President's Newsletter
July 2025
Dear Juniata Community,
As July draws to a close, the energy on campus is steadily rising as we prepare to welcome the Class of 2029 in just a few short weeks.
Prospective and incoming students, along with their families, have visited Juniata this summer. Seeing our community come together to welcome and celebrate them has been a powerful reminder of what makes Juniata such a special place—where belonging begins the moment you arrive.
The summer months are a time of exploration for both work and the world for Juniatians, whether through study abroad programs, internships, or research. A total of 28 students received the Super Internship Awards through the Juniata Alumni Internship Endowment and are completing internships worldwide. Juniata College students and faculty traveled to Elizabethtown College on Thursday, July 10, 2025, to present their research at the 16th annual Landmark Conference Summer Research Symposium.
Last weekend, I had the honor of representing Juniata by throwing out the first pitch at the Altoona Curve game on July 26, in celebration of Huntingdon County Night. Earlier in the month, we welcomed more than 100 people to an open house at Isett Heritage Museum. Both were fantastic opportunities to connect with our local community and share Juniata pride beyond campus.
The dedication and excellence of Juniata’s students, faculty, and staff played a key role in our recent recognition as one of Money Magazine’s “Best Colleges of 2025.”
I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit with alumni at Troha’s Taproom events in the Delaware Valley, Hershey, and Pittsburgh over the past few months and look forward to gathering once more in Washington, D.C., on August 10.
It’s a great time to celebrate the achievements of our students and alumni with those in your life who are beginning their college search. High school students begin their college applications tomorrow, Friday, August 1, please check out information about the Juniata Community Scholarship below to learn how you can assist in student recruitment.
Warm regards,
President James A. Troha
First Look, Orientation, and Inbound
The energy on campus has been electric with summer events like First Look, Orientation, and Inbound. The days are filled with sightseeing and informational sessions that offer prospective and admitted students opportunities for engagement and community building.
Through Inbound, a three-day immersive retreat, students arrive on campus to take part in a decades-long tradition connecting with classmates through fun experiences.
Jonathan Burns
Jonathan Burns
Jonathan Burns and the Veterans Archaeology Program have uncovered the site of a little-known 1758 friendly fire incident involving George Washington near Fort Ligonier.
Working alongside military veterans and students, Burns has used cutting-edge archaeological tools and battlefield insight to shed new light on this pivotal moment in early American history. Nearly 500 artifacts, including musket balls, uniform buttons, and personal items, are helping reconstruct the story.
Women's Lacrosse Honored by IWLCA
The Juniata women's lacrosse team was one of 383 schools across Division I, II, and III and NAIA to make the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Academic Honor Squads for the 2024-25 academic year.
To qualify for this honor, the women's lacrosse team must have posted a 3.2 or higher team GPA for the academic year.
The IWLCA also honored 1,284 student-athletes from 201 different institutions on the 2024-25 IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll.
To be eligible for this honor, student-athletes must be a junior, senior, or graduate student and have earned a cumulative academic GPA of 3.50 or greater.
For Juniata, Kelliann Drummond '25, Caoilinn Heatley '26, Sarah Hepburn '25, Maeve Kuser '25, Tess Ledeboer '25, Devyn Mauger '26, Lauren Metzger '25, and Skyler Stevens '26 made the honor roll.
16th annual Landmark Conference Summer Research Symposium
On Thursday, July 10, 2025, Juniata College students and faculty traveled to Elizabethtown College to present their research at the 16th annual Landmark Conference Summer Research Symposium.
The event brought together undergraduate researchers from Landmark Conference institutions to share the outcomes of their faculty-student collaborative projects. Juniata participants delivered both poster and oral presentations, engaging with peers and faculty from across the region. The symposium highlighted the depth and diversity of undergraduate research taking place throughout the conference.
Juniata, which hosted the symposium in 2024, was proud to continue its strong tradition of academic inquiry and cross-campus collaboration.
Raystown Conservation Education Partnership (RayCEP)
Since 2009, the Raystown Conservation Education Partnership (RayCEP) has brought environmental education to life for visitors to Raystown Lake. A collaborative effort between Juniata College, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Friends of Raystown Lake, the program provides two environmental education interns with hands-on experience in sharing conservation-focused messages with the public.
This summer, Ryann Pope ’28 and Rilee Connors ’26 have been delivering engaging, interactive presentations on local ecology and environmental stewardship at Raystown Lake, the Huntingdon Farmers Market, and the Huntingdon County Library.
Their work reflects RayCEP’s mission to foster a deeper understanding of the natural world and encourage a lifelong conservation ethic. Through the partnership, interns receive valuable professional training while helping to strengthen the connection between the community and the environment. By reaching diverse audiences with educational programming, RayCEP continues to make a lasting impact on how people experience and appreciate the Raystown Lake region.
Troha's Taproom Events
Juniata alumni, family, and friends gathered for Troha’s Taproom events over the past few months to enjoy casual conversations, great company, and a chance to connect with President Jim Troha.
Juniata Community Scholarship
You can help build Juniata’s future by using the Juniata Community Scholarship by using your network to identify prospective students.
When your recruit is enrolled at Juniata, he or she will receive a $1,000 a year scholarship for four years in your name at no cost to you, as recognition of your help in the recruiting process.
The Juniata Community Scholarship sends an important message to prospective students. It is the first example of how the Juniata community feels.
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