Students who choose to live off campus forfeit any room portion of the Academic Excellence Award. 

Students registered in accelerated online programs will not be eligible and will forfeit their scholarship.

*High school GPA will be accepted on a 5.0 collegiate scale by admissions upon acceptance.
**Class rank requirements will not apply to homeschool students or high schools that do not rank students.

The Academic Excellence Award is compromised of a tuition scholarship and room scholarship to be applied toward on-campus residence living only.  These scholarships are awarded to students as separate awards and are subject to availability of funds. Only application submissions that meet the priority deadline are subject to both tuition and room portions of the award. 

Students who choose to live off campus forfeit any room portion of the Academic Excellence Award. 

Students registered in accelerated online programs will not be eligible and will forfeit their scholarship.

*High school GPA will be accepted on a 5.0 collegiate scale by admissions upon acceptance.
**Class rank requirements will not apply to homeschool students or high schools that do not rank students.

Michael D. (Mike) Getz graduated from Lamar University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education.  While at Lamar he was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity.  He went on the graduate from Southeast Texas College at Law with his Juris Doctorate and practiced law in Beaumont for over 30 years.  In 2011, Mike successfully ran for and was elected to the position of Beaumont City Councilmembers, Ward 2, for the City of Beaumont, Texas and has served a term as Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Beaumont.  As of 2024, Mike continues to serve on the City Council and is dedicated to making the City of Beaumont a great community in which to live, work and play.  Mike has served as president of the Beaumont Downtown Y.M.C.A. and as president of the Temple Emanuel Brotherhood.  Mike’s family include his son, Jacob Getz, his daughter in law, Kelsey Getz and granddaughter, Marigold “Goldie” Getz.

In 1992, Mike met his future wife, Allison.  After a lengthy courtship, Allison and Mike were married in a joyous, traditional Jewish wedding on November 22, 2008.  One of the common interests that Allison and Mike shared was their passion for public service.  In this arena, Allison’s record for volunteerism is unsurpassed.  During her lifetime, Allison served as president of 17 local, non-profit organizations.  They include the following: Symphony of Southeast Texas, the Fire Museum of Texas, the Beaumont Children’s Museum, the Beaumont Heritage Society, the Beaumont Ballet Theater Guild, the Dowlen West Neighborhood Association, the Gallery Guild for the Art Museum, Garth House, the Golden Triangle Republican Women, the Jefferson County Bar Auxiliary, the Jefferson County Texas Exes, the Southeast Texas Tennis Association, the Symphony League of Southeast Texas, Temple Emanuel, Temple Emanuel Sisterhood, Some Other Place and Young Audiences.  Additionally, Allison served on the Board of Directors of the following organizations: All Saint’s Parent’s Association, Anayat House, Crimestoppers’s of Southeast Texas, Family Services of Southeast Texas, Gift of Life, Kelly High School, the Texas Section of the U.S. Tennis Association, the United Way, and Friends of the Arts of Lamar University.

In 2014, Allison decided to run for the position of Jefferson County Tax Assessor-Collector and in being elected, became the first Jewish woman to hold county-wide office in Jefferson County, Texas.  Allison brought many progressive changes to the tax office, and as a result, was voted by her peers as the Tax Assessor of the Year for the entire state of Texas in 2021.  While serving as Tax Assessor-Collector, Allison was asked to also serve as Jefferson County’s first Public Information Officer and was the official voice of the county through several natural disasters.

Although Allison was a graduate of the University of Texas, and a proud Longhorn, she also loved Lamar University.  In particular, she was a patron of the arts and loved working with former Dean Russ Schultz in the Fine Arts Department during his tenure at Lamar.  She was a long-time member of the Friends of the Arts Board and one of the highlights of her life was when she chaired Le Grand Bal in 2013.  The theme that year was “Cardinal Express”, and the honoree was the late Sallye Keith.

Allison Getz passed away on October 10, 2023.  Left to honor her legacy was her husband, Mike, her parents, Iris and Jerry Nathan, her brother, Irl Nathan, her children, Le Golias and Elizabeth Reynolds and three granddaughters, Sadie and Alice Reynolds and Samantha Golias.  While Allison is no longer physically with us, the impact that she made on Southeast Texas will be remembered forever.

Brian Savoy is a cum laude graduate of Lamar University earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 1997. He was also a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society.

Brian and his wife Sabrina are natives of Southeast Texas, and both attended Lamar University.  This university has always been a special place for them and provided a strong foundation that created the opportunity for Brian to join the global accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche in Houston after graduation.  Brian was hired by one of his largest clients, Duke Energy Corporation, in 2001 where he has achieved tremendous success over more than two decades rising to his current position of Chief Financial Officer.  Brian came from modest beginnings in a single parent home and was the first in his extended family to earn a bachelor’s degree.  He and Sabrina desire for future generations to benefit from similar opportunities through the Savoy Family Scholarship. 

This scholarship is to be awarded on merit to recruit and retain outstanding students with exceptionally strong academic records.

