West Virginia University alumnus John R. Tschiderer recognizes the importance of being and staying relevant in today’s competitive marketplace, and with a meaningful financial commitment, he intends to help landscape architecture students and faculty at his alma mater do just that.
The 1983 graduate of the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design has established the John R. Tschiderer Landscape Architecture Education Experience Fund (LEEF). The endowment will support the landscape architecture program in the college’s School of Design and Community Development. This fund will provide value-added experiences for students and faculty, supporting activities outside and inside the classroom that enhance and enrich the landscape architecture education experience.
Tschiderer is excited for the opportunity to support his alma mater.
“I hold my college experience at WVU in very high regard. The students, the professors I worked with, and the administrators – they were all positive influences – and I am grateful for the sound academic, personal, and social experiences I encountered,” he said.
“In recognition of the solid foundation of my WVU education, I have the opportunity to establish LEEF with the expectation that other landscape architecture students can experience the same foundational growth with rewarding professional experiences I have enjoyed.”
He also understands that such experiences come at a cost.
“Education endeavors of all sorts, in part, require money to pursue. It’s important to provide enhanced opportunities for students and professors in the LA program with the objective of building well-rounded individuals,” Tschiderer explained. “Establishing the Fund can hopefully remove, or at least lessen, certain prohibitive cost barriers to an individual’s exposure to a ‘full’ experiential education. It’s a way for me to give back and assist in creating positive experiences for others that I feel are critically important to learning.”
Charlie Yuill, program coordinator and associate professor of landscape architecture, points to the critical need for support for research seed money, presenting at conferences, and developing hands-on projects that will enhance student and faculty experiences.
“Even though WVU has the third least costly landscape architecture program in the nation, I’ve noticed that money has become tighter for our undergraduates,” Yuill said.
He is pleased this fund will provide a perpetual stream of support for students who may need help “bridging the gap” financially to do new and innovative projects.
Students, for instance, were part of a grant to assist with providing Parkersburg, West Virginia, with designs for a historic city park. These kinds of funds can assist students and faculty with these hands-on projects and experiences.
“I’m excited we now have an endowed fund that will support student needs when they may not get the funding required to do things outside the classroom,” Yuill stated.
Tschiderer readily acknowledges the importance of experiential learning and engaging in opportunities outside the classroom. Such experiences are key to remaining relevant not only in the landscape architecture industry, but within our communities where we live, work, socialize and can influence change, he said.
“What an individual gains by studying landscape architecture, and studying it at West Virginia University, of course, I confidently believe will provide that person with a great ‘foundational skill-set’ that can yield positive benefits to our surrounding environs,” Tschiderer stated.
Tschiderer has more than 30 years of real estate development experience, currently serving as senior vice president of development and redevelopment for Federal Realty Investment Trust in Rockville, Maryland. He oversees the comprehensive direction and management of all phases of project development for the Trust’s Core Portfolio.
Tschiderer is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and the International Council of Shopping Centers. He is also a member of the Alvernia University President’s Advisory Council and is a founding member of Bethesda Green, a nonprofit partnership promoting sustainable business and living practices in Bethesda, Maryland.
In addition to being a leader in his industry, Tschiderer has now become a leader in giving back to WVU.
“I am grateful for John’s aggressive leadership role in giving,” said Yuill. “A commitment at this significant level is going to be meaningful within the context of the program.”
Tschiderer’s gift was made in conjunction with A State Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The $1 billion comprehensive campaign being conducted by the WVU Foundation on behalf of the University runs through December 2017.
For more information on how to make a gift to support the John R. Tschiderer Landscape Architecture Education Experience Fund, or any fund within the WVU Davis College School of Design and Community Development, please contact Julie Cryser at (304) 293-2400 or julie.cryser@mail.wvu.edu.
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CONTACT: Nikky Luna, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
304.293.2394, Nikky.Luna@mail.wvu.edu
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