James C. Kennedy gifts $5.5M for waterfowl and wetlands research center at UM
The gift will split between new academic research and a center for waterfowl and wetlands studies, with Ducks Unlimited among the partners.
- James Kennedy donated $5.5 million to the University to establish the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl Center, strengthening the Wildlife Biology Program within the Franke College of Forestry and Conservation.
- Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises, has chaired the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission and serves on the board of Ducks Unlimited, which manages a $100 million fund in his honor to conserve prairie lands across North America.
- The donation accelerates a $20 million campaign for a new research hub, unlocking $52 million committed by the Montana Legislature—the largest single-facility investment in Montana University System history.
- Researchers will use remote sensing data updating every 16 days to track waterfowl movements and wetland health, enabling the Wildlife Biology Program to inform management decisions across Montana and the West.
- Scheduled to break ground in 2027, the facility will elevate the University as a world-class institution for waterfowl and wetland research, with Conservation Dean Libby Metcalf noting the new building will highlight the College's strengths.
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University of Montana receives $5.5M donation for new wetlands center
A $5.5 million donation to the University of Montana will establish a new research operation, the James C. Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Center, UM announced this week. UM said the donation will strengthen its Wildlife Biology Program and secure the…
James C. Kennedy gifts $5.5M for waterfowl and wetlands research center at UM
A gift is set to help establish new academic research center within the University of Montana's W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. James C. Kennedy gifts $5.5Mfor waterfowl and wetlands research center at UM"This transformative gift is a $5.5 million gift from James Kennedy and it's going to be profound in how it impacts our institution," College of Forestry and Conservation Dean Libby Metcalf told MTN.The Treasure Montana campaig…
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