Uses of Gift Funds for Student Research
--Paul Heideman, Chair

   A vital part of our budget comes from gifts and donations from alumni, friends, and faculty. Most commonly, most of this support comes in the form of large and small gifts from alumni. Those donations provide support for individual student research projects or conference travel that we never could support without them. In this past year, for example, donations allowed us to allocate money to research projects involving more than 10 students. In all these cases, the student's research could not have taken place without this support. The projects required supplies or travel money, but were NOT covered by any faculty research grant. For example Allyson Jackson, a student in Dan Cristol's lab, wants to follow fledgling bluebirds with radio transmitters in order to determine whether late-season pesticide spraying on golf courses affects their survival. The support for these individual research projects range from $200-$2000. We generally have not had the funds to support fully the high end of the cost range; however, we've often been able to provide seed money to get a project going or at least allow a scaled-down project. We've also been able to help cover part of the costs of a few student trips to scientific conferences.
   Two endowed funds provide ongoing support each year. The Ferguson fund, established in memory of Mary Ferguson, provides support for two to four student projects each year. We are grateful to the Ferguson family for continuing to honor the memory of Mary who was a biology student here at W&M, in this way. Continuing donations to the fund create a way for gifts to continue forever. Just last year, 2007 graduate (and enthusiastic student researcher Kenny DeFontes responded to his parents' question about a graduation gift to suggest they donate in support of biology student research. Kenneth's family created an endowment to support our students' research. This summer the DeFontes Research Fellowship endowment will support its very first research student (or students) for up to five weeks of research.
   Our own faculty contribute significantly as well. The single largest source of cash donations in one of the past five years came from our biology faculty, and that support is always important. Faculty contributions support not just student research, but student-faculty informal interactions, especially food and refreshments at events hosted at home or in group meetings. Liz Allison's traditional birthday cake creations for students are legendary, and we all try to sneak past her lab for leftovers. In my lab, major events are the thrice-yearly, very chocolate-heavy croquet parties for my research students and their friends.
   What is our single biggest need? More of the same! We've been supporting student research on a modest scale with under $10,000 per year in gifts. We could make good use of far more funding than we have to support student research.

More information on private giving is available on the Biology Department website.