Dedicated to Home and Family

Chris Maurer is the kind of New Orleanian who never wanted to leave home. He's the kind who loves his city and his family so much that when he graduated from Brother Martin High School, he ended up choosing between four universities—three in New Orleans and one just an hour north.

The choice was easy, but not just because the University of New Orleans was only a few blocks north of his high school on Elysian Fields Avenue. At UNO, Chris received a full, four-year scholarship.

"I graduated with almost no debt," says Chris (B.S., '92, M.B.A., '00), now chief executive officer of the UNO Federal Credit Union, which is also based here on the University's campus. "I graduated in four-and-a-half years and my parents only had to pay one semester. That's a really good feeling to get out of school and not owe a penny."

Now, though he is only 47, Chris is paying it forward.

As someone who holds a bachelor's degree in finance and an M.B.A.—and especially as someone who works in the financial sector—Chris is also a planner. The idea of planning his estate now seemed like a smart idea.

"In my line of work, we see this a lot: People die unexpectedly and, by not having a will, it creates a lot of hardship on families," he says.

Chris had always intended to give part of his estate to the University of New Orleans. But when he learned about the University's Legacy Society, he decided to make it official, dedicating part of his estate to the establishment of a student scholarship in the name of two people very special in his life: his parents.

Emile T. Maurer Jr. and Josie B. Maurer, both 87, instilled in their children an understanding of the importance and value of a good education, Chris says. "They always taught us that education was key to a successful future."

For more information about the Legacy Society and how to become a Legacy donor, contact Eric Balukonis at 504-280-6159 or ebalukonis@unofoundation.org.