09/29/2026
Great education does not happen in a silo. It happens when community leaders step up to make sure students have the tools, spaces, and opportunities to build a better life right here in Acadiana.
In Morgan City, the Hugh & Byrnes Young Foundation has done exactly that.
From donating the waterfront land for our Maritime and Petroleum Safety Training Center to funding scholarships and helping launch our Commercial Diving Center of Excellence, their partnership has poured over $6 million directly into our students and our region.
Last week at the 2026 Louisiana Community & Technical College System Impact Awards, the H& B Young Foundation received the Walter G. Bumphus Excellence in Leadership Award in honor of that decades-long commitment.
Dr. Vincent June, Chancellor of SoLAcc, shared what this long-standing relationship means for our community:
“The H&B Young Foundation has been a true partner in our mission and in the future of this region. Their leadership has created opportunities for generations of students while helping us respond to the workforce needs of the industries that drive Morgan City and South Louisiana. We are proud to see that legacy recognized statewide.”
Congratulations to the H & B Young Foundation on this honor. Thank you for believing in our students, our neighbors, and the future of South Louisiana!
Pictured (L to R):
Vincent June, SoLAcc Chancellor
Brenda Ayo, H&B Young Board President
Lisa Parsiola, H&B Young Foundation Board Member
Emile Wagner III, H&B Young Foundation Board Member
Tim Betbeze, H&B Young Foundation Board Member
Richard Nelson, LCTC President