The Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia has taken a significant step toward revitalizing its long-standing partnership with the Jones Center at Ichauway through a new scholarship funded by the Amos family in memory of John Spencer. This initiative marks a renewed commitment to ecological research and graduate education in the Southeast, connecting two institutions that have shared a rich history of environmental science and conservation efforts.

Historical Foundations of the UGA-Jones Center Relationship

The partnership between the Odum School and the Jones Center dates back nearly 35 years, when the research institute was established in rural southwestern Georgia. The Jones Center was founded on land that had once been a quail-hunting reserve for Robert W. Woodruff, the long-time chair of The Coca-Cola Company. At the time, the project was overseen by advisors including Eugene Odum, a pioneering ecologist who played a key role in shaping the institute’s early direction.

Lindsay Boring, the first director of the Jones Center, was instrumental in building the research institute. Boring left his professorship at UGA to lead the new center but maintained his affiliation with the Odum School of Ecology and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources as adjunct faculty. His leadership laid the groundwork for decades of collaborative research between the two institutions.

Over the years, more than 170 graduate students, many from the Odum School, have conducted research at the Jones Center. This collaboration has yielded critical ecological data on the unique longleaf pine and wiregrass ecosystems of the region, with findings that have broader implications for environmental science across the country.

Revitalizing a Legacy of Collaboration

While the UGA-Odum School and the Jones Center have maintained a connection over the years, some formal ties waned as early leaders retired. According to Kier Klepzig, the Jones Center’s second director since 2017, this shift prompted a renewed effort to rebuild the partnership.

Mark Hunter, the Odum Chair in Ecology, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. ‘I was fortunate enough to visit the Jones Center many times during the 1990s,’ Hunter said. ‘The combination of its unique ecology and its world-class research staff make it an exciting place to work and a wonderful opportunity for Odum’s students.’

Kathelen Amos, a trustee of Emory University and the mother of John Spencer, who was a master’s student at the Odum School when he passed away in 2016, felt a similar connection after visiting the Jones Center in early 2024. She was inspired by the breadth and variety of research conducted at the institute and decided to establish a scholarship in her son’s memory to honor his passion for the natural world.

‘I was fascinated by the breadth and variety of the subjects they were studying,’ Amos said. ‘It seemed to me with my son’s love of the outdoors that he would have found the place fascinating — both in how it’s managed, but also in how carefully they measure all of the things that can affect wildlife habitat.’

Impact of the John Spencer Distinguished Fellowship

The John Spencer Distinguished Fellowship, established in 2024, supports two graduate students pursuing careers in the management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. The scholarship was initially funded by the Amos family, with additional contributions from over 370 friends, classmates, and colleagues of John Spencer.

The first recipient of the fellowship, Isabelle ‘Bell’ Scherick, began her studies at the Jones Center in the fall of 2025. Originally from Los Angeles, Scherick graduated from Rice University with a major in ecology and evolutionary biology and a minor in statistics. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in ecology, working with Jones Center plant ecologist David Mason, as well as Odum School associate professor Richard Hall and plant biology professor Anny Chung.

‘I found myself, when I walked around the Jones Center, thinking, ‘Oh, I wish so much John had had an opportunity to come here,’ Amos said. ‘And, subsequently, I’ve had an opportunity to meet people who have studied at the Jones Center, and each person just could not say enough about how much that experience informed and continues to provide inspiration for the work that they do.’

Scherick’s research focuses on fungal plant interactions and the downstream effects that fire has on soils. Her work aligns with the Jones Center’s ongoing studies on longleaf pine ecosystems and the broader environmental implications of land management practices.

The scholarship not only honors John Spencer’s legacy but also reinforces the importance of collaborative research between academic institutions and field-based research centers. As the partnership between the Odum School and the Jones Center grows, it is expected to yield further advancements in ecological science and conservation efforts across the Southeast.

With the first John Spencer Distinguished Fellow now in place, the scholarship is ready to become a lasting bridge between the Odum School of Ecology and the Jones Center, ensuring continued research, education, and environmental stewardship for future generations.