Volume 29, No. 30
April 24, 1998
Scott A. Miller
Contact: MU PR Office 662-4844
NEWS
Students will benefit from $800,000 gift
The university on Wednesday announced the largest gift in school history -- a bequest of more than $800,000 that will establish a scholarship fund in the names of the donors, the late Dana Lee Learn and his wife, Reva Dickinson Learn.
Both were students at Mansfield when it was Mansfield State Normal School. Mr. Learn earned a diploma in 1920 and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from Franklin & Marshall. Mrs. Learn earned her teaching certificate in 1923. Both were teachers in their professional careers.
MU President Rod C. Kelchner said he believes the gift affirms the university's mission and thanked those gathered in North Hall's Traditional Reading Room for their part in making the gift possible.
"To our knowledge, the Learns never attended a class reunion, an alumni weekend or a homecoming, but folks do not make gifts of this size without a strong knowledge of the institution to which they are contributing," Kelchner said. "One of the reasons we gathered you here was to thank you. Apparently, the Learns looked at the job you're doing and said this is an institution we'd like to support. This gift reinforces and gives a vote of confidence to what the Mansfield University community is doing."
The gift will provide scholarships for at least 40 MU students beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year, according to Leslie Folmer, MU vice president for development and executive director of the Mansfield University Foundation Inc.
"This single gift doubles the Foundation's scholarship endowment," Folmer says. "It exceeds Mansfield's previous largest contribution by more than $300,000."
In 1991, Mrs. Learn filled out an alumni survey form notifying the university it was included in their estate plans. Mrs. Learn also stated that Dr. William Straughn, Mansfield's president while they were students, had a significant impact on their lives and they had a strong desire to help others as they were helped in school.
"It's obvious being students at Mansfield made a big difference in their lives," Kelchner says. "Their gift will provide financial support to many students for many years to come."
Folmer says the bequest also shows how a contribution can grow from a desire to help others.
"The Learns' alumni survey stated that they never made more than $25,000 a year and yet through discipline and wise financial planning they have made the single largest gift in school history," Folmer says.
Mr. Learn retired in 1963 after teaching history for 38 years at Palmerton High School in Palmerton, PA. He served as president of the Lehigh Valley Interscholastic Athletic Association and as a member of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, serving for 20 years, 12 as secretary/treasurer and eight as chairman of District 11. He also held a master's degree from New York University. He was born in Westfield, PA. He died in 1991.
Mrs. Learn was born in Lake Carey, PA, and after graduating from Mansfield taught mathematics at schools in Westfield, NJ, Palmerton, and Allentown. She died in 1997.
The couple met at Mansfield and were married here in 1924. After retirement they moved to Florida for five years. They then relocated to Roswell, NM, where they resided for 20 years. The couple also maintained a cottage at RoundLake, Ontario.
The Mansfield University Foundation Inc., the official gift receiving agency for the university, has received an advance distribution of the funds and will receive the remainder once a full accounting has been made of the trust. The MU Foundation will manage and administer the funds.
Music Department strikes up the band for scholarships
The Mansfield University Music Department will sing out, strike up the band and play from the heart for an important cause -- scholarships for talented and deserving music students -- during Music Scholarship Benefit Weekend April 25-26.
The events begin with a free concert performed by small ensembles of MU music students Saturday, April 25, at 3 p.m.
Then at 7 p.m., the university's Concert Wind Ensemble Concert will perform under the direction of conductor Adam Brennan. This performance follows an appearance by the group at the annual Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Convention where it was one of just six music ensembles selected from over 120 applications to perform there. The program will feature "Celebration Overture" by Paul Creston and "Marche Hungroise" from the "Damnation of Faust" by Hector Berlioz. Also on the program is a three movement work entitled "Medieval Suite" by Ron Nelson, David Gillingham's "Heroes Lost and Fallen," and Dan Welcher's "Zion." The concert is $5 for adults and $3 for students.
On Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. the MU Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Sarch will feature the winners of the university's second annual student solo competition: Mollie Bealer on saxophone, Elizabeth Lane on flute, vocalist Alyssa Munger and Zane Seubert on percussion. The orchestra will perform Milhaud's "Scaramouche" and "Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra," Mozart's "Second Flute Concerto," arias by Strauss and Puccini, "Toccata" by Frescobaldi/Kindler, "Finlandia" by Sibelius and "Great Gate of Kiev" by Mussorgsky. The concert is $5 for adults and $3 for students.
At 5 p.m., MU's music faculty will present its annual Faculty Gala Concert. The faculty features some of the top musicians in the region and their combined talents have performed on the great stages of the world. This performance is $15 for adults and $5 students.
