Transformational Experience Fuels Peters Family Gift to Tulane
Dec 27, 2021 | General
NEW ORLEANS – Tulane University alum Don Peters could not stop smiling.
As he addressed a crowd of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and donors on Nov. 19 inside the Green Wave's newly unveiled Don and Lora Peters Academic Center and shared his Tulane story, it was easy to see why Peters had the expression of a proud parent.
For the Peters family, the presentation was far more than just a celebration of a newly designed space, but more of a celebration of future generations that will have the opportunity to excel in the professional world outside of sports upon graduation.
Don and Lora Peters' gift of $1 million served as the lead contribution in the expansion and complete renovation of the department's academic center.
"When you think about what a gift is, it's a conveyance of something of value with the expectation of nothing in return," Peters said during the opening ceremony.
For Peters, he had already received his gift.
His gift came in the form of earning his degree from Tulane University.
"Tulane was transformational for me," Peters said. "When I first came to Tulane, I wasn't really prepared academically."
Upon earning his degree from Tulane University, Peters had not only become academically proficient, he also became aware of his abilities to compete within the business world thanks to his Tulane degree.
"If you do well here at Tulane, you can do well nationally and compete at a high level," Peters said. "That fact that I had the academic foundation and the intellectual curiosity to where I have had a great career in the investment management industry stems from the fact that I attended Tulane."
So what sparked this generous contribution from the Peters Family?
The reason was simple. Self-actualization.
"It's all about becoming the best you," Peters said. "It's not to say that you need to be a lawyer, doctor or portfolio manager. It's whatever your passion may be. Ultimately the idea is that you would never work a day in your life in the sense that you are so passionate about what you do that it doesn't matter. In order to be successful you have to be able to be extraordinarily hard working and you have to know that you are going to be competing with people who have the exact same objective."
Through the construction of the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center, numerous areas have received significant upgrades to enhance the student-athlete academic experience. Listed below is a snapshot of those upgrades.
Oremus Family Study Lounge – Named in recognition of Alan Oremus who, like Don and Lora Peters, made a seed commitment to the project. Located at the center of the Don and Lora Peters Center, the Oremus Family Study Lounge will feature a relaxed coffee shop-inspired environment with several flexible seating options. The area will serve as a welcoming hub to give student-athletes areas to study, work on projects, and receive tutoring sessions. It will be equipped with technology, printers, and convenient outlets to keep devices charged.
McKeever Family Classroom – Addresses a critical need for the entire department by adding square feet dedicated to the development of student-athletes. The multipurpose classroom will be used for student-athlete instruction, student-athlete advisory committee meetings, presentations and much more.
Private Study Rooms – Six private study rooms have been incorporated into the design of the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center. These spaces will serve the individual academic needs of our student-athletes. Listed below are the names of each study room along with the individuals responsible for naming the room as part of their generous contributions.
Godwin Family Study Room – Courtesy of RADM Gib Godwin and Karen Godwin
Cooper Family Study Room in honor of Angus R. Cooper II - Courtesy of Angus R. Cooper III
Whitehead Family Study Room in honor of Michael, Kimberly, Elisabeth, & Dylan – Courtesy of Jack Whitehead - Eleanor Thibodeaux
Armitage Family Testing & Tutoring Room - Michael Armitage
O-Line Room – Anonymous
Mitidiero Study Suite - Robert Wolfberg and Lynne Wolfberg
Staff Offices – The current and future needs of our student-athletes will be met with an expansion of office spaces for the Academic Services team. Listed below are the names of each office room along with the individuals responsible for naming the room as part of their generous contributions.
Roussel Family Office - Courtesy Perry J. Roussel Jr. and Gerolyn Petit Roussel
Lapeyre Family Office – Courtesy of Chuck Lapeyre and Amy Lapeyre
Gillies Family Office – Courtesy of Keith Gillies and Cindy Gillies
"In sports, you learn resiliency because you are going to fail constantly, but you can never quit," Peters said. "That's really what has driven us. Ultimately, I think I have been very fortunate and I think the old adage of 'to whom much is given much is expected'. I would just hope that the students as well as the administration staff help everyone become the best person that they can."
Several naming opportunities are still available in the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center. Supporters looking to contribute to the project can learn more by contacting the Green Wave Club at 504-865-5356 or emailing Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development Kyle Verber at kverber@tulane.edu.
For more information on how to make a gift for future Tulane projects, visit GreenWaveClub.com.
