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The Joe and Gail White Fellowship

Named fellowships support graduate students who are engaged in leading change in their professions; conducting applied research to address critical contemporary trends and issues; and applying their  skills, talents, influence, and connection as experienced professionals to leverage change and deliver results.

Meet Christian Doogan—A Plymouth State University graduate student studying the source of toxic aluminum in New Hampshire watersheds has been awarded PSU’s first Joe and Gail White Fellowship.

Both Joe and Gail White believe the institution has a rich legacy of producing well-rounded, enthusiastic students well prepared to lead productive lives.

The Joe and Gail White Graduate Fellowship, an environmental education fellowship at PSU's Center for the Environment was recently established by PSU alumni Joe '68 and Gail Heffernan White '66.  The fellowship will support graduate students by paying a student's tuition, a stipend, or research expenses.   Successful applicants  must demonstrate how their work will address environmental issues of concern in New Hampshire and have an applied or policy-relevant basis to advance protection, stewardship, or management of the environment.  According to Steve Kahl, director of the Center for Environment, "This fellowship is the first of several that the Center envisions to help us serve the PSU regional mission, which is engaging partners in NH to improve knowledge of the environment and policies to protect the environment."

"Plymouth has enveloped our whole life.  If we hadn't gone to Plymouth we wouldn't be where we are now," noted Gail Heffernan White '66, who helped her husband Joe '68 develop a successful organic farm in Brentwood after he decided to break away from his teaching career. "Agriculture is the preservation of the health lifestyle for New Hampshire," said Joe.  "We hope the Center for the Environment can develop the human and economic resources to carry on our work and interests toward this goal."  The Whites are especially fond of the Plymouth community, where the rural landscape helped shape their life goals.

Both Joe and Gail White believe the institution has a rich legacy of producing well-rounded, enthusiastic students well prepared to lead productive lives. "We loved the Plymouth experience and we wanted to establish the fellowship where it would do the most good," said Gail White.

Your contribution does make a difference to students. Fellowships allow Plymouth State University to offer more competitive recruitment awards that attract the best and brightest students and allow them to focus on their education. Consider an online donation to support current and future Fellowships.