MeadWestvaco Makes Gift to Support Environmental Sciences Library Materials - College of Charleston Libraries
MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV) has made a gift to the College of Charleston that will support the development of a significant collection of environmental sciences materials at the College libraries over the next three years.
The gift comes at an important time for the environmental sciences academic programs at the College, as these programs have grown dramatically over the past 15 years. The myriad ecosystems and ecological habitats of the Lowcountry, and the multidisciplinary strength of the College in the areas of policy sciences and natural sciences, attract students and faculty from around the world to its campus for the purpose of conducting research. The Addlestone Library has become a central location in the Lowcountry for information gathering and research in environmental sciences.
Now, with MWV’s generous support, significant enhancement and development of both print and electronic resources that support these programs can be achieved.
“MeadWestvaco has long been one of our region’s best corporate citizens and among its most dedicated environmental stewards,” says College of Charleston President P. George Benson. “This generous gift will enable our faculty and students and the community at large to pursue important research that improves our understanding of the Lowcountry’s unique and fragile natural environment.”
The gift will facilitate the addition of GREENR (Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources), an academic database that offers authoritative content on the development of emerging green technologies and provides access to discussions of the issues surrounding environment and sustainability. The gift will also provide funding to add to books and journals to existing print collections.
“The College of Charleston’s environmental studies program is one of the pre-eminent programs of its kind in the Southeast,” said Kenneth T. Seeger, president, MWV Community Development and Land Management. “We are proud to support the program by providing these important materials to the library’s collection.”
The College has offered a master of environmental studies degree since 1994, as well as an interdisciplinary minor for undergraduates. The interdisciplinary focus allows faculty to address many of the resource, development and planning pressures that currently face society. Through the core and elective course curriculum that draws from five departments – biology, geology and environmental geosciences, mathematics, physics and astronomy, and political science – the program provides training that addresses each of these challenges.
The environmental sciences discipline is one of the fastest growing at the College. Plans to offer an environmental studies major at the College will be given top priority, especially as it relates to the College’s strategic plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in October.