UA junior creates endowed fund

When it comes to gifts for their 21st birthday, some students want cars or some other sort of lavish gift from their parents. Few students, however, want to use their birthday as a chance to give a gift to someone else.

Phillips Thomas, a junior majoring in international studies, said she participated in Black Belt Action during interim term 2007, and the experience will stay with her a long time to come.

"I have always asked my parents for bigger gifts than some people," Thomas said. "When I was little, I would always ask for a pony, which I finally got."

Thomas said she decided an endowed fund to support the Black Belt Action program would be a great gift to celebrate her birthday.

"I have everything I really need," Thomas said. "I wanted to be able to help lift the budget restrictions on this great program."

Adam Meyer, the director of development for the Honors College, said Thomas' gift was special because the fund she helped to create is now endowed.

"Endowed funds are earmarked for specific purposes that earn interest," Meyer said. "Endowed funds last much longer than non-endowed funds because they actually build value over time, allowing the fund to support the program for a long time to come."

Meyer also said an endowment costs at least $10,000 to create.

"In order for a fund to become endowed, it must start with at least $10,000. The fund can be contributed to by anyone after that, and it will continue to grow," he said.

The fund is meant to enable more students to participate in a program Thomas said causes them to step outside of their comfort zone.

"Participating in Black Belt Action really opened my eyes," Thomas said. "I really stepped outside of my comfort zone and gained a new appreciation for my home state of Alabama."

Lesa Shaul, director of the Honors Academy, said the program was only a pilot when Thomas participated.

"We had 13 students participate in the pilot program last year," Shaul said. "The program gives three hours of University Honors credit to students who take the course for credit. The course is also designated as a writing course."

Students who take the course for credit must be students in the Honors Program, Shaul said.

"Any student may take the course and participate as a volunteer," Shaul said. "Taking the course as a volunteer allows students to participate in all the activities, but without the reading and writing requirements associated with the for-credit option."

Students who take the course travel to Livingston for the three week program, Shaul said.

"The University of West Alabama allows us to stay in their dorms and use their campus a sort of 'base of operations,'" Shaul said. "We travel all over the Black Belt from there."

The first week, students learn about the Black Belt, and the remainder of the time is spent in service work in the community.

"The first week features guest speakers and experts on the Black Belt, who teach the students a great deal about the geographical aspects, as well as the culture and people of Alabama's Black Belt," Shaul said. "The rest of the time we spend in local schools brightening them up and teaching the kids self esteem."

Thomas said the lecture portion of the program taught her a great deal.

"I never knew the exact reason for the Black Belt being the way it is until I took Black Belt Action," Thomas said. "It gave me a new appreciation for the great geographical diversity present in our state."

Thomas said she wanted to create the fund to perpetuate a program she enjoyed so much.

"A fund to support the program seemed to be the best gift that I could give," Thomas said. "I went from being an Alabama fan to the ultimate Alabama fan by having a fund created in my name at the Capstone. Few fans ever get the opportunity to have such an impact on the University."

There will be an interest meeting for any student interested in learning more about the program on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Honors Student Lounge on the second floor of Nott Hall.