This endowment, established by a bequest of $71,800 from the estate of Jeanne Richards, will provide guaranteed funding to support the exceptional programs provided to undergraduate and Master's of Science students in the study of marine science at the Shannon Point Marine Center (SPMC). In terms of direct student learning, the most significant contribution a marine laboratory experience provides to a student is a "value added" one; value added to the education and value added to the degree. Taking a course or conducting research at a marine laboratory provides to the students a qualitative enhancement to the learning process. For those students who will go on to professional careers, and especially those who will seek admission to graduate school, a degree that includes a marine laboratory learning experience provides an invaluable competitive advantage.

The key to providing the exceptional learning and practical opportunities that characterize the Shannon Point program lies in offering students access to an environment that is designed to foster research, provides training in the most up-to-date laboratory and field investigative techniques, and thus incorporates real research activity directly into the curriculum. This approach demands extraordinary commitment of faculty and staff time and the facilities to make it possible.

The Enhancement of Marine Science Education Endowment will assure that such resources are available to SPMC in perpetuity.

To contribute to this fund, please click here to access the Western Washington University Foundation secure site and follow the quick and simple procedure described.

Because marine science is an inherently multi-disciplinary field, requiring training in physics, math, chemistry, and earth sciences as well as the life sciences, most entry level positions require applicants to have a graduate degree. Western's graduate program in Marine and Estuarine Science provides an outstanding venue for students to receive the appropriate training required to enter the profession. The program is distinctive nationally in that it can provide the faculty and facilities that typically characterize doctoral programs at the Master's level. Thus students who are interested in a terminal (or interim) Master's degree in marine science receive undiluted faculty attention, have unrestricted access to the most up-to-date field and laboratory investigative techniques and can compete effectively for financial support. Promoting the graduate program is important not only because it contributes to the futures of participating students directly, but also because a strong graduate program contributes to a strong undergraduate program and because the research of graduate students contributes greatly to our knowledge of local marine environments and resources.

However, to exploit fully the opportunities provided by the graduate program, additional funding is needed. Among the goals of the Marine Science Graduate Education Fund are to provide additional graduate assistantships, particularly for students pursuing thesis research at the Shannon Point Marine Center; supplement the State-approved stipends for assistantships that are well below those offered by other institutions; and provide non-resident tuition waivers (scholarships) that permit students from other states to apply their studies to the local marine environment.

This Fund will provide the resources needed to assure marine science graduate education is fully implemented at the Shannon Point Marine Center.

To contribute to this fund, please click here to access the Western Washington University Foundation secure site and follow the quick and simple procedure described.

Among the most important components of the marine laboratory experience are the opportunities not only to study in the marine environment, but also to receive hands-on training in the use of the investigative tools that professional marine scientists use. Key to providing that distinctive experience is the use of Research/Instructional vessels. The Shannon Point Marine Center has a small fleet of such vessels. Experience has shown that a well conceived fleet must have two characteristics; namely, it should have a variety of vessels that are specialized for specific functions and all vessels must have speed adequate to address the logistical demands presented by class size and the vagaries of weather and tides.

At present, the Shannon Point fleet has three large vessels (> 20'), two of which are outboard powered. The third, the RV ANOVA, is a diesel inboard powered vessel, the only one with the mast and boom necessary to using heavy sampling gear. It also is the only vessel with a large enough cabin to provide for small scale laboratory experiments while underway. This vessel has a maximum speed of only 9 knots, restricting its use. Shannon Point needs to replace this vessel with one of similar characteristics, but with more free deck space and a higher speed capacity.

The Research/Instructional Vessel Fund will provide the resources to upgrade the SPMC fleet and permit us to continue to provide training to undergraduates and Master's students in field investigative techniques.

To contribute to this fund, please click here to access the Western Washington University Foundation secure site and follow the quick and simple procedure described.

There is a clear national need to foster training of K-12 teachers in the sciences. Marine science offers an excellent vehicle for the training of K-12 teachers in instructional techniques. It addresses a key element in science education by offering an inherently multi-disciplinary approach that integrates physical and life sciences. It does so in an interesting manner that has almost universal appeal to people not formally trained in science. Western Washington University has a nationally-recognized Science Education Department, as well as a prominent College of Education with whom SPMC can collaborate to assure that programs are consistent with State requirements and contribute to the needs of both pre-service and in-service training.

In order to implement innovative approaches to teacher education, including involving pre-service and in-service teachers in hands-on research experiences and demystifying experiential learning, SPMC must demonstrate to prospective teacher participants, school district administrators, and Western's own curricular committees that its programs are productive and effective. This requires operating pilot programs that apply innovative approaches and whose tenure is sufficiently long to assess outcomes rigorously. The Public Education Training Fund will provide financial support for such programs and will be used to match possible federal funding sources that may be obtained.

To contribute to this fund, please click here to access the Western Washington University Foundation secure site and follow the quick and simple procedure described.

This endowment fund was established in 1990 to honor Leona Sundquist, long-time Western faculty member, who was a pioneer in study of local marine environments and who fostered early programs of study in marine science at Western. The main laboratory building at Shannon Point was named in her honor and serves as a memorial to her good works. The memorial endowment was established by her sister, Ms. Alice Osgood, to provide in perpetuity support for students and programs at SPMC.

Proceeds from the fund are to be used at the discretion of the SPMC director to provide support for students, library and related materials, visiting lecturers and such other activities as deemed appropriate.

To contribute to this fund, please click here to access the Western Washington University Foundation secure site and follow the quick and simple procedure described.

Thank you for supporting Shannon Point!