Main MenuNEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
8/8/2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - The NSU Foundation will receive $80,000 in matching funds from the State Board of Regents to complete two endowed professorships in a ceremony to be held Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 11:30 a.m. in the Natchitoches Room of Russell Hall.
Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie will present Northwestern State University President Dr. Randall J. Webb with matching funds for two endowed professorships, the Hibernia National Bank Professorship in Business and the Rapides Regional Medical Center Professorship in Radiologic Technology. Northwestern will have 20 endowed professorship worth $100,000 each or a total of $2 million. Interest generated by the endowment will be used to support academic activities including instruction and research, equipment, materials and faculty improvement.
"Over the past several years, Northwestern has received a great deal of support from alumni friends and the business community," said Webb. "Those funds help us attract and retain outstanding faculty and strengthen our academic programs which ultimately help our students."
The professorships consist of $60,000 in private funds and $40,000 in state matching funds which comes from the Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund. The Support Fund was created through a permanent trust fund approved by Louisiana voters in 1986. The trust fund was set up after a settlement between the state and federal government over offshore oil and gas money.
The Hibernia Professorship will establish an endowed professorship in banking or a related field in NSU's College of Business. Hibernia is a $15.3 billion asset organization with 250 banking locations in 33 Louisiana parishes and 13 Texas counties. It is first in overall market share in Louisiana.
Former Northwestern Dean of Business Dr. Carroll D. Aby Jr. was instrumental in setting up the Hibernia Professorship. NSU Director of Institutional Advancement Tony Gustwick also credited Keith Bergeron of Hibernia and Cheryl Wilson, chief financial officer of Rapides Regional, for their role in setting up the professorships.
The Rapides Regional Professorship will allow Northwestern to expand its radiologic technology program by offering classes in Alexandria. NSU will offer live classes in addition to offering courses by compressed video. Students in the Alexandria area will also be able to complete clinical rotations at Rapides Regional.
During the next year, Rapides Regional will fund another endowed professorship to allow NSU to further expand the program.