Animal Science Moves Closer to Receiving Major Gift

Lorenzo "Rennie" McOmie and his wife Judith raised sheep in Solano County for 25 years, during which time they maintained a strong professional relationship with Glenn Spurlock, Animal Science Cooperative Extension Sheep Specialist. In 1975 the couple used proceeds from sale of their ranch to establish a charitable trust that provided them income throughout their lives. Judith passed way in 1984 and Rennie in 2001. The trust has now established the L.M. McOmie Research Fund at UC Davis and at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. UC Davis' share of the trust totals more than $9 million, making it one of the largest gifts in campus history. Income from the UC Davis portion will be split between the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Agronomy and Range Science. Estimates for annual income to Animal Science range from $100,000 to $150,000 with first income expected in 2002. Animal Science faculty have recommended that a high-priority use of the funds be to establish a McOmie Graduate Fellowship for graduate student support. Other uses will include matching funds for facilities construction or improvement, as seed money for new research initiatives and for workshops and outreach activities, collaborative research with other departments and visiting professorships.

The McOmie Graduate Fellowship and other uses of the L.M. McOmie Research Fund to support academic programs in Animal Science are a permanent legacy of Rennie and Judith McOmie's generosity and foresight. The Department of Animal Science expresses its deepest gratitude to the McOmie family for its long-term support of departmental missions in teaching, research and outreach. Anyone interested in learning about the benefits of gift-giving to the university can call department chair Gary Anderson (contact information on Highlights cover page) for referral to the appropriate campus professional.