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Highlights of Fiscal Year 2023-2024
$2 million state grant enables Tick Research Lab of PA to expand studies
A $2 million grant received by the ESU Foundation in fiscal year 2023-2024 will enable the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania, located on the campus of ESU, to conduct new research, evaluating integrated strategies to reduce tick abundance and tickborne pathogens in the environment. The grant, received from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, brings the sixyear total in grants received for the lab to $6,180,000. The Department of Health and Department of Human Services have been instrumental in supporting the work of the lab.
In 2018, the Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute at ESU received state funding to establish the Tick Research Lab of PA. The funding was designated to start the first ever state-wide passive surveillance program which utilizes a free service where ticks submitted by residents of the Commonwealth are tested for several tickborne pathogens. Results of the passive surveillance program are used to track tickborne pathogens, emerging ticks and tickborne illnesses, and to create a data analytics platform to continue monitoring the public health crisis.
Since then, the laboratory at ESU has tested over 75,000 ticks for residents of Pennsylvania, published several scientific manuscripts, presented research at national conferences and has established ESU as a leader in tick and tickborne pathogen research. Thanks to the most recent funding, the new research looks at various treatment options at a single resolution and in combination, taking into account the various environmental influences that may be driving the emergence of these diseases.
Grant supports ESU Speech and Hearing Center upgrades
A $150,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development was awarded to the ESU Foundation to support upgrades at the university’s Speech and Hearing Center. The funding, which was secured by the work of Rep. Maureen Madden, facilitated the acquisition of a new VALT Video Observation and Recording System and ClinicNote, a cloud-based, HIPAA-compliant electronic medical records platform.
The Speech and Hearing Center, operational for 50 years through ESU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, provides free services to more than 100 clients annually, including assessments and treatments for communication and swallowing impairments. The new technology replaced outdated equipment, allowing for secure, real-time observation of therapy sessions and safeguarding client information with advanced Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Active Directory features.
The enhancements advance the center’s technology and fortify the practical training of 50 graduate students studying communication sciences and disorders, equipping them with experience using cutting-edge tools essential for their professional growth.
Private reception honors ESU faculty and staff donors
The ESU Foundation recognized ESU current and retired faculty and staff who contributed during fiscal year 2023-2024 at an inaugural reception held on November 14, 2023, in the Common Grounds Lounge of University Center. Above center, Dr. Samuel E. Quainoo, professor of political science, enjoys connecting with fellow colleagues who also philanthropically support ESU and its students.
Foundation lends its support to statistical math research project
The ESU Foundation was honored to assist students with their senior Capstone project, providing non-identifying alumni data for analysis. The project, “Predicting Alumni Donations: A Statistical Analysis,” enabled students to develop datadriven decisions on which groups of alumni are more likely to donate, use statistical analysis methods to prove significance of results, and create intuitive graphs to show their results. Students presented their findings to faculty and members of the Foundation team on April 2, 2023. Above, Aaron Zaso ’24 and Brian Lombardi, Class of 2025, share their presentation. Other researchers on the project were ESU students Gard Aquinom, Lina Beriguete, Erin Cahill, Sarah Capwell, Jennifer Conrad, Michael DeVito, Ian McDowall, and Abigail Zall.
Students presented their findings to faculty and members of the Foundation team on April 2, 2023. Above, Aaron Zaso ’24 and Brian Lombardi, Class of 2025, share their presentation. Other researchers on the project were ESU students Gard Aquinom, Lina Beriguete, Erin Cahill, Sarah Capwell, Jennifer Conrad, Michael DeVito, Ian McDowall, and Abigail Zall.
Messages of thanks blanket Dansbury Commons Plaza
Warriors expressed their appreciation for donors who support ESU through the ESU Foundation during the first ever Thank A Donor Day held at Dansbury Commons Plaza on April 17, 2024.
The event is part of the Foundation’s Student Gratitude Program that promotes awareness among students that private support is crucial to supporting their academic and university experience. The drive to create posters, videos, and notes of thanks for donors was met with enthusiasm. Students shared personal stories, triumphs, and aspirations, offering a glimpse into the transformative power of education and the profound impact of philanthropic support.