Betty Foy Sanders Estate Gifts $1 Million to Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern University has received a $1 million gift from the estate of the late Betty Foy Sanders. It will support student scholarships, student travel, guest lectures and new art acquisitions to grow the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection at the University.

The former first lady of Georgia designated $75,000 to be used for the University’s art acquisition. In 1967, Sanders established the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection, which features the works of various accomplished Georgia artists and is on permanent display at the Center for Art & Theatre on Georgia Southern’s Statesboro Campus.

The balance of the gift bequest will be divided with 34% to be used for the Betty Foy Sanders Scholarship Fund. Another 33% will support the Betty Foy Sanders Art Student Travel Fund and the other 33% will fund the Visiting Artist Endowment named in her honor.

A self-described “homegrown” Statesboro, Georgia, native, Sanders’ paintings are found in museums, corporations and private collections around the South, including the Georgia Governor’s Mansion. Though Sanders is certainly well known for her accomplishments, she is equally recognized for her devotion to the advancement of the arts and art education.

When her husband was in the governor’s office, Sanders dedicated her efforts toward the construction of several fine arts buildings in the University System of Georgia. One of those was the Foy Fine Arts Building on Georgia Southern’s Statesboro Campus, named for her father, J.P. Foy.