NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

9/03/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-Northwestern State University received matching funds to complete its first $1 million endowed chair and two $100,000 endowed professorships at a ceremony held Tuesday in the Natchitoches Room of Russell Hall.

Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Joe Savoie presented the university with matching funds from the Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund for the Erbon W. and Marie Wise Endowed Chair in Journalism, the C. Creighton Owen Endowed Professorship in Nursing and the Hopper-Curry Endowed Professorship in Business. The LEQSF has grown from $540 million to $950 million since being created in the 1980's.

"It is clear that Louisiana's future is tied to education," said Savoie. "The Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund is a Louisiana success story. It has created endowments equal to the amount of the original fund."

Savoie said enrollment in the state's colleges and universities is at the highest level ever and is projected to remain stable this year. Louisiana has the fastest growing community college system in the country, he said. Savoie also pointed out that remedial education at colleges and universities has decreased, retention and graduation rates have increased. The amount of research funding generated at Louisiana colleges and universities has also increased.

"More people are getting access to training and education which can change their lives forever," said Savoie. "The improvements are happening because colleges and universities are focusing on the people they are serving."

The Erbon W. and Marie Wise Endowed Chair in Journalism was created with a donation from Erbon and Marie Wise. The Owen Endowed Professorship was set up by a donation from the Claude "Buddy" Leach and C. Creighton Owen families. Ed Curry established the Hopper-Curry Endowed Professorship in Business.

"These endowed chairs and professorships could not happen without donors who focus on the value of our work," said Savoie. "These people think beyond themselves. The endowments will help future generations and will help our colleges and universities continue to make progress."

Northwestern has also received a donation for an endowed chair in the College of Business and a pledge for an endowed chair for the College of Education. The university has 24 endowed professorships.

"When people think of Northwestern, we want them to think of quality," said NSU President Randall J. Webb. "The Erbon W. and Marie Wise Endowed Chair in Journalism will be a transforming gift for our Department of Journalism. The C. Creighton Owen Endowed Professorship in Nursing and the Hopper-Curry Endowed Professorship in Business will help fund faculty research in two of our outstanding programs."

Endowed chairs are created with a $600,000 private gift which is matched with $400,000 from the LEQSF. Endowed professorships are set up with a $60,000 donation matched by $40,000 from the LEQSF.

For more information on setting up an endowed chair or professorship, contact the NSU Foundation at (318) 357-4414.

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