Notes From the Provost's Desk
Celebrating Achievements and Transitions: A Year-End Reflection
Dear Juniata Community,
Welcome to the second issue of Notes from the Provost’s Desk! We will provide these updates to you twice a year at the end of each semester to honor and celebrate the various accomplishments and experiences of our faculty, staff, and students.
In this issue, we recognize the distinguished careers and contributions of our faculty members for recent career achievements. You will learn more about our faculty who have achieved career milestones and those faculty who retired at the end of the spring 2024 semester. The retiring faculty were honored in April at the annual Faculty-Trustee dinner, where they had the opportunity to reflect on their work and a colleague of their choosing provided a tribute. We are grateful to them for their years of service and wish them the very best in their well-deserved retirements.
Our faculty's dedication to mentoring high-impact practices is instrumental in shaping transformative learning experiences for our students. Whether through research opportunities, internships or community engagement projects, the partnerships between faculty, students, and the broader community continue to distinguish Juniata College across higher education.
As we celebrate these achievements and transitions, we are grateful to have had the opportunity this spring to serve as acting president and acting provost, respectively, as President Jim Troha was on sabbatical. The experience for us both has reaffirmed our commitment to Juniata and to providing an education that is both individualized and transformative. The events we hosted over the spring underscored this commitment; you’ll see them highlighted in this issue. The various experiences and opportunities we have had this semester underscore for us the power of our mission.
We hope you enjoy this summer edition of our provost newsletter!
Lauren Bowen, Ph.D., Provost
Dom Peruso, Ph.D., Associate Provost
Experiential Education
"We will be a leader in higher education for experiential and personalized education. We will be an exemplar in fostering global education and connections and we will lead in ensuring a prospective expression of global education."
- All In: The Strategic Plan for Juniata College
Mentored Research
Juniata College students, Abbi Fields '25 and Braden Davis '26 (not pictured), set out by boat to deploy fish egg traps in an effort to collect eggs from walleye, also known as walleyed pike or yellow pike, in Raystown Lake. Their goal was to determine if the manmade rock reefs created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are sufficient to support spawning. Abbi recently received the Women’s Wildlife Management Conservation Scholarship from NRAWomen! This annual scholarship is awarded to a woman who demonstrates knowledge of conservation and/or natural resource issues, as well as a commitment to becoming a leader in the realm of conservation.
The EmRiver E4 Stream Table allows students to employ simulations of natural world scenarios as they study civil and environmental engineering. Located in Brumbaugh Academic Center, the stream table provides a dynamic, hands-on learning opportunity to explore erosion and man-made structural impacts on rivers and oceans, under the guidance of Dennis Johnson, Blechschmidt professor of environmental science.
A group of five Juniata students led by Dennis Plane, professor of politics, attended the National Security Seminar hosted by The Washington Center from May 14-22, in the White House Complex in Washington, D.C. The experience allowed the students to gain insight from national security experts throughout the week, visit many sites of national importance, and hear from a White House representative from the National Security Council.
Community Engaged Learning
A hallmark of a Juniata College education is the general education requirement that includes a local engagement course. This guarantees that every student undergoes at least one community-engaged learning opportunity before graduation. “Local” does not mean limitation to the Huntingdon area; rather, local engagement signifies a deeply contextualized, place-based learning experience grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships with communities, guided by values such as reciprocity and asset-based thinking.
The spring semester opened with campus-wide participation in the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. Students, faculty, and staff deployed to communities and organizations throughout Huntingdon County and spent the day volunteering by cleaning, painting, pruning, cataloging, cooking, and serving.
Additionally, Juniata currently serves as the host site for two AmeriCorps VISTA projects in collaboration with the Broad Top Area Medical Center and Huntingdon County Business and Industry, contributing to the establishment of enduring connections within the Huntingdon community and expanding opportunities for our students.
Students are actively engaged in faculty-led, grant-funded projects, including research, education, and outreach.
Study Abroad
Jamie Weaver, dean of international education, and the staff of the Center for International Education, lead Juniata's diverse array of short-term, semester-long, and year-long study abroad programs. Aligned closely with the College's commitment to a liberal arts education, these programs offer students immersive experiences designed to prepare them as leaders in a global community.
In the 2023-2024 academic year, 131 students engaged in study abroad experiences, with 43 opting for academic year or semester programs and 88 participating in short-term study abroad initiatives.
Spring and Summer 2024
Mexico: Eyewitness to Migration
- Led by Emil Nagengast, 19 students traveled to southern Mexico to join with students and faculty from the Autonomous University of Chiapas.
Business in Germany
- Led by Tracy Grajewski '86 and Randy Rosenberger, this course provided 14 students with an introduction to business practices in Germany and the European Union (EU).
Barbados: Plants, Plantations & Creole Culture
- Led by Norris Muth and James Tuten, a group of 13 students gained biological field research skills including plant identification using keys as well as modern technology based techniques in Barbados.
Guatemala: Spanish and Community Engaged Learning
- Led by Henry Thurston-Griswold, five students took part in this full-immersion program designed to maximize the development of Spanish language proficiency.
