Career Services had just formally announced its plans to move into the LSU Student Union—and the support that would be needed to do so—and the new center seemed a perfect fit.

“This lead gift fulfills a philanthropic passion of Bubber Olinde to transform lives for generations of LSU students to reach their goals and dreams through The Olinde Career Center,” says Jamie Segar, director of development for the Division of Student Life & Enrollment.

The Olinde family’s generosity will provide the professional, accessible space and resources the office has needed since its inception almost 30 years ago.

“The center will speak volumes about the value LSU places on career planning services for students,” Feduccia asserts.

The Olinde Career Center will speak volumes, too, about the impact one family can have on the entire LSU community.

careercenter.lsu.edu

LSU Olinde Career Center Partners As of October 2011

The Olinde Family Chevron CenterPoint Energy Shell Marathon Oil Corporation Marathon Petroleum Corporation The Belleau Family The Reilly Foundation careercenter.lsu.edu/ partners

STAR Employers As of October 2011

GOLD Shell SILVER Fluor BRONZE Altria Sales & Distribution BP America BASF Corporation Chevron ConocoPhillips Dow Chemical ExxonMobil InfiniEdge Instrumental Design LyondellBassell Prudential Northwestern Mutual careercenter.lsu.edu/ STAR

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Swine Palace renderings by Ken George, set designer for the 2011 production of “August: Osage County,” and Corey Globke, costume designer for the 2012 production of “Pride and Prejudice”

From Livestock to Live Theater

In 1992, an old LSU livestock pavilion became home to a new production company. Swine Palace has since produced more than 68 main-stage productions, including regional and world premieres, and hosted many acclaimed artists. The former pavilion, now the Reilly Theatre, is one of three theatres in which Swine Palace performs.

“Swine Palace provides a place for the community to witness the creation of alternative worlds and to live vicariously through those created spaces, places, people, images and emotions,” explains donor Bettsie Baker Miller, adding, “Hopefully, we learn from each of those experiences.”

Founded in association with LSU Theatre as a nonprofit professional Equity theatre company, Swine Palace has a dual mission: to provide Southeast Louisiana with professional pro-

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ductions of classical and contemporary theatre (with an emphasis on plays exploring issues of social equity), while also serving as a training ground for students in LSU Theatre’s Master of Fine Arts technical/design training and professional actor programs.

“What I've enjoyed most through the years is watching the actors mature in their craft,” says supporter Linda Bowsher. “Usually, an MFA candidate actor will appear in a variety of roles, large and small, over a three-year period, and it's fun to watch what they do with each one.”

Swine Palace’s Cirque du Cochon is a company of friends, including Miller and Bowsher, who underwrite and support its productions and outreach programs, such as Pay-What-You-Can previews, Student Matinee Series, and Project Lagniappe, which provides free tickets to educational and social service organizations in the community.

“I think Swine Palace and LSU Theater together provide a range of productions that enrich the cultural life of the community,” Bowsher says. “Swine

Palace runs the gamut from Shakespeare to something very new like ‘August: Osage County,’ so you know to expect a variety of theatrical experiences every year.”

Miller, too, appreciates that variety.

“I enjoy being transported and challenged in time, space and existence—to leave the ‘who I am everyday’ and to go inward or outward and explore a concept, idea or notion without having to leave Baton Rouge to do it!” she shares.

In 2006, Swine Palace received the YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge’s 13th Annual Racial Justice Award and the Louisiana Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Large Arts Organization.

Its 2007 world premiere production of “Cocktail” was chosen to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, the world’s largest theatre design exhibition and competition.

www.swinepalace.org

Pearls

&

Paws

As 2011 began, so did a women’s volunteer league focused on supporting the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine.

In its first six months, the Pearls & Paws Volunteer League for Veterinary Medicine quickly established a communitywide presence through its volunteer and advocacy efforts on behalf of the school.

The league’s catchy moniker is drawn from a statement that reflects the group’s purpose: “Like a strand of pearls, side by side, strung strong but delicate; that is life with our pets.”

“The most important thing in my life is my family,” said founding member Paloma Reyes. “I loved the idea of Pearls & Paws Volunteer League because the primary mission is to encourage and support the best possible veterinary care for our animal family. I’m pleased and honored to be a founding part of a statewide organization that is as passionate about that family as I am.”

LSU SVM is one of just 28 veterinary schools in the country, and

Paloma Reyes, third from right, with fellow Pearls & Paws members at the Acadiana Symphony Women’s League Mad Hatters Luncheon

Pearls & Paws will work to ensure that it remains one of the very best in that elite group. Members are committed to supporting student scholarships, enhancing and upgrading equipment and facilities, and contributing to programs that affect the outcomes and longevity of sick and injured animals.

Pearls & Paws is focused on helping animals receive the best possible care by providing outstanding resources for animals and those who treat them.

www.facebook.com/PearlsandPaws

LSU Laboratory School Sees Growth in Annual Giving

The University Laboratory School Foundation’s Annual Appeal has yielded nearly $2.6 million in unrestricted funds since 2001, when the annual giving program launched.

The annual appeal has experienced growth not just in dollars given, with gifts ranging from $10 to $20,000, but also in number of donors, which has risen by 180 percent. Corporate giving programs have also bolstered support; in 2010, the ULS Foundation received $31,723 in matching funds.

The ULS Foundation nurtures and builds relationships with parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends and provides resources and funding to foster excellence in the school.

ULS Foundation Annual Appeal contributions impact every student, funding faculty recruitment and development, new technology, and student enrichment programs.

ULS Foundation Annual Appeal supporters enable the school to continuously build upon the strides made through previous years’ gifts. These loyal donors nurture young scholars by ensuring their continued exposure to outstanding opportunities and experiences. www.uhigh.lsu.edu/foundation/about.html

At a Pearls & Paws event in honor of Mike VI’s birthday is Dr. David Senior, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine associate dean for advancement and strategic initiatives, with Dr. Debra DePrato, Phyllis Eyre, Dr. Candace Warner and Margaret Womack Hart.

Setting the Stage

As an LSU undergraduate student in the early 1940s, Jeanne Kellar Beaty studied modern languages but spent all of her spare time working behind the scenes on campus theater productions. Beaty transferred from Grand Rapids Junior College to LSU after visiting her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Claude Shaver, who encouraged her to live with them and attend the university.

The late Claude Shaver is the renowned LSU professor for whom the LSU Claude L. Shaver Theatre is named, so it was natural that Beaty would become a fixture on his sets.

Though she is a longtime resident of Canada and has not visited LSU in many years, Beaty remembers her campus experience fondly and is a loyal annual supporter of LSU Theatre’s Claude L. Shaver Scholarship Fund.

“The arts are at the forefront in solving some of the social problems that society has,” she said. “Participating in them and going to live theater opens people up to thinking about new ideas.”

When she learned that “La Bohème” would open LSU Opera’s 2011-12 season, Beaty enjoyed reflecting on her memories of working on LSU’s 1942 production. www.theatre.lsu.edu

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Remembering Drew

The 2011 Coast & Environment Graduate Organization annual crawfish boil continued a CEGO tradition—with a twist. The spring event benefited a scholarship in memory of a student whom the CEGO members never had the opportunity to meet.

Students learn a little bit about Drew Wilbert during the School of the Coast & Environment’s annual awards program, where the Drew Wilbert Memorial Award is given to an undergraduate student.

Though the school did not have an undergraduate program when Wilbert started college, he established a strong connection there as Associate Professor John White’s student worker. Wilbert helped graduate students by analyzing soil, sediment and water samples for microbial and nutrient activity. The students liked working with him, as they trusted the quality of his work.

White recalls, “He was bright, very affable. He was eager to learn. He wanted to know why they did things a certain way.”

Wilbert passed away in March 2007, at just 21 years old. He was a photography hobbyist and a lover of nature who especially enjoyed camping in the woods and spending time along the Gulf Coast. In honor of his life, Drew’s family partnered with the school to establish a memorial award.

A CEGO officer spoke to White about the scholarship, and the idea for a related fundraiser was borne. The school pitched in to underwrite the cost of food, enabling the students to request donations in lieu of selling tickets.

“We’re very passionate about coming together for good causes,” explains 2010-11 CEGO President Jenny Lentz.

White adds, “How can you not feel good about doing something like that?”

Ben Branoff, current CEGO president, sees the decision to honor Wilbert’s life by supporting this award for undergraduate students as a perfect complement to CEGO’s focus on service through community involvement.

Lentz agrees, stating, “Graduate students try to inspire undergrads to go into sciences.”

In a letter to CEGO members after the crawfish boil, Dee Dee Wilbert, Drew’s mother, shared, “Like Dr. White, I like to think that Drew would have been a graduate student with him in LSU’s School of the Coast & Environment, and I also like to imagine that he would have been with you, one of you, in CEGO.”

Lentz, Branoff and their peers gave life to that dream by celebrating Wilbert and continuing his legacy.

www.sce.lsu.edu

Photos: Drew Wilbert’s photo of a sailboat in Key West, Fla. (left to right) Drew enjoying the outdoors; Dee Dee and Larry Wilbert with Florence Louann Johnson, 2011 recipient of the Drew Wilbert Memorial Award; members of the LSU Coast & Environment Graduate Organization (CEGO)

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LSU Law Students Endow Scholarship

The LSU Law Student Bar Association Endowed Scholarship is the first of its kind to be donated by current students. SBA leaders expressed a desire to give back and collaborated to help fund the scholarship, which, by nature of being endowed, will provide perpetual support to future students.

Sean Corcoran and Kaamil Khan, 2010-11 and 2011-12 LSU Law SBA presidents, said they and their peers felt it was important to leave a legacy to benefit other students.

“We give because our student body is what makes LSU Law really special,” explained Corcoran and Khan.

“This award is designed to recognize those altruistic and selfless students who make us proud that we chose LSU Law.”

The SBA’s efforts were bolstered

by Professor William Crawford, who donated proceeds from the sale of his book to the scholarship fund.

