Kake Oyster Farmer Creates $375,000 Scholarship Endowment for Southeast Alaska Students
November 17, 2016
Thursday PM
(SitNews) Ketchikan - Sitka - Juneau, Alaska - The family of Robert E Henderson has donated $220,000 and just over 30,500 shares of stock from his estate to create the University of Alaska Southeast Robert Henderson Memorial Award for Mariculture & Fisheries. The endowment will provide scholarships and research experiences for UAS students studying in the fields of mariculture and/or fisheries.
![jpg Kake Oyster Farmer Creates $375,000 Scholarship Endowment for Southeast Alaska Students](http://www.sitnews.us/1116News/111716/111716_robert_henderson2.jpg)
Robert Henderson
Photo credit Tom Henderson
Recipients must be enrolled full-time in either a 2-year AAS or 4-year baccalaureate degree. Current qualifying degree programs would include fisheries technology, biology, marine biology or fisheries with an interest in mariculture/aquaculture.
Oyster Farmer Tom Henderson, Barbara Cave, Kathy Crenshaw, and Anne Swenson established the scholarship fund in memory of their late father Robert E Henderson of Haines.
Robert “Bob” Henderson of Haines was a beloved high school science teacher, farmer and former mayor of the Haines Borough. He was also known as the father of the town’s $8.7 million permanent fund and continued to help manage it long after his retirement. He was a tireless volunteer throughout the community and left his 14 acre homestead to the American Bald Eagle Foundation under the condition that it be used for agriculture.
![](http://www.sitnews.us/1116News/111716/111716_bob_henderson_farming.jpg)
Bob Henderson Farming
Photo credit Henderson Family
Tom Henderson, his son, who owns and operates Pearl of Alaska oyster farm in Kake, wanted the fund to support farming of a different sort. Much like his father, he shares his passion through teaching and hopes the gift will encourage Alaskan students from rural communities to pursue a career in mariculture and promote shellfish farming as a strong industry in Southeast Alaska. Mr. Henderson presented at UAS Juneau’s Evening at Egan lecture series in October, “Aquaculture in Alaska – the opportunity of the century”.
![](http://www.sitnews.us/1116News/111716/111716_tom_henderson_Kake_farm.jpg)
Tom-Henderson at the Kake Oyster-Farm
Photo credit Lynne Johnson
Dr. Mike Stekoll, University of Alaska Southeast Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, says not only will the Henderson fund give students some hands-on experience but will allow them to assist with faculty research and help prepare them for a future in marine fisheries.
Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
Source of News:
University of Alaska Southeast
www.uas.alaska.edu/
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