President's Newsletter
March 2025
Dear Juniata Community,
The second half of our spring semester is in full swing, with longer days and warmer weather prevailing. Juniata is a busy and exciting place to be these days.
The College was recently honored with the New Construction Award for the Statton Learning Commons, recognizing its positive impact on the community. The award was presented at the Annual Community Improvement Awards dinner, hosted by the Huntingdon County Planning Commission and the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce. I had the privilege of accepting the award alongside Provost Lauren Bowen and Justine (Kobeski) Black '08, director of the Learning Commons. This award, along with the 170,000 learning commons visitors over the past year, highlight the importance of building spaces designed to bring people together and spark curiosity.
We recently enjoyed another successful Career Day, kicking off a weekend that was also the winter Alumni Council meeting and the annual Senior Class Dinner. At this year's dinner, the Class of 2025 announced that their Senior Class Gift will support the renovation of South Hall, which will be renamed Gibbel Hall upon completion. This year’s gift is especially meaningful as it marks a unique 50-year collaboration with the Class of 1975, who are also contributing to this project through their 50th Reunion Legacy Gift.
The inaugural Dr. Maurice C. Taylor '72 Lecture on Social Justice welcomed historian Dr. Edda Fields-Black, who presented her historical research on the 1863 Combahee River Raid. It was a pleasure to welcome Maurice back to campus for the first of the annual public lectures he has endowed.
This year marked my 13th Bailey Oratorical as president. The event lifts up the importance of civil discourse, critical thinking, and a commitment to being a citizen of the world–values that have been a part of Juniata since its founding. The 115th recurrence of the Bailey was a poignant reminder of the loss of Donna Weimer, emerita professor of communication, whose memory we honored from the podium where she had often stood to open the event.
The New York Times featured an article on Mathemalchemy in honor of the International Day of Mathematics, which celebrated mathematics, art, and creativity. This highly creative art exhibit is the work of mathematical artists, including Kimberly Roth, professor of mathematics, and was exhibited at the Juniata College Museum of Art in 2022.
Juniatians united for the annual Day of Giving, with more than 2,900 gifts made by alumni, parents, and friends from around the world totaling $834,133. This marked the third consecutive year that our Day of Giving exceeded $800,000. Your support for Juniata makes a tremendous impact on our students and we cannot thank you enough!
Warm regards,
President James A. Troha
Thank you!
Juniata’s community came together in an amazing way to support students on our fifth annual Day of Giving.
This year impressive $834,133 was given, marking the third consecutive year surpassing $800,000. In just 24 hours, 2,939 gifts were made by alumni, parents, grandparents, friends, faculty, staff, and current students.
Supporters from all 50 states and around the world joined us for this special day. Here on campus, students had the opportunity to learn about the power of philanthropy, through the ever-popular Find-Alfie Challenge and a brand new Day of Giving Cash Cab. They also paused to share gratitude with donors through message boards and thank you notes.
Visit www.juniata.edu/dayofgiving to see what our challenges finished. Thank you for helping to make it one unforgettable day.
One Day. One Goal. One Juniata.
Black History and Culture Dinner
Juniata's Black History and Culture Dinner filled Baker Refectory with community for an evening of celebration and connection. Award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and author St. Clair Detrick-Jules was keynote speaker. Her words, as well as her photography displayed in Ellis Hall, provided powerful insight and inspiration.
Chinese Dinner
Nearly 300 people gathered in Baker Refectory to celebrate the Year of the Snake at the annual Chinese Dinner organized by the Juniata College Chinese Club. The event was a wonderful celebration of Chinese culture shared with our campus and the wider community. Photos by Callan Beideman '25.
115th Annual Bailey Oratorical
Amya Martinez ’28 shared a personal account of her family’s experience with the “bystander effect” to win the 115th Bailey Oratorical. Amya's compelling speech earned her the $1,000 grand prize and the honor of having her name inscribed on the historic Bailey Oratorical loving cup.
Inspired by Elizabeth Evans Baker’s quote, “Peace is everybody’s business,” the seven student finalists at the Bailey Oratorical were asked to respond to the prompt, “What does it mean to make peace ‘everybody’s business?’”
“The bystander effect–a phenomenon studied since 1968–shows that people are just less likely to help when others are present. Yet, in these critical moments, I argue that the principle of minding our own business should take a back seat to our moral and ethical duty to assist those in need,” said Amya. “It is every individual’s responsibility to make that choice and doing so could save a life or significantly impact someone’s wellbeing. We must embrace the wisdom of Elizabeth Baker when she says, 'Peace is everybody’s business.’”
"As we strive to build nurturing and compassionate communities, that is the only way for us to achieve long-lasting social peace,” she said. “I dedicate this speech to my cousin Dante, whose journey has shown me the true meaning of strength and perseverance.”
In addition to taking first prize in the competition, Martinez, who is studying media studies and production, also received the People’s Choice Award, a text-to-vote poll where the in-person audience members choose their favorite speech.
