A $100,000 donation to SIUC from a billionaire will fund three annual scholarships and a garden on campus, Tom Britton, vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement, said.

The gift was made by Kenneth Troutt, founder, chairman and CEO of Dallas-based Excel Communications Inc., after he visited the University in August 1997.

Britton said the gift will be applied to three separate ventures.

Advertisement

Fifty-thousand dollars will be used for the Saluki Futures campaign. The money will establish two permanent, endowed scholarships for student athletes.

Twenty-thousand dollars will fund an additional endowed scholarship for Business and Administration students.

The remaining $30,000 will be used to establish a garden area on campus. Named after Dorothy Morris, widow of long-time SIU president Delyte Morris, the gardens will feature handicap-accessible walkways and will be located at the north end of Faner Hall near the former location of Morris’ home.

Although the University received about $8 million in donations last year, SIUC officials are pleased with Troutt’s gift.

One-hundred-thousand dollars is a very substantial donation, said Britton.

Troutt, who attended SIUC on a partial football scholarship, graduated in 1970 with a bachelor’s in political science. In 1988 he founded Excel Communications Inc., the nation’s fifth largest provider of residential long-distance service.

My mother always taught me that education is the key to success. I only hope that my contribution to SIU will be used to help keep the door of opportunity open for those who need it the most, Troutt said in a press release. Clearly, my experience at SIU, in and out of the classroom, was the beginning of the journey on the road to success.

Advertisement*