Susan Inches ’79

The value of my investment in a COA education has appreciated every year. When I first arrived at COA in 1975 people would ask me, “College of the what?” Now people see it on my resume and they say, “Wow, you’re a COA grad, tell me about that!” Over the years, COA has grown so much in stature and in its contribution to the world, and I’m very proud of that.

I’ve always supported the mission of the college—what could be more important than to educate the next generation of environmental leaders? And I totally support the funding strategy to establish endowed faculty chairs. Excellence in teaching has been, and always should be a core element of the school. The combination of a compelling mission and strong funding strategy has motivated me to contribute over the years. I also know that gifts from alumni are meaningful, and that the college is going to make very good use of every dollar I give.

Sue Inches ’79 is an author, educator, and environmental advocate. She has worked in public policy for over 25 years with senior roles in the Maine State Planning Office and the Department of Marine Resources. She is author of the recently published book, Advocating for the Environment, How to Gather Your Power and Take Action. She has given back to COA for over 40 years as a donor, a guest speaker, and a mentor.