College of Engineering

Help Create the Doran Baker Scholarship Endowment

Join Us In Honoring A Space Research Visionary And Empowering Future Engineers!

Be part of a special A Day of Giving at Utah State University to remember Doran Baker, the visionary behind Space Dynamics Laboratory. Help us create a lasting memorial scholarship to support budding engineering talents.

Your contribution fuels an endowed scholarship honoring Doran Baker. Every gift you give multiplies the impact, providing enduring support for generations of engineering students. Doran Baker's legacy transformed Utah State into a space research hub. His pioneering efforts led to the creation of the Space Dynamics Laboratory, which today employs thousands and shapes the region's engineering landscape.

In his early career, Baker helped establish Utah State's Electro-Dynamics Laboratory. In 1970, the Upper Air Research Laboratory from the University of Utah, led by Baker's brother Kay, moved to USU. These labs later merged into the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), guided by Baker's vision. Today, SDL employs over 1,000 people, boosting high-paying engineering jobs in Cache Valley. Baker's impact spread beyond USU, working in commercial firms and federal agencies, teaching NASA courses, and leading expeditions. He developed advanced imaging sensors for emissions and held leadership roles in the College of Engineering. Known for teaching and mentoring, Baker's teaching evaluations from the 1980s onward highlight his energetic, caring approach.

Let's celebrate Doran Baker's legacy and propel future engineers. Your donation shapes the future of engineering education. Together, we inspire innovation and honor a visionary. Donate Today!

*Disclaimer*

• Your gift will be used only for the above-stated purpose if the required minimum endowment level of $25,000 is met by August 31, 2028. If not met, the gift will be considered expendable towards the stated purpose.
• The Endowment will exist in perpetuity. If circumstances arise that render the stated purpose of the Endowment (as set forth herein) illegal, impractical, impossible, or wasteful (e.g., a change in law, the elimination of a USU program, position, or course of study, the persistent unavailability of scholarship recipients that meet the criteria, etc.); then, as set forth in this Solicitation, under such circumstances and in keeping with Utah Code 51-8-501(1), USU may designate a new purpose and/or scholarship selection criteria for the Endowment. Any such new purpose shall be defined by USU’s President and Dean of the College of Engineering.
• The Endowment will be invested under the direction of the University Public Treasurer. Oversight and advisement of investments will be provided by the USU Investment Advisory Committee in accordance with USU’s investment policy. The USU Foundation is the legal entity designated by USU to receive charitable gifts in support of its academic mission.
• Distributions from the Endowment shall be governed by USU’s Endowment Spending Policy. The spending policy calls for an annual distribution up to 5% (currently set at 4%) of the value of the endowment account to be expended per the gift agreement. An additional 1.5% of the endowment value shall be used to fund the administration of the endowment and USU advancement efforts. All additional gains shall be retained as appreciation and invested along with the corpus to grow the value of the Endowment over time.
• By letter dated May 21, 2008, the Internal Revenue Service has declared the USU Foundation (federal tax identification number 87-0627128), to be a duly qualified charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) and an organization described in sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(iv) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Foundation is a duly chartered active Utah nonprofit corporation, under the provision of Utah Code, Title 16, Chapter 6a.