Alumni Fund for Teaching Excellence

The principal mission of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management is to provide the finest possible education for our students. With major advances in technology occurring continuously and rapidly, our department requires expensive equipment for state-of-the-art learning.

In 1997, the Forest Resources Alumni Group created the School of Forest Resources (SFR) Alumni Fund for Teaching Excellence, dedicated to providing up-to-date equipment needed to enhance the education of students and prepare them for a changing and challenging future. The Alumni Fund specifically supports innovative experiences for students in field, laboratory, and other hands-on activities.

How does it work?

The SFR Alumni Fund for Teaching Excellence is an endowment that earns interest as part of Penn State's pooled endowment fund. Each year, a portion of the earnings (about 5 percent of the principal) is available for spending. The remaining earnings are added to the principal to protect against the eroding consequences of inflation. Earnings may be used for all department programs and classes, including those at University Park, Mont Alto, and DuBois. Examples of purchases made possible by the fund include water quality equipment, specimens for ornithology, mammal track casts, GPS equipment, and GPS software.

How can you help?

You can support the SFR Alumni Fund for Teaching Excellence by making a direct contribution. Send a check made payable to The Pennsylvania State University with "SFR Teaching Excellence Fund" written in the memo portion of the check to:

Penn State
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
SFR Alumni Fund for Teaching Excellence
The Pennsylvania State University
117 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802