NEWS RELEASE

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

11/07/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-Lee Waskom of Natchitoches has been selected as president of the NSU Foundation.

The Northwestern State University Foundation is a non-profit corporation responsible for assisting areas of the university not supported by state dollars. It was established to serve NSU, its students and faculty by raising funds for endowed scholarships, professorships and chairs.

Waskom, a Natchitoches businessman, succeeds Melba L. Steeg, who has served as president for two years.

"Northwestern has been very important to me," said Waskom, a 1986 graduate of NSU in accounting. "I am thankful to have the opportunity to stay in town and interact with people I have grown to know. Northwestern helped me by providing me with a scholarship when I was in college, so I make it a goal of mine to give something back each year."

Waskom has been a long-time supporter of the NSU Foundation, the NSU Athletic Association and various club sports along with other community activities.

A member of the NSU Foundation board for the past two years, Waskom looks forward to assisting the organization as it will soon begin its first capital campaign.

"I am honored to take on this responsibility," said Waskom. "Melba Steeg did a wonderful job and a look forward to assisting (Director of Alumni Affairs and Development Dr.) Chris Maggio and (Director of the NSU Foundation) Tony Gustwick in the campaign."

Waskom would like to use technology to connect with more alumni and friends of Northwestern.

"I would like to extend the outreach of the NSU Foundation into using e-mail to keep in touch with people," he said. "I also want to work to keep the various Foundation committees as active as I can."

His business, Campus Corner, has a location on College Avenue in Natchitoches, across the street from NSU. Campus Corner also operates the bookstore at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Southern University at Shreveport and has a location near LSUS in Shreveport.

Waskom began working at Pat's Economy (now Campus Corner) the Monday after receiving his degree and eventually worked there full-time.

"As I got more involved, I realized I loved it," he said. "Over time, we have slowly grown the college market. Our main markets are college students and faculty, both K through 12 and college. I feel our business has a positive impact on the university because we provide a wide selection of clothing and textbooks. The availability of competition keeps prices as low as possible and that's a good thing."

Waskom is now majority owner of Campus Corner. His mother, Sara Waskom, is a part owner. Waskom's father, the late Dr. John Waskom, taught geology at Northwestern from 1964 until 1982. His brothers, David, Scott and Mark, are all Northwestern alumni and his sister Tina lives in Natchitoches.

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