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Southeast Texas leaders continue their legacy of generous support for Â鶹ÊÓƵ. Today, Â鶹ÊÓƵ announced a significant additional contribution of $100,000 to the Southeast Texas Legends Scholarships at the

university.

The Beaumont Foundation began Southeast Texas Legends Scholarships at Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 2007 to honor Southeast Texas trailblazers. The scholarships are awarded to bright youth who need financial help to achieve their potential. There are now 16 named scholarships, each currently endowed with $100,000 and honoring a regional leader including Carl Parker. Before the additional contribution, the endowment already held a total $1.6 million.

A founder of the Southeast Texas Legends Scholarships and named legend of the program Wayne Reaud, contributed an additional $100,000 to the scholarship program in honor of Parker. Â鶹ÊÓƵ hosted a luncheon Monday, May 6 to celebrate the significant contribution, Parker and the success of students who have received the scholarships.

“These scholarships, 53 in total, have provide and represent just a portion of the significant role these men have played in the history of the university,” Â鶹ÊÓƵ President Dr. Ken Evans said.

Several friends’ of Parkers spoke at the luncheon including Marty Craig, Kip Glasscock, Jimmy Simmons and Wayne Reaud.

Parker, a generous benefactor to Â鶹ÊÓƵ has significant ties to the University.

Attorney Carl Parker served as a Democratic member in the Texas House of Representatives from 1962 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1977 to 1995. His tenure of service included time as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House and President Pro Tempore of the State Senate. During his 32- years of public service Parker sponsored or co-sponsored more than 400 bills that became law including a bill creating the Texas State University System, which Â鶹ÊÓƵ is a proud member of today. An education advocate, Parker’s legislative efforts also established Lamar State College-Port Arthur and Lamar State College-Orange and elevated Â鶹ÊÓƵ to its current university status by changing the university’s name from Lamar State College of Technology to Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 1969. The Carl Parker Building was named in honor of Parker’s supportive role while serving in the Texas legislature. Parker served his country in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserves and practiced law on local, state, national and international levels with offices in his hometown of Port Arthur and in Austin. Parker’s vision for Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s future set the university on its current path of educational distinction.   
 
“It’s apropos that a scholarship would be endowed for Carl Parker, someone who has been an advocate for education his entire career,” said Evans. “We’re grateful for his life’s work and now through this scholarship, his advocacy for education continues in a very real way – one student at a time.”