Their friendship flourished upon returning to Miami. As Ornithology students, they studied under Professor Oscar Owre and took Saturday field trips to local landmarks – from the Dry Tortugas to Loxahatchee in Palm Beach County - to observe the birds of South Florida. Both soon graduated from the University with Bachelors degrees in Biology, Pat in 1976 and Jeff in 1977. In 1978 they were married. Their honeymoon: birdwatching in Bermuda.

Now, to commemorate the good fortune of their introduction and inspiration, the couple has created the Aresty Endowed Chair in Tropical Ecology with a $2 million commitment to the College of Arts and Sciences. “Our inspiration for establishing this Chair is a combination of two factors: how we met, and a very encouraging professor from our undergraduate years, Oscar Owre, the Maytag Chair in Ornithology. He was our most memorable teacher and friend from UM.” says Jeff Aresty. “The foundation of our appreciation for nature and the environment came from our education in Miami,” adds Pat Aresty. “We hope this Biology Chair will allow students to continue to have the wonderful learning experience we had at the University.” Both Pat and Jeff are indebted to Mike Gaines, Vice-Provost, Biology Professor, and friend for his encouragement throughout the process of establishing this chair.

After a short stint with Everglades National Park and a project tagging alligators, Jeff chose to extend his education to the healthcare field. He entered the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Nebraska and shortly thereafter Pat joined him in his studies. By 1981, both had earned their Doctorates in Pharmacy and returned to South Florida, where Jeff started at UM/Jackson as a Clinical Pharmacist and Pat began a one-year clinical residency at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale before launching the clinical pharmacy program at North Ridge Medical Center.

This is neither the first nor the only significant and meaningful gift from Pat and Jeff Aresty. Jeff’s father, Gerald, a 1950 UM School of Business graduate and his mother, Josephine, were members of the Merrick Society when, in August of 2002, their lives were taken in a heartbreaking automobile accident. Within the year, to continue their family tradition of philanthropy and to memorialize the senior Arestys, Jeff and Pat committed $2.5 million to name The Gerald and Josephine Aresty Building that houses the Graduate School of Business and the McLamore Education Center. During times of celebration and sorrow, the Arestys have shared their lives with us - and we are all better for the lasting alliance.

“This Aresty gift will allow us to hire one of the world’s most accomplished tropical ecologists who will also be involved in teaching undergraduate students in the field. I can’t imagine a better way to demonstrate our commitment to research and learning. It is a far-sighted and terrific gift from a couple who understand and appreciate the value of engaged learning,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean Michael Halleran.

The donation directs that the Chairholder be an outstanding scientist, well known for tropical ecology research, who will contribute to the Biology Department’s research in ecology and evolution in tropical systems. Based on their own experiences and their aspirations for the next generation of Biology students, an integral component of the Chairholder’s research is to be tropical field work with regular offerings of undergraduate field courses off campus. Lastly, the Chair must be an excellent teacher and demonstrate a strong and continuing commitment to undergraduate education.

Adds Biology Department Chair Kathryn Tosney, “The new Aresty Chair in Tropical Ecology is of immense importance to Biology. It is a crucial foundation for attaining eminence in Tropical Ecology and it assures that undergraduates can study with a renowned scientist in the tropics, a potentially life-changing experience.”

In 1994 the Arestys built a beautiful log and stone home on 70 wooded acres surrounded by Lolo National Forest in Northwest Montana, 15 miles from the nearest town. The view to the east includes 7,000-foot peaks of the Swan Range just two miles away at the border of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, while the western panorama overlooks peaks within the Mission Mountain Wilderness.

This engaging couple, who started their lives together studying in the South American rainforest, now shares their magnificent valley with inhabitants of the Northern Rockies: grizzlies, black bear, elk, moose, mountain lion, bobcat, lynx and wolverine. “To this day, we still utilize the education we received from UM in our daily lives in Montana. We try to be good stewards of our land, and be respectful of the resident wildlife,” says Jeff Aresty.

Although the couple moved their lives westward years ago, they have not forgotten their South Florida roots - and their careful footsteps serve as an inspiration for future generations to follow. With remarkable generosity and conscientious planning, the Arestys have challenged UM students to learn and grow, as they did, through direct field work. “It is most important that students gain a connection and commitment to place and others,” said Pat. This is an invaluable opportunity for undergraduate Biology scholars to discover, explore and appreciate the earth and its vibrant nature.