Launching their success at USU, couple now seek to build a legacy
Gary '63 and Karen '65 Att Black's vested interest in the success of Utah State University students, especially those in the College of Business, is personal. Both Aggies themselves, the Blacks proudly declare that every member of their immediate family, and many members of their extended family, have attended, or are currently attending Utah State.
The Salt Lake City couple shares memories of autumn nights and piles of leaves on Old Main Hill, of carrying armloads of groceries from downtown Logan to Merrill Hall on a frozen winter's night. Gary cherishes his days of service to the Greek community on campus. Karen vividly recalls a phone call to the political science offices in Old Main, where she worked, relaying—just before she had to walk to her economics class—the news that President Kennedy had been shot. "Class began and I thought I must be the only one in the hall who knew," she said.
Defining moments. Foundations of success. "We are, in part, successful today because of the education we gained at Utah State University," said Gary, now president of Utah-based Condies Foods.
“It's important to us that today's students have that same opportunity to be successful.”
So, with an initial gift of $150,000, the true blue Blacks have established The Gary Black and Karen Walton Black Scholarships in the College of Business, designed to reward the efforts and fuel the aspirations of two USU students each year and to exist in perpetuity.
"We know that education is critical to our country's future," Gary said. "We must produce a highly qualified work force to compete in today's global economy. It is our desire that these scholarships will help the university produce graduates who can meet that challenge."
"When you help students achieve their goals there comes a wonderful sense of goodwill knowing you've given back and improved another's load in life," Karen said.
“We're convinced a great education from a great university sets you on a path to reach your highest potential. If our scholarships at USU can help facilitate that dream, we will feel very blessed.”
Douglas Anderson, dean of the College of Business, said that while the Blacks may feel indebted to Utah State for its life-shaping influence, the reverse is clearly also the case.
"Gary and Karen Black are wonderful representatives of the value of a Utah State University education," Anderson said. "Their loyalty and generosity to the university is legendary, but more than that, they serve as inspiring life examples to every student in the College of Business who dreams of personal successes and of leaving the world a better place."
"It is important to sustain and improve others when possible," said Gary Black. "We have worked hard and have been blessed; now is the right time for us to give back."
