CLTCC names school’s library after Alexandria Business Foundation

ALEXANDRIA, La. - Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 21, 2023, to formally commemorate the newly named Alexandria Business Foundation Library in the Downtown Alexandria campus building at 516 Murray Street.

Last August, the Alexandria Business Foundation awarded CLTCC $300,000 as part of the organization’s final local donations. During a span of roughly 20 years, the Alexandria Business Foundation awarded approximately $2.2 million in local grants and awards.

Foundation President Stephen Wright said, “We made a decision that now was the time to make a significant investment in Central Louisiana. What’s most important about that funding is the students it helps. We are enthusiastic at the opportunity of what this $600,000 of endowed scholarships will deliver for Central Louisiana.”

When the award was announced, CLTCC Chancellor Dr. Jimmy Sawtelle said the Alexandria Business Foundation investment would be used to apply for matching funds from the Louisiana Board of Regents. These initiatives would seek to create endowed student scholarships and CLTCC’s first-ever Endowed Professorship for Business. The Louisiana Board of Regents holds a competitive grant process for higher education endowments. Wright announced that the first $250,000 of Alexandria Business Foundation funds was approved to be matched by the Board of Regents with an additional $250,000. These funds will be awarded for scholarships beginning this Fall 2023 semester. The college and Alexandria Business Foundation await determination on an additional $100,000 for the college’s first-ever endowed professorship.

“This donation from the Alexandria Business Foundation allowed us to create for the first time ever, endowed scholarships of this magnitude and hopefully establish an endowed professorship. This is a significant step forward for CLTCC that would not have been possible without their visionary generosity,” Sawtelle said.

“CLTCC is just one of many local organizations that benefited from the philanthropic work of the Alexandria Business Foundation,” said Dr. Heather Poole, Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Student Services. “The organization truly created a lasting legacy in our community, and we are proud to be able to help recognize that tremendous contribution.”

“The Alexandria Business Foundation scholarships will have an immeasurable impact on our business students. A comprehensive support system and other resources can aid students in fulfilling their aspiration of a college education,” said Leigh Ann Purvis, CLTCC Business Office Administration Instructor. “These scholarships will help our business students achieve their dreams more readily and prepare them for a more secure financial future. Thank you to the Alexandria Business Foundation for their generous gift.”

The new name was unanimously approved by the Louisiana Community & Technical College Board of Supervisors in March of this year. Members of the Alexandria Business Foundation are as follows: Frank Brame, Edwin Caplan, Carl Rand Carstens, Jason Cobb, Tom Hardin, Wayne Miller, Randall Seeser, the late Harry Silver and Stephen Wright.

For information about enrollment at CLTCC, visit www.CLTCC.edu/apply. For more information, contact the school via email at info@cltcc.edu or call 800-278-9855.