Contribute to the New Student Field Experiences Endowment

Alumni and friends have responded enthusiastically to our appeal in December, creating the new Friends of Student Field Experiences Endowment. We're just getting started. Contribute to this endowment and you can make a difference in the lives of students by ensuring a Jackson School tradition of outstanding student field experiences.

To contribute:

1.  Mail in our contribution form (Adobe PDF) Choose from more than 100 specific funds, including the new Friends of Student Field Experiences.

2.  Give or pledge online via UT's Development Office. Indicate  "Student Field Experiences Endowment" in the gift descriptor section. 

Dean Barron on why this new endowment is critical in developing the nation's finest geosciences program:

Geology programs across the country are cutting back on their commitment to field courses and field experiences.  The costs are escalating and the pressure on student tuition and fees is already too great.  Yet, in my mind, nothing cemented my enduring interest in geology more than when the blackboard was replaced by the real thing. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyle's Kommandos with Professor Rich Kyle, 1980

The four major field courses offered by the department required our students to pay $248,525 just for 2006 alone, simply to cover the course costs.  The summer field camp, in fees and tuition, cost each student $4,295.  Remember that this is also a summer in which these students can’t take on a summer job to help defray the next year’s tuition, so the burden for families is even greater.  In 2006, a few generous existing endowments helped us to cover half of the summer field course fees for 20 of the participants.  In 2006, those funds supported about half of the 38 students that enrolled in summer field camp.  These funds won’t have the same impact in two years – in two years our incoming class of 103 new students will enroll as juniors in summer field camp. 

The Jackson School commitment to taking students to the field is a great part of what makes our undergraduate and graduate programs strong.  As the costs of our vans, fuel, and other expenses grow, and as we attract more students to serve society’s needs, the pressure to rein in our costs and limit field expenses will inevitably grow.   We need to ensure that every student has multiple opportunities to gain field experience and to ensure that no bright student turns to other areas of study because they can’t afford the extra fees associated with a geosciences education. 

Thank you for your interest and support of our program.  I look forward to being partners in developing the nation’s finest geosciences program. 

Sincerely