Businessman donates $1 million to expand CSU veterans program

FORT COLLINS – Dennis Repp, businessman and Colorado State University alumnus, has donated $1 million to a university program serving veterans.

The gift raises Repp’s contributions to the New Start Program to more than $2.5 million. CSU announced another more than $1.5 million donation from Repp last August. Repp started Storage Technology Corp. in Louisville.

Repp donated $50,000 to help start the CSU program. He later gave the $1.5 million to establish the Repp Distinguished Veterans Fund supporting New Start. The program is free for student veterans thanks to Repp’s contribution.

Repp’s latest $1 million contribution will help better track the progress of program participants from college entry to graduation and beyond. The gift will fund a research director for the program. Aaron Eakman, assistant professor of Occupational Therapy at CSU, will serve in the position.

Repp’s gift also will fund additional staff for the program, which serves 40 student veterans. The CSU program has helped four student veterans earn undergraduate degrees. Two others have completed master’s degrees and three have entered graduate programs.