NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University President Dr. Jim Henderson announced a $100,000 gift made to the NSU Foundation by General Erbon Wise and his wife Marie Wise, both 1941 graduates of the school.
In 1990, the Wises established the Erbon and Marie Wise Education Trust that grants each year multiple scholarships to area students interested in newspaper and media-related fields. Working through high schools, the trust in the past 15 years has recognized and aided many deserving students.
The Wises are now transferring the assets of the trust to the university’s Foundation who they feel can more ably administer the goals of the trust in the future.
Erbon Wise is a retired Major General of the U.S. Army who enjoyed a long journalism career in Louisiana. He holds a B.S. degree from Northwestern, a master’s degree from the Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and a honorary doctorate of human letters from Northwestern.
Marie Wise is recognized as an expert in genealogy. For many years she wrote a weekly genealogy column that appeared in many Louisiana newspapers.
In 2002, the Wises made a financial gift to the university that produced the first $1 million gift to the school. They later gifted the university ROTC building program.
Student media leaders say the donation will help the newly reorganized Department of New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts take off.
“Media students are now expected to be jacks of all trades - artists, storytellers, techies - and this revamped journalism program is the university's insightful response to the change in job market expectations,” said Emily Fontenot of Lake Charles, 2015-16 editor of NSU’s student newspaper, The Current Sauce. “General Wise's donation made this possible because the additional equipment and training we need is highly expensive. I'm so excited to experience the tip of the iceberg this next semester of all the new improvements that are coming. Without this substantial funding we'd still just be dreaming about it.”
“Student Media as a whole greatly appreciates General Wise and the obvious passion he has for the department,” said Jessie Gabor of Leesville, editor of Potpourri, NSU’s yearbook. “The money donated is crucial for the program to start off strong and hopefully get stronger with time. The Potpourri is excited for what is to come in the new department and thankful for donors like General Wise."