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This Giving Day: The Wolf Pack Way

On Thursday, April 10, Wolf Pack members from around the country will unite to celebrate their Â鶹ӳ»­ pride on . Last year, 1,129 donors contributed to a variety of programs and projects at the University, all in an effort to support Wolf Pack excellence.

This year, we hope to inspire even more support for our students and programs. Our College — including our four academic departments; three outreach and research units, , and ; and our USDA-inspected meat-science facility,  — is doing significant and impactful work across many disciplines. And because of Extension’s hard work on the ground, no other College is more involved with our communities across Â鶹ӳ»­.

Below are highlights of just a few of our programs deserving of your advocacy and support. We hope you are inspired to join us on Giving Day: The Wolf Pack Way and make your pride for the College known while helping to make a positive impact. A gift of any size helps us continue to generate important discovery and innovation, fueling the latest advancements in dryland agriculture, food security and food systems, environmental science and natural resources management, and health and nutrition.

For questions about these or any of our other programs that need support, please contact our development director, Robin Schimandle.

Desert Farming Initiative

Located at the Experiment Station's just minutes from campus, the is focused on supporting small-farm resiliency through training and science-based practices suited to our region. The initiative serves Â鶹ӳ»­ farmers through focused agricultural industry programs and provides practical on-farm learning opportunities for University students. Their work:

• Supports crop research
• Addresses regional food security initiatives
• Hosts a Â鶹ӳ»­ Farm Apprenticeship Program
• Helps Â鶹ӳ»­ farmers transition to become certified organic
• Produces high-quality organic plant starts for Â鶹ӳ»­’s commercial farms, large gardens, schools and nurseries
• Provides food safety strategies and resources for growers throughout the state

You can . Your gift to Desert Farming Initiative directly impacts the resiliency of our state’s food systems and ensures that we continue to train the next generation of farmers.

4-H Camp at Lake Tahoe

It was August of 1939 when Extension 4-H campers first overnighted at the beautiful , nestled between Jeffery Pines and one of the world’s most beautiful lakes. Now, decades later, thousands of youth have camped at the rustic site, experiencing the beautiful nature and hands-on learning the camp provides.

The camp works hard to keep rates low so that the maximum number of young people can experience camp and all that 4-H teaches – making new friends, developing life skills, becoming leaders and changing their communities. Donations help to support the maintenance and ongoing operations of this treasured and tradition-rich camp, and your gift will ensure we can share the camp with youth for generations to come.

Master Gardeners of Â鶹ӳ»­

Annually, the trains hundreds of volunteers who then donate more than 29,000 volunteer hours to communities across Â鶹ӳ»­. This volunteer educator program teaches research-based Â鶹ӳ»­ gardening practices to volunteers who in turn share this knowledge with their local communities through educational presentations, workshops, community events, fielding home gardening questions at local county Extension offices and much more.

Through their efforts, they staffed over 100 volunteer projects across the state and donated more than 4,500 pounds of produce and $940,000 worth of volunteer time to our communities. Your donation will help this important program continue to help Â鶹ӳ»­ns grow plants and produce in our challenging climate. If you would like to support the Master Gardeners in southern Â鶹ӳ»­, please direct your donation to fund #320060. To support the Master Gardeners in Washoe County, please direct your donation to fund #320079.

Biotechnology Program

Biotechnology, at its core, is technology based on biology. With roots stretching back centuries, the field has exploded in recent years, and today’s biotechnologists merge biological processes with advanced technologies to attack some of the world’s biggest challenges, from medicine to agriculture and so much more.

On May 2, 2025, the Biotechnology Program will host the 20th Anniversary Biotechnology Symposium which enables our best and brightest to share their research while celebrating this important milestone. Your donation will help support our students in securing research opportunities that provide critical hands-on learning and support innovation and discovery.

Soil Ecology Lab

The is a leader in soil carbon research. It studies how land management actions can change soil carbon, with impacts for water quantity and quality, plant productivity, and atmospheric chemistry. The lab seeks to offer three supported fellowships to University students and regional partners to work with the lab and further their expertise and education.

University graduates, including Ph.D. graduates, and colleagues in this and related fields, have been impacted by recent federal reductions in force or holds on research grants. By offering short-term (three- to four-month) fellowships in the lab, we can further support our colleagues and provide career development opportunities. We seek to support one fellowship for an undergraduate student or recent B.S. graduate, and two fellowships for M.S.- or Ph.D.-level scientists. The three positions will be designed to provide peer-to-peer mentoring, as well as leadership from lab faculty and staff.

Your donation of any amount will help propel us toward supporting our colleagues and developing meaningful short-term career development opportunities. If you would like to support a full position with a $5,000 - $10,000 donation, please contact Robin Schimandle.