Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Baker University receives $1.25 Million to Continue Biology Program Excellence

  • 07/03/19

BALDWIN CITY, KS – The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, on behalf of an anonymous donor, gave $1.25 million to Baker University to fund biology and chemistry research, new technology for students and faculty, and an endowed professorship.

"This donation will provide Baker students with new state-of-the-art lab equipment and provide funding for independent research projects," says Dr. Erin Morris, chair of the Department of Biology and Chemistry. "This improved laboratory experience will make Baker students more competitive when applying for graduate programs, medical school, and biology and chemistry job."

A portion of the gift creates the Biology Research and Technology Fund to improve the research experience for biology students and faculty. The donation has provided for a field research van and mobile lab trailer, which will allow students to conduct vital field experiments. In June, students used the van and trailer during a two-week trip from Florida to Maine, researching the habitats and organisms found along the Atlantic Coast. Additional funds will be used to update costly laboratory equipment that familiarizes students with modern research techniques used in scientific research.

"Baker University is so grateful for the financial support and commitment of alumni and friends to the university who wish to enhance our students' experience," says Baker University President Dr. Lynne Murray.

The donation will also fund the Biology and Chemistry Student and Faculty Research Endowment that supports student and faculty research projects. The endowment will fund $1,000 grants to juniors who have declared biology or chemistry as their major. It will also fund the $300 research stipend provided to biology and chemistry students. The endowment will also fund grants of up to $1,000 for faculty in need of assistance with research and grant writing for projects involving students or assistants as collaborators.

A final portion of the gift will establish the Dr. Roger Boyd Professorship to attract educators who encourage excellence and challenge students to analyze issues affecting the environment. The Boyd family has been instrumental in developing and operating the Baker University Wetlands, a natural wildlife habitat in Lawrence, Kansas, since 1968, when the university obtained the land. The professorship will pay the salary and benefits for a biology professor as a means to continue Dr. Boyd's legacy in preservation and research.

To learn more, visit BakerU.edu.

About Baker University
Founded in 1858 as the first university in Kansas, Baker is a private institution that educates traditional and nontraditional students through small classes, innovative instructors, and rigorous course work. Fortune 500 CEOs, New York Times best-selling authors, and Super Bowl champions all proudly claim Baker as their alma mater. The university is home to four schools: College of Arts and Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Education, and School of Professional and Graduate Studies. Baker offers undergraduate through doctoral programs.

Featured

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.