The Vernon F. Shogren Endowment was started by a group of Prof. Shogren's former students soon after his retirement from the NC State College of Design in 1992. He was asked, and agreed, to help define the objectives of the Endowment and to determine the form that it would take.

The Vernon F. Shogren Endowment has been established with the NC State Foundation, Inc. to promote unique study, and scholarship into proposed endeavors by the students and faculty, both former and active, and others with interests in the NC State College of Design. The intent of the Endowment is to encourage exploration of alternative directions in design and architecture within the College of Design. The results of the Endowment would be seen as a product not only of the individual or group, but also of the College. The goal of the Endowment is to directly affect student and faculty in ways which will promote the College of Design's heritage and future. Therefore, all proposals which, deemed by the Board, aspire to this goal will be considered.

Prof. Shogren had the following thoughts on the Endowment:

The general purposes of the Endowment should always be kept in mind and maintained. Among these are (in my opinion): Pursuit of projects is educational rather than performance-oriented-- as in a competition. It should be addressed to young people trying to make a reputation rather than to those who already have it-- as in the Guggenheim Grant for example. Careful guidance, therefore, is required; for inexperienced people. It's probably better to have two or three projects going on at any particular time, rather than one, which would of course spread it thin also.