Lafferre helps engineering college meet goal

University of Missouri’s College of Engineering was able to reach its $68 million goal for the For All We Call Mizzou campaign with the help of alumnus Thomas Lafferre and his wife, Nell, who made a challenge donation that resulted in a $5 million estate gift.

“As the end of the campaign approached, we realized that the college would need increased support to achieve the goal,” Lafferre said. “We decided to make an anonymous pledge to encourage other donors to make gifts throughout the last months of the campaign.”

The Lafferres matched the donations and pledges of other donors by increasing the amount of the estate gift as the other gifts were received. The couple has requested that the $5 million gift be designated to an unrestricted fund, allowing MU College of Engineering Dean James Thompson to make strategic investments in the college. The unrestricted fund will be used to update facilities, fund and enhance faculty salaries, and address other needs.