The Family of Amy Stock
Amy Stock Memorial Scholarship in Sustainability
Amy Stock, an adjunct lecturer with the Center for Distance Learning and visionary environmentalist, saw in the future of conservation a collection of small victories, puzzle pieces coming together to create regenerative and resilient systems that meet our basic living needs, while minimizing our impact on the earth. When she died on July 19, 2015, in Albany. N.Y., the victim of a drunk driver, the community lost, in the words of her friends, “a powerhouse for good.”
Raised in Gloversville, N.Y., in the foothills of the Adirondacks, Amy developed a deep love of nature and the outdoors from her father. In a journal entry in 1998, she reflected on her first canoe trip at age 15:
“My dad introduced me to canoeing in high school. That three-day canoe trip starting at Blue Mountain Lake was probably the first spiritual experience I had in nature. We stopped after paddling an hour, resting in a little cove of lily pads and reeds. In that hour, something very deep in my soul was touched. I had never known or seen the beauty of nature in such a way. My memory remains so clear, that water bathed my soul with a peace, calm and serenity I can never forget. To this day, my heart will always be at Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks.”
Enlightened by the experience, she went on to obtain a B.S. in Biomedical Computing from the Rochester Institute of Technology and an M.A. in Environmental Studies from Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Wash. She returned to the Capital Region in 2002 to be closer to her family.
Amy had been with the college about a decade, designing courses and teaching about ecology and environment, areas of expertise for which she had a lifelong zeal. In the classroom, as a freelance writer and as a grant writer for Capital Roots (formerly Capital District Community Gardens) and other nonprofit environmental groups, Amy inspired and enacted change.
In 2008, Amy co-founded Sustainable Saratoga, a grassroots advocacy group established to educate the extended Saratoga Springs community on how to become more environmentally sustainable. In that key role, she galvanized environmental experts and civic leaders, who laid the foundation for a continually growing organization engaged on many fronts in the community.
Amy was passionate about urban community gardens, green spaces and accessible, effective public transportation. She especially cherished her community garden plot in Capital Roots’ Ridgefield Park garden, where she loved growing her own food, alongside diverse members of her community. With her bright, focused intellect and spirit of accomplishment, she illumined environmental and sustainable practices in the Capital Region.
The Amy Stock Memorial Scholarship in Sustainability honors her commitment to sustainability issues and environmentalism, her collaborative work with colleagues and dedication to our learners. It is awarded to undergraduate female students with financial need, enrolled in any area of study, who meet the Empire State College Foundation’s scholarship eligibility criteria. Preference is given to students who demonstrate a commitment to bringing environmentally sustainable practices to their communities. Special consideration is given to students from underrepresented backgrounds, who are pursuing a degree in science.