Keelin Haynes participated in the Geospatial Analysis Center Student Internship Program in the summer of 2018.
Inspired by her father, Dr. Wallace McConnell, Ruth endowed the Wallace and Della McConnell Memorial Fund with a gift in 1992 to support the Department of Geography in memory of her parents. Dr. McConnell started teaching at Miami in 1918 and served as chair of the geography department from 1946 to '52.
The fund supports the McConnell Annual Lecture series, which attracts public figures and recognized scholars to Miami's campus to speak on current issues in geography, as well as the Geospatial Analysis Center Student Internship Program.
Students in this internship program contribute to both grant-based research projects and external contract work, giving them practical training and positioning them well for future graduate school and career opportunities.
Keelin Haynes, a graduate student in the geography department, benefited from the internship during the summer of 2018. Keelin collaborated with fellow student researchers in carrying out data collection in the field, learned new industry-leading software, and practiced professional communication with clients and scientists around the world.
"I know that due to my financial situation, these experiences would not have been available to me if the internship had not been paid," Keelin said. "With McConnell Fund funding, however, I was able to fully capitalize on this opportunity and grow as a scientist and as a professional."
Jessica McCarty, assistant professor, worked with students like Keelin on more than a half-dozen research projects, including producing the first estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from the 2017 wildfire in Greenland. "Working with full-time, paid student researchers was immensely rewarding," she said.
Throughout her life, Ruth sought out opportunities to learn. Nancy Pleibel, Ruth's co-worker at Stanford University and friend of more than 40 years, recalled Ruth often talking about her passions, including Miami. "She was an extraordinary person. She loved to read. She played the harp and was a very good musician. She was good at everything she took to, went after and participated in. She took schooling until she was 40. She was practically a lifelong learner. It was a big thing, always learning."
With her estate gift of $2.3 million, Ruth added support for the University Libraries, including the Walter Havighurst Special Collections housed at King Library, further representing her background growing up in the Miami community and a lifetime of service at Stanford University.
"We believe that Ms. McConnell's passion for learning will be reflected within our rich collections," said Jerome Conley, dean and university librarian. "The Walter Havighurst Special Collections and our archival collections are laboratories for the humanities, offering our students hands-on experiences with records and treasures from the past."
Want to leave a legacy like Ruth's at Miami University?
Contact the Office of Gift Planning at 513-529-1286 or email GiftPlanning@MiamiOH.edu to learn more about how a gift from your estate can leave a lasting impact at Miami.