Message from the Director
Dear Friends, Colleagues, MVZ Faculty and Staff,
Season’s greetings! As we close the calendar year I want to thank you for your hard work and dedication to the MVZ and its mission. I am continually inspired by your commitment to our museum and your tireless enthusiasm for the work that you do. To me the value of the MVZ is most apparent when I observe daily the energy, commitment and sense of community you all bring to the museum. Our conversations about our research and educational initiatives keep me keenly aware of the promise and immeasurable value of this institution. As I move on to my next position, I will reflect on these experiences for inspiration and insight. Happily, the future looks bright as, with your help, we are in the process of recruiting an inspiring and accomplished future Director of the MVZ.
As you know, the rich record of scientific data at the MVZ is key to the Museum’s legacy and future. Our goal is to remain the premier center of scientific and educational excellence for the study of vertebrate biology on the West Coast. Unfortunately, the unsettling trend of state budget cuts has continued. You have all witnessed the difficult decisions necessitated by these budget cuts. Your commitment to the future of our Museum inspires me to request your financial support this year. I know times are tough for everyone and you have all gone above and beyond this year to keep the Museum’s work progressing forward. However, your support will help the museum continue to fulfill its mission and will serve as a powerful example to other donors.
Our intent for this year is to use donations from you and the broader community to support our new MVZ Biodiversity Science Awards. These awards of $2500 are given to selected undergraduates who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and sustained excellence in their work in the MVZ collections. They are a win:win:win situation for the MVZ. Specifically, they
- Directly support training and education of our best MVZ undergraduates.
- Foster the overall MVZ undergraduate program.
- Support the protection, use and development of the MVZ's world-class collections.
Other priorities include support to Amphibiaweb, to general museum operations (Grinnell and Benson Funds), and support for graduate student research (Miller, Wake and Johnson funds).
For those of you who have already contributed, my sincere thanks. Gifts from those closest to us carry special meaning and are most appreciated. For those of you who have yet to give, I ask you to consider making an online donation to the MVZ through our website or through the Give to Cal site. To support the MVZ Biodiversity Awards, please search for MVZ and use the “Friends on MVZ Fund”. Other possibilities (as above) are listed as well. Please know that whatever you donate will go a long way -- and it will be most appreciated because you cared to give it this holiday season.
My sincere thanks for all your immense contributions, and for being such an important part of the MVZ's future. So that you can feel even better about our continuing accomplishments, please find attached our latest MVZ Bulletin, prepared by the amazing Anna Ippolito with assistance from many MVZers.
Best regards,
Craig Moritz, Director
Dec 13, 2011