Ira Fulton, an Arizona entrepreneur, philanthropist and namesake of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU, died on Aug. 21, 2026, at the age of 94.
Throughout his life, Fulton was an enthusiastic supporter of ASU engineering students, both financially and emotionally.
"His extraordinary kindness helped us to expand opportunities for students, set a new standard for engineering and teaching education at scale, and enhance ASU's ability to serve the people of Arizona in myriad ways," Michael Crow, the University's president, said in an Instagram post.
In 2003, he gave $50 million in support of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. In his honor, the school was renamed The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and was reorganized to include five new separate engineering schools.
His donation was used primarily to create the Fulton Difference — a group of programs consisting of out-of-classroom activities, undergraduate research, student leadership opportunities and peer mentoring, said Kyle Squires, the dean of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.
Laynie Ben, a senior studying aerospace engineering and vice president of the Fulton Ambassadors, said Fulton's donation also went toward E2 camp, a summer camp freshmen in the engineering school attend at the beginning of the school year to connect with faculty and one another.
Fulton attended these camps, trying to be as involved with students as possible, Ben said. She said he motivated students to achieve their goals through individual interactions.
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Making schools as large as the engineering schools while making it feel personalized to every student is one of the key impacts Fulton made, Squires said.
Dustin Nguyen, a medical student and special events director for Fulton Ambassadors, said in a written statement that he mainly remembered Fulton for attending his E2 camp and a relative's convocation ceremony.
"The simple acts of him going out of his way to be at both events, even when he needed physical support in the form of a wheelchair, reflect on his personal connection to the Fulton Schools and ASU as a whole," Nguyen stated.
After Fulton could no longer attend events, his care for students did not fade. When he could not be present for convocation ceremonies, he pre-recorded a video. Squires said this tradition will continue even after his passing.
Squires said he often received check-in calls from Fulton inquiring about what was happening at the school.
"In the later years, his health just didn't allow him to be as mobile, but that does not mean he had any diminished interest," Squires said.
Ben said Fulton's vision for generations of engineers is what makes them stand out among other degrees. Fulton always emphasized the importance of doing the work with people in mind, asking deeper questions and aiming to connect with people, she said.
"We're solving human problems and remembering that humanity is at the root of all engineering problems," she said.
She said they always try to solve a problem for somebody with "a name, and a face, and a major, and a goal and a dream, so when you put that at the center of everything that you do as an engineer, you are a better engineer."
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She said the reason the Fulton college generates so many inventions and patents is that they look at things differently, just as Fulton wanted.
Engineering had long been a field full of exclusivity and combativeness rather than collaboration, Ben said. That narrative still holds true at some institutions — but not at the Fulton Schools, because of Fulton's passion for bringing the community together.
"It's okay to care about people," Ben said. "In fact, that's what you should do as an engineer, and it's a lesson that he's taught us all, and that he will continue to teach us even in his passing."
Edited by Dhemi Bell, Carsten Oyer and Sophia Keeling.
Reach the reporter at dkovalen@asu.edu.
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Diana Nychyporuk is a Podcast Reporter at The State Press. She previously worked as a reporter for the Community & Culture desk. Diana is pursuing a degree in Journalism with a minor in Political Science.
