The Louisiana Heritage Society grew by 16 Thursday as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette inducted new members during its fourth induction ceremony.
The Society was created to honor and recognize alumni and friends of UL Lafayette who have established a planned gift with a value of $10,000 or more in support of the university.
“ The planned gift can be a bequest by will or trust, a charitable gift annuity, a charitable remainder trust of $10,000 or more for the future support of UL Lafayette,” said William Friedman, a Lafayette tax and estate planning attorney who is chairman of the University’s Professional Advisors Committee.
The organization inducted its’ first members following the creation of the university’s Investing in Our Future Campaign, which raised gifted assets to more than $75 million. The funds are used largely to create additional endowed chairs, endowed professorships and scholarships which are used to attract top professors and students.
Planned gifts that entitle donors to membership in the Louisiana Heritage Society include charitable bequests in a will or trust, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, charitable lead trusts, gifts of remainder interest in a home or farm, and gifts of life insurance.
Many top students are selecting UL Lafayette because the university can offer large scholarships, in part, due to donations from supporters like those in the Louisiana Heritage Society, said UL Lafayette President Dr. Ray Authement.
“ Last fall we had a record number of high school valedictorians from Acadiana and the across the state enroll here,” said Authement. “Scholarships from donations like these planned gifts helped attract these students. I thank you for making that possible.”
Those members inducted during ceremonies Thursday include: Charles Hereford and Jennifer Hereford, Jack Herron and Yvonne Herron, Jesse Jewell and Irma Jewell, Matthew Kebodeaux, Mabel Patterson Leito, Adam Lemoine, E.P. “Pat” Nalley and Ethel Nalley, Lewis Picard and Maude Picard, Mark Smith Jr. and Huey Stevens and Dorothy Stevens.