NEWS

A $250,000 gift to Louisiana Tech University will honor the memory of two Tech alumni and provide scholarships for students in the College of Business.

The gift from the estate of James H. Blanchard, Jr. establishes the Audrey Palmer Blanchard and James H. Blanchard, Jr. Scholarship. Blanchard, who passed away in June 2009, graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and was self-employed as a petroleum land consultant.

Mr. Blanchard’s mother, Audrey, who passed away in February 2006, graduated from Tech in 1940 with a bachelor’s degree in business and served as a school teacher in Webster Parish for many years.

“This gift will be a lasting memorial to Audrey and James Blanchard and their commitment to higher education,” said James Lumpkin, dean of Louisiana Tech’s College of Business. “It will provide financial assistance to deserving Louisiana Tech University students and help them pursue their dreams.”

Written by Debbie Van De Velde