Central Europe: Revolution
- Led by Jim Borgardt and David Widman, 12 students explored various scientific and cultural revolutions as well as the contrast between the two.
Mexico: Language and Culture in Orizaba
- Led by Amy Frazier-Yoder, 13 students took part in this four-week intensive language study program in Orizaba, Mexico.
Honoring Faculty Retirees
"At Juniata, Jack is our political theory expert and our constitutional expert. In the world beyond JC, he is also an expert. His scholarship spans topics from the creation of the constitution to the US Civil War to The Wizard of Oz.
His weightiest contribution to scholarship, though, begins “We the People, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice…” oh, a common mistake, Jack didn’t write that. The Preamble to the Constitution came from the pen of Gouverneur Morris. Jack is the living expert on this important Founding Father, Jack penned the book To Secure the Blessings of Liberty: Selected Writings of Gouverneur Morris (2012). It’s a tidy little volume of 702 pages."
— Jim Tuten, Charles R. and Shirley A. Knox Professor of History
"In her continual work in curriculum development, Kathleen brought 21st century methods and theories to our education students: including the science of reading and literacy. Kathleen’s innovations in curricular development are fueled by her expertise.
As a reading scientist, Kathleen’s research has informed her curriculum, teaching future teachers. These Juniata students then get to work at ROAR – a real-world context, where Juniata students serve the community, help struggling students, and benefit us all by increasing literacy in Huntingdon County. For a rural community, these are unparalleled experiences for both the college students and the children."
- Lynn Cockett, Professor of communication
"Doug showed up at Juniata College in 1980 after earning his PhD degree in ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University.
For his entire career, Doug has been a strong advocate for mentored student research as an invaluable tool in training students to become critical and original thinkers in their careers. Doug treated these students as true collaborators, fostering independence and a deep understanding of how to do good research. The Biology and ESS departments as well as all of Juniata is indebted to Doug’s great service in his years at Juniata."
- Randy Bennett, Professor and chair of biology
"Doug’s playfulness and compassion for his students is well known. I saw this repeatedly when travelling with Doug in China. When I asked his colleagues for input on this talk, the number one theme was Doug’s empathy and compassion for his students, especially those that feel vulnerable, out of place, or like they don’t fit in.
One of Doug’s other traits is sincerity. Doug is and always will be a staunch advocate for the liberal arts and international education. And while you might not agree with what he says or how he says it, you can rest assured that he is sincerely advocating for the values he cherishes. This is a habit we want to cultivate in our students."
- Phil Dunwoody, Professor of psychology
"Over the past 30-some years, Chuck has developed and expanded Juniata’s program and the field station through sweat, networking, creativity and lobbying. It is now the place that other field station directors visit to see how a successful field station is run.
A Brethren boy from Elgin, IL, Chuck does his job selflessly, committing time and energy to the students like few others. He is always willing, in fact leaps at opportunities, to share his love and deep knowledge of the outdoors. He patiently mentors students, and has been utilizing “high impact practices” long before the phrase became common, organizing multi-day trips, and pulling from his vast rolodex of contacts to jump start student networking. And it shows in the success of his former students. Students in whom Chuck rightly takes tremendous pride."
- delivered by classmate Marty Keeney '83 and co-written by Jill Keeney, Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology
U.S. Senator Bob Casey visited Huntingdon last month to discuss partnerships and opportunities for public investment in the community with local representatives, including Provost Lauren Bowen and Huntingdon Mayor Tom Yoder.
Endowed Lectureships Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
The college sponsors a robust series of lectureships on topics designed to engage students and enrich their education.
Caitlin Huey-Burns, political correspondent for CBS News, based in Washington, D.C., presented, “The 2024 Presidential Election: The State of Play,” through the Distinguished Calvert Ellis Lectureship.
Amy Hanauer, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, Presented, “Why Taxes Matter to Equity and the Economy," through the Distinguished Will Judy Lectureship.
Eleanor Jones Harvey, senior curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, presented “Dusting for Humboldt's Fingerprints on American Art and Culture” through the Delbert McQuaide Lectureship in History.
Four Faculty Members Honored with Distinguished Teaching and Service Awards
Four faculty members were honored with distinguished teaching and service awards during the annual Awards Convocation.
Jared LaGroue, instructor of communication; Katie Hildebrand ’01, assistant professor of education; Matt Beaky, professor of physics; and Alison Fletcher, W. Newton & Hazel A. Long Professor of History, were honored for their work.
Fletcher was named the 57th recipient of the Beachley Award for Distinguished Teaching, and Beaky was honored with the 35th annual Beachley Award for Distinguished Academic Service. Hildebrand received the 29th Henry ’57 and Joan Gibbel Award for Distinguished Teaching (for faculty members with fewer than six years of service). LaGroue was awarded the third annual Eagle Advising Award, which is awarded to a faculty or staff member who has served as an adviser for at least three years.
Award nominations are received from students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and trustees. The selection committee includes the college president, the college provost or senior academic officer, the student government president, and typically, the three most recent award recipients make the final selections.
