SUNY Potsdam Alumni Honor Donald L. and Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed '54 with Distinguished Service Award

Longtime College Supporters Donald L. Lougheed and Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed Recognized with 2016 Distinguished Service Award

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L to R: Distinguished Service Award recipients Donald L. and Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed ’54 accept the honor from SUNY Potsdam President Kristin Esterberg and Crane School of Music Dean Michael Sitton.

POTSDAM, NY (07/21/2016)(readMedia)-- The SUNY Potsdam Alumni Association has honored Donald L. Lougheed and Kathryn Kofoed Lougheed, both members of the Class of 1954, with the 2016 Distinguished Service Award.

The Lougheeds were unable to attend Reunion Weekend 2016 at the College, so they were presented with the award during the 2016 Lougheed-Kofoed Festival of the Arts, which they established.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to alumni who have made exceptional contributions to the Alumni Association and/or the College. The Lougheeds were honored for their unwavering commitment to SUNY Potsdam and their historically generous contributions to the arts.

Kathryn Kofoed-Lougheed '54 and Donald L. Lougheed, Hon. '54, have made the largest gift commitment in SUNY Potsdam's 200-year history. Their gift established the annual Lougheed-Kofoed Festival of the Arts, or what we know now as the LoKo Festival, a 10-day celebration of the visual arts, creative writing, theatre, dance and music.

Living in Austin, Texas, SUNY Potsdam was a wonderful memory for Kathy, but largely unknown to her husband. In 2011, however, upon hearing about the wonderful gifts by two Potsdam graduates, Dorothy Albrecht Gregory '61 and Gary C. Jaquay '67, in support of the storied tradition of a spring concert by Crane Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, the Lougheeds wanted to know how they too could help to bring the arts alive at Potsdam. Their gift established the LoKo Festival of the Arts, providing a yearly forum for students, faculty and artists from around the world to showcase their artistic talents, collaborate, learn from and inspire one another in Potsdam, N.Y.

The Lougheeds' vision and generosity breathed new life into the arts at SUNY Potsdam, providing precious resources and an annual outlet for creativity. The Loko Festival of the Arts has helped Potsdam earn the ranking of the No. 1 arts environment in the SUNY system. This marks the fifth anniversary of the Loko Festival of the Arts. Perhaps what makes their gift so very special is that the Lougheeds return to campus annually to take part in the festival.

While experiencing many professional and personal successes in life, Don has shared, "This is what I am most proud of and has brought the most joy."

Kathy added, "It brought tears to our eyes to see what can be done. We feel very special and blessed to have this opportunity come to us. We have found something very worthwhile to do. When you think about it -- painting, sculpture, drama, ballet, modern dance, poetry, music -- what is it? It's the human spirit."

Their vision, generosity and belief in SUNY Potsdam will shape the education and experiences of both current and future generations of students, while harnessing and showcasing creativity.

To find out more about SUNY Potsdam's committed alumni, visit www.potsdam.edu/alumni.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. As the College marks its bicentennial in 2016, SUNY Potsdam will celebrate a 200-year legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 4,100 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and leadership in the arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community is nearing the completion of Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which has raised $33.5 million for scholarships and programs.

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