Faculty, Like Forests, a Long-Term Investment

John Steimer knows there is a lot more to providing a first-rate college education than just facilities. Having a top-notch faculty and providing them with the resources they need is also key.

That’s why he and his wife established the Nancy and John Steimer Professorship in Agricultural Sciences. Bricks and mortar concerns are crucial, obviously, and nobody knows that better than the Steimers. Their generosity helped make the new Forest Resources Building a reality—there is an auditorium named after them. “But no matter how nice the building is, you have got to have good faculty if you are going to be successful,” Steimer says. “We have contributed to everything from buildings to tennis courts at Penn State, but the talented professors bring it all together for the students. In our giving, we have always tried to balance contributions for buildings, student scholarships, and professorships.” Marc Abrams, professor of forest ecology and physiology, is the Steimer Professor. Perhaps best known for his work establishing the role fire played in shaping Eastern forests, Abrams, who earned his doctorate at Michigan State University, has lived up to John Steimer’s expectations.

“We are pretty heavily involved in the environment through forestry, which of course includes water, soil, air, and everything,” Steimer says. “We are pleased that Marc is the Steimer professor because he has been an active researcher. His work has broken new ground. We are pleased to see work that will help to improve the sustainability of our forests.”

Income from the Steimers’ gift allows Abrams to jump-start research programs, support graduate students, and help maintain Penn State’s position as a top forestry program. “I’m one of those lucky people who enjoys every aspect of his job,” Abrams says. “I love teaching undergraduates, I love interacting with bright, creative graduate students, and I love doing research in the field. The Steimers have given me the resources I need to do all of that.”