Although this campaign has ended, you can still make a gift to the Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment by using the Give to Ohio University donation page. Thank you, and Go Bobcats!
Let’s face it, field training is likely one of your most memorable Ohio University experiences. Every year, Geological Sciences students gain hands-on training relevant to their future careers. These experiences are interactive and fun, but they can be costly. That’s why the Geological Sciences Alumni Advisory Board set a goal to build endowed support for field training so there would be no cost to students.
During last year’s field course in the San Francisco Bay Area, led by Dr. Fornash, students studied the geologic evolution of the western North American margin from subduction to strike-slip.
Year after year, your gifts to the Yeats-Smith-Nance and other endowments help to provide Bobcat students with hands-on training which is relevant to their future careers. This year, your gifts will again have the added impact of helping to unlock additional support for field training.
Pat Jackson, BS '81, MS '83, Chair of the Geological Sciences Alumni Advisory Board, has graciously organized this opportunity to incentivize his fellow alumni to support the Yeats-Smith-Nance endowment (and other Geology funds). For every 10 donors who contribute a gift — either through this campaign page, by responding to the direct mail letter, or online* — Pat will gift $1,000 toward the fund. This year, with support from 100 donors, $10,000 can be added to the Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment. Thank you, Pat!
Please give generously as we strive to make field training free for students to participate in. And please see the Updates tab for how you can help the department maximize this opportunity.
The Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment directly supports the continuation of Field Geology, either through direct expenses or scholarships to enrolled students. This endowment was established by Geology Alumni in 2014 and honors former professors Yeats, Smith, and Nance. Twenty to thirty students participate in field geology each year, and this fund helps offset some of their costs.
The Geological Sciences Alumni Advisory Board has a $1M goal for endowments supporting field training — so the opportunity is fully funded annually and free for students to participate. Because of the previous giving by alumni and friends, the board can report that they're nearly halfway there!
Help us reach our goal by making a gift to the Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment today. Your gift will continue the great progress we are making to sustain this experience for our future geologists.
Your actions now will make reaching this $1M goal more achievable. Here are five things alumni can do to support a brighter future for students and field training:
Gifts of all sizes – and types! – support the students who are following in your footsteps. The incentive from Pat means your gift to the Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment ( or other Geology funds) will also help unlock funds that will grow the endowment toward the $1M goal!
While the letter many alumni received was signed by the Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board, Patrick Jackson, there is a whole volunteer board dedicated to supporting current students. This board has committed to 100% participation in support of this crowdfunding effort for the Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment. The Geological Sciences Department and the College of Arts & Sciences hope you'll join them in this effort.
A special thank you to the Geology Alumni Advisory Board. A unifying goal of all board members is supporting field training for students.
Donations to this campaign from board members, alumni, students, parents, and friends will support The Yeats-Smith-Nance Geology Field Camp Endowment. This fund directly supports the continuation of Field Geology either through direct expenses or scholarships to enrolled students.
*Giving Online: Want to support a different Geology fund? Visit the Geological Sciences Giving Opportunities page to see the 14 other funds that support the Geological Sciences department and its students. Each linked fund name will connect to a secure Give to Ohio University page.