A transformative $5.5 million donation will establish the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Center at the University of Montana, boosting its Wildlife Biology Program. This significant contribution, announced by UM, will further empower the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, strengthening its role as a key educational and economic driver in the West. The center will be housed in the planned new facility for the college, enhancing research and education in conservation and natural resources.
Jim Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises and the James M. Cox Foundation, made the donation. Known for reinventing industries like automotive and journalism, Cox Enterprises owns brands such as Kelley Blue Book and Axios. The relationship between UM and Kennedy began in the 1990s through wildlife seminars initiated by former Wildlife Biology Program Director Dan Pletscher. Kennedy has previously endowed conservation programs at various universities and contributed to three endowed positions in UM’s Wildlife Biology Program since 2007.
The new center, described as “state of the art” by UM, will utilize groundbreaking technology to protect natural resources, habitats, and recreation in Montana and beyond. Libby Metcalf, dean of the college, highlighted that the center will “elevate UM as a world-class institution for waterfowl and wetland research and management.” Chad Bishop, director of UM’s Wildlife Biology Program, praised Kennedy’s commitment to conservation, saying, “We are grateful for his investment.”
UM’s news release noted Kennedy’s roles as former chairman of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission and board member of Ducks Unlimited. Cox Enterprises established a $100 million fund via Ducks Unlimited Wetlands America Trust in Kennedy’s honor to conserve North American prairie lands. The new center aligns with UM’s $20 million campaign for a new research hub, leveraging $52 million from the Montana Legislature, marking the “largest single-facility investment in Montana University System history.” Construction is set to begin in 2027, next to the existing Forestry Building, which will continue operating.
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