News and Progress
Couple makes $5 million challenge
College of Engineering surpasses $68 million campaign goal
Jan. 7, 2009
Thomas and Nell Lafferre, of Brentwood, Tenn., helped the College of Engineering meet its campaign goal by making a $5 million challenge.
Thomas Lafferre, BS ME ’56, and his wife, Nell, wanted to help the College of Engineering achieve its $68 million goal in the For All We Call Mizzou campaign. Through an anonymous pledge, they challenged others to give and contributed an additional $5 million of their estate to the college.
“I will never forget when I came to MU and met Huber Croft, the engineering dean, in 1952,” Lafferre says. “He made a lasting impression and inspired me throughout my education and professional career. I have had great success because of my education at MU. This gift is a way to give back and ensure the success of the College of Engineering for years to come.”
As others responded to the challenge with contributions to the college, the Lafferres matched each donation and pledge by increasing the amount of their estate gift. The couple’s $5 million contribution is unrestricted, allowing Dean James Thompson to use the funds to update facilities, fund and enhance faculty salaries, and address other needs.
“I am very appreciative of Tom and Nell Lafferre’s extraordinary generosity,” Thompson says. “They have been supporters of the college for more than 20 years. Their most recent gift was critical to the college’s success in exceeding our campaign goal of more than $68 million. More importantly, Tom and Nell are setting the standard for giving. Their contributions have a significant impact on the construction of much needed facilities and the acquisition of equipment for our students and faculty.”
The couple has donated $12 million to support the College of Engineering. In 2004, the Lafferres made a $7 million commitment, which included both outright and estate gifts, to the college. Engineering Building East, which is undergoing a major renovation and expansion, was renamed Thomas and Nell Lafferre Hall in their honor. Additionally, during the campaign, the Lafferres provided more than $500,000 to support the MU Libraries.Lafferre received his bachelor’s degree from the MU College of Engineering in 1956 and his master’s degree in engineering management from Washington University in St. Louis in 1967. Upon graduation, he began a career with Monsanto and served in management and engineering positions worldwide, including vice president of operations. After retiring in 1993, Thomas and Nell, who attended the MU College of Education, settled in Brentwood, Tenn.