Cam V. Le and Carla J. Pulumbarit have endowed this scholarship for the benefit of students within the College of Engineering and the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing.

Cam is a 2002 graduate of LU, earning his degree in chemical engineering. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He currently works at Shell.

Carla is also a graduate of LU, earning her degree in nursing in 2001. She currently works in the Texas Medical Center as a nurse.

Students who choose to live off campus forfeit any room portion of the Cardinal Elite Award. 

Students registered in accelerated online programs will not be eligible and will forfeit their scholarship.

*High school GPA will be accepted on a 5.0 collegiate scale by admissions upon acceptance.
**Class rank requirements will not apply to homeschool students or high schools that do not rank students.

Students who choose to live off-campus forfeit any room portion of the Cardinal Elite Award. 

Students registered in accelerated online programs will not be eligible and will forfeit their scholarships.

*High school GPA will be accepted on a 5.0 collegiate scale by admissions upon acceptance.
**Class rank requirements will not apply to homeschooled students or high schools that do not rank students.

Charissa Choate Wells was a proud native of Beaumont, Texas. Charissa grew up in the South Park neighborhood. Buoyed by the love of her parents Charissa became a charming and precocious child. As a small child, she accompanied her parents to square dancing as often as several nights a week. On the periphery of the dance floor, she came to love music and dance and to make strangers her friends and playmates.

Charissa’s mother was a seminal influence. She had grown up on a sugar plantation in Houma, Louisiana, found her own path out, and became a registered nurse at Hotel Dieu in Beaumont. She put just as much determination into Charissa’s life, finding resources to give her only child the confidence to grow and become. Her mother enrolled her in tap and ballet classes at Widman School of Dance, which she would attend for seven years. Around the sixth grade, her mother enrolled her in Miniature Maids with Eloise Milam, who taught her how to sing in front of an audience.

From a devout Catholic family, Charissa attended St. Anthony Cathedral elementary school and MacArthur Junior High School. At her neighborhood South Park High School, Charissa became a beloved classmate who formed remarkably close and enduring friendships. She served on her high school’s student council every year and as vice president of her class for four years. She was also a cheerleader for four years and the head yell leader for two years. In her senior year, she was elected class favorite and homecoming queen. In 1969, she was recognized as an “Outstanding Teenager of America” by the Outstanding Americans Foundation.

She rarely missed a class reunion with her fellow South Park “Greenies,” many of whom were lifelong friends. Some would travel hundreds of miles to visit her in the last years of her life. A testament to her generous, loving way of being, her classmates heaped praise on her, “Charissa was the queen of our class, she was always kind, always a friend,” one classmate observed. Another, Larry LaRousse, added, “She was the class of our class.” Miriam Cade Nichol, who met Charissa in the seventh grade, said, “She was loved by everyone in our class.” Gerry Spear Lang, a friend since first grade recalled lovingly, “Charissa’s giggle, smile, sweetheart, and fight to do her very best was consistent ALL of her life. We will miss this precious earth angel … our Greenie legend.”

As was the custom of the times, Charissa married young and became a single parent when her sons Clayton and Zachary were only seven and four years old. Their health and happiness became her young life’s work, as she put her youthful dreams of a career in theater aside. She rarely missed her sons’ cycling races, soccer matches, and baseball games.

With the steadfast support of her parents, Charissa returned to her college education and finished her degree at Lamar University, over several years, even as she worked full time to support her children. She would find an outlet for her creativity in community theater, where she was lauded as a “natural” and “charismatic” actress. She starred as Annie in “Annie Get Your Gun” and had prominent roles in several other plays.

Charissa modeled, sang in a local band, and began working in radio and television. She became spokesperson for numerous local and regional businesses and charities, appearing in commercials, and doing voice-overs for radio advertisements. She sparkled in a weekly segment for KFDM-TV’s “PM Magazine,” then became the host and co-producer of KBMT-TV’s daily morning show, “Good Morning Golden Triangle.” Her show once featured Oprah Winfrey as a guest.

CBS’s Dan Rather encouraged Charissa to move to a larger media market such as the Houston area where he began his career. Though it could have been a launching pad for a career in television news, she declined. She did not want to move her sons away from the family and friends they loved and needed.

In time, Charissa became a confident public speaker unintimidated by the size of her audience. She also gave generously of herself, serving on a number of local boards in Beaumont, for professional organizations such as the Press Club, as well as charities. She most loved her service to the local Salvation Army.

When Charissa moved on professionally, she became the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the then Beaumont Medical Surgical Hospital, owned by Humana and known locally as MASH. She developed creative promotional advertising campaigns such as “Walk with Your Doc” to humanize the hospital’s providers. She helped recruit physicians to the area, happily touting the strengths of her native community. For 11 years, she proved to be a natural in her work, elevating the hospital’s profile and integrating its people and programs into her beloved hometown. Colleague Becky Tate recalls her warmly, “Charissa met you with arms open. She would let you into her life. She loved all kinds of people. She didn’t care if you had money or status.”