A weekend pass for all concerts is $20 for adults and $10 for students. All proceeds benefit the MU Music Scholarship Fund.
More than 40 students honored at banquet
More than 40 MU students and the advisors of their clubs were honored at the ninth annual Student Affairs Outstanding Student Awards Banquet Monday, April 20, in North Dining Room.
The celebration annually honors students for their achievements and recognizes effort put forth by various advisors to the many student organizations on campus.
The university community nominated 39 students for the outstanding student service award, won by Kristin Sexauer, a biology student from Wellsboro. All nominees received certificates of merit.
The event also recognized 19 MU students who will appear in the 1998 edition "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges." Campus nominating committees and editors of the annual directory have included the names of these students based on their academic achievement, service to community, leadership in curricular activities and potential for continued success. They join an elite group of students selected from more than 1,400 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several foreign nations.
The Student Activities Office's "Shaping Tomorrow's Leaders Through Involvement Award" was presented to Robert Maris, biology, in appreciation of his assistance to their programs over the years.
President Rod Kelchner, Vice President for Student Affairs Joseph Maresco, Maris and Clarence Crisp, director of student activities, presided over the ceremonies. Musical entertainment was provided by the MU Double Reed Studio under the direction of Susan Laib.
The Office of Student Activities invites all members of the university community to nominate outstanding students and their accomplishments for recognition at the annual banquet. For information call 4980.
MU students dominate statewide biology conference
Mansfield University students gave 15 of the 48 presentations at the annual meeting of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania University Biologists (CPUB) April 18-19 at California University of Pennsylvania. CPUB comprises biology faculty and students from the 14 State System of Higher Education universities.
Of the 15 undergraduate awards given (first through third in five categories), MU students won five. Each winner received recognition and a certificate at a banquet following the presentations. In addition, first place winners each received a $50 prize.
Award categories, Mansfield participants and their rankings follow.
Ecology-Oral: Amy M. Leonard, Canton, "Bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil," first (Co-authors: Ralph C. Goff & Robert C. Maris); Brian J. Guillaume, Carlisle, "Effects of Lyman Lake on Fisheries," second (Co-author: Kenneth A. Meyer); Robert C. Gentile, Athens, "Parasites of white-tailed deer," fourth (Co-author: Robert C. Maris); Ryan J. Park, Scranton, "Mice as Lyme Disease vectors," sixth (Co-author: Robert C. Maris); Michael L. Brent, Fairfield, "Effects of Lyman Lake on macroinvertebrates," seventh (Co-author: Kenneth A. Meyer)
Ecology/Botany/Zoology-Oral: Melissa G. Tyson, Reading, "Scrap tire implications," second (Co-author: Robert C. Maris)
Cell/Molecular-Oral: Timothy S. Wilcox, Gillett, "Evidence for a thymus in anoles," sixth (Co-author: John L. Sternick)
Cell/Molecular-Poster: Kristine E. Sexauer, Wellsboro, "Mutation-induced genetic changes in bacteria," second (Co-authors: Christopher R. Harris and Thomas J. Silhavy, Princeton, NJ; Robert C. Maris); Timothy S. Wilcox, Gillett, "Effects of BST on mouse tissues, fourth (Co-author: Robert C. Maris)
Zoology/Ecology-Poster: Sexauer, "Ecology of deer parasites," second (Co-author: Robert C. Maris); Amy J. Wanner, Nelson, "Pet Therapy; Leech Behavior," fourth and sixth (Co-author: Robert C. Maris); Tyson, "Alternatives for the disposal," seventh (Co-author: Robert C. Maris).
In addition, three North Penn Jr./Sr. High School students who have worked with Maris for the past two years gave both an oral and poster presentation. Although not eligible for awards, Jacob D. Casella of Blossburg, Jared R. Dahlgren of Blossburg and Samantha L. Cunningham of Cherry Flats were recognized at the banquet for their exemplary efforts, and were each given a certificate of merit.
Goff serves as Mansfield's CPUB director. Maris is the organization's president.
Have an Updater announcement? Send it to Scott A. Miller
The baseball team kept its PSAC East playoff hopes alive with a 14-3, 8-2 sweep over West Chester University Wednesday afternoon. The wins were numbers 399 and 400 for head coach Harry Hillson, who becomes the youngest coach in Pennsylvania NCAA collegiate baseball to reach the milestone.
Lamar Crawford topped the men's track team with a fourth place finish in the long jump at the Lafayette Invitational. Crawford was fourth in the long jump with a leap of 6.55 meters and also took sixth in the high jump with a mark of 6-2. Todd Stewart posted an eighth best time of 8:55.77 in the 3,000 meters and Dave Coyle had the eighth fastest time of 31 runners in the 400 meters at 49.7.
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