The folks at Augustana University received an unexpected surprise earlier this week in the form of a major cash donation that will go to help support the university's archaeology program.

KSFY TV is reporting that Augustana received a one million dollar gift on Tuesday, (April 10) courtesy of the David B. Jones Foundation.

KSFY reports, the donation will be used towards the establishment of an endowed chair in anthropology and archaeology. The gift will help support teaching, scholarship and other services in those areas.

Jones, a multimillionaire, and lover of paleontology and archeology developed a relationship with Augustana University in the late 1990's when he stopped by Augi's Archeology Laboratory one afternoon and introduced himself to Dr. Adrien Hannus.

According to an Augustana University Media Relations press release regarding the donation, both Jones and Hannus loved good conversation which helped to spark their friendship.

After their initial meeting 20 years ago, Jones would make a habit of stopping by the Augustana Archeology Lab about once a month when he wasn't doing a conference or working at a dig site somewhere. Jones' frequent visits to see Hannus led to numerous lunches between the two men and a few much smaller cash gifts for the university's Archeology Lab throughout the years.

Jones passed away while working on a paleontology dig in Wyoming in 2013.

You can learn more about the David B. Jones Foundation and the history he had with Hannus and Augustana University here.

Source: KSFY TV/ Augustana University


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