USU grad to give $10,000 endowment
USU alumna Cecelia Harrison Foxley recently donated $10,000 to the English Endowment at USU, which will provide financial assistance for students planning on teaching high school English.
Foxley, professor in the educational psychology department at the University of Utah, will continue to add to money to the endowment over the next five years, until the total amount reaches $100,000. The English department will hold the money until $25,000 has accumulated, and then the department will use the interest for student scholarships, said Linda Morse, external relations director for the English department.
The Comprehensive Fundraising Campaign USU President Stan Albrecht announced in 2006 has a goal to raise $200 million by 2010 with at least 100 new endowments for student scholarships. And with this donation, Ross Peterson, vice president of advancement at USU, said the English department is definitely contributing to the success of the university in reaching its goal.
“The purpose of endowments is to create better opportunities for students and help improve Utah State overall,” Peterson said. Foxley said she was encouraged by the professors in the English department at USU to develop the leadership and organizational skills which have benefited her throughout her career in higher education. “Establishing this scholarship is just one small way of expressing my appreciation to my undergrad alma mater for the wonderful opportunity it provided me as I began my own college experience,” she said. Foxley graduated from USU in English education and went on to obtain a master’s degree and a doctorate from the University of Utah. She served as commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education and chief executive officer of the State Board of Regents for 10 years. Foxley has been a faculty member at USU, the University of Minnesota and the University of Iowa. Morse said Foxley is an outstanding alumna and the English department is very proud of her higher education accomplishments. Morse also said Foxley has pledged to provide the endowment completely on her own, which makes the donation even more significant to USU.
“We are very excited and grateful for this gift. It is important that alumni give back to the university,” Morse said.
The English department is one of the largest departments on campus, and within the department, more students focus on teaching than any of the other tracts, so the need for funding is certainly there, Morse said.
Foxley said training good high school English teachers is crucial in helping students become proficient at the English language as they prepare for college.
Peterson said the purpose of all the endowments is to bring more students to USU, help the students stay out of debt while receiving an education and gain loyalty for the university with a willingness to give back after they graduate.
“This endowment is an important step in the future of English education and the progression of the university as a whole,” Peterson said.