$4 million bequests benefit Department of Biological Sciences and research at UNT

In a public ceremony at UNT Sept. 2, university administrators announced a bequest of more than $3 million from the estate of Mary Beth Baird ('55, '57 M.S.) and a bequest of $1.2 million from the joint estate of Baird and her husband Mellon C. "Bud" Baird ('55, '60 M.B.A.).

		Art Goven, professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, speaks about the Baird bequests during a Sept. 2 press conference.

The gift from Beth Baird's estate will go exclusively to the Department of Biological Sciences, while the joint gift will go to the university for unrestricted use.

"The gift from the estate of Beth Baird to the Department of Biological Sciences will have a profound effect on the development of the department from this moment forward," said President Norval Pohl during the announcement. "It will allow us to invest in our students and faculty through improving undergraduate research opportunities, graduate student recruitment and faculty development."

Beth Baird earned a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in microbiology from North Texas.

Bud Baird earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business from North Texas. He minored in physics as an undergraduate.

BY CATHY CASHIO ccashio@unt.edu

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• Emmy-nominated Queer Eye for the Straight Guy brings New York chic to UNT
• George Foreman to speak at annual leadership lunch
• North Texas Exes to host tailgating in Waco
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• Family Weekend is Oct. 1-3
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