Carol Lambert (BA ’72, MA ’77) has enjoyed a rich professional and personal relationship with The University of Tulsa, at various times in her life playing the roles of alumna, visiting professor, staff audiologist, full-time faculty member, parent, and donor. Lambert is much appreciated by the university, and she has contributed to the mission and influence of the school in many ways.
After earning her undergraduate and master’s degrees at TU, Carol worked as a staff audiologist from 1977 to 1978 and again from 1984 to 1989 in what is now called The Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders at The University of Tulsa. She served as a visiting professor at TU in 1991, and later earned her doctorate in audiology from The University of Florida in 2000. Lambert joined the TU faculty in 2003 as an applied assistant professor of audiology.
Carol is grateful for the influence of several of her professors, including the late Hal B. Merrell, who served in a number of leadership roles in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (formerly the Department of Communication Disorders) from 1965 until his death in 1994. Lambert credits Merrell with giving her countless opportunities for professional development and career growth. She will always be grateful to him for serving as her professor, mentor, colleague and friend.
Carol is joined by her son, Eugene “Read” Minshall III (BSBA ’06), who also wished to honor Merrell and thank this beloved professor for the profound impact he had on Carol’s career and vocation. Together, mother and son established a generous life insurance gift through TU’s Pioneer Program to create the Dr. Hal B. Merrell Endowed Scholarship Fund.
Read himself has many wonderful memories of his college days at TU, including the superior instruction he received in his business and art classes. Read enjoyed many friendships with both students and faculty. After graduating from TU, Minshall went on to a successful career with National Oilwell Varco in Houston, Texas, using the knowledge he gained in his studies and the contacts he developed at TU.
As part of his studies at TU, Read was fortunate to take art classes from Linda R. Coward, an adjunct professor of art. He continues to appreciate the quality of her art instruction and to hold her in high esteem as an artist, mentor, and teacher who has had a lasting influence on his life.
Coward established her own pottery studio in 1991, known as Brookside Pottery. She also taught art classes at TU from 1999 until 2001, touching the lives of dozens of students with her artistic expertise. Read became very interested in pottery as a result of Coward’s class, where he spent many hours in the studio throwing pots on the wheel, far exceeding the requirements of the ceramics course he was taking.
To express their support for TU and as a tribute to Coward, Carol and Read established a Pioneer Program life insurance gift to create the Linda R. Coward Endowed Scholarship in Art.
Carol and Read clearly believe in giving back to TU to commemorate the role the school has played in their professional and personal endeavors. Their philanthropic focus will benefit many students who follow them at TU.
