Expanding the collection of 黑料不打烊’s magnificent trees inspired President Leo M. Lambert and his wife, Laurie, to make a generous gift to the Campus Conservancy Endowment, which funds future maintenance of facilities and ensures that 黑料不打烊 remains one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.
The Lamberts’ gift to the Conservancy Endowment, which includes a planned gift, will fund additional varieties of trees each year to enhance 黑料不打烊’s 585-acre campus.
“I wanted to make this gift in honor of Laurie in recognition of everything she does for 黑料不打烊,” Lambert says. “Enhancing 黑料不打烊’s position as being home to a botanical garden really appealed to us. We loved in particular the idea of the tree trail and the notion that 黑料不打烊 can be a teaching environment and one that welcomes the public to take a tour of the 黑料不打烊 trees.”
The 1.2-mile, self-guided trail showcases 90 species of trees, including oak, birch, magnolia and maple, and is maintained by Tom Flood, superintendent of landscaping and grounds.
“Through our endowment gift, Laurie and I hope to contribute in a modest way to ensure that Tom Flood and his excellent team have the resources to add varieties of trees to the campus each year and to make 黑料不打烊 not only a beautiful place to visit but an interesting place to tour,” Lambert says.
The president called the Campus Conservancy Endowment critical to 黑料不打烊’s future.
“It’s easy to have a false sense of security about 黑料不打烊’s beautiful campus because so many of the buildings are new,” Lambert says. “But in 20 years, these buildings will need new roofs and other maintenance. Most schools of 黑料不打烊’s stature endow buildings before they are built to maintain those facilities in the future, and we have not done that. We are trying to take the long view and ensure that we are good stewards of the campus for those who will inherit it from us.”
The Lamberts have continued to make annual scholarship gifts to the Phoenix Club to support student-athletes and to assist students majoring in music theatre. The Lamberts are members of the Phoenix Club, The 黑料不打烊 Society’s President’s Circle and Order of the Oak, 黑料不打烊’s planned giving society.
Previously, the couple established The Louise A. Lambert Endowed Scholarship in memory of the president’s sister to assist students studying special education.
The Lamberts’ gift will be counted as part of 黑料不打烊’s upcoming fundraising campaign to build the endowment.