Edward and Catherine Galante Pledge $1.2 Million to Establish Chair in Choral Music Education

Jeff McLain, VP of Development LSU Foundation; Harold Silverman, Interim Executive VC and Provost; Ron Ross, Dean, CMDA, Ed Galante (wife Cathie, not pictured); William Jenkins, President LSU System; and Steven Covington, Director of Development, are pictured at a program announcing a $1.2 Million pledge to the Forever LSU Campaign establishing the Galante Chair in Choral Music Education.

May 10, 2007 — Edward and Catherine Galante have pledged a contribution of $1,200,000 to establish an endowed chair in Choral Music Education for the benefit of the LSU School of Music. The Louisiana Board of Regents has agreed to $800,000 in matching funds, bringing the total value of the Galante Chair to $2,000,000.

The Galante Chair in Choral Music Education will provide specialized financial support to the LSU School of Music’s choral program. The fund may be used for salary supplements and other support of the academic activities of the chair position, including instruction and research, equipment, materials and faculty enhancement. The recipient of this chair shall be selected by the dean of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts and approved by the provost. The chair may be awarded to the recipient for a time period set by the dean.

“As former residents of Baton Rouge, parents of several LSU Tigers, and having had a long association with Ron Ross and the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, Cathie and I are pleased to significantly increase our ongoing support for LSU’s nationally recognized music programs, as part of the Forever LSU campaign,” said Ed Galante.

Ronald Ross, Dean of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts, said, “The LSU School of Music thanks the Galantes for having the vision to support a program of national standing and for their commitment to fund excellence at a university that is achieving much-needed additional recognition. This is an example of distinguished philanthropic leadership from Ed and Cathie.”

A retired executive vice president with ExxonMobil, Ed Galante served as head of ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge refinery from 1987 to 1992. The Galantes’ son Brian and daughter-in-law Kristi are graduates of the LSU School of Music.

For more information about the Galante Chair in Choral Music Education, please call or e-mail Steven Covington, director of development for the LSU School of Music and Dramatic Arts, at 225-578-9268 or scov@lsu.edu.