Nicholas Pappas, a junior accounting student in the E. J. Ourso College of Business, successfully juggles a host of demands on his time. During the spring semester, Pappas took 15 hours of classes; worked 12 hours per week as a resident assistant in the Horseshoe residence halls; and devoted 20-30 hours per week to activities like the LSU Center for Internal Auditing program, Campus Crusade for Christ and business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi.
Pappas is the kind of student Darcy Klug had in mind when he created the RedHawk Capital Corporation Scholarship in Business. Klug, owner of RedHawk Capital, said he and his wife have always lived modestly, a lifestyle that enables them to give back.
“The cost of higher education is ever increasing, and most families cannot afford to fund these costs without some form of assistance,” Klug said, adding, “Those students who are able to excel in school while working and maintaining extracurricular activities are impressive.”
Rachel Alvis, a recent accounting graduate from Forth Worth, Texas, was one such student. Alvis worked two jobs during her final semester. “I’m really grateful for individuals who want to invest in my education,” she said.
Klug met Pappas, Alvis and the three other recipients at a luncheon. “He really does care about the students that he is investing in,” Alvis said. “It also is really nice to be able to put a face to a name and personally thank the individual that sponsored a scholarship for you.”
“The thing that has struck me the most about all of the students selected has been their maturity, their confidence and their genuine gratitude for being a recipient of the scholarship,” Klug shared.
After earning his accounting degree from LSU in 1973, Klug joined the audit staff in the energy division of a Houston accounting firm, then moved to a Houston-Galveston NYSE manufacturer of oilfield equipment. He returned to Louisiana as CFO for a privately held company and became COO. Klug has since built a career through oilfield company investments. Pappas said of meeting Klug, “His experiences he shared were valuable and made an impact on everyone who was able to meet with him.”
“Out-of-state tuition is on the rise every year, as well as accompanying college expenses,” Pappas stated. “The money does make a huge difference and, hopefully, later on down the road, I will be able to do the same and give back to LSU.”
Published in Cornerstone Summer and Fall 2013.
Lauren Cathleen 