Harold Burkhart Fellowship
Support the planned Harold Burkhart Fellowship
The college has launched a fundraising initiative to create an endowed fellowship in honor of University Distinguished Professor Harold Burkhart. Burkhart, a professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, passed away in October, 2022 after serving Virginia Tech for more than 50 years. Burkhart’s research and scholarly accomplishments shaped forest modeling from the late 20th century to the current day, and he was considered “the father of forest biometrics.” He was also a major influence on the academic and professional careers of many students during his tenure at Virginia Tech, especially graduate students.
To ensure that his legacy of graduate student support and leadership lives on, the college plans to endow the Harold Burkhart Fellowship. If you are a former student, colleague, friend, or industry partner, please consider supporting this fellowship, to be awarded annually to an outstanding graduate student in forestry.
For more information or to make a gift, please contact Andrew Ickes, assistant dean of advancement, at 540-231-8859 or aickes@vt.edu.
Dr. Burkhart was, first and foremost, a kind and thoughtful man who, even in the rough seas of life, stood as a trusted beacon that many turned to for advice and guidance. During his over 50 years at Virginia Tech, Dr. Burkhart positively impacted so many people’s lives as a mentor for almost 80 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, as a teacher for countless students, and as a colleague both at Virginia Tech and beyond. His impacts on the fields of forestry and forest science cannot be overstated, and his contributions will continue to live on for many years.
