Dick and Charlotte Fowler, of Dallas, have made a $250,000 gift to benefit the School of Accountancy in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Business. Funds will support student scholarships, current and future programming, summer research grants, and awards for publication in top academic journals.

“Upon moving from Louisiana to Dallas, I quickly got to compare my Louisiana Tech accounting education to those who had graduated from the University of Texas,” Fowler said. “I learned that my education was equal to, if not ahead of, those graduates and that I could be proud of the knowledge I had obtained at Tech.”

Dick and Charlotte both earned degrees from Louisiana Tech — Dick in accounting and Charlotte in education. The couple moved to Dallas after graduation, where Dick started his CPA accounting profession with Ernst & Young for seven years. He then began a successful career at Texas Industries, Inc., where he retired as executive vice president and CFO after 35 years.

“Throughout my career, I found that the life experiences, plus the education, I received at Tech paved the way for me to meet the many challenges that are inevitably faced in a 35-year career in finance,” Fowler said. “I wanted to be able to pay it forward in some small way so that others may have the same opportunities that I have had.”

“We are grateful to Dick and Charlotte for their support of our students and faculty members within the School of Accountancy,” said Dr. Chris Martin, dean of the College of Business. “Their impact through this tremendous gift is far-reaching for the School of Accountancy as well as the College and University. Through their support of student scholarships and faculty research, our future accountants will be equipped to influence the global accounting community in meaningful ways.”

Offering the undergraduate accounting degree and a fully integrated Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree, the School of Accountancy was one of the first accounting programs in the U.S. to receive accreditation and the very first in Louisiana to hold supplemental accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

Louisiana Tech’s accounting programs are designed to help students develop core accounting and business knowledge, as well as the analytical, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills needed to prepare them for the CPA exam and for a successful career as a professional accountant. The School currently boasts a 100 percent placement rate for both undergraduate accounting and MAcc graduates within six months of graduation.