pHiLant Hr Opy in ac t iOn
t he University has received
a
grant of $25,000 from the
Fred L. Emerson Foundation
to support the community
partnership component of
its Sustainability Semester,
new this spring.
With this
support, students are engaging with
local community organizations and
individuals with special experiences in
land use and food production.
Several local organizations and
groups have agreed to be project
collaborators, including the St.
Lawrence Land Trust, Traditional
Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY),
North Country Grown Cooperative
and GardenShare. Leaders at these
organizations have volunteered to
work with the students through
workshops and internships, and to
include the students in their outreach
and educational activities.
The program will also benefit from
a $32,000 grant from the J.M.
McDonald Foundation to renovate a
multi-use classroom
at the Semester
site, about three miles from campus
on farm property leased from Cornell
Cooperative Extension. Along with
the partners’ workshops for students
and the wider community, program
organizers also plan to host visits from
local public schools for tours and
hands-on activities, with the goal of
creating an educational model for the
community and for other institutions.
In addition to taking four courses
that focus on such issues as land
and water use and sustainable food
production from the perspectives
of disciplines ranging from
environmental studies and English to
philosophy, psychology and geology,
the students are also raising food.
In support of that aspect,
Johnny’s
Selected Seeds of Winslow, Maine,
has donated a variety of seeds
.
One of the goals for the inaugural
program is to produce 100 percent of
the vegetable consumption needs for
the following spring and fall, using
organic methods. —MD
Gifts for the Future
The Class of 2013 Gift Committee and Student Alumni As-
sociation (SAA) agreed: Whatever gift the seniors gave to St.
Lawrence needed to have a lasting impact.
“
We put a lot of thought into our decision,” says Rebekah
Grim ’13, president of the SAA. “We felt the best possible
way to give to future generations of Laurentians was to be
among the first donors for the new residence hall. As St. Law-
rence grows and changes, our campus must grow and change
along with it. The living and learning community here is es-
sential to our experience, and the new residence hall will help
further this core element of a St. Lawrence education.”
When the committee presented their class gift idea to the
Board of Trustees at its fall 2012 meeting, Trustee Saman-
tha Guerry ’88 challenged the class. “Samantha agreed to
match each gift of $5 or more, dollar for dollar, up to $500,”
says Amy Callahan ’13, co-chair of the Class of 2013 Gift
Committee. “Samantha is setting a great example for all St.
Lawrence students because she continues to support her alma
mater. We think the challenge will inspire members of our
class to donate.”
Grim says they hope to reach 85 percent participation by
Commencement. Well on their way, they have met Guerry’s
challenge and have taken on another, by Alumni Executive
Council members Adam Casler ’06, Danielle Weaver ’07 and
Heather McCauley Kleszczynski ’06, whose $1,500 challenge
will kick in when the class raises an additional $500. —MSB
president william L. Fox ’75, right, and
chair of the Board of trustees Donald
r ose ’64 register their surprise and
delight as senior class gift committee
chair Danzel Blash ’13 announces, with
the aid of a symbolic Lego brick, that the
class gift will go toward the new resi-
dence hall. Looking on is r ebekah grim
’13,
president of the student alumni
association.
Triple Play: Sustainability Semester
Wins Support from Three Sources
spr ing 2013 | st. Lawrence Universit y Magazine 13
photo provided