Donations
2021
The SOWELA Foundation received a generous $10,000 donation from the Chennault International Airshow. The donation will help fund STEM education in the form of scholarships. On hand to accept the donation for the Foundation is SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall (center) with Chennault International Airport Executive Director Kevin Melton (left), and Airshow Director Mary Jo Bayles (right).
The Cajun Navy Foundation recently donated $5,500 to the SOWELA Foundation for the Workforce Solutions Construction Program. Pictured for the donation (left to right) is SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Cajun Navy Foundation President Rob Gaudet, and SOWELA Director of Business and Industry Services Judy McCleary.
2020
Lake Charles Toyota recently presented a check to the SOWELA Foundation for $5,000 for the dealership’s Vehicle Maintenance Technology Scholarship. The scholarship provides low- to moderate-income students enrolled in the Vehicle Maintenance Technology program financial support to pursue an automotive-industry career. This donation brings Lake Charles Toyota’s contribution to the SOWELA Foundation to more than $50,000 in scholarships. Further, almost 15% of Lake Charles Toyota’s Service Center employees are graduates of the SOWELA Vehicle Maintenance program.
Pictured in the attached photo (left to right): School of Transportation and Applied Technology Dean Dr. William Mayo, Lake Charles Toyota General Manager Corey Tarver, and SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall.
Cameron LNG donated $15,000 to the SOWELA Foundation to support their endowed and NOW scholarship programs. Pictured (left to right) is SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Cameron LNG Human Resources Representative Kayla Powers and Cameron LNG External Relations Manager Stevie Trahan.
Officials with South Louisiana Community College (SLCC) present a check to their sister school, SOWELA, for $5,000 for the Hurricane Laura Relief Fund. The donation will assist cash-strapped students, faculty, and employees at SOWELA Technical Community College, which was badly damaged when the devastating hurricane hit Lake Charles in late August. (L-R) SLCC Foundation Executive Director Lana Fontenot, SLCC Interim Chancellor Dr. Vincent June, and SOWELA’s Institutional Advancement Executive Director Kelly Pepper.
Cameron LNG donated $15,000 to the SOWELA Foundation to establish a $12,500 endowed scholarship and $2,500 NOW Scholarship. Pictured (left to right) is Cameron LNG Human Resource Representative Kayla Powers and External Relations Manager Stevie Trahan; SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Paula Hellums, and School of Industrial Technology Interim Dean Richard Louviere.
2019
Westlake Chemical donated $10,000 to the SOWELA Foundation for Process Technology scholarships. On hand for the donation are (front row left to right) SOWELA Foundation Board Member Etta Pete, Westlake Chemical Vice President – Operations Region One Wayne Ahrens, Plant Manager Lake Charles North and South Plants Curtis Brescher, and Principal – Public and Governmental Affairs Joe Andrepont, SOWELA Foundation Board Members Martin Guillory and Hardtner Klump (back row left to right) SOWELA Foundation President Don Morris and SOWELA Foundation Board Members James Sudduth, Fil Bordelon, Taylor Alexander, Dan Frick, Todd Clemons, and SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall.
Phillips 66 Lake Charles Refinery donated $20,000 to establish the Phillips 66 Now Scholarship. On hand for the donation are from Phillips 66 Plant Manager – Lake Charles Complex Richard G. Harbison, Public Relations Director Megan Hartman and SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall.
Mark and Rebecca Boniol donated $5,000 to the SOWELA Foundation to establish a NOW Scholarship for students who complete an internship at Mark Dodge Chrysler Jeep – Lake Charles. On hand for the donation (from left to right) is School of Transportation & Applied Technology Dean William Mayo, SOWELA Foundation Vice President Stuart Moss, SOWELA Foundation President Don Morris, Vice President of Mark Dodge Rebecca Boniol, SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Monty Mills of Mark Dodge, SOWELA Vehicle Maintenance Instructor Tim McCarty, and Robert Griffith of Mark Dodge.
