Tom Smith spent one summer attending Iowa State University’s geology field camp near Shell, Wyo. And while that summer is full of wonderful memories, it’s not the primary reason why Smith and his wife Evonne have contributed $370,000 for improvements at the field station.
“It’s more than memories,” Smith said. “Instead I would describe it as a profound interest in the camp itself.”
The donation by the Smiths of Houston, Tex., has pushed the fundraising total for improvements at the “Carl F. Vondra Geology Field Station” to more than $500,000. The improvements include building a main lodge for the facility, running a water line to the camp and improved toilet facilities.
Tom Smith holds both bachelor’s (1968) and master’s (1971) degrees in geology from Iowa State. The Smiths are founders and owners of Seismic Micro-Technology in Houston.
“This is an extremely generous gift,” said Carl Jacobson, professor and chair of the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences. “I can’t tell you how much this has advanced the project. Next year we hope to have a new shower house and in a year or two have additional, new facilities at the field station.”
The physical structures at the Vondra Geology Field Station include original structures used by the U.S. Government during its internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
Iowa State has operated the field station in north-central Wyoming each summer for a course in geology field concepts and methods since 1957. Academic instruction at the field camp focuses on applied geology.
Smith says the eight weeks he spent at the field camp in the late 1960s gave him a foundation for the rest of his geology courses.
“The time I was at the camp brought the rest of my courses into focus,” he says. “It gave me some motivation and shifted me into gear to help make geology my profession.
“I also formed life-long friendships at the class and to be in close proximity to outstanding faculty members was a wonderfully, unique opportunity.”
The Smiths hope that their gift will help establish Iowa State’s Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences as a world-class center of learning in the geological sciences.
The gift was made through the ISU Foundation, a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to securing and managing gifts and grants that benefit Iowa State University.
Tom and Evonne Smith
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