Angelo State University agriculture students and facilities just got a funding boost from the local Ernest and Dorthy Barrow Foundation, according to a university media release.
Commonly called the ASU Ranch, the Management, Instruction and Research Center just north of San Angelo off U.S. Highway 87 will benefit from the foundation’s $250,000 gift to help establish an endowment for the center, ASU officials said in the media release.
“The Barrow Foundation’s investment in experiential education helps ensure that Angelo State agriculture students have access to innovative resources, meaningful research experiences, and practical training that strengthens their knowledge and skills,” Dr. Cody Scott, chair of the ASU Department of Agriculture, said in the media release.
“Their generosity not only supports the growth of the MIR Center, but also makes a lasting impact on the students whose lives and careers will be shaped by these opportunities,” Scott said.
The MIR Center sits on 6,000 acres of ranchland where ASU students, faculty and staff raise cattle, sheep and goats, ASU officials said. They also grow and produce livestock feed and harvest, produce and sell food-animal products. In addition, they conduct range and wildlife management activities and research.
The Barrow Foundation’s $250,000 donation is the lead gift toward ASU’s initiative to establish a $2 million MIR Center Excellence Endowment to secure the center’s long-term future, ASU officials said.
Once fully-funded, the endowment will:
ASU officials were grateful to the Barrow Foundation.
“This transformational gift demonstrates the Barrow Foundation’s long-standing commitment to agriculture, education and rural communities,” Jenny Love, ASU executive director of development and alumni relations, said in the media release.
The MIR Center also serves as a demonstration and training site for agriculture, annually hosting about 6,000 Future Farmers of America, 4-H and other students for events and contests, ASU officials said.
In addition to a classroom and lab complex, the MIR Center is home to several facilities providing hands-on learning for students in the ASU Department of Agriculture’s various degree programs.
These facilities include:
As Angelo State approaches its centennial celebration in 2028, the endowment will provide permanent support for one of the university’s most distinctive and impactful educational assets, ASU officials said.
Fully establishing the endowment is another example of why securing funding to support new and enhanced student learning facilities is one of the top priorities of ASU’s ongoing “Leading the Charge” capital campaign, officials said.
More details on the campaign are available online at angelo.edu/leading-the-charge or by calling the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 325-942-2116.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Funding gift helps Angelo State agriculture grow
Reporting by Staff reports, San Angelo Standard-Times / San Angelo Standard-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Staff reports, San Angelo Standard-Times | USA TODAY Network
