SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Two 1979 graduates of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) plan to donate $2 million to the recently announced $40 million Campaign for ESF.
ESF describes Jesse and Betsy Fink as “longtime champions of environmental innovation and education,” per the school’s announcement.
The Finks have doubled their investment in the Betsy and Jesse Fink Career Development Program and expanded their support for two “cornerstone” initiatives at ESF: the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment (CNPE) and the Restoration Science Center (RSC).
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“Private donations are more important now than ever before and we are very grateful to Jesse and Betsy,” ESF President Joanie Mahoney said in the announcement. “The Finks are helping to ensure that ESF has the resources it needs to continue our groundbreaking research and prepare our students to be the environmental leaders of tomorrow.”
“Systemic investing”
The Finks’ gift reflects their commitment to “systemic investing,” a philanthropic approach that seeks to “transform the underlying systems that drive environmental challenges,” the school said. Their foundation, the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation, supports organizations and leaders working toward a more sustainable and equitable future.
“Supporting ESF is really important to us because it formed who we are and gave us a foundation for our environmental work,” Jesse Fink said in the school’s announcement.
Founded in 2018, the Betsy and Jesse Fink Career Development Program helps ESF students secure internships and fellowships, covering travel and other related expenses.
Jesse Fink says he’s grateful to ESF for helping launch his career.
“The career development team played a big role in getting me my first job … As a result, I personally want to do everything we can to help students get an internship or fellowship,” he added.
Betsy Fink’s undergraduate studies in forest ecology and restoration “nurtured a deep commitment” to biodiversity and sustainability,” ESF said. She’s been particularly inspired by the work of the CNPE’s founding director and 1975 graduate Robin Wall Kimmerer.
“Storytelling is a powerful tool for helping people understand and care about how we use and relate to the natural world, and few have done this more powerfully than Robin, whose work inspires more thoughtful and respectful stewardship of our shared resources,” Betsy Fink said in the ESF announcement.
