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2016 Annual Report

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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Dear Friends,

Six teenage boys in six beds stretched from one end of the room to the other – ¡la casa de EARTH! You can imagine the pitch of their voices as they excitedly talk about their day on campus – everything from swimming and soccer to snacks and animal sightings. That was my son Diego’s first weekend at EARTH with his friends from San José. Already the EARTH community has embraced my family and me, and EARTH has very quickly become home. We all feel the special sense of place here, that essence of EARTH’s mission that extends beyond the classrooms and the fields and lives in the hearts and minds of the students, faculty and staff.

Costa Rica has been my home since 1998, and I wasn’t in this country very long before learning about EARTH. At that point, the EARTH vision was young and full of promise. Today, thanks to José’s leadership and the work of countless others, that promise remains, and there is also measurable, powerful proof of the impact of an EARTH education.

Earlier this year, I met several students at our dinner to welcome first-year students. Lucas, a fellow Ecuadorian, was willing to part from his three-year-old daughter at home because his EARTH education will transform his life and hers. Sandra, from Malawi, learned about farming from her grandmother and kept a family garden alive during times of struggle. “When I heard about EARTH, I saw that it was a dream place for me,” she told me with great conviction. In Grace’s Ugandan village, she is only the second person to study beyond high school. Most of the girls marry very young. Grace’s plans include supporting an orphanage “so that each child can study” as she grows. Each of their stories is unique, yet all share the qualities of persistence, sacrifice, resilience and the determination to create a better world.

This annual report is full of the evidence of EARTH’s impact. From Mexico to Somaliland, the University selects young leaders from around the world and, through an experiential education in sustainable agriculture and ethical entrepreneurship, prepares them to be agents of change and builders of prosperous and just communities for humanity’s most vulnerable. I invite you to take a look. I think you will be impressed by our efforts and our results – your results too, for without your belief in our mission, none of this would be possible.

My wife Leo, our children – Isabella, 17; Diego, 13; and Adrian, 4 – and I extend our heartfelt thanks for your welcome and your support. Please come visit us at EARTH. There is no substitute for meeting the students who are empowered by your generosity, seeing our renewable energy lab (and the solar-powered golf carts!), tasting the sweetness of fresh campus-grown pineapple, and even struggling with a bit of Spanish. I look forward to meeting you in the weeks and months ahead.

This is our home at EARTH and yours as well.

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Warm regards,
Arturo Condo
President, EARTH University


President’s message

BOARD CHAIR’S
MESSAGE

Dear Friends of EARTH,

2016 was a momentous year for EARTH. We marked the retirement of José Zaglul, our founding president, the Board of Directors appointed Arturo Condo as EARTH’s second president, EARTH was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation made a spectacular commitment of $40 million to EARTH’s endowment. By any measure, it was a significant year in EARTH’s history.

The real measure of EARTH’s success, however, comes in the form of our students and graduates who personify the mission of EARTH. As a third-year student, Sindy ’16, raised the funds to train 35 women from rural Costa Rica in the art of making natural banana fiber products. Their success emboldened her to launch the project in her homeland of Guatemala where “a lot of bananas means a lot of opportunity for work.” And Mauricio ’07 oversees the creation, implementation, and follow-up of projects to help farming cooperatives add value to their production as a regional project manager for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Costa Rica. While a secondary school student in Kenya, Phenny ’17, now one of our fourth-year students, created a project to train women farmers on sustainability, agroforestry and enterprise development. Remarkably, while at EARTH, she has continued as an active member of the project, providing farmers with information about financial literacy and technical advice on pest control and farm management via videoconferences.

This is the EARTH that inspired Arturo Condo to become president. Arturo’s commitment to education as a principal change agent, his values, and his vision make him an exemplary president for EARTH. His expertise in the area of strategic planning and his grasp of key global issues were crucial elements in the board’s enthusiastic endorsement.

Arturo is already working with board members and staff to develop EARTH’s strategic plan for 2018-2022. It promises to deepen and widen EARTH’s impact, to stretch our imagination about EARTH’s role in the future of rural development worldwide, and to strengthen the core experience of educating women and men whose personal stories of challenge and resilience inspire us all.

We look forward to your input as this exciting plan takes shape and to your continued support as EARTH forges ahead. Together we can ensure that the remarkable vision imagined nearly 30 years ago continues to flourish in the 21st century as we actively strive to create a more just and prosperous world.

tim

Sincerely,

Tim Solso
Chair, Board of Directors

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD

MISSION
Prepare leaders with ethical values to contribute to sustainable development and to construct a prosperous and just society.
VISION
Our actions are mission-driven to alleviate poverty, promote social justice and build a future where our communities achieve sustainable and shared prosperity.


