Endowment Challenge Successful… and 13 new students will receive scholarships in Fall 2013

As you will recall, in mid-December Foundation donor James Foreman challenged other Lone Star College friends to create and fully-fund endowments for Lone Star College-University Park by December 31. He committed to match the first five fully-funded endowments.

The response from our Foundation Board and our donors was overwhelming and we were able to solicit eight (8) new endowments plus the five (5) matching endowments.

Foundation Board members, Fred and Susan Caldwell of Caldwell Companies and David Feldman were the first donors to commit. They were quickly followed by two coalitions of donors: one from the Office of Technology Services employees and their business associates including EMC, Presidio, NWN, Troxell and Service Now and the second from architects and construction companies including HOK, Tellespen, OC+A, Morris Architects and JE Dunn. Massey Villarreal of Precision Task Group, Lee Robison and Ben Dillon of Noble Energy, Judy Peplinski in honor of her mother Mary Anne Grasso and Bob and Darcy Mingoia rounded out the group of eight (8) very special donors! Almost $200,000 was collected to assist in creating thirteen (13) new endowments for LSC-University Park. Prior to the challenge, our newest campus only had four (4) endowments. The impact will make a critical difference in the number of students who will be assisted in perpetuity beginning in Fall 2013. If you would like additional information about our endowment program and the difference it makes in the lives of our students, please contact Darcy Mingoia at 832.813.6636.

Golf with Clyde Drexler

Sandy Tate Stokes, former LSC-North Harris math instructor, poses with basketball great Clyde Drexler and the team that enjoyed a round of golf at Carlton Woods in December. Sandy was the highest bidder for the “Golf with Clyde Drexler” package at StarGala 2012. Attend this year’s StarGala on April 27 for opporunities to bid on this type of unique auction experience!

Tax planning benefits as a result of the recent “fiscal cliff” legislation

Since Congress and the President did not extend the ability to make charitable tax-free gifts from IRAs until January 3, 2013, the law now includes special opportunities for 2012 tax planning:

  • If you made a charitable gift in 2012 through a direct transfer from an IRA, your gift will be treated as a tax-free rollover charitable gift for 2012.
  • If you received a distribution from an IRA in December 2012, you may make a cash contribution to charity before February 1, 2013, and you may elect to treat it as a 2012 tax-free charitable rollover gift from your IRA.
  • During the month of January 2013, you may make a charitable tax-free rollover gift from your IRA and elect to treat it as a 2012 charitable tax-free rollover gift.

The donor must be at least 70.5 years old and the maximum amount is $100,000.

2013 StarGala

Saturday, April 27, 2013
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott

Thanks to the commitment of StarGala Chairs Ian and Linn Powell and the generosity of Ian’s employer PBK, Inc., StarGala 2013, is shaping up to be our most successful ever. This year’s gala, The Way We Were, reflects back on the pop culture and sports champions of 1973. Our first students began attending classes in the fall of that year. Pop art, disco fever and even attendees dressed in their vintage clothing will all be a part of the evening’s festivities.

Sponsors to date are: Sting Sponsor ($50,000) is PBK. The Godfather Sponsor ($25,000) is The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. Mash Sponsors ($16,000) are Caldwell Companies, Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center, The Feldman Family, Bob and Darcy Mingoia, Noble Energy and Precision Task Group. The Waltons Sponsor ($10,000) is Canteen. The Crocodile Rock Sponsor ($5,000) is Morris Architects. The Champions ($3,000) Sponsor is Follett Higher Education Group. The Tie A Yellow Ribbon ($2,500) Sponsors are Amegy Bank and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands.

More information on available tables and sponsorships is available from Judy Lux at 832.813.6640 or by email at [email protected].

If you would like to be a part of the planning of this event, the next committee meeting is Wednesday, January 23, at 4 pm, at Kirby’s in The Woodlands. All are welcome to attend!

Visit the LoneStar College Foundation’s website to learn more.