One family’s commitment to promoting the positive values of higher education will impact the lives of many students at Laredo Community College, thanks to a generous donation of $81,000 from the Pradeau Charitable Remainder Trust.
LCC has been named a beneficiary of the Pradeau Trust to offer the Guillermo Miller Scholarship for Science to eligible college students pursuing careers in chemistry, physics and mathematics, as well as those in the education field.
The trust was established by Martha C. Pradeau and her nephew, Guillermo Miller, both of whom lived in Laredo for many years before relocating to California.
Pradeau—born in Monterrey, Mexico—was the granddaughter of German immigrants and was raised in a family that owned several businesses in Mexico.
At age 22 in 1934, she decided to relocate to the United States, where she met and married in 1950 her husband of 30 years, Dr. Alberto Francisco Pradeau.
Dr. Pradeau, a major proponent of higher education, served as a faculty member at the University of Southern California. The family had donated scholarship funds to schools in Mexico and Tempe, Ariz.
For Ms. Pradeau, her husband became her sole admiration and inspiration, and fueled her interests to continue his legacy of supporting higher education.
Miller was employed at the local CP&L for many years. He and his late wife Alicia’s children continue to be involved in education. In fact, their son Federico taught science at LCC; he now lives in Austin.
Guillermo Miller died on April 8, 2003 in California at age 80.
His aunt, Martha Pradeau, died later that same year, also in California, on Dec. 20 at age 91.
Millie Slaughter, director of community relations at LCC, said that the college will invest the scholarship funds immediately and generate funds for scholarships beginning in the fall 2006 semester.
“Laredo Community College plans to award two $1,000 scholarships annually,” Slaughter said. “The scholarship is open to part-time students, but preference will be given to full-time students.”
Slaughter added that the donation from the Pradeau Trust was received by the college on Nov. 16, which coincidentally was the same day that LCC received an additional $30,000 from the Alphonse Siros Charitable Trust.
Established in 2001 to establish the Siros Resource Library at the Martinez Fine Arts Center, the latest contribution from this fund bring brings the total donation to $105,000.
The college will utilize to the new donation from the Siros Trust to enhance the library’s resources and provide excellence in fine arts education for the benefit of LCC students.
Slaughter concluded that Nov. 16 was a “great day” for the college as it also received a $500 donation for scholarships from a member of the LCC Citizens Advisory Committee.
Students who desire to explore financial aid opportunities available at LCC are encouraged to visit the college web site online at www.laredo.edu/financialaid or call 721-5361.
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