In 1999, the University of Wyoming considered closing its physics and astronomy department citing a decline in the number of physics and astronomy majors. If they had done so, UW would have been the only state university without such a program.
Not only did the University of Wyoming avoid closing the physics and astronomy program, but it also received an astounding $5 million donation from the Hess Corporation in 2013 to support research and buy equipment for the Hess Digital Rock Physics Laboratory.
The lab does proprietary research for the company related to the unconventional recovery of gas and oil.