Engineering alum Thomas Laundon donated $125,000 to go towards the Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin scholars programs, which enable students to work on two degrees at once.
Laundon graduated from the University in 1974 with a degree in industrial engineering. He went on to receive his MBA from Harvard Business School and eventually became president and chief financial officer of PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals.
Laundon donated the money to the Jefferson and Franklin scholars programs after his two sons showed interest in them. His oldest son is an alumna of the Jefferson program and his younger son, Will Laundon , is a junior in the Franklin program.
According to Ben Hughes, the executive director of development and college relations for the College of Engineering, the money is going to be used to create more awareness and revenue for both programs.
“We have been given immediate use of the funds to build greater awareness of the Franklin and Jefferson programs,” Hughes said.
The money that Laundon donated will be split evenly between the two programs, giving each a total of $62,500.
The Thomas Jefferson Scholars program gives students the opportunity to work on degrees in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Chris Cammarene-Wessel , CALS director of donor services and fundraising, said that these two colleges go well together because it changes the way students look at science.
“The idea of studying the intersection of science and social science makes for a holistic education. Students aren’t just learning about science and research, they’re learning about the impact science and research has on society,” Cammarene-Wessel said.
Cammarene-Wessel says that the reason a dual-degree program is beneficial is that it allows students to broaden their academic perspective rather than focusing on an individual field of study.
“Focusing on one discourse of study would not benefit students as much. Part of what makes a university a university is teaching various things,” Cammarene-Wessel said.
The Benjamin Franklin Scholars program gives students the chance to earn a degree in the college of engineering and the college of humanities and social sciences. Dr. David Parish, assistant dean of engineering, said that the program was inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s Renaissance man ideals.
“The program was modeled after Ben Franklin and the way he approached learning. It’s looking at all aspects and ramifications of every problem instead of just one,” Parish said.
It generally takes about five years for students to complete these programs according to Hughes, although the actual time frame varies from student to student. Students have to apply and be chosen for both programs with strong consideration placed on academic standing.
“These are bright students. There is certainly a merit aspect to qualifying for the program,” Hughes said.
Hughes said that one of the reasons these programs are beneficial are that they help students getting more technical degrees to practice communication and presentation skills. He also said that students who participate in these programs are often involved in community service and outreach programs.
“They tend to be very dedicated individuals who give back to the local and school community on a regular basis,” Hughes said.
Cammarene-Wessel said that although she believes the dual-degree programs are beneficial to students who participate in them, she does not think that students have to be in the programs in order to benefit from cross-education. Many classes in different colleges overlap in curriculum and can help give students a fresh perspective, Cammarene-Wessel said.
“Students may not need the dual-degree program to benefit from a well-rounded education. There is cross-curriculum in many of our colleges,” Cammarene-Wessel said.