When fully funded, the scholarship will be made available to a rising

Sean Corcoran and Kaamil Khan, 2010-11 and 2011-12 LSU Law Student Bar Association presidents

third-year law student who represents the highest standards of service and dedication to fellow students and the

LSU Law Center community. The SBA asked that financial need be considered.

www.law.lsu.edu

Honors College Council Funds Research

Students in the LSU Honors College are guided by themes: a focus on service (freshman year), studying abroad (sophomore year), research (junior year), and thesis work (senior year). When the Honors College Student Council realized that the theme of research had the fewest scholarship awards, the students decided to create one.

“The idea was to have something that would benefit future students,” explained Mark Dochterman, the college’s student activities coordinator. “They looked at what was being offered and said, ‘There’s a piece missing.’”

During the 2010-11 school year, the students engaged their peers in the effort by selling T-shirts, a portion of the proceeds of which led to the creation of the Honors College Student Council Research Scholarship. This year, 2011-12 President Mia Ferriss and her council continue to direct proceeds from the T-shirt sale to the scholarship fund.

The sale targets first-year students, which helps to build a culture of giving.

“You want to be successful and keep up your grades, but part of that success is giving back,” Ferriss said.

The 2011-12 Honors College Student Council in the lobby of Acadian Hall

The one-time, $500 award will be given annually to a third-year Honors College student. It is to be used to defray costs—such as travel to conferences or research materials— associated with a faculty-advised research project. An outside committee selects the recipient from a pool of applicants, each of whom submits a research plan and a statement about the project’s significance as it relates to the student’s career or graduate school goals.

www.honors.lsu.edu Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Ornament Start a new LSU tradition! LSU will introduce an ornament each fall, creating a series that celebrates Tiger spirit and is fun to collect. All proceeds support the LSU Foundation’s Campus Beautification Fund. Ornaments are $20 each, or $50 for a Tiger Triple Pack (one of each ornament). Limited quantities are available.

2011 LSU Ornament

The roughly 1,200 oak trees on LSU’s campus are as much a part of the university as are its students, faculty, staff and historic buildings. Steele Burden, LSU’s landscaper from 1932 through 1970, planted many of LSU’s live oak trees, which have been valued at $50 million. Burden’s careful planting was done with the future in mind, a legacy continued by those who endow his majestic work.

The LSU Foundation’s Endow an Oak program was introduced in 1993 to improve the poor health of many of LSU’s oaks, for which declining care was an unfortunate consequence of budget limitations. Since its introduction, Endow an Oak has successfully garnered critical funds to support the care and maintenance of LSU’s most treasured natural “residents.” Fifty percent of each Endow an Oak gift builds the oak endowment, and the other half is placed into an account that can be used immediately by LSU’s arbor management team. Donors can also endow other types of campus trees through this program. Each endowed oak is marked by a customized, permanent bronze plaque installed near the base of the tree.

www.lsufoundation.org/oaks

Introduced in 2010

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The Campus Beautification Fund

Whether it is renewing flower beds, planting or pruning our oaks, developing educational walkways, or easing traffic flow, the Campus Beautification Fund makes possible campus enhancements that state funds cannot support.

All proceeds from the LSU Ornament support the Campus Beautification Fund.

Ornament Features

Each LSU Ornament is lightweight and threedimensional; is packaged in an attractive, shrink-wrapped presentation box; and includes an information card about the ornament and the Campus Beautification Fund.

Introduced in 2009

Visit www.lsuornament.com to purchase ornaments or join the LSU Ornament mailing list.

the Oaks

Stories Beneath Family Tree

As Kenneth Welshons’ 65th birthday drew near, daughter Jennifer and her husband, Joel Ocmand, brainstormed gift ideas.

Jennifer, in-house counsel with Noble Energy, Inc. in Houston, and Joel, an electrical engineer with Motiva Enterprises, LLC, were familiar with the foundation’s Endow an Oak program and hopped online to find out specifics.

“We thought, ‘We can do this,’” Jennifer recalled.

She reached out to Tammy Abshire, an associate director of development in the College of Engineering. In 2009, Abshire helped the couple with their idea for a second anniversary gift: Jennifer made a donation in Joel’s name to the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, where he earned his degree, and Joel made a gift in his wife’s name to the LSU Law Center, where she earned her JD. Giving to LSU is now an anniversary tradition.

The family tradition of attending LSU was instilled early, Jennifer said, recalling times Kenneth asked his young children what they were going to study there.

“It wasn’t a question of if we were going to LSU,” she remembered, laughing.

Kenneth retired from Motiva as an electrical engineer, so it is appropriate that “his” tree is by the LSU Electrical Engineering Building and that the couple endowed the oak with the help of Motiva’s matching gift program.

In July, Jennifer and Joel capped Kenneth’s birthday breakfast with a surprise visit to the Electrical Engineering Building, where they revealed the “Welshons Tigers” tree.

The couple also announced their gift to the department’s senior capstone projects, which they made in Kenneth’s honor through Noble Energy’s matching gift program.

LSU Removes Steele Burden Oak

In August, LSU Facility Services removed the Steele Burden Live Oak located near the LSU Natatorium. The roughly 80-year-old tree was struck by lightning in May 2010 and died despite arborists’ efforts to save it.

After the initial lightning strike, Facility Services teams immediately removed the impacted branches, treated the bark for opportunistic beetles that prey on weakened trees, and treated the soil around the oak with a beneficial micronutrient solution to aid recovery. A temporary irrigation system was installed to augment the appropriate hydration levels during summer.

“We did everything we could to save it, but the intensity of this lightning strike was too much for the tree to recover from,” said Fred Fellner, assistant director of landscape services at the LSU Office of Facility Services.

Acorn-propagated saplings have been grown from the tree and are holding up successfully. Facility Services has also contracted with a nursery to clone genetically identical saplings from cuttings taken from the oak’s limbs. Salvaged pieces of wood have been preserved for future use.

Project Learning Tree

A cross-section of the Steele Burden oak tree that was recently removed from the LSU campus will find new life as an educational tree cookie at the LSU AgCenter’s Burden Center. Burden Center’s Trees & Trails is home to Project Learning Tree (PLT), offered through Burden Horticulture Society with support from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, ExxonMobil and the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Inc. PLT, a program of the American Forestry Foundation, is widely recognized as one of the premier environmental education programs in the world.

The salvaged tree cookie will complement PLT’s existing segment on tree cookies, which teaches students about tree growth. The rings of the Burden oak will represent a timeline that communicates what was happening in Baton Rouge and at LSU over the years as the tree grew.

www.BurdenHorticultureSociety.com

www.eng.lsu.edu

Photos: (above) Jennifer Welshons and her parents with the “Welshons Tigers” tree, celebrating LSU alumnus Kenneth Welshons and his three children (right) Colored pencil oak illustration by Elizabeth Scott Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Shelby and Molly McKenzie in their home on the LSU lakes

Leading by Example Baton Rouge roots run deep in the McKenzie household. Shelby and Molly grew up in LSU’s home city and were high school sweethearts at the LSU Laboratory School, an alma mater they share with their children and grandchildren. Both left Baton Rouge to attend college out of state but soon returned to earn degrees from LSU: she a BA in the College of Education, he a JD from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

Through his firm, Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, Shelby became lead counsel for the LSU System, a position he held for many years. Molly and Shelby’s impressive tradition of service and support at LSU now spans 50 years.

Shelby is a past chair of LSU Law’s Alumni Board of Trustees, represented the center on the Forever LSU Campaign Cabinet, and has taught an insurance law course there since 1971. In 2005, he was LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

“When you are fortunate to live in the same community for generations, you can do something for that community,” says Molly.

Most recently, that “something” has come in the form of

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

an IRA rollover gift benefiting LSU Law.

Shelby explains, “The tax code allows you to do that without tax implications. It’s a good way for people with those types of retirement plans to support the university.”

The McKenzies’ gift bolstered a matching seed fund that will be used to encourage other scholarship donations to the LSU Law Center.

“The best use of our money is to let the chancellor support those who would benefit from LSU Law but may not have the funds to do that,” Shelby contends. “It continues to be an excellent law school. They graduate not just lawyers, but good lawyers.”

In addition to their support of LSU Law, the McKenzies are longtime members of the LSU Foundation.

“As soon as we were financially able, we joined,” Shelby says of their LSU Foundation membership, which began in 1989. “I don’t think there is a better expenditure than supporting the LSU Foundation to get LSU the help it so desperately needs.”

“Both of our families have been very active in giving,” Molly adds, reflecting on their support of both LSU Law and the LSU Laboratory School. “They really taught us to be grateful and, when we had extra, to give ... especially to education. We’re following in the footsteps of those who came before.”

www.law.lsu.edu

350+ Members Strong Boldface denotes lifetime members.

Members

Frances B. Davis William D. Davis Bradley Dennison Peter M. Drexler John S. and Judith S. Dryden Gregory M. Eaton James and Jane Egasti A. Bridger Eglin Clarence Eidt Jr. Ernest Ray and Iris McLaurin Eldred Patrick Evans Sidney B. and Joelle D. Evans J. Nelson Fairbanks Cheryl and Peter Fasullo Charlene Favre Calvin C. Fayard Jr. William T. II and René Firesheets J. Robert Fitzgerald James C. and Cherie H. Flores William S. Flores Jr. Richard L. and Shirley S. Flowers Michael R. and Elizabeth

T.H.Fontham Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Foret Lynn and Sharon Foret Larry Franceski Alta Franks Allen E. Frederic Jr. Sam Friedman John and Alice Frazier T. Cass Gaiennie Cathie and Ed Galante Robert Galantucci Dudley and Melanie Glenn Ronald R. Gonzales Henry Goodrich John Graham John B. Gremillion Jr. G. Lee Griffin William D. Griffin James Hall

John C. Hamilton Frankie S. Harris III Frank W. Harrison Jr. Frank W. III and Ann Harrison Robert H. Harvey John and Terri Havens Brian and Barbara Haymon Harry T. and Elizabeth “Bee” Hawks Mark L. Hefter William Herrington William L. III and Jean A. Higgins L. Leighton Hill Bill R. and Anne Warren Hise Stanley J. Jacobs P. Roger Jahncke William L. “Bill” and Peggy Jenkins Bert Jones Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevant,