PRESIDENT EMERITUS

Farewell, don José!

In 2016, EARTH University organized several events to honor Dr. José Zaglul, EARTH’s founding president, and his nearly three decades of service leadership to the University.

In May, José and his wife Rosario flew to London and met with EARTH donors from Europe who wanted to honor them and their contributions to the University.

In September, more than 100 supporters from across North America gathered at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. to thank them for their service.

The following month, celebrations continued in Costa Rica with a reception at the San José Children’s Museum. On October 24, nearly 400 friends, family members, government officials, donors and EARTH employees of past and present attended the event. The program included performances by the Youth Symphony Orchestra and Carlos Guzmán, the well-known Costa Rican singer-songwriter and EARTH University Anthem composer. Special tributes were presented by the Vice President of Costa Rica Ana Helena Chacón, Vice President of the EARTH University Board of Directors Alan Kelso, former EARTH professor Richard Taylor and his wife Eugenia, and EARTH graduate María José Retana (’04, Costa Rica).

EARTH’s community was also able to say goodbye to José and his family during a heartfelt ceremony that dedicated the Rectory, the University’s chief administrative building, in his honor. He was joined by Rosario, his children and grandchildren, planting a mimosa tree in front of the building that now bears his name.

EARTH’s community was also able to say goodbye to José and his family during a heartfelt ceremony that dedicated the Rectory, the University’s chief administrative building, in his honor. He was joined by Rosario, his children and grandchildren, planting a mimosa tree in front of the building that now bears his name.

EARTH’s community was also able to say goodbye to José and his family during a heartfelt ceremony that dedicated the Rectory, the University’s chief administrative building, in his honor. He was joined by Rosario, his children and grandchildren, planting a mimosa tree in front of the building that now bears his name.


STUDENTS

412 students
from 42 countries
in the Americas, Africa,
the Caribbean and Europe

The University is dedicated to providing transformational education to students from rural communities, and more than 80 percent of our students receive a full or partial scholarship for four years. EARTH’s unique admissions process sends faculty to dozens of countries around the world to personally interview and select each candidate. An 85 percent student retention rate is maintained, reflecting the supportive campus environment and the quality of our scholars. This figure, representing students who graduate in four or five years, is highly competitive in relation to universities worldwide. The campus demographics in 2016 inched even closer to true gender parity, with a student body that is 47 percent female and 53 percent male.


412 students from 42 countries in the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe412 students from 42 countries in the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe

Student distribution by countries of origin

412

STUDENTS

47%

WOMEN

53%

MEN

42

COUNTRIES

EARTH students are also extremely active at international events, participating in different types of gatherings to share and discuss their views on global challenges youths are facing. In 2016, 22 students traveled to 10 different forums representing EARTH.


GRADUATES

2,130 alumni from 39 countries in the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe

Four out of five EARTH alumni return to their home countries where most (90%) are working in agriculture, environment and community development.

Graduate-led coffee company named Exporter of the Year in HondurasGraduate-led coffee company named Exporter of the Year in Honduras COHONDUCAFÉ (Compañía Hondureña del Café S.A. de C.V.) received the Premio Presidencial Orquídea Empresarial 2017 (Presidential Enterprise Award 2017) as the top coffee exporter of 2016.

COHONDUCAFÉ is a Central American company, dedicated to the manufacture and export of high-quality coffee, advancing agricultural productivity and quality standards. Its social mission arm, the COHONDUCAFÉ Foundation, supports economic growth, social responsibility and environmental concern.

EARTH graduates were part of the company’s formation and vision building and continue leading it today. They include: Terence Fuschich (’98, Honduras), founder/CEO and president of the foundation; Edgar Joel Castro (‘03, Honduras),program and projects coordinator for the foundation; Tony Arévalo (‘11, Honduras), departmental manager; Nadia Castillo (‘13, Honduras), departmental manager; Daniela Reyes (‘13, Honduras), departmental manager; Arnulfo Alvarado (‘15, Honduras), intern; Cipriano Martínez (‘15, Panamá), intern; Dolores Salazar (‘16, Honduras), intern; and Norman Reyes (‘16, Honduras), intern.

Through its coffee production and sister foundation, COHONDUCAFÉ addresses common challenges, such as low farm productivity, inconsistent product quality and lack of access to job training, technical assistance, financing, marketing and more. On top of that, the company has supported the construction and improvement of schools, donated school supplies to students and instruction materials to teachers, funded medical services, organized projects around basic sanitation (building toilets, improving graywater treatment and purifying drinking water), strengthened food security through the construction of family food gardens and trained women and young people in how to start a small business.

