"It has been proven that meaningful engagement in the arts greatly improves a child's ability to learn and overall quality of life," said Sorenson, the widow of Utah business titan James Sorenson, in a press release. "We are delighted to support BYU through its well-established infrastructure to improve the lives and educations of thousands of Utah children."

The gift was made through the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, a philanthropic organization devoted to connecting the Sorenson family's wealth with charitable enterprises.

In the ARTS Partnership, which combines efforts of three BYU colleges, the university teams with 120 elementary schools in five school districts that together serve one-third of Utah's elementary schoolchildren. The districts are Alpine, Jordan, Nebo, Provo and Wasatch. The Sorenson gift will fund professional development opportunities for BYU's elementary education majors, elementary school teachers and art specialists throughout Utah.

"We've long been impressed with Beverley Sorenson's vision that every Utah child should receive quality education in the fine arts. Her passion is contagious," said BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson. "With the existing BYU-Public School Partnership, we had the required infrastructure already in place for such an endeavor. . . . Thanks to Mrs. Sorenson's compassion, generations of Utah schoolchildren will have more and better opportunities to learn about and participate in the arts."