WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
We are thankful and appreciative of the support and dedication that our alumni have to the department! Here are some ways that you can stay involved in the department, such as by supporting students and student programs via mentoring, participating in a career panel, or donating to one of our fellowship, scholarship, or other funds that are so critical to the department and our students.
Career Panels
At least once per academic year, the department holds a career panel event for the benefit of students considering an academic or non-academic career in the Earth or environmental sciences. Students are polled to gauge interest in the types of jobs they wish to learn about. We invite professionals in the Earth and Environmental Geo-Sciences (many of whom are alumni from the department) to join us and provide information and advice to students about opportunities in the public and private sectors of geoscience employment. Please visit the Career Panels page to see a list of past career panels and presenters. If you are interested in serving on the panel, please contact the department at <esci@umn.edu>.
Career Fairs
The department has hosted career fairs in an effort to bring together students and geoscience employers (often department alumni) to create networking and career opportunities. The Earth and Environmental Sciences Career Fair features companies, agencies, and nonprofits looking to connect with current students and recent alumni who are seeking jobs, co-ops, and internships. The most recent departmental career fair was in 2019 (pre-pandemic) in Tate Hall. If you wish to be involved in a career fair, please contact Josh Feinberg at feinberg@umn.edu.
In addition to our own career fair, the University and Colleges host career fairs and alumni are often asked to participate:
Advisory Board
The department's Advisory Board is composed of geoscience professionals in the private sector, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. The Board provides critical input to help the department provide and anticipate the skills that undergraduate and graduate students need to optimize their opportunities for a wide range of non-academic careers.
Board member terms are three years (renewable). Current members are located in the upper Midwest and most are in the Twin Cities metro area. If you are a geoscience professional in the region -- or outside the region but willing to volunteer time and travel -- the department welcomes expressions of interest. Please contact the department head (via
esci@umn.edu) if you are potentially interested in joining the Advisory Board. See list of current
Advisory Board Members on this page.Monetary Gifts
We are very fortunate to have a variety of funds that have been set up over the years by faculty, family, friends, and alumni. These funds not only support the department and its students but help us to commemorate faculty and alumni for whom the funds are names. Please consider donating to one of our fellowship, scholarship, or other funds that are so critical to the department and our students.
When you Make a Giftthere will be three options:
- Department Funds help support the mission of the department, helping students with the costs of field courses, and to help increase our outreach activities.
- General Department Fund
- Field Experiences Fund
- Sam Sawkins Public Engagement Fund
- Fellowship funds (see list) provide graduate students with a stipend, tuition, and health benefits
- Scholarship funds (see list) provide undergraduate students with lump sums to help defray the costs tuition, fees, etc.
If you have any questions about any of these funds, about giving, or wish to set up a new fund, please contact Shannon Weiher at 612-624-5543 or seweiher@umn.edu, CSE External Relations for Earth & Environmental Sciences.
