Two landmark philanthropic commitments — one in Arizona and another in Colorado — are poised to reshape higher education’s role in tackling global challenges. Arizona State University announced a $115 million investment from philanthropist and former Walmart chairman Rob Walton to establish a new conservation school, while the University of Colorado received $50 million from The Anschutz Foundation to launch a mental health collaborative.
ASU’s Largest Gift in History
The Rob Walton Foundation’s $115 million contribution is the single largest donation in Arizona State University’s history. The gift, unveiled during Climate Week in New York alongside ASU President Michael Crow, will create the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures. The university’s College of Global Futures will also be renamed in Walton’s honor.
“Conservation is important for our whole world,” Walton said in a statement. “We need nature to survive. We need clean air, clean water and food that is healthy. All those things come from nature. Ultimately, I’ve made this a priority.”
The new school will train students, researchers, and practitioners in hands-on conservation methods while addressing urgent global needs such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Programs will range from certificates for high school students and working professionals to advanced degrees. Scholarships, endowed faculty positions, and the Rob Walton Chair will support research and student access.
Crow said the initiative reflects Walton’s long-standing commitment to sustainability. “It is a worthy honor for all that Rob has done,” Crow said. “His long-standing support has been critically important to ASU’s leadership and growth in sustainability. He shares our institutional belief that there is an urgent need to tackle the challenges facing our planet.”
Peter Schlosser, vice president and vice provost of Global Futures, emphasized the program’s potential reach. “The Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures is redefining conservation science to address the challenges of a rapidly changing world,” he said.
CU’s Mental Health Collaborative
In Colorado, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus announced a $50 million gift from The Anschutz Foundation — the first seed in a $200 million fundraising campaign to build a comprehensive mental health collaborative.
“For us, it’s one of the most exciting initiatives we’ve been involved with in a long time,” CU Anschutz Chancellor Don Elliman told The Colorado Sun.
The CU Anschutz Campus Mental Health Collaborative will unite research and clinical expertise from the School of Medicine, UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, and Children’s Hospital Colorado. About half of the programs will focus on youth mental health, while the other half will address adult care. Efforts include integrating mental health services into primary care, developing new treatments, and expanding training for specialized responders.
“This gift positions us to take a bold step to unify our programs across campus into a powerful platform with a shared purpose for care and discovery,” Dr. John Sampson, dean of the CU School of Medicine, said in a statement.
Christian Anschutz, president of The Anschutz Foundation, added, “We hope this gift will help attract additional funding to advance this vital work in Colorado and beyond. While we are honored to take a leadership role, true progress requires many partners.”
A Broader Trend
Taken together, the two gifts highlight how universities are increasingly becoming hubs for tackling urgent global problems, from ecological collapse to mental health crises. Both initiatives are designed not only to advance research but also to create pipelines of trained leaders who can carry solutions into communities worldwide.
For Walton, that means equipping the next generation with tools to protect ecosystems. For Anschutz, it means seeding a movement to address one of Colorado’s most pressing public health needs.
