Alumni Françoise deRochefort Thompson and Thomas Allen Gregory’s names will welcome students and visitors to Fraser Hall’s second floor when renovations are complete.
—By Kristin Kelker
In a story of dedication to education and a shared love of science, University of Minnesota alumni Françoise deRochefort Thompson, a retired French and Spanish teacher, and her husband, Thomas “Tom” Allen Gregory, a 1964 chemistry graduate, have made a transformative donation to enhance undergraduate chemistry education at the University of Minnesota.
Their generous contribution to the reimagination of Fraser Hall will be recognized with the naming of the second level.
The Gregory Thompson Floor will house seven of the new building’s 18 chemistry undergraduate teaching laboratories. The donor requested the amount of the gift not be disclosed. Born in France, Françoise, who holds a master’s degree in French from the University, spent years teaching French and Spanish in secondary school and believes “language opens your mind to the world.”
In addition to her passion for French, literature, and the arts, Françoise’s favorite subject in high school was chemistry.
This early interest in chemistry was rekindled when she met her husband, a brilliant scientist whose groundbreaking patents, inventions, and articles earned him international recognition. After receiving his undergraduate degree at the University, he went on to earn his Ph.D. in chemistry from Notre Dame.
“Tom had a chemistry lab in his childhood home,” Françoise said. “His field was physical chemistry, which is very mathematical. I keep finding his equations around the house. Tom was meticulous in his research. I don’t think it was ever really a job. It was what he loved.”
Françoise recalled returning to the University with Tom when he completed postgraduate work in the labs. With these cherished memories in mind, she keeps her focus on the next generation of scientists and their contributions.
“I want to provide opportunities for students and support their future,” she said. “The students are what’s most important.”
The Chemistry Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories building is designed to support collaborative learning, encourage problem solving, and foster community.
The State of Minnesota funded two-thirds of the Fraser Hall renovation with an investment through the University. Françoise’s gift and leadership commitment provides a strong foundation, contributing to the remaining one-third of the project’s expenses, which the College of Science and Engineering must cover.
The gift’s impact is already resonating with the community. Students and faculty are eagerly anticipating the opening for fall 2025 classes.
“The updated building and its chemistry labs will formalize a shift in teaching and learning outcomes that have been underway for some time,” said David Blank, CSE associate dean for undergraduate programs.
A current University Medical School student, Elise Toussaint, is also among those grateful for the new building. She was one of the many undergraduates on the Twin Cities campus who used old chemistry lab spaces each semester.
“I think it’s encouraging that people beyond campus see the importance of this and want to support us in being able to do the best that we can in our fields,” she said.
