Established in 2020, the Adopt-A-Turtle Day of Giving event continues to be the lifeblood of the WU Turtle Program. Since its inception, beneficiaries of this program include over 75 research students, dozens of classes and the students therein, and the community (particularly schools and nature-related camps for kids and adults). Research students have presented at countless conferences and have won many research awards for their efforts - all made possible thorough donors supporting this program. Students have also co-authored 9 peer-reviewed research articles during this time as well, with many more in the works.
Donations to the Adopt-A-Turtle program will primarily help pay for radio transmitters ($195 a piece) to enable us to continually track individual turtles over their lifetime. Transmitters need to be replaced yearly and some of our turtles have been in our study since 2006. Donations to the program will also be used to purchase radio telemetry equipment (such as radio receivers and Yagi antennas needed to locate the transmitter) and student housing at a remote field station in Western Nebraska. During the summer of 2025 alone, over 25 students were involved with box turtle research with students conducting major research projects at Cedar Point Biological Station in western Nebraska, and at two field sites in the greater Topeka area. We also had a dedicated team of laboratory-based research students applying their craft at Stoffer Science Hall.
Donors to the Adopt-A-Turtle program receive a triannual newsletter highlighting student and research achievements during the turtles' active season. Donors of at least $100 will also receive an official certificate of adoption for a unique ornate box turtle that is being researched by students and Associate Prof. Benjamin Reed. Updates regarding your adopted turtle can also be provided upon request. Aside from using the equipment and turtles with radio transmitters are also used for outreach events which help increase public awareness of the ecological importance of these magnificent but tenuous populations of turtles. Our outreach provides kids and adults alike the opportunity to learn and engage in citizen science events such as doing radio telemetry to locate animals. The WU research team regularly present at schools, zoos, after-school clubs and summer camps.
The overall goal of his box turtle program at Washburn University is to create opportunities for more hands-on and engaging classroom and research experiences for students while also building public awareness and appreciation for box turtles, which should ultimately help protect them for future generations to enjoy and continue to learn from
Gifts to this project will support the WU Biology Department Turtle Research Fund.
Forever Washburn Campaign Pillar: Teaching and Program Excellence
