Dr. Russ A. Schultz Innovation Fund in fine arts established at LU

A new fund honoring Russ Schultz’s leadership as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication has been established through the Lamar University Foundation. Alumna Sandra Clark established the Dr. Russ A. Schultz Innovation Fund in Fine Arts, which will support the areas of music, theatre, dance and visual arts. It will allow funding for scholarships, professional development activities and new programs, or enhancement of existing programs.

“This fund, with its flexibility, will allow the college to plan for future professional development activities and programs with confidence,” said Derina Holtzhausen, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. “It will help us to expand learning opportunities for students and add to faculty members’ academic credentials.”

Schultz retired as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication in May after serving at LU for 16 years. He was previously chair of the music department at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington. He received his bachelor of music from Eastman School of Music in 1969 and his masters from the University of Memphis in 1971. In 1973, he was named chair of the department of music at Shelby State Community College in Memphis and subsequently earned his doctor of musical arts from the University of North Texas.

An active member of LU’s Friends of the Arts, Clark is an accomplished and well-known lawyer in the Beaumont area with MehaffyWeber PC. In addition to the Dr. Russ A. Schultz Innovation Fund in Fine Arts, she endowed the Sandra French Clark Scholarship in Choral Music in 2011 to provide funds for music majors participating in the choral music program.

“Russ Schultz loves Lamar University and the College of Fine Arts and Communication which he lead,” said Clark. “He deserves to be recognized for his creativity and spirit. An ‘Innovation Fund for the Fine Arts’ is an enthusiastic name that looks forward with optimism for a college which should be the soul of a university.”

During his 24-year career as a music administrator, Schultz was active in the accreditation process of the National Association of Schools of Music. In that role, he served on the accreditation commission and visited many schools as an evaluator. While in Beaumont, he served on the boards of the Symphony of Southeast Texas, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Young Audiences of Southeast Texas, Leadership Southeast Texas and the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce. He also was president of the Symphony of Southeast Texas and vice president of the Beaumont Rotary Club.

As a trombone player, Schultz performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, did extensive work as a recording musician and continues to serve as a member of the professional artistic staff for Yamaha Band Instruments. He remains active as a performer and conductor.

For more information about establishing an endowment to benefit Lamar, contact the Lamar University Foundation at (409) 880-2117.