Alumni elect advisory council to the president

Alumni elect advisory council to the president After discussing ways in which alumni could be more involved with their alma mater, their representative body – made up of 46 graduates – elected the members and alternate members of the President’s Alumni Advisory Council. This group’s role is to become a consultative arm to the University’s leadership, providing input, suggestions and support.

Irene González (’16, Ecuador)

“I chose EARTH because it teaches you how to face today’s challenges. I feel prepared to head out and confront them. It’s been an incredible experience not only because I grew my technical skills but also my professional ones. I’m no longer afraid to give my opinion or devise solutions. EARTH has taught me to be a different kind of professional, one who can interact with all kinds of people and excel in all areas of agronomy.”Irene González (’16, Ecuador)


INTERNSHIP SPONSORS

The trust and meaningful partnerships we maintain with our global internship sponsors make it possible for every third-year EARTH student to gain invaluable work experience through a 15-week professional internship in their chosen field and in any country across the world.

AUSTRALIA
Meredith Dairy, goat production & dairy processing
BELIZE
Sustainable Harvest, community development
BRAZIL
Agrodan, perishable goods commercialization
Asbanco, banana
Gondwana Organics, buffalo production
Sitio Quaiquara, biogas production & irrigation
COLOMBIA
Hacienda Cádiz, animal production
RED BIOCOL, renewable energy
COSTA RICA
Allegro Coffee, coffee
Cámara de Ganaderos, cattle
Carnes don Fernando, cattle
DOLE Research, banana
El Cántaro, vegetable production
Finca Exótica, organic agriculture
Fyffes, banana
Grupo GESSA, postharvest & marketing
Hotel Blue Osa, ecotourism
Palma Tica, palm oil
Viogaz, renewable energy
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Costa Farms, ornamentals
ECUADOR
Alia2 S.A., precision agriculture
Diximant, banana
Fyffes, banana
Galápagos Flores S.A., flower production
Hacienda La Danesa, ecotourism
INCUSA, hydroponics
Ingenio San Carlos, sugarcane
La Favorita, postharvest
UNOCACE, cacao
GHANA
Cummins, community development
GUATEMALA
Allegro Coffee, coffee
Corporación PRO, cattle
Popoyán, postharvest & vegetable production
HONDURAS
Grupo ENLASA, agricultural inputs
Sustainable Harvest, community development
ITALY
Tenuta Vannulo, dairy processing, buffalo production & molecular biology
JAMAICA
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) & JP Farms, urban agriculture, irrigation & community development
JORDAN
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), precision agriculture & biofertilizer
KENYA
Biogas International Ltd., renewable energy
Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle, nomadic agriculture
Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), climate change technology
MEXICO
Agroindustrial Palenque, animal production
Chocolates CACEP, cacao
Citrofrut, vegetable production
Corporativo Agropecuario Magil SPR, animal production
Cummins, community development
Finca La Lomita, biodynamic vineyard
FreshKampo, vegetable production
La Suiza, aquaponics & cacao
Pantaleón, sugarcane
Proyecto Heifer Internacional, community development
Rancho La Inmaculada, animal production
Rancho Sol y Mar, integrated farms & tropical fruit
NEW ZEALAND
Tauroan Trust, integrated farms
NETHERLANDS
Agrodan, perishable goods commercialization
NICARAGUA
Finca Los Alpes, coffee
Selva Negra Ecolodge, integrated farms
PANAMA
Sustainable Harvest, ecosystem services, climate change agriculture & community development
PERU
Agrícola Los Medanos, food processing
Aicacolor, community development
RWANDA
Nasho Irrigation Project, soils & irrigation
SOUTH AFRICA
Orchard Africa, community development
Stellenbosch University, animal production, banana & vineyard
SPAIN
Casita Verde, sustainable living & eco-education
Instituto de Hortofruticultura
Subtropical y Mediterránea (IHSM), climate change agriculture
TANZANIA
ECOM Agroindustrial, coffee
International Institute of Topical Agriculture (IITA), banana
USA
Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farms, CA, animal production & renewable energy
Earth Island – Follow Your Heart, CA, food processing
Food Well Alliance, GA, urban agriculture
JPG Resources, MI, food consulting & commercialization
Kalsec Inc., MI, waste management
Murphy Brown LLC, NC, hog production
North Carolina State University, genetic improvement
Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, sugarcane
Texas A&M University, transgenic research
University of Florida, sugarcane, phytopathology, biological control, soils, entomology & research
University of Georgia, research
University of Missouri Department of Conservation, agroforestry
UGANDA
Freedom in Creation, community development
Kulika, aquaculture & greenhouse growing
National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), biotechnology
PPM Uganda Ltd., liquid fertilizer & biogas production
URUGUAY
Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA), dairy supply chains


FACULTY

EARTH’s talented and diverse faculty is responsible for creating a participatory and experiential learning environment that provides students with the resources and knowledge necessary for their academic advancement, professional success and personal growth.

