Montgomery Garden Club Federation Endows Fund for Excellence in AU's Department of Horticulture

The Montgomery Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. has donated $215,000 to establish an endowed fund for excellence in Auburn University’s Department of Horticulture.

The outright gift was made possible by the federation’s recent sale of Hillcrest, a historic home in the capital city’s Garden District that had served as the organization’s meeting place since 1962.

Of the total donation, $200,000 will be invested as a long-term base of constant support for the horticulture department. Each year, earnings from the investment will go toward scholarships for six AU College of Agriculture undergraduates majoring in horticulture and fellowship awards for two horticulture graduate students, with a portion also being earmarked for faculty development and support. The federation gave the additional $15,000 so that the awards could begin with the 2004-05 school year.

Nell Copeland, chairwoman of the federation’s board of trustees, said the organization saw the endowment as a way to make a lasting contribution toward creating beautiful landscapes in Montgomery and beyond.

“We wanted to leave a legacy that would have an impact on future generations, long after all of us are gone,” Copeland said. “We felt that the best way to do that was to enhance the horticulture program at Auburn and help provide learning opportunities for a number of young people who are interested, as we are, in improving and preserving the landscape.”

Charles Gilliam, chair of the AU horticulture department, said the endowment, which he called “a tremendous gift,” is one of the largest donations the department has ever received.

Under the agreement establishing the fund, qualified horticulture students from Montgomery and Elmore counties will be given priority consideration for the undergraduate scholarships.

Hillcrest, a South Court Street landmark built in 1916, was purchased by the Montgomery Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. in 1962 and through the years was the site of countless events, from meetings and educational programs to weddings and receptions.

Hillcrest’s new owners are renovating the house and reportedly plan to lease the first floor for special events and turn the second floor into a bed-and-breakfast establishment.

“The decision to sell Hillcrest was a difficult one for the federation, but it has also been very rewarding,” federation president Nelma Ausley said. “It has allowed us to make a lasting contribution to Auburn’s horticulture program and, at the same time, see the improvements being made at Hillcrest.”

The AU Department of Horticulture, with about 275 students enrolled, is one of the three largest horticulture departments in the nation and is internationally recognized as a top-caliber program. Since 1985, the department has boasted a 100-percent job placement rate for graduates who are willing to relocate.

Copeland and Ausley signed the official agreement establishing the Montgomery Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. Endowed Fund for Excellence in Horticulture at Auburn University during the federation’s March meeting at Whitfield United Memorial Methodist Church, the group’s new meeting site. Representing Auburn were Gilliam and Mark Wilton, College of Agriculture development officer.

For information on endowment giving to the AU College of Agriculture, contact Wilton at (334)844-1198 or wiltomt@auburn.edu.

-30-

News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Mark Wilton, 334-844-1198 or wiltomt@auburn.edu
Contact Nell Copeland, 334-277-6989

03/05/04

For immediate release