SDSU alumni Tom and Cathy Madson carried their memories from campus with them long after graduation, utilizing the skillsets instilled in them at the university throughout their lives.

Cathy was one of the first majors in geography, a new program at SDSU at the time of her study. Tom entered the ROTC program and later spent 22 years in the Air Force, where he and Cathy made lifelong connections and friendships. After Tom’s time in the Air Force, he completed his career with a distinguished ranking of Colonel.

After Cathy passed away from cancer in 2015, Tom felt compelled to share her legacy with the university that meant so much to them. He established an endowment to the newly formed College of Natural Sciences, home to the geography department that impacted his wife. The scholarship encourages students who share the same passion for natural sciences as Cathy.