College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Entomology

Tatter Family Endowment and Fund for Excellence in Entomology

The Excellence in Insect Science Symposium was inspired by a $2.75 million gift from Mary Tatter and family to Michigan State University to advance the research, teaching, and outreach missions of the Department of Entomology. Mary Tatter established the endowment and funds in the spirit of her late husband Jordan Tatter, who was a 1960 entomology graduate and close friend of former MSU president Gordon Guyer, a former Entomology Department faculty member. A $400,000 portion of the gift also created a graduate fellowship in the college of education in honor of Mary Tatter’s passion for education.

The Tatter family indicated that their donation is to honor previous and current faculty and students at Michigan State University and to support the important future work done by both the Department of Entomology and College of Education. The Tatters’ son, Stephen Tatter, M.D., PhD., shared, “My mother and father were passionate about the importance of entomology, agriculture and natural resources in our world. They believed supporting Michigan State University was the best way to pursue this passion.” Stephen Tatter is a professor and neurosurgeon at Wake Forest School of Medicine.

Designed to support the Department of Entomology, the Tatter family funds were gifted with the vision that MSU entomologists should be at the forefront of scientific discovery and impact. The Excellence in Insect Science Symposium was conceptualized from this charge. Through the focus areas of the symposium - One Health, Climate Resilience, and STEM Education, the MSU campus-based event will bring together entomologists to address global challenges.

More information on the Tatter family’s gift can be found in this article.