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
As he addressed a crowd of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and donors on Nov. 19 inside the Green Wave's newly unveiled Don and Lora Peters Academic Center and shared his Tulane story, it was easy to see why Peters had the expression of a proud parent.
For the Peters family, the presentation was far more than just a celebration of a newly designed space, but more of a celebration of future generations that will have the opportunity to excel in the professional world outside of sports upon graduation.
Don and Lora Peters' gift of $1 million served as the lead contribution in the expansion and complete renovation of the department's academic center.
"When you think about what a gift is, it's a conveyance of something of value with the expectation of nothing in return," Peters said during the opening ceremony.
For Peters, he had already received his gift.
His gift came in the form of earning his degree from Tulane University.
"Tulane was transformational for me," Peters said. "When I first came to Tulane, I wasn't really prepared academically."
Upon earning his degree from Tulane University, Peters had not only become academically proficient, he also became aware of his abilities to compete within the business world thanks to his Tulane degree.
"If you do well here at Tulane, you can do well nationally and compete at a high level," Peters said. "That fact that I had the academic foundation and the intellectual curiosity to where I have had a great career in the investment management industry stems from the fact that I attended Tulane."
So what sparked this generous contribution from the Peters Family?
The reason was simple. Self-actualization.
"It's all about becoming the best you," Peters said. "It's not to say that you need to be a lawyer, doctor or portfolio manager. It's whatever your passion may be. Ultimately the idea is that you would never work a day in your life in the sense that you are so passionate about what you do that it doesn't matter. In order to be successful you have to be able to be extraordinarily hard working and you have to know that you are going to be competing with people who have the exact same objective."
Through the construction of the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center, numerous areas have received significant upgrades to enhance the student-athlete academic experience. Listed below is a snapshot of those upgrades.
Oremus Family Study Lounge – Named in recognition of Alan Oremus who, like Don and Lora Peters, made a seed commitment to the project. Located at the center of the Don and Lora Peters Center, the Oremus Family Study Lounge will feature a relaxed coffee shop-inspired environment with several flexible seating options. The area will serve as a welcoming hub to give student-athletes areas to study, work on projects, and receive tutoring sessions. It will be equipped with technology, printers, and convenient outlets to keep devices charged.
McKeever Family Classroom – Addresses a critical need for the entire department by adding square feet dedicated to the development of student-athletes. The multipurpose classroom will be used for student-athlete instruction, student-athlete advisory committee meetings, presentations and much more.
Private Study Rooms – Six private study rooms have been incorporated into the design of the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center. These spaces will serve the individual academic needs of our student-athletes. Listed below are the names of each study room along with the individuals responsible for naming the room as part of their generous contributions.
Godwin Family Study Room – Courtesy of RADM Gib Godwin and Karen Godwin
Cooper Family Study Room in honor of Angus R. Cooper II - Courtesy of Angus R. Cooper III
Whitehead Family Study Room in honor of Michael, Kimberly, Elisabeth, & Dylan – Courtesy of Jack Whitehead - Eleanor Thibodeaux
Armitage Family Testing & Tutoring Room - Michael Armitage
O-Line Room – Anonymous
Mitidiero Study Suite - Robert Wolfberg and Lynne Wolfberg
Staff Offices – The current and future needs of our student-athletes will be met with an expansion of office spaces for the Academic Services team. Listed below are the names of each office room along with the individuals responsible for naming the room as part of their generous contributions.
Roussel Family Office - Courtesy Perry J. Roussel Jr. and Gerolyn Petit Roussel
Lapeyre Family Office – Courtesy of Chuck Lapeyre and Amy Lapeyre
Gillies Family Office – Courtesy of Keith Gillies and Cindy Gillies
"In sports, you learn resiliency because you are going to fail constantly, but you can never quit," Peters said. "That's really what has driven us. Ultimately, I think I have been very fortunate and I think the old adage of 'to whom much is given much is expected'. I would just hope that the students as well as the administration staff help everyone become the best person that they can."
Several naming opportunities are still available in the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center. Supporters looking to contribute to the project can learn more by contacting the Green Wave Club at 504-865-5356 or emailing Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development Kyle Verber at kverber@tulane.edu.
For more information on how to make a gift for future Tulane projects, visit GreenWaveClub.com.
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.
Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, All-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.
Players Only Podcast - Nolan Nawrocki & Owen Geiss
Thursday, March 26
Rice vs Tulane Women's Tennis | March 15, 2026
Sunday, March 22
USBC SECTIONALS 2026 Day 2 Afternoon Block.
Sunday, March 15
USBC SECTIONALS 2026 Day 2 Morning Block
Sunday, March 15