Faculty Milestones
We congratulate those faculty who have achieved career milestones this year including three demonstrating excellence worthy of promotion to full professor and one demonstrating outstanding promise on the tenure track meriting a multi-year contract:
Gina Lamendella
George '75 and Cynthia '76 Valko Chair and Professor of Biology
George Merovich
Professor of Environmental Science
Neal Utterback
Professor of Theatre Arts
Sinead Gallagher
Assistant Professor of Accounting
Faculty Accomplishments
Kushal Adhikari, assistant professor of environmental engineering, had two papers accepted for publication in 2024, “Stormwater Management using Low Impact Developments (LIDs): Case study from Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA,” in American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)—World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2024 and “Water quality assessment of Muddy Run: a local stream in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania,” in ASCE—World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2024. Both papers are co-authored by Juniata students.
William Blades, assistant professor of physics and engineering physics, submitted a research proposal, “Localized spin-magnetic moments and heterogenous band gaps in two-dimensional metal alloy,” which was accepted by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) 2D-Crystal Consortium (2DCC) at Penn State.
Hannah Bellwoar, director of general education and writing/professor of English, was elected as vice president of Small Liberal Arts College Writing Program Administrators (SLAC-WPA) and presented a workshop, “Cultivating Mentoring Relationships in our Writing Programs,” at the Small Liberal Arts College Writing Program Administrators Conference.
Kathleen Biddle, Martin G. Brumbaugh Professor of Education, along with Maria Toglia, presented a webinar, “Harnessing the Science of Reading for Effective Assessment and Intervention” to the Pennsylvania Psychological Association on May 3, 2024.
Jonathan Burns, instructor of history and art history and instructor of international studies, presented the keynote presentation “Following the Path of Conflict, at the PA Archaeological Council Symposium on Friday, April 12; and served as the banquet speaker for the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology Annual Meeting on Saturday, April 13, in Carlisle, PA.
Lynn Cockett, professor of communication, presented a workshop, “In Theory/In reality: Using Reality Television in your Pedagogy,” with co-author Adriane Stone from Depaul University at the Higher Education Pedagogy Conference at Virginia Tech in February. She also presented “I’m very comfortable with six inches: Boomers and sex on the Golden Bachelor” at the Popular Culture Association.
John Crum, assistant professor of criminal justice, published an article, “For law enforcement purposes: The complicated relationship between the 1033 program and the expanding police mandate,” in the Journal of Criminal Justice with Andrea Corradi and David Ramey.
Gina Lamendella, George '75 and Cynthia '76 Valko Professor of Biological Sciences, earned a $551,797 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) titled "Multi-omics integration to model the differential metabolic activities of Candida glabrata and bacteria in humans with C. difficile infection." The grant will support interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate research. Her manuscript “Clostridioides difficile Infection is Associated with Differences in Transcriptionally Active Microbial Communities” was accepted for publication in Frontiers of Microbiology.
Jim Latten, professor of music, published an article, “Fall Marching Bands, AWP (Adequate Weekly Progress) Assessments, & Concern for Excellence: A dream, or reality?,” in the winter 2023 edition of PMEA news, the state music education journal. The article provides recommendations for school band directors and their administrators regarding excellence in public school instrumental music education and its philosophies.
Robb Lauzon, assistant professor of communication, presented “A Beacon of a Different Kind” at the Popular Culture Association in Chicago, Illinois.
Monika Malewska, professor of art, exhibited her artwork in Co Na Deser? (What’s for Dessert), a two-artist exhibition with Pawel Czekanski at Piekna Gallery in Warsaw, Poland.
Kim Roth, professor of statistics and mathematics, began her four-year term as an associate editor of The College Mathematics Journal in January.
Li Shen, associate professor of marketing, received the Fashion Design Certificate from the Parsons School of Design after completing eight courses.
Jen Streb '93, professor of art history, presented “William Scharf: Imagination Preceded Knowledge” at the Popular Cultural Association National Conference. She also mentored four history and art history students.
Georgios Stylianides, director and associate professor for exercise science and kinesiology, presented “Understand, Appreciate, and Use Aquatics for Wellness” at Penn State Hazleton and, along with Provost Lauren Bowen, shared a presentation about exercise and kinesiology with members of the Huntingdon Rotary Club.
Belle Tuten, Charles A. Dana Professor of History, published “Using Problem-Based Learning in the ‘Medieval Medicine’ Classroom,” in The Once and Future Classroom: Resources for Teaching Medieval Studies.
Tia Warrick, public health director/assistant director of biology, won the Bookfest Award for outstanding literary achievement for Healthcare and Medical Literacy award for her book, “Burst the Bubble.”
David Widman, professor of psychology, co-hosted the annual NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS) meeting in Niagara Falls, NY. He co-presented “The Effect of Asking About Children on Delay Discounting Following Priming of Intrasexual Mapping Competition;” and co-authored : “Can Dark Triad Samples Be Trusted? Insight from a Three-Country Study” and “Nudging Attitudes Toward Climate Change Using Reminders of Inclusive Fitness.” Widman also co-presented the poster, “The Effect of Age on Delay Discounting Following Priming of Intrasexual Mapping Competition.”
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