Rocky Mountain Power’s UW Philanthropy Has Long-Term Impact

For 50 years, Rocky Mountain Power has supported the University of Wyoming. In total, Rocky Mountain Power has given over $1 million to UW programs, supporting hundreds of students and faculty from all areas of UW.

“The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation aims to support impactful organizations -- like the University of Wyoming -- that perform critical work in our region,” says Abbie Rice, Rocky Mountain Power Foundation manager. “These groups work tirelessly to strengthen our communities, and the foundation is proud to serve as a dedicated partner in their efforts.”

Every year, Rocky Mountain Power gives to UW and chooses the areas that the company is most passionate about. This year, it gave $58,500 to support 11 UW initiatives.

The 2022 initiatives are the Jody K. Humphrey Inspirational Staff Award; the Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program; the Veterans Student Center Academic Program; the Science Initiative Roadshow; the Rocky Mountain Power Graduate Scholarship in Regulatory Economics; the College of Business Summer Undergraduate Research in Economics; the Ruckelshaus Institute’s Collaboration Program in Natural Resources; the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources’ Sustainability Student Fellowships; the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences’ K-14 STEM Education Program; the Wyoming Department of Education UW American Indian Education for All K-3 Disciplinary Literacy Initiative; and the Nuclear Energy Research Center.

“On behalf of everyone at UW, let me take this opportunity to thank Rocky Mountain Power for their generous support over the years,” UW Foundation President John Stark says. “Fifty years of giving totaling over $1 million -- what an incredible milestone!”

Through the years, the programs that Rocky Mountain Power supports have greatly benefited the university and the greater Wyoming community.

For example, the Ruckelshaus Institute, as a part of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, works to advance the understanding of complex environmental and natural resources challenges and promote collaborative decision-making. This mission is accomplished through programs such as the Private Lands Stewardship and the Wyoming Open Spaces Initiative.

“Progress in the stewardship of our wild and working lands requires the opportunity for broad levels of engagement among the people of our state on issues of sustainability,” says John Koprowski, dean of the Haub School. “The support of Rocky Mountain Power facilitates training in methods of collaborative practice and increased student engagement in academic training in land and natural resource management.”

The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences’ K-14 science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs look to increase education in STEM-related fields among Wyoming students. This has included programs such as Computer Science Week, which helps students to learn coding from UW faculty and students as well as field experts.

Another program is Engineers Week, which gives third graders throughout Wyoming the opportunity to do hands-on engineering activities. These activities are led by professional engineers, with the goal of inspiring innovative thinking and problem-solving.

“The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences K-14 outreach office is immensely grateful for the generosity shown by Rocky Mountain Power,” says Cindy Jones, K-14 STEM Education Program representative. “Without such generosity, this program would not be possible. Because of the support and philanthropy shown by our industry partners, this office reached thousands of Wyoming students last year and will be able to continue its work to inspire the next generation of problem solvers.”

By supporting these initiatives, Rocky Mountain Power is making a difference in the lives of UW students and faculty, as well as making a positive impact on current and future generations of Wyoming.

“We are so very grateful to everyone at Rocky Mountain Power who made this support possible over these many years,” Stark says. “We look forward to this partnership continuing for many years into the future.”

Rocky Mountain Power is a regulated electric utility that provides power to much of Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region. It serves about 150,000 people in Wyoming. The company strives to provide the best service to Wyoming using the core principles of customer service, employee commitment, environmental respect, regulatory integrity, operational excellence and financial strength.

“We believe in the power of lowering barriers and the importance of empowering the next generation in the communities we serve,” says Sharon Fain, Rocky Mountain Power vice president for Wyoming. “We are thankful for the opportunity to support these dedicated organizations in doing this significant and impactful work.”

The company supports communities with its philanthropy through the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation, which is one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the United States.

The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation was created in 1988 by PacifiCorp, an electric utility serving 1.8 million customers in six Western states as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho (www.rockymountainpower.net) and as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and California (www.pacificpower.net).

The foundation’s mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of the communities served by Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power.

Rocky Mountain Power also supports communities and colleges by offering grants and financial support for nonprofit organizations that fund projects based on everything from education and STEM to environmental respect to arts and culture. The emphasis is on supporting community enhancement projects as a way to give back.