Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

The MAS MBC Program is entirely self-supporting. We do not receive state or federal funding to enhance programming and students must pay the entire tuition independently. Therefore, your donation - however small - is deeply impactful in a variety of tangible ways including, but not limited to:

• Enhanced Access to our Program — Your donation will directly benefit ambitious early and mid-career professionals who may not otherwise be able to afford the MAS MBC Program. These students train in our 12-month Program, develop and implement their innovative project ideas, then quickly promote within the global ocean conservation field, where many become leaders at the highest levels.
• Increased Diversity, Equity and Representation — The MAS MBC Program seeks to counteract the legacies of historic exclusion in academia to admit, enroll and support an inclusive cohort that reflects both California demographics and the global majority. Additional funding can support BIPOC* mentorship programs, allyship trainings, ability accommodations, and representative guest speakers, in order to foster a more intentional and equitable campus community.
  *Black, Indigenous and People of Color
• Robust and Relevant Educational Opportunities — The MAS MBC Program stitches together the most practical skills and training, so graduates are equipped not only secure deeply satisfying jobs, but to succeed in those positions. Your donation can support additional laboratory work, skill-based trainings, and field trips that complement classroom activities. These experiences give students greater hands-on experience in applied research and data collection and allow them to further tailor the Program to suit their needs.

By donating to the MAS MBC Program, you ensure that the ocean conservation leaders of tomorrow are interdisciplinary problem-solvers with diverse lived experiences, backgrounds and cognitive approaches. This translates to extraordinary innovation and improved outcomes for our planet, at a time when we need it more than ever.