Ron and Mary Neal Give $500,000 to LSU College of Basic Sciences

November 7, 2008 —LSU and the Forever LSU campaign have announced a gift of $500,000 to the LSU College of Basic Sciences from Ron and Dr. Mary T. Neal of Houston. The gift will provide support to the Department of Biological Sciences and the College of Basic Sciences, and is the largest single donation in the department’s history.

The Neal gift provides for multiple initiatives within the Department of Biological Sciences, which benefit both faculty and students. This gift will establish two professorships within the department to promote instruction, research and graduate education. The gift will also provide funds for the Science Honors Scholars Program through which top undergraduate students from Louisiana are recruited to LSU. Finally, the Neal gift provides for $30,000 in unrestricted funds for the Department of Biological Sciences and the College of Basic Sciences. The donation will be complemented by an anticipated $280,000 match from the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund. Once matched, this gift will create a total impact of $780,000 for LSU academics.

“Ron and Mary Neal are extraordinary individuals and we are deeply honored by their decision to make this significant investment in our Biological Sciences program. My hope is that their exceptional generosity will encourage others to follow suit,” said Kevin R. Carman, dean of the LSU College of Basic Sciences.

Ron Neal earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology in 1974 and a master’s degree in geology in 1977. He has held positions with Amoco Production Company and Davis Petroleum from 1977-1988. In 1988, he co-founded Houston Energy L.P. with partner and LSU alumnus, Billy Harrison. Houston Energy is an exploration company which specializes in searching for oil and gas along the Louisiana and Texas shorelines, in the federally controlled waters of the Gulf of Mexico and in West Texas. In 2007, the company created the Houston Energy Distinguished Professorship in the Department of Geology & Geophysics.

Dr. Mary T. Neal received her bachelor’s degree in zoology in 1975 and her medical degree from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in 1979. She completed both her internship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals. She has been a practicing physician with Obstetrical and Gynecology Associates in the Houston area for more than 17 years, and holds appointments at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas and the Harris County Hospital District. In 2007, she was named one of the “Top Docs” by Texas Monthly magazine.

“Mary and I are pleased to have been able to repay some part of our debt for the opportunities created by our education at LSU,” said Ron Neal. “We feel it is our responsibility to help ensure that future generations of Louisiana’s youth will have similar opportunities at LSU. We believe education is the best hope for a better life.

The Neals are longtime supporters of LSU. In 2002, Ron and Dr. Mary Neal created the Ernest & Alice Neal Professorship in Geology & Geophysics, in honor of Ron’s parents. The Neals have also given generously to initiatives within Geology & Geophysics, including support for the Geology Field Camp campaign. The Neals are charter members of the College of Basic Sciences Dean’s Circle, members of the LSU Foundation since 2000, and members of the LSU Alumni Association since 1988.

Jackie Stephens was recently selected to be the first recipient of the Ron and Mary Neal Distinguished Professorship, one of the professorships established by this gift to the LSU College of Basic Sciences. Stephens is a professor in Biological Sciences specializing in diabetes research. She was recently recognized by the university as an “LSU Rainmaker,” a title honoring LSU’s 100 most outstanding research and creative faculty members.

Support for the LSU faculty and students, such as that provided by Ron and Dr. Mary Neal, is critical to the future of LSU, and contributes to the goals of the Forever LSU campaign. Forever LSU is an historic fundraising effort which will generate more than $750 million in support for LSU by the end of the year 2010, and help LSU maintain its Tier 1 status among American universities. To learn more about the goals of Forever LSU and how to join the campaign for LSU’s future, visit www.foreverlsu.org.

Scott M. Madere is the director of public relations for the LSU Foundation. For more information on this story, the College of Basic Sciences, or the Forever LSU campaign, contact Madere at smadere@lsufoundation.org or 225-578-3826.