She so loved her work for MASH that she was in her office the day before she moved to the Washington, D.C., area with her new husband who had received a presidential appointment to head the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for the Clinton administration.

An insightful writer, who religiously kept a “gratitude” journal for many years, Charissa began publishing newspaper columns in The Beaumont Enterprise in the early 1980s. Later in life she would publish pieces in the San Antonio Express-News and The Washington Post. One of her most moving and revealing pieces, however, was the still joyful and fun-loving expression of her final wishes. In it, she asked friends to plan her “end-of-life” service, offering vivid details about what she wanted, asking that they help her boys through it. Above all, she asserted, make sure the service is not too long, “Don’t want people checking their watches and wishing it were over.” From soft classical piano as people entered to “I Hope You Dance” by LeeAnn Womack when they were seated, Charissa envisioned a service that captured the essence of who she had been. Motown songs such as the Four Tops’ “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch” and “My Girl” by the Temptations had always made her want to sing and dance, she said, and she hoped they could be played.

In mid-life, Charissa met and married John Calhoun Wells, a native Kentuckian who had come from the Kennedy School at Harvard to lead the John Gray Institute. On the occasion of their first date over dinner at Carlo’s Restaurant, John recalls looking at this inquisitive woman and thinking, “I might marry this woman.” And he did. After dating for more than five years, the couple married in Beaumont in 1993. At the time of their marriage, John had been single for 18 years, Charissa for 11.

Married for 25 years at the time of her death, John was never far from Charissa’s side, her hand often in his. In spite of the grim diagnosis that framed too many of those years, Charissa “never once complained," he recalls. Not surprisingly, the vivacious and lovely woman who had won his heart proved to have incredible strength.

Soon after they began dating, John would discover that Charissa loved to entertain, to host dinners and parties for friends and newcomers to Beaumont. She relished bringing interesting and diverse people together. An annual Christmas Eve dinner party was held at her Beaumont home. Many of her guests had no family in the area. They needed a place to be, and she gave it to them, freely and lovingly.

When Charissa and John first moved to Reston, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. area, Charissa baked cookies as a way of introducing herself and took them to her amazed and delighted neighbors. Little more than a month later, she hosted a neighborhood Christmas party in their beautifully decorated new home. John, who traveled extensively with his work, recalled in awe,

“There were more than 40 people there. I didn't know even one of them.”

An energetic and athletic woman for whom exercise was an essential part of her life, Charissa also loved to host neighborhood children for Christmas cookie-baking sessions at her homes, both in Texas and Virginia. To children and adults, she was simply cool, a woman who delighted in creating and participating in moments of joy.

Charissa possessed a delicious sense of humor that brought joy and laughter into the lives of so many people. It is a memory her husband treasures. When Charissa drove her husband to their Virginia home after open-heart surgery, him clutching a small, heart-shaped pillow to his chest to minimize the jolts of the drive, she paused at the end of their long driveway, looked at John, and, in an absolutely deadpan voice, said, “John, could you grab those trash cans and put them in the garage? I just haven't been able to get to them.” He recalls looking at her in horror, then realizing she was kidding. “I told her she was mean as a snake. She laughed uproariously,” he recalled.

In her final professional roles in Virginia, where she and John would live for 19 years, Charissa briefly worked for a national hospital consulting firm until she realized that the guise of reinvention was merely a cover for staff reductions. She resigned and soon found a niche at the Women’s Center of Northern Virginia, a private, nonprofit that lends support to women and men through counseling and education. Charissa quickly transitioned from volunteer to employee, teaching classes for single mothers on topics such as finding balance in your life. She drew upon the riches of her experience and expertise to help women face the challenge of going it alone. In her spare time, of which there was little, she volunteered at the local Women’s Center, supporting victims of spousal abuse.

In Virginia, Charissa also became an essential partner in the development and work of JCW Consulting Company, which would become a leading U. S. labor-management relations firm. It would represent some of the nation’s largest companies and unions. While John performed on-site work, Charissa served as the business manager of the company, always a consummate professional.

Charissa loved art, theater, and good writing. She collected art of the American Southwest, with a special fondness for paintings of Navajo women by New Mexico artist R.C. Gorman. She also collected unusual and often quirky pieces of sculpture by women willing to laugh at life and themselves.

First with girlfriends, then with John, Charissa made annual pilgrimages to New York City to see as many as three or four Broadway plays each visit. She reveled in the energy of the city, walking the streets of Manhattan in jeans and sneakers, taking in the sights and sounds, visiting museums and art galleries, discovering new restaurants, stopping in St Patrick's Cathedral for a prayer, strolling through Central Park, and having a drink afterwards in the Oak Room of the Plaza Hotel.

Charissa spent the last years of her life at the home she had chosen for herself and John outside San Antonio in the Texas hill country. Given her illness, early onset Alzheimer’s disease, John retired and was her sole caregiver for three years, traveling with her to visit family and friends, shop for groceries, or simply explore. They were constant companions.

