The Gift That Keeps Giving:
The Rouse Ranch Story
All gifts to the College of Agricultural Sciences are special.
When we pool these gifts together, we can maximize student support, increase research resources for faculty, and redesign or recreate our College’s facilities.
But in times when budgets are shrinking, certain gifts come when we least expect them and when we couldn’t have needed them more.
This is precisely the case in the Department of Animal Sciences who recently received a gift that keeps on giving. However, there is a brief history behind this gift that we need to explain first.
In 1986, John Rouse gave his Saratoga, Wyoming ranch to Colorado State University’s Department of Animal Sciences. The department has utilized the Rouse Ranch, also known as the CSU Beef Improvement Center, for over 20 years as one of our major beef breeding research centers. Breeding and genetics has historically been a pillar of our animal science research – something we are well known for and take great pride in.
Due to varying reasons, the decision to sell the ranch was made. In December, buyers found the ranch – or rather, the ranch found them. Much to our surprise, the family of John Rouse presented themselves as available buyers, and the ranch was sold back to the grandchildren of the original donors.
The net proceeds of the ranch sale created a $4,782,000 endowment which includes the John E. Rouse Chair in Animal Breeding. Furthermore,
an agreement was developed with the new owners to lease the ranch for the next 20 years to continue our animal breeding program without any interruptions.
The endowment also provides operational support for the ranch.
Bill Wailes, Chair of the Department of Animal Sciences and Professor Mark Enns were instrumental in constructing the agreement with the Rouse grandchildren on the purchase of the ranch and the subsequent establishment of the endowments. The $5.3 million transaction provides the department with much-needed financial resources, while at the same time allowing the beef breeding program to continue as John Rouse originally intended, on his beautiful Saratoga, Wyoming ranch.
The College sincerely extends its thanks to Steve Schalk, Claudia Short, Karen Schalk, and their families, for turning the sale of this valuable ranch into a positive outcome that we never anticipated. With the recent ranch transaction, the Rouse Family legacy will continue at Colorado State for many years with new chapters being written with each generation. The College of Agricultural Sciences is proud to carry on the memory and tradition of John Rouse.