Honoring family, supporting science

For many teenagers, doing yard work is the quintessential first job, earning some cash while beautifying neighborhood lawns. For Eric White, recollections of the lawn mower’s whir and that fresh-cut grass smell are also forever entwined with fond thoughts of his grandparents, Donald and Jean White.

Donald, who passed away in 2016, joined CFANS in 1961. For decades, he taught courses related to turfgrass science, landscape design, and nursery management. Today, you’ll find many of his former students working as professionals in the turf industry, including as superintendents at major golf courses across the U.S. 

“My weekly trip to mow their lawn, stir up the compost pile, and help with Nana’s garden created so many great memories,” said Eric, who is a graduate of the U of M Carlson School of Management (CSOM) and current teaching faculty member in the CSOM finance department. “After the yard work, we’d sit around the kitchen table or on the deck for at least an hour talking, usually with an ice cream treat in hand.”  

As an adult, Eric continues to honor this bond with his grandparents by giving to the Donald B. and Jean G. White Turfgrass Graduate Fellowship on a monthly basis. This fellowship supports graduate students involved in the turfgrass science program, part of the Department of Horticultural Science.

“I want to carry on my grandparents’ legacy and provide recipients with the opportunity to contribute to a field that Grandpa was so passionate about,” said Eric, whose parents, siblings, and many extended family members were educated at or work at the University today, or both. “The research coming out of the U of M has broad impacts across the state and globe. My hope for these fellows is that they will follow their curiosity and passion for turfgrass science. I’m confident they’ll make discoveries, intellectual contributions, and a long-lasting impact on our world. I know Grandpa and Nana would be very proud of their work.”