Utah State alumnus donates $16,000 gift-in-kind to CNR
Chris W. Andersen '79 knows success demands having the right tools at the right time. In 2004, his Salt Lake Valley-based company, Geographic Resource Technology, Inc., was named the Small Business Administration's Region VIII Subcontractor of the Year. When it came time to pursue other professional opportunities, Andersen wanted to make sure his tools were placed into hands that could really make a difference.
A graduate in forestry, Andersen recently made a gift-in-kind valued at more than $16,000 to Utah State University's College of Natural Resources. He donated computer equipment, a plotter, a digitizing board, a stereoscope and other components of high-end geographic information systems that he knew would facilitate the real-world experiences of students and faculty alike.
"A majority of what I was able to accomplish in life was because of the education I had received," Andersen said.
“I wouldn't have been where I was without USU, so I wanted to give something back to the college.”
F.E. "Fee" Busby '77, former dean of the College of Natural Resources, said the generous gift "will help prepare future graduates of the college to be more proficiently trained in remote sensing, geographic information systems and other computer technology."
Busby said the equipment, which Andersen hand-delivered, was quickly distributed to several teaching groups in the college and would undoubtedly be put to good use by faculty and students, who, like Andersen, remain eager to make a real difference in research and teaching within the college and in the field.
"Sometimes companies see only the monetary value of used computers and technical equipment," Andersen said. "The first thing they think is 'what can I sell this for?' I weighed that against the possible benefit to students, and the value to education. I don't think you can put a number on that and I just couldn't think of a better place for those tools."