In the last year of her life when she could no longer walk, Hospice and other professionals helped care for Charissa at home. Her Hospice nurse observed that in an institution, Charissa’s life would have ended long before it did. Instead, she remained responsive until only days before her death. Generosity, kindness, faith, and a joyous presence are the riches of Charissa’s legacy to her beloved husband, sons, family, friends, and the grandchildren she would have doted on had she been given the chance. A devout Catholic, Charissa lived her faith. Her heart, her way of being, recalled the recurring Biblical refrain, most notably from 2 Corinthians, “… the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” The spirit that emanated from this beautiful and extraordinary woman lives on in the memories of all who knew her.

Charles Blakey Locke was born October 16, 1925, in Fort Worth, Texas graduating from Pashal High School, June 1942. He attended Lamar College earning an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies in June 1944. From there Charles attended Texas A&M University graduating in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. He was employed by Magnolia Petroleum Company from 1948 to 1952.

Charles joined Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont, Texas in 1952 and served as President and General Manager, opening Forest Lawn Funeral Home in January 1973. He also served as President and General Manager of Memory Gardens of Jefferson County, Texas. These properties were all sold to Service Corporation International in 1990. During his career he served as President of the Texas Cemeteries Association, 1962-1963 and was President of the American Cemetery Association in 1972.

Charles was a committed leader in his community serving on many charitable and civic boards. He was a Past President of the Rotary Club of Beaumont and was a director of the First City National Bank. Charles was a member and Past Chairman of the Board of Trinity United Methodist Church.

Charles and his wife, Gloria, have been faithful supporters of Lamar University for over 30 years and were inaugural members of the Lamar University President’s Circle at the Spindletop Level in honor of the financial gifts they bestowed upon Lamar throughout the years. They supported campus initiatives through Le Grand Bal, Friends of the Arts, and Friends of the History Department to name but a few. But it is their impact on the students at Lamar University that Charles and Gloria humbly loved by providing eight family scholarships during Charles’ lifetime. The scholarships provide funding in the areas of theatre, dance, communication, engineering, business, and the STEM fields.

David Locke ’76 directed the family’s gift this year to endow this scholarship in Charles’ honor and memory. It creates a fitting legacy for a gentleman who truly loved Lamar.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Charles Duit is the third of four children. While growing up, he enjoyed cooking for family members until he left the University of Houston as a student and became a Texas Baptist Sunday School Board Summer Missionary in San Antonio. After completing his service, he joined the staff of a local Baptist church as a Minister of Early Childhood Education.

After pursuing this first career for ten years, he decided "I'd like to talk with adults and carry on an intelligent conversation". So, Charles follows his love of food to his second career: cooking, or culinary arts.

Thirty plus years later he has worked in parts of Texas and Oklahoma in five country clubs, two catering companies, taught at Del Mar College in Corpus Christie and Lamar University in Beaumont while also serving as the Chef/Director of Foodservices at a retirement community. Along the way, he earned his culinary credentials as a Certified Executive Chef and Certified Dietary Manager. He was also granted membership in the honor society, the American Academy of Chefs. At the age of forty-eight, his journey through the culinary world brought him to his "soulmate" and wife, Debbie Bando. They were married in July 2002.

Chef Charles has served on four state boards, state and local boards as well as having served as the President of the Texas Chefs Association Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation.

Revision approved per Dean French 6/27/23:
 

The Lamar University College of Business Transformational Scholars Program (TSP) provides six (6) $5,000 annual scholarships for undergraduate business majors to continue for a maximum of three years. The program will serve students with demonstrated financial need by providing funding to participate in business and professional development activities. The program seeks to build and reinforce teamwork, critical thinking, leadership, and basic business skills with the use of FranklinCovey content, service-learning projects, and similar activities. 

Scholarship Requirements:

• Must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in the College of Business
• Must complete at least 30 credit hours per academic year
• Must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a 2.5 CGPA or higher
• Demonstrated financial need

Program Commitments:

• Maintain a minimum overall CGPA of 2.5 
• Remain an undergraduate business major at Lamar University
• Participate in ongoing leadership opportunities in the College of Business
• Attend required Transformational Scholars Program meetings
• Attend a minimum of two College of Business speaker events
• Serve as a peer mentor to FTIC students in Cardinal Communities

Previous Description
The Lamar University College of Business Future Leaders Scholars program provides sixteen (16) $10,000 in annual scholarships for business majors to continue for a maximum of four years. The program will serve students by providing funding to participate in business and professional development activities. The program seeks to build and reinforce teamwork, critical thinking, leadership, and basic business skills with the use of FranklinCovey content, service-learning projects, and similar activities. 

