In the past year, Benson, the president, and Beazer, the athletic director, have stepped into the two highest-profile positions on campus and immediately provided an injection of adrenaline.

Just 15 days into his administration, Benson on Wednesday announced the largest private donation for a capital project in university history, a $3 million gift from an anonymous donor.

How’s that for starting with a bang?

He’s not done, either. Benson has vowed to raise $115 million in his first five years as part of the most aggressive and ambitious fundraising campaign in SUU history, and I get the feeling he thinks he can raise even more than that.

Beazer, meanwhile, is on the verge of doing something just as important as raising money. He’s about to build an athletic tradition at SUU.

Next month, SUU will retire the first athletic jersey in university history, that of former women’s basketball star Myndee Larsen. It sounds like other former Thunderbird standouts -- might I suggest Matt Cannon and Jeff Monaco, two of my all-time favorites -- will also soon be recognized for their wonderful careers.

By remembering the past, I believe Beazer is ensuring a better future. Every kid dreams of seeing their jersey hanging from the rafters of a gymnasium or seeing their number permanently displayed at a football stadium.

But what are prospective SUU athletes to think now? That no T-Bird has ever been good enough to be remembered? That no matter what they do, nobody will remember them?

It’s about time SUU sends a different message, a message that if you kick butt and take names, your name will forever be remembered.

While I’m not an alum of SUU, I’m excited by what Benson and Beazer are striving to do. Aren’t you?