Savannah State University received a $100,000 donation from alumna Robin Perrtree to support research at the SSU Dolphin Sciences Lab. Perrtree, a 2011 marine sciences master’s graduate, said the gift honors her family’s commitment to education and comes from her grandmother’s estate. The lab uses photo-identification to study dolphins’ social ties, habitat use, movements and calving rates. SSU President Jermaine Whirl said the gift preserves the program’s unique Southeast Georgia research access and will support fieldwork and student training.
Alumna’s $100,000 Gift Boosts Savannah State’s Dolphin Research
Savannah State University received a $100,000 donation from alumna Robin Perrtree to support research at the SSU Dolphin Sciences Lab. Perrtree, a 2011 marine sciences master’s graduate, said the gift honors her family’s commitment to education and comes from her grandmother’s estate. The lab uses photo-identification to study dolphins’ social ties, habitat use, movements and calving rates. SSU President Jermaine Whirl said the gift preserves the program’s unique Southeast Georgia research access and will support fieldwork and student training.
03:51, 06.11.2025Science
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Alumna gives $100,000 to support SSU Dolphin Sciences Lab
Savannah State University (SSU) has received a $100,000 donation from alumna Robin Perrtree to support ongoing research at the university’s Dolphin Sciences Lab (SSUDS Lab).
Perrtree, who earned a master’s degree in marine sciences from SSU in 2011, said the gift honors her family’s long-standing commitment to education and will help sustain the lab’s work. She noted that the contribution comes from her grandmother’s estate.
“I’m proud to have my grandmother’s estate help support the continued research and education that we conduct here in the SSU Dolphin Sciences Lab every day.” — Robin Perrtree
The SSUDS Lab uses photo-identification to collect long-term data on the local dolphin population. This noninvasive method helps researchers document individual dolphins, track social relationships, map habitat ranges and travel routes, and monitor calving frequency.
SSU President Jermaine Whirl expressed gratitude for the donation and emphasized its importance to regional marine research.
“Her support will allow the program to continue its legacy of being the only one of its kind based in Southeast Georgia, with direct access to estuarine, coastal, and open-ocean research environments.” — Jermaine Whirl
The unrestricted nature of this gift will help the lab maintain field operations, expand data collection, and support student training and community outreach. The contribution strengthens SSU’s capacity to study and protect local dolphin populations while providing hands-on learning opportunities for future marine scientists.
For more information: Visit the SSU website or contact the SSU Dolphin Sciences Lab for updates on research and student involvement.