Scholarship Requirements:

• Must be pursuing a degree in the College of Business
• Must complete at least 30 credit hours per academic year
• Must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a 3.0 CGPA or higher
• Demonstrated participation in Cardinal Communities or other Leadership Activities on campus

Program Commitments:

• Maintain a minimum overall CGPA of 3.0 
• Remain a business major at Lamar University
• Participate in ongoing leadership opportunities in the College of Business
• Attend required Future Leaders Scholars meetings
• Attend a minimum of two College of Business speaker events
• Complete Certification in Leadership Program

• Must be incoming freshmen pursuing a degree in the College of Business
• Must complete at least 30 hours per academic year 
• Demonstrated financial need, FAFSA submitted
• Demonstrated participation in leadership positions or extracurricular activities (including appropriate work experience) in high school and/or college
• Non-Texas Success Initiative (TSI) restricted

• Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
• Remain a business major at Lamar University
• Participate in the College of Business Cardinal Communities
• Attend required weekly Transformational Scholars meetings
• Attend the Academic Success Conference provided by Student Tutoring and Retention Services
• Attend all College of Business speaker events, University Academic Lecture Series speaker events, etc.

Per email dated 3/25/22: Dr. Hwang would like to create a new scholarship for incoming Freshman (high school senior) specifically for Construction Management majors. Scholarship name is still being considered. (Name is Construction Management Electus)

For this first year he would like to award $2,000 ($1000 fall and $1000 spring). In the future, he will like to increase this total amount to $4,000.

The $2,000 is from CM index BS5026.

Per COB, RT item 5/12/26; award is for FTIC, only. Revised award for FTIC students.

 

Requirements:

Major: Construction Management

GPA is 3.0 or higher

Short essay/Statement of Purpose (300 words) required “What is your career plan in Construction Management?”

Requirements were revised as below on 7/12/23, per Dr. Hwang in email from Shannon Klutts sent on 7/12/23

For incoming high school students.

Additional Requirements:

Major: Construction Management

GPA is 3.0 or higher

Short essay/Statement of Purpose (300 words) required “What is your career plan in Construction Management?”

Current undergraduate LU students are eligible to receive the Continuing Cardinal Graduate Scholarship. This scholarship is open to students who have an undergraduate CGPA of 3.0 or higher and apply to on-campus LU graduate programs at master's degree level within two semesters before completing BS degree. 

If awarded (based on fund availability), students will receive two consecutive $1,000 awards in the fall and spring semesters, with a total of $2,000 in the first year of their graduate study. Students must enroll full-time (9 hours in fall and spring, 6 hours in summer) in a master's degree program to be eligible to receive the scholarship.

Awarding party will evaluate candidates in current academic year and award after final grades post in Spring ($1000/1000/no summer award). Full-time enrollment will be confirmed in fall/spring/summer terms of first year of graduate study. Each recipient will receive a one-time award of $2000 in first year of graduate study.

In memory of Courtney Puckette Martin, this scholarship has been established to honor her remarkable legacy and to inspire future generations. Courtney was a pioneering woman whose contributions to science and humanity have left an indelible mark on the world.

As a key figure in the Apollo reentry project, Courtney played a crucial role in one of humanity’s greatest achievements: landing a man on the moon and bringing him safely back to Earth. Her work on the pacemaker program has saved countless lives, exemplifying her commitment to advancing medical science for the betterment of society.

Beyond her professional achievements, Courtney was dedicated to uplifting others through education and personal connection. She volunteered her time to teach adults how to read, opening new worlds and opportunities for those she helped. Her warmth and generosity made everyone feel special and welcome, and her spirit of kindness and inclusivity touched all that knew her.

This scholarship aims to keep Courtney’s legacy alive by supporting students who exhibit the same passion for learning, innovation, and community service that she embodied. It is our hope that the recipients of this scholarship will carry forward her dedication to making the world a better place, just as she did.

Through this scholarship, Courtney’s legacy will continue to inspire and support future generations, reminding us of all the extraordinary impact one person have.

Selection Factors for Presidential/Regents-

The intent of the “Presidential/Regents Scholarship” is to provide a significant financial award to incoming freshmen who have just graduated from high school. Recipients must be persons of high moral character and considered good citizens by their high school and university administrator. Presidential/Regents scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis with a considerable emphasis placed on extracurricular activities and outstanding academic achievement based on the following criteria:

Class ranking and GPA

SAT test scores

High school transcripts

Academic awards and honors

Delta Tau Delta Zeta Gamma Chapter was founded at Lamar in 1970 by a group of twenty-two brothers from the “Apollos”, which was social group on campus that was created to start a Delta Tau Delta chapter at Lamar. We started as a non-drinking social fraternity and Dr. Don Williams was our Chapter Advisor.

We were very active at Lamar for many years and usually won the GPA award for fraternity groups in those days.

We had a fraternity house on Roberts Avenue and sold the house when the chapter disbanded in the early 90’s. We lost the funds to the state due to our account becoming dormant.

We recently were able to recover those funds and want to invest in student lives at Lamar University. We are creating an endowment for scholarships to students in the Colleges of Business and Engineering and the School of Nursing.

Students registered in accelerated online programs will not be eligible and will forfeit their scholarship.

*High school GPA will be accepted on 5.0 collegiate scale
**Class rank requirements will not apply to homeschool students or high schools that do not rank students.

