Key Takeaways:
- A $55 million gift to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will establish the Cornell CALS Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment.
- The school will combine the Department of Global Development and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.
- The gift is the largest in CALS history and is named in honor of Stephen B. Ashley ’62, MBA ’64.
- The school will focus on addressing global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and environmental degradation.
- The school will continue to support existing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and will recruit at least 10 additional faculty members.
Introduction to the Gift
The Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has received a significant gift of $55 million from Stephen B. Ashley ’62, MBA ’64, to establish the Cornell CALS Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment. This gift is the largest in CALS history and will combine the Department of Global Development and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. The school is named in honor of Ashley, who has given more than a half-century of service to Cornell, including 55 years on the University Council, 16 years on the Cornell Board of Trustees, and 10 years as co-chair of the Far Above capital campaign.
The Vision Behind the Gift
Ashley’s gift is a testament to his commitment to Cornell and his vision for a more sustainable future. "My family has had a strong, multigenerational relationship with Cornell," Ashley said. "I met my wife, Janice, at Cornell and over the years, Cornell has influenced much of my personal and professional life. I am delighted to be able to support this initiative, which has been so thoughtfully framed and structured." The school will create a dynamic ecosystem for discovery, experiential learning, and innovation, transcending disciplines to spark scientific breakthroughs and real-world economic benefits for New York state and the world.
The Impact of the Gift
The establishment of the Ashley School will have a significant impact on the college and the university as a whole. "Steve Ashley’s decades of leadership, advocacy, and support for Cornell have had a profound impact on the university," said President Michael I. Kotlikoff. "This investment to create the Ashley School is both timely and visionary, allowing us to bring together the expertise in agricultural, life, environmental, and social sciences that underpin environmental and human well-being locally and globally." The school will continue to support the two departments’ existing undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including two undergraduate degrees, five undergraduate minors, four master’s degree programs, and two Ph.D. degrees.
The Structure of the School
The school will be led by Rich Stedman, professor and former chair of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, who has been named interim director. Stedman has been conducting listening sessions, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with over 75 faculty, staff, and graduate students of the newly combined departments. The school will also recruit at least 10 additional faculty members, including three who will focus on agricultural, development, and environmental economics. These economists will be jointly appointed in CALS and the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, through the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.
The Future of the School
The establishment of the Ashley School is a significant step forward for Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "The Ashley School will create a dynamic ecosystem for discovery, experiential learning, and innovation, transcending disciplines to spark scientific breakthroughs and real-world economic benefits for New York state and the world," said Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of CALS. The school will deepen CALS’ vital partnership with the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and will work to address many of the world’s great sustainability challenges, including climate change, poverty, food and energy security, population and human migration, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss.