Iowa State University’s Campaign Destiny got off to quite a start last week; a $34 million donation to the College of Agriculture ain’t peanuts.

Last Friday, ISU President Martin Jischke announced the university had received a more than generous anonymous gift which will help kick off ISU’s largest fund-raising effort in history: “Campaign Destiny: To Become the Best.”

Campaign Destiny has already garnered $124 million in donations and pledges since the effort began in 1995.

Organizers of the campaign set a goal of receiving $300 million by the year 2000. Four years before that goal date, the university is almost half-way there.

What is encouraging about this campaign is how some of the donated funds will be appropriated: The campaign is designed to focus on providing adequate funds and resources for teaching, research and outreach efforts.

One of the most positive aspects of the campaign is one of the goals cited by Iowa State’s college of deans:$50 million scheduled to be appropriated for student financial aid, scholarship for minority students and student-athletes and leadership awards and fellowships for graduate students.

In a time when many are questioning the direction the university is heading (and rightfully so), it is efforts like this that serve to show us that the focus of this institution is and should still be on education of its students.

While students and faculty and staff are more than justified in questioning the priorities of the university in matters such as the potential for over-commercialization, student tuition hikes, etc., it is reassuring to know that there are still efforts being made to improve the quality of education Iowa State University can provide.