Gift celebrates Utah's mining history, Springer legacy at Utah State
Hard-rock mining and Utah State University are both so ingrained in the history of Jerry R. Springer's '61 '65MS family that he realized celebrating the two together was his only clear and logical choice. Now the department of geology in the College of Science at USU is thrilled to agree.
Springer, of Midway, Utah, generously gifted $10,000 recently to establish the Beryl Ott and Tura Holm Springer Memorial Scholarship Endowment in the department of geology, honoring his hardworking parents who sacrificed so much to instill the value of education in their children.
"Neither of my parents finished high school," Springer said. "But they worked hard all their lives to make sure we kids had every opportunity they didn't."
Beryl Springer's long career in mining began at an early age, eventually spanning 40 years. The Springer endowment is established to honor the family's strong heritage in the industry as well as its legacy at Utah State University, which now includes five generations of students, including Springer's own grandfather, Jeremiah R. Springer, who attended the "Agricultural College of Utah" in 1904-05 after receiving a written invitation to play football. Springer's younger brother, Rick '69, and four of Springer's own six children have attended Utah State, and his aunt, Floris S. Olsen Henderson '52MS, was named the Robins Award "Professor of the Year" in 1981.
The family has donated mining artifacts, documents and related photographs to several organizations, including the Park City Historical Society and Museum. By adding the gift to USU, Springer is hopeful the industry will continue to be remembered as an important chapter in Utah's economic history.
"Hopefully, the scholarship will be of significant help to a deserving USU student pursuing a career in environmental geology, petroleum exploration, hydrogeology or some related course of study," Springer said.
“Knowing the family was able to assist a young man or woman successfully obtain a meaningful education, thus bettering their life—perhaps even mankind in some way—is very satisfying.”
Interestingly, the initial scholarship gift came from "modest payouts" on mineral rights the family held in Utah's Uintah Basin. Springer, a retired career counselor, who said the thought of making such a gift would have surely overwhelmed his parents, said it "is just a small way for the extended family to demonstrate its appreciation for all that Utah State University has done for us over the last 100 years."
"We are very pleased to accept this generous gift from the Springer family, said Geology department head John Shervais, "many of our students must work to put themselves through college, and this scholarship will help these students complete their education and go on to careers in the earth sciences. So the legacy of the Springer family in the mining industry will live on in these students."
