Department of Economics Receives $1 Million Endowment From Former Student
1961 Texas A&M University economics and mathematics graduate Luther H. “Luke” Soules III and his wife Andrea have partnered with the Luke and Merle Soules Family Foundation to establish the Luther H. Soules III ’61 Endowed Chair for Global Macroeconomics Theory and Policy in the Department of Economics at Texas A&M.
The $I million chair, created by a gift to the Texas A&M Foundation, will support future professors in the department whose work focuses on global macroeconomics theory and policy, enabling them to advance teaching, research and service in related disciplines.
“This chair represents a lasting legacy that will enable top scholars to advance research and teaching on economic relationships between global economies,” Luke Soules explained. “These relationships are more than just transactional; they are crucial links that foster global shared interests and prosperity. They generate public and private capital, which supports public and industrial infrastructure and financial resources essential to economic growth and health and social services, all contributing to sustained growth and welfare.”
A Family Tradition Of Generosity
Luke and Andrea, along with their son Luther IV, Texas A&M Class of 2018, and daughters Brett Neunhoffer and Laura Nell Burton, served on the board of the San Antonio-based Luke and Merle Soules Family Foundation, which was established and funded by Luke in 1999 in honor of his parents. Their family’s generosity also includes two previous doctoral fellowships and an annual service award established in their name in Texas A&M Economics.
Their endowed chair is expected to impact the educational experience of students at Texas A&M by incorporating transformative global macroeconomic concepts into the curriculum in ways that benefit both undergraduate and graduate students.
“Luke’s passion for undergraduate education at Texas A&M is reflected in his support for global macroeconomics, which is helping to make global concepts more accessible to undergraduates, master’s, and Ph.D. students in macroeconomics courses,” said Dr. Steve Puller, professor and former head of Texas A&M Economics. “We’re developing transformational teaching materials from research on more recent key issues like the effects of trade policies on economic growth, labor market shifts from rising exports and global supply chain disruptions. This will introduce our students to timely, relevant topics that aren’t yet part of their standard curriculum.”
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