To complement the print profiles in the Fall 2008 issue of alumni working on environmental concerns, here is a look at nine other members of the W&L alumni community.
Taylor Cole ’75 and Jim McLaughlin ’86
Co-founders, Conservation Partners L.L.C., Lexington
Cole and McLaughlin, both Lexington natives, established Conservation Partners L.L.C. in 2002 to help landowners in Virginia navigate the donation of conservation easements. These legal measures protect the land from abuse and development, preserving acres of private farmland and forests for wildlife habitat and the enjoyment of future generations. McLaughlin, an attorney who majored in English, has helped his family protect nearly 1,500 acres of land on and adjacent to Jump Mountain, in Rockbridge County, with donated conservation easements. A former banker, Cole incorporates conservation and wildlife management techniques on his 500-acre farm in Augusta County, such as experimenting with switchgrass as a biofuel. Both men trace their W&L connections back to childhood: Cole’s father was Fred C. Cole, president of the University from 1959 to 1967, and McLaughlin’s father was Lee M. McLaughlin, W&L’s football coach and athletic director until his death in 1968. “So much of Virginia and the rest of the country is being lost,” said Cole, who majored in history. “It’s a hugely satisfying endeavor to help people protect something that’s irreplaceable.”
Matthew Wallace ’06
Senior Associate, Project Performance Corp., McLean, Va.
Wallace was one of W&L’s first graduates to earn an environmental studies major. The Roanoke native now works for Project Performance Corp., which develops technology and strategic solutions for environmental issues, such as hazardous waste management, water pollution reduction and radiation protection. Among his projects at PPC, Wallace has continued working on research he began during his senior year, tracking fish kills and examining the causes of intersex in fish across the nation. “Loss of species in an ecosystem really devalues the area,” said Wallace, who first became interested in biodiversity while taking a biology course with Prof. Lawrence Hurd. “The consequences of a decrease in diversity of species can potentially affect our own lives in a lot of ways, which is something many people don’t [realize] or overlook.”
Thomas R. Shepherd ’52
Managing Partner, TSG Equity Partners, Stow, Mass.
A former executive for GTE Lighting Products Group (GTE Sylvania), Shepherd is an investor in SolarOne Solutions, a company that manufactures efficient solar-powered lighting. Shepherd, who majored in economics, also serves on the boards of the Stow Conservation Trust and the Sudbury Valley Trust—non-profit organizations that protect and preserve natural resources near his hometown of Stow. An advocate for social justice, Shepherd and his wife, Nancy, established W&L’s Shepherd Poverty Program; a trustee emeritus, Shepherd received an honorary doctorate from the University in 2006. “W&L, for me, was a very character-shaping community,” Shepherd said. “If you have a respect for the land, and you have a sense for the needs of other people, it’s not hard to understand the need to pay attention to the environment.”
Peter Agelasto ’62
Chairman, Rockfish Valley Foundation, Nellysford, Va.
Agelasto, a retired attorney who majored in commerce, chairs the public Rockfish Valley Foundation, dedicated to the preservation of natural, historical, ecological and agricultural resources of the area in Nelson County, Va. The organization, which has already done a study of the Rockfish River and has requested a grant to study the Tye River, also promotes rural and agricultural tourism. By showcasing the beauty of the region, as well as educating outsiders about the natural environment, the group hopes to create awareness about land stewardship. “The unique thing about the Rockfish Valley Foundation, we’re not following a path that’s been chartered,” said Agelasto, who has protected his own farmland through a conservation easement. “We are bringing into the public access a lot of the state agencies’ assets. We’ve accomplished an awful lot out of a couple of file cabinets and some dedicated volunteers.”
Laurence M. Eaton ’05
Graduate Student, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Eaton, who just received a master’s in economics from UT, said his interest in environmental issues emerged from courses in the Environmental Studies Program, particularly the exchange with Brazil. It was there, he said, “I saw amazing places and some really unique environments.” After graduating from W&L, he worked at the University for two years as project coordinator for environmental studies. In this post, he conducted W&L’s first greenhouse gas inventory, collecting and analyzing data to evaluate the environmental performance of the entire University. Though the campus already was engaged in composting and recycling, he said, “What really wasn’t there [was understanding] the impact of our consumption on the climate.”
Chad Lewis ’05
Associate, Lincoln International, London
Lewis, a business administration and accounting major, is assisting Lincoln International’s efforts to implement green practices in the investment bank’s London office. Though the company already had in place recycling, reducing the use of air conditioners and turning off lights in unused rooms, its London and Chicago offices have collaborated to implement additional policies. These include pre-setting computers to print double-sided and boosting awareness of recycling. Though Lewis thinks there are still many people who don’t recognize the urgency of climate change—or even that it’s a problem—he believes everyone can take these simple steps to help protect the Earth from further damage. “While vast, this planet is all we have,” he said. “I’d rather take precautions now than face some of the potential [damages].”
David Keeling ’73
Artist, Lexington and Claremont, St. Ann, Jamaica
Keeling, who majored in European history, was born and raised on a farm in the forested hills of Jamaica, “near crystal-clear rivers that cascade in waterfalls onto reef-fringed, yellow-sand beaches,” he said. “I was surrounded by a beautiful, natural, tropical environment whose abundant human, animal and botanical life I loved, and today I want to preserve.” The ecology of the islands and their rich biodiversity are threatened by the stress of tourism and a lack of appreciation, even by the residents. Accordingly, Keeling supports the Northern Jamaica Conservation Association and the White River/Ocho Rios Marine Park management project, both of which are dedicated to preserving the natural resources of the islands. “Environmental preservation is an attempt to create sustainability and balance, which are a quality of beauty—essential for my artwork.”
Felix K. Yeboah
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.
A Gunn Scholar on campus during the 2006-2007 academic year, Yeboah is pursuing a master’s degree in natural resource and environmental policy from Michigan State University. The Ghana native is particularly interested in deforestation; in his homeland, he said, forests are disappearing at an alarming rate of about 22,000 to 55,000 hectares each year. Yeboah plans to pursue a Ph.D. and hopes eventually to return to his native country to work on environmental policy. His experience at W&L, particularly serving on the former Environmental Management and Planning Committee, sparked an interest in the field. “I want to position myself at a place where I could [influence] policy design that affects natural resources use and environment,” he said.