Junior Acosta, Ph.D., Costa Rica
Edgar Alvarado, MSc., Guatemala
Irene Alvarado, Ph.D., Costa Rica
Jorge Arce, MSc., Costa Rica
Alejandra Arroyo, Ph.D., Argentina
Steven Brenes, MSc., Costa Rica
Udi Mandel Butler, Ph.D., Brazil/England
Sergio Callau, Ph.D., Spain
Elmer Cantarero, MBA, Honduras
Róger Castellón, MSc., Costa Rica
Manuel Cerrato, Ph.D., Honduras
Yanine Chan, Ph.D., Costa Rica
Carlos Demerutis, MSc., Mexico
Nico Evers, MSc., Netherlands
Rebeca García, MSc., Spain
Alex Gilman, Ph.D., England
Tobías Gómez, MSc., Costa Rica
Bert Kohlmann, Ph.D., Mexico
Jeremy Lackman, Ph.D., USA
Humberto Leblanc, Ph.D., Panama
Rafael Marzall do Amaral, MSc., Brazil
Julieta Mazzola, MSc., Argentina
Kent McLeod, Ph.D., USA
Nichole McVeigh, M.A., USA
Jose Cristino Melgar, Ph.D., Honduras
Argenis Mora, Ph.D., Venezuela
Marvin Mora, MSc., Costa Rica
Víctor Hugo Morales, MSc., Venezuela
Gopu Nair, Ph.D., India
Walter Ndonkeu Tita, Ph.D., Cameroon/Canada
Alex Pacheco, Ph.D., Colombia
Irmino Perera, M.A., Cuba
Johan Perret, Ph.D., France
Mario Piedra, Ph.D., Costa Rica
Luis Ernesto Pocasangre, Ph.D., Honduras
Amy Porter, MSc., USA
Jorge Celso Rodriguez, MSc., Peru
B.K. Singh, Ph.D., Nepal
Ana Cristina Tamayo, Ph.D., Colombia
Roque Vaquero, MSc., Honduras
Tobias Wünscher, Ph.D., Germany
NEW HIRES:
Rafael Marzall do Amaral
Tobias Wünscher
RETIREMENTS:
Jorge Celso Rodriguez
[Served 26.5 years at EARTH] Edgar Alvarado
[Served 26 years at EARTH]


Technician Royner Ortiz and Walter Ndonkeu Tita, Ph.D.Mangos Selenothrips rubrocinctus femaleSaving mangos
Walter Ndonkeu Tita, Ph.D., received a $30,000 grant to research improvements to mango pest management in the face of thrips, a mysterious sap-sucking winged insect that has begun spelling big trouble for the fruit’s production. This ongoing research, a partnership with the University of Florida and funded by Manga Rica, already has seen a major breakthrough: the correct identification of three different types of the pest, each with various destructive habits and requiring distinct methods of control.

Yanine Chan, Ph.D.Shattering the rainforest’s glass canopy
After 22 years as an EARTH professor, Yanine Chan, Ph.D., was named Dean of Academic Affairs when Edgar Alvarado retired from the post. Chan is the first woman on EARTH’s campus to hold this leadership role, responsible for shepherding the University’s education model and academic development. Her caring and students-first nature, along with her unrelenting commitment to EARTH’s mission in everything she does, made her a natural fit for the role.

Edgar Alvarado, MSc., GuatemalaUnforgettable commitment
Edgar Alvarado, a member of EARTH’s pioneer faculty group, joined the University in 1991 as professor of entymology. He later served as academic dean, from 2012 through 2016. After 26 years of service, he retired at the end of 2016.
His work touched the lives of thousands of students who passed through EARTH’s halls. He will be remembered by them as a dedicated, patient professor and as a caring dean who always had time to listen.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

All EARTH students run a real business during their first years at EARTH, fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and planting the seed for future business development.

Twenty percent of EARTH alumni report owning their own business or working in a family business (per the 2016 alumni survey findings).

REAL-LIFE PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

EARTH students and alumni almost unanimously mention the yearly Multicultural Fair as one of their most valuable entrepreneurship experiences during their four years in school. The fourth-year cohort is responsible for organizing all the details of this nationally renowned two-day event, including entertainment, food, vendors and all the aspects pertaining to finance, logistics and safety/security. The goal of the EARTH Multicultural Fair is to raise funds to help pay travel costs for relatives of graduating students to attend the commencement ceremony in December.

