Gift to KBS research program puts more students in reach of a one-of-a-kind summer experience

The KBS summer experience is becoming more widely accessible, thanks to a recent gift from longtime Michigan State University donors.

Doug and Maria Bayer have established a scholarship fund for summer research experiences at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Their gift will provide funding for two fully paid undergraduate positions, for students from MSU or from other universities, beginning this summer.

“Our motivation comes from Doug’s personal undergraduate research experience guided by dedicated research professionals and Maria’s rural early-life experience,” said the Bayers.

KBS Director Fredric Janzen cites donor support as critical to delivering the summer research, scholarly, and professional experiences that are unique to KBS.

“We want to be able to cast our net as wide as possible,” he says. “Many students don’t have that lightbulb moment—when they take a botany class or a forestry class that makes them realize, ‘Hey! I want to do this as my career!’—until it’s too late to find and apply for a competitive research position. We want to be able to reach those students, too.”

Summer programs at KBS

Each spring, undergraduate students arrive for two months of living, learning and working together in the fields, waters and woods of KBS. The full-time Research Experiences for Undergraduates, part-time Undergraduate Research Apprenticeships, and internship programs give students an opportunity to experience life at field station, gain hands-on professional experience, take classes toward their majors, and be a part of a close-knit and diverse community.

“What happens in this atmosphere is that you’ve got everybody pulling for you,” said Janzen. “Here, you gain the skill sets to understand two things: first, how to get through career challenges in a supportive work environment—where you get to the other side and say, ‘Yeah, I can do this.’ And second, you get exposure to diverse perspectives, not just from other students, but from mentors and staff who all have cutting-edge training.”

We thank the Bayers for their generous gift that will expand access for invaluable research experiences!

Learn how you can support KBS.

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