Geological Sciences Faculty Benefit from Former Graduate Student’s Gifts

February 15, 2023

Laura Moore conducts fieldwork on the North Carolina coast. (Photo by Mary Lide Parker)

Elijah White (M.S. ’84) gives annually to both the Dr. John M. Dennison Faculty Excellence Fund in Geological Sciences and the Arts and Sciences Fund. White studied with Professor Dennison as a graduate student at Carolina. “I’ve had a lot of good teachers over the years, but he was by far my favorite,” White said. “We just connected and were always very open and honest with each other. He often helped me stay focused and maintain a work/life balance.” White also served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors for more than nine years and co-leads the Former Directors Engagement Committee, which aims to keep some of the College’s most ardent supporters involved.

The Dennison Fund has supported 17 faculty members from 2014 to 2022. In 2021, it supported Laura Moore, professor of coastal geomorphology, and Antonia Sebastian, assistant professor of flood resilience, who both presented at the first annual Water Adaptations to Ensure Regional Success Summit in Greenville, North Carolina; and Ryan Mills, research assistant professor, who conducted field research with two graduate students in the Colorado Mineral Belt.