Students registered in accelerated online programs will not be eligible and will forfeit their scholarship.

*High school GPA will be re-calculated on 4.0 collegiate scale
**Class rank requirements will not apply to homeschool students or high schools that do not rank students.

Dr. Alan Coleman received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Julie Coleman received
her Bachelor of General Studies in Liberal Arts from Lamar University in 1980. Two of
their sons and their wives are also Lamar University graduates.
Alan provided the following statement related to their gift to Lamar:
My career was shaped by my professors at Lamar. They always
demanded excellence and were concerned about my performance and
future. While attending Lamar, I was involved with many school organizations. I
believe that these opportunities helped develop my personal skills, which Jed to
leadership roles with community non-profits, city government and national health
programming.
Julie's degree led to a teaching career later in life. Julie's education gave
her the confidence to lead young people toward achieving academic excellence
and reaching higher personal goals.
Julie and I have witnessed the struggle that many young people have,
when they are working and taking college classes to better themselves and their
families. We hope that by providing this scholarship that that we can help
dreams come true.

Dr. David R. Kincaid was a 1965 Cum Laude graduate of Lamar State College of Technology earning his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.  His academic accomplishments continued at the University of Texas at Austin where he earned an MA in 1967 and PhD in 1971.  He was a well-respected educator, prolific author, and distinguished researcher dedicating his life to pursuing knowledge and disseminating wisdom through this work.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Kincaid was a well-respected educator, prolific author, and distinguished researcher. He was a professor at several esteemed institutions, including Purdue University, The University of Texas at Austin and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.  His computer science and math academic legacy includes 68 publications, and a remarkable citation count, exceeding 11,000, attesting to the impact and relevance of his research.  Beyond the classroom, David authored 13 college textbooks, published in multiple languages.

 Dr. Kincaid’s work extended into the pioneering field of space exploration. His research was applied to various NASA projects.  His algorithms became integral to space projects involving data analysis that required robust numerical methods

 Dr. Kincaid was an avid traveler, having visited all 50 states and over 100 counties to attend mathematics conferences and deliver lectures, sharing his insight and engaging with the international academic community.

John C. Price, MD '66 graduated from Lamar State College of Technology with a Bachelor of
Science in Biology. He went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine from The University of Texas
Medical Branch at Galveston.
Born in Beaumont, Texas, he was the son of Biffel Price and his wife, Marie Nolan. He was an
Eagle Scout and worked summers as a pipeline welder's helper to save for college. "He was a
gentle, sweet, soft-spoken man who was kind and giving," said his wife, Jo Ogborn. "He loved
his patients dearly." Dr. Price worked as an intern at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas, and
was a resident at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He also trained under Dr. John Conley at
Columbia-Presbyterian University Hospital in New York City. He was stationed during the
Vietnam War at an Army hospital on Okinawa, where he also worked with military scuba divers
and was a flight surgeon. While at Camp Kui in Okinawa, he became interested in head and
neck surgery. He went on to become Chief of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery and Facial
Reconstruction at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio.
John was a mentor and teacher to many residents and fellows. Sharing his knowledge was very
important to him. He was voted best surgeon Otolaryngology Head and Neck for several years.
He had patients who came to him from all over the world.
After he retired, he continued to work with wounded warriors at Walter Reed. He was a very
kind and caring man. His wife listened many times while he would speak on the phone to a
warrior who had medical questions. He could explain things so clearly and in layman's terms. So
friendly, always. Never rushed. Even in death, John continued to give with organ/tissue donation
and CME surgical training.
John was the fourth brother to graduate from Lamar. Dr. Lynn Price MD, Jack Price JD,
Dr. Charles Price DDS and John.

Dr. Aung was a professor in the College of Engineering who had taught mechanical engineering from 2001 to 2020 and served as interim department chair in 2020. He was a gifted teacher, exceptional mentor always enthusiastic about his work with students and his research and an acclaimed academic who devoted himself to his discipline.

At the undergraduate level, Aung taught dynamics, engineering thermodynamics I, engineering thermodynamics II, fluid mechanics, measurements lab, seminar, thermal systems design, integrated systems design and senior design project. He also taught graduate classes including advanced engineering analysis and optimization of thermal systems. He taught a variety of elective courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Aung, a mechanical engineering graduate from Rangoon Institute of Technology in Burma, earned his master’s degree in energy technology from Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and his doctorate in aerospace from the University of Michigan. Aung was a post-doctoral fellow at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia from 1996 to 1998. In January 1999, he joined the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southern California as a research assistant professor. In 2001, he joined Lamar University as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

While at Lamar University, Aung mentored more than 50 senior Capstone design teams, and several of those teams won prizes and scholarships in regional and national design competitions such as SAE Baja and Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge. Aung also received six senior design project grants from American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers. He served as faculty mentor to two McNair Scholars and he sponsored a paper published by a group of undergraduate students, “A Parametric Study of a 4-Stroke Motorcycle Exhaust System,” 2004 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and RD&D Exposition, Anaheim, CA in November 2004.

