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A University of Louisiana at ��ɬֱ�� graduate, the late James “Jamie” Guilbeau Jr., is supporting the Department of History and Geography with a planned gift. He and his mother, the late Thelma Cummings Guilbeau, left $6 million from their estates to be invested and managed by the UL ��ɬֱ�� Foundation.

Jamie Guilbeau’s persona belied his passion, said Dr. Robert Carriker, head of the department. He taught Guilbeau when he was pursuing a master’s degree in public history.

“Jamie was a banker. He would come to class wearing a suit, a hat and a bowtie,” Carriker told La Louisiane.

“Initially, I was a little concerned about how he would make the transition from his daily life as a banker to being in a classroom with younger students. But there was never so much as a hint of frustration or impatience. He loved history, he loved being part of the class and other students really appreciated him, too.”

Guilbeau earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1976 from UL ��ɬֱ��. He had returned to his alma mater to continue his studies. As a graduate student, he maintained a 4.0 GPA.

He was chairman of the board and president of the Bank of Sunset and Trust Co., an independent, family-owned bank based in Sunset, La. He died in the fall of 2005, at age 50, before he completed his degree. The following spring, he was posthumously awarded a diploma. His mother died in October of 2011, at the age of 83.

Carriker and his students often travel to learn about history in a hands-on way. These activities include day or weekend trips, as well as longer journeys, including History on the Move, a summer program with destinations in regions of the United States. “I always encouraged Jamie to travel but he always declined. He felt he had to honor his obligations to manage his business and to care for his mother,” Carriker said.

Even though Guilbeau didn’t have those experiences, his family legacy will allow other students to expand their educations. The James H. Guilbeau Jr. and Thelma Cummings Guilbeau Endowment in History will fund several initiatives:

• financial support for undergraduate students engaged in travel/study programs;
• internships for graduate students;
• faculty development, including research projects and conference attendance;
• grants, available to faculty in all disciplines whose research is related to history and culture; and
• an annual public lecture.

Another initiative is Museum on the Move. The department has purchased an Airstream trailer that will be redesigned to house travelling history exhibits.

“Those of us in the department who knew Jamie were not at all surprised by this act of generosity, though the amount of the gift was unexpected,” said Carriker.

“The resources he and his mother have provided will enable the department to be more competitive in attracting quality students and give faculty better opportunities for research and professional development.”