Observer, Volume 16, Number 18, Thursday May 25 1995


Gift supports faculty-student research

by Betty Gabrielli

Don Oresman of New York City, a member of the class of 1946, has given the college $100,000 with the stipulation that the money be spent by President Nancy S. Dye "at her discretion."

Oresman made the gift during a February meeting with Dye and vice president for development and alumni affairs Young Dawkins in New York. Oresman is an attorney with Wellspring Associates, Inc., of New York. Formerly with the firm of Simpson, Thatcher and Bartlett in New York, Oresman also has served as vice president and general counsel at Paramount Communications.

In compliance with the terms of Oresman's gift, Dye has decided that "the most important use to which it can be put is the support of one of Oberlin's great academic strengths: student research with faculty; it is a strength on which we intend to build significantly," she says. "We would like to reach a point when every faculty member who needs a student to assist him or her in an important way with research at Oberlin will be able to have such an assistant, and every student who wants to do research at Oberlin will have ample support and opportunity."

"This is an invaluable contribution to Oberlin's intellectual life," says Dawkins. "It will nourish one of Oberlin's most distinctive strengths as an institution--the promoting of rich and effective intellectual collaborations between faculty members and undergraduates-a learning resource not available to undergraduates at even our country's great universities."

Attracting scientists

Part of Oresman's gift will be used to continue the BP America program after its funding ends in June. For the last three years the program has annually attracted and supported about 20 highly gifted minority students who intend to major in the natural sciences and mathematics. The new program--provisionally called the Science Scholars Program--will support up to 12 students.

The major part of the Oresman gift will be used to support student research assistantships in the academic year and during the summer. "Oberlin has a long history of supporting such research, through grants from such foundations as Dana, Hughes, and Mellon," says associate vice president for research and development David Love. "The most effective features of those programs will be incorporated in Oberlin's new faculty-student research program."

Winter and summer

Under the new program, faculty mentors and their students will prepare joint proposals for the awards and submit them to the research and development committee, which will choose the research projects. Students will receive stipends of about $1,800 for work during the academic year and $3,000 for work during the summer. Faculty members will have a small budget for necessary supplies, and those working with students during the summer months will receive small stipends.


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