Many families’ incomes are above the financial threshold for their child to qualify for federal and state need-based grants (i.e.Pell, GoGrants, etc.). Even with-merit-based grants, like TOPS, many families still cannot shoulder the financial burden of supporting their student’s education. In 2020, tuition to attend ULM is $9,254a year, and the average TOPS award is $5,787. A private scholarship award of $1,000a year can result in successful recruitment of a student to ULM and cover more than 25% of their remaining tuition cost.

Students with the opportunity or program requirement to receive workforce training through internships, clinical rotations, student teaching, and externships need financial assistance with housing, transportation, and other expenses in order to succeed. When coursework requires extra hours outside of the classroom, many students do not have the option to hold a job for needed expenses. The Internship Endowment will provide stipends to help these students through the time when education and career training is required.

ULM faculty are highly educated, professional experts with the potential to discover life-improving research, products, and services. ULM’s vision is to be recognized among the top 200 universities in the nation for excellence in teaching, research, and innovation, with an emphasis on the health sciences. With no state support available for research, seed-money to finance faculty efforts to collect data and conduct preparatory investigations for grant applications is critical. The ULM Office of Sponsored Programs and Research oversees the award of micro-grants from the earnings on this endowed fund to faculty.

This fund initially assists students adversely impacted by process changes and campus closures related to the unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19). It will persist to fulfill an expanded need as distributions from the fund will go to students who need resources for remote learning, food, housing, transportation, basic needs, or who are facing other unforeseen personal difficulties.

Sports programs came to an abrupt halt due to COVID-19, eliminating potential revenues from ticket and related event sales. Student athlete scholarships and operational expenses require essential funding now more than ever. 

With the state unable to fund the overwhelming backlog of standard building maintenance and necessary renovations over the last 10 years, private funds are indispensable to repair roofs, mechanical systems, make functional improvements and improve serviceability. Naming opportunities for rooms, laboratories and buildings are available to recognize honorees.