After a year and a half of fundraising, Montana State University announced today that a gift of $4.8 million from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation has allowed it to reach its goal of raising the $22.5 million in private donations needed to move ahead with constructing an on-campus facility for its fast-growing Gallatin College MSU.

Gallatin Valley residents Kathy Crawford and her late husband, Thomas H. “Tim” Crawford, both credited early exposure to the natural world for firing their passion to protect wildlife and the vital habitat it needs. Over the years they always tried to ignite the power of caring in younger generations.

Now, roughly two years after Tim passed away in autumn 2022, Kathy and Montana State University are announcing a $30 million gift from the couple, the largest scholarship endowment in university history. The fund will help students from multiple disciplines advance innovative thinking about wildlife habitat protection.