The Wege Foundation, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., has pledged to fund a new graduate student fellowship and a professorship in the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE) as part of its ongoing support of the school and the University of Michigan.

Both gifts acknowledge the decades-long relationship between Peter M. Wege, the foundation's founder, and Jonathan W. Bulkley, who retired in June as a University of Michigan professor after 43 years of service. The announcements were made as part of a special academic panel discussion, organized to reflect upon the career and celebrate Professor Bulkley's research, teaching and mentoring accomplishments.

"We are grateful to The Wege Foundation for its ongoing support of SNRE students and faculty," said David Allan, SNRE interim dean and professor. "We are fortunate to have such a strong partner as we pursue sustainability research and education."

The first gift, of $500,000, creates the Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professorship in Sustainable Systems. At the University of Michigan, collegiate professorships traditionally bear the name and honor a former university faculty member (in this case, Professor Bulkley) who made substantial scholarly and other contributions while at the university.  Bestowing the title upon a current faculty member is one of the highest academic honors at SNRE. No date has been set for when the first Bulkley Collegiate Professor will be named, but the professorship will be for five years and either renewed or awarded to a different faculty member thereafter.

The second gift, of $1 million, creates the Peter M. Wege and Jonathan W. Bulkley Fellowship in Sustainable Systems. This fellowship recognizes the best graduate students pursing interdisciplinary training in the Engineering Sustainable Systems program dually managed by SNRE and the College of Engineering. The Engineering Sustainable Systems program focuses on three critical areas of importance to Mr. Wege and Professor Bulkley:  sustainable design and manufacturing, sustainable energy systems and sustainable water systems.

Today's gifts enhance a decades-long relationship between The Wege Foundation and SNRE. Through Mr. Wege, the Foundation was an early supporter of the National Pollution Prevention Center, founded in 1991 and which later became the Center for Sustainable Systems. The Foundation later funded the Peter M. Wege Chair in Sustainable Systems and, in 2011, created an endowment that provides crucial support for the annual Peter M. Wege Lecture on Sustainability, now in its 11th year.

About the School of Natural Resources and Environment
The School of Natural Resources and Environment's overarching objective is to contribute to the protection of the Earth's resources and the achievement of a sustainable society. Through research, teaching and outreach, faculty, staff and students are devoted to generating knowledge and developing policies, techniques and skills to help practitioners manage and conserve natural and environmental resources to meet the full range of human needs on a sustainable basis.
http://snre.umich.edu/about_snre

About The Wege Foundation
The Wege Foundation's main focus is Western Michigan, mainly in Grand Rapids. Peter M. Wege, founder of the family foundation, feels strongly about keeping the mission local because it honors the wishes of his father Peter Martin Wege, who created the Foundationí¢â‚¬â„¢s resources. Peter Martin Wege founded Metal Office Furniture, today's Steelcase, in 1912. The Foundation's five areas of interest are environment, education, arts & culture, human services and health care.
http://www.wegefoundation.com/index.html