Tuesday, September 18, 2001

Alumna memorialized with scholarship
By Jordan Blum
Staff Reporter

Former TCU student Meredith Fraker Thompson, a 1996 alumna, died tragically in July when she was struck by lightning outside her Houston home.

Her name will live on through a TCU scholarship started in her name by her co-workers at Simmons & Company International investment banking firm, said Cathy Neece, senior associate of University Advancement for the M.J. Neeley School of Business.

Bill Sanford, director of institutional sales for Simmons & Company International, coordinated the development of the Meredith Fraker Thompson Memorial Scholarship in Finance. He said in excess of $200,000 will be raised to allow scholarships of $5,000 each to be awarded to two students each year, beginning next year.

Neece said Thompson interned at Luther King Capital Management firm as a TCU student and Thompson’s co-workers at Simmons & Company International chose to develop the scholarship with the Fort Worth-based firm.

Sanford said the financial aspect of the award is just a part of what the students will be eligible to receive.

“We thought it would be special if we did something more than just a basic grant, (to) do the award plus provide an internship at Luther King” Sanford said. “Not only does the student get the money, but also valuable experience at a top firm, which is great for resumes and future employment.

“We’re also in the process of trying to give the students an opportunity to come to our shop and get additional experience, since the two companies are in two different aspects of the investing business,” Sanford said. “We’re thinking about letting the students come to Houston over the summer to get additional exposure, but the details haven’t been worked out yet.”

Neece said the scholarship is being designed to be an academic merit award for junior finance majors going into their senior years who embody many of the same qualities Thompson did.

The criteria form lists some of the characteristics the committee will be looking for that Thompson possessed: a contagious zest for life that inspires others, strong interpersonal skills and a well-rounded social life, among several others.

Neece said the manner in which the money was raised is a testament to the strength of friendships.

“The sales team that Meredith worked with chose to donate a lot of the commissions off of the accounts they were working on into the scholarship,” Neece said.

“There’s obviously a very family-like atmosphere extending from the company because money is usually motivation to a lot of people, and in other companies people would probably be vying for those clients of hers instead of donating the money,” Neece said.

Robert Lusch, dean of the M.J. Neeley School of Business, said the scholarship’s symbolism is just as significant as the actual award.

“The Meredith Fraker Thompson Memorial Scholarship will forever symbolize to future TCU students the extent to which a single person, in a short period of time, can make a difference,” Lusch said. “We wish to award the scholarship annually to TCU students who exemplify and help us to celebrate her character.”

Jordan Blum
jdblum@student.tcu.edu