Dear Geology/Geography alumni,
In this holiday season, we hope you and yours are well and prosperous.
I write to you about a new initiative from the GEOS Department External Advisory Board. This is the group that started in 2006 and transformed our department to include a PhD program, endowed chair, and over $1M in PhD Fellowship support.
Over the years, our alumni have given generously to endow Foundation accounts that bear familiar names to some of us: Kern Jackson, Walt Manger, Doy Zachry, and others. Endowed Foundation accounts have the funds invested and generate annual spending income. Taken together, our endowed Foundation accounts generate enough funds to 1) support Geology Field Camp scholarships for all UA undergraduate Geology majors who take this required course, 2) support two PhD students, and 3) award scholarships to our 12 Geology MS teaching assistants to make their annual income competitive with peer institutions.
While previous and continuing Donors have changed the lives of hundreds of Geoscience students, these contributions usually place restrictions on Foundation gifts that reflect the Donor’s passions. But, taken cumulatively, these restrictions leave parts of our student body stranded without opportunity for scholarship support, including our six MS Geography teaching assistants, a large group of MS students who are not teaching assistants, and undergraduates who are high-performing and/or in financial need. These are the students who need our help.
To address this issue, the Board has initiated the GeoVision campaign to build an endowed Foundation account for unrestricted student support. This has unanimous support of the Board members and Geosciences faculty. Both groups have already contributed to GeoVision so the account is up and running. This means that any size contribution -- $20, $50, etc. – can go to the endowed account to build up resources for all our students.
In 2019, I will be traveling to spread the word about GeoVision, but we wanted to get this opportunity in front of our alumni before the end of 2018. If you choose to support our fabulous Geoscience students in this way, a contribution can be made by check to the address below (write GeoVision in the subject line). Credit card options are also available, please call for details.
Melody Kouchehbagh
UA Fulbright College Development
1 University of Arkansas, 525 Old Main
Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-575-2732
A GeoVision donation is tax-deductible, qualifies for employer Gift Matching programs, and will grow in the years ahead as an endowed account, allowing the Geosciences department to better support all of our students.
Thank you in advance for considering this request and happy holidays.
Chris Liner
Prof. Christopher L. Liner
Department of Geosciences Chairman
Storm Endowed Chair of Petroleum Geology
University of Arkansas
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| LinkedIn response to this alumni note (12/7/2018) |