The beloved teacher and colleague received the Presidential Faculty Fellow for Innovation in Teaching Activity award in 2014 and 2015 and the Distinguished Faculty Fellow for Teaching award twice, 2015-2018 and 2018-2021. He received the Presidential Fellowship in Research in 2014 and the Tim Kendall Memorial Prize from the Asian Institute of Technology in 1991.

Aung was the recipient of the 2019 University Professor Award. This is the most prestigious award for a faculty member at Lamar. Details available at the link (https://www.lamar.edu/news-and-events/news/2019/04/2019-university-professor-award-kendrick-aung.html).
Aung was the faculty advisor for Lamar University’s Sigma Xi section of Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Society, the LU American Society of Mechanical Engineers student chapter, the LU Society of Automotive Engineers student section and the LU American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers student section.

Aung was well-known in the field of mechanical engineering. His research on renewable energy and energy systems, hydrogen flames and combustion and alternative fuels was widely published and presented at engineering conferences.

Dr. Aung passed away on January 13, 2021, as he was preparing for starting a new semester.
 

Dr. Richard C. Harrel came to Lamar University in 1966 from Oklahoma with PhD in hand. Years before the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Clean Air Act (CAA) began providing direction in cleaning up the local waterways and air. High on his list of environmental concerns was the Neches River, including associated bayous, creeks, and oxbow lakes feeding into Sabine Lake contaminated with industrial and municipal waste.

Through courses he taught in limnology, ecology, zoology, aquatic entomology, and ecology of polluted waters quickly attracted the attention of many undergraduates encouraging them to continue their studies to advance degrees and professional careers in city, county, state, and federal governmental agencies and industry.

As principal advisor, his graduate students produced 37 Master of Science (MS) degrees in Biology. Many of those theses led to publications (26) in peer-reviewed there were other special publications and presentations. The area with the largest theses was the Neches River (9), and the Big Thicket (7). His students produced theses involving not only riverine environments but also included studies on coastal and nearshore Gulf

subjects. Perhaps one of the most interesting subjects among the studies included two involving the freshwater clam Rangia cuneata which were used in studies of toxins found in local waters of the Neches River, Taylor Bayou, and Fence Lake.

For those interested in a full thesis list do an online search of the John Gray Library holdings (https://graycat.lamar.edu/uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/x/0/0/57/5, Use the Keyword: Harrel) where each thesis is available for reading. On your next visit to the John Gray take some time and read one.

There is one more area where Dr. Harrel had impacts on many other MS theses, for he was often asked by graduate students to serve as one of their advisors for their master’s degree projects, along with their chosen principal advisor. A count surely as large or larger than the 37 MS degrees as principal.

As if the clock contained more than 24 hours, for when Dr. Ewin A. Eads (Chemistry) retired in 1985, his Director of the Environmental Science Program in time moved to the hands of Dr. Harrel where he guided more students through to their degree goals.

Dr. Harrel’s activities beyond the classroom were equally effective in bringing about change in the area’s water and air quality through local environmental group activities (CASE, Sabine Lake Foundation, Golden Triangle Sierra Club Group), especially Clean Air and Water Inc. (Southeast Texas Clean Air and Water Inc.) as a founding member, eventually becoming the group’s President. He worked with area industry, governmental entities, served on citizen advisory panels all to reduce environmental impacts to air and water.

Over the years, Dr. Harrel received numerous awards and recognitions. The following begins a listing, surely the first, a certificate from the Lamar’s Regents, the Regents' Merit Award, for distinguished teaching, awarded at the beginning of the academic year 1973-1974. In April 1986, a plaque was awarded from Lamar University’s College of Arts and Sciences for recognition of Dr. Harrel’s excellence in research. The Sigma Xi Lamar University Chapter in 1998 awarded a plaque for being an Outstanding Scientist in recognition of innovative research in biology. In the academic year of 2000-2001, Dr. Harrel was awarded a plaque the University Scholar Award by Lamar University in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding scholarly and creative achievements. The first of Lamar’s awards towards the “Triple Crown.” On October 20, 2003, he was selected as the presenter for the 17th Annual Lamar University Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series, his topic, Environmental History of the Lower Neches River from

Clean to Polluted to Recovering. The second of Lamar’s awards towards the “Triple Crown.” On April 14, 2004, Lamar University was awarded the University Professorship for Life Medal for distinguished teaching, Lamar’s most prestigious academic honor. On receiving this award, he joined an elite group of Lamar faculty members to earn the “Triple Crown,” the University’s three top faculty honors (Cardinal Cadence, June-August 2004, pp 8-9). On October 10, 2009, at the Annual Big Thicket Day celebration, Dr. Harrel received a plaque from the Big Thicket Association representing the Maxine Johnston Distinguished Service Award for 2009 for his work at Lamar University and with Clean Air and Water, Inc (Figs. 1 and 2). Along with this award, on Friday, November 6, 2009, US House Representative Honorable Ted Poe introduced into the US Congressional Record, Proceedings and Debates of the 111th Congress, 1st Session, a letter Recognizing Professor Richard Harrel of Lamar University. US Rep Ted Poe’s letter states the following:

“Madam Speaker [US Rep. Nancy Patricia Pelosi], I would like to recognize Professor Richard Harrel of Lamar University. Professor Harrel is the recent recipient of the Maxine Johnston Distinguished Service Award. The biology professor received this award for more than four decades of research, field studies, and publications that benefited the Big Thicket region. Harrel is also one of the founding members of Clean Air and Water Inc., a Beaumont-based environmental organization.

