Utah Valley University has opened its new Gateway Building on the south end of its Orem Campus. The structure was made possible by a $5 million donation from Utah business leader and UVU alumnus Brandon D. Fugal.
The three-story Gateway Building is part of UVU’s long-term master plan that was introduced in 2010 to address the rapid population growth in Utah. It will house the office of UVU Pres. Astrid S. Tuminez, her administration and three vice presidents. It includes a board conference area along with state-of-the-art classrooms. It will serve as a student welcome center for prospective students. The Gary R. Herbert Institute of Public Policy Center will also be housed in the new building.
“Brandon Fugal personifies the greatest qualities we seek to inculcate in our students: grit, intelligence, ambition, innovation and generosity,” said Tuminez. “The Gateway Building that bears his name will be a wonderful new main entrance to campus. Many students and families will start their UVU journeys from this building. They will be reminded that their potential, much like UVU alumnus Brandon Fugal’s, is unlimited.”
Tuminez expressed university leaders’ gratitude for Fugal’s gift. Fugal was awarded a leadership scholarship and attended UVU in 1994 and is a “strong illustration of entrepreneurial success in Utah,” Tuminezsaid.
Fugal is the chairman and co-owner of Colliers International in Utah, a commercial real estate firm in the state. He is also the co-founder of Axcend, a provider of compact nanoflow liquid chromatography systems; Thanksgiving Development; and Texas Growth Fund; as well as manager and investor in numerous other ventures.
“Utah Valley University is my school,” Fugal said. “It is in my DNA. It gave me a solid foundation that helped me launch my real estate and business career. There are many people who taught and showed me the way. Now I want to give back, to help those who follow me. I hope this building stands as a sentinel showing people the power of education and the American dream.”
The building will host lectures and candidate forums and will also archive Herbert’s personal papers and artifacts accumulated during the former governor’s service to Utah.