Department of Music Naming

Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music at Lamar Univeristy honors transformational donation

The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music became the official name of LU’s music department in January 2011, in appreciation for a $2 million donation to the College of Fine Arts and Communication from Ray and Mary Moore of Beaumont.

The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music is one of only five named music departments or schools in the state. Russ Schultz, then-dean of the college, said the gift will “lift the department to new heights,” allowing it to provide even stronger academic programs and further enhance the support it gives to the performing arts within the community.

Philanthropy and Community Service

“Lamar is so pleased to honor Mary and Ray for their tradition of philanthropy and community service,” said then-President of LU James Simmons at the Jan. 28, 2011, ceremony. “Future generations of music majors will benefit from the generosity of the Moore family and will identify Mary and her family as leaders in supporting excellence in musicianship and music education.”

Simmons observed that “their generosity will transform our music department by enabling us to recruit the finest faculty and the most promising student musicians, and it will enable us to provide more scholarship assistance to students who need a hand to realize their dreams.”

Ardent Supporters of Lamar University

For more than 60 years, alumnus Ray Moore has been an ardent supporter of Lamar University. Mary, his wife of 56 years, joins him in that passion, and together, they have given their time, talents and financial resources to the university and to Southeast Texas.

“Having a named department and a complete renovation of the Music Building enhances the prestige of the faculty and students, particularly within the professional community of performing and educator musicians,” said Schultz. “We are most grateful to the Moores for their transformative gift, which will facilitate the growth of the music program and contribute to the outstanding musicianship of young musicians for many years to come.”