Southwestern Magazine | Fall 2019

Southwestern celebrates the newGarey School of Natural Sciences and the completion of the Fondren–Jones Science Center. B Y D E B B I E R I T E N O U R THE IFT OF A LIFETIME MORE THAN HALF OF THE STUDENTS entering Southwestern each fall plan on majoring or minoring in the natural sciences. The popularity of these degree programs is no surprise considering the University’s tradition of excellence in science education. The cutting-edge curriculum incorporates inquiry-based learning into classes at all levels, empowering students to learn through their own agency and investigation and enabling the committed, engaged faculty to make the academic experience truly mean- ingful for students. Now, thanks to the largest single private gift in Southwestern’s history and other generous donations, students and faculty in the natural sciences have access to a world-class facility, state- of-the-art tools, and learning and research opportunities that will enable them to succeed both within and outside the University. The new Jack and Camille Garey School of Natural Sciences opened last fall inside the recently renovated and expanded Fondren–Jones Science Center. Together, the new school and modernized building are amplifying the University’s commitment to the natural sciences and transforming the student experience. An unprecedented gift In 2018, Southwestern Life Trustee Jack Garey gave $15 million to the University in support of faculty development, academic programming, need-based scholarships, and high-impact experi- ences. Garey, who made the gift in honor of his late wife, Camille, is a committed environmentalist, making the natural sciences the perfect fit for the majority of his gift. “This unprecedented and transformative gift, which has been fully allocated to the University’s endowment, will build upon our reputation as a world-class institution that is transforming higher education and as a national leader in high-impact learning and intellectual growth,” President Edward Burger said when the gift was announced. While administrators had long known Garey was a staunch supporter of the University—he had served on Southwestern’s Board of Trustees for 12 years before being appointed as a life trustee in 2017—the timing of the gift was unexpected. “We knew we’d been a part of his estate planning, but the fact that he accelerated his gift was a surprise,” says Vice President for Finance and Administration Craig Erwin. “His generosity reflected his belief in what we’re doing here at Southwestern and created some buzz and excitement about the University in general.” “It was important to me to make this gift now because we are at a crucial time in education in this country, a crossroads of sorts,” Garey said in May 2018. “I believe that Southwestern University… is going to play a major role in the evolution of higher education— not just in Texas but in the nation as well. I wanted to invest in that transformation.” In addition to establishing the Jack and Camille Garey School of Natural Sciences, the endowment funded by the gift will underwrite high-impact experiences for 32 Garey Scholars in their sophomore and junior years, support eight annual midcycle competitive sabbatical semesters for tenured faculty across the University, provide additional need-based assistance through the Financial Aid Office, and create five endowed chairs in the natural sciences. “The impact of $15 million cannot be overstated,” says Vice President for University Relations Paul Secord. “It is not only a powerful endorsement of our vision and direction as a University, but the earnings from that endowment will generate $750,000 a year in perpetuity that will go to the direct benefit of our students both today and for countless generations to come.” 29 SOUTHWESTERN