Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, has announced a $15 million gift from Ira and Mary Lou Fulton to endow three academic chairs.

The gift will establish a $5 million chair in each of three BYU colleges — Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Health and Human Performance; and Humanities. The chairs will support students through scholarships, assistance to academic programs, internship opportunities, and upgraded learning equipment. The endowments will also augment faculty support of mentored learning, boost research effort, and provide for guest lecturers.

"This gift to Brigham Young University is another example of the generosity of our wonderful friends Ira and Mary Lou Fulton," said BYU president Cecil O. Samuelson. "These chairs will provide students and faculty with extra resources, helping them accelerate their education and scholarship."

The Fultons began a relationship with BYU in 1999, after visiting the campus and feeling a kinship with faculty, administration, and students. To date, they've given more than $50 million to the university.