Carrere & Denegre L.L.P. Brad and Ann Juneau Frank H. Kean III Donald W. and Gayle A. Keller Kevin Kelty Richard F. Knight Cliffe F. Laborde Gary L. Laborde John P. Laborde Lucien P. and Peggy Laborde Luke and Sonja Laborde Tommy and Ann Laborde Gene W. Lafitte Judson and Margaret Landers Charles A Landry René L. Latiolais Ron Lato Jack E. Lawton Jr. U. J. LeGrange Laura Alexander Leach Richard N. Lemieux Joseph Lipsey Jr. Richard A. Lipsey

Membership Snapshots

Adams & Reese, LLC Dick and Sherri Alario Hank F. and Frances Anderson I. Kent Anderson Mark K. Anderson Reuel L. Anderson Jr. Scott L. Anderson Mary Lou Applewhite Peter W. and Alice F. Arbour Malcolm B. Armstrong Paul and Ellen Arst Dennis Aucoin James J. III and Laura Bailey Byrd M. and Alice Ball Kenneth F. Barkoff Boyd Barrilleaux Arthur K. III and Shirley Barton John W. Barton Sr. Carl W. Bauer Marian Beauchamp Charlene Lea Belk Jeff Hals Benhard James J. Jr. and Betty C. Bergin Robert E. Bethard Bradley and Cindy Black William D. Blake Barry O. Blumberg Donald T. Bollinger Mr. David Bondy Jr. Daniel Bonnet Bryan and Renee Bossier Sr. A. John Boudreaux Maj. Gen. Bill and Sally Bowdon Clark G. Boyce Jr. J. Herbert Boydstun John C. Braddock John Breaux

John B. Brock III J. Terrell and Mary Kay Brown Stephen T. and Cathy Brown Claude and Bethia Bundrick John F. Burris Jim and Jill Burtner Carol M. Calkins Ronald C. Cambre Joseph Campbell Jr. Jeffrey K. and Wendy Carbo Virginia Carmouche Paul Cambon James Carville Clarence Cazalot J. Harman and Renae Chandler Richard D. Jr. and Teeta Chappuis JP Morgan Chase Mr. and Mrs. R. Blake Chatelain Kerry J. Chauvin Joan and Purnell Choppin Donald W. Clayton Cindy D. Coffey Thomas and Peggy Collins William M. Comegys III A. Harry Jr. and Joyce Conrad Lodwrick M. Cook Dr. Glen M. Coullard Vickie H. Coullard Amy E. Counce Judge D. Irvin Couvillion James Crosby Robert H. and Kim Crosby III Louis D. Curet Donald H. Daigle Robert Daigle Wilton R. and Daisy B. Dale Bill and Cammie Dale Joseph A. D’Amico Debbie and John L. Daniel Jr. Garrett Hank Danos Ruben J. and Laura Dauzat

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Members’ annual contributions to the LSU Foundation Operating Fund enable the LSU Foundation to refine, enhance and expand fundraising resources at LSU, the LSU AgCenter, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and the LSU System Office. www.lsufoundation.org/membership

Harry J. and Norma Longwell Al Lopez Blaine Lourd Stuart D. Lunn Doug and Debra Lunn Jr. Doug Manship Jr. Dr. Ronald Marks Bob and Peggy Marin Jonathan E. and Maggie Martin Mike and Jan Martin Phil Martin Jimmy and Lillian C. Maurin Roger May Thomas C. McBride Matt McCarroll John S. and Carla C. McClelland John D. McCown Robert P. McCleskey Jr. Jack McElligott James Donald McGinty Harry E. McInnis Jr. W. Shelby and Molly McKenzie Markham R. McKnight Wally and Andrea McMakin Michael A. and Cathey Meagher David B. Means III Rick and Janice Menniti Frank W. Miller John and Laura Moffitt Gordon and Debra Monk W. Henson and Carolyn Moore Dr. Henry Moreau Ben and Willie Mount Mr. and Mrs. Hermann Moyse III Patrick and Tami Mulligan Craig W. Murray Leonard R. and Julie P. Nachman Ronald E. and Mary E. Neal Frank X. Neuner Darcey Newsum John and Virginia Noland Stuart and Kim Oden Roger H. Ogden Joseph B. and Tyke Olinde Melinda and Steve Overstreet William B. Owens James H. Painter Rock and Kim Palermo Robert J. Patrick William Peatross James R. Peltier G. Allen Penniman Jr. L. J. Jr. and Bernardine Persac Robert L. Pettit Jr. Marty Phillips

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Rawlston D. and Linda Sue D. Phillips G. Frank Purvis Jr. Dottie Reese Kevin P. Sr. and Dee Dee Reilly Charles W. Richardson Jr. Kevin C. Robert Roedel, Parson, Koch, Blache, Balhoff and McCollister Armand and Lynn Roos Harold L. Rosbottom Jr. A.J. Roy III Jim and Ginger Roy Frances Saladin Dr. Frank Sanchez Joe and Gina Sanford Jr. Sherry S. St. Aubin Mr. and Mrs. Claude Schlesinger Bart B. Schmolke Schlumberger Technology Corporation Mark C. and Mary Schroeder Steve and Sheri Scott J. Darby Seré John F. Shackelford Jerry Jr. and Beverly Shea Shell Oil Company John T. Shelton Jr. Andrew J. Shoup Jr. Charles P. Siess Jr. Joseph G. Simmons Jr. Martin E. and Judy F. Simmons B. Bruce Simon Steven N. Simon Michael B. and Suzan D. Simpson Wayne L. Simpson J. Noland Singletary Charles M. Smith Glynn D. and Annie Bell Smith Jeff and Amie Springmeyer Mike and Carol Stamatedes Joseph Stein Jr. Lehrue Jr. and Betty Stevens John Stovall Carl J. Streva Paul A. and Lyndra Strickland Robert M. Jr. and Donna C. Stuart Richard M. Sturlese Dr. James M. Syler Jr. Byrum W. Teekell James Theus John and Elizabeth Thomas Suzan Tillotson Dr. and Mrs. Ken Tipton Roland M. and Kay Toups Mrs. Sue Turner

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

Thomas H. Turner Robert and Elissa Turnham Mike Vandenbold Cyril and Tutta S. Vetter Donald J. Waguespack Milford Wampold III Burton D. Jr. and Sue W. Weaver Robert D. Jr. and Claire Webb Charles S. III and Laura J. Weems Anthony J. and Jeanne Dupré Weido Felix R. and Lynn Weill Emmett C. Wells Jr. Dr. W. Daniel and Mrs. Kay Harrison

Williamson John M. and Edie Wilson Van and Gail Whitfield William H. Wright Jr. Rick and Holly Wolfert Woman’s Hospital Mark and Anne Wojna Thomas and Cynthia Wood Russell and Cynthia Woodard Thomas and Loretta Woodward J. Lanier Yeates Thomas and Juliet Youngblood Donald J. Zadeck

Associate Members Dr. Jerry Baudin Dr. and Mrs. Charles D. Belleau Lee and Cindy Bloch Michael A. Blue John M. Budd Brent and Katherine Kennedy Burlette Rhett and Jennifer Butler Kevin Carman and Susan Welsh Bunnie Cannon Jennifer S. Cargill Frank Cartledge Dr. Vince D. Cataldo Joseph A. Chaney Russell and Melanie Chapman Ron Paul Cheramie Dr. W. David Constant Dr. Paul Coreil Jeff and Sara Crow Kushal P. Dasgupta Christopher and Jennifer D’Elia Jerry and Bridget Denicola Karen A. Deville Mai L. Doles Cary and Nancy C. Dougherty

Gina M. Dugas Don L. Eisenberg Gwen Fairchild Gaines Foster Edmund J. Giering IV John W. Grubb Eric Hale Amanda Haralson and Tom Livesay Andrew T. Harrison Frank W. Harrison IV Margaret Womack Hart Thomas M. Hyde Eli Jones Laurence D. Kaptain Kurt and Debra Keppler Kenneth L. and Judy Koonce Rick and Valerie Koubek Robert Kuhn Robert and Mindy Landry Amelia Lee Jordan T. Marye Ann Marie Marmande James S. McCoy John and Jennifer McGehee Jeffery and Leah McLain Malcolm and Reneé Myer Benjamin D. “Dal” Miller III Mrs. Germaine Miller Randall Miller Wayne and Brenda Miller George T. Moss Elisabeth O’Beirne Mrs. A.J.M. “Lena Mae” Oustalet Jr. John D. Jr. and Allyson B. Pellegrin Mrs. Donald Peltier Pamela M. and Jay L. Perkins Thomas “Quinn” Rainwater Lee Rayner William B. Richardson Michael D. Robinson Theresa Russo Brian Schmolke William L. “Bill” and Renae R. Scott William L. Silvia Jr. Jeremy and Kate Spikes Beverly Brooks Thompson Kevin P. and Donna K. Torres Bill and Lorry Trotter Jack R. Van Lopik Rita and H.J. “Jesse” Walker Jack Weiss Chuck Wilson Harris and Shelley Zeringue Membership roster is as of November 2011 Board of Directors meeting.

Karen and Ed Schmitt on the front porch of their home in Denham Springs, La.

No Other Place A lot of people claim to bleed purple and gold, but how many lull their grandchildren to sleep by singing the “LSU Alma Mater”?

Karen Schmitt did so proudly.

She and husband Ed are LSU alumni, as are their two daughters and so many family members that they joke about the inevitability of their five grandchildren attending. The Schmitts even have an LSU-themed barn, complete with a Tiger-emblazoned pool table and a custom-upholstered purple and gold couch.

Growing up in North Baton Rouge, Ed saw men from his neighborhood bike to their jobs at area plants. Assuming he would work as a plant operator, Ed never dreamed he would be president and CEO of Georgia Gulf Corporation.

He worked construction jobs and bagged groceries to put himself through

college. After earning a degree from the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Ed worked for a handful of companies before settling into Georgia Gulf until he retired, in 2008.

“LSU afforded me this opportunity,” Ed says. “It opened the doors for me.”

Karen grew up in Denham Springs, La., and built a career teaching in Livingston Parish. Now retired, she is a new member of the Livingston Parish School Board. Karen was encouraged to pursue the position given her professional experience, the foundation of which she attributes to the LSU College of Education.

