FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Aug. 12, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College will host an educational meeting for produce growers and handlers on the impact of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s new Food Safety and Modernization Act on their operations. The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at Wilson’s Fulton Farm.
The meeting, being held in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association, Penn State Extension and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, is intended for growers whose buyers require third-party certification – “produce audits” – to allow them to market wholesale produce, according to Chris Mayer, director of Wilson’s Fulton Center for Sustainable Living.
Mayer said a state Department of Agriculture produce auditor will be on hand to walk growers through mock produce audit of Fulton Farm, reviewing the farm’s food safety plan and answering such questions as “Would your farm pass a food safety audit?” and “How much paperwork is involved?”
The meeting is free, but registration is requested and can be made by visiting http://extension.psu.edu/food/safety and clicking on “Produce Mock Audit Twilight Meeting” under “Upcoming Events, or by contacting Penn State Extension Farm Food Safety Educator Jeff Stoltzfus at 717-394-6851.
“Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) are voluntary audits that verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored as safely as possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards,” according to the state Dept. of Agriculture website. “GAP and GHP audits verify adherence to the recommendations made in the (FDA’s) Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and industry-recognized food safety practices.”
According to the FDA website, “The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years, was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus from responding to contamination to preventing it.”
For more information, contact FCSL Director Chris Mayer at 717-264-4141, Ext. 3247, or at christine.mayer@wilson.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Mayer, Fulton Center for Sustainable Living Director Phone: 717-264-4141, Ext. 3247 Email: christine.mayer@wilson.edu
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Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 31 majors and master’s degrees in education, the humanities, accountancy, management, nursing, fine arts and healthcare management for sustainability. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation.
Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college had a fall 2015 enrollment of 923, which included students from 23 states and 14 countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 30, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Women farmers are still a minority in the world of agriculture – and they face unique challenges and opportunities. On Monday, July 18, Wilson College will host a day-long workshop – “Women Farmers: It’s Never Too Late or Too Early to Face the Risks of Farming” – aimed at increasing awareness and providing information and networking opportunities for women who hope to get involved or are already engaged in farming.
The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Brooks Science Center, Room 229. Admission is $25, which can be paid at 9:30 the morning of the workshop. Registration is required and can be done online at http://www.cvent.com/events/women-farmers-the-risk-of-farming/event-summary-1ddd1e6945b945029739373f9441976b.aspx.
The workshop is sponsored by Wilson’s Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, the Pennsylvania Women’s Agricultural Network (PA-WAgN) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Katie College of Stoney Creek Valley Farm in Dauphin, Pa., will share her experiences as a woman farmer who entered farming later in life. PA-WAgN’s Patty Neiner will share resources available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s risk management plans that will help women farmers mitigate various types of risk.
A discussion of the needs of women farmers will be held over lunch. In addition, workshop participants will tour Wilson’s Fulton Farm and watch a demonstration of the farm’s solar-powered tractor.
For more information, contact Neiner at 814-865-7031 or prn103@psu.edu.
Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 29 majors and seven master’s degrees. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation.
Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college had a fall 2015 enrollment of 923, which includes students from 22 states and 16 countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College will host an information session about its master’s degree program in the humanities at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 21, in Norland Hall. The session will cover how to apply and provide an overview of the program, including new courses and concentrations now available; financial aid; career opportunities; graduate assistantships and more. Lunch will be provided.
Registration may be completed at www.wilson.edu/humanities. For more information, visit the website or contact Master of Humanities Program Director Michael Cornelius at michael.cornelius@wilson.edu or 717-262-2712.
MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Cornelius, Chair, Department of English and Communications Phone: 717-262-2712 Email: michael.cornelius@wilson.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 20, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College will host a film called The Dark Side of Chocolate, followed by a discussion featuring local chocolate maker Nathan Miller of Nathan Miller Chocolate and a chocolate tasting beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23, in the college’s Sarah’s Coffeehouse.
The documentary film explores the impact of the chocolate trade on children in Africa. Miller, whose business is located 140 N. Third St. in Chambersburg, will talk about his company’s sustainable, fair trade cacao sourcing practices.
Admission is free and open to the public.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 7, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College will host an information session about its master’s degree program in the humanities at noon on Thursday, June 16, in Norland Hall. The session will cover how to apply and provide an overview of the program, including new courses and concentrations now available; financial aid; career opportunities; graduate assistantships and more. Lunch will be provided.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 8, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Two organizations recently approved grants for Wilson College totaling $12,500 to be used for scholarships.
The college was granted $10,000 from the Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) to provide $2,500 scholarships to four students studying one of the college’s equine-related majors, which include animal studies, veterinary medical technology, equestrian studies and equine-facilitated therapeutics.
TERF, which awarded Wilson an additional $5,000 scholarship grant earlier this year, is a Delaware-based charitable organization that provides funding for equine education and research, as well as helping fund care for thoroughbred horses after their racing careers have ended.
The college also received a $2,500 grant from The M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank, to fund a scholarship for a student with financial need who is enrolled in one of Wilson’s health sciences majors, with preference given to a nursing student. The foundation “strives to strengthen communities by providing support for a diverse range of civic, cultural, health and human service organizations,” according to its website.
M&T, based in Buffalo, N.Y., has supported Wilson College in the past through scholarship funding and contributing to an outdoor learning pavilion at the college’s organic farm.
