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“We must cultivate our garden.”
—Voltaire, “Candide”
Julie Morris has been involved with New College for more than five decades. Her love of the environment blossomed here, both in her studies as a biology/ecology major, and her experience of the college’s setting.
“I’m passionate about New College. My passion embraces the campus and the social and natural landscapes the college is embedded in.” She adds that the New College experience took her far beyond the campus. “During my first semester I took a field biology course that offered field trips. We’d immerse ourselves in different ecologies in southwest Florida. It was empowering to be in these wild places.” It also opened her eyes to habitat devastation and other environmental concerns.
While she was still a student at New College, Morris met Jono Miller, a kindred spirit who shares her deep love of this area. They have been partners ever since. Their son, Corley, lives in Utah. Morris graduated in 1974 with a degree in biology and ecology.
In the years that followed, Morris’ connection to the college deepened. She served as an environmental consultant and co-coordinated New College’s Environmental Studies Program from 1981 to 2002 with Miller. Morris’ struggles for Florida’s ecosystems also continued. Her role on government boards had a positive impact on regional environmental policies. She served as a commissioner and chair of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; on the board of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; a reviewer of Fisheries Innovation Fund Proposals for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; and a board member of the Gulf of Mexico University Research Collaborative.
Morris began working in New College’s provost’s office in 2003. She became the assistant vice president for academic affairs in 2006 and retired as the associate vice-president for academic affairs in 2020.
Retired or not, Morris’ commitment to New College remains. She recently made a bequest that will enable New College’s Environmental Studies Program to thrive for many years to come.
Morris adds that her bequest to New College is a percentage of her estate, and not a specific figure.
“You don’t have to be a wealthy person to give back,” she says. “It’s a powerful model of giving—and I hope more faculty and staff become aware of it. Being a part of the New College community is a transformative experience. Being able to give back is equally transformative.”
After all these years, Morris remains passionately committed to New College’s students—and to the spirit of New College itself.
“Giving young people the opportunity to be at a place like New College is a powerful thing. These students aren’t lost in a crowd of thousands of others. They’re mentored by faculty members who know them well. Great or small, every act of giving is like a seed we’ve planted for these students. Those seeds will keep growing far into the future—and I’m proud to be even a small part of that.”