The Karen Wax Schmitt & Family Endowed Professorship in the College of Education celebrates the three generations of Karen’s family who have earned eight degrees there. Both of her daughters are graduates: Laura is now a guidance councelor in Lake Charles, La., and Mary teaches in Denham Springs.

When fully funded through a

match from the state of Louisiana, the professorship will be the college’s largest. The Schmitts have also established two professorships in the College of Engineering and are major contributors to the Chemical Engineering Building Fund.

Karen recalls a Bible verse that reflects her and Ed’s view of philanthropy: “For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required” (Luke 12:48). Karen clarifies that she and Ed see giving as an opportunity rather than obligation.

“By giving, others will have the opportunity to benefit as we have,” Ed explains. “We feel like we’re led to it.”

That sentiment mirrors a deep love for LSU that their family shares. When her older daughter was in high school, Karen asked if she was considering LSU. Laura responded incredulously: “Is there any other place?”

www.lsu.edu/coe www.eng.lsu.edu Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Virginia and John Noland on the porch of the LSU Press building

A Home for Readers & Writers Halfway down West Lakeshore Drive, in an Acadian-style building facing the lakes, stands LSU Press, home to countless award-winning books.

The nonprofit publisher furthers LSU’s mission of scholarly inquiry by selecting titles based on scholarly, intellectual and creative merit.

This mission-driven approach necessitates partnerships with individuals, foundations and companies that not only recognize the value of the Press’ mission and work, but are also willing to support the Press through giving.

Recently, a group of LSU Press readers recognized the opportunity for private philanthropy as a way to support the state’s premier academic publisher and contributed funds to establish the infrastructure for a development program. The new program focuses on building relationships with people and organizations who want to contribute to LSU’s academic prominence by attracting outstanding authors and publishing their equally outstanding books.

Among those who participated in the joint gift to the Press were LSU alumni John and Virginia Noland. The lifelong Baton Rouge residents were inspired by their love of reading, respect for the Press, and loyalty to LSU.

The Press’ list of titles “aren’t only interesting,” John declares, “but are essential to what the university does.”

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

LSU Press is one of the oldest and largest university presses in the South, having published significant works of scholarship and preserved Louisiana’s history and culture since 1935. It is the winner of four Pulitzer Prizes, including one for John Kennedy Toole’s “A Confederacy of Dunces.” Over half of the Press’ books remain in print around the world, and the Press hopes to make available many of its out-of-print titles through ebooks.

“Academic books fuel academic exploration,” says LSU College of Art & Design Associate Professor Lake Douglas, whose “Public Spaces, Private Gardens” was recently published by the Press.

Publications must undergo rigorous assessment by outside scholars and receive the favorable recommendation of the University Press Committee, a group of distinguished faculty. Douglas’ new book, a history of designed landscapes in New Orleans, was published with assistance of private funds provided by three foundations.

“I knew I wanted to have a lot of images,” Douglas says of his book. “All of my images are archival, and many haven’t been published before ... [The grants] allowed me to use most of the images I wanted to use. The book’s design and liberal

use of color made a big difference.”

Virginia, who is a member of the Press’ Advisory Group, recognizes the importance of educating the community about the Press’ nonprofit status; book sales alone do not generate enough revenue for the Press to fulfill its mission. Because the Press does not have an established alumni base to engage, it relies instead on support from individuals like the Nolands, as well as companies and foundations, to maintain its reputation for publishing excellence.

“Although some of the books we publish do not generate huge profits, they all make important contributions to our knowledge,” explains Portia Levasseur, director of development. “Private support for the Press allows us to publish these important works, many of which resonate particularly with the LSU community.”

John and Virginia have enjoyed many LSU Press titles, naming “A Confederacy of Dunces” and Mary Ann Sternberg’s

“Winding through Time: The Forgotten History and PresentDay Peril of Bayou Manchac” as their favorites, respectively.

John recalls, “I can remember being on vacation, hearing my father roaring with laughter at ‘A Confederacy of Dunces.’”

Virginia, too, developed an appreciation for reading at a young age. She recalls trips with her parents to a downtown bookstore where she savored being allowed to choose any books she wanted.

“Louisiana has a distinct culture,” she says, gesturing toward the LSU Press’ library of published works as she adds, “Look around and the culture of Louisiana is represented.”

Each element of LSU Press, from its wide front porch that seems the perfect spot to curl up with a book to the thickly stacked bookshelves within that chronicle its rich history, reflects its ongoing commitment to publishing great books of which all who care about LSU can be proud.

www.lsupress.org

In 2010, “The Southern Review” and LSU Press merged, uniting two renowned literary organizations in an effort to maximize resources. “The Southern Review” publishes fiction, poetry, critical essays, interviews, book reviews, and excerpts from novels in progress, with emphasis on contemporary literature in the U.S. and abroad.

Writer Kelly Cherry shares why LSU Press is meaningful to her: “First, I admire a wide majority of their poetry books and authors; I'm honored to be on their list.

Second, the outside readers and the editors make smart, useful comments and suggestions; they make these comments based on the book in hand, not on what they would do if it were their book. Third, I admire the production values of the Press. Fourth, my relationship with LSU Press is the most continuous and sustaining relationship I have ever had with a publisher. Although I've published elsewhere, it's because of LSU Press that I have been able to live my life as a writer.”

To read about Cherry’s support of LSU Press, please see page 29.

(left) Lake Douglas’ “Public Spaces, Private Gardens” (right) Lori Baker’s “Crash and Tell,” a newly published collection of short stories, was recently reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly.

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Three

Out of 10 Tony Ravani, in class with the students enrolled in his fall 2011 MBA Seminar

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When Tony Ravani flies in from Seattle to teach the MBA Seminar in New Developments in Business: Venture Capital for Start-Ups, he meets a class of 15 eager LSU Flores MBA students who hang onto his every word.

One of the first tips the entrepreneur shares is that technology is a gateway for thoughtful work.

This rings especially true when it comes to staying on top of recent business dealings that may impact students’ future efforts to acquire start-up funds from venture capital firms, or “VCs.”

Ravani explains, “I want the discussion, and there is no right answer. [The students] can question or challenge me, too. I love that.”

Ravani, principal attorney for the Seattle-based Lotus Law Group, is a former Microsoft and ExxonMobil executive and has launched three successful software companies. He volunteers his time to LSU, where he earned an MS, because usually “People who are successful in the realm of VCs want to spend their time making money, not teaching others how.”

Ravani uses his experience presenting to more than 50 VCs to guide his students’ semester-long projects for real and hypothetical companies. At least one three-student group joins Ravani in assisting a local start-up with the extensive paperwork needed

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

to raise capital from VCs. In lieu of a consulting fee, the local company makes a $2,500 contribution to the LSU Ravani International Fund, which supports globalization initiatives in the Flores MBA program at the E. J. Ourso College of Business.

“That’s my little way of paying back to the society that gave me the education,” Ravani says of bridging gratis work and philanthropy.

He offered to teach the class after seeing students’ interest sparked through his participation in the college’s Dean’s Advisory Council, an LSU Flores MBA trip to China, and guest lectures.

The students who make it off the course waiting list spend five days in class with Ravani, learning about the highly competitive, closely guarded realm of VCs. Students then connect with him via video chat until he returns for final presentations. Ravani drills the groups on their negotiation skills and teaches “the language” of VCs so they can protect themselves in negotiations and learn how to target pitches.

“The rule of thumb is that out of 10 investments, seven will go bad,” he says. “But those other three ... ”

This elusive 30 percent fuels the thrill of the VC chase. Thanks to Ravani, LSU MBA students are poised to win.

www.mba.lsu.edu

Rewarding Hard Work

Brian Dombeck tutors fellow LSU students to earn extra money, just like J. C. Wilfert did in the 1930s.

That coincidence made for a perfect start to the J. C. Wilfert Scholarship, established by Marian Wilfert Beauchamp several years ago in honor of her late father and awarded to Dombeck last spring.

Not surprisingly, Dombeck put part of the scholarship to use by making a purchase for school and tutoring jobs.

“That $1,000 was huge to me,” Dombeck shared. “It came at a good time because [my computer] was dying, so I could invest in technology.”

“There are a great many deserving young adults out there that, like my dad so many years ago, have more motivation than money,” said Beauchamp, an LSU alumna. “I know it sounds trite, but people can make a

E. J. Ourso College of Business Dean Eli Jones congratulates Brian Dombeck for his receipt of the J. C. Wilfert Scholarship.

difference. A scholarship is a wonderful way to start the process.”

Dombeck is from Atlanta, and scholarship support made it possible for him to attend LSU. Now, he is a senior majoring in economics, with a minor in history, and will graduate in May.

Beauchamp had students like Dombeck in mind when she chose to create an endowed scholarship.

“It means that over the years to come, motivated and deserving students that lack the finances to attend LSU can do so and not have to struggle as much

as my dad did to pay for his college education,” she explained.

From the moment he arrived on campus in 1936, she said, Wilfert was determined to graduate. He paid for college with earnings from tutoring and Chunkey’s Moonglow Hut, the Chimes Street ice cream shop he opened.

Given his strong belief in the value of education, Wilfert would likely be pleased that Dombeck plans to pursue a doctoral degree in economics and then teach at a research university.

www.bus.lsu.edu

Stephenson National Center for Security and Research Training

The National Center for Security Research and Training is now the Stephenson National Center for Security Research and Training, or SNCSRT, in honor of university supporters Emmet and Toni Stephenson.

Along with the name change, SNCSRT has welcomed the Stephenson Disaster Management Institute (SDMI) into its organization, which includes the National Center for Biomedical Research

and Training, Law Enforcement Online, Fire & Emergency Training Institute and the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

All of these organizations are located on the LSU campus.

SDMI brings its unique private sector collaboration expertise to the SNCSRT portfolio. Because of SDMI’s private sector focus in homeland security, it will remain strategically affiliated with the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business.

The SDMI works to save the lives of humans and animals by continuously improving disaster response management through leadership in applied research and executive education. It was founded in 2007 with a donation from the Stephensons as a direct result of LSU’s outstanding performance during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

www.sncsrt.lsu.edu or www.sdmi.lsu.edu

The Business Education Complex (BEC) is slated to open in March 2012. Information about the BEC and opportunities to support it are available at www.bus.lsu.edu/building.

