WEBVTT 00:00:12.539 --> 00:00:14.539 Yeah. Originally we were exposed to Arizona State University and it's 00:00:18.469 --> 00:00:22.997 wonderful leadership of dr Crow through one of our neighbors that held a 00:00:23.030 --> 00:00:27.217 dinner party. And I think it was a wonderful exposure. What we learned was 00:00:27.250 --> 00:00:31.276 that he not only is an eloquent speaker and presenter, but his ideas 00:00:31.309 --> 00:00:35.737 really opened our minds and it excited us to the point where we thought we 00:00:35.770 --> 00:00:39.696 should explore the opportunity with the university a little bit more. I 00:00:39.729 --> 00:00:43.226 think the great thing about Mike and Cindy Watts is that they have this 00:00:43.259 --> 00:00:48.097 ability to be what I think of as all in Arizona's, they love Arizona, they 00:00:48.130 --> 00:00:52.347 love the fact that Arizona is this place where you can raise a family and 00:00:52.380 --> 00:00:56.137 build a business and make things happen. And I think because of this they 00:00:56.170 --> 00:01:01.277 have been the philanthropist that we have worked with, where they're 00:01:01.310 --> 00:01:06.747 constantly focusing on, how do you help develop the community by 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:11.766 developing the person? I saw that first with women in philanthropy in many 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:16.497 programs that were directed at students before they ever get to issue 00:01:16.530 --> 00:01:20.477 before their freshman, but then to help them along the way, because of 00:01:20.510 --> 00:01:25.406 course the whole purpose is to have community leaders that we're 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:30.406 generating from a shoe and very successful people. The most recent 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:34.656 collaboration and partnership with Starbucks. It's innovative, It's 00:01:34.689 --> 00:01:38.626 creative and it's very beneficial to the community and all of the students. 00:01:38.659 --> 00:01:43.656 So those are win wins and the recognition that the university most 00:01:43.689 --> 00:01:47.876 recently received as the most innovative school in the country. It's 00:01:47.909 --> 00:01:51.816 pretty impressive. You know, we always talk about three things that you 00:01:51.849 --> 00:01:55.977 that you hope that people contribute to the university, their time, their 00:01:56.010 --> 00:02:01.236 talent and their treasure and mike and Cindy, your examples. Uh, folks 00:02:01.269 --> 00:02:05.656 that give all three and lots of different ways. One of the programs that 00:02:05.689 --> 00:02:09.467 Cindy and I got involved in early after we met with dr Crow and his wife 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:14.207 civil was what were our areas of interest and it was a lot of social 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:19.126 causes and one of those was the Center for the prevention of Violence. As 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:23.957 a result of that, the west campus for Arizona State University engaged in 00:02:23.990 --> 00:02:28.307 a study about our community that we grew up in and that was more filled 00:02:28.340 --> 00:02:33.827 with crime. That study resulted in a lot of changes. And today we can 00:02:33.860 --> 00:02:38.077 honestly feel pretty proudly that there's some positive change as a result 00:02:38.110 --> 00:02:42.237 of that initial study and investment by Arizona State University. Well, 00:02:42.270 --> 00:02:48.006 Sun Devil Athletics is extremely proud of mike and Cindy Watts uh, in part 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:53.506 because we're the beneficiary of their philanthropy, we had a chance to 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:57.686 make a presentation led by jean void at the President's weekend about 00:02:57.719 --> 00:03:02.726 student athlete, academic needs. Uh, in mike and Cindy were really uh, 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:07.656 taken by the need uh, to really support all of our student athletes. Men 00:03:07.689 --> 00:03:11.906 and women in their academic pursuits are being driven by the largest of 00:03:11.939 --> 00:03:17.186 Cindy and mike Watson. We're very thankful and no, that they absolutely 00:03:17.219 --> 00:03:20.327 deserve to be honest. I think the exciting thing for me and what they 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:25.916 represent to me at a shoe and for a shoe in for Arizona is a deep 00:03:25.949 --> 00:03:31.976 commitment to our idea of success, of the individual, success, of the 00:03:32.009 --> 00:03:34.897 community, through the success of the individual. And so the great thing 00:03:34.930 --> 00:03:38.707 about mike and Cindy Watts, and I think their entire view is how do you 00:03:38.740 --> 00:03:42.207 make Arizona a better place? 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:44.240 Yeah.