Well might Arizona State University rejoice at the success of one of its graduates, Ira A. Fulton. Last weekend the multimillionaire homebuilder made a blockbuster donation to his alma mater: $100 million. Mind you, this is on top of the nearly $60 million Fulton has already given to the university.
Moreover, Fulton and his wife, also an ASU grad, are also giving $72 million to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The gargantuan gift will support ASU’s programs rather than be used for debt retirement or new construction. The university is still working out the details of the money’s disbursement. But however it is allocated, none can doubt that it will enrich the learning of thousands of students.
"The best gift I can provide today," Fulton said in a statement, "is the opportunity of a college education."
As Fulton’s own success shows, that’s the kind of gift that can eventually give back a thousandfold.
