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Monday, June 17, 2002
Contact: Alison McGaughey
news@knox.edu
309-341-7650
A group of students at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, have been named Environmental Studies Summer Fellows and will be conducting environmental studies research projects in Galesburg and the surrounding area this summer.
Each student will receive a $3,000 stipend and $1,000 for equipment. The fellowships are supported by a grant to Knox from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
Ryan Colclasure, a junior biology major from Galesburg, will study beavers living at Green Oaks, the collegeÕs biological field station near Victoria, to determine why they have relocated from stream beds to lake banks over the last 30 years. Colclasure is a 1993 graduate of Galesburg High School.
Jenny Van Arsdale, a junior environmental studies major from Media, will test a sampling of Galesburg homes to determine whether factors such as lack of ventilation or location of the home effect radon levels. Van Arsdale, a 1998 graduate of Southern High School in Stronghurst, is the daughter of Connie and Paul Van Arsdale of Media.
Ashley Nehrt, a junior biology major from Barrington, will study the nesting and foraging behavior of the redheaded woodpecker, a declining species found at Green Oaks. Nehrt, a 1999 graduate of Barrington Community High School, is the daughter of Shelley and Philip Nehrt of Barrington. Helen Scharber, a senior music and economics major from Corcoran, Minn., will conduct an environmental audit of Knox College, focusing on recycling, waste, and energy usage. Scharber, a 1999 graduate of Rockford High School in Rockford, Minn., is the daughter of Gary and Mary Scharber of Corcoran.
The students were selected for the program based on their original project proposals chosen by Knox faculty. They will conduct their research over 10 weeks this summer with a faculty mentor. The program is funded by a $181,000 grant Knox received in 2000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a philanthropic organization that supports programs in education, resource conservation, and community development.
ÒOne of the goals of our program is to encourage students in all disciplines to become more ecologically-oriented,Ó said Peter Schwartzman, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies. ÒItÕs great to see these students making connections between their majors and the field of environmental studies. At the same time, their work will benefit the community and increase knowledge and awareness of the environment.Ó
Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 48 states and 40 nations. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.
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