The University of North Florida received a gift of more than $1 million to support its Institute of Environmental Research and Education (IERE).
The gift will provide scholarship funding for students pursuing a degree in environmental sciences and increase financial support to IERE to enhance programming.
“This extraordinary gift from the River Branch Foundation opens doors for students who are passionate about environmental science and strengthens the long-term vitality of the IERE,” Erin Largo-Wight, professor and IERE director, said in a Sept. 9 news release. “It’s a powerful affirmation of our program’s mission to connect education, research and community engagement in service of a healthier planet.”
The university said the River Branch Endowed Scholarship is the first scholarship designated specifically for students in the UNF environmental sciences bachelor’s degree program and represents an investment in the next generation of environmental leaders. The River Branch Endowed Excellence Fund will also ensure that the IERE’s most critical needs are met as it continues to grow and evolve.
The gift builds on a longstanding partnership between the River Branch Foundation and UNF. In 2006, the foundation provided a significant endowment that played a critical role in establishing IERE. Through its continued investment, IERE has supported meaningful, community-focused research through projects such as the production and installation of pervious oyster shell habitat units, which are helping to restore local shorelines including at Matanzas, Kingsley Plantation and Cumberland Island.
The launch of UNF’s new bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences is exceeding expectations. Initially projected to enroll 40 students by the end of 2025, the program met that goal with its first cohort this spring and has since received more than 200 applications from current and incoming students, UNF said.