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K-State Today

September 20, 2012

Supporting excellence: BNSF commitment benefits university programs, College of Engineering initiatives

Submitted by Communications and Marketing

BNSF Railway Foundation has made a commitment of $337,500 to Kansas State University to support universitywide programs as well as initiatives in the College of Engineering. This gift enhances the long-standing relationship between BNSF and the university by bringing its total giving to more than $1 million.

Among the initiatives supported by BNSF are the career and employment services' corporate partner program; BNSF high school outreach program; engineering student competition teams, open house student awards and student professional society chapter events and projects; and the Women in Engineering program.

"This is a terrific new milestone in the partnership between Kansas State University and BNSF," said Kirk Schulz, university president. "We're pleased to recognize them as a leading corporate partner of the university. BNSF's elevated support will be a significant factor in recruiting, supporting and rewarding the finest students at Kansas State University, and will help advance the institution toward its goal of becoming a Top 50 public research university by 2025."

"The BNSF Railway Foundation is proud to support the work of the K-State College of Engineering, which is dedicated to attracting a more diverse population to the fields of engineering and science," said Carl Ice, BNSF Railway Foundation board member and president and COO of the BNSF Railway Company. "The BNSF Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations and projects in higher education and youth development in the communities we serve. We recognize the future of the economy and of the communities we serve will depend on developing the young minds who are the leaders of tomorrow, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support a program that will help make that future possible."

"It goes without saying how deeply appreciative the college is to the BNSF Foundation for this latest gift in support of our programs," said John English, dean of the college of engineering. "These dollars will benefit the very core experiences of an engineering education -- competition teams, student professional organizations, open house events and awards, as well as funding science, technology, engineering and mathematics workshops for high school students. It will also be a vital element in realizing the goals of the state's University Engineering Initiative Act by counting toward our required match."

Philanthropic contributions to the university are coordinated by the Kansas State University Foundation. The foundation staff works with university partners to build lifelong relationships with alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students through involvement and investment in the university.