FHSU Foundation gets $2 million gift

The Fort Hays State University Foundation has received a $2 million gift from the estates of sisters Marva Lange and Dorothy Lange.

"This is the third largest estate gift ever received by FHSU and will fund scholarships for students from Kansas," Edward H. Hammond, FHSU president, said during a Tuesday morning news conference on the university campus.

The Lange sisters graduated from FHSU with bachelor's degrees in 1947 and master's degrees in 1952. Both enjoyed lifelong careers as teachers. Neither married or had children. Dorothy passed away in 2004 and left her estate to her sister. When Marva died in May 2009, FHSU officially became the beneficiary of nearly all of the estate.

The gift will be counted toward the Cornerstone Campaign, a fundraising effort by the FHSU Foundation that seeks to raise $60 million in support of the university by 2012.