Lake Superior State University receives gift to establish Richard and Theresa Barch Endowed Executive Directorship

Lake Superior State University has received a $3 million gift from Dick and Theresa Barch to establish the Richard and Theresa Barch Endowed Executive Directorship at the Center for Freshwater Research and Education. The gift will also support student research opportunities through the establishment of an Excellence Fund, the purchase of new equipment, and a larger research vessel. 

According to an article on Lake Superior State University’s website, Richard Barch is quoted as saying of the benefits and opportunities provided by the Center for Freshwater Research and Education, “CFRE gives students an experience most other universities can’t offer. They provide an opportunity for hands-on work in rivers, wetlands, and marshes that a classroom or textbook can’t replicate. Turning over rocks in a river or along a lake bottom brings a kind of personal satisfaction that deepens learning and reveals the complexity of ecosystems. Getting wet, cold, and muddy in waders isn’t a side note at LSSU, but a defining part of the student experience, and one you won’t find in an urban campus setting.”

The Barch Center for Freshwater Research and Education is a regional hub for applied freshwater research and workforce development that works to address real environmental issues through partnerships with tribal, federal, and state agencies. Students have direct hands-on opportunities that include laboratory experiences, research projects, and field sampling. 

Aiden Cardwell, a senior Fisheries and Wildlife Management student, explained the way the Barch Center has impacted his education. He said, “I have had the great opportunity to take classes and work at Barch CFRE for the past two years: analyzing water quality characteristics, sampling fish and algae, and engaging the public in the vast world of freshwater resources. CFRE bridges the divide between theory and real-world  impact by providing students with hands-on experiences and applied research initiatives. The Barch Center, and all that it facilitates, has been instrumental in shaping my professional and personal life, my sense of place, and my appreciation for freshwater and fishery sciences—an impact this generous gift will ensure is felt by many others to come.”

Cardwell is one of the first students to begin the university’s new accelerated 4+1 Master’s Program in Fisheries and Wildlife Management, which will allow students to earn both a bachelor degree and a master’s degree in five years of hands-on learning and research.

Dr. Kevin Kapuscinski, who is a professor and the holder of the Vanderploeg Endowed Assistant Directorship at CFRE, said, “This level of support enables us to expand the scope of our research and involve more students directly in applied fieldwork. The timing is especially critical as we launch our new accelerated Master’s program in Fisheries & Wildlife Management. With upgraded equipment and a larger vessel, we can conduct work that helps protect the Great Lakes while training students for careers in conservation and management of natural resources.”

Echoing these sentiments, Dr. Ashley Moerke, the Executive Director at CFRE, said, “This investment strengthens our ability to grow research and student training at a scale that  impacts not only LSSU, but all those who appreciate the Great Lakes and freshwater ecosystems. It helps ensure that Barch CFRE has the resources to conduct research and gather data that informs conservation, policy, and resource management across the Great Lakes region.” 

For more information about Lake Superior State University, visit the school’s website.