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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
10/07/2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES- A ceremony was held recently to dedicate the Chester Creighton Owen Administration Building at Northwestern State University's Leesville Fort Polk campus.
"Mr. Owen was an outstanding educator and mentor," said Dr. Larry Monk, executive director of the Leesville Fort Polk campus. "It is an honor to work in a building named for him each day."
A crowd of about 200 people attended the ceremony to honor Owen. The facility is the main building on the Leesville Fort Polk campus containing classrooms, administrative offices and computer labs.
"Very few people are honored by having a state building named in their honor. If anyone deserved that honor, it was Creighton Owen," said NSU President Dr. Randall J. Webb. "This campus was a special source of pride to him, the faculty and staff and the students. He was dedicated to the students in a special way."
Owen had a long, distinguished career as an educator in Vernon
Parish. He
taught English for many years in the school system before serving
the Vernon Parish
School Board as a guidance counselor, supervisor of instruction,
director of
curriculum and superintendent of Vernon Parish Schools. After
retiring as superintendent of schools, he was an adjunct and graduate
advisor at NSU Leesville/Fort Polk before becoming the campus'
executive director.
Owen earned a bachelor's and master's degree at Louisiana State
University and did additional graduate studies at McNeese State
University, Northwestern State University and the University of
Southern California.
As a community activist, Owen was president of several organizations including the local PTA, Louisiana Schools Supervisors Association, Leesville/Vernon Parish Chamber of Commerce (Twice), Leonidas Polk Chapter, Association of the United States Army, Owen was also involved in organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys and Girls Club and the Governor's Military Advisory Commission.
According to Webb, two of Owen's special interests were the fields of education and nursing. Earlier this year, the C. Creighton Owen Endowed Professorship in Nursing was set up to assist a faculty member in the College of Nursing.
The NSU Foundation has set up the Creighton Owen Endowed Scholarship in Education to assist students working toward an education degree. The scholarship will be funded with donations from friends and colleagues of Owen along with those interested in assisting students at the Leesville-Fort Polk campus.
Those wishing to contribute toward the scholarship can make a one-time donation or can make monthly or quarterly payments. Credit card billing is also available.
"This scholarship will be very important to students at the Leesville Fort Polk campus," said Monk. "Receiving a scholarship can also make the difference in whether or not a student can attend college. It can also help Northwestern attract outstanding students who will teach in our area school systems after graduating."
For more information on the Creighton Owen Endowed Scholarship, contact the NSU Foundation at (318) 357-4414 or (888) 799-6486.