The Fair attracted around 7,500 visitors in 2016. The proceeds made it possible for 65 family members to be present in Costa Rica, covering the costs of their plane tickets, immigration processes, food and lodging for a week.

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ENVIRONMENT

USING PRECISION TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

USING PRECISION TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

EARTH is building a center for precision agriculture at the La Flor campus, which is situated in the arid corridor of Central America. Funded by Costa Rica’s Development Bank, the project aims to train and support small farmers with technologies to improve productivity in regions with extremely dry conditions.

FIRING UP WOOD STOVE RESEARCH

CIDER-cocina-eficiente

With support from Cummins, the Aprovecho Research Center and the NGO Sustainable Harvest, CIDER (EARTH’s Center for Research and Development in Renewable Energies) started a collaborative research project to study and improve wood stoves in Central America through the collaboration of EARTH internship students.

FOR THE LOVE OF BANANAS

An international consortium of European universities and international research centers launched MUSA, a global project dealing with sustainable management of banana crops. EARTH University leads research on biological control of parasitic nematodes and Fusarium Wilt, along with overseeing advanced training of banana farmers in Latin America.

STORIES WORTH SHARING

banana3cut

GLOBAL DEMAND HAS GONE BANANAS

EARTH University’s commercial operation produced more than one million boxes of bananas – 1,067,886 in total – for the first time in a single year. Each box contains 105 bananas, meaning more than 112 million EARTH bananas were shipped to consumers! Considering each purchase of an EARTH product helps to provide scholarships to our students, more bananas sold means more dreams supported!


DRIED FRUIT

DRIED FRUIT PRODUCTION HEATING UP

EARTH exported its first containers of dehydrated fruits to Whole Foods Markets in the Rocky Mountains and Northeast regions. The product will make its way onto shelves in other markets during 2017.

IN THE NEWS

In October, EARTH University was spotlighted in a 7-minute feature by PBS NewsHour, the famed American daily evening television news program. The University’s innovative methodology, community devotion and future focus were the primary points of interest.

DONORS

“Education is the best way for really improving one generation over another.” – W.K. Kellogg

In the 1980s, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation invested in a dream of a university that would intentionally seek out vulnerable youth in underserved, rural communities in the developing world and prepare them to be catalysts of social change. In pursuit of this dream, EARTH created a world-class experiential program that fosters strong scientific and technical skills, an entrepreneurial mentality, values and ethics, and social and environmental conscience. More than 25 years after welcoming our first students, we can clearly see the fruits of this investment.

Throughout EARTH’s history, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has awarded many grants supporting scholarships, youth leadership programs and rural community development. These grants have been crucial, allowing EARTH to educate hundreds of W.K. Kellogg Foundation scholars, positively impact more than 200,000 rural residents in Central America and Mexico through our Permanent Education Program, and, by way of our commercial ventures, pioneer more sustainable and socially responsible agribusiness opportunities in the region.

In 2016, EARTH’s three-decade-long partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation welcomed a new chapter with a transformational grant of $40 million to EARTH’s endowment to support scholarships. Of that contribution, $15 million is designated as a challenge grant, meaning all gifts made through August 2019 will be matched dollar for dollar.

“More than 25 years ago, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation partnered with the government of Costa Rica and USAID to build a unique model of education grounded in leadership, entrepreneurship and environmental consciousness,” said WKKF President and CEO La June Montgomery Tabron. “At the time, no such institution existed and it was a great risk. Today, EARTH continues to be aligned with WKKF’s mission. EARTH educates students from over 40 countries. Their vision stands strong, and we are honored to provide this recent gift to the University, which has a matching component. EARTH provides a unique model for educating tomorrow’s leaders and deserves support – from WKKF and others – for the next 25 years.”

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has created a true legacy of impact that spans multiple generations.

EARTH is able to reach further than our founders ever imagined thanks to the generous investment of WKKF.

In 2016, representatives of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation visited EARTH and shared special moments with students.

In 2016, representatives of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation visited EARTH and shared special moments with students.

“When I was in my first year at EARTH, a professor told us his story, about how he’d been able to study thanks to a scholarship and how he, after finishing his studies, was compelled to do the same for others – to give back to society, in one way or another, what had been given to him. This stuck with me. He said that more than 20 years ago, and, at the time, I thought to myself that is something I would do one day. When that day arrived, I did it.

I support EARTH University because it’s where I studied, where I prepared myself for the real world. Even though we mainly do this with EARTH, we also support primary schools, high schools and other universities.

Osael Maroto, operations manager at Mayca Food Service, has supported EARTH for more than 10 years.  One of the beneficiaries is Dennis Gutiérrez (‘20, Belize).

