President’s Note Dear Friends, On my first extended visit to Juniata shortly after I was hired as the incoming president, I spent my entire first day on campus at the Liberal Arts Symposium talking to students, listening to presentations, and meeting faculty. That day, student after student earnestly explained their work, delving into the military court system, gut microbiota, President Obama’s social media strategy, and synthesis of metal complexes. I won’t pretend that I completely understood what each and every student was investigating, but what I immediately understood was the passion for research emanating from every student I met. Their faces were lit up with enthusiasm.
James A. Troha trohaj@juniata.edu
@juniataprztroha
This issue of the magazine is devoted to profiles of students and their research projects. The editor and writers asked faculty from each department or program to nominate worthy research projects or capstone assignments and there are more than 20 profiles of Juniatians working through the process of discovery. In these pages, you’ll discover stories from undergraduate researchers who went on a quest to identify an invasive snail to a student intent on living the literary life in a hut to two filmmakers trying to discover the John Cassavetes film style. The Liberal Arts Symposium really is a microcosm of the entire college education experience. College is the place where you discover who you are. It is where you find out what you like to do. College is where you find your path in life and most of those educated at Juniata can trace their inspiration for a career back to an intensive research assignment that seemed overwhelming at first, yet revealed itself over time. Let’s take a journey with these researchers and find out what brought them to this moment and perhaps discover what lies ahead. Sincerely,
James A. Troha President
XX% 30%
Cert no. SW-COC-002556
John Wall Editor Director of Media Relations wallj@juniata.edu 814-641-3132
Gabriel Welsch VP for Advancement and Marketing welschg@juniata.edu
Leo Osborne E-communication Coordinator osbornl@juniata.edu
Rosann Brown Executive Director of Marketing
David Meadows ’98 Director of Alumni Relations
Angie Ciccarelli Graphic Designer
Evelyn L. Pembrooke Alumni Relations Coordinator
Nathan Wagoner Director of New Media Communication
meadowd@juniata.edu
The College’s Chinese international students entertain their classmates and other attendees at the Chinese Moon Festival dinner.
ATA COLLE G NI
vi ro nm en t .
—Photo by T.J. Chance-Chin ’15
ed
Juniata is published two times a year by Juniata College, Department of Advancement and to Marketing and is distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of Juniata. Postmaster and others, En aS ustainable please send change-of-address correspondence to: Alumni Relations, 1700 Moore St., Huntingdon, PA 16652-2196. Juniata can accept no responsibility for unsolicited contributions of artwork, photography, or articles. Juniata College, as an educational institution and employer, values equality of opportunity and diversity. The College is an independent, privately supported coeducational institution committed to providing a liberal arts education to qualified students regardless of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. Its policies comply with requirements of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IV of the Education Amendments of 1972, and all other applicable federal, state, and local statutes, regulations and guidelines.
1
2014 Spring-Summer
U
E
itt Co mm
JUNIATA
J
Jennifer Jones Sports Information Director