MEDIA CONTACT: Margaret Light, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Phone: 717-262-2010, Ext. 3179 Email: margaret.light@wilson.edu
Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 29 majors and master’s degrees in education, the humanities, accountancy, nursing, fine arts and healthcare management for sustainability. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 3, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College will host a “Community Adventure in Healthy Eating” again this year, kicking off with a lecture and dinner at the college on Tuesday, June 14. The program is a 28-day, heart-healthy, plant-strong diet program based on the one introduced by Austin firefighter Rip Esselstyn in his bestselling book, The Engine 2 Diet.
The program will begin at 6 p.m. in Wilson’s Brooks Science Center with Mercersburg physician Elizabeth George presenting the results of Dr. Esselstyn’s life-changing work with his cardiology patients and speaking on the topic, “A Research-Based Revolution in Healthy Eating.” The lecture is free.
At 7:15 p.m., a plant-based dinner featuring produce from Wilson’s own Fulton Farm will be served in college dining hall. Tickets for the dinner are $15 and can be purchased online by visiting www.healthyeatingadventure.org and clicking on the registration link, or by calling Wilson’s Fulton Center for Sustainable Living Director Chris Mayer at 717-264-4141, Ext. 3247.
People who participate in the healthy eating program will have a coach and the support of a series of weekly potluck dinners where they will share dishes based on the Esselstyn diet. A how-to “kitchen makeover” session will be held at 6:30 p.m. June 21 in Wilson’s Sarah’s Coffeehouse, followed by weekly potluck dinners to be held at 6:30 p.m. June 28 and July 5 at Fulton Farm pavilion and July 12 in Sarah’s Coffeehouse. A final celebration dinner will be held at 6 p.m. July 19 in the college dining hall.
The program is sponsored by the Fulton Center, Penn National Golf Course Community and Mercersburg Area Council for Wellness.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 12, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Wilson College has received a $5,200 grant from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Trees for Tomorrow program to plant native trees in the plaza outside the college’s new library learning commons.
The tree-planting is part of the college’s current project to build a landscaped academic quad between the learning commons area and the Brooks Science Center. The trees – which include honeylocust, hawthorn, dogwood, black gum and several types of oaks – are being planted by DM Landscaping, a subcontractor to R.S. Mowery & Sons, and will be maintained by Wilson’s groundskeeping staff.
In April 2014, the college was part of a joint initiative between the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the Franklin County Commissioners to plant 300 trees and shrubs throughout the county. Volunteers for that project planted trees on the riparian buffer along the Conococheague Creek on campus.
Since 2013, the Trees for Tomorrow program has helped plant nearly 4,000 trees in Franklin County. Financial and technical support offered through the program has enabled local governments and organizations to execute tree-planting projects countywide, ranging from urban tree installations to large-scale volunteer tree plantings to tree care and maintenance. These new trees help manage stormwater, improve water quality and create wildlife habitat.
MEDIA CONTACT: Cathy Mentzer, Manager of Media Relations Phone: 717-262-2604 Email: cathy.mentzer@wilson.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 24, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation has awarded Wilson College a $27,000 grant to support students age 25 and older who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree and need financial assistance.
This marks the 30th year that the Newcombe Foundation, a Princeton, N.J.-based charitable organization founded in 1979 to support students seeking college degrees, has supported mature students at Wilson College. This year’s grant will be split into two funds: $20,000 for the Newcombe Scholarships for Mature Students program and a $7,000 endowment challenge grant for the Charlotte W. Newcombe Endowed Scholarship Fund, which helps to maintain scholarships in the future.
Wilson, which matches the awards on a one-to-one basis, enrolls students age 25 and above through two programs: the Single Parent Scholars (formerly Women with Children) program and the adult degree program.
The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation is an independent foundation that began in 1979 as the result of a bequest from its namesake, a Philadelphia philanthropist. The foundation continues Newcombe’s support of students as they pursue degrees in higher education through scholarships and fellowships.
MEDIA CONTACT: Margaret Light, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations Phone: 717-264-4141, Ext. 3179 Email: margaret.light@wilson.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 11, 2016
Chambersburg, Pa. — Author and journalist A’Lelia Bundles, great-great-granddaughter and biographer of African-American icon Madam C.J. Walker, will address the graduating class at Wilson College’s 146th annual commencement ceremony, to be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 15.
Bundles, who will receive an honorary degree from the college, will deliver an address entitled “Strategy, Service and Serendipity: Mapping a Life that Matters.”
This year, approximately 74 students will receive bachelor’s and associate degrees during Wilson’s commencement ceremony, which will be held outside on the college’s main green. (In case of rain, the ceremony will be held in Laird Hall.) In addition, approximately 29 graduates of Wilson’s master’s degree programs in education, accountancy and the humanities will receive their degrees and another 36 certificates will be granted to college graduates who are completing the teacher intern program at Wilson.
A baccalaureate service will be held at 10 a.m. in Alumnae Chapel at Thomson Hall.
Bundles had a 30-year career as an executive and producer in network television news, including serving as deputy bureau chief of ABC News in Washington and as a producer with ABC’s “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings.” She is chair and president of the National Archives Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization that increases public awareness of the National Archives. Bundles is currently at work on her fourth book, The Joy Goddess of Harlem: The Life and Times of A’Lelia Walker, a biography of her great-grandmother. Her previous books about her great-great-grandmother, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker, Madam C. J. Walker: Entrepreneur and Madam Walker Theater Center: An Indianapolis Treasure have received a number of awards, including the New York Times’ Notable Book award and the Letitia Woods Brown Book Prize.
Bundles, who lives in Washington, D.C., graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College and Radcliffe College, and received a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and an honorary doctorate from Indiana University. She is a member of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard College and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