“It is just such an exciting concept that is now so close to completion.

As I think back to my time at LSU, when Himes Hall was the sole College of Business Administration building, and then I look at the new BEC, I am blown away by all of the advancements in the classrooms and research areas ... It truly is a privilege to be able to help such a worthwhile project become reality.”

Marian Wilfert Beauchamp (BS Business, 1976) E. J. Ourso College of Business Dean’s Circle Tony Ravani’s fall 2011 MBA Seminar

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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Taylor Made Phyllis Taylor and her late husband, Patrick “Pat” F. Taylor, have provided countless students the opportunity to earn a college degree. Pat founded Louisiana’s Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), and his and Phyllis’ work has led to the introduction of similar programs in 22 other states.

Over the past several years, a select group of students in the colleges of Engineering and Science have been named Taylor Scholars through a program made possible by the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation. Scholars receive financial support that allows them to focus on academics and, in many cases, devote time to research and activities that improve communities at LSU and beyond. Following, meet four such Scholars whose excellence speaks to the value of this program.

Front to Back: Jaworski Sartin, Julie Quach, Lindsay Prothro and Shane Cone in the Clarence P. Cazalot, Jr./Marathon Oil Corporation Atrium of LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

Taylor Scholars in the College of Engineering are a high-achieving group of underrepresented, full-time engineering students.

The support they receive is awarded for four years of undergraduate study. www.eng.lsu.edu

Jaworski Sartin PATRICK F. TAYLOR SCHOLAR

Julie Quach PATRICK F. TAYLOR SCHOLAR

A decade ago, Jaworski and his peers at Bogalusa Junior High School gathered to hear Pat Taylor talk about TOPS. His message was simple: You can go to college.

Fast forward to 2011 ... Jaworski, a former TOPS recipient, was his college’s first Taylor Scholars graduate and is pursuing a PhD. In 2007, he participated in the dedication of LSU’s Patrick F. Taylor Hall, named in honor of a man whose impact on Jaworski’s life has been profound.

He says, “Working long hours and late hours can conflict with academic success. I didn’t have to worry about that.”

Jaworski also appreciated the annual dinners during which Phyllis Taylor visits with the Scholars to celebrate their achievements and discuss the challenges of engineering and science, saying, “She is genuinely concerned about the students.”

Jaworski’s doctoral program builds upon the foundation he developed as an undergraduate in the Department of Civil Engineering. He is currently conducting research on hurricane evacuation plans for the Louisiana Gulf Coast region. Jaworski intends to build his career in the South and to work on evacuation plans for New Orleans and Houston.

When Julie graduates in May 2013, she will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. It is a career goal she has been working toward since she was a Junior ROTC cadet in high school.

“I like the discipline and structure,” Julie explains, smiling as she adds, “I like things by schedule.”

Julie was recruited to LSU through the Recruitment into Engineering of High Ability Minority Students (REHAMS) Program, which offers pre-college students an opportunity to explore engineering. Through REHAMS, Julie learned about the Taylor Scholars program. The support she now receives has enabled her to participate in ROTC and perform well in her degree program.

“Growing up, I worked,” she says. “Coming here, my fulltime job is being a student. My parents wanted me to focus on school. With the scholarship, I can focus on school.”

Julie has coupled her computer engineering curriculum with two ROTC classes per semester that have, she says, prepared her to be an Air Force officer. After graduation, she hopes to work in the area of cyber security to protect the U.S. and government documents from foreign hackers.

Civil & Environmental Engineering • Bogalusa, La.

Electrical & Computer Engineering • Gretna, La.

Taylor Scholars in the College of Science participate in the program on the basis of academic merit and receive related scholarship support for one academic year. www.science.lsu.edu

Shane Cone CHARLES L. JONES SCHOLAR

Lindsay Prothro PATRICK F. TAYLOR SCHOLAR

Shane had a hard time choosing a college major because his love of science knows no bounds.

“I knew I wanted to go into science but wasn’t sure which one,” he explains. “I love all of them.”

Shane chose geology because he considers it to be the application of many other fields.

Research opportunities will play an important role as Shane decides on his next step after graduation in May 2013.

He is considering both graduate school and positions with the U.S. government.

Shane is a tutor through LSU’s Office of Student Support Services and conducts research in Associate Professor Annette Engel’s geomicrobiology lab. He is active in campus life, serving as president of Spectrum, which empowers and supports LSU lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students and their allies. Shane is also one of just 30 students on Chancellor Mike Martin’s Campus Life & Enrollment Advisory Board.

He says the financial support he received as a Taylor Scholar made his well-rounded campus experience possible.

“It wouldn’t have been possible to do research,” he shares of the difference the scholarship has made.

Lindsay wanted to be a meteorologist until her interest in climate change caused a shift in plans.

“I really like the idea of reconnecting Earth’s history through paleoclimate studies,” she says. “It’s kind of like solving a mystery.”

Lindsay works in Professor Brooks Ellwood’s rock magnetism lab, where she assists with magnetic susceptibility testing and research. She plans to attend graduate school and then may work for the U.S. government.

Lately, Lindsay has been intrigued by teaching, which she attributes to her experience leading a geology workshop for the LSU Honors College’s FOCUS, a two-week summer program for high-achieving, at-risk high school students.

As Lindsay looks toward graduation in May 2013, LSU is high on her list of potential graduate schools.

“We have great faculty,” she says. “There are really interesting things happening in the department, and I want to see them through.”

No matter how far her work takes her, Lindsay says, she knows where her heart will be.

“I love Louisiana,” she says confidently. “I will always love coming home to Louisiana.”

Geology & Geophysics • Dallas, Texas

Geology & Geophysics • Natchitoches, La.

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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LSU faculty and staff members in the E. J. Ourso College of Business thank Shell Oil Company representatives for the company’s ongoing support, recognizing its gifts to programs for the 2011-12 school year.

Shell Oil Company Continues to Support Academic Excellence Shell Oil Company has long been one of the LSU Foundation’s strongest partners, offering support through philanthropic giving, community service and recruiting LSU students.

The foundation and LSU hosted Shell at an Aug. 19 luncheon at the LSU Faculty Club. There, faculty and staff members thanked the company for its widespread, consistent support of their programs and students, highlighting giving for the 2011-12 academic year and a portion of Shell’s 201011 gift that will be expended this school year.

Several members of the Shell team visited with LSU representatives from the E. J. Ourso College of Business, the Honors College, the colleges of Engineering and Science, Career Services, and the Office of Disability Services. Shell’s giving spans programs focused on student development, resources for students with disabilities, diversity initiatives, and support for academic programs, among other areas.

www.cfr.lsu.edu

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

WHEPRAESSION

GENIUS S

BECOME

SOME CALL IT AN EDUCATION.

WE CALL IT A MIND-ENHANCING

EYE-OPENING

CAREER-LAUNCHING

LIFE-ALTERING

EXPERIENCE. www.lsu.edu/cornerstone

(left) Reagan Samuel outside of Peabody Hall, home to LSU’s College of Education (above) Samuel with LSU Chancellor Mike Martin and Vice Provost of Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach Dr. Katrice Albert

Gave a Year, Got a Year

After her sophomore year at LSU, Baton Rouge native Reagan Samuel packed her bags and moved to Boston for a year. She lived with a dozen or so college-age students in a three-story house, a set-up she arranged for herself and her City Year peers.

Determined to “see what education looked like somewhere else,” Samuel had applied to the Boston City Year program. Each corps member serves full time for 10 months at one of 21 locations nationwide, where City Year works to close the achievement gap and mentor at-risk students to help them stay in school and on track to graduate. From August 2008 through June 2009, Samuel and a team of City Year corps members

led a service-learning and leadership development program for 90 students.

“To see these high schoolers choosing to be involved was inspiring,” she said. “They really are capable of truly awesome things if you give them the venue for it.”

Recognizing that same capability in college students, LSU is the first public university to establish a “give a year” Partnership with City Year. The initiative, made possible through the Community University Partnership, includes application fee awards for all City Year Corps members, alumni and staff, as well as one graduate-level scholarship for this group. Samuel, now a graduate student in the College of

Education, is the first recipient of the LSU “give a year” Graduate Scholarship.

“To have that $5,000 that I don’t have to take out in loans and pay back on a teacher’s salary is so helpful,” Samuel said of the support.

As part of her curriculum, Samuel is a student teacher in a Baton Rouge high school. As she looks toward starting her career, Samuel is trying to decide whether she wants to teach middle or high school—and will have an opportunity to do both before graduation.

“The whole reason I am doing this is I love kids,” Samuel explained. “I think being a teacher during that time of life is a big deal.”

WE>START!

of Baton Rouge, Inc. to help young women and their children. WE>START!, an acronym for Women Experiencing Success Through Academics, Resources, and Training, provides professional and leadership development programs to single mothers ages 13 to 24 who live in South Baton Rouge.

Program participants visit LSU for seminars on a variety of topics,

including balancing school, work and family; self-esteem; demystifying the college education process; budgeting and finances; study skills; professional etiquette; and computer literacy. As a direct pipeline to attaining further education, WE>START! improves potential wage earnings for young women and their families. www.lsu.edu/wc

The LSU Women’s Center and LSU’s Community University Partnership have teamed up with the American Association of University Women, Walmart (through LSU Students in Free Enterprise), Sen. Yvonne Dorsey, and the Junior League

www.lsu.edu/cup

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

25

Shown in the foreground is George Rodrigue’s “A Number One Tiger Fan,” on display in the LSU Museum of Art.

Geaux Blue Dog

LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) visitors are treated to panoramic views of the Mississippi River as they experience one of the region’s largest university-affiliated art collections.

The museum occupies the fifth floor of the Shaw Center for the Arts in downtown Baton Rouge, in a space that was cantilevered over the top level of what had been the Auto Hotel, Baton Rouge’s first parking garage.

In 2010, LSU MOA joined a select group of museums that are accredited by the American Association of Museums. LSU MOA’s 15 galleries showcase visiting exhibitions and a portion of its 5,000-work collection, all of which was either donated or purchased with donations.

