UL Lafayette names Health Science Campus building in honor of James Moncus
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is naming one of the buildings on its Health Sciences Campus in honor of James D. Moncus, one of the city's most well-known civic leaders, who died in 2021.
James D. Moncus Hall houses classrooms and offices for the university's College of Nursing and Health Sciences. The building is one that UL Lafayette acquired in its purchase of the former Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, which is adjacent to the main campus.
“Many individuals and organizations could call Jim Moncus a friend, and the University is fortunate to have been among them,” said Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, in a release. “His commitment to Lafayette stands as an example of the power one person has to touch the lives of many and shape a community for the better. His spirit of service is one we want our students – in nursing and health sciences and in every discipline – to emulate in their own lives and careers.”
University officials celebrated the naming and a $7 million gift from the James Devin Moncus Family Foundation with a ceremony Wednesday. The donation will allow the Health Sciences Campus to continue growing and fund an endowment to support the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the university said in a release.
“Over time – and thanks to the support of donors like the Moncus Family Foundation – the Health Sciences Campus will become a center for health sciences education, research and practice – and James D. Moncus Hall will be at its heart,” Savoie said.
Moncus was a native of Houston and began working in the oil and gas industry after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He came to Lafayette in 1962 after his first oil and gas job in Casper, Wyoming, ended suddenly, according to a university release.
Moncus worked for Lamb Oil for more than a decade before founding Devin International, an oilfield equipment company, in 1974. He held patents for dozens of oilfield tools and procedures during his nearly 50 years in the industry.
In 2008, Moncus sold his company and shifted his focus to philanthropic efforts by creating the James Devin Moncus Family Foundation. Moncus established scholarships and endowed professorships at UL Lafayette.
UL Lafayette awarded Moncus an honorary doctor of nursing practice degree posthumously in December 2021, shortly after his death. His wife, Ruth, who was a nurse for 35 years, accepted the degree on his behalf.
“The Moncus Foundation is proud to carry on his legacy by investing in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and helping to fulfill the University’s vision for the development of its Health Sciences Campus," said Debbie Spallino, a trustee for the foundation, in a release. "We are confident that the students who learn within the walls of James D. Moncus Hall will improve the quality of life for so many in the communities in which they serve through this very vital career choice."
Upper level students began taking courses on the fourth floor of Moncus Hall, which was previously known as the 501 Building, in the fall. The University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors approved the naming at its Oct. 26 meeting.
“Mr. Moncus was a person who dreamed big – and the support of the Moncus Family Foundation will enable the college to do the same," said Lisa Broussard, the interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, in a release. "This gift provides opportunities that will benefit our students and faculty and enhance the college’s reputation as the primary producer of the region’s health care workforce. It opens a new chapter for us and we’re proud to call James D. Moncus Hall our home."
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This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: UL Lafayette names building in honor of James Moncus
