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CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University announced Friday a donation of $4 million designated for the College of Science and Engineering. The donation is the largest single gift in the school's 115-year history.
The funds, donated by Walter and Alice Gibson, will help fund an endowment for student and faculty research initiatives and scholarships.
"This is truly a game-changing gift for one of our largest and most dynamic colleges," said SUU president Michael Benson. "We are extremely grateful to the Gibson family for their commitment to and support of the advancement of science at SUU. Their generosity will benefit the educational pursuits for countless students for generations. This is truly amazing."
There are clearly some new opportunities that this kind of gift can provide that have previously been unattainable.
–Robert Eves
The university will name the college after the late Walter Maxwell Gibson in honor of the donation. Gibson graduated from Branch Agricultural College, now SUU, in 1952 with an associate's degree in chemistry.
"My father loved his time at the college," his son David Gibson said. "He felt it helped him develop a love of science and discovery that continued the rest of his life and prepared him for a meaningful and successful career in academia and business. He was very excited to give back to SUU in a meaningful way."
Robert Eves, the dean of the college, said the Gibson's donation will help science students see similar results for years to come.
"There are clearly some new opportunities that this kind of gift can provide that have previously been unattainable," Eves said.
The Walter Maxwell Gibson College of Science and Engineering will be officially unveiled May 2012, shortly before SUU's 113th annual commencement.
