$250,000 has been donated by the Allen and Jeanette Guillory Thomason Foundation to establish an endowment scholarship for Nicholls State University education and nursing students.
This week, the institution released a news release announcing the scholarship and stating that it will be of great assistance to its students.
The scholarship recipients had to be enrolled full-time as sophomores, juniors, or seniors at Nicholls. They need to demonstrate financial need and have a minimum GPA of 2.0. The scholarship is given in memory of Allen Thomason, sometimes known as Herbert Allen Thomason.
Allen’s widow, Jeanette Guillory Thomason, stated that she intends to assist youngsters realize their aspirations in addition to honoring her late husband with the award.
“This scholarship has profound meaning to me since neither my late husband nor myself were able to attend college when we were younger,” she said. “I hope that by establishing these scholarships, I am able to honor my late husband and the life and many businesses we built together over the course of our lives. I am a firm believer in education and trying to better oneself. Hopefully, this scholarship can make an outstanding impact in society by creating future leaders in our communities.”
The award was named after an entrepreneur who had a career spanning multiple industries.
In 1951, he served in the U.S. Army and completed a combat tour in Korea during the Korean Conflict. After returning home, he began working in Central Texas’ construction industry and eventually launched his own company.
Over the course of the following 60 years, Allen established and ran dozens of companies in a variety of industries, including land development, heavy and highway construction, residential real estate development, women’s clothing and apparel, engineering firms, construction materials, auto dealerships, heavy equipment auctions, farming, crop dusting and spraying, and real estate investment.
In addition, he was one of the original partners in DSLD Homes, where he continued to be involved until his death in 2016.
The businessman has a passion for animals. Among his numerous pets was an African lion named Sam, which he and his family raised in his home. Sam finally became Southeastern Louisiana University’s mascot. Allen also owned a tiger, a wolf, a number of deer, foxes, squirrels, cats, and dogs in addition to an Indian Stump Tailed Baboon.
According to the family, education students may get up to four $3,000 scholarships annually, with $1,500 going to students for the fall and spring semesters. Majors in education and nursing will each receive two scholarships.
Furthermore, $500 will be allocated to the Allen and Jeanette Guillory Thomason Foundation Student Education/Nursing Travel Account to assist students with travel costs associated with their internships and/or student teaching at local hospitals or schools.
The award could increase as the endowment grows. To apply, visit www.nicholls.edu/financial-aid/scholarships.
