Wichita State’s new business school gets big lift from Fidelity’s Bastian family

Fidelity Bank and its family owners have donated $1 million for construction of a new business school building at Wichita State University.

The university said the donation by the $2 billion bank, its foundation and the Bastian family — which includes Fidelity leaders Aaron, Clark and Clay Bastian — brings the total private donations to $11.5 million for a new home for the W. Frank Barton School of Business.

According to the WSU Foundation, Fidelity’s donation is the largest one made by a corporation or foundation for the business school building.

“Wichita State played an important role in my education, both in business and in life,” said Clark Bastian, Fidelity Bank’s chairman and CEO, in a university news release. “This is a special opportunity to ensure that future generations will benefit from real-world educational experiences and meaningful collaboration at the Barton School.”

Clark is the father of Fidelity Bank president Aaron Bastian. Clay Bastian is chairman of the bank’s holding company, Fidelity Financial Corp.

The 136,000-square-foot business school building, to be built on WSU’s Innovation Campus, is estimated to cost $50 million. The university said half of that is expected to be raised privately with the remaining amount to come from university funds.

It will replace Clinton Hall, built in the 1970s, which currently serves as the Barton school’s home.

This story was originally published February 21, 2018 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Wichita State’s new business school gets big lift from Fidelity’s Bastian family."