$50K from Mellon Foundation to support summer research at Gettysburg College

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GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Gettysburg College received a $50,000 New Presidents Grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to expand research opportunities for students and faculty working collaboratively on projects during the summer.

The grant was awarded to select colleges and universities where new presidents could direct it to support institutional priorities. Katherine Haley Will became Gettysburg College's 13th president and the first woman to hold the position in the College's 173-year history in October 2004. While many faculty members already include students in their summer research, the grant will expand opportunities for students to work on creative projects and focus on interdisciplinary approaches to learning.

"An integrated and strong multi-disciplinary student-faculty research program is part of the 'culture of engagement' that I identified in my Vision of the Future of Gettysburg College," Will said. "It will have a significant impact on our faculty and student, raising the bar for academic excellence."

Five student-faculty research projects were selected to kick off the new program this summer:

·Senior Jeff Parkinson, who is majoring in history and minoring in German and secondary education, will work with history professor William Bowman to conduct research on international soccer as a global phenomenon from the late 19th century to the modern day.

·Junior Nicole Puza, who is majoring in biology, will conduct research on tropical marine snails with biology professors Istvan Urcuyo and Steven James, spending part of her time collecting specimens for her project in Nicaragua.

·Senior Leanne Tyler, who is double majoring in political science and economics, will collaborate with political science professor Caroline Hartzell to explain why some states achieve peace following the end of an armed civil war while others do not. Tyler plans to extend her research and travel to El Salvador in the spring to interview factions involved in the country's 13-year civil war.

·Senior Freya Gibbon, who is majoring in environmental studies with a minor in writing, will work with environmental studies professor Randall Wilson to establish an organic garden on the College's campus that will produce food for the local food bank and campus dining services.

·Senior Kristen Rhodes, who is majoring in philosophy and minoring in art history, will research chronic criminality and its origins, focusing on juveniles and a study of the implications of genetics for forensic psychology. She will work closely with philosophy professor Lisa Portmess to explain the criminal mind and explore the legal and philosophical implications of scientific research for understanding the antisocial behavior of young offenders.

Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences. With approximately 2,600 students, it is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. The college was founded in 1832.

Issued 07/21/06

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