$115 million gift from Rob Walton launches school of conservation futures
Arizona State University has announced the most significant philanthropic gift in its history: a $115 million donation from the Rob Walton Foundation to create the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures.
The contribution marks a new chapter not only for ASU but also for Rob Walton, whose name has long been associated with both business leadership and a deeply personal commitment to the natural world.
Walton, the former chairman of Walmart and a longtime philanthropist with a focus on environmental stewardship, has built a legacy centered on advancing sustainability, protecting ecosystems, and promoting global cooperation on conservation.
The Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures will be part of the newly renamed Rob Walton College of Global Futures, an academic hub that reflects ASU’s growing reputation as a leader in climate and sustainability research.
With this transformative gift, Walton is extending a philanthropic journey that spans decades, shaped by a conviction that the health of the planet is inseparable from humanity’s future.
“Nature doesn’t recognize borders,” Walton said in announcing the initiative.
“To protect ecosystems, we need international cooperation, innovative leadership and a skilled workforce.”
His words reflect a worldview that sees conservation not as an isolated cause but as an urgent, shared responsibility.
The gift establishes the foundation for a comprehensive program that will educate and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.
The school will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificate programs, while actively partnering with NGOs, governments, Indigenous communities, and private-sector innovators.
This collaborative spirit mirrors Walton’s own approach to philanthropy: investing not only in projects but in the people and partnerships that can scale solutions across borders. Through the creation of a Rob Walton Chair, three professorships, and a dedicated Scholars Fund providing scholarships, the gift ensures both intellectual leadership and access for diverse students drawn to the cause.
ASU President Michael Crow emphasized that Walton’s support has been instrumental in positioning the university as a global leader in sustainability.
“He shares our institutional belief that there is an urgent need to tackle the challenges facing our planet,” Crow said, underscoring Walton’s influence on ASU’s trajectory.
For Peter Schlosser, ASU’s vice president and vice provost of Global Futures, the new school is about more than preserving ecosystems—it is about creating adaptive strategies that will allow societies to flourish in a rapidly changing world.
That sentiment was echoed by Peter Seligmann, chairman emeritus of Conservation International and a key collaborator in shaping the school’s vision.
“Solving the planet’s greatest conservation challenges requires the wisdom, innovation, and leadership of people from all corners of the world,” he said.
Walton’s $115 million gift represents more than a historic investment in higher education.
It is the culmination of a personal journey of philanthropy that aligns wealth with responsibility and underscores the idea that business leaders bear a duty to address global challenges.
With this bold commitment, Walton is not only securing ASU’s leadership role in conservation science but also setting an example of how transformative philanthropy can shape the planet’s future.
The Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures stands as a living testament to that vision. In this place, knowledge, innovation, and global collaboration converge to protect the fragile systems that sustain life.