For all of his hard work, Harrel was rightfully awarded the 35th anniversary of the Big Thicket National Preserve in October. The Second District of Texas commends Professor Harrel for his dedication to improving and preserving this dense wilderness area.”

In a ceremony at the John Gray Library on November 8, 2013, Dr. Harrel, received, by Resolution, the title Distinguish Regents Professor Emeritus of Biology (Figs. 3 and 4). Just 3-days after a retirement ceremony held at the Dishman Art Gallery. COVID interfered with conducting the 44 Annual Election Meeting for Southeast Texas Clean Air and Water, Inc. on March 23, 2020, so the plaque to be presented to Dr. Harrel was presented over a year later on June 28, 2021, awarded in recognition of invaluable service, direction, and leadership over the decades of working for cleaner air and water for southeast Texas (Fig. 5). Harrel’s honors also include recognition from Beta Beta Beta as Teacher of the Year Award (Cardinal Cadence, June-August 2004, p 9). Texas Academy of Sciences (TAS) received at least two nominations and elected Dr. Harrel as a TAS Science Fellow recognizing his impacts on Science and the Academy (Cardinal Cadence, June-August 2004, p 9). A Legacy truly representative of academic learning, research, and leadership for those following in the future.

• Must submit a scholarship application at LSCPA
• Must be an incoming freshman at one of the four Lamar Institutions
• Must be a Port Neches - Groves Graduate or a Griffin Park area resident in Port Arthur ISD
• Must submit a FAFSA application, or show financial need
• Complete a personal statement
• Provide a letter of recommendation from a high school counselor, principal, or superintendent

• The candidate must be a student at, or be accepted for admission to and enroll in, a TSUS component institution.
• The student must be enrolled in a course of study which results in an academic degree.
• The candidate must have satisfactorily completed twelve (12) hours of course work at an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5.  If accomplished at a non-TSUS institution, it must be transferrable to the TSUS component institution.
• If the candidate is a freshman, he or she must have achieved a score of at least a 29 on the ACT, 1330 on the SAT, and all test scores must be provided.  
• The candidate must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of the state of Texas.
• The candidate must not have received the scholarship previously.  
• The candidate must submit an essay (no longer than 800 words) stating the candidate's interest in public or community service.
  • The candidate's academic and personal achievements, and goals for the future.
  • The candidate's interest in public or community service.
  • How the scholarship will contribute to the candidate's education. 

Elmer T. and Maida Lee Robertson were what we affectionately call today members of the greatest generation! Both were from Texas; he the son of ranchers and she raised by her postmaster grandfather and her grandmother in a small Texas town.

Elmer joined the Army Air Corp right after Pearl Harbor. Having never left Texas, he found himself on a ship headed to Pearl Harbor and later to the Pacific front. His squadron was later trapped on a small island cut off by Japanese forces. They survived for months living off the land and avoiding the enemy. For his efforts, he was awarded the Silver Star and other decorations. Upon his return, he entered the oil business as a roughneck and never looked back, becoming a successful entrepreneur in an industry he loved.

Maida was a waitress at a diner when she met Elmer a year before Pearl Harbor. After the war, she supported Elmer, went to college, and found her passions for writing, art, and the environment. She was well ahead of her time in "protecting the planet," as she referred to it.

This scholarship is the perfect match for Elmer and Maida. Elmer, having over the years hired engineers from LSU and Texas A&M, discovered Lamar University and said their graduates could "hit the ground running." Maida, for her part, would be ecstatic to know there was a master’s degree offered in Environmental Engineering. This scholarship will continue to inspire and support future generations to improve our very quality of life. They would be proud to know that they are contributing to such a worthy endeavor!

Selection Factors for Presidential/Regents-

The intent of the “Presidential/Regents Scholarship” is to provide a significant financial award to incoming freshmen who have just graduated from high school. Recipients must be persons of high moral character and considered good citizens by their high school and university administrator. Presidential/Regents scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis with a considerable emphasis placed on extracurricular activities and outstanding academic achievement based on the following criteria:

Class ranking and GPA

SAT test scores

High school transcripts

Academic awards and honors

• Petroleum Refining
• Gas Processing
• Petrochemical
• Production
• Manufacturing
• Advanced Automation
• Chemical
• Exploration
• Co-generation
• Process Controls
• Information Technology