Mt Tam Flyfishers Supports State University Marine Biology Program
Mt Tam Flyfishers recently made its fifth annual contribution to Humboldt State University. I think you should know a little about this giving program.
Back in 2019, your board of directors was considering requests for donations to non-profit organizations. Mt Tam Flyfishers had always made a few donations each year—all in the fifty- to one-hundred-dollar range. If we were lucky, we got back a thank you note for our gift, but not much more.
We talked about whether we ought to make donations at all; but if we did, to whom and for how much? More important, why?
A director mentioned a program at Humboldt State which sounded impressive. We looked into HSU and concluded that their marine biology program emphasized real-world training in applying knowledge to tangible problems and opportunities and… could use some help.
We changed our focus to giving to one worthy cause—the HSU marine biology program--and to make our donations worthwhile for MTFF and HSU. We decided to give equipment instead of money (cash is an inefficient method which erodes the gift with admin and bureaucratic costs). Annually, we ask the department head “what’s needed in the lab or in the field?” and HSU responds with a shopping list for us to work with.
This year, we sent the HSU lab a dissolved oxygen analyzer which stepped up our giving program from about $500 to around $1,000. HSU loves the program because they get what they need-- when they need it-- and they make sure your club knows how timely and valuable our donation is. In fact, one of their professors is coming down to speak to our club at our November 28th program!
Here's a few words about the program itself.:
The Marine Biology program at Humboldt State University is a Bachelor of Science degree program that prepares students for careers in marine science. The program offers a strong foundation in the biological sciences, as well as opportunities for hands-on research and experience in the field.
Students in the Marine Biology program have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the Telonicher Marine Lab, a 14-acre campus on the Pacific Ocean. The lab offers students the opportunity to conduct research on a variety of marine organisms and ecosystems. The Marine Biology program also offers a variety of courses that focus on the conservation and management of marine resources. These courses prepare students for careers in government agencies, environmental consulting firms, and non-profit organizations.