NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
5/14/2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - Clifton Alford never attended Northwestern State University, but he saw the impact Northwestern could have on others.
Alford left a gift of $163,297 to the Northwestern State University Foundation to assist students and faculty at the university. The gift will create an endowed professorship in the Mrs. H.D. Dear and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at NSU an endowed scholarship for first generation college students and an endowed scholarship for education majors.
The endowed professorship and endowed scholarship for first generation college students will be matched with $80,000 from the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund, creating a gift of $243,297.
Alford, who passed away in 2007, did not attend Northwestern but had high regard for the institution. A niece, Elizabeth Leo Whitney, graduated from Northwestern in 1952 and Alford believed the education she received enabled Whitney to endure difficult financial circumstances and raise her family.
“I never knew that he was thinking of doing something like this,” said Sandra Hoegemeyer, a niece of Alford’s. “He told me he wanted to do something to help ‘the college in Natchitoches’ and I thought what a wonderful thing it would be.”
A native of Bellwood, Alford graduated from Provencal High School, then served in the U.S. Army for several years. He then began a long career with Armco Steel, working in Houston, then in Schulenburg, Texas, where he would live for the rest of his life.
“He was a quiet, soft spoken, hard working man,” said Hoegemeyer in describing Alford.
“It is especially touching when a person who did not attend Northwestern provides for a generous gift to the University,” said Northwestern President Dr. Randall J. Webb. “In the case of Mr. Alford, his name will be associated with Northwestern through the years, because he felt this institution offered a top-notch education to his niece. Because of his kindness, both faculty and students will have their lives enhanced, and Northwestern will take another step toward greatness.”
“Whitney taught music in Goldonna for many years and was very active in the community, playing at weddings, funerals and other church and local events. She passed on a love for the university to her family.
“We were at Northwestern all the time for events,” said Whitney’s daughter Debbie Cloud, a 1976 graduate of Northwestern. “I knew that I wanted to work with children and I knew that Northwestern would be the place for me to come.”
“The interest generated by the endowment for the Clifton M. Alford Memorial Professorship in Music will fund faculty research and development along with needed equipment.
“This is going to provide a tremendous opportunity for our music faculty to expand their research and their performance opportunities,” said Bill Brent, director of the Mrs. H.D. Dear and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at NSU. “Further, it will enhance the reputation of the entire University as it provides the potential for faculty to perform in venues around the world. We are extremely grateful to the Alford family and are excited about the future of the music and all of the arts programs at Northwestern.”
The Clifton M. Alford Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Education will assist students planning to have a teaching career.
“We are honored that the Alford family is rewarding future teachers by supporting their matriculation through a Northwestern teacher education program,” said Dr. Vickie Gentry, dean of the College of Education at NSU. “Completing a teacher preparation program at Northwestern is highly regarded in this state. Principals, human resources personnel, and district superintendents do not hesitate to hire a Northwestern education graduate because they know that our graduates are well prepared for their work in the schools. I thank the Alford family for supporting the legacy in teacher education at Northwestern.”
The Clifton M. Alford Memorial First Generation Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to a Louisiana resident whose parents or legal guardians have not earned a college degree. The recipient must be awarded a Pell Grant and have been admitted to Northwestern.
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