University of Wyoming Foundation

SPOTLIGHT

Dedicated Wyoming Philanthropist Once Again Transforms UW Programs

A gift of more than $1 million from Wyoming philanthropist Susie McMurry will support the Western Thunder Marching Band and the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing at the University of Wyoming.

Specific areas include continued support of the Western Thunder Marching Band; the Bachelor’s Reach for Accelerated Nursing Degree (BRAND) Program; the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing dean’s discretionary fund; and a new state-of-the-art Gaumard advanced multipurpose adult simulator for nursing education.

Since 1998, Susie McMurry and the McMurry Foundation have provided transformative investments to elevate and support the citizens of Wyoming -- forever improving the lives of people, organizations, hospitals and centers throughout the state. McMurry’s dedicated support of these areas provides critical funding for UW students, faculty and staff.

Alum Endows Second Deanship in UW History

The University of Wyoming has received a remarkable private gift of $5 million from UW alumnus Lawrence “Larry” Carrell to establish a named deanship in the College of Engineering and Applied Science -- the second named deanship in the university’s history after the John P. Ellbogen Foundation named the College of Education deanship earlier this year.

“I feel fortunate to have graduated from the University of Wyoming,” Carrell says. “My experience at UW involved a lot of hard work and rough weather, and, overall, my education has played a significant role in my success. This deanship is a way we can continue to stay competitive.”

The Carrell Family Deanship in the College of Engineering and Applied Science will be used to recruit and retain deans at UW while fostering excellence and addressing the critical needs and priorities of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Memorial Gift to UW Supports Century-Old Tradition

A $1 million gift in memory of Tom Thorson, president of the Wyoming company Black Hills Bentonite LLC, supports the University of Wyoming’s Summer Field Camp, which has been training geologists for almost a century.

“Tom loved his experience going to the Summer Field Camp, and it fostered a lifelong love of the outdoors and for Wyoming,” says Tom’s sister, Mary Thorson Gullikson.

The Tom A. Thorson Geology Field Camp Fund is an endowed excellence fund that was established by Don Thorson and Mary Thorson Gullikson on behalf of the Harry T. Thorson Foundation. Family and friends also contributed to the fund.

The fund supports the Tom A. Thorson Geology Field Camp -- formerly the UW Field Course in Geology or the Summer Field Camp.

UW Alum’s Gift Supports War Memorial West-Side Renovations

A remarkable gift from a former Cowboy football walk-on under Coach Al Kincaid in the 1980s is the first major gift to support planned renovations to the University of Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium.

“Although my time on the football team was brief, I have been a Wyoming Cowboy fan since we moved to Wyoming in 1976,” says Cody Ritchie.

The $1 million gift from Cody and his wife, Patsy, will support the west-side upgrades to War Memorial Stadium. The project is still being finalized but will include improvements and upgrades to restrooms, concessions, seating, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and the press area. The project will be supported by private gifts and funding from the Wyoming State Legislature.

University of Wyoming Foundation Annual Report on Giving

The University of Wyoming and UW Foundation would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to you—UW’s donors, alumni, and friends whose generosity is a vote of confidence in all that we do. Our success is your success, and on behalf of the entire university community, thank you!

The University of Wyoming Foundation Annual Report on Giving is out now! Find it in your mailbox or click here to see a web or pdf version.