Osael Maroto, operations manager at Mayca Food Service, has supported EARTH for more than 10 years.
One of the beneficiaries is Dennis Gutiérrez (‘20, Belize).

I believe education is a tool we have for eradicating poverty and breaking the vicious cycles that afflict families. Our hope is that, with our help, students will move forward motivated to support others when they have the chance.”

–Osael Maroto Martínez (‘94, Costa Rica)

Mayca Food Service
Mayca Food Service

We would like to extend a special thank you to our donors who have made lifetime gifts of more than one million dollars.

Anonymous (1)
A.G. Leventis Foundation
Agencia Sueca de Cooperación
Internacional
BAC San José
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo – Fondo Japonés
Jane and Dameron Black III
The Cummins Foundation
U.S. Department of Energy
Instituto para Formación
Aprovechamiento de Recursos Humanos
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
The MasterCard Foundation
Ministerio Economía y Finanzas Panamá
Moore Family Foundation
Katherine John Murphy Foundation
NORAD
Karin and Mark Ohrstrom
Onward & Upward Charitable Trust
Open Society Foundations
Fundación Simón I. Patiño
Porticus Latin America
SENESCYT (Globo Común Ecuador)
Denny† and Tim Solso
Standard Fruit Company
USAID-ASHA
Wege Foundation

We recognize and appreciate the generous support of the following donors whose gifts were received from January 1- December 31, 2016. These individuals, businesses, foundations, governments and international organizations make the continued fulfillment of our mission possible.


*= EARTH Supporter for 5+ Consecutive Years | **= EARTH Supporter for 10+ Consecutive Years | ***= EARTH Supporter for 15+ Consecutive Years | ****= EARTH Supporter for 20+ Consecutive Years

$10,000,000+

W. K. Kellogg Foundation****

$1,000,000-$4,999,999

Anonymous (1)
SENESCYT (Globo Común Ecuador)*
USAID-ASHA**

$250,000-999,999

A.G. Leventis Foundation*
Anne H. Bass
The Coca-Cola Foundation
The Cummins Foundation*
Roy and Patricia Disney Foundation
Karin and Mark Ohrstrom***
Schnieders Family Foundation*
WEM Foundation**

$100,000-$249,999

Anonymous (1)
Dentons Canada LLP
The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation
Kalsec, Inc.****
Gerald A. and Karen A. Kolschowsky
Foundation**
Karen and Robert Kustel**
LB Foreningen
The Martin Agency
Starr Moore and James Starr Moore
Memorial Foundation
Katherine John Murphy
Foundation****
Sally and Ken Ohrstrom*
Charles R. O’Malley Charitable
Lead Trust
Open Society Foundations*
Fundación Simón I. Patiño****
Variedades del Trópico Húmedo
Wege Foundation**

$50,000-99,999

Norma Buchman
Hoffman-Brouse Foundation*
Instituto para Formación Aprovechamiento de Recursos Humanos
Island Outpost
José Roberto Marinho
MAYCA Distribuidores S.A.
Ministerio de Educación de Belice**
Moore Family Foundation*
The Ohrstrom Foundation
Panasonic Corporation of North
America

$50,000-99,999

Americana Foundation**
Elyse and Joshua Arnow*
Bland Farms
Sandra and Delbert Bland
Lynn Hoffman-Brouse and Mark S. Brouse*
Norma Buchman
The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation
Francis Durman
Grupo Duwest
Hoffman-Brouse Foundation*
Mary and James Moog***
The Trio Foundation of St. Louis***

$25,000-49,999

Anonymous (3)
Alcaldía de Machala
Claire Lewis Arnold and
H. Ross Arnold III***
Magalen Bryant
The Edward Colston Foundation*
Christine and Herbert Fluharty*
Barbara and Ivor Freeman**
Ingenio Taboga S.A.
The Isaf Family Foundation
Catherine and Mark McGahan
Adrienne Meisel and Rand Sparling
George L. Ohrstrom Jr. Foundation*

$15,000-24,999

Anonymous (1)
Sandra and Delbert Bland,
Bland Farms
The Butler Foundation*
Corrugados del Atlántico***
Duvall and J. Rex Fuqua
The Lacewing Foundation
George Ohrstrom
Fundación Poligrow
Porticus Latin America
Scotiabank**
The Solstice Foundation
The Trio Foundation of St. Louis***
Volcafé Costa Rica
Gertrude and William C. Wardlaw
Fund

$10,000-14,999

Ana Regina Aguirre de Riojas*
Diane and Kent Alexander*
Americana Foundation***
Elyse and Joshua Arnow*
Anne Cox Chambers Foundation
Frieda’s Specialty Produce*
Jessie Harris and George
Cunningham**
Dianne and Ron Hoge**
Journey Charitable Foundation
Therus Kolff*
Mammel Foundation
Julie and Charles Merrill, Jr.
The Sustainability Laboratory
Kat Taylor and Tom Steyer

