OUR VIEW:Donation a boon to College of Business

The College of Business got some good news this week.

Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., father of Utah’s current governor, donated $25 million to the college, earning himself a place of honor as the school’s namesake. Another $1 million will go toward scholarships for Armenian students.

The largest gift in USU’s history, the money will help establish USU’s business school and increase its competitiveness. And now that it officially has a name, the Huntsman Business School can carry more weight in the academic world. Though it seems like a small thing, a name gives the school memorability, credibility and an identity. With this money invested in the program and Huntsman’s name, students in the business school can be confident their diplomas will be worth something.

Students in the College of Business should be grateful to the Huntsmans for their donation. Even for those who are graduating soon, the improvements made with the money given to the school will lend their degrees respectability now, and increasingly as time goes by.

It’s gifts like this that keep USU growing. Without patrons offering help to their favorite programs on campus, development would take a lot longer. Two years ago, the Caine sisters built the school a concert hall, which now is the venue for student recitals, speeches, lectures and visiting artist performances. It’s a great asset to the school.

Earlier this year, USU received a $15 million gift to go toward a building on the Uintah Basin Campus. That gift is furthering USU’s land grant mission and bringing education to those who can’t come to Logan to get their degree.

Now, the Huntsmans’ gift will strengthen our business college and help it compete with the schools at University of Utah and Brigham Young University.

Would that every college and department had a benefactor like the above-mentioned patrons.