Cornell Stories: Life Sciences
Paul fellowships support life sciences graduate students.
Andy Paul '78
To Andy Paul '78, the next 25 years will be about the life sciences.
What he's seen as chairman of Enhanced Capital Partners, where his focus is on healthcare investment, has made it clear that the discoveries that will emerge from this field will be nothing short of remarkable. What's also plain to him is the important role Cornell will play.
With the future in mind, Paul recently designated $800,000 to establish the Andrew '78 and Margaret Paul Graduate Fellowship in the Life Sciences. The fund will support students pursuing fieldwork in ecology and evolutionary biology and in neurobiology and behavior.
"Andy Paul's gift has combined two important areas: life sciences and graduate student support," says G. Peter Lepage, the Harold Tanner Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "It's hard sometimes for donors to appreciate what graduate students do and their importance to the whole enterprise. Because we get some of the best students in the country, these will be some of the best scientists in the world, so it's a great contribution to the world at large. It's wonderful to have Andy Paul providing support to the College of Arts and Sciences."
"I think Cornell is well suited as a research university to participate and lead in this field, given its expertise in areas like biology, veterinary science, and agriculture," says Paul, who is a trustee and a member of the Technology Transfer Committee of the Life Sciences Advisory Board. "If the genetics skills learned in all these different areas should come together in a coordinated way, it'll be very powerful. For me, that made this a very interesting area to invest in.
"These are our future teaching stars and also the folks who are supporting great, unique research," he continues. "They need the right financial resources in order to begin and launch their careers and further their studies."
Thomas Seeley, chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, is particularly grateful for the fellowship. "It helps solve one of our most difficult problems in supporting graduate students: funding students whose thesis projects require them to be away from Ithaca during the fall or spring semester. Many of our students earn their income each semester by serving as a teaching assistant, but this is impossible if they are working in far-off Kenya, Australia, or Costa Rica."
Rick Harrison, chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, seconds these sentiments. "This fellowship is a much-needed and much-appreciated addition to graduate support in the life sciences. It will surely enhance our ability to support these students and will contribute to the overall strength of our graduate program."
Adds Paul: "Cornell is one of the great research institutes in the world and one of the great undergraduate colleges in the world. All of that requires resources to keep it on that level and help its growth. It's the people who know Cornell best who need to get behind and support it, and that will lead to lots of opportunity for future generations.
"I had a great four years when I was here, and Cornell prepared me very well for my business career. I want to make sure it has the same impact for the next generation of students."
Adapted from Communiqué, Fall 2007. Originally written by Bethany Murray.