University: UL recognizes donors who gifted $4.75 million in past year

Megan Wyatt, The Advertiser, Nov. 22, 2014

University supporters listen to presentations during the UL Distinguished Donors ceremony at the Petroleum Club in Lafayette, La., Thursday, November 20, 2014. Paul Kieu, The Advertiser(Photo: Paul Kieu, The Advertiser)

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation celebrated Thursday evening donors who provided $4.75 million in gifts during the last year toward student scholarships, professor salaries, research supplements, athletic programs and more.

The annual Distinguished Donor’s Reception celebrates donors who gave $10,000 or more to the university during the past year and commemorates endowed gifts of $50,000 or more.

“We have to thank our donors,” said Julie Falgout, executive director of the UL Foundation. “They’ve given so much to us. This is our way of saying thank you to them.”

This year’s donors helped establish 22 endowments, the principals of which remain in a perpetual fund that is invested. Earned income from the endowed funds is distributed to different scholarships, funds and professorships. Opportunities available through the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund allow for the raised funds to be matched by the state.

For example, for every $600,000 that UL receives for an endowed chair, the state matches $400,000, bringing the total to $1 million.

Donors were recognized with plaques at the ceremony, and each endowment of $50,000 or more is represented with a plaque in the foundation’s hall of honor in Martin Hall on the UL campus. This year’s additions bring the total number of plaques in the hall to 389. To date, the foundation’s assets are valued at more than $180 million.

“It is such a joy listening to the stories on why people gave,” Falgout said.

Here are three of those stories:

Priscilla Babineaux Cadwell, the Lucille F. and L. Louis Babineaux Sr. First Generation Scholarship in Business and the Dr. John A. and Priscilla Babineaux Cadwell First Generation Scholarship in Engineering

Priscilla Babineaux Cadwell’s parents worked hard to start a rug cleaning business in New Iberia to send Cadwell and her six siblings to college at UL.

Although Cadwell and her husband now live in Richland, Washington, they still give generously to her alma mater.

This year, she and her husband donated two endowed scholarships, one in honor of Cadwell’s parents, Lucille F. Babineaux and L. Louis Babineaux Sr.

“My parents sent seven of us to school, and six of us through business school at UL,” she said, holding back tears. “My dad died in 2001, and my mom is about to turn 95. I thought it would be a great way to honor them.”

The only sibling who didn’t choose business? Former Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, who majored in education at UL.

Troy Cloutier, Gerald “Jerry” Reaux Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund

Troy Cloutier worked with Gerald “Jerry” Reaux Jr. for three years at MidSouth Bank until Reaux’s unexpected death earlier this year.

The Reaux family has been a part of the UL family for years, with his father Gerald Reaux playing basketball for the school. Reaux earned a finance degree from UL in 1984, which gave him the tools to become one of the youngest chief executive officers of a publicly traded bank.

Cloutier says that he and Reaux were colleagues and friends and that he learned more in three years of working with Reaux than he had in his entire career.

“We thought one of the best ways to honor him would be through allowing him to educate people at the university he loved,” Cloutier said.

Ed Domingues, Athletics Campaign

Ed Domingues ran track at the university in the 1960s and has been supporting Ragin’ Cajuns’ athletics ever since.

He’s been giving generously to athletics, especially the football program, the past 15 years or so, he said.

Domingues believes that if Acadiana better understood the impact the university has on the area, people would donate even more to UL.

“We could be as big as anything in the nation,” Domingues said. “Donating is good for our area. I like seeing the results of my donations and seeing the how athletics is making Lafayette what it is.”

Donors who contributed $50,000 or more in endowed gifts to the university, with a combined total of $1.5 million

– Dr. John A. and Priscilla Babineaux Cadwell Endowed First Generation Scholarship in Engineering

– Lucille F. and L. Louis Babineaux, Sr. Endowed First Generation Scholarship in Business

– Bobby Charles Memorial First Generation Scholarship in Music

– Culotta Family First Generation Endowed Scholarship in Biology and Chemistry

– Eric Michael Domingue – Friends of Music Endowed Scholarship

– Jim and Charlotte Doyle Endowed Scholarship in Business Administration II

– Dr. Robert J. “Bud” and Mary Ducharme Endowed Scholarship

– Sister Janet Falgout Leadership Management Award

– C. H. Fenstermaker & Associates Endowed Civil Engineering Scholarship

– Preston Guidry Endowed Football Scholarship

– Marsha J. Kramer Endowed Scholarship in Computer Science

– Phil Lalande Memorial/Lafayette Oilman’s Sporting Clays Endowed Scholarship II

– Edward C. Mathes Endowed Scholarship in Architecture

– The Nursing Alumni Scholarship #1

– Gerald “Jerry” Reaux, Jr. Memorial Endowed Scholarship

– Cora Mae Savoy Memorial Endowed Faculty Development Fund

– Cora Mae Savoy Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Chemistry

– Mr. and Mrs. J. Wesley Steen Endowed Commerce Scholarship

– René Paul Theriot Memorial Endowed Scholarship

– Charles and Mona Falcon Trahan Professorship in Accounting

– Carl Bauer Endowed Faculty Development Nursing Fund

– Edmond B. Bentley Endowed Faculty Development Fund

Donors who made single gifts of $50,000 or more to the university, with a combined total of $3.2 million

– Contractors Educational Trust

– Ed and Rickey Domingues

– Dupré Logistics, LLC

– Bryan and Michelle Hanks of BETA Land Services

– Friends of Music

– Andy Martin

– Robert Merrick

– Charles Moncla

– James Moncus

– Donald Mosing

– Chris and Mamie Russo

– Rodney L. and Cindi M. Savoy