By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
PINEVILLE – Don Hill came to Louisiana College with a $100 scholarship.
He left in 1964 with a college education that would pave a path to financial success. Though he left for graduate school at Florida State and other endeavors across the U.S., Hill said he never lost touch with the school.
When Hill heard of the opportunity last year to become a member of a newly-formed body that would provide scholarships to students of his alma mater, he enthusiastically agreed.
Hill was among the 80 members who attended the Board of Visitors first meeting Friday afternoon.
“Because of the contribution Louisiana College made to me, I am able to be fairly successful financially and want to contribute back to the school,” said Hill, president of DMH & Associates in Dallas, Texas. “The Board of Visitors allows me to do that and I’m looking forward to meeting some of the students who will benefit from that.”
Formed in September, the Board of Visitors is comprised of alumni, business owners and other professionals and friends of LC who are giving between $1,000 and $10,000 annually for four years. During their four-year commitment, the members help the students find internships, network for the college, contribute to development of additional financial resources and refer prospective students to the school.
Members contribute at one of four levels: Board of Visitor, $1,000; Leadership Council, $2,500; Executive Council, $5,000; and the President’s Council, $10,000. The initial goal was to sign up 25 members by Sept. 1 but the response was higher than expected, prompting Brewer to set a goal of 50 members before the end of the fall semester.
By the time the Board of Visitors holds its next meeting during Homecoming weekend Oct. 28, Brewer hopes that to reach the 100-member mark. He is confident that goal can be met.
“Many of them are alums, many are from different walks of life, from business to ministry to health care, that simply want to support our college and are helping with scholarships for our students,” Brewer told the Baptist Message after the meeting. “We are looking forward to this group continuing to grow. What they are doing is to help close the affordability gap, providing much needed scholarship money for students who want to receive a Christ-centered education at Louisiana College.”
Louisiana College student Ryan Morris shares about his experience at the school during a meeting of the Board of Visitors on April 22, 2016.
Brewer updated members on various initiatives planned in the future, including: help so that every student will serve an internship before graduation; requiring students to complete a service learning project within the scope of their majors, contributing volunteer hours within the community; and, improvements to campus facilities such as multi-million dollar projects involving the football stadium, class equipment and residence and academic halls.
For his part, Byron McGee, vice president for institutional advancement, told the Board of Visitors that because of them, 123 students this fall each will receive $1,000 scholarships. When the members meet again, McGee said many of those students will have an opportunity to sit with them and express gratitude.
“They will have an opportunity to sit with you and say thanks,” McGee said. “And I assure you it means a lot to them.”
For more information on joining the Board of Visitors, call 318.487.7118.