Last summer, LSU MOA

26

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

introduced a unique community partnership that celebrates a beloved local artist and yields financial support for the museum. In late July, LSU MOA welcomed Cajun artist George Rodrigue, Louisiana’s artist laureate, for “Blue Dogs and Cajuns on the River – George Rodrigue from the New Orleans Museum of Art and Other Collections.” Given the size of the LSU MOA gallery space, the traveling exhibition was supplemented with additional pieces from the Rodrigue Foundation for the Arts and the artist’s personal collection.

Among the more than 70 paintings were 17 of the artist’s “Blue Dog” paintings. One such “Blue Dog,” depicted in “A Number One Tiger Fan,” was created by Rodrigue specifically to benefit LSU MOA, the Tiger Athletic Foundation and the George Rodrigue Foundation for the Arts (GRFA).

“Upon learning that the LSU Museum of Art would put on the

exhibition, it gave me an opportunity to do something special for LSU that would help several charitable organizations,” Rodrigue shares.

In addition to hosting traveling exhibitions and offering permanent galleries, LSU MOA has extensive programming that brings children into the museum to create, view and learn about art. These efforts to engage youth in art align well with Rodrigue’s foundation.

“The campaign will help advance GRFA’s mission of youth development through the visual arts for all Louisiana students,” Rodrigue explains. “I am forever grateful to LSU for this opportunity and loved working with everyone involved.”

Coinciding with the July 23 launch of the exhibition, silkscreen prints of “A Number One Tiger Fan” were offered for $500 each through Jan. 1, 2012, in the LSU Museum Store and at www.arts4education.org.

www.lsumoa.com

Doug and Suzanne Christensen in front of the Lod Cook Alumni Center

Helping Opportunity to Knock

Doug and Suzanne Christensen are clearly in sync, finishing each other’s sentences as they open up about their love for LSU.

“I am such a believer and a proponent of public education,” Suzanne explains. “I just think that everybody is entitled to a good education and that the opportunity for a quality education should be there for everyone who can take advantage of it.”

The Christensens’ planned gift to the LSU Foundation reflects that belief, offering support to the greatest need of the foundation as determined by the president and CEO.

“As we get older, the children and younger generations are going to be taking care of us,” Doug says. “Even if we help one student pay it forward, keep the ball rolling, then that’s a good thing.”

The Christensens came into the

LSU community in roundabout ways.

Suzanne, a third-generation LSU alumna with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism, initially resisted family pressure to attend LSU.

“Everyone assumed I was going to LSU, and I was kicking and screaming, saying, ‘I am not going there!’” she laughs. “I went to Northwestern in Chicago for a year and a half. I was there for the coldest winter in history up to that point, and the hottest summer ... I [soon] transferred to LSU, and I was so happy I did.”

“I feel very much adopted into the [LSU] family,” says Doug, who has a nursing degree from St. Catherine University. “It’s been very easy to feel comfortable here.”

The Christensens’ pets have also united them with campus. Their smiles widen when they talk about their terrier

mix, Lexi, and their golden retriever, Harper Lee. Harper Lee’s elbow and hip dysplasia are treated at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine.

“I’m just so thankful we live in a place where we have access to the LSU vet school,” Suzanne shares.

Harper Lee’s treatment underscores for Suzanne her family’s long-standing relationship with LSU.

She reflects, “I’ve always thought, look at what LSU has given me ... for generations. If my grandfather hadn’t attended LSU, graduated from LSU, think of all the opportunities that would not have been available to him, and then think about the opportunities that wouldn’t have been available to my parents, and opportunities that wouldn’t have been available to me. LSU is the foundation of all of that.”

www.lsufoundation.org/plannedgiving Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

27

LSU's Fellowship for the Future

Membership in the 1860 Society is awarded to anyone who submits documentation—through a letter of intent or a copy of the relevant portion of one’s will—naming the LSU Foundation as a beneficiary of his or her estate. Estate gifts can include trusts, insurance policies, retirement plans and annuities, among other options. www.lsufoundation.org/plannedgiving

The 1860 Society began in 1993. In the following membership list, boldface denotes charter members; (d.) denotes deceased members.

Robert and Claudia Adley Mark K. Anderson Dr. Mary Lou Applewhite George M. Armstrong (d.)

Patricia W. Armstrong Paul and Ellen Arst Mr. William T. Arterburn Fred and Jan Atchity Anna Marie Baer (d.)

Mr. William B. Baggett Sr. William and Frances Beck, PhD Dr. Bonnie D. Belleau Thomas and Gaye Bennett Patricia K. Benoit Scott M. and Ruth Bergeron James M. Bernhard Jr. Juanita M. Berryman (d.)

Mr. George C. and Mrs. Merritt

Betts (d.)

Jamie Blair Bice Dale and Barbara Biggs Ruth Anne Bindursky Dr. Charles Black (d.)

Mrs. Bess K. Black Lee and Cindy Bloch Sybil F. Boizelle Dr. Roselyn B. Boneno William J. and Karen G. Brack Lynnwood J. Brassett, MD (d.)

Joanne B. Brassett John C. Burch Mrs. Jean P. Burt (d.)

John R. and Suetta Busenlener Susan Marshall Buzick Claire L. Cagnolatti Carol Calkins Kathryn P. Callahan (d.)

William and Ann Callegari Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Dare Campbell Cathy H. Caplan, PhD Jeffrey K. and Wendy W. Carbo William G. Castle Jr. (d.)

Mrs. William G. Castle Dr. Doyle Chambers (d.)

Don M. and Jan S. Chance Ms. Kelly Cherry Mr. David E. Chozen (d.)

Suzanne and Doug Christensen Alma Beth Clark Mr. Marvin R. Clemons (d.)

Allen E. Cohen Max Z. Conrad Lodwrick M. Cook Kenneth C. and Carolyn G.

Corkum

28

Mr. and Mrs. John L. Creed Mr. R. Gale Creed Allen Crow Kurt and Gene Anne Culbertson Louis D. Curet Mr. George A. Daniels (d.)

Andrea M. Daugherty (d.)

Mrs. Susan H. Dawson Mr. Donald C. Delaune (d.)

Elaine Delaune (d.)

Mona and Dave J. DeFelice Jr. Mr. Allyn C. Donaldson Jr. William C. Duffy Jr. Donna Atwood Duffy Gwendolyn G. Dugas Mr. John W. Dupuy Christopher and Eva Dyba Mrs. Mary Frey Eaton Clarence and Rosa Lee Eidt Jay Ervin Farrar Robert Wickliffe Fenet Natalie Fielding Diane J. Finley, MD Albert “Joey” Folse Jr. Judith Anne Garretson Folse Mrs. Eunice M. Fontenot (d.)

Dr. George M. Frame II Dr. Eileen M. Skelly Frame Mr. Mark P. Freeman Jr. (d.)

David H. Frid Dr. and Mrs. Dexter A. Gary Mrs. Virginia M. Gayle Mr. Lester C. Gerard (d.)

J.C. “Sonny” Gilbert Dr. Thomas Green (d.)

Mrs. Thomas Green Mr. and Mrs. G. Lee Griffin Mr. Michael G. Griffith Mr. Cesar A. Guerra Jr. Marshall W. Guidry Arthur and Judy Halbrook Regina and John M. Hamilton Mr. Stephen H. Harmon Jr. David and Nancy Harvey Robert H. and Corinne P. Harvey Sherri Hayes Richard W. Hicks Sarah Lou Hill Tom Hill Lucy L. Hilton Elizabeth R. Holloway Jane Honeycutt Ellen and Tommy Hontzas Mrs. Lillian Fitzgerald Klettke

Hoover Mary Hutcheson (d.)

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

Dr. George and Mrs. Klileen Jones W. Griffin “Griff” and Barbara Jones Craig and Lisa Juengling Richard and Katherine Juneau Janice Jurisich and William Leo Bishop Michael A. Katchmer Donald W. and Gayle A. Keller Dr. James L. and Mrs. Aileen Kelly Neil and Arlene Kestner William and Constance Kidd Lucien Paul Laborde Sr. Mrs. Peggy Laborde Luke and Sonja Laborde Rene L. Latiolais Robert E. Leake Jr. Elena R. LeBlanc Bradley A. Leger Harry and Norma Longwell Dr. Alfredo and Maria Lopez Loy R. “Pug” and Jeannie Lorren Shirley M. Mackie John Marshall (d.)

Carole Marshall Pamela A. Martin Shirley Mayhall Raymond and Opal McDuff (d.)

Mr. Larry McKee Mrs. Elena Mickelson Mr. Ben R. Miller Jr. Benjamin and Leslie Miller III Jimmy L. and Doris McVicker Miller Hank and Cheryl Miltenberger John Boyd Mitchell, PhD Cong. W. Henson and Carolyn

Moore Virginia L. Mouw Markwell and Paulette Nager Dick and Judy Najolia Philip J. Neck David and Terri Nelson Mrs. Eleanor P. Newman (d.)

Roger H. Ogden Lt. Col. Cary Frank Owen Daryl Ann Owens James H. Painter Mrs. Joye Lawrence Parker (d.)

Richard Peck Janice Pellar Dr. James R. and Ann Peltier Charles O. Peyton Cecil R. Phillips Douglas P. Reed

Col. Keith Reeves Mike and Lea Ann Remondet James and Patti Richards Frederick “Rusty” Richardson William Richardson Percy E. “Rebel” Roberts May Rose Robertson Dr. and Mrs. Robert A. Robicheaux Michael D. Robinson Ron and Jane Ross James P. and Ginger Roy Thomas and Darlene Ryder John and Toni Sardisco Alton and Hillery Scavo Mila and George Houston

Sexton III Judith Stoddard Sherman Dr. Chester P. Siess (d.)

Charles M. Smith, MD Glynn D. and Annie Bell Smith Gayle B. and John Rogers Smith Martha Taylor Smith Mrs. Eula T. Smith Mr. Wedon T. Smith (d.)

Dr. Eugene C. St. Martin Mrs. Pauline Stanley (d.)

Mr. Tom Stephens Robert B. Stobaugh James and Nancy Moore Strenk Robert M. and Dotty Stuart Dr. Marvin E. Stuckey Mrs. Loretta C. Stuckey (d.)

Dean A. and Rosalind Sutherland Lemuel M. Thomas (d.)

