FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Local philanthropist Larry Lee’s desire to help ensure a bright future for Fort Wayne and its higher education students led to a planned endowment donation commitment of more than $6 million to the University of Saint Francis, the largest planned gift in university history.
Lee seeks to make higher education accessible—and the experience fulfilling—for students who often face barriers to their education dreams. His gift will help students by making education more accessible through endowed scholarships, supporting the social justice center director’s position and enhancing student success through faculty development for teaching excellence.
“The University of Saint Francis has long served as a cherished, valued asset to the Fort Wayne community,” Lee said. “To express my support and appreciation, I am endowing several initiatives that are consistent with my lifelong advocacy for social justice. To recognize Saint Francis’ past role and to assure its future role as a preeminent moral compass and conscience for the entire community, I am endowing the director position for the St. Benedict the Moor Social Justice Center. The current extraordinary director, Francisco Townsend, inspired me to name this endowed position in his honor.”
Lee also expressed his desire to open further pathways for students who are academically driven but financially challenged.
“My endowing 40 student scholarships provides a Saint Francis education for bright, motivated inner city Fort Wayne high school graduates each year,” he said. “For such students, financing an education at a private school like Saint Francis poses an impossible barrier. It is a blessing to name this endowment in honor of community leaders Ian Boyce, Kathy Callen, Don Schenkel and Jeff Leffers, who have made significant lifetime contributions to Saint Francis and Fort Wayne.”
Lee’s gift will also endow an annual faculty award he spearheaded, formerly known as the Leepoxy Faculty Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. “This will assure a tradition I established in 2009 continues ad infinitum,” he said.
Saint Francis leaders expressed their appreciation for Lee’s generosity and longtime support.
“Larry has been a champion of supporting students in and out of the classroom at Saint Francis,” Vice President for Institutional Advancement Reba Copeland said. “His gifts have supported faculty development, contributing to our faculty scholarship in the undergraduate classroom. You can find him discussing social advocacy in our St. Benedict the Moor Social Justice Center with students from around the world or serving on panels across campus sharing his perspective on a variety of topics, from Martin Luther King Jr. to the importance of service to our community. Larry has had an incredible impact on our campus and will continue to do so through his legacy.”
Lee’s gift of $6,060,000 will impact the university in many ways, including:
The Lawrence Lee Faculty Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence
Established in 2009 as the Leepoxy Faculty Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence, the award is given in recognition of outstanding performance in the classroom by an undergraduate teaching faculty who demonstrates, in the eyes of both students and their faculty peers, their prowess in fulfilling the primary mission of the university.
Francisco Townsend Social Justice Center Director Position Endowment
Established in honor of Francisco Townsend, the current director of the university’s St. Benedict the Moor Social Justice Center, in honor of his humility, humanitarianism and authenticity.
Endowed Scholarships
The remaining four endowments are all scholarships that focus on providing educational access to students in zip codes of greatest financial need (46806, 46803 and 46816) in Fort Wayne. These scholarships can support tuition and fees, books, or room and board. These scholarships, renewable for up to four years, are financial and merit based:
- Ian D. Boyce Family Scholarship for Educational Access. Named in honor of the former Saint Francis Board of Trustees member for his leadership contributions.
- Kathy Doermer Callen Endowed Scholarship. Named in honor of the current Saint Francis Board of Trustee for her leadership contributions.
- Don Schenkel Endowed Scholarship. Honors Schenkel’s time of service at the university in many capacities, including as vice president for institutional advancement.
- Jeffrey Leffers-Matsumoto Scholarship. Honors alumnus Jeffrey Leffers for his continued support of Saint Francis students and honors his mother, Kazuko Matsumoto.
“Larry Lee’s legacy will live on for generations of students who will thrive without financial barriers, increasing their access to higher education,” Saint Francis President Dr. Lance Richey said. “We offer our heartfelt appreciation to Larry for this extraordinary gift.”
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The academic structure at Saint Francis offers seven pathways: Humanities, Faith and Liberal Arts; Allied Health; Business and Leadership; Creative Arts and Digital Media; Education, Human Services and Community Care; Nursing; and Sciences and Medical Studies. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis delivers workforce development healthcare programs in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Gas City, Indianapolis, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Five-Star Champion of Character institution, Saint Francis has 21 athletic programs boasting three individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.