Bruce Leopold - “Continuing Life's Work”
Bruce Leopold
Bruce Leopold, head of the university's wildlife and fisheries department in the College of Forest Resources, is one Mississippi State faculty member who believes in giving back to the institution.
For a number of years, Leopold has consistently supported the university through financial commitments. The reason he gives is quite simple – the 20-year faculty veteran says he's reciprocating the commitment Mississippi State has made in him.
"MSU and its administration welcomed me into its fold from the first day I walked into my office and has continued with that level of support. My professional development as a research scientist, then as department head since 2000, is because of the tremendous support I received from MSU," Leopold said.
A recent gift of property from Leopold – approximately 140 acres in Noxubee County – will become part of Mississippi State's Bulldog Forest program, which allows landowners to create a lasting heritage by giving land to the College of Forest Resources. The Bulldog Forest properties are used as living laboratories in which forest management practices provide teaching, research and demonstration opportunities for students of all ages.
The land holds special meaning for Leopold. "There is something magical each time I walk on it, and I realize that it belongs to me. Also, land is one commodity that is limited on this planet, but it continually produces products such as wildlife and timber," he explained.
"I know the College of Forest Resources will take good care of the land and will enjoy the income it will generate through its natural resources many, many years after I pass on," Leopold said. "It's a way of ensuring that groups of young professionals will benefit from my good fortune and success as a wildlife biologist, and it is the one way I can return something to an institution that I love deeply."
Future earnings from the property will support an endowed scholarship for wildlife and fisheries majors. Additional proceeds will endow the Leopold Fund for Excellence which may support endowed positions, scholarships and fellowships, faculty development, equipment and other enhancements within the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Leopold, a predator ecology specialist, was honored with the outstanding alumnus award of the University of Arizona's School of Renewable Resources, where he completed his doctorate. He holds a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and a master's from Mississippi State. A longtime Wildlife Society member, he will serve as the 2009 president for the international organization.
There are numerous options for supporting the College of Forest Resources. For more information, contact Jeff Little, the college's development director, at jlittle@foundation.msstate.edu or 662.325.8151.
