LETU Receives $5 Million Endowment

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University (LETU) has received a $5 million gift to establish an endowed scholarship fund for home-schooled students. The gift, from an anonymous donor, was announced Wednesday at the university convocation by LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. It’s believed to be the single largest endowment for home-school scholarships ever established. “The generous donor sees the critical need to endow scholarships for future generations and believes deeply in the value of the kind of quality Christian education that LeTourneau University offers,” Lunsford said.

According to LETU press materials, the endowment places LETU on the leading edge of a rising trend seen across campuses, as more students are graduating from a home-schooled environment. Officials say LETU’s mission over the past year has been to increase endowments for scholarships across the board. This $5 million gift, added to the nearly $1.5 million for other new scholarships endowed this year, brings the school to nearly $6.5 million in new endowed scholarships this year alone.

The annual award of LETU’s Home-school Scholarship Fund is set at $3,000 and is renewable over four academic years. For the 2010-2011 academic year, 15 students have been selected for the LETU Home-school Scholarship. “Students and their families who are interested in applying for these home-school scholarships can contact us at admissions@letu.edu to request information,” said Vice President for Enrollment Services Linda Fitzhugh.