For Alumni
We are proud of you -- our alumni -- and interested in your career and life after leaving the University of Minnesota. We hope that you will continue to stay connected to the department and will let us know if you are interested in participating in any events or need help with career support. We look forward to learning about your adventures and perspectives!
This page has some information and resources that may be of interest to you, including ways that you can share your news with us and with each other. There is also information about 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.

EVENTS
- The Annual Alumni gathering during GSA in 2020 was virtual. Although not the same as mingling in-person, it did allow for people to join who might not have been able to travel. We hold out hope that the 2021 Annual Meeting in Phoenix will be held in-person. Regardless, we will hold an alumni event on Monday, November 15 so stay tuned!
- The main page of our new website will show the upcoming events, with links to the semester schedule. Please visit our Events and Seminars page for complete lists- we hope you can join us.
- In 2022, we will be joining the Minnesota Geological Survey and the Bell Museum to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the scientific study of geology and natural history in Minnesota. Stay tuned for more details as the plans unfold.
ALUMNI NEWS

2021 - Jonathan Pershing, Ph.D. 1990, Alumni News (recent awards, promotions, etc.) was been appointed to the Biden administration’s climate team, working with former Secretary of State John Kerry in his new role as international climate envoy. Pershing served as the State Department’s special envoy for climate change in the Obama administration.
We will highlight alumni news on this page as well as on the main site. The main department News page will have archived news from the onset of the new website and allows for filtering of news-type (e.g. alumni news, faculty news, etc.)
- Please share your news and updates via the Alumni Information Update google form or email the department at esci@umn.edu.
- Newsletters
- The 2020 newsletter is available online! This year's newsletter will primarily be released online, however the newsletter may be requested in alternate formats. To do so, please contact us at esci@umn.edu.
- 2019 Newsletter
- 2016-18 Newsletter
CONNECT
We like connecting with alumni! Along with the newsletters, annual GSA alumni event, and the occasional larger event (e.g. Pillsbury Open House), we do encourage people to follow us on the various social media channels. Our hope is that these will allow alumni and current students to connect with one another, perhaps for job openings.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12247958/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UMNEarthScience
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UMNESCI/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UMNEarthScience/
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:
- University of Minnesota Job and Internship Fair
- College of Science & Engineering Career Fair
- College of Liberal Arts Career Fairs
Advisory Board
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.