University of Minnesota Foundation

Legacy

Fall 2016
Issues/Contents
Gifts at Work

Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center

The sound of buzzing bees from an educational video fills the air at the Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Discovery Center at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The new center, which opened in September, was made possible by a $2.4 million gift from the Tashjian family and gifts large and small from many other donors. Its completion capped off a successful fundraising campaign that raised $61.4 million for the Arboretum.

Click on the numbers below to learn more.

Photography by Mark Luinenburg

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Named in honor of donors Jim and Carmen Campbell, the spacious, light-filled Campbell Exhibit Hall helps visitors of all ages learn about bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects through photos, videos, and interactive exhibits.

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Marla Spivak, Distinguished McKnight University Professor, conducts her research in the new 10,000-square foot Bee and Pollinator Research Laboratory on the St. Paul campus. Her research inspired the Tashjian family’s lead gift to the Discovery Center.

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The center's imaginative and informative exhibits, appropriate for all ages, were made possible by funding from the state's Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

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Pollinator-friendly flowers are an area of expertise for Laura Geris, ‘11 B.S., lead gardener at the beautiful pollinator garden in front of the center. While studying horticulture at the U, she received the Edgar and Arlene Graupmann Scholarship.

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From windows at the back of the Page Entryway, named for donors Gregory and Cynthia Page, visitors can observe the buzz of activity around several active bee hives.

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Groups of adults and children can gather in the McVay Learning Lab, which honors donors Mary McVay and the late Marcel McVay, for meetings and educational presentations.

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Students

What’s in your backpack?

"A hat," says Dayana López-Martínez, who proudly wears a baseball cap that helps raise money for scholarships