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Invest in GSA Programs through the Foundation’s

Greatest Needs Fund

How can you support GSA and make an immediate impact on students from attending a professional conference—a necessary
the future of our science? Where will your contribution be of experience for emerging scientists!
greatest benefit? The GSA Foundation’s mission is to support • Awarding Minority Student Scholarships. Granted to six quali-
the Society’s programs and initiatives, and to this end, maintains fied undergraduate students committed to the geosciences, these
a robust portfolio of funds. Yet member dollars can make the scholarships provide funds that are used to purchase textbooks,
most difference through the Greatest Needs Fund. GSA’s pay college fees, or attend GSA field trips and conferences.
Greatest Needs Fund provides the flexibility necessary to main- • Facilitating the Women in Geology Career Pathways
tain programs that define GSA and that are integral to both Reception. This program brings together women from various
members and the success of our science. employment sectors to share their professional and personal
As GSA’s Executive Director, Vicki McConnell, states, “The experiences in the geosciences. Afterward, mentors are avail-
GSA Greatest Needs Fund provides critical finances to directly able to meet with students and early career professionals to
benefit many of GSA’s defining programs for which members discuss these topics in more depth.
have come to know and value the organization. For example, I • Inviting, supporting, and mentoring an increased number of
assign the funds to increase student travel grants, to increase students from diverse backgrounds to their first GSA Annual
research grant awards, to help fund our science policy fellow, Meeting through On To the Future.
and to increase our On To the Future diversity awards. This
flexibility allows GSA the opportunity to put Foundation funds As you can see, your contribution could enable an emerging
toward the current and most pressing needs for our science and scientist to afford the textbooks he needs for class or present
our future.” her research at a professional conference for the first time or
Your support of the Greatest Needs Fund can impact the help a student from an underrepresented group to pursue a
future of our science by career in geology.
• Supporting GSA’s Science Policy Fellow. The fellow acts as a Make an immediate impact today! Your generous support of
liaison working to keep GSA members informed, involved, and the Greatest Needs Fund provides flexibility for GSA to strategi-
represented in national policy in areas, such as research fund- cally apply resources where they are most critically needed—
ing, energy and natural resource assessments, climate change to the programs that matter most to furthering our science and
policy, and natural hazard mitigation and response. advancing the geosciences in society. If you have questions
• Funding Student Travel Grants. On the sectional, divisional, regarding the Greatest Needs Fund, or want to explore ways to
and national level, your generosity allows GSA to provide significantly support GSA programs, please contact Clifton
travel funds to alleviate the financial burden that prohibits many Cullen at +1-303-357-1007 or via email at ccullen@geosociety.org.

Far left: GSA’s 2017–2018 Sci-
ence Policy Fellow Lindsay Davis
meets with Rep. David Price dur-
ing Climate Science Day. Left:
The 2018 On To the Future class.
Your support enabled students
from underrepresented back-
grounds to attend their first
Annual Meeting in Indianapolis,
Indiana, USA.

www.gsa-foundation.org

46 GSA Today | June 2019