First lady Melania Trump joined LSU officials Saturday afternoon to announce a $7.2 million scholarship endowment for students who have experienced foster care. The endowment is anchored by a $5 million commitment from Baton Rouge-based industrial contractor MMR Group.
The endowment, established through Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative, will provide $200,000 annually to help students cover tuition, fees, books, room and board, LSU President Wade Rousse said during a press conference in LSU’s Patrick F. Taylor Hall ahead of the Tigers’ football game against Alabama.
“This endowment will create opportunities for generations of LSU students,” Rousse said.
The new endowment expands an existing partnership between LSU and Trump’s Fostering the Future program, which she launched in 2021 to provide educational and career opportunities for young people who have spent time in foster care.
Rousse said LSU became a partner institution earlier this year. Fourteen LSU students received Fostering the Future scholarships this fall covering tuition, fees and books. The new endowment will allow the university to extend that assistance to living expenses.
Trump praised LSU’s participation and...