UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — It’s been decades since Earle “Skip” Lenker was a geosciences student at Penn State. He earned his doctorate in 1962. But his impact is still felt.
Years ago, he established the Earle S. Lenker Fund for Field Studies in Geology to help students participate in field camp, a unique learning experience where students travel to the western U.S. to witness the geological formations they’re learning about in the classroom. The course for upper-level students is a requirement for those earning a bachelor of science in the major.
Lenker attended Dartmouth College, earning an undergraduate degree in 1956, before attending Penn State. From there, he taught at Cornell University before moving on to teach at Wilton High School in Connecticut.
Since retiring, Lenker has focused his philanthropy on helping students advance their careers. In addition to supporting field camp, Lenker endowed a graduate student fellowship and supports undergraduate student interns who help to care for the Arboretum at Penn State.
Lenker, who conducted trace element analyses during his career and spent notable time in the field, understands the importance of hands-on learning for students. He even attended Penn State field camp to lead some of the exercises.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always been drawn to sharing with students what excites me about the field of geology,” Lenker said in 2021. “It’s something I enjoyed at the college level, and the high school level, and continue to do through Penn State’s field camp.”
Andrew Nyblade, head of the Department of Geosciences, praised Lenker’s commitment to students. As field camp transfers leadership from Don Fisher to Roman DiBiase, a newly restructured field camp that’s more affordable and accessible for all students is in the works.
Across the nation, universities are working to increase access to field camp. DiBiase, associate professor of geosciences and incoming field camp director, is restructuring field camp to include both a two-credit, spring semester component that’s focused on GIS and a four-week field experience conducting mapping exercises out West during the first part of summer.
Nyblade said Lenker’s fund helps to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in this critical learning experience.
“During field camp, students work on field exercises in many states, staying in ski resorts offering off-peak deals or research facilities, such as the Yellowstone Bighorn Research Association, or camp off the grid,” Nyblade said. “The field mapping and geological interpretation skills they obtain constitute core competencies needed for geoscience employment. Field camp is a life-transforming experience for almost all who participate.”
Gifts to the Earle S. Lenker Fund for Field Studies in Geology will advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.