CU, Mel's alma mater, has gained a special microscope and a new conference room in the school of engineering through gifts from the Boulder couple. Herbert Fenster's family likes to offer fresh opportunities to people. The Clarks say giving to CU offers a way to stay involved with old friends and campus life. The Fensters' giving carries on a family tradition. CU relies on the Clarks and the Fensters and thousands of the other donors, especially now that the university lags behind in fund-raising.
People give money to public universities for all sorts of reasons.
The goal of professional university fund-raisers, said Betsey Jay, vice president of marketing for the CU Foundation, is to help people put their finger on their personal values. We have become a place where they can act on some fundamental values. To that end, CU faculty and administrators are being called on to put a human face on the work that would benefit from a largely bricks, mortar and microchip investment in the four campuses. You have to have specific ideas for people to buy into. Underneath that is an incredible depth of emotion about the university.