Department of Geography and Geology
Donations and Gifts

ALUMNI CONTRIBUTIONS:

    Contributions to the Department of Geography and Geology Development Fund in 2006-2007 increased over the past year. The number of individual contributions to our Fund topped the 100 mark! Thanks to everyone for helping us achieve our goals this year, but we continue to need your help now more than ever as budgets remain extremely limited; your contribution will go a long way to ensuring that we have sufficient supplies and equipment for student use. When you receive a call from our students, or whenever the spirit moves you, make a contribution to the Department and to the University. You can also gift funds to the Hoffman Memorial Fund, in memory of Wayne L. Hoffman, who led the Department for over 20 years. Be sure to specify that the money be designated for use by the Department of Geography and Geology. Our profound thanks to our contributing alumni. We gratefully acknowledge gifts from the individuals listed on the latest issue of the Department newsletter, GEOGRAM. Funds were applied during the year to support student research, student attendance at conferences, study abroad scholarships for students (programs to Western Australia, Western Europe, Death Valley, and other field camps), equipment for student labs, the annual alumni homecoming geofeast, and other support.

    Contributions to the Department of Geography and Geology Development Fund between January 2001 and June 2002 (including the Wayne Hoffman Memorial Fund) surpassed $13,500 in cash and other gifts. The number of individual contributions to our Fund topped the 135 mark! Thanks to everyone for helping us achieve our goals this year. As always, we continue to need your help now more than ever as budgets remain extremely limited; your contribution goes a long way to ensuring that we can support student research, scholarships, and field work. When you receive a call from our students, or whenever the spirit moves you, make a contribution to the Department and to the University. You can also gift funds to the Hoffman Memorial Fund, in memory of Wayne L. Hoffman, who led the Department for nearly 25 years, or in memory of Dr. Deborah Kuehn. Be sure to specify that the money be designated for use by the Department of Geography and Geology. Our profound thanks to our contributing alumni. We gratefully acknowledge gifts from the individuals listed on the latest issue of the Department newsletter, GEOGRAM. Funds were applied during the year to support student research, student attendance at conferences, study abroad scholarships for students, new furniture for the student lounge, the annual alumni homecoming geofeast, and other support.

Contributors in the Spotlight -- Dr. and Mrs James W. Taylor

    Even 21 years into retirement, Dr Jim and Mrs Avo Taylor still have, and live, a life that typifies the Western Spirit. Dr Taylor spent 13 years on the Western faculty teaching in the Department of Geography and Geology, and he had the opportunity to touch the lives of many geography students. For many faculty that would be a lasting legacy. However, Dr and Mrs Taylor decided to make a legacy commitment that will forever ensure the quality of the geography program at Western.
    Through a bequest in their final testamentary trust, the Taylors are gifting 55 acres of valuable farm property on Mrs Taylor's family homeplace, where they settled after retiring in 1980. This generous bequest will create an endowed scholarship, The Dr James Woodall and Mrs Avo Head Taylor Scholarship Fund, for students majoring in geography. The Department, faculty, and students, are very gratefully to the Taylors for their generosity, Western spirit, and valuable support of the geography program.

Last updated on September 4, 2007.