Albrecht ’69 Pledges $858,929 for Student-Faculty Biology Research

Dr. Gene H. Albrecht ’69 has made plans in his estate to provide over $850,000 to establish the Gene Albrecht Endowed Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Fund in Organismal Biology.

Albrecht is a retired professor emeritus of cell and neurobiology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, where he served from 1978 until his retirement in 2016. His research examined why primates’ anatomy varies across different habitats, as well as the quantitative methods used for analyzing data in evolutionary studies.

At Rollins, Albrecht majored in biology and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He credits Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Erich Blossey, “a tough but effective teacher,” for piquing his interest in organic chemistry. In 1976, Albrecht earned his PhD in anatomy at the University of Chicago under the supervision of Professor Charles Oxnard.

“I always contributed to Rollins because I was on scholarship and wanted to give back,” says Albrecht. “And now, through a legacy gift, I can support students with a drive to excel in biological research.”

The Student-Faculty Collaborative Scholarship Program is a hallmark of a Rollins education, offering undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in high-level scholarly research and scholarship that is typically only available at the graduate-school level.