Sorenson's endowment will expand BYU's elementary school teacher-education initiatives by:

* Assisting in training arts specialists and classroom teachers who teach the arts to elementary school students.

* Sponsoring workshops for elementary classroom instructors teaching art in BYU/public school partnerships with Jordan, Alpine, Provo, Nebo and Wasatch school districts.

* Advancing the collaboration between BYU and other Utah universities, colleges, state educational institutions, arts organizations and interested citizens in sharing best practices and promoting art education programs.

The gifts include $1.25 million to the University of Utah's College of Fine Arts to endow a permanent chair in its school of music, and $3 million to Southern Utah University, $1 million of which endowed a permanent chair in SUU's newly renamed Beverley Taylor Sorenson College of Education.

Sorenson is married to Utah billionaire and medical device pioneer James LeVoy Sorenson.

- Shinika A. Sykes