Beverly Brooks Thompson Mrs. Leonard C. Tobin Deborah Dunlevy Todd Stephen and Beth Tope Florence Ann Trappey Leonel E. and Helen L. Tustison Gene F. and Betty R. Van Norman Arlene Verzwyvelt Mr. Wayne Vines Thomas A. and Virginia C. Waldrop Dr. Candace Warner Timothy and Nanci Weckwerth Mr. Harry J. Wilson Mary Jack Wintle Margaret Womack Hart William A. Womack Anne and Sit Wong J. Lanier and Marie Yeates Linda and Ron Young

If you would like to receive a periodic newsletter about charitable giving, estate planning, and related news from Washington, D.C., please email jhenslee@lsufoundation.org.

LSU's Fellowship for the Future

LSU Law Alumnus Provides Support for Today and Tomorrow

LSU Law alumnus James “Jim” P. Roy says there are two ways to make a difference at LSU: roll up your shirtsleeves and, if possible, provide financial support. He does both for LSU Law.

“To the extent you can help shape the future, you can see results of your efforts,” said Roy, a partner with Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards in Lafayette, La.

Since graduating in 1976, Roy has served in a host of volunteer positions and supported LSU Law as a donor. He is former president of the center’s Annual Fund, serves on its Alumni Board of Trustees, and was part of the Forever LSU Acadiana Regional Campaign Steering Committee. He has also served the broader LSU family as the former chairman of the LSU Board of Supervisors.

Roy’s philanthropic support reflects an understanding of LSU Law’s present and future needs. His gift to remodel and furnish a student conference room immediately improved the quality of facilities to which LSU Law students and faculty have access.

“They needed it,” Roy said of the project. “That’s all I needed to know.”

Roy has also named the LSU Foundation, on behalf of LSU Law, the beneficiary of a prepaid insurance policy. His

The LSU Law Center’s West Conference Room, remodeled and furnished thanks to the generosity of Jim Roy

forward-thinking planned gift will provide future support to LSU Law. Roy’s approach to providing varied, shortand long-term support stems from his take on the value of philanthropy at LSU.

“Public money can’t get the job done,” he said. “It takes private dollars stacked on top of public dollars.”

www.law.lsu.edu

Writer Supports Poetry Publishing Program

Eight of Kelly Cherry’s 20 books of fiction, nonfiction and poetry were published by LSU Press, a nonprofit publisher affiliated with LSU.

“LSU Press publishes a poetry list I like and want to be a part of,” Cherry shared. “It is a distinguished press that I hope will continue to exert its influence long after I die.”

Cherry sees the Press as being “a boon” to her and to po-

etry publishing in general in the U.S. In appreciation of that relationship, she recently made a planned gift to benefit LSU Press’ poetry publishing program. Its highly distinguished poetry list includes three Pulitzer Prize winners.

Cherry was born in Baton Rouge, where her father taught violin and theory at LSU for many years. Her mother attended LSU, and Cherry grew up hearing stories about their time on campus. The strong ties for her, though, are a direct result of her relationship with LSU Press. Cherry also recognizes that the literary community needs more people to provide support through private giving.

“Clearly, we cannot count on governmental policy decisions to reflect the essential importance of the arts to civilization,” Cherry explained. “Poetry makes people more intelligent and less cranky.”

Cherry and her husband, fiction writer Burke Davis III, live on a small farm in Virginia.

www.lsupress.org The LSU Press’ four Pulitzer Prize winners, three of which are poetry titles

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

29

Jim Richards’ urban design concept sketch of a new town center for Little Elm, Texas, designed by Townscape, Richards’ firm; (right) Dr. Robert “Doc” Reich and Professor Max Conrad

World Class When Jim Richards talks about Max Conrad and the late Dr. Robert “Doc” Reich, the literal meaning of “going the extra mile” comes to mind. The professors instilled the value of learning through travel in a way that clearly sticks with their landscape architecture students.

Richards, a College of Art & Design alumnus and co-founder of Townscape in Fort Worth, Texas, credits Reich and Conrad with establishing the foundation for his career and the passion for worldwide travel he shares with wife Patti, a College of Engineering alumna and vice president of Atmos Energy.

Conrad and a group of 15 or so LSU alumni have taken three-week trips together every other year since 2000, hitting 31 countries. On one such visit, Jim, Patti and a few other travelers hatched a secret plan in La Closerie des Lilas,

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bars in Paris. In fall 2010, they and a host of fellow supporters surprised Conrad with the Max Z. Conrad Lecture Series.

“Classes gave us the tools, but Max gave us the world,” Jim shares.

A few years earlier, alumni united to honor Reich.

“Doc had just touched our lives in such a fundamental way, and people needed to know about that,” Jim explains of his and Patti’s decision to participate in the effort.

The peers’ generosity resulted in the ultimate honor for a man who helped build one of the country’s best landscape architecture programs. In 2007, the college announced the naming of the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture. Reich taught in “his” school until his passing in 2010, at age 97.

These selfless gifts have enabled

Jim, Patti and LSU friends from all over to publicly honor Reich’s legacy and celebrate Conrad’s ongoing commitment to education.

The Richardses’ strong ties to LSU continue with their daughters, LSU alumnae Jessica and Cassie. Jessica revealed her college decision to Patti by stating, “No other place feels as good.”

That feeling is similarly reflected by Jim and Patti’s participation in LSU visits to Fort Worth area high schools; Jim’s involvement in his college’s Directors Advisory Board and as a guest lecturer; and the couple’s generosity through initiatives that honor two very special lifelong teachers.

“LSU ... my goodness,” Jim begins.

“Our connection to the state and the institution has given us our roots. It’s our souls’ home.”

www.design.lsu.edu

Student Gives New Life to Alumnus’s Work

Susannah Montandon was immediately interested when LSU Libraries advertised a short-term position focused on music. In college, Montandon was a librarian for the University of Evansville Symphony Orchestra, and she is now the music librarian for the LSU Symphony. The Doctor of Musical Arts student has played cello since age 11 and is building a career around her love for the instrument and music in general.

During summer 2011, Montandon worked in the LSU Libraries Special Collections, processing papers and cataloguing recordings from the collection of the late Dr. William J. Thornton, an LSU alumnus. She then prepared the composer’s materials for access through the online LOUISiana Digital Library. The project was funded by Kathy Hore, widow of Thornton, and her husband, Ian Hore.

“The Hores’ donation also allowed us to have the reelto-reel audiotape, audiocassette, and record disc recordings of performances of Dr. Thornton’s compositions digitized,” said Interim Head of Special Collections Tara Z. Laver.

“That helps us both preserve the recordings and make them available for listening.”

Thornton earned his PhD at the University of Southern California and taught for many years at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, but Kathy felt LSU should be home to his compositions. His 60-year composing career was launched at LSU’s School of Music, which is where his work was first performed.

“I believe in win-win scenarios, in business, in life, and certainly in institutional giving,” Ian reflected. “Our experience in supporting the Thornton Collection and LSU Libraries has been a prime example of win-win. We were able to bring a long-held dream to fruition, and to support the work of a worthy institution at the same time. We found a great partner in the LSU Foundation.”

Asked to name her favorite Thornton piece, Montandon chose “Homage,” written for chamber orchestras, then quickly thought of other favorites and offered a string of descriptors of his work that reflects her deep appreciation for

Camp Leaders

College of Science alumnus James Painter first realized the importance of giving to LSU through the example set by fellow alumni Charles Barney and Frank Harrison Jr.

“Early in my career, Frank was the person who exemplified the LSU geologist and giving back to LSU, and he continues to set that example,” Painter said.

Susannah Montandon, photographed in her former workspace in Hill Memorial Library with pieces from the Thornton Collection

the project.

“This preserves a moment in time of someone’s life,” Montandon said. “I think it’s really important to preserve as much as we can.”

Kathy echoed that sentiment, sharing, “The greatest tribute a composer, living or dead, can receive is to have performances of his or her work. With the archiving of his work at LSU Libraries, and the high-tech availability of it to the world, I feel I have done justice to his legacy.”

www.lib.lsu.edu/special

Harrison and Barney, who gave Painter his first job and for whom the LSU Charles Barney Geology Field Camp is named, inspired Painter to give. As he started Houston-based Cobalt International Energy, L. P., Painter decided he wanted to help LSU when he could afford to do so. He has since become one of the College of Science’s most loyal friends. Painter is a charter member of the college’s Dean’s Circle and recently made a gift for the development of field camp,

located near Colorado Springs, Colo.

“I realized what a geologist was supposed to be at field camp,” he said of the summer immersion program.

Painter also shared that he sees the Dean’s Circle as an important complement to academic curricula.

“We’re making sure there’s some mentorship and guidance for students,” he explained. “You’ve got to give back, whether in time and talents or money or both. It’s the right thing to do.”

www.science.lsu.edu Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

31

Setting the Bar

Craig Murray and Mary “Meepsie” Dougherty Murray live in Houston, but their commitment to LSU Law is represented on campus every day through The Craig and Meepsie Murray Endowed Scholarship.

“It shows their school pride,” said Jeff Sullivan, the current recipient. “It helps [me] overall and increases the benefits students receive.”

“We were motivated by a call from Chancellor Weiss to assist the law school in competing on a national level, which requires the ability to attract, at a reasonable cost, our state’s most promising students—as well as bright and talented students from all corners,” said Meepsie and Craig, who practice at Liskow and Lewis and Vinson and Elkins, repectively.

Sullivan chose LSU Law for its excellent facilities, strong faculty and consistently high passage rate for the Bar. The 2011 Louisiana State Bar Exam marked the 22nd time in 23 years that LSU Law graduates earned the highest passage rate among the state’s examinees. Such success is made possible, in part, by alumni and friends’ investments in students, faculty and programs.

“Meepsie and I know that money matters for state-supported law schools, and we were glad to be able to help the students, the chancellor, and the school,” said Craig, who is vice president of the LSU Law Alumni Board of Trustees. “We both received outstanding educations at LSU Law—equal to and superior to many other highly regarded law schools.”

The Murrays also made a significant unrestricted gift in support of the Law Center during the Forever LSU campaign.

Jeff Sullivan, Murray Scholarship recipient, in front of the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center

www.law.lsu.edu

Saying Thank You

making his college education possible.

