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Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu
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News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
8/08/2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES - Northwestern State University will receive $160,000 in matching funds from the State Board of Regents to complete four endowed professorships in a ceremony to be held Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. in the Natchitoches Room of Russell Hall.
Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie will present Northwestern President Dr. Randall J. Webb with matching funds for four endowed professorships in NSU's College of Business. Those professorships are the Ben Johnson Endowed Professorship, the Poindexter Foundation Endowed Professorship in Accounting, the Kilpatrick Life Insurance Endowed Professorship and the Business Leaders Endowed Professorship. Northwestern will have 18 endowed professorship worth $100,000 each. Interest generated by the endowment will be used to support academic activities including instruction and research, equipment, materials and faculty improvement.
"Each of these endowed professorships will assist the College of Business and Northwestern as we continue to strengthen our academic programs," said NSU President Dr. Randall J. Webb. "This past year was our best ever in obtaining endowed professorships. We will continue working with the business community, alumni and friends of the university to seek ways to enhance our academic programs."
Webb singled out NSU Dean of Business Dr. Carroll D. Aby Jr., Associate Professor of Business Fred Clark and Dean of Continuing Education Dr. Alvin Brossette for their efforts in helping obtain the professorships.
Northwestern has doubled the number of endowed professorships since Webb became president.
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 Ben Johnson Endowed Professorship was created by Natchitoches businessman Ben Johnson, who founded Winnfield Funeral Homes, Winnfield Life Insurance Company and Winnfield Casket Company, one of Louisiana's largest minority-owned and operated businesses.
A faculty member in accounting will benefit from The Poindexter Foundation Professorship. Faculty in finance/insurance will be assisted by the Kilpatrick Life Insurance Professorship, created by the Kilpatrick Life Insurance Company.
Ten businesses and 20 individuals contributed gifts to create the Business Leaders Professorship. This is the first professorship at NSU created through a series of individual gifts.