Published July 19, 2019
MONROE, La. β Representatives from the Christopher Youth Center presented the University of Louisiana
Monroe Foundation with a $60,000 endowment at a press conference held on campus Tuesday.
The earnings from the investment will fund first generation student scholarships awarded
through the TRiO program office at ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯. TRiO is a group of federally funded programs
designed to assist first-generation and income eligible students reach their full
academic potential.
About 69% of the students at ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ would qualify as SSS [Student Support Services] students
and 50% would be fully qualified for SSS, according to Executive Director of ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ TRIO
Programs Dr. Catherine Estis.Β
βWe try to meet these studentsβ academic and financial needs. This is where the Carol
Christopher First Generation Endowed Scholarship is very significant in doing that,
because it helps us help those students, especially in light of whatβs happening at
the state level with TOPS. I want to thank [Mr. Cain] for shining the light and helping
our students,β Estis said at the press conference.Β
Located in Monroe, the Christopher Youth Center (formerly Our House) was established
in 1990 by Dr. Carol Christopher as the first Safe Place program in Louisiana for
runaway, homeless, throwaway, victimized, and non-adjudicated youth.
Christopher, a well-loved individual in the community, served as a faculty member
in the Music department at ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ (then Northeast Louisiana University) and was a long-time
supporter of ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯. ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ President Nick J. Bruno, who knew Christopher, said she was
so βbright and so passionate about the mission of the center.β
βShe was driven in a very positive way, and she could get people to do things they
didnβt think they could. There is no question that what she has done, what she did,
and what she continues to do is quite a legacy that will live many, many years beyond
her,β Bruno continued.Β
When Christopher passed away in 2015, she left a sizable amount of funds to the Christopher
Youth Center. Tony Cain, past president of the Center, indicated that when the board
looked at various ways to distribute the funds, it was a βno-brainer.β Following discussions
with the ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ Foundation, the Center decided to donate $60,000 and leverage it with
a $40,000 match from the Louisiana State Board of Regents Support Fund Program to
create a $100,000 endowed scholarship for ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ students who qualify as βfirst-generationβ
students.
Additionally, Cain announced that the Center is putting the βfinal touchesβ on providing
a private annual scholarship through the organization for a graduate student in social
work as well as an annual scholarship for the music program.Β
βSo, not only are we investing through the Board of Regents but we are directly investing
into other programs in the university because she believed in ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯ and she loved ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯,
as we all do. We are excited about having this opportunity to invest into ΟγΈΫΑωΊΟ²ΚΏͺ½±Φ±²₯,β said
Cain.