Morris, a 1995 College of Engineering graduate, shared his reflections:

“Life is about relationships and opportunities. My career at ExxonMobil has been filled with both (beyond my imagination), and it would not have been possible without LSU, the grace of God

and the best colleagues in the world.

“As a father of two wonderful daughters, I was able to attend school full time for two years with the benefit of an LSU Board of Supervisors Scholarship.

I owe a debt of gratitude to the Rolfe McCollister Sr. and Tom Greene families, who made this possible.”

Charlotte Kamiya’s bright smile is remembered by her family and friends as part of her “sunshine,” which she was intent on sharing with those who were under her care.

In May 2010, Charlotte earned her Master of Social Work degree from LSU and began her career as a social worker.

In late September 2010, Charlotte began suffering from a condition that causes scarring of the lung tissue and was admitted to an intensive care unit in Baton Rouge. The condition’s rapid progression prevented the absorption of oxygen into her bloodstream, and Charlotte passed away Oct. 5, 2010.

In memory of their daughter, Shingo and Lura Mire Kamiya of Gonzales, La.,

have established The Charlotte Kamiya Memorial Scholarship fund in the LSU School of Social Work. Lura expressed her hope that the scholarship will help to spread Charlotte’s “sunshine” to future social workers.

“Our entire family is all so proud that Charlotte received her MSW and that she was able to fulfill her goal of helping children and others in need during her internships and her all too brief period of working as a licensed social worker,” said Lura, adding, “We hope to provide that same feeling of pride and accomplishment for many other students and families in the years to come.”

The LSU College of Education’s McCollister Leadership Award, along with LSU Alumni Association scholarship support in honor of Tom and Kathy Greene, are Ronnie Morris’ way of saying thank you to two families he credits with

Ray of Sunshine

Charlotte Kamiya

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Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

www.socialwork.lsu.edu

Fundraising

2010-11 LSU Foundation Annual Report

Total

A portion of total fundraising was in the form of endowments, which are a critical resource that provides a base from which perpetual funding is drawn for university support.

Endowment Gifts

$8,394,971 $5,325,677 2010-11

2009-10

$4,401,824 2008-09

The LSU Foundation received more than $31 million in gifts and pledges from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. Gifts that were received outright during the year are classified as current. Pledges and planned gifts that were committed during the year but which will actually be received at a later date are classified as deferred.

current

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

Gifts and Gifts-in-Kind

19,044,774

22,467,000

26,449,073

Estate Gifts

1,667,944

4,143,785

502,535

921,452

993,249

1,020,465

$21,634,170

$27,604,034

$27,972,073

Pledges

6,033,716

1,693,391

5,342,824

Planned Gifts

3,507,705

9,226,600

7,665,947

$38,524,025

$40,970,844

Corporate Matching SUBTOTAL deferred

GRAND TOTAL

LSU Foundation Total Fundraising 2010-11

$31,175,591 Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

33

LSU Foundation Total Assets and

Endowment s

The market value of the total assets of the LSU Foundation at June 30, 2011, was approximately $538 million. LSU Foundation endowed assets, shown below in dark purple, include those for LSU, the LSU AgCenter, the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and the LSU System Office.

The LSU Foundation manages endowed funds for certain other LSU System Foundations but does not raise funds for those foundations; that management activity is shown in gold. Nonendowed and other assets, shown in light purple, include nonendowed assets of the LSU Foundation and certain other LSU System Foundations.

600.00 538.05

550.00 499.90

500.00

511.38 475.18 446.11

450.00 409.44

Millions

400.00

377.53 355.13

350.00 312.00 300.00

284.05

250.00 200.00 150.00 100.00 50.00

Fiscal Year

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

Total Assets

284.05

312.00

355.13

377.53

409.44

499.90

511.38

446.11

475.18

538.05

Nonendowed & Other Assets

83.69

99.14

105.14

115.52

123.84

150.53

192.88

171.46

166.11

175.64

Certain Other LSU System Fdns

8.13

8.66

10.23

10.58

11.90

16.56

16.26

15.55

19.50

23.15

192.23

204.20

239.76

251.43

273.70

332.81

302.24

259.10

289.57

339.26

LSU Foundation Endowed

34

2001-02

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

Allocat ion

General Endowed Portfolio As of June 30, 2011 Asset

Cash & Equivalents

Core Plus Fixed Income

Large Cap Equity

Small / Mid Cap Equity

Dev. Int'l Large Cap Equity

Dev. Int'l Small Cap Equity

Emerging Market Equity

Private Equity

Real Estate

Hedge Funds

3.0%

12.0%

23.4%

5.9% 8.9%

6.0% 13.7% 6.7% 13.4%

6.9%

Percentages may not total 100 percent due to rounding.

The LSU Foundation invests endowed funds that are not related to the Board of Regents Support Fund (for chairs and professorships) in its general endowed portfolio.

The general endowed portfolio reflects a diversified asset allocation strategy, as displayed in the pie chart above.

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

35

Performance

General Endowed Portfolio As of June 30, 2011

Performance for the general endowed portfolio is presented in the bar chart below. Total return for the year was 19.56 percent.

25%

19.56

20%

5.09

3.96

5%

7.78

10%

6.12

Total Return

15%

0%

Fiscal Year 10-11

36

3-year Annualized

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

5-year Annualized

10-year Annualized

15-year Annualized

Board of Regents Support Fund Combined Portfolio As of June 30, 2011 Asset

Allocat ion

Cash & Equivalents

Core Plus Fixed Income

Large Cap Equity

Small / Mid Cap Equity

Dev. Int'l Large Cap Equity

Dev. Int'l Small Cap Equity

Emerging Market Equity

Real Estate

Hedge Funds

3.4% 8.0%

26.9%

5.9% 4.8% 3.0% 6.8%

27.6% 13.7%

Percentages may not total 100 percent due to rounding.

Endowed funds that are related to the Board of Regents Support Fund are invested in a separate portfolio that is governed not only by the investment policies of the LSU Foundation, but also by policies dictated by the Louisiana Board of Regents.

These funds consist of private donations made under the Board of Regents’ program for chairs and professorships, as well as the matching funds received from the state under the program. The asset allocation for this combined portfolio is depicted in the pie chart above.

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

37

Board of Regents Support Fund Combined Portfolio As of June 30, 2011

Performance

20%

20.43

25%

4.25

4.32

5%

3-year Annualized

5-year Annualized

6.99

10%

5.29

Total Return

15%

0%

Fiscal Year 10-11

10-year Annualized

15-year Annualized

The performance of the Board of Regents Support Fund combined portfolio is presented in the bar chart above. These funds consist of private donations made under the Board of Regents’ program for chairs and professorships, as well as the matching funds received from the state under the program.

The Board of Regents’ investment policies that are applicable to these funds are more restrictive than are the LSU Foundation’s policies for its general endowment portfolio. Total return for the year was 20.43 percent.

38

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

Board of Directors OFFICERS

Association of Fundraising Professionals Honors LSU Foundation

Laura L. Dauzat • Marksville, La. Chairperson of the Board Gary L. Laborde • New Orleans, La. Chairperson-Elect of the Board G. Lee Griffin • Baton Rouge, La. President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffery McLain • Baton Rouge, La. Vice President for Development Gina Dugas • Baton Rouge, La. Chief Financial Officer William L. Silvia Jr. • Baton Rouge, La. Corporate Secretary George Moss • Baton Rouge, La. Chief Investment Officer

DIRECTORS Mark K. Anderson • Monroe, La. J. Herbert Boydstun • Baton Rouge, La. J. Terrell Brown • Baton Rouge, La. Robert H. Crosby III • Mandeville, La. Robert Daigle • Lafayette, La. William T. Firesheets II • Baton Rouge, La. T. Cass Gaiennie • Shreveport, La. Frank W. “Billy” Harrison III • Houston, Texas Gene W. Lafitte • New Orleans, La. Charles A. Landry • Baton Rouge, La. Laura A. Leach • Lake Charles, La. David B. Means III • Mansfield, La. William B. Owens • Alexandria, La. James R. Peltier • Thibodaux, La. John F. Shackelford III • Bonita, La. Robert M. Stuart Jr. • Baton Rouge, La. Sue Turner • Baton Rouge, La. Burton D. Weaver • Flora, La. Felix Weill • Baton Rouge, La. William H. Wright Jr. • St. Francisville, La. J. Lanier Yeates • Houston, Texas

EX-OFFICIO

“The irony of this award is that fundraising is a team effort.

And while my name is on the plaque, I acknowledge all the good work of my colleagues and share this spotlight with them.”

­Jeff McLain

2011 Fundraiser of the Year

In celebration of National Philanthropy Day, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Baton Rouge Chapter honored local philanthropists and community leaders on Nov. 15 at Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel. The LSU Foundation is pleased to share that the 2011 honorees include:

Jeff McLain, LSU Foundation Vice President for Development Outstanding Professional Fundraiser

LSU Foundation AFP Board of Directors Award

Brighton, CoCo, Stevie and LeLe Keller

John Lombardi President, LSU System

Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award (nominated by LSU Laboratory School Foundation and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center)

Michael V. Martin Chancellor, LSU

Doug and Suzanne Christensen

William B. Richardson Chancellor, LSU AgCenter Jack Weiss Chancellor, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Leave A Legacy Honorees

Founded in 1969, AFP fosters development and growth of fundraising professionals and promotes high ethical standards in the fundraising profession.

Leave A Legacy is a public outreach effort promoting the message that one can be a philanthropist today and leave a legacy for tomorrow. The LSU Foundation nominated the Christensens, who are featured on page 27, for this award.

Cornerstone | Fall 2011 | LSU Foundation

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FOUNDATION Supporting Academic Excellence

3838 West Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808

IMPACT HOME “I give because LSU has had such a profound impact on my life, and I believe it is my responsibility to give back. The success of our state begins with the education of future generations.”

Chris Odinet

Bertrand A. Odinet, Sr. Scholarship in Political Science

Alumnus of LSU (2007) & LSU Law (2010) Attorney at Phelps Dunbar

GIVE TO www.lsufoundation.org

To view our other “IMPACT” ads, visit www.lsu.edu/impact or access the code at right.