(Posted July 5, 2006)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College has received a $300,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to fund the construction of one modular residential structure at the college's Raystown Lake Field Station complex, which eventually will house students taking part in Juniata's semester-long environmental science academic program.
"The Mellon Grant allows Juniata to finish the second of two lodges housing students who will live and study at the Raystown Field Station for the entire fall semester, scheduled to start in fall 2006," says Juniata College President Thomas Kepple. "The residential lodges will create a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to learn while living and learning in a self-contained ecosystem and watershed."
The grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation will be used to build a modular student residence, featuring room for eight students, as well as bathroom and kitchen facilities. The residences will be built in a rustic style, to complement the design of Shuster Hall, the field station's multipurpose building.
In fall 2006, the college will offer a "Semester at the Lake" academic package built around a specially designed academic program that utilizes the college's field station and surrounding natural habitat as a learning tool.
According to Dennis Johnson, associate professor of environmental science and studies, the semester will focus on a 13-credit package that centers around the theme "A Sense of Place." The four courses within the package will address community history, the science of sustainability, GIS and a "Sense of Place" course designed to study how human habitat development has affected the area. Each course will be taught by a variety of Juniata faculty tasked with specific teaching modules within the curriculum. The curriculum is available to all students.
The Richard King Mellon Foundation, based in Pittsburgh, Pa, was organized in 1947 and founded by Richard King Mellon. The Foundation has assets of more than $1.7 billion. The foundation's mission is to make grants for regional economic development, land preservation, watershed restoration and protection and improvements to the quality of life in southwestern Pennsylvania that are "in the public interest."
Richard King Mellon, who died in 1970, was chairman of Mellon Bank and appointed his wife, Constance is the foundation's first chairperson. After Mrs. Mellon's death in 1980, their son, Richard P. Mellon took over as chair of the foundation.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.