College Time
13 August 2008
My oldest son starts college here in Utah next week, wow do I feel old and soon to be broke (g). It would be so cool to be in his shoes and going through the experience. He just graduated High School and we all wanted him to stay in the mode of education so he did not put it off for later. I am damn proud of him!
Speaking of college….
My family has always been a strong believer in education and my grandfather donated millions to many good causes because he was fortunate not because he wanted his name in lights or a tax break, he did it all for the right and honorable reasons. Land was donated as was a considerable amount money to start a endowment to award scholarships for future students of a Eastern Idaho Technical School “EITC”.
I should have a shirt “My family donated millions, and all we got was this small plaque in a field”
It is always nice and honorable to donate and expect nothing, but there is responsibility to see the scholarship trust funds are managed to grow and be used for (I heard they were used for other capital and now are gone) and at least honor and recognize the critical and vital benefactors. Instead there is a small plaque sitting in a field where my families house that I lived in as a child and barn once stood and nearby my grandfathers horse ranch.
There is a new healthcare building and I have heard they recently refused to name it after the benefactor of their campus, my grandfather Ivan Ashment. Perhaps they are instead looking for new money from a new benefactor to name the building. They named other buildings after people.
My grandfather passed away many years ago and he did not really expect anything in return, but it would have been the right thing for the college to do given his contributions critical to the future of the college instead of the little plaque. My grandfather was a farmer that happened through hard work to become one of the worlds top known and well respected names in the American quarter horse breeding and racing industry as well as the Idaho potato industry like my other grandfather on the Hurley side who was critical to the Idaho potato industry.
I hope what I have heard secondhand about the building name disagreements in the directors office and endowment scholarship trust fund are incorrect, but the only thing that remains is a plaque in a field and no evidence the scholarship trust fund exists today and that's says volumes to me.
This post is in no way a reflection on all schools, benefactors, or donations.
Donating for education is still the right thing to do.
-Shaan