Amy Buckner Chowdhry commits $2.5 million to Tremont, advancing plans for second campus

$2 million lead gift supports construction of new learning center; additional $500,000 will expand access for Blount County students

Amy Buckner Chowdhry

TOWNSEND, Tenn. — Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont has received a $2 million lead gift from Amy Buckner Chowdhry toward construction of a new learning center on its second campus property in Townsend, the largest gift to date for the project. Buckner Chowdhry has committed an additional $500,000 to help Blount County students participate in Tremont programs.

The gift marks a significant turning point for a project that has been years in the making. Plans for the second campus were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and later reshaped following changes in federal funding opportunities. Tremont has since completed design development and is nearing completion of fully funded construction documents for the first phase.

“We have been working toward this moment for a long time,” said Catey McClary, Tremont’s president and CEO. “This project has had to adapt more than once, but the vision behind it has never changed. Amy’s extraordinary commitment marks a turning point for this project and gives us tremendous momentum for the work ahead. For the first time, the dollars we raise now are going directly toward preparing the site, building the learning center and bringing this campus to life.”

The first phase will focus on a learning center for students, educators and community programs, while establishing infrastructure that will allow Tremont to add residential and dining facilities in future phases. The learning center is being designed to pursue Living Building Challenge certification, one of the world’s most rigorous standards for sustainable design and performance, with the goal of becoming Tennessee’s first fully certified Living Building Challenge project.

For Buckner Chowdhry, the investment reflects a belief in the role nature can play in children’s lives.

“I think one of the greatest things we can give children is the chance to feel at home in the natural world,” said Buckner Chowdhry. “Tremont creates the kind of experiences that stay with you – experiences that build confidence, curiosity and a sense of belonging. I’m excited about what this new campus can make possible for generations of children who will have the opportunity to discover that connection for themselves.”

Since 1969, Tremont has provided immersive outdoor learning experiences in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, helping students, educators, families and adults learn through direct experience in nature. Its programs use the Smokies as a classroom to foster curiosity, confidence and a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Tremont’s second campus will build on that work by expanding access to outdoor learning and creating new opportunities to serve youth, educators, families, and communities.

“This first building is an important milestone, but it is also a beginning,” McClary said. “The larger goal is to make meaningful experiences in nature more accessible and to explore what outdoor learning can make possible for communities across Tennessee. We’re so thankful to Amy for believing in that work and helping to make it possible.”

Tremont is continuing to raise funds for construction of the learning center and welcomes individuals, foundations, and community partners to join the effort. Learn more about the second campus and opportunities to support the project at tremontfuture.org.

###

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont provides in-depth experiences through educational programs that celebrate ecological and cultural diversity, foster stewardship, and nurture appreciation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Learn more at gsmit.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2026

Contact:
Erin Rosolina, Marketing Director
(865) 448-6709, erinr@gsmit.org

###