50th Anniversary Geography Endowment

As the Department of Geography celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009, a UMW geography alumnus has made a gift to establish an endowment to support student and program needs.  The 50th Anniversary Geography Endowment will provide additional resources to promote the mission of the Department, including student research-related travel, GIS and physical laboratories, local and international field courses, and other student-oriented projects. 

Jeff W. Rountree '91, CEO of the UMW Foundation and president of Eagle Property Holdings LLC, and his wife Lisa have pledged at least $20,000 to establish the endowment.  He encourages other alumni with geography majors to make gifts directly to the endowment in order to increase the award amount available for use each year.

"I loved my undergraduate experience as a geography major. I didn't realize it at the time, but the courses I took during my Mary Washington years really did pave the way for my current career," says Rountree."  Modern technology has changed the way today's students gather and analyze information in the geography department, but the core skills and the thirst for obtaining knowledge remains the same.  I feel the UMW Department of Geography is the most outstanding in the country, and that is why I am supporting the 50th Anniversary Geography Endowment."

If you would like to make a gift to the 50th Anniversary Geography Endowment, you may make your gift online (Please be sure to type the words "Geography Department 50th Anniversary Endowment" in the "Other gift designation" box on the online pledge form.). For more information, contact Steve Hanna at shanna@umw.edu or call the Office of University Advancement at (888) 692-0004.