Funds generated from a new endowment will enable Southwestern to distribute approximately $50,000 more in scholarships each year.

In June, Southwestern received approximately $1 million from the estate of Jean Sides to create the Howard Sides Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is named after her husband.

Howard Sides earned a B.B.A. in business administration from Southwestern in 1942 and an MBA from the University of Houston. He served as controller and treasurer for several oil and chemical companies before going on to work for the Law Family – a prominent Houston family with long-time connections to Southwestern.

“It is important to be able to provide more scholarship support, especially when the economy is down,” said Justin Gould, director of gift and estate planning. “The fact that it is going to endowment is really important. It is always more challenging to establish endowments and they are critical to the longevity of the institution.”

The first scholarships will be available for the 2011-2012 academic year and will be designated for students planning careers in education or the ministry.

“Our goal is to make a Southwestern education affordable to anyone who is admitted,” Gould said. “Having these additional funds available from the Howard Sides Endowed Scholarship helps us meet that goal.”

Jean Sides died in February and Howard Sides died in July 2009.

−Kristen McLaughlin