An Evergreen Gift W&L parents endow directorship in memory of their son

“It is deeply meaningful to us to support the work of the environmental studies program and to assist other young people in finding joy and purpose in their studies.” – Kathelen Amos P’13

In 2018, Kathelen and Dan Amos established the John Kyle Spencer Endowed Directorship for Environmental Studies — the first of its kind for an interdisciplinary program at Washington and Lee University. The fully funded endowment has allowed the environmental studies program to flourish, not only by establishing the directorship held by Professor Robert Humston but also by funding collaborative research opportunities and creating a new tenure-track position.

The endowed directorship is named in memory of Kathelen Amos’ son, John Kyle Spencer ’13, who was passionate about environmental stewardship and sustainability. Humston recognized Spencer’s unwavering commitment to restoring the earth’s nat­ural systems and had a formative influence on him. The Amoses’ transformational gift celebrates Spencer’s legacy and W&L’s impact on his life, as well as Humston’s dedication to his students and his craft. “I think every student in our program has been impacted by this gift,” Humston said.

The endowment has provided the leadership and resources needed to expand faculty, coursework, research projects and student enrollment. It has allowed for the creation of a central position that shapes, guides and runs the program. Since its inception, a new environmental studies faculty member and a program coordinator have joined the staff, resulting in an array of new course offerings ranging from environmental archaeology to the impact of food systems on the environment. In turn, the expanded interdisciplinary courses have attracted more students, doubling enrollment since 2017. Additionally, students majoring in environmental studies now have the opportunity to focus their coursework around themes that draw upon faculty’s strengths in areas such as climate change, sustainable commerce, conservation biology, environmental economics, environmental humanities and water resources.

Humston noted that the opportunity to pursue interesting research projects is another benefit of the endowment. Last year, he worked with a colleague at the University of Maryland’s Chesapeake Biological Laboratory to help advise one of his grad­uate students studying microplastics in fish stomachs. “This gave a W&L student the chance to collaborate with a scientist at James Madison University to determine the plastic compounds that were found. That research experience inspired the student’s capstone thesis in environmental studies,” Humston said.

The program is now able to equip students with the knowledge, skills and motivation to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, nurturing a new generation of leaders who are unafraid to challenge conventions, drive innovation and champion a more sustainable future. But the John Kyle Spencer Endowed Directorship for Environmental Studies is more than just a testament to academic advancement. It is a living tribute to Spencer’s memory — a reminder of his ideals and dedication to creating a greener and more sustainable world.

“Our son John found true inspiration during his Spring Term Chesapeake Bay program with Robert Humston,” Kathelen said. “For John, everything changed with that trip. His varied academic interests coalesced, and his passion to pursue environmental work was ignited. For his remaining time at Washington and Lee, and through his earning an M.S. degree from the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, John had clearly found his calling. It is deeply meaningful to us to support the work of the environmental studies program and to assist other young people in finding joy and purpose in their studies.”

Humston values the connection he made with Spencer and remembers him fondly. “John sought to spend his life showing others that it is still possible for us to repair our relationship with the earth,” he said. “This endowment is a celebration of his experience at W&L and in environmental studies, and a gift to the students following in his footsteps.”