Judges for the final competition were El Kruglak ’11, who has over a decade of experience in the fields of peacebuilding and development with a focus on mass atrocity prevention; Joshua Scacco ’08, an associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University of South Florida; and Bonnie Kline Smeltzer, pastor emerita for the University Baptist and Brethren Church in State College, Pa.
Lillian Case ’25, who is studying business analytics and communication, won second place and a $700 award. Her speech addressed the importance of compassion in society. Molly Sheets ’25, who is studying culture and communication, took third place and a $500 award with her speech about approaching peace from the perspective of justice.
The event also featured powerful speeches by finalists Mahx Baptiste ’25, Cole Gross ’26, Sylvia Ortega ’25, and Isatou Sonko ’25.
Career Day
Making Connections
Career Day brought 120 employers to campus, offering students valuable opportunities to network and learn about potential careers. Many of those employers were Juniata alumni, like Nikole Koenig ’23 (pictured), who returned to recruit the next generation of Eagles.
Pie-A-Coach
Good Sports for a Good Cause
The Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) hosted a fundraiser at Detwiler Plaza and coaches, faculty, and staff–including Provost Lauren Bowen–bravely took one for the team! SAAC organizes events, promotes student-athletes, and enhances athletic communications on campus.
Signs of Spring
A Win Right Off the Bat
Spring has sprung as Juniata’s baseball team knocked it out of the ballpark in their recent game against Keuka College. The exciting game combined a dramatic comeback with a walk-off home run victory.
Sweet Endeavor
Maple sugaring begins at Field Station
Continuing a longstanding tradition at the Grove Farm, volunteers gather to transform the sugar water collected over the past weeks into delicious maple syrup.
Building Bridges
Establishing Trust and Understanding
Pennsylvania State Trooper Joe Dunsmore visited Juniata for an evening of open dialogue with the campus community. The Building Bridges program was established in 2021 by the Pennsylvania State Police to allow officers and those they serve to learn more about one another in a relaxed environment.
Science in Motion
Founded at Juniata College in 1987, Science in Motion (SIM) supports rural classrooms in the disciplines of chemistry, biology, physics, and middle school integrated science. Through SIM, mobile instructors ensure that every student gains hands-on experience within the classroom, offering the chance to utilize equipment and materials provided to their teachers. In addition to providing access to advanced laboratory equipment, professional development opportunities ensure teachers stay up to date with the latest scientific discoveries and techniques.
Past mobile educators gathered at Juniata for a presentation on the history of Science in Motion. The instructors shared their experience with alumni and guests, several of whom talked about how their high school experiences with SIM influenced their decision to attend Juniata.
The SIM Consortium (a Pennsylvania Basic Education/Higher Education Science and Technology Partnership) is comprised of 10 colleges and universities–Commonwealth University- Bloomsburg, Drexel University, Elizabethtown College, Gettysburg College, Juniata College, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Penn West University- Clarion, Ursinus College, Westminster College, and Wilkes University.
Juniata College Science in Motion (SIM) serves a six-county region within Central Pennsylvania, spanning roughly 3,000 square miles of rural Appalachia. This vital program provides mobile science educators and necessary equipment and supplies to 29 private and public schools serving 14,523 students.
Chemistry Department Celebrates 100th Anniversary
Juniata's Chemistry and Biochemistry Department kicked off a year-long celebration of its 100th Anniversary this month with alumni events and Dr. Jerry Atwood as the John P. Reeves ’64 Distinguished Lecturer in Chemistry. Richard Hark, former professor of chemistry at Juniata, delivered the keynote speech.
If you missed it, don't worry! There's more planned. Mark the anniversary during Alumni Weekend, June 7-8, 2025, and reconnect with chemistry alumni and faculty, learn the department’s history, and explore its future!
Can’t make it to campus in June? Stay tuned for more opportunities to celebrate the chemistry department throughout the year. Reach out to Dr. Peter Baran (baran@juniata.edu) or Dr. Will Ames (ames@juniata.edu) to learn more...
The Juniata Voices Board is pleased to announce that Volume 24 of the annual journal is published. The new volume can be found through our new open journal system at https://journals.juniata.edu/index.php/jcv.
At 175 pages, this edition is one of the longest in the history of the journal. It includes the winning Bailey Speech from 2024, along with other campus events and work by well-known faculty from departments across campus.
In addition, guest lecturers including former ambassadors, leading scholars from the Smithsonian Institution, and international researchers are specially featured.
Upcoming Events
Rural Rising Symposium
Rural Rising, an inaugural symposium dedicated to showcasing grassroots innovation in rural communities, is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. This event will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, March 28.
Concert Choir Homecoming
Juniata's Concert Choir will celebrate its homecoming from a successful tour of the Czech Republic with a concert in Rosenberger Auditorium, Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 30.
Juniata Presents: Selected Shorts
Selected Shorts comes to Juniata at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, for an evening of humorous and intriguing short fiction filled with cryptic characters, treachery, and unexpected twists.
Liberal Arts Symposium
Liberal Arts Symposium (LAS) is a day-long celebration of student research and scholarship on Thursday, April 24. LAS highlights the work that students do in the classroom, in the laboratory, in the field, in the community, on the stage, and in the studio.
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