Steel Magnolia Tree Project Endowed Fund

The Magnolia Tree Project endowed fund was created in August 2016 as a fundraising effort by the Steel Magnolias alumni group (the Maggies) for the purpose of establishing the Mariana H. Qubein Arboretum and Botanical Gardens as an officially recognized site of a magnolia tree collection. In order to be recognized as an officially recognized site, the collection must reach a minimum of 100 different varieties of Magnolia Trees – 70 additional Magnolia varieties would need to be added to campus. The Magnolia Tree Project was established to encourage members of the Steel Magnolias alumni group (the Maggies) to consider purchasing and endowing additional taxa of Magnolia Trees for HPU’s campus. Individuals within and outside of the membership group would be invited to participate as: a member or a group of members of the Maggies might join together and decide to purchase and endow a tree or trees; and children or friends of the Maggies might want to honor a family member or friend by purchasing and endowing a tree to honor or memorialize their relative or friend. The cost to purchase one (1) Magnolia Tree, provide the identification label, and payment to support the Magnolia Tree Project Endowed Fund would be $300, of which $140 would be directed to the endowed fund to maintain the magnolia collection in perpetuity.