$5,000-9,999

Anonymous (1)
Ray C. Anderson Foundation
The Honorable Anne Slaughter
Andrew and Joe Andrew
AutoStar
Banco Davivienda S.A.
Manuel Beauregard and Don Vellek
Micki and Michael Besancon*
Jean Blackwell and Kimberly Williams
Maureen and John Bridgeland
Kristina and Michael Caplin***
Kathleen and Douglas Colson**
Auto Mercado S.A.***
Alison and G. Richard Fletcher**
Follow Your Heart*
Fundación ENLASA
Elma Goduto and Tim Conlon
Grupo Duwest*
KPMG – Costa Rica
Kay Betts and John Sibley
Theresa Fulton and Steven Tanksley*
Michaela Walsh, Aiden Parker and
Grayson Everett
Diana Wege

$1,000-4,999

Accenture Costa Rica
Allied Farms
Black Dog Foundation
Ashleigh and Lawrence Black
James Bridgeland, Jr.
Kathleen S. Brooks Family
Foundation*
Diane and Richard Clark**
Jeffrey and Michael Collins-Smythe
W. Carey Crane III
Mary and Mahlon DeLong
Linda and William Dietel*
James Duncan, Jr.
Wendy Druce and Hugh Durden*
Empresa Comercial del Pacífico S.A.
Marlene Fluharty
Pam and Rick Foster*
Debbie and Charles Frank
Laura Frey and Erico Gomes*
Armando González Fonseca
Caron and Wilson Gordon III
Grupo ENLASA
Helene Harding and Patrick Briggs*
Nan and Rawson Haverty, Jr.
Christine and Jon Hoek*
Inversiones Rivera Segura S.A.
Roya and Bahman Irvani
Davar Irvani*
Robert Jetmundsen
F. Martin and Dorothy A. Johnson
Family Fund*
Gina and Rich Kelley*
Ann Kerr-Adams and Ken Adams***
Philip Khoury
La Anita Rainforest Ranch
Mary and Paul Lockhart
Louise and David Lutton*
Mary and Wesley Maurer
Lou Ann and Russell Mawby
Sharon Pauli
Mauree Jane and Mark Perry
Ramsay Merriam Fund
Susan Z. Ritz, Larsen Fund, Ritz Family
Foundation*
Joanne and Garth Rogers
Hannah Rusch*
Faith Vruggink and Victor Sanchez**
Jeanine and Guy Saperstein
Laura Turner Seydel and Rutherford
Seydel
Wendy Judy and Daniel Sherrard*
Cary and Jack Sibley*
Tim Statler****
Terminales Del Pacifico S.A.
Tilawa Agro
Robert Van Den Brink
Susan and Richard Vander Veen III
Amy and Andrew Vaughn*
Voyrs, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP
Margaret and Terry Wittenberg*
Randi S.N. Yoder and Michael J.
Henley*

FINANCES

EARTH University Foundation
Statement of Financial Position

as of December 31, 2016
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents $3,629,131
Prepaid expenses, deposits and other receivables 43,385
Receivable from EARTH 167,606
Pledge Receivable, net 5,779,557
Endowment Pledges receivable, net 1,616,371
Endowment and other investments 50,206,295
Cash surrender value of life insurance 359,817
Property and Equipment, net 41,259
$61,843,421
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses $113,294
Advance from EARTH 100,000
Scholarships payable to EARTH 157,990
Payable to EARTH Trust 34,227
405,511
Net assets
Unrestricted
Board Designated for endowment 175,000
Available for Operations 2,421,015
2,596,015
Temporarily restricted 8,264,176
Permanently restricted 50,577,719
61,437,910
$61,843,421
Statement of Functional Expenses Year End December 31, 2016
ASSETS Programs Administrative Fundraising Total Expenses
Salaries and benefits $540,062 $288,872 $482,215 $1,311,149
Consulting 8,069 45,235 53,304
Professional services 6,651 43,808 6,089 56,548
Office expenses 45,168 88,215 57,294 190,677
Events 370 51,164 51,534
Travel and board meetings 3,038 78,643 79,995 161,676
Scholarships 2,722,356 2,722,356
Project and Program expense 1,582,428 8,400 1,590,828
TOTAL EXPENSES $4,899,703 $516,377 $721,992 $6,138,072

