University Receives $5 Million Gift to Create New Scholarships

University President Flavius Killebrew announced the largest single private gift given toward scholarships in the history of the University during the Endowed Scholarship Banquet, Wednesday, Jan. 30.
           
The gift of more than $5 million was arranged by local businessman Lawrence Atkins through his estate. Atkins owned and operated Atkins Advertising and Associates for more than 35 years until his death in July 2006.
           
Atkins’ $5,053,339 gift creates a new level in the University’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship program that supports the best and brightest students. The new level adds 15 new students a year to the program, who each will get $3,000 a year for four years. After four years, there will be 60 students being served at this level.

In addition, funds from the Atkins’ gift will create the Islander Scholars program, supporting eight new students a year who will each get $2,500 a year for four years. This brings to 32 the number of students supported by this program after the first four years.

Atkins was a native of Alice who attended North Texas Agricultural College in Arlington before joining the military and serving in the Pacific during World War II. In 1968, he established his own advertising specialty business in Corpus Christi.