Nature & Nurture | Giving News
Energizing Environmental Education
Gendell Gift Sparks Expanded Energy and Environment Program—One of the Nation’s First to Approach Energy from a Multidisciplinary Perspective
by Laura Ertel
“Take a look around you and see how important energy is in our environment.”
Jeffrey Gendell did just that, and in May it led him and his wife, Martha, to make a $2.15 million gift to support an expanded curriculum in energy studies at the Nicholas School.
The gift will total $2.9 million when matching funds are included, and will support two new full-time faculty positions in the school’s Energy and Environment program. It also will endow initiatives including an energy research fund, a speakers’ series, a visiting executives program and a general fund to support energy innovation.
“Energy is one of the most complex and important issues influencing the future of the environment,” Gendell says. “Energy issues have been facing our society for the last 20 years, and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort to figure out how to solve this problem—it won’t be solved overnight. The most important thing is to put together a program that really contributes to both teaching students and solving the problems.”
Jeff Gendell first became involved with the Nicholas School as plans were under way for a Nicholas Leadership Forum on energy in March 2004, “Creating a Sustainable Energy Future,” brought together more than 300 leaders from industry, government, academia and nonprofit agencies to discuss the future of hydrocarbon-based energy. He served on the forum’s advisory committee and helped recruit several of the corporate participants.
Using the success of the forum as a springboard, the Nicholas School launched a Certificate in Energy and Environment in fall 2004 that enabled graduate students in the Master of Environmental Management (MEM) and Master of Forestry (MF) programs to take a series of courses that gave them special expertise in the subject. Eight students earned a certificate in May 2005 (see related story, page 41); several more took classes in the program. This year, a dozen students are working toward a certificate.