SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — A name ubiquitous in Sioux Falls is now on a university. South Dakota billionaire philanthropist T. Denny Sanford will have San Diego-based National University renamed in his honor.
The school will become Sanford National University on July 1 after a big donation from Sanford. The exact number was not released, but the university said the gift is one of the 15 largest ever by an individual to an institution of higher learning.
“It’s almost indescribable, the feeling that I have,” Sanford said in a video accompanying the announcement. “That my name is going to be on a national university, and they’re going to expand it.”
Based near San Diego, National University has about 17,000 students, the majority of whom are enrolled online. It’s primarily geared toward adult education.
The sizeable donation will go toward a variety of projects at the university, including improving affordability for students, according to university president David W. Andrews.