EARTH FINANCES

EARTH University Operational Budget 2016 Financial Results
(In thousands of dollars)
INCOME
Tuition payments and donations $10,816.80
Other income (special projects, commercial activities) $1,534.50
EARTH Endowment $6,912.90
TOTAL: $19,264.20
EXPENSES
Compensation and benefits for administrative and operational personnel $6,505.50
Compensation and benefits for faculty and senior administrative staff $4,887.90
Operational Expenses $5,417.50
Equipment investment and replacement $500.00
Contingencies $155.80
Fundraising $1,797.50
TOTAL: $19,264.20
EARTH University Operational Budget 2016 Financial Results


BOARDS AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tim Solso, President, IN, USA
Alan Kelso, Vice President, Costa Rica
Pedro León, Secretary, Costa Rica
Francis Durman, Costa Rica
Abdallah Alaoui, Morocco
Anne Slaughter Andrew, MD, USA
Ana Regina Aguirre de Riojas, Guatemala
Mark Ohrstrom, VA, USA
G. Richard Fletcher, CA, USA
Franklin Chang-Díaz, Costa Rica
Olav Kjorven, Norway
Marisa Brenninkmeyer, UK
Bobby Moser, OH, USA
Carlos Enrique González Pinto, Costa Rica

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

G. Richard Fletcher, CA, USA
Tim Solso, IN, USA
Mark Ohrstrom, VA, USA
Alan Kelso, Costa Rica
Anne Slaughter Andrew, MD, USA

EUF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mark Ohrstrom, President, VA, USA
Mark Brouse, Vice President, UT, USA
Therus Kolff, Treasurer, UT, USA
Kent Alexander, Secretary GA, USA
Claire “Yum” Arnold, GA, USA
Joshua Arnow, NY, USA
Michael Besancon, CA, USA
Ian Davidson, UK
Sylvia de Leon, DC, USA
Erika Gonzalez-Akre, VA, USA
Lynn Hoffman-Brouse, UT, USA
Ronald Hoge, CA, USA
Alan Kelso, Costa Rica
Gustavo Manrique, ‘96, Ecuador
Mark McGahan, GA, USA
Adrienne Meisel, IL, USA

PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY BOARD

Ashleigh Black, SC, USA
Jane Cocke Black, GA, USA
John Bridgeland, President, VA, USA
Carlos Gustavo Cano, Colombia
Ernesto Castegnaro, Costa Rica
Rick Foster, MI, USA
Abdulsalam Haykal, Syria
Whitney MacMillan, MN, USA
Elke Hawila, UK
Malcolm W. Wilson, CO, USA
Ann Kerr-Adams, CA, USA

PRESIDENT’S ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD

Berenice Beatríz Bernal Gómez, Panama
José Efraín Deras, Honduras
Juan Carlos Piña Jara, Costa Rica
María Fernanda Rivera Dávila, Guatemala
Golfredo Ricardo Mendoza Díaz, Venezuela
Susy Alejandra Pinos Barreto, Ecuador
Blanca Soraida Torres Parrales, Honduras
Marjorie Liliana Bravo Narváez, Ecuador
Alejandra Pineda Salazar, Costa Rica
Edlin Alejandra Alfaro Inocente, El Salvador
Ricardo Amilcar Guzmán Leonardo, Guatemala
María Eugenia Carvajal Brenes, Costa Rica

PRESIDENT’S YOUNG ADVISORY BOARD

Coco Brenninkmeyer, UK
Edward Brenninkmeyer, President, Brazil
Caily Bridgeland, VA, USA
Fallon Bridgeland, VA, USA
José Mauricio Cano, Colombia
Olli Coupe, Australia
William Dunn, CA, USA
Sofia Englund, CA, USA
Paula Arantes Ferraz, Brazil
Gabriela Frías, GA, USA
Audrey Gatins, GA, USA
Viviana Gazel, Costa Rica
Amanda Hawila, UK
Elena Hawila, UK
Dia Haykal, Lebanon
Davar Irvani, GA, USA
Alishba Kassim, NY, USA
Adam Klopp, DC, USA
Christopher Kobes, VA, USA
Chelsea Kolff, NY, USA
José López-Sánchez, DC, USA
Cameron McLain, CA, USA
Sophie Morrison, NY, USA
Lily Rubino, NY, USA
Shukri Shammas, UK
Joshua Stroman, MA, USA
Jonathon Taee, NY, USA
Alex Ward, UK
Johnny Winn, UK
Lucien Zeigler, VA, USA

EARTH UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP TEAM

José Zaglul, President (-2016)
Arturo Condo, President (2017-)
Daniel Sherrard, Provost
Gerardo Mirabelli, Vice President of Development
Edgar Alvarado, Academic Dean (-2016)
Yanine Chan, Academic Dean (2017-)
Patricia Loria, Finance Director
Ramón González, HR Director


2016 Annual Report