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A Message from the President's Desk

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A Message from the President's Desk

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This new year brings much exciting news that I am pleased to share with you.

The University of Pittsburgh went public with its capital campaign on October 27, 2000, and UPJ is an integral part of that campaign, now in the third year of a five-year effort. A goal of $8,000,000 has been established for our campaign. Pledges and cash to date total $6,125,000. One-third of the pledges has been raised from UPJ Advisory Board participation or from Board-related corporations; approximately $1,400,000 of the pledged amount is attributed to personal or family foundation contributions. Here is what the money raised thus far will do for the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and its students:

Making Progress

The Frank J. and Sylvia Pasquerilla Lecture series has been endowed, which will bring internationally known speakers to campus; and the Pasquerilla Family Fine Arts Endowment has been established to enhance performances at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center in the areas of classical voice, jazz, and world music.

The Picking Family Great American's Day Citizenship Forum has been established, which will highlight academic speakers known for their expertise on influential Americans.

The Ellen D. Hoffman Memorial Lecture series has been created, which will feature speakers on communication education and human rights activism.

Thirteen scholarships have been endowed in allied health, nursing, health sciences, public relations, education, local government, engineering technology, and natural sciences.

Four awards have been established in theatre, accounting, chemistry, and nursing.

The UPJ Endowment account at the University of Pittsburgh now totals $10,000,000. The Johnstown Educational Foundation at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown has a current asset value of $1,000,000. Approximately $600,000 a year is made available for programs, both academic and otherwise, as a result of these two endowments.

Other new initiatives on campus include:

The Friends of the Performing Arts, under the able leadership of Board member and UPJ alumna, Lana Moll Custer, held its first fund-raising event in October 2000 and raised $1,500 for the Blackington Endowment for the Performing Arts. A second event is being held on June 23rd to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. Save that date for An Evening with Bernadette Peters.

Fifteen redbud trees have been planted to establish a memorial redbud tree grove on the campus. This initiative has raised $15,000.

UPJ has established another new campus tradition, the fieldstone garden. Donors can engrave a fieldstone and plant a favorite flower behind the Whalley Chapel.

The Asphalt Campus Club has been established for those alumni who attended UPJ from 1927 to 1966.

The Faculty Senate voted unanimously to support the UPJ capital campaign by uniting with UPJ staff in a giving effort that will endow a scholarship.

New Programs

In addition, a generous gift to the UPJ capital campaign from The Gleason Group funded efforts for a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business that will offer a non-credit, mini-MBA program for the first time in Johnstown. This 11-week program will cover the same basics covered in a master's degree program. Also, for the first time in this area, a non-credit Web Master certificate program will be offered with a choice of two tracks: web author or web developer.

Foundation Grants

The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown has received a $500,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to support integrating technology into the curriculum.

The grant monies will be used for technology-ready class-rooms and instructional facilities; for the expansion of faculty/ student course work interaction on-line; for a laptop computer lending program; for the improvement of UPJs admissions and recruiting web page; and for the development of student awareness regarding technology in the curriculum.

In 2000, UPJ wired the student residence halls to provide access to the University's computer network in order to combine the opportunities of a 'wired campus' with the solid basics of a conventional undergraduate education. The R.K. Mellon grant will enable us to take the next step toward achieving our curricular goal that all students develop information technology literacy. A grant of this magnitude will enable us to build on our existing strengths by offering our students technological resources that will enhance their studies and better prepare them for the work force.

We are most grateful to The Richard King Mellon Foundation, which is based in Pittsburgh, and is known for its interest in Southwestern Pennsylvania programs that support youth, economic development, conservation, and education. It also supports the National American Land Conservation Program.

UPJ also has received a $25,000 grant from the Thomas Marshall Foundation, Pittsburgh, for use in The John P. and Joyce Murtha Center for Continuing Education and Professional Development. This grant will be used to fund new program development for our community as identified by market research conducted in 2000.

This is an extraordinary time for us at UPJ. We are making great strides following the goals set forth in our Strategic Plan, with review of our General Education curriculum, with recruitment and retention, with staffing opportunities, and with renovation of our facilities. I invite each of you to share in this excitement. You, our supporters, are part of an institution that is making progress.
Posted by [Deleted User] on 4/16/2001 1:45:00 PM


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