2018
Bolton Ford and Bob Cain present a $10,000 check to the SOWELA Foundation to establish the Carolyn Cain Endowed Accounting Technology Scholarship in memory of Mrs. Cain, a long-time accountant with Bolton Ford. Pictured from left to right: Kelly Goodman, Iris Bolton, King Bolton, Bob Cain, SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall, SOWELA Financial Aid Director Allison Dering, SOWELA Foundation Board Chair Bill Hankins, and Jordan LeLeux with Bolton Ford.
Paul Tessier (middle left), Union Pacific Railroad Public Affairs, presents SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall (middle right), SOWELA Foundation Chair Bill Hankins (far right) and SOWELA Foundation Board Member Stuart Moss (far left) with a donation of $15,000. The funds will be used for tuition assistance for STEPS students, scholarships and ACCUPLACER testing at SOWELA Technical Community College.
Capital One Lake Charles Market President Fil Bordelon (right) presents SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall and SOWELA Foundation Liaison Marianne White with a donation for $10,000 to the Marianne White Endowed Scholarship Fund. The fund was established in honor of Ms. White’s retirement from SOWELA Technical Community College in June.
SOWELA Foundation board members present a check for $10,000 for the Marianne White Endowed Scholarship fund to SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall and SOWELA Foundation Liaison Marianne White. Pictured left to right: Elizabeth McLaughlin, Golden Nugget; Hardtner Klump, The Investors Group of Louisiana, LLC; Dr. Aspinwall; Stuart Moss, Credit Services of Southwest Louisiana; Marianne White; Nora Popillion, Delta Downs Racetrack & Casino; Bill Hankins, Retired Hospital Executive; Don Morris, Bancorp South; Fil Bordelon, Capital One Bank. Not Pictured: Taylor Finchum Alexander, Edward Jones; Todd Clemons, Todd Clemons & Associates; Dan Frick, Financial Management Professionals; Michael Flatt, Northrop Grumman; Martin Guillory, Oak Park Middle School; Claude (Buddy) Leach, Sweetlake Land & Oil Co., LLC; Etta Pete, SWLA Sickle Cell Anemia, Inc.; James Sudduth, Sudduth & Associates.
Ryan Abell, President of the Greater Lake Charles Rotary Club, and Vic Wukovits, incoming Rotary President, present a check for $15,000 to Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor of SOWELA Technical Community College, and Marianne White, SOWELA Foundation Liaison. The funds will be used to support student success through scholarship awards.
Michael Kane, Sasol’s Vice President of Operations Lake Charles West Plant, and Gina Jones, Sasol’s Learning and Development Manager, present a check for $10,000 to Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor of SOWELA Technical Community College. The contribution supports the SOWELA Foundation as Presenting Sponsor of the Flying Tigers Car Show and provides funding to the Sasol/Curt Eysink Endowed Scholarship.
Phillips 66 presents a check for $15,000 to the SOWELA Technical Community College Foundation to provide scholarship support for students enrolled in Industrial Instrumentation Technology, Process Technology, and Welding programs. Phillips 66 is also a Chancellor’s Circle sponsor for the What’s Up, SOWELA? fundraiser in October. On hand for the donation is Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor of SOWELA, and Megan Hartman, Phillips 66 Public Relations Director, and Richard G. Harbison, Plant Manager, of Phillips 66 Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex.
2017
Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor of SOWELA Technical Community College accepts a donation of $5,000 to the SOWELA Foundation as a Chancellor’s Circle Sponsor of What’s Up, SOWELA? The event is held to raise funds to support student success through scholarship awards and enhancement, and to increase awareness of the college and its students, programs, and services. Presenting the check on behalf of CITGO is Dana Keel, Government and Public Affairs Manager.
Ken Francis, the Sales Center Manager of Lake Charles Coca Cola Bottling Company United, and Blaine Royer, the On-Premise Manager, present a check for $10,000 to Dr. Neil Aspinwall, Chancellor of SOWELA Technical Community College. The contribution establishes the Coca-Cola Bottling Company Endowed Scholarship through the SOWELA Foundation.
Jim and Jo Ann Beam donated $10,000 to the SOWELA Technical Community College Foundation to establish the Jim and Jo Ann Beam Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship funds were matched dollar for dollar by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.