Their estate gifts have paved the way for the Southeast Missouri University Foundation to establish the R. Neil Dougan & Dr. Alberta Macke Dougan Scholarship for Horticulture and the Dr. Alberta Macke Dougan & R. Neil Dougan Scholarship for History.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude for these remarkable gifts to Southeast Missouri State University. Because of their generosity, the Dougans have forever forged their legacy in the lives of many, many students who otherwise may not have been able to complete their education,” said Dr. Trudy Lee, vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation.
 
Lee said these new scholarships are in addition to five other scholarships the Dougans generously supported for nearly 40 years. They also have provided substantial financial support for non-scholarship funds for Horticulture, History, and Special Collections and Archives at Southeast, with their total lifetime giving to the University Foundation exceeding $1.6 million. 
 
“We cannot begin to adequately thank the Dougans for their extraordinary commitment over their lifetime to Southeast,” said Dr. Carlos Vargas, president of Southeast Missouri State University. “On behalf of the University, I salute them and offer our sincere appreciation for their unwavering support that will allow our students to achieve their educational goals.”
 
Additionally, several local charities stand to benefit from the Dougans’ recently announced legacy gifts, Lee said, including: Southeast Missouri Pets, Safe House for Women, the American Red Cross, Cape History Museum, Crown Hospice and the Missouri Veterans Home, all of Cape Girardeau; Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary, Jackson History Center and Oliver House, all of Jackson, Missouri; and Zion United Methodist Church of Gordonville, Missouri. Other charities to receive gifts are Habitat for Humanity; the Humane Society of Missouri in St. Louis; the Humane Society state office; Alzheimer’s research; the American Heart Association; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Lee said “the Dougans’ legacy gifts distributed from their trust have ensured that charities throughout our region will continue to serve and carry out their missions in profound ways for decades to come.”
She said the two newly created Southeast scholarships will be awarded for the first time next  spring and will be effective with the 2023-2024 academic year.

Neil Dougan & Dr. Alberta Macke Dougan Scholarship for Horticulture
The renewable R. Neil Dougan & Dr. Alberta Macke Dougan Scholarship for Horticulture will be awarded to Southeast students with a major in the Department of Agriculture, with preference going to horticulture majors. The Department of Agriculture Scholarship Committee will select the recipients.

Dr. Alberta Macke Dougan & R. Neil Dougan Scholarship for History
The renewable Dr. Alberta Macke Dougan & R. Neil Dougan Scholarship for History will be awarded to Southeast students with a major in the Department of History and Anthropology, with a preference going to history majors. The Department of History and Anthropology Scholarship Committee will select the recipients.

Both scholarships can be applied to tuition, living expenses, room and board, books, additional incidentals and experiential learning opportunities, including internships. The scholarships can also be used to cover summer semester courses and associated fees.

About the Dougans
Alberta Louise Macke was born Nov. 5, 1945, in Cape Girardeau, the third of three children to Albert H. and Dorothy Probst Macke.

Alberta and R. Neil Dougan were married July 17, 1971.  They had been married nearly 50 years when Neil passed away January 27, 2021. Alberta passed away September 28, 2021.

Alberta grew up in Gordonville, Missouri, was confirmed at Zion United Methodist Church and was active in the community and school through 4-H, played saxophone in band and participated in journalism. She was a 1963 graduate of Jackson High School, later continuing her education at Southeast Missouri State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 1967. She completed a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1971 and a doctoral degree in social studies education and history of education from Indiana University in Bloomington in 1984. 

Alberta taught high school from 1967 to 1981 with most of that time spent at the former University High School on the Southeast campus. She was hired by Southeast Missouri State University into the Department of History in 1981, where she served until her retirement in 2006. 

Alberta served 10 years as chair of the Department of History (1991-2001) and served as Faculty Senate chair during the 1990-1991 academic year.  During her tenure at Southeast, she held numerous committee positions at all levels within the University. She received Outstanding Service Awards from the Missouri Bar Association in 2001 and from the Missouri Council for the Social Studies in 1991 and 1996.  Southeast’s Department of History honored her with its Faculty Merit Award in 1990. She had been a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and served as an advisor to the sorority upon returning to the University to teach.

Alberta’s passion was to improve the quality of education within the history community.  To that end, she served in numerous positions on both the National Council for the Social Studies and the Missouri Council for the Social Studies from 1967 until shortly after her retirement.  She served on the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education from 1995 to 2006, with her last three years as a member of the Executive Board. She also was active with the Organization of American Historians, Phi Delta Kappa, National Council for Geographic Education and National Council for History Education.

Alberta was a long-time member of the Copper Dome Society and the Horizon Club as well as a Distinguished Fellow in the President’s Council of the University Foundation. 

“Her commitment to her students will continue through the scholarships that she and Neil have endowed at Southeast Missouri State University,” Lee said.

Alberta wrote the history of Jackson and other local communities for several publications, including the recent Jackson History book.  She served on the Board of Directors for the Jackson Heritage Association and supported the establishment of the Cape County History Center.  She and Neil especially liked attending the Friday night folk music sessions held at the History Center.

Robert “Neil” Dougan was born April 30, 1945, in St. Louis, to Forrest and Lorraine Willis Dougan, the youngest of six children. 

Neil was a 1963 graduate of Cape Central High School.  He was a Vietnam veteran, serving honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps from Aug. 12, 1966, to Aug. 9, 1968.

Neil was a journeyman for UA Local 562 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union. After retirement, he enjoyed volunteering at the Cape County History Center, Southeast Missouri Pets (formerly the Humane Society) and Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary.  He was active in the Alzheimer’s Association, the Marine Corps League and the Vietnam Veterans Association.