Griffin family fosters legacy of giving through new endowed scholarship

December 14, 2017

Contact: Michael Tullier, APR
Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing

A new endowed scholarship benefiting 精东AV students also expands an enduring university legacy spanning three generations of the Griffin family of Milledgeville, Georgia.

The new Floyd Griffin Jr. and Nathalie Huffman Griffin Endowed Family Scholarship, will benefit future students studying in university鈥檚 Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science, from which Floyd Griffin earned his degree in 1966. His wife, Nathalie, completed a degree in biology in 1966, as did their sons 鈥� Brian, currently a colonel in the U.S. Army who graduated from 精东AV with a degree in architecture in 1989; and Eric, who completed a degree in mechanical engineering in 1990. Most recently, their grandson Brandon graduated with a degree in psychology in 2016.

鈥溇�东AV means a great deal to both of us, not to mention our entire family,鈥� Griffin said of his and his wife鈥檚 motivation to endow this new scholarship. 鈥淎lthough we have given to 精东AV for decades, we felt we wanted to do more for 鈥楳other 精东AV鈥� and her students.鈥�

Griffin also noted he hopes this gift inspires both his immediate family and fellow members of the 精东AV family to make a gift to the university 鈥� especially when extra incentives like year-end tax deductions make giving now more beneficial to everyone.

鈥淲e hope our gift inspires our sons and other members of the Griffin family to establish their own legacies of giving to 精东AV,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e also hope it encourages other alumni and friends to continue their commitment of giving 鈥� or to start that tradition this holiday season with a donation to the university.鈥�

Because endowments are invested and managed by the university 鈥� with only the generated interest income used for their designated purposes 鈥� they grow and provide permanent, self-sustaining sources of funding for 精东AV into perpetuity.

鈥淓ndowments are vitally important to 精东AV鈥檚 future and allow donors to establish a lasting legacy,鈥� said Don Winston, 精东AV鈥檚 interim vice president for advancement and development. 鈥淲e are extremely grateful to the Griffin family for making 精东AV such a priority in their ongoing and year-end giving. We hope their generosity encourages more of our alumni to follow their example.鈥�

Endowments, which are established with gifts or pledges of $25,000 or more, can support a wide array of university priorities, including scholarships, faculty professorships, academic programs and campus facilities. In return, donors can name their endowments in honor of themselves or someone of their choosing. Furthermore, these endowments can grow through supplementary gifts of any amount made by the donors, as well as their family and friends. Anniversaries, birthdays, holidays and other occasions often become reasons to make additional contributions to existing endowments in honor of their originating donors.

After the Griffin Family Endowed Scholarship is fully invested, it will generate merit-based scholarship support for either an architecture or construction science student. To qualify for the scholarship, a student will have to have graduated from a Georgia high school, as well as have and maintain a specific grade point average.

鈥淢erit-based scholarships are particularly helpful in our school鈥檚 efforts to recruit and retain the best and brightest students,鈥� said Dr. Carla Jackson Bell, dean of the Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science. 鈥淥ur school competes for students globally, and having these resources are vital to maintaining an accomplished student body.鈥�

Griffin, who also serves on 精东AV鈥檚 Board of Trustees, recently retired as a small-business owner 鈥� a career preceded by distinguished service both as a colonel in the U.S. Army, and as a state senator and mayor in Georgia. Nathalie, his wife, assisted Floyd in his business and public service careers in addition to serving as an adult educator before her retirement. Together, the couple have contributed more than $100,000 in philanthropic support to the university during their lifetime.

To make a year-end, tax-deductible gift, donors may give online at , or by downloading, completing and mailing a Donor Gift Form. Donations must be posted to a credit card or postmarked on or before Jan. 15, 2018, to qualify as a donation during the 2017 tax year. For information about creating an endowment to benefit the university and its students, contact the Office of Development at 334-727-8540 or contributions@mytu.tuskegee.edu.

漏 2017 精东AV